Thrift Store Find - Simplicity 5009 - 1972 Dress and Paint Suit Pattern

While I left this at the thrift store as it is to make a Size 12 (but I am not) but I put in took out of my cart many times before leaving it there.

It is a Simplicity 5009 pattern from 1972.  It has simple lines but still had that 70's retro vibe that could be updated by just using modern fabric.  

It looks like a fairly simple pattern and I could probably easily upsize it except it has one element from some 70's fashions that I hate; the dreaded back zipper.  

I made a pair of pants that were similar in the mid-'70s and it was a nightmare to get off and on as you have to reach in back and unhook (most called for a hook and eye closure) and unzip.   

I think I only wore them a few times when the zipper got stuck in the back and I could get it up or down and ended up breaking the zipper.  

I ended up tying a jacket around my waist for the rest of the day because the only thing holding it closed was the hook and eye.  Even with the jacket there, I still felt a breeze.  

Yeah, the back zip pants can stay in the '70s as far as I am concerned.

12 Sewing Tips, Tricks and Hacks That Every Seamstress Should Know!

This was on Facebook and I thought I would share it here as there are a few tips and tricks I had not seen before, like using a fork to make pleats when sewing or gluing magnets under a plate to turn into a straight pin holder.

I have used the zigzagging over a cord to gather fabric before and it works very well, but you have to be sure you secure the end that you are not pulling on (I suggest using a safety pin through the middle of the cord and fabric on the end) and it had to be precise because if you sew into the cord, obviously it is not going to move.


One thing that I don't recommend is using the compressed air to clean out as it can force debris into your machine and gum up the works.

Have you ever tried any of these hacks?  If so, how did they work out for you?  If not, which one do you think you would like to try?

Thift Store Finds - 3 Butterick Patters - .40 Cents

Franciscan Family Thrift Store had a 1/2 price sale this weekend.  The patterns were not marked so I took a chance in picking them up ,but was ecstatically surprised that the original price was .25 cents and I picked up the above patterns for .40 cents.  Had I known the price, I would have picked up a lot more patterns as to me, they are pure gold.

As the fit on any pattern that had not been tried before can be a little tricky, and some sewers would prefer trying in a muslin material, I like to buy thrift store bed sheets before investing in a higher dollar fabric to see if the fit needs to be tweaked or if the pattern looks great, but not so great on me and time to donate it back.