back in the day . . .

say circa 1969, I made half my clothes and bought the other half.  The other half being mostly hip hugging, 2.5" zippered bell bottom jeans . . .  wide enough to cover the toes . . .  and drag ever so slightly on the ground behind my platform boots:

 (tis not I, said the little red hen)

  . . .   or worn with buffalo sandals:

The rest fell into a more creative category:  Crop tops made from old T's, large scarves wrapped and tied for tops, tie dyed anything.  But one of my favorite patterns was a simple flowing dress.  I made it over and over again in variation.  The pattern, tucked away, moved with me time and time again and finally one day, several years ago, I happened on a box in the garage holding all my old patterns.  Alas, some critter had wrecked havoc in said box and the entire mess had to be chucked.  But, not before I gazed fondly at McCalls pattern 9715:

 It was a sad farewell.

The pattern kept nagging at me.  Mostly because one of the variations made was floor length and cut from an Indian block print bedspread that was the rage at the time.  It was comfy and I kept thinking of how wonderful it would be to hang around in one again.  The search was on.  McCalls no longer keeps it in stock and my web searches surprisingly uncovered several but all had recently sold.  

Last week, I hit the proverbial jackpot and stumbled across the pattern on EBay.  My first EBay purchase!   It came in the mail yesterday and today I am headed to Joann's, looking for a slightly heavier than normal cotton fabric because winter is finally coming to Florida.  Maybe flannel.  I'll let you know.