make it up

Prizes Prizes!!

2011-12-22T03:24:00.001-08:00

I am a winner!

Remember my entryfor the No Pattern Required Annual Retro Christmas Card Competition – the vintage birds’ snack bar.

Well ... it was deemed kitsch enough to earn a ‘runner upprize’ which is no mean feat!

Look what landed on the doormat earlier this week fromacross the pond.

A whole boxful of Christmas cards from What’s Buzzin’ theretro Christmas Card Company.

Some are fab enough to have up all year round I reckon – I have a fondness for flamingos. Most of the others will be packed away until next year .. one job done taken care of for Xmas 2012.

Thank you so much for all who voted!

A Little Kitschmas Crafting

2011-12-11T06:01:00.001-08:00

Earlier this month I had a go at turning these ...

into this ...

I was inspired by Betty Crafter's Wreaths on her fabulous blog, all her Xmas makes and finds are retro to die for, do take a look.

I started with a polystyrene wreath form and wrapped it in tinsel. Then it was just a case of hot glue gunning everything into place - with a designer's eye (ahem).

I did wire the deer and her fawn to stop them straying.

I'm pleased to say all the baubles were bought from Charity Shops - if you get there early enough in December you'll find the cream of the vintage crop for next to nothing. The deer came from a vintage fair - a good price too as these are getting quite pricey on the likes of eBay and Etsy.

Then ... as tis the Season ... I had a wonderful day of edible crafting over at Gail's of One Million Gold Stars.

Gail had pre-prepared the cookie dough, you can find her reproduction of the recipe and instructions on Domestic Sluttery. All I had to do was cut and decorate and with Gail's guidance I had a go at floating the icing so the biscuits are covered uniformly. We then ~~ate~~ went to town with sprinkles and baubles.

Yum!

Happy Holidays Everybody

Craft Your own Vintage Birds’ Snack Bar with Fun Seasonal Addition!

2011-11-16T06:56:00.000-08:00

(Or … my entry for the No Pattern Required Annual Retro Christmas Card Competition)

I like a good challenge – and this looked to be right up my street:

“The name of the game this year Readers, is Odd And Ends! Here at No Pattern Required, we want to see what you can do with the bits and pieces you have thrifted or laying around your house right now.

There are no restrictions on materials or methods, the only rules are that some of your submission has to be reused or thrifted, something in the project has to be retro or vintage, even if it is only that the finished product has a retro look to it, and each submission has to have a picture of your finished (or mostly finished) project with it.”

I turned to a trusted fount of knowledge, an issue of Woman’s Day 1958.

I bypassed the rather scary looking woman selling me Tide ...

... skipped through the reader’s letters and their appealing kitten photos ...

... and found a Woman’s Day Do-It-Yourself Tutorial.

This one is strictly for the Birds dear readers – who need our love more in this season of blustery winds and snow.

Birds' Snack Bar

I set about gathering materials for the Birds’ Snack Bar as outlined in the informative article, ‘This wooden tray is very easily made from a piece of plywood and some lengths of woodstrip’. No probs …

I cut the ply and the batons to size, nailed them all together as instructed – I was a little stumped by the need for a Gimlet. I’m not certain what a gimlet is (knitted vest?) … but it makes a holes so I reckoned an electric drill would do.

As this is a seasonal gift for a seasonal competition, I reckoned the birds might enjoy the addition of a Crafted Seasonal Novelty.

I dug around in the stash for some bits to make a Snowman.

The Woman’s Day Birds’ Snack Bar is tastefully varnished ‘so that the natural wood colour blends with the outdoor background’. I varnished mine. And found some suitable vintage twine.

My only worry is the snowman looks a bit threatening (the rakish angle of the hat?) and might in fact deter my feathered friends.

Not to worry – as soon as I hung my Birds’ Snack Bar in the apple tree, it had a wee curious visitor!

I do hope my entry catches the eagle eye of the judges.

1930’s Sweetheart Overalls

2011-11-13T04:06:00.000-08:00

A real treat to make these. A sweetheart of a pattern from Decades Of Style pattern company – the instructions are bold and clear. They took me two days to complete without much fiddly finishing off.

The bits that took the longest were the buttonholes! I’ve got a bog standard Janome sewing machine, it doesn’t have a chip and doesn’t do buttonholes automatically whilst I make a cup of coffee. It was the first time I’d used the buttonhole attachment – I really like it and its low-techiness. You place a button in its holder and it gauges the size of the buttonhole from the button’s diameter.

This took a few goes as the machine had a bit of trouble clicking into reverse mode once it had sewn the second buttonhole bar – I think it was the fabric that was problematic and I just gave the gizmo a little manual nudge each time to get the buttonhole completed.

I added a tiny press stud on the end of the bib strap just to hold the back strap in place – I’m not exactly long-bodied and there was a little excess bib strap that wouldn’t lie neatly under the back strap.

I had wanted nice deco buttons, possibly square – and I’m still looking. For the time being I’ve used some vintage ones from my stash, and added two at the backwaist, for visual effect.

What else can I say in praise of these overalls – they are really comfy, I went out dancing in them last night – rigorous Lindy Hopping in very hot sweaty conditions.

They stood up to a lot of twisting and leg kicking – I did remember to reinforce the crotch seam mind you.

The fabric was a cheap polyester, for ease of care really – I made the overalls as a dancing outfit specifically and they’d need a good wash after each outing. I’d make them again in a nice medium weight suiting for posh wear I think.

The cheesecake photo shoot serves to show off my newest Cruiser Bike that I got in the summer - she goes like a dream!

Tiki Runner Completed!

2011-11-10T06:46:00.000-08:00

I started this project oh … I dunno, about 2 years ago now? I can still remember the afternoon I sketched out the flowers, chose my fabrics – it was a beautiful day, I was waiting for a call from work, listening to jazz.

It’s not like I’ve been actively sewing the thing for 2 years, I’m a flighty maker – I get excited by new projects, get a rush of excitement from fresh ideas and finishing something off suddenly seems dull by comparison.

So it has been nice to revisit an old friend, the runner just needed backing and a good press after being rolled up in a box for aeons.

It was intended as a centrepiece for the dinning table – but quite honestly you can’t find our dinning table under the mountain of stuff that gets dumped on it. So the (rather large) footstool now a chic coverlet. We don’t use it as footstool – it is simply another depository for dumped stuff. But maybe now the family will think twice before piling things on top of the applique.

I read a really constructive post about surfing the net and creative procrastination on Elizabeth’s blog Things Bright, here. She advocates reading less blogs as an aid to creativity in a quality vs quantity vibe.

Enjoy this food for thought, not forgetting to add Make It Up to your essential reading list!

Bakelite Jazz Series

2011-11-01T08:31:00.000-07:00

I had the greatest fun making these!

Louis and Ella, are the first in my Jazz series of recycled pendants and brooches.

Louis is constructed from a painted wooden bead, vintage buttons, Bakelite beads and cabochons, and is holding a vintage sterling silver trumpet.

Ella too is made from a painted wooden bead, vintage plastic button, Bakelite beads and cabochons, fabric and she holds a sterling silver cocktail glass.

These two make beautiful music together – but can be worn separately. They hark back to the articulated plastic jewellery of the 40’s and 50’s which I love so much.

Other band members will be made from vintage Bakelite dominoes – once I’ve sourced some good ones.

Yo! New Logo

2011-10-21T13:14:00.000-07:00

All change - time for a new Make It Up header before I launch into posting my Autumn makes so far. I got this fantastic stamp on eBay - the detail hasn't transferred too well in my ham fisted attempts at printing, but I'm very happy with the end result as seen on the blog.

I photoshopped the *well known wallpaper manufacturer* name out of the image.

In other news ...

I recently took a trip to Brussels to visit the Atomium - built for the World's Fair in 1958, it is an amazing structure in the shape of an iron atom. Each 'pod' houses an exhibition space and all are joined by escalators. There is a restaurant at the very top - if you have the stomach for eating at such a vertiginous location.

Although I'm not keen on heights, the view from the top was amazing.

The interior decor was atomic! (natch)

50's Blouse in Deckchair Stripes

2011-05-11T07:38:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung

I've had this pattern for so long I thought it was about time I made it up.

The lady in the illustration looks vexed - she's obviously abandoned trying to line up her stripes like her neighbour and opted for the plain version. My look of serenity belies the mental torment of stripe matching, which led to a fair bit of unpicking and re-stitching - I am simply exhausted.

As with a lot of vintage patterns, the sizing was hit and miss. The cut is quite roomy, not as fitted as the illustration and might be a bit too blousy tucked in or wasp waisted.

I really like the shape with capri pants.

The back of the collar has nice detail, if you look to the illustration - it sits up quite perky. I pressed mine to lie flat in a less Elvis stylee.

So all in all a good afternoon's work - and sunshine to boot!

The fabric put me in mind of a dress my mother had which I can only recall in black and white pictures - here she is holding my *big* sister around 1959 I reckon.

Bexhill-On-Sea blustery day

2011-05-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

I live in the city but I love the Seaside, especially faded seaside glamour of the British variety. I'll retire to the beach one day, maybe open a B&B or park up an Airstream.

It's the colours I love along with the noise of the surf and smells. We used to holiday in Colwyn Bay, North Wales when I was a girl - I froze in the Lido and rode the penny rides on the front.

This May bank holiday I took a trip to Bexhill and stumbled across the De La Warr Pavilion.

It's a Modernist masterpiece on the seafront, built in 1935 and some claim - the first Modernist building in Britain.

'Pioneering in structure as it was in spirit, the purpose of this steel and concrete Pavilion was to provide accessible culture and leisure for the people of Bexhill and beyond and so regenerate the economy of the town and the surrounding area.'

The views from the Pavillion along the inhabited front and out to sea are wonderful.

The De La Warr Pavilion has recently undergone renovation and is now open as a Contemporary Arts Centre.

The illustrations in this post are by Andy Tuohy and capture my lust for Modernist Architecture. I will retire to the beach and live in a bloksy white dwelling that resembles an ocean liner. It's the simplicity, clean lines and large picture windows - all so alluring.

Then I spotted this print at the gift shop ...

Another ocean liner of a building just up the road in St Leonards, so we headed up the coast to find it. It wasn't quite as splendid, a residential and retail block - but still a joy to behold.

source

Surfing through Andy Tuohy's blog I found this gem ...

Now here's a venture I'd heard of on the grapevine - Save Deamland - a bid to transform Margate's crumbling Amusement Park into a viable attraction with a vintage appeal.

This is a really exciting project and one that I'll definitely be keeping an eye on because along with seaside dwellings I also love old Funfairs and Funfair art.

It was breezy day in Bexhill (hence the gloves), but the sky was blue and my heart soared with the seagulls (despite the glum look).

Meccano at the Olympic Park

2011-04-24T06:57:00.000-07:00

Something rather large and wonderful is being made down the road from where I live. Not that I’ve got an Anish Kapoor in my back garden, but almost.

The Olympic Park is a short bike ride away - and we often cycle down to the Container Café adjacent to the 2012 Olympic (building) Site for coffee and Brownies (believe me - they do the best Brownies).

The View Tube as it’s known is a haven for other cyclists and mummies and daddies with toddlers who want to watch the big diggers build the Olympics. But it’s also an Education Centre, a hub of Green Fingered gardening/reclaiming projects and an exhibition site for local school arts projects and artists.

The Anish Kapoor sculpture ‘Orbit’ which is being constructed next to the Olympic Stadium is coming along a treat. I’ve not heard any locals say a good thing about it other than it’s bloody huge, but I love the colour - real liquorice shoelace red and I’m really quite in love with it.

It puts me in mind of roller coasters and a Meccano trumpet tied in knots.

And judging by the small piece already in place … yes it will be massive.

Do go and take a look!

Self Help for Plastic Addicts

2011-04-24T06:02:00.000-07:00

How about some work in progress, it’s Spring and I’m dabbling in new projects. I’ve always had a fascination for decorative plastics, I loved to buy cheap gum ball charms and rings as a kid. I love threading plastic beads - there’s nothing too precious about plastic jewellery, you can lose a piece and it won’t break the bank - unless of course it’s a one off Vintage Bakelite creation.

There’s plenty of informative blogs about the birth of early plastics and their use in fashion. I have fond memories of the weight and clunky sound of Bakelite - it’s quite distinctive, as is the smell of the warmed plastic. We had quite a few bits and bobs of Bakelite in my family home as a kid - light fittings, my dad’s razor box, electrical plugs - all in that swirled slightly dour muddy brown colour.

I look out for early plastic pins or brooches on my vintage fair forages and I’ve had a few successes, but not many. I’ve taken to drooling over Bakelite crib toys and articulated pins online - it’s become quite an addiction, so in the time honoured tradition of self-help I’ve decided to make my own.

I’ve got quite a collection of vintage buttons and findings and I’m thinking of investing in a small hand ‘Rota-tool’ for drilling and cutting. I’ve got quite a chunky cordless Makita, which is just a bit too hefty - a relic of my scenery making days

I ordered some beautiful Bakelite beads from Etsy - you really have to see them up close to see how glorious the colours are - like highly polished jelly beans.

The guy on the left is a prototype, the doodle if you will. The more rotund jazz guy on the right will be the finished model with painted face, complete with silver trumpet dangling from his hand. Most of his components are Vintage Plastic. I’m making a jazz gal too - a la Ms Baker, with banana skirt. Both come with a pin on the reverse so I can wear them on jackets and coats.

Watch this space for the completed jazz duo - sometime soon I hope.

Photo Scavenger Hunt

2011-02-28T08:26:00.000-08:00

Kathy at Post Cards From The PP has been organising monthly photo scavenger hunts. I thought I'd join in with February's challenge, it would be a good opportunity to get out with my camera. Here's the list of items we had snap ..

a bridge

something with stripes

a musical instrument

a big lorry/truck

a round clock face

your shoes

a park bench

a newspaper headline

a postbox

eyes

something heart shaped

something red

And here's my batch of pictures ... mostly from around East London, the musical instrument courtesy of a busker in Southport.

The challenge wasn't as easy as it looked - the big truck eluded me for days! Lots more photo sets from this challenge can be found on the Scavenger Hunt Flickr group here.

Why not join in next month?

The Retro Bicycle Post

2011-01-28T08:28:00.000-08:00

I nipped out on my bike this morning to buy some fabric from a local haberdasher and instantly wished that I’d worn ear muffs - it was bloody cold. I’m usually quite good with bike attire, in so far as I wear appropriate clothing - I’ve got nasty waterproof trousers and matching amorphous waterproof jacket for when it pours, I always wrap up warm and tend to wear trousers rather than skirts. Earmuffs are a problem though as they muffle traffic noise and I want to be able to hear what’s thundering up behind me.

I love my bike - I'm sure you can see why.

It’s a modern version of a vintage classic and generally turns heads when I’m pedalling along and of course there's a ton of accessories I'd love to add - Vintage Schwinn bike enthusiasts take a lookee here.

I can guarantee it’s the bike that causes the interest, not me - there is a dearth of stylish cycling attire out there, especially for Britain’s climate. So imagine my surprise when I walked into a cycle shop in London only to find amongst the inner tubes, a rather beautifully cut swing coat with a nipped in waist and wait for it - detachable hood. See below.

Water Off A Duck's Back, waterproof coat.

The bike shop guy registered my surprise and gave the low down on the coat, a new range by designer Antonia Maybury her company is Water Off a Duck’s Back stylish coats for women who want to look good and stay dry.

This is the answer to the prayer I’ve often muttered - decent cycling outerwear with integral reflective tape. I’ve gone so far as to source reflective tape myself in order to design and make such a jacket.

This mac has a reversible belt, one side reflective - flip up the collar and roll down the cuffs for more of the same. It buttons in such a way as to keep the fabric far from the back wheel. I was too busy to try the coat on that day and the £130 price tag just before Christmas meant I’d have to be content just to drool. But my hat goes off to Antonia, an innovate design and a market gap well and truly exploited - I hope she extends the range.

There is quite a classy range of cycling capes and cycle hats to be found at Cycle Chic Clothing, along with some fancy panniers.

CycleChic, panniers.

I don’t like to spoil the clean lines of my bike with bulky panniers and simply hang my Mexican made plastic shopper from the handlebars.

Note the wonderful Sunburst front gate which I bought online last year. I’ve had a long love affair with Beach Cruiser bikes ever since I saw Pee Wee’s Big Adventure many moons ago. These are two from my stable that I’ve since said farewell to - one stolen, one sold on to an enthusiastic Cruiser newbie.

For the ultimate in cycling in style - and heels - check out this lady whose blog I’ve followed for quite a while as she cycles around NY on her pink Hello Kitty bike. Sheryl’s blog is a fitness and weight loss blog - not something I aspire to - I simply got hooked on her ballsy attitude to cycling alongside lycra clones whilst wearing fishnets and corsets!

So back to my earlier bike trip to purchase fabric, I bought some blue check suiting which is pre-washing as I type. This is what I’m going to make - and yes I hope to cycle in them, watch this space!

(NB: I had a really glitchy time composing this post, Blogger wouldn't give me consistent font size or let me delete white spaces. Hope it looks OK on your browser!)

Greetings Card Trinket Box - Handsewn

2011-01-12T03:24:00.000-08:00

Things flash by me on the web as I’m surfing and I neglect to bookmark them - so it was with the greetings cards box … or vintage card box, handsewn Victorian greetings card box, crocheted card box … and all the other searches I made.

As the memory of the kind of boxes I’d seen and handled at Vintage fairs lingered, how best to describe them eluded me.

Then I found it!

Then more and more popped up on various web pages - and I was determined to try and make one. Impatient as I am I didn’t download instructions, how hard could it be? And then I realised that the nicest boxes weren’t just blanket stitched around the edge - they were crocheted.

Hmm - as a rule I don’t crochet.

But I have been to a class and I do have some books and some hooks. I’d give it a go.

They are variously described as Victorian boxes as I’m guessing they were a popular craft pastime at the time. And still popular now - how about this dinky cup and saucer in the same method from the blog Tea With Friends - fabulous!

I stumbled across one crafter who seemed to have mastered the art ...

... and you can see the truly wonderful work on her blog (check out her tea cosies). She also gives quite a comprehensive tutorial for making these boxes, which I was able to follow - so thank you Blogosphere.

I made a mock up first in plain card to see if I could get the pattern shape right. I had wanted to make a hexagonal box - my primary school geometry came in handy, but the sides were too shallow and the card too flimsy and I ended up with a rather squat wonky affair.

So I went ahead with a square box for my first attempt. It was the memory of the rounded sides that had stayed with me so it was important I curved the sides of my template.

I had plenty of old greetings cards and postcards to choose from and I would probably double back the cards if made another one so that the inside of the box would be as decorative. There is something nice about capturing the handwritten messages on the interior - one card I used was from my daughter who had written the lyrics to ‘You are my sunshine, my only sunshine..’ inside.

A lovely reminder as I open the box!

Next I punched holes around all the edges then began to crochet. Suffice it to say I finally got the hang of crocheting two stitches (chains?) into a hole, then an extra chain to take me to the neighbouring hole, and three chains in the corners - crocheters out there, feel free to correct my jargon.

Note I was in desperate need of a manicure.

Once all the cards were edged I sewed them together being careful to get the images the right way up, adding a tassel to the lid for extra pomp!

Ta da!

I've made more 'sides' than I've actually used so may make another, they're quite quick to put together now I've got the hang of it.

Red Deco Alcove - With Poinsettia

2011-01-05T07:15:00.000-08:00

I finally got around to decorating the alcove in my bedroom this week. The room isn’t big and I like the airiness of neutral colours on the walls, but look what I found on eBay last year - these are the listing photos from the auction.

the actual dresser is much darker in situ, here with mirror removed ...

... and it needs showing off. In order to do this I decided to create a little Deco nook of colour on one wall, a sort of sumptuous boudoir corner in contrast to the modernist décor in the rest of the room. Do take a look at my stained glass bedroom door which I blogged about here in an earlier post.

I am a sleeves rolled up and go for it type of dame and I love hanging wallpaper. My efforts don’t take close inspection, I’m far too eager to get the stuff on the walls to hold a plumb line or a spirit level to it - I think this comes from having done Theatre Design work where the overall ‘look’ can outweigh perfectionism (I have been known to gaffer tape curtain hems…).

This paper ‘Moulin Rouge’ from B&Q (cheap and cheerful) behaved itself and went up brilliantly - no stretching or snagging, the corner was completed in under two hours with coffee breaks.

Now my little Deco chest of drawers looks really at home and I use it to display my paper ephemera and postcards (so many vintage retailers and club nights are producing wonderful postcards these days). I had a piece of glass cut to size from a local glaziers to cover the rather scuffed drawer top then found some backing for my collage from my paper stash. I have a ‘stash’ for most things…

Very soon the collaged pictures, limed oak and bakelite handles will be obscured by hair products and various cosmeticy bits and bobs - but she looks real classy for now.

And to top if off, how about the kitschiest cheesecake chalk-ware lamp ever, which I found on eBay.

This one arrived intact unlike the Geisha lamp I bought which arrived smashed, a restore project I will gladly blog when I work out exactly how best to mend it! Any chalk-ware restoration tips anyone?

New Year Post!

2011-01-01T07:10:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Start as you mean to go on I say, so - more knitting, sewing, sticking, baking. Actions speak louder than mumbled resolutions too so the first thing I did this morning was to bake some delicious breakfast muffins which filled the house with the aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg.

These are Nigella’s Christmas muffins and I had wanted to bake them for Christmas morning but that never happened..

Next I headed out to my making space - the large tin box in the garden - and gave it a good sweep out to the strains of Cab Calloway. And a second breakfast muffin (they are moreish).

I’m using up some wool from the stash to make a small wrist bag from a vintage pattern. I’m a slow knitter and this will probably be ready by next Christmas, but the act of knitting I find very useful as ‘mulling time’ where ideas drift about in one part of my brain whilst another part worries over sl1 p2 k2 yadda yadda..

I’ve also been inspired by so many other people’s making blogs in the past year and I’m always desperate to try new projects. Victorian style greetings card boxes are my current obsession and I’ll blog the whole process once I’ve completed a box that ‘works’ - I’m finding it quite tricky to get the pattern shape right, it’s trial and error … and I have the patience of a gnat.

So here’s to plenty more Making It Up in 2011 and I hope to get to some more practical workshops this year. I’ll also be posting the occasional series of ‘Look What I Found On eBay / Etsy / Car Boot’, starting with…

Vintage Bakelite 3D View-master (model E)

I had one of these as a girl - a grey plastic version and only a handful of ‘picture wheels’. I can remember the day when I finally got how to view the pictures in 3D and it was amazing! Apollo rockets hung in star scattered blackness, Mickey Mouse loomed over a child in Disneyland, the Parthenon’s pillars stood out bold against an impossibly blue sky.

The best wheel I got with this vintage model is Flowers of Hawaii - I still find the spooky stillness of the images awesome. If you’ve never held a View-master, go out and try one now - beats Avatar hands down (ahem..).

Elvis Chutney

2010-12-28T07:05:00.000-08:00

This is the batch of spiced apple chutney I made before Christmas, a Nigella recipe (How To Be A Domestic Goddess). It's really smooth and lovely but with quite a kick - not unlike Elvis.

What better way to enjoy listening to the old hip shaker himself than on a bright red portable record player - and here's the one Santa brought my daughter!

Decking The Halls

2010-12-21T11:49:00.000-08:00

Cloves and an orange are the ingredients for this Oldskool Christmas make. Mask the orange with tape so you know where the ribbon will lie then stud the orange with cloves - use a skewer and a thimble or you'll have sore finger tips.

The pomander really needs to dry out in a paper bag for a few weeks with the help of orris root or it may go mouldy - but this one will only be hanging by the tree for a few days over Christmas so I missed that step out.
It gives off the most wonderful Christmas scent ...

I rustled up a batch of mince pies for the army of tree decorators...

And finally - I bought a couple of new decs this year. Kitty Cat is from Paperchase but the reindeer prancing with baubles is from a pound shop up the High Street - result!

Christmas Frock In A Day

2010-12-16T05:06:00.000-08:00

OK so here was the challenge - would the Christmas fabric I ordered online arrive before the jive party on Saturday? Could I run up a frock in a day?

The answer is yes and yes!

I really fell for the range of Christmas crafting fabrics from Sherri Berry - mostly used for patchwork I suppose and small craft projects. Making a frock out of such seasonal fabric limits me to how often I’d wear it - although at first glance the Christmas titles on the record sleeves are not blindingly obvious, neither are the snowflakes on the background … from a distance.

It was the dinky record players that made this fabric oh so perfect for the rock 'n' roll party at my regular jive dance class.

I had wanted to use this vintage pattern from the stash I blogged about here ...

But on opening the packet - disaster! All the dress pattern pieces were missing - I could have made the cape, but that wouldn’t have covered much and baby it’s cold outside…

So it was back to trusty old New Look 6375.

The frock did only take a day to put together (although I pre-washed the fabric the day before) as I’ve said it’s such a simple pattern.
I think I could have pressed the seams a little better before I went out mind you!

Right that’s it - I’ve made 6 frocks from this pattern and it’s time to move on, get out of my comfort zone ...

... which is exactly what I did for the Christmas poinsettia swing dress I made along side this one - next post folks!

I Made A Happy Birthday

2010-12-05T08:18:00.000-08:00

My daughter requested a Victorian Sponge with fresh cream and strawberries for her birthday. I was happy to oblige!

Paris Cafe Pom Pom Frock

2010-12-01T07:56:00.000-08:00

As an antidote to the cold weather, pour yourself a cocktail and view the Paris Cafe Pom Pom frock I made in the summer. I used my trusty New Look 6375 as this is a dress I go dancing in and this pattern really rocks when it comes to jiitterbug. By the time the night is done and the band have gone you can wring out any dancing frock I've worn .. it gets that hot.

The pom pom trim is an echo of a wonderful full circle skirt I had in the 80's that had 3 tiers of much larger pom poms - I've obviously mellowed with age.

The frock is decorously draped over my recently acquired vintage Ercol chair bought from Yesterday Furniture, run by the wonderful Gabrielle Sharp who sources fabulous pieces internationally and has storage here in East London.
So comfy for curling up on with coffee/book/Mad Men on the box.

I Made Stollen

2010-11-26T05:42:00.000-08:00

Stollen is a traditional German Christmas cake, more of a bread really packed full of dried fruit and marzipan. It's my favourite Xmas treat although mince pies come a close second. I made this one to take to our annual family pilgrimage to the Log Cabin.

Quite frankly it weighed a ton, light and fluffy it was not. The dough refused to rise before baking and I was worried the thing might be inedible.

Once the loaf was out of the oven and dusted with icing sugar, I decided it was an homage to David Lynch - er, for all those who are familiar with the Eraserhead baby..

It was a pretty dense loaf - but I have to say, lightly buttered and with a mug of steaming coffee (damn fine) it tasted wonderful! It is served here on my latest crockery find - a 30's spotty plate I picked up from a boot fair last month ... and I got two tureens to match, all for a couple of quid.

I Made A Start on Christmas Shopping

2010-11-18T09:24:00.000-08:00

Ah November! The month when I flounce out of the High Street declaring that everyone will get a thrifted or homemade gift for Christmas. I don’t always come up with the goods but at least I made gift tags last year from thrifted playing cards.

Vintage Fairs are a great place to go for Christmas goodies and with quite a few in London it’s useful to have a mental list of what you’re shopping for and how much cash you’re willing take - larger fairs will accept cards, smaller outfits can be cash only.

I was optimistic as I headed for the fair that was the precursor to the Inaugural Vintage Throwback Night at Bloomsbury Lanes in West London. The 1^st class retro bowling venue had opened its doors to vintage vendors from 12pm til 5pm to get everyone warmed up before a spectacular line up of retro music, talks and burlesque in the evening.

Entrance to the Vintage Fair was only a quid and a stamped hand guaranteed a discount to the club night later. This was good; sometimes parting with upwards of a fiver on the door can leave a bitter taste if I come away empty-handed. A good shopping experience means plenty of stock and a great atmosphere - happily the Bloomsbury Lanes had both.

There’s nothing like shopping for timeless stuff in a retro environment - the bowling lanes under the Tavistock Hotel tell of times gone by with retro graphics on the wall, a fully functioning diner and great music. The lanes were open and the rumble and scatter of pins being bowled over was a cool backdrop.

The place was dark and labyrinthine with stalls crammed shoulder to shoulder, but the traffic flowed once I got into the belly of the place. The Lipstick and Curls girls were there if you needed a pampering, I saw one guy having his ducktail seen too and another shopper came away with a head full of fabulous curls pinned into place. Sustenance is essential - I need to punctuate my rummaging with constant coffee top ups so thankfully there were cupcakes a plenty and very reasonably priced rolls and wraps if you didn’t fancy the full on burger and chips experience at the diner.

I’d come to this Fair with my vintage loving daughter and we both have different agendas, to her vintage speaks of gaudy 80’s knits, altered skirts and ankle boots whereas I am most definitely a 50’s throwback with a 40’s vibe. It is so much harder to find good quality mid century clothes at vintage fairs these days that aren’t out of my price range - a different tale to the early 80’s when I stuffed my wardrobe with full skirted frocks Doris Day would have died for at only a few quid.

The stalls had a reasonable variety of clothes and accessories. The Fair was just the right size - a huge fair makes the whole experience a bit of a chore, too small and I come away frustrated. The ladies toilets were decent enough size for try ons and vendors were happy for you to examine clothes nearer mirrors with more natural light .. a good co-operative vibe with reasonable prices, excellent food and bowling to boot made the afternoon extremely enjoyable.

My daughter bought the most, I bagged some smaller pieces of jewellery as gifts. Naturally the worst thing about buying vintage as gifts for others is all the stuff that I want for myself…

Honestly - I did need a pair of winter boots. So rather than pay over the odds for overrated slippers I nabbed a bargain with a pair of 80’s does 40’s fur trimmed black leather ankle boots - so tacky they’re cute and only £15!

Ever wondered what to do with all those fabulous postcard flyers that vintage vendors hand out at these events? Watch this space.

I Made Birthday Bling!

2009-11-29T07:51:00.000-08:00

I had been inspired earlier in the year by my attempts at wire wrapped jewellery making at the Make Lounge. A relatively swift and darn good way of creating personalised jewellery one offs.

My sister was celebrating her birthday down at the log cabin we rent every year in order to get three families and friends together in one venue - sort of Twin Peaks meets Butlins. I decided to make her a birthday bracelet and enlisted the help of Flib to point me in the direction of bead shops in London.

Warning - buying beads and Swarovski bling can become dangerously addictive. However I now have quite a nice stash and will make some more pieces for Christmas.

Of course, once in the jewellery making zone - I thought I'd add a cocktail ring for good measure.

Biggest sister provided the Birthday Cakes - a whole stack of these lovely beauties!

Sis loved the present and my youngest daughter Ruby asked for something special for her birthday a few weeks later.

Yesss! I get to go bead shopping again!

Ruby specified she certainly wanted a Swarovski heart, but any colour scheme would do. I had chosen my sister's beads with a certain turquoise leather bag she owns in mind .. this has to be the best bit about making stuff for other people - just what would they like?

Here's Ruby's bracelet, with the obligatory Ruby red heart.

And the birthday cake I made to an aged old recipe, cooked in my heart tin - delish!

I Finally Made My Swing Dress!

2009-09-11T12:23:00.001-07:00

This little number was a long time in the making. The pleated shoulder parts of the bodice were quite tricky to put together from the instructions given in the pattern - I did do a trial version in calico and managed to get things working, but it took a lot of unpicking and re-sewing.

Also I didn't buy enough gingham fabric to make sleeves so my first attempt was a sleeveless version which frankly just looked unfinished. After mulling this over and with a dance event to attend the next day, I improvised cute little capped sleeves in what fabric I did have left, but this left me looking like some sort of space cadet - the effect wasn't working! I folded the thing up and placed it on the WIP pile where it languished for a few months. I wore something else to the dance event..

The unfinished dress kept calling to me so I eventually bought more gingham fabric and put the sleeves in, along with some pretty hefty shoulder pads as suggested in the pattern - it all came together quite nicely in the end.

The button embellishments were spares I had from an old M&S jacket from the stash.

The skirt does have a lovely swing to it and I took the frock out on its inaugural dance outing to see the Puppini Sisters in an open air concert during the summer - divine!

I Made A 40's Tie Bag

2009-09-11T10:13:00.000-07:00

Oh I love this pony fabric so much, I wish I had more of it - but having only half a meter or so I decided to make up a 40's tie bag I from free pattern I found online.

The bag is really quite roomy, it can take purse, compact, lipstick, phone and bottle of water - all a girl needs for a night of dancing.

Tiki Table Runner

2009-08-19T07:47:00.000-07:00

What better time to dig out some WIP and actually make some *progress* than when your machine is in its death throes? With my poor sewing machine at the menders under a death sentence I felt obliged to get on with a hand sewing project I'd started about 6 months ago.

Tiki Table Runner Applique.

This is my sitting room - getting ever more Tiki by the day.

I have a wonderful oil cloth table cover which I bought here many years ago - I wanted a daintier fabric something or other to alternate with it.

Armed with my Cath Kidston applique book I got for Christmas, I decided to focus on one of the Hibiscus designs from the oil cloth and add a couple of humming birds for good measure.

I bought some fabric scraps from the local haberdasher - nothing fancy - and a run of linen. I was ready.

Then work and life got in the way...

Ho hum.

But hey - now I'm back on track! Last week I painstakingly transferred the pattern to iron down paper and then to the fabric. The fabric pieces were reassembled into the design on my length of linen.

The main pieces have been ironed in place and I'm now in the process of edging the design with tiny stitches (yawn) which is in fact quite speedy once I'm settled on the setee with a good movie.

Once I've stitched most of it place and found some backing fabric, I'll take some good snaps in situ on the table and blog further progress.

The runner will be made up of 3 pieces eventually - a longer central panel and then two smaller end pieces that hang over the table edge. I haven't started work on the end panels yet, but more humming birds will be the order of the day.

The humming birds are essentially tattoo swallows - I'll give them an extra long beak with some embroidery silks, along with some fancy stitching on the leaves and flowers.

I'd like to finish the whole thing off with a couple of tablecloth weights to make the thing hang nicely - which happily means a trip out to some bead shops!

I Made Blueberry Muffins

2009-08-19T07:32:00.000-07:00

Which is just an excuse to show off my cake stand which I bought at a Frock Me event in Chelsea a few months ago - isn't it fab?

Fiesta!

2009-06-30T06:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a fairly recent acquisition - my lovely Fiesatware jug. It's not particularly old, these pieces are still being made I believe. Those in the know will be able to tell you which Fiesta pieces are vintage and worth holding to by the glaze colour etc.. and which are contemporary.
This piece is such a lovely shape, I buy more flowers since I've had it.

It's Too Darned HOT

2009-06-30T06:31:00.000-07:00

Isn't the weather lovely?
I usually go to my dance class in jeans and T - shirt. Have you tried jiving in this heat? I had to come up with a cooler alternative.

I made this little Lindy dress over two days, it's a New Look pattern I've used before and ever so simple.

I must now take this dress off to wash it - it's so comfy I'm wearing it all the time.

Also - I've had a little more success with a reproduction 1940's swing dress pattern that's been in and out of my sewing box for months. The skirt fits perfectly, the top needs a little attention. I will blog it as soon as it's 'come together.'

My day job is easing off a little and I've been so chuffed to get back sewing, until my machine did that poltergeist thing and started sewing all by itself at 100mph. Poor thing - it was my mother's circa 1970's .. it's going to have to visit the sewing machine hospital soon.

Here's a corsage I made for Flib, you can see the delightful claret coloured retro machine..

I Made A Tweety Dress

2009-05-30T09:17:00.000-07:00

I want a bright sunny summer. This fabric said it all, bought on a whim the same time I got the bebop fabric - see previous. It's cute in a Looney Tunes way and I'm in love with yellow at the moment.

Wrap dresses aren't usually my thang - I never quite feel secure in them, especially if dancing is on the cards. However, this fabric called for something simple and chic - a shift dress might have made me look like a 7 yr old so I found a simple wrap pattern.

Simple - hah! The actual construction is very easy, what wasn't so easy was getting the dress to fit. I am two different sizes top and bottom - I had to take the bodice off the skirt twice to re-dart, shorten and get the bust line right.

Phew. It was worth it though, and with that work done, I can run up a few more before the summer ends (begins?) and perfect for the South Of France, non?

I Made A Be Bop Skirt

2009-05-29T15:42:00.000-07:00

Yo Daddio, what does every mama need to get hep to the jive? Why, a Be Bop Skirt of course.

I've lost count of the number of these swishy skirts I've made, it's such a lovely pattern. I saw the fabric here and knew I just had to have it for a dancing skirt.

I only ordered two meters which is just enough to make it up (not cutting on the bias mind you, which I really aught to). Having cut all four pieces out I found to my horror that I'd laid the back with the fabric pattern upside down .. not such a crime given all the instruments are jostling around - but the drum kit was upside down.

I decided it didn't really matter too much (a man on a galloping horse wouldn't notice).

I was in such a hurry to finish the skirt before its first outing to a jive party, that my machine practically chewed up the hem on the lining - my needle was blunt but I wasn't about to change it..

I wore this last week to the 100 Club to see Laura B and the Moonlighters - great swinging night!

Bag Tags!

2009-03-27T15:26:00.000-07:00

I don't think I have ever forgiven my mother for not allowing me to go to dance classes as a kid like my friend Shirley. As a result I now go dancing every week - Jive and Swing/Lindy.

I decided I needed a bag for my dancing shoes (not a pink one and minus the ballerina). I found this dinky little number on Ebay a few months back.

The bag is just the right size for my shoes, a hand towel (it's sweaty work) and a bottle of water. It was a little plain though and I knew just what embellishments it needed - luggage labels!

It only took a quick search on Etsy to find these wonderfully handcrafted vintage tags from Swallow Song Designs. Just what I'd been thinking of.

Do take a look around Corinne's Etsy store, her tags are beautifully finished, reasonably priced and with the added option of customising the back - a cool touch!
This is the added info I chose...

I Made Cloud Cakes

2009-03-04T14:29:00.000-08:00

Actually that's not entirely true.
My youngest daughter made the Cloud Cakes, I whisked meringue and shouted encouragement.
She's bought herself a Cupcake recipe book. So far it's 2 down : 110 to go
MMmmm.

I Made Some Bling

2009-03-02T05:45:00.001-08:00

What's a great way to spend a Saturday morning? Making stuff naturally.
I had enrolled on a wire wrapping jewellery course run by the Make Lounge and was eager to get to grips with some wire and beads.
I have wielded a few tools in my time, power tools to boot - in my previous incarnation as a prop maker and this felt a little like 'coming home.'

The day before I had rather cak-handedly tried to alter a skirt that was way too big for me. I took off the waist band, removed the zip, shortened and narrowed then re-assembled. It worked .. sort of, but the finishing was inelegant.

I needed to redeem myself and moving from fiber to hard stuff did the trick.

Flibb came for the ride and produced a wonderful set that I coveted - see it on her blog. I was nothing if predictable in my choice of bubble gum colours and kitsch, but under expert tuition I managed to produce a wearable set of earrings and a charm bracelet.

In the dying moments of my creative burst, before Flibb and I hunted out some much needed lunch, I threw together this elegant pair.

BBrrrr...

2009-03-02T05:42:00.000-08:00

Did I ever tell you what the cold snap a few weeks back did to my Pink Flamingos...

I Made Xmas Gifts (er.. a while ago)

2009-02-01T06:55:00.000-08:00

Christmas crafting was such a long time ago now!
I made a whole handful of these towel turbans for my girlfriends, each with a different colour sequin flower - a very simple make. Two pieces of toweling stitched together with an elastic loop at the back for securing the towel once your wet hair is fully under control.

I was determined to get some Jeanie B labels made up for the Xmas gift giving season, these came with only days to go before Xmas eve .. just the job.

Santa was very kind to me!
The wonderful Flib bought me this knitting bag from Knittiotherapy.

I worked out eventually it was for socks - it's quite a stumpy little number and my regular knitting needles are too long for it. Now I had to learn to knit socks.

On a crafting outing last month I visited Loop for the first time - a pick and mix knitters paradise, Flib guided me in my sock yarn quest and I cam away with some Jitterbug (how appropriate) and a pack of double pointed needles.

After one sock tutorial - this is how it's going! Can be a bit like grappling with an unruly porcupine at times, but really not as hard as it looks.

I have a bit of a crafting frenzy going on at the minute (just as the day job starts to pick up .. avoidance tactics eh?).
My sister and I both bought each other a Cath Kidston book for Xmas.

We hadn't planned it that way - we just looked at our identical xmas wrapped packages and said "Oh!"
I have great applique plans, watch this space.

Halloween Interlude

2008-11-02T11:41:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin designed and crafted by youngest daughter.

Lots of make and do happening at the moment - lots to blog about!

I Made Corsages All Afternoon

2008-11-02T11:25:00.001-08:00

Corsage overdrive. I put these nifty little numbers together this afternoon with fabric from the stash.

Two are birthday presents, the other one I may give to a lady that I see at my dancing class - she has worn a variety of corsages and I dared to ask her last week if she makes them herself .. and she does!

I Made Meringue (eventually)

2008-11-02T11:21:00.000-08:00

A baking interlude…

Lemony Meringue Pie and boy it was lemmmmony!
I ruined the first batch of meringue by overbeating it I think - so I poured that down the sink and started again.
Yum.

I Made A Bolero

2008-11-02T11:03:00.001-08:00

So to the contents of my knitting bag - behold the circular bolero. This pattern caught my eye on Yesterknits free patterns page and has been translated by this talented crafty blogger.

It was a dream to knit up, although my version seems roomier, must be a tension thang. But such lovely soft yarn and such an easy pattern, I rarely got my needles in a twist.

I’m wearing it with some swing pants I made up many moons ago (in the archives somewhere) - they’ve had a new lease of life with some buttons from Roman’s vintage giftbox (see archives).

I bought a new pair of Lindy dancing shoes the other week, the pants will swing very well with them I reckon.

So now I’m lost without a knitting project to hand - I’m not very skilful but the act of knitting something is sooo relaxing. Anybody got any fave quick knits I could try?