Showing posts with label vintage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vintage. Show all posts
Vintage Patch Bag
Lacy Valentines Gifts
How sweet would it be to sew up this doily pillow for your sweetheart on Valentine's Day? Rachel Denbow has a tutorial right here, on her blog Smile and Wave. All you need are some old doilies, a few pieces of plain fabric, a pillow form, and a needle and thread.
On the Design*Sponge Guest Blog this month, Sarah, Amy and Anna Blessing of BBBcraft have some great ideas for homemade Valentine's cards.
And good ol' Martha Stewart has lots of non-sew lacy craft ideas: votive holders created with lace and fabric stiffener, doily stencils, and pretty lace-print stationery.
Have a wonderful Valentine's Day!
Estate Sale Finds
I've been getting up early on Saturday mornings to hit estate sales with a few friends. Those of us who make up the regular crew have similar tastes, but we're usually searching for different items. Occasionally, our esthethics overlap, but so far, we've made it through a day of sales without a single fight.
Our current debate is over whether we should bother with lining up with the resale crowd and duke it out on Saturday mornings, or if we should slack off and wait until afternoon, when the shoppers are fewer and the deals are better. Some weeks, we're turned off by high prices, weird smells, or downright dirty homes which have us threatening to swear off our hobby for a few months. Other times, one of us will find a cool shirt, an old chair, or a stash of fabric that will keep us coming back for more.
Craft supply-wise, this Saturday was pretty dull, but I did manage to score the following:
A trio of matching Fire King bowls -- I'm trying to weed plastic products out of the kitchen, and these are perfect for storing leftovers.
A recipe box that belonged to one Billie Bailey, plus dozens of unused recipe cards inside.
I filled out one card to mail to my friend Chanda tomorrow:
A heavy-duty iron basket that's the size of a record crate. I found it in a backyard, filled with backpacks, and paid $3 for it.
Our current debate is over whether we should bother with lining up with the resale crowd and duke it out on Saturday mornings, or if we should slack off and wait until afternoon, when the shoppers are fewer and the deals are better. Some weeks, we're turned off by high prices, weird smells, or downright dirty homes which have us threatening to swear off our hobby for a few months. Other times, one of us will find a cool shirt, an old chair, or a stash of fabric that will keep us coming back for more.
Craft supply-wise, this Saturday was pretty dull, but I did manage to score the following:
A trio of matching Fire King bowls -- I'm trying to weed plastic products out of the kitchen, and these are perfect for storing leftovers.
A recipe box that belonged to one Billie Bailey, plus dozens of unused recipe cards inside.
I filled out one card to mail to my friend Chanda tomorrow:
A heavy-duty iron basket that's the size of a record crate. I found it in a backyard, filled with backpacks, and paid $3 for it.
More Books
Sometimes Amie and I talk about reading as much as we talk about sewing!
We are always trading books and recommending new titles -- right now, she's reading my copy of Molly Wizenberg's A Homemade Life.
Occasionally, sewing and books go hand-in-hand. I'm not talking about craft titles here; I mean books that have inspired sewing projects, or sewing projects that remind me of my favorite titles.
Awhile back, Amie blogged about a stuffie-themed book report on The Tale of Despereaux. And I'm not sure which came first: Phoebe's Princess Stories or her Princess Pillows, but they're both equally fabulous.
Phoebe's Princess Stories reminded me of this brilliant blog, which jogs so many memories of the hours I'd spend curled up with a stack of titles from the Gail Borden Public Library, a phenomenal place where, once upon a time (i.e. the early to mid-1970s) you could check out framed oil paintings and games as well as books. Thanks to Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves, I'm re-acquainting myself with John Burningham's Cannonball Simp and Don Freeman's Space Witch.
No surprise to find that one of my elusive memories involved sewing of sorts: Mr. Biddle and the Birds, who are sewn into harnesses so they can airlift his house into the sky!
Of course, there's also Corduroy, also by Don Freeman, which both Amie and I declare our favorite book about mending.
And last week, when we were working on a project that included a guinea pig stuffie named Nectarine Tangerine Peach Pie, a foggy memory from the deepest recesses of my brain came to light, and I remembered a series of books I read in third or fourth grade written by Paddington Bear creator Michael Bond. I couldn't come up with a title -- and neither Amie nor N.T.P.P.'s creator, Emma Kate, had ever heard of such a thing -- but today, I discovered this on Amazon.com: Olga Da Polga.
There she is, just as I remember her.
We are always trading books and recommending new titles -- right now, she's reading my copy of Molly Wizenberg's A Homemade Life.
Occasionally, sewing and books go hand-in-hand. I'm not talking about craft titles here; I mean books that have inspired sewing projects, or sewing projects that remind me of my favorite titles.
Awhile back, Amie blogged about a stuffie-themed book report on The Tale of Despereaux. And I'm not sure which came first: Phoebe's Princess Stories or her Princess Pillows, but they're both equally fabulous.
Phoebe's Princess Stories reminded me of this brilliant blog, which jogs so many memories of the hours I'd spend curled up with a stack of titles from the Gail Borden Public Library, a phenomenal place where, once upon a time (i.e. the early to mid-1970s) you could check out framed oil paintings and games as well as books. Thanks to Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves, I'm re-acquainting myself with John Burningham's Cannonball Simp and Don Freeman's Space Witch.
No surprise to find that one of my elusive memories involved sewing of sorts: Mr. Biddle and the Birds, who are sewn into harnesses so they can airlift his house into the sky!
Of course, there's also Corduroy, also by Don Freeman, which both Amie and I declare our favorite book about mending.
And last week, when we were working on a project that included a guinea pig stuffie named Nectarine Tangerine Peach Pie, a foggy memory from the deepest recesses of my brain came to light, and I remembered a series of books I read in third or fourth grade written by Paddington Bear creator Michael Bond. I couldn't come up with a title -- and neither Amie nor N.T.P.P.'s creator, Emma Kate, had ever heard of such a thing -- but today, I discovered this on Amazon.com: Olga Da Polga.
There she is, just as I remember her.
Before and After: Parrot Pin Cushion
My mother has my dream job -- she volunteers in a thrift store one afternoon a week, which has merely whetted her appetite for yard sales on the weekends. The things she finds are simply amazing, and they represent the best form of recycling. Never-worn clothes and high end kitchenware top the list, although she and I share a fascination in the truly bizarre items. I think it's a by-product of our annual "Worst Christmas Ever" competition...
When she came for a visit last month, she brought me two incredible pieces: First, a white baby head vase, oddly reminiscent of Maxim Velčovský's pricey and fashionable Little Joseph candle holder, which debuted in decor magazines last year. Second, a wonderful (and wonderfully worn out, in a Velveteen Rabbit-y kind of way) wind-up tiger toy, which perfectly matches a lion I found at an estate sale a few years ago.
Sometimes, however, mama misses the mark.
Take the super-weird resin parrot pin cushion, which she brought for my birthday back in January.
It looks like something liberated from a pirate tailor's stash, although it was most likely unearthed in some horrid faux decorating store.
During her childhood, my mama lived in the Venezuelan jungle with a pet parrot named Pedro, whose legacy looms large in our family lore, so I loved the sentiment behind it, but couldn't quite size up a spot for the guy in my sewing room.
Then I decided to give my newfound feathered friend a makeover. I hit the box stores looking for turquoise spray paint but ultimately settled on red. Two coats later, and I was done. I also recovered his pin cushion using a scrap of Alexander Henry fabric.
Now he's ready to perch on my worktable and help me sew!
For another recent Before-and-After, go here.
When she came for a visit last month, she brought me two incredible pieces: First, a white baby head vase, oddly reminiscent of Maxim Velčovský's pricey and fashionable Little Joseph candle holder, which debuted in decor magazines last year. Second, a wonderful (and wonderfully worn out, in a Velveteen Rabbit-y kind of way) wind-up tiger toy, which perfectly matches a lion I found at an estate sale a few years ago.
Sometimes, however, mama misses the mark.
Take the super-weird resin parrot pin cushion, which she brought for my birthday back in January.
It looks like something liberated from a pirate tailor's stash, although it was most likely unearthed in some horrid faux decorating store.
During her childhood, my mama lived in the Venezuelan jungle with a pet parrot named Pedro, whose legacy looms large in our family lore, so I loved the sentiment behind it, but couldn't quite size up a spot for the guy in my sewing room.
Then I decided to give my newfound feathered friend a makeover. I hit the box stores looking for turquoise spray paint but ultimately settled on red. Two coats later, and I was done. I also recovered his pin cushion using a scrap of Alexander Henry fabric. Now he's ready to perch on my worktable and help me sew!
For another recent Before-and-After, go here.
Pillowcase Dresses
There was a story in today's Commercial Appeal newspaper about a "sewing machine revival." According to my fellow reporter, Sally Walker Davies, it's all because of the plummeting economy and the rise of the D-I-Y ethos. Lauren Keras, one of the Memphis sewers Davies interviewed, made these pillowcase dresses for her twin 14-month olds, Nellie and Jane. Keras used a pair of vintage pillowcases, embellished with crocheted trim, that she found at a local antique mall for $8. Go here for the full story.
Using an old -- or new -- pillowcase as the starting point for a dress or skirt is fun and easy, because most of the work is already done for you. All you have to do is trim the fabric to the desired length, fold over the material to make a casing, then sew. (If you're making a dress, you'll also need to cut armholes.) Add a drawstring or a pretty ribbon, and you have a new outfit in no time! So that's what prêt-à-porter means...
Hold: A Felt Camera Case
I am always amazed by the level of creativity out there. For instance, I was just finishing my lunch (a bowl of cereal topped with yogurt and blueberries, if you're wondering) and browsing Modish, one of my favorite blogs, when I dropped my spoon at the sight of this post.
Apparently, Hine, a Canadian sewer who has her own Estsy storefront, hand-stitches these lovely digital camera cases, using thick Japanese wool felt, colorful cotton fabrics, and new and vintage buttons. Right now, they're going fast.
Hine's stop-motion animated video about the creative process is below. It features a sewing snail!
On the Road
My grandmother recently gave me her collection of mini sewing kits that she's gathered from years of traveling.
Looking through these little gems, I am saddened that the travel sewing kit is not as popular as it once was. What happened to it?
What happened to the Thunderbird Motor Inns?
OK, so I know this isn't a sewing kit, but I couldn't resist sharing the Amarillo Survival Kit. I've been to Amarillo several times, things have changed....
Looking through these little gems, I am saddened that the travel sewing kit is not as popular as it once was. What happened to it?
What happened to the Thunderbird Motor Inns?
OK, so I know this isn't a sewing kit, but I couldn't resist sharing the Amarillo Survival Kit. I've been to Amarillo several times, things have changed.... 
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