turkey feathers

Waving

We're having a wonderful summer taking a little time to smell the roses.  Hope you are too!

Without Further Ado

Thanks everyone, for the chit-chat and chuckles on my Sentimental Journey. I kind of hated for it to end.  So many great memories and stories out there. I think I identified with all of them in one way or another.  Anyhoo, time to wrap it up. So, without further ado the winners are Gina, Betty, and Nina.  Congratulations Ladies!  Please send me your pattern choice (and address) when you have a minute.  There’s no cut-off date to claim your prize, so take your time browsing if you need to.

 

I wanted to offer a little something to everyone else too, so I gathered a few fancy florals that can be traced and embroidered.  The pdf download here. Use it on clothing, I'm thinking Redwork peasant blouse (yum), or pretty pillowcases, or table linens; actually anywhere you want to add a *fancy flourish*.  The designs are some I collected a long time ago,  from "The Wonder Package" c. 1933.  This big box, boasting over 800 different designs, was mailed through newspapers and contained quite a varied collection of these very VERY large pattern sheets.  The transfer method is interesting; requiring tamping the back of the paper with a damp cloth.  Similar to applying a fake tattoo.  I never tried it because I didn't want to cut any of these up, besides it seems like a messy affair.  Most of these are quite elaborate, but the few I chose for you should be easy enough to trace.  (However, if you absolutely hate tracing, Paypal me a couple of dollars and I'll mail you the design sheet as an iron-on transfer instead.) 

Enjoy!

Just Passing Through

Me too!  The Senitmental Journey contest is officially closed.  I'll be tossing your names into my super sonic spinning bonnet numbers generator and will report back tomorrow with 3 winners AND a *surprise* for everyone!    Toodle-Loo. . .

Mighty Fine Music

It’s nice to hear from so many of you in response to my trip down memory lane.  Even the Mister had an accute recollection after seeing that blouse again.  Ah, the memories.  I’ve been sitting here sipping tea with a wonderful cool morning breeze at my back, reading your stories.  Most of us have never met, but we obviously share much at heart.  I’m reminded of so many things; scrappy skirts made out of ragged jeans being one of them.  I wore mine with real “granny shoes” I scrounged up somewhere.  (My poor Mother.)  Funny what we think of as 'fashionable'.  Won’t even mention the hairstyles! Thanks for sharing your stories.  Keep them coming.

On a completely different subject; wouldn’t it be great if we had appliance WI-FI? Well, until some braniac gets cracking on that, the Mister and I collaborated on a little project a few months ago that’s working well for managing my camera and music cables. It all hangs neatly behind the door now, so I can actually find what I need without sorting through a tangled mess on top of my desk.  My cameras all have different cables (why-O-why must they do this to us?), I almost never seemed to grab the right one.  Now they are ordered by size.  It’s all so efficient!  And it was simple; just used a painted 1x2 with cup-hooks screwed in and mounted to the wall.  A jewelry or hat rack might also work if you have one the right size.  If you have a closet to hide it in, all the better.  I just put mine behind the office door where it's convenient for me as I come and go. 

Quail have taken up residence in my backyard again and a pair of them just paid me a visit while I was sitting here with my backdoor open, camera in hand.  These two have been busy.  They’ve got at least 15 chicks they’ve been herding around for the past week.  I’ve been trying to get a picture of them, but they zip and roll like ping-pong balls all over the ground with just the slightest movement.  The males stand-watch above the rest, chirping out marching orders and warnings with that hilarious head-feather bobbing.  He’s the fancy one standing on the rock, the female is peeping under the fence, following her chicks.  (You can click on the photo for an enlarged view.)  She’s just there behind the rosemary.   

What is your view like today?

Sentimental Journey

I found myself tripping down memory lane after running across this blouse again.  I made it in the summer of ‘68 while staying with my great-aunt.  She lived year-round at her lake house and each summer, along with my cousins, I’d spend a few weeks swimming, fishing, picking blackberries, and basically running free; my own private summer camp.  When the sun got too hot, I would retreat to the cool of the shade and doodle in my sketch book, write love letters to my boyfriend (the Mister), or sew.  Sometimes I’d help “Nanny” with one of her quilts.  As far back as I can remember she always had a quilt in progress or some other type of handwork on her lap, like most of the women in my family did back then.  So, I guess it just seemed natural for me to have a stitching project too.

I was fourteen at the time, and really into peasant blouses.  I’d been practicing sewing my own clothes and these tops were easy to make and I made a lot of them.  Mostly from sweet calico cotton prints that grew soft and faded from the California sun, but this one, I embroidered, using a Vogart pattern I’d found at the local five-and-dime store.  My memory of stitching this, and all the peripheral details of that time are as clear as if they happened yesterday.  Memories seemingly held in place by the stitches themselves. 

 

Often, I get letters from women who share similar stories, of how an old pattern or piece of needlework has had certain significance in their lives because it reminds them of something or someone from the past.  Just this week, Elizabeth shared a story with me and Lisa shared another about a set of towels that had been in her family.  I’m always so tickled when I get letters like this.  Old patterns have a way of coming full circle sometimes! 

I was thinking about all this and thought it would be fun to encourage more stories.  Just share your thoughts in the comment box, so others can also read them, and I’ll pick a few at random to receive a free pattern from my website.  Contest is open to one and all, near and far.  You don’t need a blog to participate, but if you have a post and a picture all the better (be sure and include the link).  I’ll announce the winners next week sometime.  That should give everyone who wants to participate enough time to do so. I'm looking forward to reading the fond memories this conjures up!

Tread Softly

Look what we found out in the backyard yesterday.  My heart skipped a beat when I saw this little guy nestled down in there.  Mama Doe apparently left her new fawn to nap while she grazed on the other side of the yard.  It can't be more than a few days old.  No fear. So cute!!

My Recipe for FUN

 

Summer Stitchwork

 

Ready or not, it’s a new month (Hello July!) and I just put the latest free-with-purchase embroidery transfer up on the PatternBee website. 

 

These little offerings are fun to put together.  As always, some are sourced from my collection of vintage patterns and some are my own designs.  I think this one reflects a wee Tasha Tudor influence.  She has certainly been on my mind a lot this past week.  Hope these gentle designs spark a few creative ideas of your own.

And to all the wonderful generous stitchers out there that keep contacting me with old embroidery patterns to share, I’m grateful.  It’s always so exciting to find a rare pattern to restore and make usable again.  However, my Wool Project Book is front and center right now, so I’m not accepting any more pattern-work until I see it safely off to the printer, which should be by summer’s end, if I'm lucky.

 

Also, please don’t submit your vintage patterns without contacting me first.  I receive many duplicates this way and it takes time and postage to return them. Drop me a note if you have some questions, I'm always happy to chat with you.

Happy Stitching!