verity83 | Entries tagged with sewing

So, I took my violin to the music store to have Gary take a look at my fine-tuners. He was out, so I went to Teen Challenge to kill some time until he came back.

As I was perusing the 49-cent rack outside, a short, very tubby dude with sparse grey beardage and sweaty strings of hair spilling out from his baseball cap came out with a woman in a wheelchair. He saw my violin case and asked what I played and who my teacher was. He was positively bursting with pride as he related to me the story of his life and how he was the youngest rock band member ever at the age of twelve and how he was going to take back the title as champion wrestler this week wrestling against his stepson whom he hasn't seen in 25 years. He was charming in the sense that he clearly lives to tell of his past glory. It was like a charactrr actor in a movie bar. Their names were Ralph and Marla.

When I finally managed to gracefully extricate myself from Ralph's self-absorbed babbling and bowing, I went into Teen Challenge and had a good laugh with the boy behind the counter about Ralph, who apparently had treated him to the same spiel.

I found a copy of a book I loved about Helen Keller as a chidl and then went backtothe music store and Gary got my problem solved. And as I left the store to go home Irwin and Debbie drove by and waved.

Yes, I love small towns.

***

Project Patterns is progressing pokily, thanks to Molly constantly wanting glue, tape, scissors, and paper scraps. Qhat I am doing is putting my patterns in 9x12 manila envelopes, gluing the front/back of the original pattern envelope on the manila one, and writing company and number at the top. My goal is to have all my patterns a uniform size and therefore be able to store them more effectively (by pattern number). I barely made a dent today. Only did 25.

Got another dryerload of blueberries going; was going to do peaches but most of them were still hardish so I have left them out all day and will hope more are ready tomorrow morning.

Posted via LiveJournal app for iPhone.

Current Location: US, Oregon, Lebanon, Linn, E Ash St, 170

Number of times Molly burned her mouth with electricity: 2
Number of pro wrasslers met: 1
Number of patterns transferred to 9x12 manila envelopes: 15

This is not by any means Authentic, but it's a pattern I've had a long time and it's as good a starting place as any.

Pattern:

Fabric:
I cut it out of an old pair of Dockers from the thrift store, lined with Posh lining and muslin layer in between. Plastic boning and silver eyelets (I want to learn to do eyelets by hand, but that will have to be a later project).

( Photos under cut )

I'm pleased with the result and will be happy to wear this for the fun of it.

Next project: I'm going to make an underdress according to this method. My first one will be machine-sewn of muslin, to learn how it all goes together, and then I will make a second one out of linen and sew it by hand to be my Authentic Piece.

But first, I must tend to some clients' work. It feels so good to have finished something, though.

All right, my costuming friends (and anyone else who may have $0.02 to add): I need all the info I can get on making authentic clothing from about 1558-1603 era, especially middle-class stuff. I've googled and found some good-looking links to peruse later on, but if anyone has favourites to share let me know.

Basically, I'm taking on Renfaires. I want to start out by making myself an authentic outfit (or two) to learn about techniques, etc., which I will then begin wearing around as a walking advertisement. Yes, I'm so subtle. I've never actually been to a Renfaire, but planning to change that in September.

IT IS HARD to find anything that isn't like... royalty and nobility.

I scrapped my fantastic red and white with embroidery idea a long time ago... and I'm glad, because I just don't have time to do it, unfortunately.

I bought a violet velour dress at the thrift store the other day (it's an adult dress, but I'm going to cut it up), and that's what I want to use for the main body of the dress. I also have two ivory lace butterflies I want to incorporate that are about 2" wide, maybe 3", at their widest point.

Any ideas? I'm about to look through some books to get some inspiration, but am open to suggestions. All I know is I want it to be very simple because I don't have a lot of time, very elegant, and reminiscent of the 1920s-30s time frame (yeah, I know, velvet is hardly appropriate... lol)

07:24:28: is cranky, tired, and huge. Any questions about when the baby is due = DO NOT WANT. When it comes, you will know. *feels like Eeyore*
09:02:55: back from a walk. It is a lovely morning. Barely anyone on the road. Pretty much all I could hear was my own bones creaking.
15:05:47: is heading to walk with Katrina and Dan
18:22:22: is trying to decide what she wants to eat. Nothing sounds good.
19:46:46: is going to finish the stroller seat. Then shall the end come. Maybe?
20:44:45: is not happy she can't find the original stroller seat so she knows how on earth this thing is supposed to go back on the frame. BLAH.
20:45:20: However, Raffi is making me feel somewhat better. Yawning, however, does not yawn my sleepies out. It intensifies my sleepies.

Tweets copied by twittinesis.com

06:12:51: so not awake yet
11:28:11: going downstairs seeking what she may devour after a morning sewing - not flannel butt wipes as planned, since she still can't find flannel.
12:13:57: thinks it's nice to not be hungry anymore.
12:14:11: @Jeraleh Are you serious? I want some snow!
14:48:02: treating GooGoo Gordon and Jo and herself to The King's General. mmm
17:01:17: making herself sliced baked potatoes. Yum. Then off to a meeting of Techie Church Dudes so the future of the church website can be discussed
22:05:26: is in beddy snuggy with a downy

Tweets copied by twittinesis.com

I still can't find my flannel. I'm so disturbed.

Instead, I've been picking around on some unfinished projects. Sewed up two skirts, that do not have the tops cut out yet that are supposed to be attached to them, and part of a baby dress top, and was going to be grand and heroic and finish this apron I started years ago and I'm remembering now why I put it aside with such disgust and disdain. It involves way too much ripping out of stitches for my liking. No further comment. It's about to be relegated to the box whence it came for another five years or so.

And now I'm going to go read for a while. But I better put all my boxes back in the closet first.

It was raining elephants and giraffes most of the day yesterday after noon and through the night. Looks like we're in for another day of the same.

Goal for today: work more on jacket. I think if I just get started on it I could finish it today... but I need to get over the hurdle of dreading the lining. I want to get it done so I can move on to another project.

Also, I'm really tired of sneezing.

Spot was thoroughly enjoying sitting in front of the neighbours' window with the Small Annoying Dog, rolling around and staring at Small Annoying Dog, who yapped and yapped through the window.

Much as I would encourage Spot to continue harassing Small Annoying Dog, *I* got sick of the yapping and brought Spot in for a while. He seriously was out for a couple hours and didn't want to come in yet.

I'm working on the Size 4 Boys' jacket I was intending to enter in PatternReview's vintage contest but I don't think I can have it done by the end of the day, unfortunately. I have the outer shell all assembled, lining still to do. We'll see, but I'm not thinking it will happen, and the pants to go with it definitely won't. I'm making it out of plaid flannel shirting. I think I already talked about this, but oh well. I call any jacket made of noisy plaid a Sperry & McGurk jacket... and my future son will have one ready and waiting for him. *cackle*

Um... the dishes are done. Spot has been outside for a long time and apparently has no desire to come in yet. The recycling needs to be taken out, and then I must find something with which to occupy myself. Perhaps jacket.

Well, my energy has returned today after recuperating all day yesterday from Sunday's exertions. I move that it was the cherry pie that cured me.

I even made French toast for breakfast. I learned that I must soak my bread longer in the egg stuff than when using store bread.

Anyway... I started a boy's jacket today because I cut one out the other day from one of the vintage patterns I got on eBay a while back. I'm using plaid flannel shirting in glorious Sperry and McGurk style... it won't be a super-warm coat, but a nice jacket for spring or fall methinks. Taking a break for the moment though as I always do when I get to the parts of sewing I really hate (facing collars and setting sleeves). I also cut out a pair of denim pants to go with the coat.

Kai called me last night and said Misty is having a tupperware party this evening to which nobody was coming and so I guess I'll be going to that tonight with her. Dan asked me if I was going to buy a bunch of stuff. Ih. I doubt it, unless something looks strikingly useful. Kai said it was weird because she hasn't been to a tupperware party since she was a child going with her mom. Ditto for me. I guess that means we're old now.

***

And, because this is a true gem that I found on

eattheolives's Facebook page and it made me giggle:

Mari has a message for the masses: AVOID SUPERFLUOUS QUOTATION MARKS! The world will be a nicer place. Never, never, never write "French" bread unless your bread is only masquerading as French. Nor should you write "Fresh" pizza unless your pizza is really four weeks old.

Methinks I need a similar statement on my profile, except it would be about inappropriate apostrophes. I saw someone's house this morning had a sign that said "The Tarrant's".

The Tarrant's what? Even if you MEANT it to be possessive, as in "So-and-so's House", the proper apostrophe placement for a home with multiple dwellers would be "Tarrants'". This gets my goat constantly because it is EVERYWHERE. I'm not sure whether this or improper use of quotation marks annoys me more.

I love my fuzzy beast who sits on my lap and makes noiseless mews at me.

Current Music: James Galway

OK. I think I have won the battle of the sleeve. Pictures later when I can get the husband to take some.

I need to turn the iron off but fuzzik is on my lap.

Spot is fuzzy.

Well, I went through every single box in my sewing closet. The last one I looked in had the handle strapping stuff. Blah. So I sewed on my dress for a while. It involves a crash course in shirring. For the record, I hate shirring... and I'm really irritated because I pulled it too tightly in one spot and didn't notice until after I cut the threads. (We're talking about two-tone here and I had to use white thread on the sleeve part and black on the rest of it.) BLAH. So I'm probably going to have to re-do both colours on that row of stitching. I think I've had enough for today. Pet Society will comfort me since Spot seems to think the floor is more fun to lie on than my lap. Mean kitty.

I also cut out a ton more quilt blocks because when hunting for the strapping I found a bunch of small pieces of fabric that really can't be used for anything else. That felt good to accomplish at least that. Which reminds me, I need to calculate how many blocks I'll need for a twin-sized quilt. *runs away*

81” x 107” for a twin bedspread. 27 squares across by 35 or 36 squares down, then.

Why am I hungry again already?

Okay, I took one look and I said NINETEEN EIGHTIES! What about you?

When we moved, I put my One Safety Pin* in a Very Safe Place where it would a) not get lost and b) be very easy to find again when I need it.

Well, it has gotten lost and I have forgotten where that Very Safe Place was.

Friends, make sure that in YOUR homes, you always have more than one safety pin.

*That would indeed mean the Only Safety Pin I Own.

This book is dedicated to women and girls—
    and especially to teachers of sewing everywhere—
who enjoy the feel of fabric, the beauty of textures,
    the precision of stitches, the smoothness of seams,
and who delight always in appropriate fabrics
    carefully cut and made up for a happy purpose.

So reads the dedication page in 1950 "Singer Sewing Book" by Mary Brooks Picken—the book I put on hold yesterday at the antique shop and went and picked up today. I find it quite a charming thought—and very true. I think those who sew because they want to sew, or people like me who find it an art form, do indeed find much pleasure in the above-mentioned things.

Another nice touch I found in the book was the pencilled inscription on the dedication page that reads, "This Book belonged first to Helen Osborne—now to Deleda Roper". So I wrote beneath it, "Now to Jael Baldwin, Oct 2008".

Glancing through, I see some elements repeated here that were touched on in "The Secrets of Distinctive Dress", an earlier book this lady wrote in the 1910s - for instance, what colours of clothes are best with what hair and eye colours, etc.

There's a gift list as well. Some of the suggested gifts recommended to make for women are place mats, handbags, slippers, hats, belts, closet accessories, dickies, and lingerie cases.

There are instructions on mending, decorating a house (she says if you have brown, tan, or green floor covering, walls should be light blue-green or brown; draperies should be dark blue-green or gold; upholstery should be brown, copper, gold, or medium green; accents should be white or bright green).

Sometime I'll scan in some of the pictures for you fellow vintage fiends. Some of the dresses are just lovely.

Woooooow... so I just called the supply place I bought my snaps and such from. It shipped the 29th of August and may take up to two weeks to arrive. Um. What I ordered could probably easily have fit in a flat-rate priority box. Some people... srsly.

So it may not arrive until the 15th. Joy. I had hoped it would be here in the next few days so I could get some photos taken of these outfits.

In other news, my newest addition to the icon library is very shiny and happy making.

Not sure what to do with myself today. I guess I can sew for a bit. I'm about out of boxes until this afternoon - going to call Papa Murphy's to save us some.

Current Mood: calm

I'm headachy.

I did make a dress today. It is very cute. I am going to wait until my snaps come to finish it - I'm sick of buttonholes that don't wanna do what a buttonhole should do.

Dan and I watched "Captain January" last night. We've had the discussion about the school dress for Star that cost $22.50. Why? This was the Depression. This was a small fishing town. Who would pay $22.50 for a dress??! I'm totally confused.

My latest eBay purchases:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130249286242&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=003
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=230284284292&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=013
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=320290134810&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=011
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=220272343230&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=012

I'm really happy because I think it will be so fun to do some boy stuff as well. I did cut out a little suit from the one pattern I do have. These patterns are pretty timeless, I think, and some different sizes, so that's nice.

Worked some more on my website design today. Dan was helping me and then deserted me to go do some other Real Work, so I started doing some code but trying to do it totally from scratch ain't easy for me, so I'll have to wait until he's available again.

Blah.

Nap I need.

John McInsane.

That's all I have to say on that. Moving on...

Today I must clean. Last night I started putting things away and got sidetracked cutting out quilt blocks from very small scraps of flannel I had. I sorted out fabric I can use for boy clothes and put it in its own box. I'm amazed I have no denim. I was sure I did and I don't recall ever using it for anything. Oh well.

Eating yesterday's stir fry for breakfast with canteloupe. Yum.

It will be so nice to clean this place. Of course, on Sunday it all gets messy again... though perhaps I can stay more organised and not bring out everything under the sun.

Still need a sewing icon. Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

Current Mood: busy
Current Location: salle de vie

Profile

Eva

Author Website

May 2024

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

Memento Mori

Entries tagged with sewing

Navigation

The People That You Meet

So Far Today:

First Vest Attempt.

(no subject)

Molly's dedication dress: input, anyone?

From Twitter 11-28-2009

From Twitter 10-13-2009

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

Profile

May 2024

Syndicate

Most Popular Tags

Page Summary

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags