Hi peeps!  Last month on my Facebook page I briefly mentioned doing a haberdashery giveaway and it’s finally up!

I have an abundance of craft supplies–I could probably open a little shop!  Ha!  But a de-stash giveaway is more fun and just in time for holiday crafting.  Anyway, there’s new and vintage rick rack in red, white and green–in different sizes–red double fold bias tape, tiny red craft pompoms, a baker’s dozen of red/white striped twist ties and wooden spools (oh, and a Japanese squirrel paper clip thrown in for fun).

To enter just leave a comment and let me know what you look forward (or hope) to make for the holidays.  It doesn’t have to be craft specific meaning it could involve cooking, photography, etc.

Comments will close Sunday October 23rd, 10p PST. Comments are now closed. The winner will be randomly selected and announced  soon after.  Open to everyone.

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By the way, I LOVED reading your mischievous mouse stories on my last post!   I guess many of us have had such encounters or episodes of nearly losing something that left quite an impression.  It’s funny how the human mind works.

I mentioned the other day on Facebook that I was going to start going through my sewing to-do pile.  I can’t help but collect pretty vintage things that need repair or alterations, or start and stop sewing projects.  But then I end up with many garments (things that languish at the bottom of my fabric stash for months, years even) that could be rather fetching when done–eep, if they ever do!  It’s a bad habit I’m trying to break; alas, it’s difficult since I get so excited by new ideas and outfits.

Please excuse the crappiness of these photos.  Taking pictures of one’s self can be quite the challenge and it’s something I haven’t taken the time to master.  I’m for sure making the goofiest faces in these so I must continue to bombard you with headless images.  (Oh, but don’t you love this bag?  It was a bargain and a birthday gift to myself last year!)

First up: this $5 1960s blouse.

I don’t like long sleeved blouses and there was a stain near one cuff anyway so I just chopped the sleeves off to create short ones.  The hems stuck out in a funny way so I threaded some 1/4″ elastic through them.  I thought about changing the buttons and maybe even widening the neckline but that’s a lot of work and I think it looks OK as is, especially if I leave the top button undone. (I don’t like tight necklines; I feel too closed up!)  The rows of lace and eyelet are the best parts.

Now the skirt:  I started to make this before Christmas, from vintage Simplicity pattern #7869 (View 5, specifically):

It’s of fine wale red corduroy.  I didn’t finish it in time for the holidays because, ha, I gained some weight and could not zip it up!  (Yes, before the sugar cookies and turkey and such.)  Shame-faced, I tucked it away only to find it again while reorganizing my fabric stash.  (Which is something I have to do periodically as it can get quite messy and chaotic in there.)  Thankfully I’ve lost that extra cushion around my middle and was delighted to find that the skirt fit; all I had to do was hem it.  The hips seem a bit big now and I wish I had clipped and notched the seams of the waistband  a lot more (especially in the front) since the thickness of the fabric is creating a ridge that is a little too obvious for my liking.  Oh well, not all my projects need to turn out perfectly and at least it’s wearable!  (I was, however, able to install the zipper in one take which is pretty darn fantastic as that’s one of my least favorite things to do and it’s always a headache for me.)

I do like how the vintage ivory and gold buttons look against the red:

It’s a bit like Christmas in the spring!

My dear landlord just dropped off a generous bag of Easter chocolates covered in adorable foil wrappers.  I’ve noticed other chocolates from Germany are often dressed up in a similar fashion, disguised as ladybugs and mushrooms; so cute!  My favorite is the happy chick in the middle with her cartoon eyes and red bow tie.

Even though I have some work to do I really hope to catch up on my sewing tomorrow or Sunday.  If I go too long without it I start to feel a little batty!  Do you get like that too?

Anyway, if you celebrate, Happy Easter to you!  Otherwise have a most lovely spring (or autumn) weekend.

Oh…and Happy Earth Day!

No, I did not plan to sew up 2 pairs of leggings this weekend.   But I did and I’m wishing I had bought more knit fabric because this is my new addiction!

On Friday I got this bee in my bonnet that I needed to make striped leggings.  I’ve been on the hunt for these for a while, but have only been able to find cute ones for little girls or sheer ones (more like footless tights) for grown-ups.  Not sure why it hadn’t occurred to me until now that I could make them.  I guess I find sewing knit fabric very sketchy and I pretty much avoid it (even with a copy of Built by Wendy Sew U Home Stretch sitting on my bookshelf for a year or so).  But I remembered seeing that Angry Chicken posted a tutorial on her blog so I figured I’d give it a shot.   Plus my newish serger has been neglected. (Out of sheer laziness I don’t even bring it out to finish seams though that’s why I bought it in the first place.)

I bought not 1 but 2 stripey knits; I can’t help myself when it comes to fabric (you know that).  Luckily I had some “pajama” elastic and kraft paper (for the pattern) in my stash because I didn’t think about checking if I had these things before I drove off to the fabric store like a addict desperate for her next fix.

I probably followed Amy’s tutorial about 90% (or more, I kind of got started before I finished watching the video).  These were crazy easy to make.  In fact, after I finished my first pair (the red ones), I put them on and was wearing them while I made the second!

Here’s a detail picture of the red fabric in case the first one “strobes” a bit (an optical illusion where a pattern may look animated and wiggly).  I like to scrunch up my leggings just below my knees.  Here you can see even the leg openings are serged.  Easy peasy (once you get the tension right, that is).    For the pink pair I added some narrow stretch lace to girl-ify it up a bit (because pink is not girlie enough).  I’m debating whether or not I should trim the ties though – maybe they’re too much?  Maybe they’d look better shorter and tied simply in a square knot?

I wouldn’t say I was anxious for spring (especially since it has been in the 80s this weekend) but I’m ready.  I’ll just pair these with short, simple frocks and I’m good to go.

Have any of you started on any spring projects yet?  (Or if you are looking towards fall, what about you?  Stripey leggings are good for any time of year.  Just saying.)