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Sweet Sassafras
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Sewing, knitting, and crafting in style, with a vintage flavor.
Recent Posts Tagged With 'crafts'
Inspiration: Victorian silk stockings
I just randomly came across this amazing specimen of embroidered victorian silk stockings on Etsy. Aren’t they amazing? I’m inspired to do my own whitework embroidery on stockings now. I just need to find stockings sturdy enough to last...
Colette Patterns is open for business!
Friends, I am thrilled to announce that the Spring collection of sewing patterns is now available for purchase! Here’s what I wrote on the Colette Patterns blog: I think you will all really love what we’ve done. Each sewing pattern is p...
Free to a good home: red plaid
Last one! Another one I’ve had sitting around for a good ten years. It’s kind of shameful. I also made some sort of crazy skirt/underbust corset thingy out of this back in the day. I adore plaid, and this warm red plaid is very punk roc...
Free to a good home: flocked twill
I have had this fabric since high school. In my club going days, I made a corset and matching circle skirt out of it. I still have a big piece left. It’s a black flocked leopard pattern on black cotton twill. It would make a really cute penc...
Free to a good home: Repro barkcloth
This is a small piece of some reproduction 50s barkcloth. I used it to cover some cushions on our kitchen chairs years ago. Even the chairs are long gone, but I still have this scrap! Width: 56″ Yardage: 1/2 yard, plus a strip that’s...
Free to a good home: Striped summer poplin
This fabric is like candy, I love it. Or at least I love it in theory, I’ve yet to make anything out of it. I think I envisioned a striped summer sheath with a contrast waistband. Anything form fitting would be amazing, because this fabric h...
Free to a good home: Amy Butler fabric
This is a lovely fabric, non? It’s from Amy Butler, and I used it to create a this amazing laptop sleeve years ago. There’s a small piece left, but certainly could be used for a small home decor project, accessories, or the like. Width:...
Fabric: free to a good home!
The other night, I was packing up a GIANT box of fabric from my studio and realized that there are a few pieces in there that, while quite nice, I’ve been holding onto for far too long and will likely never use. I thought perhaps some of you l...
Treating myself
This weekend, I had a to-do list a mile long, mostly doing web things related to putting the finishing touches on the shop. But also things related to baking bread, doing laundry, etc. I told myself that if I managed to complete it all, I’d t...
Belt Inspiration
I stumbled on this pretty belt by Moss Mills the other day. I like it very much, but I have to think that there is an inexpensive way to make something similar. (I’m not into knocking things off, but this is such a simple idea, I don’t ...
Book Review: Boutique Knits
If you liked the hat I posted yesterday, you should take a look at Boutique Knits by Portland-based Laura Irwin. This book is full of gorgeous accessories with really interesting twists. I especially love all the hats and mitts (two of my favorite...
Sideways Grande Hat
I just finished this wonderfully soft, warm hat from Boutique Knits, a book I received as a gift. I’m going to be posting more images from the book shortly, it’s got some great patterns! I used Rowan Cocoon, which I LOVE. It is so warm ...
Emma Cassi jewelry
I really love jewelry that incorporates textiles. It’s something I’ve always wanted to dabble in, since I have so much lace and interesting vintage notions. These pieces are from designer Emma Cassi. Aren’t they beautiful? She ...
Make a silk scarf
My first tutorial up at the new blog is about making a silk scarf out of 1/2 yard silk charmeuse. I love this green one I made. It has a hand rolled hem, which I just love. I think these would make very nice gifts as well. The best thing is that t...
A new venture
Hi everyone. I really couldn’t wait to share this with all of you. For many months, I have been working on designing a small collection of sewing patterns! They aren’t quite ready yet: the patterns are all designed and graded (and will...
Brrrrrr!
It’s cold! I know I keep posting pictures of warm beverages, but they are a big part of my life at the moment. Warm tea, hot baths, and thick socks. I have been working really hard on creative projects that I think you guys will really dig, b...
The Lucy sweater for Juna Ann
This is a halloween sweater for a certain little girl who is dressing up as Lucy from the Narnia books (before she goes to Narnia). Her mom asked for help finding a vintage dress similar to this reference photo, and I offered to do the sweater up. ...
More craft treasure
While down south with my family, I got not one, but two amazing bags of treasure. First, my mom gave me this incredible collection of vintage buttons she’d acquired. Some are celluloid, many seem to be on these lovely sample cards. I love th...
How to buy Japanese craft books
If you’ve been reading a while, you know that I love Japanese craft, fashion, and style books. Japanese publishers put out a huge range of well-designed, beautifully photographed books and “mooks” (a cross between a magazine and a ...
The mysterious button store
For a while now, I’ve been hearing about some super secret button store which is stocked with all manner of vintage buttons. I never understood why it was a secret, because I’m sure such a tiny little business could use the support and c...
Coral crochet scarf
Still addicted to crochet, and working on more complex things now. This is a lace scarf made from KnitPick’s CotLin. I think the color is “island.” It’s a perfect vintagey coral color, which looks rose in some lighting and ...
Japanese crochet books
I’m guessing crochet must be very popular in Japan, judging from the amazing array of great crochet books they have at Kinokuniya. I picked these up recently. The book on the right are just a treasury of different motifs and edgings. The book...
