Simplicity Jiffy 4977 – at the Lighthouse, this is only a few minutes from my home… I really do sew by the seashore!

When I said I’d be with you in a Jiffy… I really meant it!

In November I won a Pattern Pyramid on Made by Trisha’s blog. I managed to keep quiet about it as I knew it would take while to arrive from USA. Trisha was off at a conference, check out the dress she made to wear to it here.

The pyramid arrived this week… and you will be pleased to know that I’ve already made two things! Hey don’t look so shocked, I’m not SewBusyLizzy for nothin’! LOL.

OK I know that you ain’t so interested in my sewing as you are in the Pyramid itself, huh? *sniff* After stalking many a Pattern Pyramid I understand, really I do *sniff*.

And yes, it’s a pretty good one.

The jury is still out, I can’t decide what to keep. At the moment I’m a little bit in love with the very simple Jiffy 60s number. And yes, that’s the Jiffy that I’m wearing at the top of the post 🙂

Simplicity Jiffy 4977

I made the Jiffy on the spur of the moment. I was digging through the stash looking for something else and stumbled across this vintage fabric (you know how that happens) I picked up at an op shop for $3 for 3 meters. I suspect it’s a 70s print. I have no idea what it’s composed of… but it’s quite heavy, a twill weave and has a fabulous drape. It just felt ‘right’ and in a jiffy – or a few hours – the Jiffy was born. Miss 9 and ELH decreed that I should make the sleeveless number so I obliged. I even had some vintage hooks & eyes to close the back (it’s supposed to be a button & loop but this felt ‘right’). So total cost (excluding electricity and cotton etc for those auditing types) was $2. I have enough fabric left to make an Alma with this 🙂

My modern cheating touch was to use my brand new overlocker/serger to finish the seams – this fabric is a ‘frayer’.

Simplicity Jiffy 4977 – interior

Verdict? Jiffy = lots of fun and a very comfortable dress!

Now I had thought I would keep Simplicity 4687 – the shift, jacket and overblouse. So cute! It seemed the perfect solution to my Christmas dress dilemma. I thought I would make a red dress with a green lace over blouse.

Simplicity 4687 Pattern Pyramid fail

Glad I muslined this. It’s too big. Yes, yes, yes. I could grade the pattern. I could make alterations. And I really admire people that do that. However for me… there is a world of patterns out there that fit me and I’d rather fritter away my time with those 🙂 This was nice enough to sew but a major sewing/fitting fail. I could not even be bothered to tidy up the hem for the pictures 🙂

Simplicity 4687 Pattern Pyramid fail – back view – it’s huge!

Verdict? I’m not a vintage size 12. Lesson learnt. It’s staying in the Pyramid.

I’m still dying to try the 6512 pants… they might be too small though. And trust me you don’t want to see my stretch marks in that crop top. I am a small person and had two babies around the 9 pound mark – scarred for life I tells ya. I’m sticking with the dresses.

What am I keeping? I don’t know!!! Decisions!! I thought about tracing off the pattern but decided I will just throw a few more in. I have plenty of vintage patterns and I actually love seeing how the Pyramid morphs and changes with every blog it passes through. At the moment the Jiffy is definitely the front runner. I can see myself making this up many times…

What should I throw into the mix? A jacket? A Vintage Vogue? An 1980s fashion crime?

Excited? Wanna win? You can find the rules of the Pattern Pyramid here – when it was started by the lovely Karen of Did You Make That? In a nutshell you must have a blog to participate (sorry non-bloggers!). Leave a comment and let me know if you are in!

The Pattern Pyramid winner will be chosen by a lucky draw on December 23, 2012. Good luck!

JIFFY DRESS
Pattern: free
Fabric: $2 op shop.

LOCATION
Tacking Point Lighthouse, Port Macquarie
Tacking Point Lighthouse is Australia’s third oldest lighthouse. It was built on a rocky headland about 8 kilometres south of Port Macquarie in 1879 by Shepherd and Mortley, to a design by the New South Wales Colonial Architect, James Barnet. It is classified by the National Trust of Australia (NSW). Tacking Point was named by explorer Matthew Flinders in 1802 during his 1802–1803 circumnavigation of Australia
(source: wikipedia)

Oh and if you have read this far it was WINDY today. Really windy… we were lucky to get these pictures… some of them looked like this…

I’ve been nominated for some blog awards – more on that later… oh and I made the Sewaholic Lonsdale dress. Verdict: sewing WIN! Photos soon.