CynicalGirl is taking a short break
Reviews
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Jenny on Apr 10, 2017
5 out of 5 starsGreat, speedy service for a great vintage pattern! Carolina Herrera couldn't be any happier for the marvelous lines of this white blouse! I love it!
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Countess on Mar 14, 2017
5 out of 5 starsThis lovely pattern came to me in perfect condition, very professionally packed. Thank you for your service and speedy turnaround time! ❤
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Aimee on Jan 23, 2017
5 out of 5 starsSuch a neat and safe package plus a bonus of a personal note also Christmas greeting note. Can't wait to try it with my tailor! Thank you.
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Char on Sep 3, 2016
5 out of 5 starsThis seller is the bomb diggity. Pattern is perfect. Fast shipping. Thank you!
About CynicalGirl
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Christmas 1963 - My first weaving loom. It must have been three in the morning. My eyes are still glazed over...
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Teaching hand spinning at the local weavers guild in 1991. I still spin on occasion but I prefer to sew and make art.
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I share my office with my kitchen. It is but a corner but the space is maximized with storage and my Mac. Love my Mac.
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I Check every pattern to be certain it is complete and note any issues I should disclose such as tissue tears or stains.
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My business cards, made into sewing kits, are placed into every order as a Thank You for supporting independent sellers.
Making it Unique - Making it Vintage
I have always been fascinated with the process of creating sculptural form from a flat surface. Garments, with their tucks and folds, imposing dimension to enhance the figure, is to my mind one of the most amazing engineering feats known to women (and men). I have never studied draping or flat pattern design. Thank goodness sewing patterns take the guesswork out of clothing construction.
Since high school, in the 70's, I have been an avid collector of vintage housewares, furniture and clothing, with a special interest in Mid-Century Modernism. That period, that spans the 40's and 50's, brought forth designs that were elegant, dignified and what are now considered classic.
As quality vintage garments become harder to obtain, the patterns to recreate these fashions has not. What started as a search to repurchase some of my favorite patterns from the 60's and 70's, has become an obsession. After witnessing thrift shop workers dump boxes of patterns into a dumpster, I started my quest to rescue these icons of women's history one pattern at a time. I'm up to around 20,000 and going strong.
I blog over at http://zipsanddarts.blogspot.com/. It's a blog dedicated to bringing to light some of the overlooked aspects of fashion and women's history, and sewing in particular. I also use my blog to share patterns. I am constantly finding odd patterns from the past that I cannot part with and so have them available to anyone to download for free. To my mind the most wonderful thing I have found while sorting through the patterns I have accumulated, is how often these were used and shared. I continue the tradition of sharing at Zips and Darts.
Besides rescuing patterns I am also an artist. http://www.bobolinkbooks.com/MSB/Home.html My training was primarily in drawing and painting but sewing and fibers have always been my first love and have worked their way back into my artwork. Since a child I have always pursued drawing and craft as my preferred activities. My first weaving loom was gifted to me from Santa when I was 7 years old. I have woven fabrics, sewn quilts and garments, spun wool and even taught handspinning and natural dyeing at our local weavers guild. As a fine artist I have had many solo shows and had my work featured in exhibitions all across the US as well as Europe, South America, Korea and Japan.
In addition to fiber arts, I am an avid gardener and conservator of nature, providing habitat for all manner of species that wander onto our little 5 acre paradise in the middle of the cornfields.
Shop members
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Mary Behrens
Owner, My Shop Is Run With An Army Of One - Me.
I am an artist, born and raised in Milwaukee, living in the middle of Iowa for the past 20+ years with my writer/designer husband on a secluded acreage with our collections of objects and animals both wild and tame.
Shop policies
Accepted payment methods
Returns and exchanges
For orders that are returned for insufficient address or not claimed at customs, I will contact the customer and offer to reship the order with the customer paying for additional shipping costs. No refunds will be offered.
Once an order has shipped it can not be cancelled or refunded.
Cancelled orders that have not been shipped will be refunded.
Items lost in the mail and confirmed by USPS tracking will be refunded.
If you have any questions regarding my policies please contact me prior to making your purchase. My goal is to protect your purchase as best I can so that it is delivered safely and in a timely manner.
Payment
Shipping
Once an item is paid in full it will be shipped via USPS Mail. My shipping charges are for USPS First Class postage but heavier items, such as fabric may be calculated using Parcel Post. International orders over 4 pounds will ship via USPS Priority Mail. Orders are shipped within 24 - 48 hours or the next business day. All items ship using the Etsy address provided when you check out. Please check your address for accuracy before completing your purchase.
***** International Customers
Please note that shipping First Class International Mail may take up to 6 weeks or longer due to customs delays. If you need your order faster please choose the Priority option.
Import duties, VAT taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to purchasing. Avalara Sales Tax software will calculate your VAT fees for free: http://salestax.avalara.com/ Enter your location ad the program will insert the current percent of VAT for your location.
I do not mark merchandise values below value or mark items as "gifts" - US and International government regulations prohibit such behavior.
Additional policies and FAQs
Smoke Free Environment.
To learn how to successfully enlarge a vintage pattern that is too small, download this free tutorial http://zipsanddarts.blogspot.com/p/altering-sewing-pattern.html
In the 40's, 50's and 60's the USDA published many informational fitting and tailoring booklets that, although not applicable to many of today's fashions, might be helpful for sewing with vintage patterns. If you are interested in viewing of these publications, please visit my blog http://zipsanddarts.blogspot.com
INCHES TO CENTIMETERS CONVERSION CHART
-----Bust---------------Waist-------------Hip-----------
30.5"/77cm……..23"/58cm……..32.5"/83cm
31.5"/80cm……..24"/61cm……..33.5"/85cm
32.5"/83cm……..25"/64cm……..34.5"/88cm
34"/87cm……….26.5"/67cm…...36"/92cm
36"/92cm……….28"/71cm……..38"/97cm
38"/97cm……….30"/76cm……..40"/102cm
40"/102cm……...32"/81cm……..42"/107cm
42"/107cm……...34"/87cm……..44"/112cm
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