On Monday I shared my new socks to secretly tuck inside my ankle boots. And I promised I'd share a free vintage sock pattern with you. Actually, I'm sharing two! A plain and a cabled pair. Both patterns are from the same knitting booklet from 1947. The plain socks are knit to 8.5 stitches per inch, casting on 52 stitches for the ribbed cuff, with the rest of the sock knit on 60 stitches. The cabled socks don't ... Read more »
Why it’s warm inside my boots
I love living in a four-season climate, but I don't love being cold. This winter I've been working on making myself warm in ways that don't make me look like a marshmallow. Don't get me wrong, I know there will still be some days I can't avoid looking like this. But I'm determined to look like the Michelin man as few days as possible this winter. As it gets colder I hope to do a post on how I'm layering to keep ... Read more »
Trying things that don’t always work out
Hello my friends! And a very happy 2013 to you. I'm marching right into this year, full steam ahead. I have two new knitting projects on the needles, and a stack of sewing projects I'd like to start. In fact, I've already learned something about sewing this year: ideas that sounds brilliant in your head don't always translate to a project the way you expect them to. And I'm having to remind myself that's okay. I'll ... Read more »
Reflections on my 2012 sewing and knitting
I'm actually feeling a bit more chipper and less cranky than I thought I would when I sat down to write this post, and I'll tell you why in a minute. 'Tis the season when everyone starts counting down their top whatevers of the year, and sewing projects, skills, goals and the like is no different. We've been getting ready to head to suburban Washington, D.C. for Christmas so I've had less time than usual for catching up ... Read more »
Christmas crafting is in the air
Even though it barely feels like winter yet here, I've definitely been feeling the crafty Christmas spirit. Every year I have the best of intentions for a large variety of crafts I'd like to accomplish before the holidays. And most years, almost none of them get completed. That's certainly true this year, so I'm already plotting things I'd like to do for next year... maybe I'll actually get them done that ... Read more »
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas pullover time
December marks the month I whip out all of my winter-themed pullovers. What can I say, I just have a thing for them. They naturally make a great casual outfit with trousers or jeans, but it can be hard to dress them up, which I like to do from time to time. I went for a bit of sparkle and gold in my accessories to do the job. (Sorry for the dead yard photos. That's one caveat of a tiny city yard, there aren't a lot of ... Read more »
Completed: cake and vinegar dress
Hello everyone! Well let me just say a big humble thank you to everyone who enjoyed my back roll with a scarf tutorial. I'm so glad it's proved to be easy for others, and it's been fun seeing it crop up on so many heads. I forgot to mention another time it's a useful hairstyle: hiding when you try out a new setting pattern and you don't love the result. (I don't think you need to ask me to know how I found that one ... Read more »
How I do a vintage back roll using a scarf
Hello my dear readers! I hope those of you in the U.S. had a lovely Thanksgiving. I know I did! Today I'm excited to share a quick hair tutorial with you. I love the look of a 1940s-style back roll. It can be an elegant evening style or wartime factory worker casual. There are several great tutorials for this type of hairstyle, including at Va-Voom Vintage and Eileen's Basement. My version is a little different, as it ... Read more »
Fall day trip
Last weekend, it was so warm that we decided to get in a small road trip to Wisconsin. It's one of our favorite things to do, and this year with buying the house and settling in and everything that comes with that we've had very little opportunities to do it. So with temperatures 20 degrees warmer than earlier that week, we hit the road in style. Outfit details dress: made by me 1940s alligator shoes: ... Read more »
Pressing gratitude!
I can't thank you all enough for the loads of helpful comments on my pressing dilemma, with the fabric that just wouldn't crease! Of course I've now read several discussions about gabardine being hard to press. In the end I was able to get it to work with a combination of your suggestions. I think the big winner, however, was Rebekah of St. Gemma's Art & Needlework, who recommended a spray bottle with 2 parts water ... Read more »
Help, sewists! I can’t press my fabric
My dear sewing friends, I have an issue and I need help! By the way, the yoke is gathered, even though it looks like a big pucker in this photo. As if I didn't have enough problems with the bodice already. Seriously, the place where the collar and yoke joins is beyond the laws of physics—or at least my sewing skills. And the collar is bizarrely short at the back of the neck and I worry it won't roll properly. But all ... Read more »
Matching gray beret & fingerless mitts
When I was leaving for Rhinebeck back in October, I needed a small, portable knitting project. After all, I was headed to a sheep and wool festival, flying on a plane and doing some traveling by car, so I knew there would be knitting time. I finished these fingerless gloves the weekend I was there. The pattern is Arctic Blast Mitts (Ravelry link), knit in DK weight so they work up fast. Aren't they ... Read more »
An autumnal outfit
One thing I have been downright terrible about this year is outfit posts. I really need to be better, in part because it gives me an excuse to wear something on days I don't otherwise have a reason to force me out of casual jeans and a sweater. So here you go, a little outfit post, inspired by yesterday's post. This is one of my favorite skirts. In fact, it was in part re-discovering this skirt in my closet that sent ... Read more »
Trying to find inspiration for fall & winter
My American readers, are you voting today, or did you early vote? Yes? Good. Moving right along... Cold weather is setting in. And I've found myself absolutely floundering style-wise this fall! Being inspired by knitting projects but not sure how they'll fit into my wardrobe. Being inspired by certain vintage fashions but feeling very ho-hum when wearing them myself. Being inspired by other vintage fashions but not if ... Read more »
Reviving our Swedish modern dish
Today I want to share with you a teensy little project I did earlier this fall. But before I do, I just wanted to give my many thanks for all of the comments on my fair isle pullover. I was so, so tickled reading your comments! ♥ And I'm tossing around an idea that Katie from The Little Red Squirrel planted in my head: doing a knit-along for "vintaging" a modern knitwear pattern. I know I've fallen flat on my attempts to ... Read more »
Red Queen fair isle pullover: finished!
Happy Friday! Thank you for your comments on being "back". I'm still trying to catch up on life after the last several weeks. :) As promised, I have photos to share of my latest knitted sweater. I actually started this last November if you can believe it. For some reason I only worked on this one in fits and spurts, with the final spurt being to finish it up to wear to Rhinebeck last weekend. My flight was Friday ... Read more »