current projects

Currently I'm working on the FrouFrou sweater from The Happy Hooker. I think I've started it 8 times now, but this last start looks to be the one that will actually get finished. It turns out that I don't need to just be worried about having the right size hook--I've also got to have the right brand of hook. My Hero K and Boye K are so not the same size it turns out, and the one I like better doesn't work at all for this project. This is the first time I've had that happen, usually any kook works so long as it's the right size.

I'm also determined to make a skirt and a petticoat this week. Or weekend rather. I won't be able to get ribbon for the petticoat until Thursday, and I'm resisting cutting out the skirt for some reason. Eh, I'll force myself to get on it in the next day or so, and once it's cut out it should be easy to finish.

I think my plan for Halloween this year is to find/make a vintage outfit, and wander around in a full petticoat and everything, pretending it's a totally different year.

tie one one: gingham

I finally got around to making an apron for tie one on! The latest challenge was to make an gingham apron, which was perfect since some of my cousins passed on their fabric stashes to me last year, and there were several large pieces of gingham. I ended up using two different ginghams--different sized checks of a pale minty green. One is 1/16, the other 1/4.



I used the Twirl, Girl! pattern from A is for Apron, and it worked out even better than I thought it would. I love the way this turned out, I might have to make it again in different colors, or alter it into a bib-style apron for my mother to use.


So far the only problem with it has been that it doesn't really like being photographed, especially while being worn. It's pale enough that the light keeps washing it out, so I finally just gave up and laid it out on a bed.

By the way, A is for Apron really is a great apron book--I've made three different aprons from it so far, and will be making more, different aprons whenever I get around to getting more of the patterns enlarged.

Finished Project: Simplicity 5036

I managed to update my website, but forgot to do the same here!

On a bit of a whim, I decided I needed a sailor jacket inspired swimsuit cover-up. But then I realized if I made the whole thing in blue it would look like an old fashioned bathing suit costume, so I pretty much had to go that route.



Long story short, I love how this turned out, even if I skipped the step that made installing a zipper possible. (Next time I know to actually do what the instructions say instead of laughing and thinking there's a mistake.) I'm even thinking about making a version in greens or browns or something to use as a light fall jacket.

The hooks and eyes work in this version since I still consider it a swimsuit cover-up, but a zipper would be much more useful. I'm also thinking about just having one line of ribbon on the collar next time, mainly because I fail horribly at keeping things like that lined up easy.

Really, this is one of my favorite things out of all the random stuff I've sewn over the years.

Happiness!

I decided to buy a Japanese sewing book on ebay recently, and it's turning out to have been a great decision, mainly because the patterns actually seem to fit with few alterations. Yay!

I am far from busty, so American patterns and I don't always get along. There's a reason I mainly make skirts and pajama pants. Anything fitted on top ends up needing so many alterations that it just ends up a headache. (There's a New Look pattern I've been fighting with for about 2 months now. I finally got the bust to fit only to have everything above that go all wrong.)

Anyways, I traced one of the bodices out of the book, and the muslin fit almost perfectly, so amazing. I'll have to trim a bit off of the center seam, but that's so easy compared to a SBA.

Anyways, if things go well I'll be making a dress from the book this week. I just have to decide between the '70s dress and one of the full-skirted dresses.

(Now I want to buy so many more books. I know what's going on my Christmas wishlist!)

To Do, This Week

I have several things I plan to sew this week, and a good number have to be finished. Others are just for fun.

This one is mainly for fun, but since I'm finally going swimming this week, I'm pretending that it'll be necessary to have a cover-up from a vintage pattern.

I'll be making this all in blue, with white ribbon detailing. That way it'll look like a sailor jacket and a vintage bathing costume.

I cut the material out a few hours ago, now I just have to sew it. (And find the ribbon.)

Vintage Pattern: Simplicity 2195

I meant to add this here a few weeks ago, but obviously, I'm just now getting around to it.

Recently, when organizing the vintage patterns I plan to sell, I came across one that I just couldn't resist sewing first.


My mother had recently bought me some pink gingham at a yard sale, and since there's a gingham version of the top on the envelope, this was just meant to be made.

This is a fun, simple pattern. The most difficult part was the dart tucks, but only because I kept treating them like regular darts at first. I really liked the collar on this pattern.

I'll be making this again, in a bit stronger of fabric. I might turn the gingham version into a light house jacket--the sleeves are long enough when unfolded.


There's a more detailed review of this pattern over at my website: Simplicity 2195.

hidden treasure

I finally went through a stack of patterns I had bought off of ebay ages ago, making sure all of the cut pattern pieces and instructions were still there. I was delighted to find that some of the patterns had been uncut, but the most surprising thing turned out to be a small bundle of old newspaper.

I unfolded it and found a shirt pattern that had been traced onto pages of ads and comics from a newspaper from 1960. It's a complete pattern--front (with dart), back, and front and back neck facings. No seam allowance notes though, but I have an idea about how to figure that part out.

It's a simple pattern--a basic kimono sleeved top, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to end up trying to make it. Since it doesn't match the envelope I found it in, I'm guessing once upon a time the lady I bought the patterns from decided to match it to the 50's sporty shorts that were in the envelope.

one of two

This is one of the two baby blankets I'm working on right now, switching between the two every so often to give me a break from seeing the same colors over and over again. This one is made of Red Heart Soft Baby in New Mint Twinkle, and it's a very interesting color. Sometimes it looks more green, other times more blue.

I found a copy of the original pattern, this is a 'daffy-down-dilly' blanket, and that's sorta an awesome name. Just in case I get mixed up later on, I'm using my gold H hook for both blankets.

new project, old pattern

My mother bought this pattern for me over the weekend, and now it is at the top of my To Do list. This is Simplicity 1799, from 1956, a "teen age one-piece dress with detachable collar and sleeve trim". This is such a lovely pattern, and somehow, it being for a teenager originally makes it even better. I love the details--an extra collar to put over the self collar, the bow on the red view, and so much more.

I'll be making a test version of this one, mainly because of all the darts at the waist. I want this to fit, and I want to be able to breathe in it!

new book + new apron

My new favourite craft book is A Is for Apron, which I found at B&N a few weeks ago. My mother collects aprons, so as soon as I saw this on the shelf, I knew it was coming home with me. This really is a great book--wonderful patterns and lovely fabrics in the photos. Really, it's an inspiring book.


This is the Deep Pockets apron, which I decided to try the other day. It was a quick make, though I spent far too long dealing with the bias tape. Woe, bias tape, you're so useful and so evil all at the same time. I plan to make several more aprons, so hopefully the narrow bias tape will be less of a problem each time.

A full shot of the apron, on a vintage quilt. The pink bias tape looks neon bright, but that's mainly the camera's fault. There's some pink in the pocket fabric, and in person, the colors all work much better together.

All in all, great book, yay! I think my only issue with it is that the pattern pieces have to be enlarged, and since there's only one measurement on each one, I can't sit down and recreate it based on provided measurements like I can some of my goth-loli pattens from Japanese magazines. I copied some of the pages and took them to Staples though, and they were able to easily enlarge the patterns to full size, for a decent price. And really, it is easier to just cut that out instead of making sure I'm measuring everything right.

Recent Finish: Baby Blanket

Close-up of a recent finish--a basic baby blanket that I've taken over the duty of crocheting for all the new babies in the family, and for the babies of friends of the family. It's a basic shell pattern, but it's a vintage pattern, I think from the 60's. My grandmother used to use it, and now I'm using the same pattern.

This one has 2 white stripes, so that it doesn't get mixed up with his older brother's blanket.

I should probably get started on a new one, but it's more fun when I know who exactly I'm making it for.

this is a photo

This post exists just so I can test out posting photos here, and seeing if I need to edit the photos first. Enjoy!

For reasons I don't really understand, threadless decided to have some of their shirts on sale for $5 on April Fool's. I couldn't resist, and ended up with 4 new shirts, even though I just planned to buy the damn scientists shirt to replace my older one, which accidentally got bleached at some point. I first bought a shirt from threadless to get that shirt, so I guess it's come full circle that I started buying from them again just to get the same shirt again.

hello hello

Another month, another location for this blog. As much as I like simplicity of tumblr, it's just not quite enough for what I want right now. I still <3 it though, so I think I'll end up using one of my extra domains to just have a photoblog + randomness thing there.

But for a more serious site, like what I want this craft blog to be, I need something more, so here I am.

Anyways, since this is a new, new start, let me explain again: Why three hours later?

Three hours later comes from getting lost in a craft or a new project or whatever, and then looking up and realizing that you've lost all track of time and suddenly it is two or three or more hours later. Sometimes it's because everything has gone wrong, other times (hopefully most times) it's cause everything is working out just right.

Anyways, there's something wonderful about a project that absorbs all your attention so much that time doesn't even matter.