Hello everyone! I'm glad you enjoyed my tutorial on how to make a feedsack hair bow. It's such a quick and easy project, you better let me know if you make one! Last Sunday was our one year wedding anniversary. Our plan initially was going to involve a walk around the nature preserve where we got married, but come the day of, we just weren't in the mood. Isn't that terrible? lol We keep missing the vintage fairs this ... Read more »
Make a hair bow out of 1930s feedsack fabric
Today I'm sharing a tutorial I hope you'll really enjoy: how to make a hair bow out of vintage feedsack fabric, with instructions to make your own pattern pieces, too. This is what I alluded to in my kickoff Made and Making post on Friday. By the way, thanks for all the positive comments on my new round-up series! Sorry there's a long back-story with this one... I hatched an idea born out of recent bad hair days: I ... Read more »
Made and Making No.1
Some of my favorite posts in blogland are round-ups of goings on in people's lives, especially when accompanied by photos. I've been meaning to start a weekly series for ages, so I can document all the little things in my own week. Finally I was able to plan it out! I'm going to call my new weekly round-up series "Made and Making", and aim for Friday postings. I'll share snapshots from my week that relate to things ... Read more »
Participating in Coronation Knits blog tour, just announced!
I'm so excited to announce this today! I've been keeping it under wraps for awhile now and it's been quite difficult, let me tell you! First (and not the part under wraps), as those of you vintage knitters out there may already know, Susan Crawford of A Stitch in Time series fame has just published Coronation Knits. It's a fabulous book of 14 knitting patterns inspired by Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee and the young ... Read more »
Giveaway winner
Whoops, I was supposed to draw the winner for the giveaway yesterday! So let's get on with it, shall we.The winner of both sewing patterns is Rebekah of St. Gemma's Art and Needlework!And I suggest you check out her blog, one of her recent posts is on how to find the straight grain of fabric without the selvage...super helpful, as I know I've definitely puzzled over fabric with no selvage any longer.Congrats, Rebekah! ... Read more »
Finished project: No-more-sewing-slump dress
I mentioned it in my giveaway post (one last day to enter!), but I finished the dress I was working on that finally kicked the sewing slump out of me. Yee haw! This pattern is a 1940s house dress, Simplicity 4660. You can see my copy is in really rough shape, but I couldn't resist it when I was searching for inspiration on Etsy a couple of weeks ago. No one really wears house dresses anymore, so who cares if I wear ... Read more »
Summery sewing patterns giveaway!
Happy Friday! First and foremost, let me say thanks for the encouragement on my tips on getting over a crafting slump. I know I've personally kept these tips in mind all week, and I'm pleased to say I just finished up the dress I mentioned in the post (photos soon once it warms back up, we're going through a chilly spell). And also many many thanks on all the wonderful comments about my new pullover! (In fact, it's so ... Read more »
Tips to get over a crafting slump
I've been thinking a lot lately about all the wonderful replies to my post a few weeks ago about trying to get my sewing mojo back. I think we all go through little slumps now and then with our various crafts of choice...sewing, knitting, paper crafting, you name it. You might be seeing lots of things that inspire you to create, but finding obstacles along the way, even when you sit down to work. Because all the ... Read more »
Finished project: So neat and sweet jersey
Finally, I have a finished project to share with you all! It's about time. This is my latest sweater, with the delicate name of So Neat and Sweet in her Simple V-Necked Jersey (pattern link on Ravelry, my project page on Ravelry). It's from A Stitch in Time Volume 2. Now I know all of you other vintage knitters out there know about this fabulous book by Susan Crawford, of course. But I can't reiterate enough how ... Read more »
Coral on my mind {and my lips}
Hello everyone! I've been obsessed with the color coral for quite some time. I think since last spring! I got a gift certificate to Sephora for my birthday, and I decided to splurge on a lipstick I'd been wanting to try for awhile. Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté in Rose Paris (27). As I'm sure you've noticed, I usually stick with red, however I thought this bright pinky coral would be a fun change. I paired it with an ... Read more »
Vintage knitting pattern: 1954 Mother & Daughter Shrug
I don't know about you, but I have had shrugs and boleros on my mind lately! As the weather finally seems to be staying nicer and I creep closer to rotating my closet (yay for seeing pretty spring and summer fashions that have been hidden away for months!), I've been thinking about what cover ups I like to pair with my not-too-cold weather clothes. I have a multitude of boxy cardigans, but lately I've been really ... Read more »
Getting my sewing mojo back
I'm tired of not sewing!Last autumn, I had so much going on with knitting projects that I sewed very little. And then came the house buying, and the moving, and, well, my sewing machine has been pretty lonely. I kept saying I'd start sewing again once I got my basement craft area going, but that hasn't really happened yet. It's been bothering me that I haven't sewn in months, especially since I had hoped last year I'd ... Read more »
In blues & plaids outfits {and post-haircut}
Thursday evening, I got a haircut, as you know. I went for a shorter version of pretty much my usual, so basically a short middy. I had a long talk with my stylist about how I'd style a curl fluff on top, and she cut my hair so that I could do that, albeit with that layer a little longer as she was worried I wouldn't be able to do much with it if that didn't work out for me. Which is good, because wow, was I all thumbs at ... Read more »
Haircuts and Twitter
Hello all! Today is haircut day. Why am I nervous?I think it's because we're (perhaps?) entering warm weather season here. That will mean lots of heat and humidity, where I live. And in most ways, I am most certainly not a wimp, but I will admit: I am a heat wimp. At the first sign of hot, humid weather I run for hair elastics and scarves and bandanas and anything that will get my hair off my neck faster than you can ... Read more »
Cabin getaway & recent finds
Thanks for all the replies and commiseration on my vintage hair funk post! It certainly sounds like it's going around. Spring fever, perhaps. What I have now is sort of grown out of the middy-like haircut I got in November, but it's definitely due for something. I still haven't decided on what I'm going to go for, but it will probably be just a shorter version of what I have (or what's grown out, rather). My best hair ... Read more »
A vintage hair funk
Hello everyone! Is it feeling like Spring near you? We went through a crazy hot spell in March that felt like early summer, and now it's finally starting to feel like April. It's been quite a shock to wear lots of wool after being in short sleeves a month ago! Thanks for all the great and helpful comments about decorating in our den! I now know for sure we're going to go with 1950s Southwestern as our inspiration. I'm ... Read more »