springtime crown

Hi!!!!!

Sorry for the silence on the old blog!

So, happy that technically Spring is here though it hasn't quite felt like it here yet weather wise.

Though I know the daffodils and peach blossoms are ready to open any day now in my garden.

I drove over to Parcel in Montclair the other to pick up some pretty flowers, berries, leaves and ribbons to turn into a springtime floral crown. It came out perfectly like I imagined. I'm just swooning over it. The base is a thin gold headband. I'm thinking of turning this project into a workshop at Ma/Da where I work part time. 

I'm going to backtrack a little bit in a series of post on other projects that have been happening. I am also currently working on my next art show happening this Spring but, not ready to share those projects yet . 

Fete Paradiso

We had so much fun at Fete Paradiso - a traveling festival of vintage carnival rides and carousels on Sunday. More images on my flickr. Everything about this was amazing!

sailor sweater

A nautical style striped sweater knit using this pattern.
I made mine in natural alpaca and Quince and Co. Chickadee in the color Peacoat.

I sized up my sweater using heavier yarn then the pattern calls for and it came out about a 2-3T.

I have been making an effort to use only yarn I have for my projects but, I ran out of the alpaca right before the button band and sleeves so I had to order some. Unfortunately, I was not able to get the same exact yarn as it had been purchased a couple of years before on a day trip so I tried to match it as best as I could online. It's a bit different but, I think it works out okay in the end. The blue buttons are vintage ones.

I enjoyed knitting this pattern and the clever construction.

polka dots and ric rac

A new dress sewn from a vintage pattern I bought several years ago at Mackey Blue in Hoboken back in the days when I worked there and M was still a baby.

I was looking through my patterns a few weeks ago and realized this was a size 4 and so I thought I'd give it a go. I chose View 2 which is made from one fabric and uses ric-rac trim rather then two fabrics as you can see here in the illustration options. The original pattern pieces were missing but, thankfully there were tissue paper copies and most of them were intact. I omitted the puff sleeves and had to remake the yoke in front since this piece appeared wrong. I had to put a seam in that piece as I had very little fabric left. I stopped reading the directions about halfway through. I think it turned out rather sweet. I have to say I am impressed with how well it fits considering I am working without the model at night while she is sleeping

The year the pattern came out is 1946 and her Grammie would have been five then.

weaving

I have been experimenting a little with weaving in a very simple style. I have had a small mini loomette for ages that I bought on ebay and then basically thought about once in a while but never got around to using

I have been trying out different wools with varying weights some of which are crewel wool that is very old and seeing what I like the look of. I bought a handmade loom off etsy recently that is a bit bigger and am now waiting on a weave-it that comes with a longer needle so I don't have to use my short darning needle anymore to move the yarn with.

I met Jaime last month who I found out is my neighbor. She does some very nice weavings amongst other things. It is always so nice to meet up with talented women with shared interests.

Here is my small collection I have made thus far. I am still working out making them look more finished on the edges.

toys and treats for me

I can't help feeling like a girl in wonderland every time I take a trip to Parcel.
I think if you click on the link you will see why.
Here a few of the things I brought home with me on my last visit. Most of the ribbons and laces from the bow pins were bought there from a few posts ago.

clockwise from left:

wax paper flowers, millinery fruits, vintage wood polish doll, japanese tin bird pins

ribbon bow hairpins

I was inspired by Emma Cassi whose work I adore to make some bow hairpins for me and my girl.

They are a bit romantic and Victorian looking and are so sweet worn especially on her.

-Made with silk ribbon, tulle and various lace trims.

They would be wonderful as a little Valentine treat, don't you think?

*I am close to the end on a sweater I am knitting for myself. I am so excited to finish and hope it fits well. i have quite a few knits in progress and a custom order to start once the yarn arrives.

halloween

Top two images by Chad Hunt Photography.

We had a Happy Halloween and had fun trick or treating. The day started with Ms. S's preschool Halloween performance. We went to our village for trick or treating and then hit the houses nearby.




We found another family dressed like us. The two Little Reds checked each other out and tried to remember how they knew each other - swim lessons over the summer.





The hunter made an appearance to rescue us from the Big Bad Wolves tummy.




We did not hand out candy when we got back because it was too dark but, after 84 hours without power I am happy to report we are back. I no longer have to sleep with all those quilts and blankets, hat and leg warmers but judging by these two photos I think we can all agree it could have been worse.




My heart goes out to those of you still without power and those who the danger of seemingly innocent snow affected much worse.

completing the thought

Do you remember the vintage cotton and lace dress that haunted me on vacation? I never told you that I went back and bought it. I just couldn't let it slip by....it spoke to me.Today she is wearing it for the first time and I snuck in a few photos. It's gorgeous isn't it?

One day last week S and I played a game that just came to me and I thought it would be fun to share it. I start a sentence and she finishes it.
I want to fill a journal for both her and M with these sentences because it was so funny to see what she would come up with.

Here is she said that day after the ....


I am...3
I have....blue eyes
My birthday is....February 6
I like....pink flowers
I love...Aunt Sue
I don't like...boys
I like to....fight with boys
I sleep....in the night
I go to....the playground
I eat...broccoli, wrap and macaroni
I love...Lillian
I love...dolls
I play...with dolls
I yell...at Matthew
I throw...a baseball
My favorite book...is Olivia
I like...snacks at Ms. Peri's school
My best friend....is coffee
My best friend...is Gwendolyn
I think it is funny....when you do something funny
I laugh....at Scarlet
I cry when....I cry like a baby
Hello Kitty...blinks her eye
Tea tastes like....hot sugar
Apples taste like...fruit
Clouds are....red
Frogs like...to go in ponds
My best friend is....Mommy


So funny...her best friend is coffee???? And we have never read the book "Olivia" though she has seen the TV show. Thought my favorite might be "tea tastes like hot sugar."

playing with feed sack fabrics

I really wanted to sew with some of my feed sack fabrics because of the pretty prints and last week I decided on two simple projects for them. The cuts I have are small so I thought a pair of napkins and a little elastic waist skirt were good ideas. I used vintage materials throughout: old blue thread and white ric-rac for the skirt. Sweet little quick summer projects.

shoofly quilt

Here are the blocks I showed previously being hand washed and line dried all pieced together.

I had 26 and I used 25 of them to make this quilt. The fabrics are old and the pieces are faded in some spots but, the colors and patterns are still so rich and look so great together that I just had to put them to use. They were hand pieced but, I used the machine to put them together.

The vintage blocks are from the 30's and 40's and I won them on ebay for $36 in 2008. I knew I saved my emails for a good reason. I backed it in white cotton and tied with red embroidery floss. The binding is the only part I regret. I should have used a wider binding. I wanted brown and I had some brown store bought binding so I went with that but, it was a pain to hand sew to the back because there was only a scant amount to work with.

It measures 45" x 45" and if my research proves correct the pattern is called Shoofly.

vintage quilt blocks

Two or three years ago I acquired a collection of quilt blocks and they have just been sitting in the craft room. I thought about separating them into various projects- framing and hot pads were a few ideas that came to mind but, I am now thinking maybe they should stay together. So, I plan on sewing most of them into a quilt.

Today i am washing and drying them and will inspect to see what other spots I need to tackle and then most likely repeat this process once more.




What types of projects, if any, have you made with old quilt blocks? I would love to hear about it.

hopscotch

Ms. Scarlet learning hopscotch at the park and wearing a vintage plaid dress. Did you play hopscotch growing up? I loved it. We had a big courtyard at the grammar school on my block when I was a kid and I could play for hours

I am doing lots of gardening, strawberry picking and general running around this week. School ended for her which was 2 mornings a week and next week it will end for M.
More soon.

-Thanks for all the nice comments about the quilt.

dresden plate quilt

This beautiful handmade vintage dresden plate quilt came into my life last year. I bought it because I love quilts especially from this era (1930's) and the fabrics that are used in them. I also bought it for research purposes because I have a collection of dresden plates that I would like to someday turn into a quilt though I have quite a few ahead of them that have been started and should really be finished first. I wrote about them here and made a pillow with one here. You see I am very good at starting quilts but keeping the momentum is hard for me. I am writing this in hopes that this will encourage me to push forward.

This quilt is in excellent condition and it so pretty and cheerful.

All images La Brocanterie

a fresh coat of white

An ice storm last night. We woke up to the world looking a bit like the book I read Ms. S last night, The Story of the Snow Children.

A newly painted kitchen table and chairs. It was long overdue as I never really loved it before in red when we painted it a few years ago..
A polka dot oilcloth covers it almost always as it's used for crafts and meals all day long.




-I started reading The Little Prince to Matty today. There has been much discussion about The Baobabs.

-Getting ready for a kitty cat birthday party this Sunday. Ms. S is turning 3!