I Love Macrame!

I mentioned that I'd gone to an auction a few weeks ago and had a great time - and got some wonderful goodies! I haven't worked up a post about it because my basement flooded again so I've been trying to dry it out and will be spending some time scrubbing and preventing mold. Bleh. But! One of the lots I won was a big stack of McCall's Needlework magazines from the 60s and 70s. Last month one of the classes for the Harry Potter Knit and Crochet House Cup included a choise to do some macrame-ing...so this is what I made

It isn't great because I used yarn (stash-busting) and haven't knotted in a long time, but I'm pleased with how it came out. It's very summery. I hope to get lots of wear out of it. I took a cleaning break this afternoon to sort out a bag of embroidery floss from the auction. I haven't done any in quite a long time but recently I won an embroidery book! I'll take some pictures and tell you about it tomorrow because it's really cool. I have a whole sewing and embellishing project in my head. Let's see how long it takes to actually get done...heh heh.

Remember This?

I showed it to you a while ago. It's from Whirling turban in a style that may not be available anymore but was expensive when it was. It's a cool dress - two pieces and each piece is reversible so it has different wearing combinations. Well, look what I found!

It's Simplicity 2466, a slenderette answer dress. I'm so excited! The envelope and instruction sheet are in terrible shape. I need to find some sort of laminating sheets to protect them and keep them from getting worse and then I'll need to find a way to protect the actual pattern pieces...but I can make my own cool leopardy wrap dresses! It will take some finagling and experimenting but I'll figure out how to make it happen. I need to do some fabric research, too, to find out what will give me the right drape and look. I'm still working on my DVF Simplicity wrap. I have a wearable muslin done but it still needs some adjustments. I'd love to make it in a crazy print, something similar to what an original would be made out of but in colors that I would wear. I'm working on some more Bossa Nova skirts, too. I wore my daisy skirt the other night and got so many compliments! I'll have to schedule more sewing time into my days to finish everything that I want to do - not to mention the knitting projects I'm working on! Sigh. But first I have to try to work on this computer. Wish me luck!

Lending A Hand

The other day I drove the hour to spend some time with my parents. They used to come here to see the kids but, well, my dad isn't doing well and the drive is too much for him. So I filled the gas tank, packed a cooler with road soda, and drove. Thank goodness for my ipod! On the way, I stopped to see my honey - he had a pound of morel mushrooms to share with my parents (it was just mushroom season and they all love them. I think they're a bit icky.) The town my parents live in has a thrift shop that mom adores. All of the money raised goes back into the town. I know that lots of places have such shops, but we don't have one here. So Mom and I went to check it out since I'd never been there. I had such a good time! Let me show you:

I got so many things!

Several pieces of fabrics, probably man-made but all will be useful for small projects. The floral one is about two yards, so it may turn into a skirt.

Two pair of shoes - one a rather Ravenclaw bronze and the other is kind of steampunky and vintage. I got the purse but haven't checked it out - I'm very picky about purses and have a hard time finding ones that serve my purposes. We'll see.

Two skirts. The one on the left just needs the elastic tightened up a bit and it will fit. The right one, though, is much too small but I like the fabric and will make a top out of it.

So many supplies! Two button jars! A new macrame board! A roll of sell-by-the-yard trim that hasn't been opened and two little pieces of trims. I think the purple cone is wooly nylon thread. The pattern is a bias cut skirt- I've been looking for one. Two weave-ette hand looms - I have a bigger square and a rectangle already and now I can make other sizes. (Have you seen how much these cost?) And the autobiography of Lauren Bacall because I adore her...cool and gorgeous. I don't usually use straight knitting needles but these are pink and I like pink. So, how much did I spend? Well, it was Bag Day - everything that fits in a bag for five dollars. This all was eleven bucks - two bags and the macrame board because it didn't fit in a bag. I forgot that they had a great set of vintage aluminum cups that I'd admired - it would have fit in one of the bags. I'll be going back. Next time will be a weekend because there's a little shop across the street that has crazy hours and I want to check it out. I went to an auction last weekend and am working on a post about those finds but trust me, the macrame board will come in handy! Happy Friday!

May Flowers and a New Baby

One of the best things about spring is the color! I love seeing all of the new blossoms everywhere. Our yard has a few right now

I was inspired by them, and the other varieties around us, to create some flowers for me!

I love having flowers in my hair and have several already - fabric, crocheted, knitted, needle felted - but wanted some new ones. The one on the left is made from fabric circles. I found the tutorial on Instructables . It was very easy to make - one television show for all three and the centers, which are the little white plastic rings for crocheting that I glued some fabric around. I really like these flowers and have plans for some more. The big pink roses are on a headband and were inspired by Desiree and her spectacular Sassy Vamp headbands that she sells on Facebook (and I can't figure out how to order because sometimes I have no skills). I know it needs some leaves or something but that is still percolating in my brain. I was wearing the blue iris barrette this morning. It looks great with my curly hair but rubbed on the ceiling of my car while I was driving - go big, right? And the sparkly black one, well, last fall I covered a pair of sneakers in a mixture of mod podge and several shades of silver and black glitter. There was a bit left so I took apart a dollar store flower and covered it. It's been waiting to be finished all winter. It's on a barrette but really needs to be on a big alligator clip - but I can't find my stash of findings. It's not exactly bright and colorful for summer, but I love that it matches my shoes.
As for the new baby:
Khloe brought him home last night. Isn't he cute? You may remember that she had a pet toad, Bob, a couple of years ago. She was devastated when he crossed the rainbow bridge to toad heaven. Last night she was so excited to have a new baby to play with. He's a fast little turtle - can't leave him unattended or he'll get lost. I've set up a little home for him with some dirt to dig in and a bowl to swim in, but we need to do some experimenting with food. I read that turtles are omnivorous, so he has some lettuce and asparagus but hasn't touched it - probably because he's getting used to his new home. We'll take a trip to the pet shop later to see what they have. There's a break in the rain, so I'd better get outside - along with the flowers we have weeds that need pulled. Off to the great outdoors!

My Picnic Blanket Skirt!

Last summer the wonderful Tilly put up a tutorial for her Picnic Blanket Skirt. I bookmarked it, thinking I'd get to it eventually because it's super cute. Recently when I was going through my fabric for some reason I found a piece that I knew would be great for it...so I made one!

I used a light-medium weight cotton that's covered in sparkles. It was pretty easy to sew up - it's all rectangles. I did have some trouble with the buttonholes, but then, I usually have trouble with buttonholes. I would up doing them by hand. They aren't great but they work. The buttons are from Knit Picks and are the same wood that's used for the Harmony knitting needles that I love so much. (I have a big love for anything that's made with the multicolored wood, though) I had a small, brief worry about a gathered skirt on a big backside, but then I decided that it would be like a bustle and just accentuate what's there.

I plan to make at least one more of these. It was super comfortable yesterday and I got several compliments on it. I had to wear tights and boots, though, because it was raining...big surprise. Many of the towns around here have been evacuated because the river is so high - the predictions are for the worst flood in decades. Our basement started to flood a bit but I used a push broom to direct the water towards the sump pump. It's not exactly how I like to spend a day but it's so much better than cleaning up after several inches of water have ruined things.
I have some sewing questions and don't know where to get answers, so if you can help please do. I'm very curious about linings. What should be lined? How do you do it? What kinds of fabrics are best for using as a lining? Is a lining better than a slip? I see so many beautiful garments on blogs that are lined in various ways and would love to know more. The few books that I have don't really talk about it. Any knowledge that you could share would be greatly appreciated.

My Glasses Are Dry

It's been raining a lot lately, and when you wear glasses the rain is even more annoying. Well, I've been inspired by some fabulous ladies who blog and pulled out my big floppy hat. I'm looking cool and can see clearly - and I finally got the Kate Moss lipstick that I've been considering.

I hope to get more comfortable in front of my camera and figure out how to pose and not look goofy but it will take some practice. I should take some lessons from that girl child of mine. She's quite the ham. My heart goes out to everyone affected by yesterday's tragedy. I don't even know what else to say.

Daisy Skirt

I have a sewing FO to share today - my Daisy skirt!

The pattern is the Bossa Nova skirt from the fabric.com website. It's my first time using a digital download pattern and thank goodness it's an easy one - we don't have a lot of clear, flat space for taping in this house. I bought the fabric at a yard sale. I think it's rayon, but I'm not totally sure. It's very light and swishy and Eric likes it. No, this isn't how I wore it today. I just put it on for a picture because I wanted to share - it's been a while since I've sewn something that I really want to wear. Maybe soon we'll have a warm, sunny day and I can show it off. As for knitting, it has been all dishcloths. Mom will be selling some quilts at a craft show next weekend and I'm hoping to make a few bucks. I gave her a bag full this morning - about ten, if I remember right, and can have several more done to give her on Friday. They take almost no time and I have such a big stash of cotton in lots of colors. I like making them, too - the easy knitting helps calm my mind or watch a show while I'm working. I forgot to take a picture of them all for ravelry, dang it. I realized that it's been several months since I've gotten an email from my knitting group. I don't know if there's no more group or if I'm just not invited anymore. That's all for today, my dears! I'll see you soon. Hugs!