A huge thank you to everyone for your support when I announced last week that I'm planning to design a sweater pattern. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it! ♥ Each comment has made me feel great and really cements it for me that I made the right decision to dip my toe in the design pool.Honestly I've had so much going on that I really don't have anything fun or interesting to share right now! I even looked at my ... Read more »
Bombshell Shocked Giveaway!
Today I have something super special, my very first giveaway! This giveaway is sponsored by the wonderful Nicole Hughes, owner of Bombshell Shocked on Etsy. She's a Chicago-based vintage clothing stylist who I met at the vintage clothing show I attended earlier this month, where she sold me my amazing Mexican circle skirt. I'm really, really excited to announce this giveaway! Now, what does the lucky winner get, you ask? ... Read more »
First day of spring
Happy spring, to those of you up here in the Northern Hemisphere! Yesterday morning we decided it was the first weekend day that was nice enough to kick off the outdoor season for us. We love going to state parks and forest preserves for day trips and start doing that before it's really warm enough to go camping. I looked for a park close to the Wisconsin border since we also had an ulterior motive: drive to Kenosha, ... Read more »
Briar Rose Vintage KAL: Knitted sleeve caps
How is the knitting going for everyone in the knit-along? I admit I haven't touched my Briar Rose in awhile, but only because I have a (personally set) tighter deadline for another knit so I'm trying to bang out some work on that one before I go back to Briar Rose. I have about 6" of the body done, and I'm working in the round. Today, a few days early, I'm going to talk about sleeve caps. I bet going into this you had ... Read more »
Happy Birthday, Grandma!
Today is my grandmother's 96th birthday. Isn't that wonderful?It's always easy to remember someone's birthday when it falls on a holiday. Of course, there was the year that my grandfather spaced out exactly which holiday her birthday fell on. Instead of wishing her a happy birthday on St. Patrick's Day, he did it a month earlier on Valentine's Day. My grandparents were happily married for over 50 years, and my grandfather ... Read more »
Treading water
Boy, have I sure felt like I've been treading water these last few days!As I sat knitting last night while we watched episode one of the PBS series Jazz (oh how I love Ken Burns documentaries), I literally couldn't remember what we did on Saturday. Fortunately I recovered quickly. So here are few photos from the weekend, literally the only ones we took. I accompanied Mel to a haircut at our vintage-inspired salon (I say ... Read more »
Sewing fail
Grr.Boy, am I glad I decided to do a muslin! In yesterday's post I was all excited to try and turn Anne Adams 4855 into a blouse. Not working out well, so far.I re-drafted my pieces, cut out my muslin and started in on the sewing. Putting together the sleeve was a bit awkward, as you sew the shoulder seam first, then turn back the seam allowance on the front and back bodice pieces, then topstitch over the sleeve.Then you ... Read more »
Prepping for my next blouse project
I haven't done any sewing since last week, so since I'm still procrastinating putting a button on my castles skirt, naturally I thought I'd start another project. (Makes perfect sense, right?)I've really been in the mood to sew another blouse. I just couldn't make up my mind when rifling through my blouse patterns, so I decided I'd make an attempt at turning the bodice portions of this vintage dress pattern into a blouse. ... Read more »
Blog award, i.e. 7 things about me
I have received a few blog awards lately and have been remiss in posting about it! Most recently I received the Stylish Blogger Award from the wonderful Temperamental Broad, so thank you very much! ♥Without further ado, here are seven completely random things you probably didn't know about me.1. I'm left-handed. On my mom's side, so was my grandfather, and so is my uncle and my cousin. Four lefties in three generations. ... Read more »
Vintage show finds
I've been meaning to post this all week! Last Saturday, we went out to the 'burbs for a huge annual vintage clothing, jewelry and textiles show. We missed last year (though I can't recall why), so I was particularly excited about it this year. I was literally talking about it for days leading up to it. I took some photos of my finds, but mind you nothing has been ironed and I just threw them on, so forgive the lackluster ... Read more »
Briar Rose Vintage KAL: Thoughts on reading the pattern
Happy Friday! I promised a post that I'm not sure very many of you actually need, but I thought it would be helpful just in case (and since I know how online knit-alongs go, it might prove useful for someone in the future who plans to knit Briar Rose). I'm going to talk a little bit about reading our knitting pattern. I know sometimes for newer knitters, when you look at a knitting pattern it might as well be ... Read more »
Cardigan twins?
Today the funniest thing occurred, and something rare in the life of a knitter, I think.A new reader to my blog, Miss Margarita, left me a comment this afternoon, and when I went to her blog I discovered an adorable photo of her... wearing a sweater I've actually knit for myself! Miss Margarita, I believe you and I may be cardigan twins! From her blog, it says it was knit for her as a gift (lucky duck!). To add even more ... Read more »
Briar Rose Vintage KAL: Knit-along cast on!
Thanks so much everyone for the kind words about our anniversary! ♥ Know what today is? That's right, those of you who are knit-alongers know: March 1st, our cast on day for the Briar Rose Vintage Knit-Along! Today was the first day since fall that I had to break out my sunglasses again when I left for work this morning, so that tells me spring really is just around the corner. That makes it the perfect day to cast on ... Read more »
Our anniversary
Today, Mel and I are celebrating our 9 year anniversary. Well "celebrating" would be a bit of an exaggeration, we haven't done much different today than a normal Sunday, which is a-ok by us. Having a lovely and relaxing day. So here's the anniversary rendition of our photo-a-week.And an outtake...And I may or may not be wearing my finished Swing Dress for Casey's Sew Along... ;) (More about that when I can get some real ... Read more »
Briar Rose Vintage KAL: Resizing the knitting pattern, Part 2
Today is part two of resizing in our knit-along. We're now going to learn how to resize our vintage knitting pattern to our own size. This is the long post. Don't worry if you're not ready to sit down and do this! I know some of you are still swatching or waiting to get yarn. :) Actually this post is so big I admit a certain bit of trepidation posting it. lol I just know I've forgotten something, even though I've ... Read more »
Recap of last weekend
OMG. I need a break from the knit-along math. I need to talk about something else for a change. :D Last Friday, I was talking with my lovely and talented friend Moe over at her blog, Stitch, about shoes, and the subject of cowboy boots came up. I realized that I hadn't worn mine in ages, so I thought hey, what a good excuse to bring them out, since we were going out that night with friends after all. So I went for my ... Read more »