I was just at a wedding where the bride's dress was *slightly* prettier and more elegant than this, but it's a close call. 🙂

This is definitely a wedding dress for grown-ups; I wouldn't put this on someone in her early twenties. Or on someone who was getting married at noon; this is an evening dress. I might even consider making the front ruching and back swag in organza, and putting a few — VERY SUBTLE — tiny sparkly bits in it. Possibly. They'd have to be very subtle, though, or you'd go from Grown-Up Bride to Glinda The Good Witch in an eyeblink.

(The best part, though, is that I think you could just possibly hide a pocket in that back swag. I'd have to see the pattern, but I don't think it's entirely out of the question.)

This is listed by Michelle here, and it's sized at bust 34, hips 37 — very reasonable. (It's listed for $150, but when you think of what wedding dresses go for, that's not out of line, either).

If you are a June 2010 bride and think this is your wedding dress, congratulations! And mazel tov! And hurry up, you've only got a year to get this thing made!

Jen at MOMSPatterns (the pattern above is from her store) is offering 20% off from Friday (today) through the 26th (Tuesday). Jen's coupon code will be 'decorationday' since "it sounds purdier than 'memorialday'". Jen was striving to list 50 new patterns each day until the sale, so there's a good chance of doing some real stocking up on the oldies!

Wendy at Pattern Stash will have a 4 day sale over Memorial Day weekend – from Friday May 22nd to Monday May 25th. Just use the code Dressaday in the "Note to Seller" when checking out, and 15% of your total purchase will be refunded.

Rita at Cemetarian is in, too: she'll give 20% off anything on her website from Friday the 22nd through Monday the 25th. Use the coupon code "Summer".

Lisa is offering a combination discount: Memorial Day and Indy500 weekend: 10% off at the Vintage Fashion Library with coupon code
INDY500 (and you can combine this with your Miss Helene's purchases, if you let Lisa know in advance — she has to set it up specially)!

Carol has a pre-Memorial Day sale running now until the end of today, 5/22. 25% off of all stock at www.dandelionvintage.com. Hurry!

Janet at Lanetz Living is running a "May Sale", put the word "May" in the coupon box and get 25% off your entire order. Good for one order only and expires June 14th.

Pam has three sites so she's running three sales! At Glamourstitch on ETSY:
Buy 2 patterns get one FREE! (In the notes section of your order simply state 'DressADay' and she will send you a revised invoice through PayPal.)

At www.GlamourSavvy.com they are having a 25% Off sale. Just type in 'Glamour' for the coupon code and the discount will automatically apply.

And finally, over at www.Glamoursurf.com they're offering 15% off with the same code ('Glamour') at checkout.

Trudy at HotPatterns is offering 20% off the "Vintage Hotpatterns" range today through Monday!

Penny at Antique Dollhouse of Patterns has had a rough week. (She lost one of her cats to liver failure and the other is not doing well.) To cheer herself up she is running a random sale, depending on the pattern: the discount will be at least 10% but possibly even 40%!

Sheila at Out of the Ashes is running a 15% off sale, Friday (effective 12:01 a.m.) through Monday.

Holly at Lucite Box is doing something a little different — she's showing "featured items" on her home page in a gold oval frame. In that frame, she's featuring one item from each category on lucitebox.com.

During the four day sale, she'll mark-down items in that frame each day. The discount will vary depending on the item. Many of the discounts will be at least 20% off. Moreover, she's changing the featured items every day over the holiday weekend, so it's wise to check back often!

Daughter: Ooh, look, Mummy, over there. Isn't he dreamy?

Mother: Haven't I told you not to use that terrible slang? But, hmm. "Dreamy" may be apt, in this case.

Daughter: Can you get the majordomo to introduce us?

Mother: Certainly not. Only pitiful and desperate women need the services of the majordomo, dear. Besides, you have to tip him so much. If I can't get that man to come over here and introduce himself before the band finishes this song through pure application of my feminine wiles, I'll eat my hat.

Daughter: But, Mummy, you're not wearing a hat.

Mother: I'll eat YOUR hat. It doesn't go with your dress, anyway.

(Today's pattern is from Rita. You can find it here.)

Oh, and the lovely Sarah at Pink of Perfection put up a nice interview with me the other day — it's here if you want to read it!

Just a reminder — the fabric swap is tonight!

Here are the details:

Time: 6-8:30 p.m.

Date: Tuesday, May 19

Location: Rogers Park Public Library
6907 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60626
2nd floor, south room

What: Fabric Swap

What's a Fabric Swap?: We'll be exchanging fabric, notions, patterns using play money, probably Monopoly dollars. During the set-up, we'll have a little show and tell. Wear your favorite sew garment for prizes to be supplied by Erin (??)

Few important details: Since this is a swap, no money/check can be exchanged on the premises. This is important. Anybody caught paying real U.S. dollars for items in the swap will be lashed with a tape measure or forced to count pattern pieces.

What can I bring?: Any type of fabric that's at least 1 yard long, 45 inches wide (I don't want to deal with remnants), notions, patterns are acceptable.

How can I help?: Thanks for asking. Here are some specific jobs we need:

1. Several cashiers' to help establish a 'value' to the fabric and pass out Monopoly money to 'sellers'
2. Several organizers to put fabric on various tables tagged according to fabric type (silk, cotton, polyester, knits, etc.).
3. A barker to call out lottery numbers so 'shoppers' can orderly browse items in the swap.
4. Someone to organize show and tell part of the swap.
5. Foodie to round up snacks for hungry shoppers. "Shoppers" are encouraged to bring chips, beverages, paper plates, and napkins.
5. A driver with enough room in the car to cart leftover unwanted fabric to local Salvation Army.

Ok, what next?: Email marybeth.klatt @@@gmail DOT com with Fabric Swap in the subject line, let me know you're coming and how you'd like to help OR leave a comment in Mary Beth's "Fabric Swap" blog post at thelazymilliner.blogspot.com.

I have a few more questions!: Email marybeth.klatt @@@ gmail dot com OR leave a comment on her blog.

Jimmy: Why am I in this dress, again?

Janie: Because it's a movie, doofus. This kind of stuff happens in movies. You want to get into someplace that's all-girls, and I just *happen* to have a dress (and shoes!) that fit you perfectly, despite us being completely different sizes.

Jimmy: Why did I want to come with you?

Janie: Do I have to do everything in this plot? Am in voiceover right now? Do I have a name badge that says "Ask me to provide exposition?"

Jimmy: No, really, I don't know.

Janie: (heavy sigh) See that girl behind me? You loooooove her. Despite the fact that she can't accessorize.

Jimmy: Oh, okay. Thanks.

(pause)

Jimmy: All right, what do we do now?

Janie: Count to three, then duck before the explosion. When the rubble clears, go help her up. Then kiss.

Jimmy: I just want to be sure I have this straight. Kiss HER, right?

Janie: Next time I want to be in a werewolf movie.

[This pattern — and a lot of other lovely ones! — is on sale today and tomorrow at Sandritocat's Etsy shop! 20%, plus she offers free shipping with three or more patterns. Mention "20% off sale" in the notes section and then either wait for a revised invoice, or Sandra will refund the difference through Paypal. Enjoy!]

Thanks to Lulu Yen, I know now of the existence of Vogue 890. Sadly, the one above on eBay isn't my size, but I'll get you, my pretty. I will.

So the plan is:

— get pattern in my size, or a close approximation thereof
— make pattern in fantastic fabric (maybe my brown roses fabric, which is still looking for a home?)
— await invitation to ball, which at this point is going to be one I attend as the duenna of my granddaughter, but that's okay. (For point of reference: my son is nine.)
— attend ball, carrying numerous useful items (sewing kit, handkerchief, cough drops, band-aids, bowling ball) in my capacious POCKETS!

I think it's a very good plan. What say you?

Excellent co-conspirator and artist Beebe (click on that link, you won't regret it) and I put together a scheme to give A. a present for her recent Birthday Celebration, and to thank A. for completing another kick-ass year of Being Awesome. The plan: he'd draw one of his fantastic characters in a dress of my choosing!

Above, you see the result — it's this dress, Spadea 1338. I'm sure you agree that Porthole Woman with Comb Hat is the perfect model!

Happy birthday, A.!

I'm reposting this from Mary Beth Klatt, the organizer: Chicago-area folks, come out for a fabric swap next week!

Here are the details:

Time: 6-8:30 p.m.

Date: Tuesday, May 19

Location: Rogers Park Public Library
6907 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60626
2nd floor, south room

What: Fabric Swap

What's a Fabric Swap?: We'll be exchanging fabric, notions, patterns using play money, probably Monopoly dollars. During the set-up, we'll have a little show and tell. Wear your favorite sew garment for prizes to be supplied by Erin (??)

Few important details: Since this is a swap, no money/check can be exchanged on the premises. This is important. Anybody caught paying real U.S. dollars for items in the swap will be lashed with a tape measure or forced to count pattern pieces.

What can I bring?: Any type of fabric that's at least 1 yard long, 45 inches wide (I don't want to deal with remnants), notions, patterns are acceptable.

How can I help?: Thanks for asking. Here are some specific jobs we need:

1. Several cashiers' to help establish a 'value' to the fabric and pass out Monopoly money to 'sellers'
2. Several organizers to put fabric on various tables tagged according to fabric type (silk, cotton, polyester, knits, etc.).
3. A barker to call out lottery numbers so 'shoppers' can orderly browse items in the swap.
4. Someone to organize show and tell part of the swap.
5. Foodie to round up snacks for hungry shoppers. "Shoppers" are encouraged to bring chips, beverages, paper plates, and napkins.
5. A driver with enough room in the car to cart leftover unwanted fabric to local Salvation Army.

Ok, what next?: Email marybeth.klatt @@@gmail DOT com with Fabric Swap in the subject line, let me know you're coming and how you'd like to help OR leave a comment in Mary Beth's "Fabric Swap" blog post at thelazymilliner.blogspot.com.

I have a few more questions!: Email marybeth.klatt @@@ gmail dot com OR leave a comment on her blog.

[I'm going to try my best to be there, but I have a work trip on Monday that may run long. Cross your fingers!]

Sandra at Sandritocat sent me this fauxlero — doesn't it look real? The illustrator must have had a touch of PT Barnum in him.

Although, personally, if I were trying to "sell" the fauxlero, I wouldn't make Plaid Dress look quite so much as if she were trying to figure out what smelled so bad. (Either that or she's trying to see if the other woman is REALLY wearing an identical hat. And shoes. And earrings. And face.)

(This week's pattern story is brought to us courtesy of Rita at Cemetarian. Everything is 20% off with the coupon code FIESTY, for the next five days!)

Beige Dress: I get SO BORED waiting for the rest of the wall to come into being.

Blue Dress: Tell me about it. How am I supposed to decide on window treatments if there aren't any windows?

Beige Dress: When they said that life would be different at Flatland Estates, I didn't think it would be THIS different. Or this boring. Plus, I think I don't love my husband, Flash, any more.

Blue Dress: Well, that was the shortest distance between two points.