In addition to messing up well-known sayings, I have been going through my pattern stash (while watching Outlander; not as bad as one might think!). Anyway, I love my patterns! I often use them to inspire me.
I pulled out the following, to comment on the paper bag effect from the 60s–a stylish way to keep the neck warm?
Simplicity 5765
and Butterick 3302
So I giggle…but then I see this:
Is the paper bag effect making a comeback? Should it?
Filed under: Vintage Love
It has been ages…..to celebrate, I am posting a favorite pic! 
I came across this picture while searching for some inspiration for a ‘formal’ to make for a friend’s daughter for a production of Grease. I will have to post pics of that. I really have been quite busy with costuming and sewing, but real work gets in the way of updates.
I have so many goals for the summer: an Etsy shop, an online gallery for costuming (we have some film opportunities here in MI) and updating here. Oh, and to find a job again because I was laid off. Good while it lasted!
I have found a few new inspiring websites and blogs (which I will add to the sidebar soon), and one of my *new* faves is Art Junk Girl (notice that I have LINKED this!) I have always loved to do collage…and so I am reading about her art journals, and thinking, ‘Oh, I should make little books for my two best friends, out of old BOARD BOOKS’. This lady is a genius, I think. I am SUPPOSED to be finishing some mending for my local friend’s grandma, and sewing a Wicked Witch of the West costume for Community Theater…but we all know how I will be spending my evening, ripping up old magazines and wallpaper sample books, and looking for some board books of my kids that I can steal (they are at grandma’s anyway).
p.s. Check out that LINK to Art Junk Girl (oh, I crack myself up with all my new knowledge–thank you, dear).
p.p.s. I am inserting a picture, just because I can….
I am still waiting to hear back from Sew Retro, and I also joined Wardrobe Refashion. This is another place that I am excited about, but they haven’t written back to me yet either. I will be patient, and try to abide by the rules of not buying new, making things from fabric I own, and refashioning thrifted items. I am trying to include our daughters as well.
And in this vein, I have completed a project that I am extremely proud of…
I bought this pattern AGES ago, and was disappointed to get it home and find that it only had the skirt piece. So I made some pieces up out of newspaper, and scaled it down to my 8 year-old’s size.
I had the polka dot fabric from when I was redoing the bathroom. It was originally going to be curtain valances, but I found something else.
And here she is…
I did decide to join the Sew Retro blog (if they will have me). Their August/September challenge is to make a dress, from vintage pattern and/or fabric. I will do this!
Right now, I am working on those flapper headbands. I made great progress on a peachy orange one during a viewing of Chocolat, but I got bored with the peach beads, so I started another piece. This one is a hip decoration, ala this:
(click for full-size)
I am really excited about how these are turning out. I tried to bead a purse for someone an number of holidays ago, and I wasn’t crazy about my technique. This time I am beading directly on Aida cloth, used for cross-stitch. The beads are sized–1 bead=1 space on cloth, so this makes it slightly easier to estimate how many beads I need for each section. I will put some pics on real soon!
