i found this leather box at the thrift store yesterday while i was out running errands…
i don’t know where it’s from, but it reminded me of these croatian appliques i’ve been meaning to show you. i love them! (pictures are from the book ‘Yugoslavia/Croatian Folk Embroidery Designs and Techniques’)
i like this print so much i decided to put it on two styles…
cap sleeve tees, in ladies x-small through large
and heather ringer tees, in ladies and unisex sizes (the unisex sizes do not have the ringer on the sleeve)
the bad news is it looks like the red tee (which is my favorite!) may be discontinued soon, so i don’t know how long i will be able to offer it on this style. i might have to switch it onto plain tees later.
i love a nice warm pretzel with mustard. i printed out a pretzel recipe from the internet a long time ago and finally tried making some.
i think i was intimidated by the boiling but it really wasn’t hard. they came out pretty darn good! except i burned the second batch. oops!
it was hard to decide which recipe to try, they are all kind of the same but slightly different. i’m going to make them again. do you have a favorite pretzel recipe?
i got this idea way back when i pulled out this apron bonnet (which i did have on inside out, but since then i’ve finally figured out how to wear an apron bonnet). i got to thinking about bonnets, and rain bonnets (remember those clear plastic ones you could buy in the gumball machines for a quarter?) and apron-bonnets, and wouldn’t a waterproof oilcloth apron bonnet be useful for working in the yard when it’s drizzling, or for collecting muddy stuff from the garden. then you can just hose it off!
we’ve been getting a ton of rain here this week, with more still on the way. i thought it would be a good time to make an oilcloth apron bonnet.
i was too wimpy to actually go outside to take the picture, it’s really pouring out! by the kitchen window was close enough for me!
i copied the pattern from the original apron bonnet. click on the picture to download the actual size pattern.
i lined it with polkadot fabric because the back of the oilcloth was kind of scratchy and not very pretty, but the original cloth apron was only one layer plus the pocket.
you will need:
2 1/2 yards of 1/4″ double fold bias binding
1/2 yard of oilcloth
1/2 - 3/4 yard fabric for lining and ties-it depends on how wide your fabric is. if your fabric is over 44″ wide, 1/2 yard is enough
thread
2 buttons
i highly recommend using a teflon foot for sewing oilcloth, it’s a zillion times easier.
1) cut pieces. place lining and apron together (wrong sides together) stitch around edge, 1/8″ from edge so stitching will be covered up by the binding.
2) sew bias binding to top edge of apron pocket. place pocket on top of apron and stitch around sides and bottom (1/8″ again) and stitch up the center to divide into 2 pockets. to find the center i folded the pocket in half and made a crease before stitching on to apron, then i stitched along the crease.
3) sew bias binding all the way around the apron.
4) hem ties (1/2″ seam allowance) turn edge under 1/4″, then 1/4″ again then stitch to make a nice clean hem. to make them triangular at the end like i did, fold one corner over to the edge and tack.
5) attach ties to sides of apron top.
6) sew on the buttons and make button holes.
to make it into a bonnet, slip the buttonhole over the button and fold the extra material up into the bonnet where your ear would be. use the pocket edge as a guide where to fold to make it nice and neat. the oilcloth holds the shape really well. see, i finally figured it out!
take a peek at the new goodies i just added to my shop…
kissin’ kritters skirt, corduroy skirt with smooching rabbits, squirrels, hedgehogs and birds.
grandma’s parlor skirt, with a Grandma Moses barkcloth print applique
harvest bouquet skirt, mustard twill and vintage floral print
freaky folks skirt, featuring a crazy vintage south american style print front panel
and the pendulum necklace, to go with the pendulum skirt
my pal amy at artifaktori in somerville sent me a stack of grandma moses print barkcloth pieces, all cut out at the same spot. i read that people used to frame the barkcloth and hang as art, and that gave me the idea for the ‘grandma’s parlor skirt’
i framed the prints with a rustic woodgrain print applique and added a ric rac and button hanger. i was excited to find a roll of jacquard denim for the skirt that reminded me of wallpaper and coordinated with the print perfectly!
the skirt will be available on my website very soon, along with a few other new goodies!
yay! i’m so excited, these are the first things i made!
i’ve been wanting to learn how to crochet for a long time, then i was inspired by all the cuteness in linda’s new book, and this giant granny square. i was over at socorro’s house last weekend and she showed me a few crochet stitches, and i actually remembered them by the time i got home! then the next night i went to my friend jenny’s house and saw one of those little bunnies on her fridge that her grandma made, and knew i had to make one. i found the pattern for the bunny and squirrel here. the squirrel was a little tricky for me because i hadn’t learned how to decrease stitches yet but i figured it out with the help of the reader’s digest complete guide to needlework. and it actually came out squirrel-shaped so i’m pretty pleased with myself!
any suggestions for some cute and simple things for a beginner like me to practice making?
it’s finally chilly enough in the evening to pull out the sweaters! i love sweaters. here are some details from a few of my favorites…
pom pom fun! i love pom poms!
i love sweaters that tie at the waist. so cute!
embroidered alpine flowers. edelweiss!
i also love that lumpy stitch. what is that called? i need to learn how to knit.
i added the embroidered piece to this one earlier this year and now it’s one of my favorite sweaters. can’t wait to wear it again!
one thing i love about living in southern california is it’s always clothesline weather! line dried clothes, especially towels, are one of my favorite feeling things.
about 10 years ago i got this adorable dirndl-style vintage clothespin bag, and even though i am very delicate with it (as delicate as you can really be with a clothespin bag, anyways) i’m afraid the old fabric might tear anytime. to prepare for that inevitable event, i made a pattern from it so i can whip up a new one when the need arises.
i wanted to share this project in the summer when it was clothesline weather all across the country, but i just finished it up now. it’s not too late though, they would make super cute gifts for the holidays! and the dirndl styling is just in time for oktoberfest-i made the new one using some vintage dirndl fabric i had lying around from dresses i had shortened.
you will need:
download the pattern pieces here. enlarge 200% before cutting!
1/2 yard of fabric
7″ x 10″ scrap of contrasting fabric for apron
12″ of alpine ribbon
1 1/2 yards of foldover braid or bias binding
1 yard of ric rac
wooden clotheshanger, cut down to 13.5″ across
14″ of thin ribbon or trim for the tie
to sew:
fold pleats on apron and stitch down.
sew foldover braid/bias binding around apron sides and bottom.
center alpine ribbon on top of apron and stitch across.
place apron on front panel and stitch down around sides and bottom of apron, and sides of ribbon, leaving the top front of the apron open, it’s a pocket!
place the right sides of front and back together and stitch all the way around from shoulder to shoulder (1/2″ seam allowance).
turn right side out and sew foldover braid/bias binding around neckline, then sew the ric rac trim around neckline.
stitch the 14″ tie down at the center of the back of neckline. that’s to tie around the clotheshanger so it won’t slide out.
insert clotheshanger and tie. add clothespins and go hang out your laundry!
remember a couple of months ago when i was cleaning out my workroom? i snapped a few pics because i didn’t know how long all my hard work would last, and i wanted to preserve it. here are some of the photos. let me warn you that i need constant visual stimulation while i work!
i really started writing this because i wanted to show you one of my favorite workroom features, my ric rac cabinet…
it’s full…
it was a CD/DVD wall cabinet from ikea. it’s great because it only sticks out about 7 inches from the wall, and it’s attached directly onto the wall so it looks like a built-in. the shelves flip down to open and it’s just right for holding all those big spools of ric rac.
