Sometimes, when lightening strikes in the form of an idea, you have to run with it, if you're able. That was the case with this project. I've been in the middle of knitting a cardigan since December, but then right after Christmas I got an idea in the back of my head for a quick project. Well, relative to a fingering weight cardigan, that is. I wanted to knit a bolero out of some Jill Draper Mini Empire yarn that I ... Read more »
Getting a cardigan right
I have a cardigan for you today! We have a new president and narrowly avoided what felt like the potential end of our democracy! One of those pieces of news is important and one is not, but I'm here to chat about the unimportant one. ;) Before we get rolling, these photos were taken in December so you're just going to have to excuse my Christmas decorations. I took photos of this project at the same time as my flannel ... Read more »
Sildra mittens
Thank you for all the kind comments on my last blog post, and hey guess what, I didn't make you wait over a year for another one! It's nice to know there are folks out there who still want to read this. :) As I said before I do have some posts in me, and here I am again to prove it. Writing is a nice way to distract myself from the world and goodness knows, we need distractions right now, especially this last harrowing ... Read more »
Ho ho hello
I haven't written a post on this blog since April of 2019. Wow have things changed since then. Not as much personally, but the world. You don't need me to recap the open wound of 2020, you were there. In my life, it's been mostly a quiet year, being careful and safe and trying to keep myself occupied throughout the pandemic and the pathetic, negligent handling by the dumpster fire of our thankfully-outgoing wannabee ... Read more »
(Belated) birthday sarong dress
Happy belated birthday to me! My birthday was actually last Wednesday, but my site had gremlins that had to get fixed, and then I was busy preparing for a trip (more on that below), and so you're only getting the post I planned for my birthday now. Better late than never. :) As I've done every year for several years, I sewed myself a birthday dress! It's a tradition I've enjoyed keeping up (last year's was ... Read more »
Test
This is just a test post. Feedly hasn't been showing my posts for several months and I tried to work with them and my blog host to get this fixed. I couldn't get final confirmation from Feedly if the changes my blog host made worked, and if Feedly could still 'see' my blog. So I'm posting a test to see if it's finally it's working yet. I'll delete this soon, and sorry if another follows at some point. This is a ... Read more »
Finally, a Rita blouse
Hello my friends! It's been awhile. No long apologies or anything like that—I don't blog as much as I used to. Sometimes it comes in fits and spurts and then sometimes I just can't be bothered to take umpteen photos and cull them and whatnot. Please don't tell me you're disappointed I didn't ever blog about this topic or you wish I posted more or why don't I do tutorials or or or, etc. Yes, people do that. Do not put that ... Read more »
Plaid flannel dress
Last month, I sewed a plaid dress. Not just any plaid dress, but a plaid flannel dress. It's cute, warm, and comfy. What could be more delightful for fall and early winter? This dress is from McCall's 8989, a pattern from the 1950s. The wing collar is annoying to construct... the type where you sew to the seam line on both sides of a seam, and invariably I leave a huge hole or puckers and have to re-do at least ... Read more »
Nancy Drew and the Clue in the Epic Sweater
As the New York Sheep and Wool Festival fast approaches this year, I thought perhaps it was about time I blog about last year's Rhinebeck sweater! Once you see how long this post is, you'll know why I dragged my heels on writing it for a year. ;) I knit the most insane thing I've ever created, and possibly will ever create. It was an epic ode to a childhood love: a fictional character who helped teach me that young ... Read more »
Going strapless
I have long coveted true vintage 1950s strapless sun tops. Bustier tops, bra tops, the whole shebang. While I don't really have many reasons to wear them, I always think they seem like the perfect thing to really jazz up a skirt in the summer, or spring and fall with a bolero on top, or wear for a nicer evening outfit. Original ones are rare to find and typically very pricey, which explains why I own exactly zero. So I ... Read more »
Sewing a holy grail pattern
I found one of my holy grail sewing patterns this year! You'd think a "holy grail" pattern had to be some fancy couture or Polynesian number that sells for over $100 and is super rare at that, but nope. It's a simple sundress pattern, from 1945, Simplicity 2465. Some years back I saw the pattern without the numbers on it in some random image online somewhere, and was never able to put a pattern number to the ... Read more »
Red and cream gingham sundress
I've been really busy this spring and early summer, and blogging just hasn't been on the forefront of my mind lately. I go through periods when I just find the entire process of taking and collating photos complete and utter drudgery. Sure, taking half a dozen photos doesn't seem that annoying, but it usually takes 50 or more to even find just a few I'm happy enough with to post. Thankfully for you, I finally got ... Read more »
Inspiration finally, two years later
I'm back from vacation and I'm INSPIRED! Two years ago, we went through the looong process of transforming a large part of our basement into studio spaces for ourselves. Back then, I did a few posts on it—sharing the dirty 'lil before photos, the planning and build-out phase, and creating my dream cutting table. But I haven't shared anything about it since. The truth is, I absolutely love my sewing and craft space ... Read more »
A birthday dress with a back story
Another birthday, another birthday dress! I'm off on vacation so you get a scheduled post, but it's my birthday today! Hip hip! As I've done every year for 6 years now, I made myself a dress for my birthday. It's possible I'm not actually wearing this dress right now since I'm likely in the mountains hunting down a waterfall as you read this. But this year's birthday dress is one I really love and I'll be wearing it ... Read more »
Overalls of my dreams
While I was making my latest pair of jeans, I hatched another idea that I started working on slowly: a pair of overalls. And boooooy am I ever happy with them! It started like this. I really wanted to try a scooped out front pocket on a pair of 1950s style jeans. I mentioned that dilemma in my last jeans post of doing the slash pockets and some gaping. So while I was in a jeans mood, I wanted to try scooped pockets ... Read more »
I just needed a sweatshirt
Do you ever just drop everything you're working on to sew a quickie project? I almost never do. But I did recently, and can understand why people do it sometimes! In the middle of my latest jeans project I suddenly had the urge to try out a pattern I've been thinking about non-stop since finishing my Carbeth pullover. The cropped shirt in Butterick 7557, from around 1956. Meant to be more of a sweater, or a ... Read more »