Revisiting Radio Again And A Recipe!

   I am daily listening to radio and my gramaphone and quite pensive upon it throughout the day and just how much I like listening to vintage radio. You wouldn't really hear me use the term, "vintage" radio because to me it's all new like silent films and precode hollywood that I'm seeing for the first time, but to others thats just what it is, "vintage."

      I spoke on 1920s, 1930s radio ladies in a former post and really would like to talk of 1930s radio a bit more and perhaps in more posts down the road.

 

My husband bought me this radio for Mother's Day for my kitchen, which means I get to put my gramaphone back into my sewing room until I get another. Besides I shouldn't keep cranking it with bread-dough-covered hands. 

    Husband found a lot of my music and plays it on my new radio wirelessly. It isn't my style but still older-looking and I think it's just swell!

   I just love listening to Clara, Lu and Em while I cook and bake and clean. They were three ladies who just did normal everyday things and had interesting and funny things to say about life and love, marriage, politics and the rest of the world. They're a bit hick but it's real funny! It must be my favourite radio show aside from Mr. And Mrs (not mr. and mrs. North)! These two were a funny couple. And you gotta wonder sometimes whether to take them seriously or not, it was like listening to a couple you've invited to dinner. A little awkward at times. It's a riot. I do love the occasional mystery and drama as well! I get a real thrill of my radio shows and singers. I wish they could go on and on. Alas! I treasure what they gave us.

   Well, because I listen to the radio while I do most things like sew and draft,  drape and knit, read and write and mainly  cook and bake I've included a recipe that I put to the test today.
 

It's a recipe from my 1931 delineator magazine and it turned out so very heavenly. It would be ideal for summer most certainly!           
           Give it a try!

Important goals I've made myself for this Spring & Summer

     And I have to start right now! Mainly because I think I've set the bar quite high for myself after just having had a baby. I think about 18 hours of my day are spent taking care of baby, boys and the husband. The rest of the time I sleep and watch Eastenders (my only modern weakness). Not to mention I bake and cook everything that we consume. When baby sleeps a little during the day I do knit and use my treadle a little, but his sleep pattern is so unpredictable at the moment that I spend a lot of my spare time wondering how long he's going to be napping for, so is it really worth it to get out the project? I still haven't managed to get my sewing room completely unpacked since we moved back here, so I can't just go to the sewing table or machine and "resume" what I have going on. The room is in a bit of a mess without any moving around space because of the unpacked boxes, so I'd have to bring up my handcrank to the kitchen table, get out the project and set up the ironing board, and so on and so on... and that just make it all seem complicated and time consuming for me.

    I haven't been able to sew any clothes lately and when I don't do any sewing I get in a serious state of depression. I'm not joking, I really do. I really need to buckle down and make the most of every spare minute I have...and that is first on my list of goals!

1) Waste not one precious minute. Try finding more time.

     Just get on and do it! Perhaps wake up earlier than baby does in the morning and get started on the sewing or knitting. Maybe pass up the pre-code, silent film, Poirot, or Miss Fisher in the evenings and sew, knit, or read instead.

2) Lose 16 pounds before July 18th.

     Since having another child in December I've lost nearly 40 pounds, but for the last month or two I've stagnated at 165, not gaining one pound more, but not losing one pound less. So I would like to lose at least 16 to 20 by my birthday. It's a tad embarrassing for me admitting all of this, but I think if I'm open about the issue it will make me want to make some changes. This is why I am including a "before" picture of me in this post.

"Before" taken May 23, 2015

3) Complete My Castillian Ideal Ensemble By July 18th.

     This is a two piece knitted ensemble. I made the Minerva Ideal blouse once; it's a quick knit and I love it. I started making it again in an ocean blue. The skirt is the Castillian pattern from another Minerva knitting book. This is also supposed to knit up quickly and I shall be making it in a creamy white shade so that it can go with other blouses knit, or sewn. These are "jiffy" knits but I need to finish the sleeve and block my Leila Hyams pullover and I need to block and knit up the neck of the Castillian blouse in the tropical green I made recently.

Though a bit modern, I do like this wooI and it's just been knockin' around far too long.

4) Sew when I can.

     This is pretty much self explanatory. I make everything I wear and I daren't run low on ensembles and just everyday wear. Not to mention my sewing room needs new curtains, and I sew for my boys a good deal of the time, too...especially baby clothes (have you seen what they charge for baby clothes?!).
 
     Well s'pose that's all for now, let's just see how it all goes. Perhaps I'll get more done than I plan. I hope so.

                                            

Any excuse to give to tea with friends! I usually do tea with friends or family once or twice a week. Today I had a visit from my Worthy Matron, Worthy Patron and "Electa" from Eastern Star. I hadn't seen them for a few years and now that we're back in Salt Lake City I'm so pleased to join them at Star again.
 

 

With baby teething I didn't have a lot of time to entertain him while getting ready so no chance to change, I just wore my boring ol' house dress.

 
     

It was just blackberry tea and my famous
cream scones today since it was at two o'clock.
A tablecloth makes it a formal tea but I just terribly love my linens!

    
 




My Berkshire Ware and Nobility plate, Caprice, are my favourite sets. Sunny linen of green and yellow on white to brighten up this somewhat gloomy spring day.
 

Just a little rest in the garden afterwards. Not tired, just dreamy lids like Marlene Dietrich.

Radio Ladies of the 1920s and 1930s

    There isn't enough acknowledgment nor tribute paid to the tribe of radio entertainers of the 1920s and 1930s. Plenty to the 1940's and '50's, but I really don't care for radio from the post war times, myself. 
     So today, a quick post to bestow a bit of adulation to my favourite women of depression era radio. Respect to the entertaining men will follow at another time, of course.

     Firstly, I must mention Vaughn De Leath, whose real name is Leonore Vonderlieth (clever, eh!) because hers was one of the first voices to be heard on radio (if not the first lady). 
               

Vaughn De Leath started in radio bang on 1920 and only stopped a couple of years prior to her death in 1936.  It's so strange to me that she gained such popularity in her time but is now merely forgotten. Her fame was equal to that of Billy Murray of her time and Elvis Presley of our time. 
      My favourite song of hers is her "Is it Gonna Be Long, 'Till You Belong To Me?" 1928.

The next lady would have to be Jessica Dragonette because she's, without doubt, the one I idolize the most. 

 Jessica Dragonette did various shows and performances on the radio of the late 1920's and 1930's especially. I never get tired of listening to her. She was another that was really rather famous on the radio but quite forgotten today. Lets not forget her voice in the animated film, Gulliver's Travels!
   My favourite of hers is certainly her rendition of "Kiss Me Again" and "Love is The Sun." Perfect!


       Then there is lovely little Frances Langford. I just loved her in and got my first glimpse of her ages and ages ago in Broadway 'Melody of 1936.' She's been my singing influence and whom I resemble the most voice wise. I'll sing a tune for you with my Ukulele sometime, certainly!
                  

Frances Langford may not be known for radio but she did get her start as a result of it and we mustn't forget her appearance on the "Hollywood Hotel," Dick Powell's radio show until 1938 and her offer from Rudy Vallee to be one of his regulars on his radio show.
                  "You Are My Lucky Star" is the one I love the most of hers. Just love it!

    Last, but of course not least, is Marion Harris. While she did mostly recordings and stage appearances, she did do 1930's radio on NBC and also with Rudy Vallee.

     It was a real treat for me to see her in the Devil-May-Care 1929 picture. I'd only ever listened to her on my gramaphone and then to see her on the screen was amazing to me.  I suppose that may be how it was for a lot of people during her time, to put a face to the voice must've been something swell. In fact, most people thought she was a black lady because of style and sound of her voice. 

  I hope you enjoy! I love these ladies of radio of the 1920s and 1930s ever so dearly!

        

A 1930s Knitting and Crocheting Pattern Free to You!

Who doesn't love a free 1930's knitting pattern!

You probably already know that I love LOVE to knit. I would have to say it's my first passion...and has been for 21 years. I love to occasionally go through my knitting books and goggle at all the peachy designs. At times I'll even drape the very design or draft the pattern for it because there is never enough time in the world for all the things I could to knit up.

Most of the patterns I knit up I try to use the original color, one very similar, or the actual type of yarn that was used in the pattern. I just love to see their intended outcome because the photographs are chiefly in black and white, you see. Other times I get real creative with color. 

Anyhow, as I was skimming the pages of many, many books full of knitting patterns I thought I really ought to share. If I had a friend who knit I would, surely. So here's a knitting pattern to you. I hope you enjoy it. It's really lovely I think.

I plan on making this one in a real true pink rose color, sort of like a kitten's nose.

There is no gauge stated but I did a little experimenting and I can assure you it's 6 sts. to the inch.

 

And! For those of you who prefer to crochet here is a beautiful free 1930s crochet pattern for a blouse to work up. Isn't it ducky! Who doesn't love peplums! I might better my crocheting skills so I can bring this one to life. I definitely make it in the Peach Blow shade it calls for and all!

 If you make either of these I'd love to see it! I can share more down the road and some sewing and embroidery patterns!

  

 

If there are any questions or advice I can give about these patterns please ask!

I just keep on coming back, don't I? I leave for a while at times, but always end up coming back. This time I felt like sharing my summer ensemble ideas. I've no friends to share them with  so I thought I would share the ideas with anyone who might read my entries. Which is probably no one still, but whatever. At least I would have had some outlet!

 

So it always starts with an idea and then a list. Always does, yes? I've a hundred lists all over the place for the "to do" things, the things to be finished, the list of supplies to get and so on and so on.

 

The list of early summer "play" clothes.

-Navy Linen Skirt.

-White Puff Sleeved Blouse Of Tufted Swiss.

-Chevron Man's Shirt

Other things that I've made that could go along with this ensemble...

-Sky blue Man's Shirt

-White Linen Button-Down Skirt.

 

 

The cotton, linen and swiss that brought on the inspiration. I went in to joanns to get more pellon and spied the chevron (wow... Joanns occasionally has something worth buying) and bought a bunch for clothes for baby. I saw a similar fabric pattern in my womens weekly 1934 which was made into childrens dungarees and frocks. The photographs in the weekly being in black and white, I can only picture what the colors of the chevrons would be, but these were common colors for childrens clothes and womens blouses...which also inspired this...

                                              

 

 

I love this ladies' man's shirt pattern and I think I've used it close to 20 times. This pattern on the fabric is quite busy but I do like it. It'll turn out better than you think, wait and see!

 

 

The youthful pattern for the Swiss. I love details of 1930s frocks and such. They're ever so inconspicuous at times but I notice them every time and love them. Just look at the "fleabite" in the collar!

 

 

Finally, for the skirt (a very basic skirt I drafted ages ago),

    

I'm using a navy blue linen I've had hanging about for ages. But for summer "play" I wanted a pocket or pockets. I sketched up a few before I decided I just wanted a welt pocket with a flap to hold my compact or comb.

That's all for now, check back! I'll be posting pictures real soon of finished results.