Autumn Inspiration

    No word from yours truly in a while, so sorry. Some days get much too busy and no time to post, but who's lookin' out!  I snapped a few photographs yesterday which I thought I'd like to keep record of for inspiration for my fall wardrobe and, as I've stated in a past post, I'm going to post a couple of times on this subject. First off! I've been inspired by several colors and a couple of them are brown and yellow. Yes, I know these are the typical fall colors and I'm usually not using them but experimenting with other shades in the cooler season. Primarily because I didn't want to be predictable with my seasons' wardrobes. But this year I'm going to be "different," which isn't really different but for me, yes, different. I'm going to use brown and yellow/mustard quite a bit, I think. Not too terribly much though and either separate or together, as these...

They're all so brilliant. I'm also going to use gray for a change and steel blue.
  I've also got a few goals pertaining to the wardrobe and one is wearing more of my shoes and more of my jewelry. I gather so many of these items and most of them just sit around for month after month just looking pretty. I always seem to think I need to wait for a special occasion or ensemble to wear a certain pair of shoes or a certain set of jewelry. Today, I looked through my jewelry boxes and saw lovely frocks in these three things pieces and this pair of shoes (among many other items, mind you)...

A necklace from the late 1910s, ring from the '20s and a 1929 brand broach which I love putting on scarves!I'm a sucker for this brand of jewelry, especially older pieces, because they have such good looking things most of the time!

My demure late 1910s style oxfords I found a while back

And these because my cardinal inspiration these past few weeks has been Neysa Mcmein and Tamara De Lempicka both of whom I've loved ever so for so long. They were both so well known from the late to mid teens through the thirties and I just love that time frame too much.

 





 Neysa was an enormous fan of hats and was always looked out for to see which she'd wear next. I'm going to make it another goal to wear more hats. I have a few hats but I'd rather like more. Who doesn't! 

 

Then, Lempicka! She had astounding style and is just too amazing to me. Other than Durer she is my hallowed artist. Just look at this painting!!

It's called "Sharing Secrets," and it says so much more than just two sharing their secrets. She had such a way, my dear friends. That must be me on the right with blonde hair and brown eyes.
   But anyhow, I'd like the mid to late teens to be my focus when planning and creating my fall wardrobe and then incorporate it into my 1930s style. I want to wear more spats, more fur, be more ingenious about my sleeves and I must needs make more hats and bags and perhaps a pair of trousers like Neysa and wear them. No, maybe not. Well, yes perhaps.
    Well, that is it for now, dear companions. See you shortly!

1930s Outfit Post Sewn Skirt and Knitted Jumper!

  Just a quick little post to do some showing off!

   I don't think I've not made a white linen skirt for every summer for 10 years at least. Why? You might ask! Because every year Id like something different (not all skirts are created equal) or perhaps I gained or lost weight. 

     The white linen skirt! It's such an indispensable tog! It goes so well with any beautiful blouse and feels light, it's swell and very sporty. The white linen summer skirt is a piece you'll find in thousands of photographs of the 1930s (and of course in other eras). 

   I usually sew a nice big pleat down the center front or make a button down skirt with white or shell buttons. This year I made the latter with pockets. I just felt a need for pockets this year. Mainly for just putting my hands in in a swanky manner. 

Just a white skirt, gay blouse and matching shoes, ONE bangle bracelet and my favourite coral lipstick.

 And then my newly finished knitted! I finally sewed up the Castilian jiffy knit jumper that I blocked ages ago. I like it but I had knit it when I was a few pounds heavier and so it's a size or two up for me and I don't like articles that aren't perfectly suited to my figure. It may not look it but the jumpers a bit big and too long. The ribbing band isn't at my waist like a true 1930s sweater but ten again I do like the blousiness of it!

This year the skirt was 1935 length and unlined. I'm not a snob about linings, I line my articles only if I care to or if they really must be lined, as suits must be. 

  This is my second to last summer ensemble that I'll make this season, and then it's on to autumn togs! 

  I've got a couple more knits to finish and that's fine, for they'll go with my autumn ensembles utterly!

  See you soon!

New Knit and Free vintage knitting and crochet patterns!

        Of course I have plenty of knits in progress but I really thought I ought to be doing some for autumn and winter and when winter comes 'round I'll finish my summer knits. It's what I usually do, it only makes sense. I feel as though I should have these done in time to wear for spring next year. They're 

very springy-prestine looking!

    So I've started this lovely number on Saturday (in a beautiful dark red wool) but I'm not going to set a deadline, for every time I do things in life happens and I never know when I'll get to knit. Then again I may stray to a different knit or another project altogether. I tend to, you see.

Nevertheless, I think I shall work especially hard to keep on it and knit only this until it is done. I just love the chic design and detail especially of the opening to reveal a beautiful blouse. 

     I am also working on my Leila hyams jumper but only have to finish a sleeve, block it and sew it up.

I'm sewing this lovely jumper with a brown skirt for autumn but I think it will be terribly lovely with a deep red, black or navy among others.

     I don't have too much time to be working on a post today so I'll share a couple of patterns and be away. This first one is for my crocheting friends out there whom i really rather envy for being able to crochet so well. I wish in I could have a few more lessons in it...to me it's not as logical as knitting or something, I'm not quite sure what it is about crocheting that I just don't get. It's probably the whole idea of crocheting some stitches to make the row high enough for the next row. Well, when I have time enough again I'll get in to teach myself to crochet again.

    I would really love to make this!

                                   And for my knitting friends!

  Isn't it lovely? I'm not working on this but I might because I knit up a little swatch out of curiosity and it makes a swell little popcorn stitch!  

    The pattern stitch is a multiple of four plus two and here's what it looks like...

   I just loved it so much that I kept knitting and realized it's the perfect width to make a keen little compact keeper for my be same compact. I knit a few rows first of moss stitch so the swatch doesn't curl up on me. 

    The little keeper is something I especially need, for my compact is always slipping out of my handbag and this'll provide, perhaps, a bit of "cushioning." Here's what I ended up with!

I added a real fresh water pearl that I only have one of. These little ordeals are perfect for those one off or odd buttons and such, aren't they!



   Have a lovely day!

       "It is the accumulation of fine reactions that builds charm within us."
                   -Margery Wilson

New Items in My Etsy Shop!

Just a few newly added items! Saving for some shoes, I thought I'd get rid of some of my hoard in the process!

My Working Quarters Complete At Last!

  A couple of months after moving back to Salt Lake City I've finally finished unpacking my sewing room. Rather lazy of me, I know, but I just have so much to do (and would rather be doing) during the day. My room is a work in progress of course, for ill probably change something around here and there as I work to best suit me.

  

But anyhow it's done and now I've got plenty of plans to make good use of the space. 

   I've had several types of sewing areas from a corner in the back of our apartment to a tiny room in a small house to a basement. And now a really big basement! This time around I've insisted on sharing the space with husband so he may have a bigger office.
    Yes, I may be moving soon again , for we've been looking for a house all our own which must date between 1700 to 1933 and no newer. So fingers crossed within a year we can buy at last! But for now we've got a charming little house that was built in 1941 (I know, I know) it's the newest house we've been in. But it does have a large basement! And I love my space!
   Here's a few photographs of my workspace!

Have a lovely day!

Vintage Video Memoir of Summer To Me

   Just a quick post on summer just because I feel like it could be over any minute now. Perhaps I feel that way because I'm starting plans on autumn wardrobe (which I'll be posting on pretty soon).
   Anyhow! Just felt the need to post a little video memoir of mine in the summertime. I'm a desert girl with salt in my blood (salt laker) but I do love to go to the beach when the sun is out and all the people too, with their big hats and umbrellas. I don a scarf to protect my coiffure from the sand and sea air but I love summer on the beach. It reminds me of a Leila Hyams film or lilyan Tasman in many photographs wearing wide legged beach pajamas and having beach party after beach party. I guess Its too childish to imagine I could be there. She would invite me I'm sure.
   My boys love to climb on the rocks at Mudeford so I thought I'd have a go. It is a laugh.

 

July has just begun and lot's of summer yet to enjoy!

 

A Dress For Sunny Days!

Happy Independence Day to everyone!

      Last night I finished a dress that I had cut out before going to the UK last year. I cut out several  dresses so that I may have things to sew up across the atlantic on my Singer from 1929. I could shop for more fabric in England but I really need to use up some of my stash which consists of somewhere between 1000 and 1500 different fabrics of many, many types. I'm not lying, it filled up our old basement. It got absurdly out of control and I had to really get a handle on my fabric buying addiction.
   Anyhow! I have finished this fine red one that I draped a couple of years ago on my Khafra (Singer from 1923). It's homespun and I have been in love with homespun since my civil war reenacting days. 

 I finished this dress just in time to wear it to lunch with a friend. I had a lot of compliments on it and I think that's great because I wasn't sure about the shade of red on me. This and one other dress are the only red articles I own and I can't wear the other until I reduce a bit more. I'm getting there!

 I wore my lovely brown Emily Remix shoes and used a simple straw bag to carry mine and some of baby's things in (you won't catch me with a diaper bag).

 I love to play around with fabric patterns and mix and match them around. This dress had plenty of pieces to do this! I do make a lot of plaid frocks...perhaps I should stray away from plaid for a while. I just always love the color combinations in plaids.

And one more ridiculous pose! All just a bit a fun!

Another Sewing Help! My Singer 115 Revamped!

 Well! I have at long last found all of my Singer 115's missing parts and got her completely and utterly cleaned up, unstuck and ready for her new racket!
   I got my 115 at an antique fair in her cabinet a few years ago and just had to have it. I knew it needed help and what I was getting into, it was clear to anyone to see that, but for some reason I just had to have her. The treadle table had all of it's drawers besides the front long compartment and was in pretty good shape beside the fact that someone had stained it without taking out the machine first.   Yes,there was quite a lot of  splatter on the machine to get rid of.
     I might have paid $70 too much and could surely have gotten a new and in-working-order machine as my first treadle but I really wanted to fix this one up for my own. Nevertheless in the process of working on her and seeing it just sitting there day after day I just had to have one to sew on. So I bought Khafra, my 1923 Singer 127 who now resides in the 115's treadle table and has been so very useful and just a dream to use. So much so that I put off repairing my 115.
   In a way though, using Khafra actually got me motivated to get the other fixed up and in operation, because there are a few things one can do that the other can't. So the other day I just gathered up all of 115's parts and the tools and cleansers to get her right and went outside on the lawn with baby and spent the entire day, practically, getting down to it and I still managed to make a lovely shepherds pie that afternoon for tea.

   Anyhow! Here she is!

     I've named her Bessie Love after one of my favourite actresses. She was petite and beautiful and charming and my machine reminded me of all of her qualities. Strange perhaps, I know! I put the hand crank on her for travel and to use outside whilst having lemonade with cucumber sandwiches and winding up the gramaphone. 

Here is Bessie before in such a sad state. Plenty of parts were missing and other parts just would not move!

The 115 front before! So very much rust and dust oh! the dust!

All the dust and threads!

I'd even found four of these dressmaker pins. They were quite old that they just snapped like cocktail sticks. The bobbin winder would not move a trifle no matter how hard I tried.
 I was lucky in that it had the shuttle still intact (and how!). They're impossible to find for this somewhat rare machine. The shuttle also took a good deal of work to get out and I thought for a while it never would. The machine was just so rusty and dried up but with plenty of hours and elbow grease (and chemicals, safe ones around baby of course) and long search for all the parts,  I completely restored the 97 year old darling.

So lovely! She works ever so smoothly now and makes the most beautiful stitches!

Not much was there I could do about the decals, they were just so worn. Whomever used her really did use her and that's not a bad thing. She'll outlive me and you and our children even after she gets done whipping up all of Krystle's couture!