LVby Emily DickinsonI send two sunsets-Day and I in competition ran,I finished two, and several stars,While He was making one.His own is ampler-But, as I was saying to a friend,Mine is the more convenientTo carry in the hand.(sent with brilliant flowers) I'm taking a little break from sharing pictures and stories of my travels to [...]
Category: Art & Needlework
Return to England! Bath and Lacock Abbey
I was telling people that this had been my busiest summer in seven years, but then I realized that seven years ago, I was still in a teaching job (not working during the summer). Since I now work full time year-round, this summer has probably been the busiest summer I've ever had! I'm back from [...]
Continuing Back in Time: 3 Dresses from the 1910s
We're going even further back in history today! In the Greatest Haul of All, these three dresses, which I estimate to be made between 1910 and 1920, all fit me and I'm excited to show you all of their beautiful craftmanship and details! From the silhouette, I believe this yellow dress was made in the [...]
The Pattern is More Than 100 Years Old! A 1920s Pattern and Yearbook
I was thrilled (and very surprised) when I found this pattern for $6 at an antique expo. It was even my size! See the price for the same pattern (Pictorial Review Pattern 9430) currently for sale! This pattern was patented 1907, but I think the copyright might have referred to the company, not the specific [...]
I Made a Dress from a 1940s Pattern!
I've been wanting to make this one (Simplicity 4230) for a while! I made the blouse almost two years ago. I had also planned to make the jumper out of royal blue fabric. The pattern included an embroidery transfer, and I thought white flowers on royal blue would be gorgeous. However, I realized that I [...]
Making a Weskit from 1950s Vintage Patterns
The blog has been more focused on writing recently, but I've kept up my sewing projects too! I just got behind in photographing the completed projects. This is a project I finished last winter! Three years ago, I made a weskit from a vintage pattern, pictures and details here. It is one of the items [...]
The Greatest Haul of All: A 1920’s dress
Last spring, on a very, very wet day, I went with my mom to an estate sale on a Friday evening. It was last-minute; neither of us anticipated finding much. The sale was being advertised for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. On Saturday, everything was priced as marked. On Friday, the cost would be 150% of [...]
Kelmscott Manor: The Home of William Morris
One surprise that hadn't been on the original itinerary for the retreat was the opportunity to go to Kelmscott Manor, William Morris' house. Most of you have probably seen William Morris' work, even if you don't recognize his name. He was a pre-Raphaelite artist, at the head of the Arts and Crafts movement in the [...]
1940s Colorblock: The Strawberry Blouse
Welcome to today's edition of "How much can I eke out of this scrap of fabric?" In my stash, I had this super cute strawberry print. I believe it is vintage because of the quality of the material, the style of the print, and the natural fibers. The drawback, it's less than a yard of [...]
A Second Touch on Sewing Projects
Sometimes you complete a project and are happy with it for a little while... until you start to use or wear it. Then you realize how you could have made it better. This year, I went back to a few projects to tweak them. I am enjoying them even more now than when I first [...]
Welcome To The Carriage House 