The Retro Bicycle Post

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!)

Bag Tags!

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 Xmas Gifts (er.. a while ago)

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.

School Bag

The Summer ends and my girls are back to school. My youngest was determined to make a new school bag - in a retro stylee - and chose some fabric from the stash. I engineered the project and she did most of the sewing.








It's very roomy and very sturdy with a calico lining. And of course it looks darn coooool!

I Made A Patchwork Holdall

Now I do have a 'thing' for bags. I have never found the perfect bag - this is due in part to the well known fact that there is indeed a bag out there for every occasion. I have yet to find a 'one bag fits all' bag.
My one problem with hand crafted bags is making them strong enough. This bag has an interfaced gusset which adds stability and makes the bag nice and roomy.
I downloaded the pattern from the Burda fashion site having secretly fallen in love with many Amy Butler bags - this pattern was a freebie, Amy Butler costs.
The fabric is from the stash. Naturally.
Handles from here.

I Made A Fab (fabric swap) Bag

Just look at this little darling, made from the fabric strips I got in Flibb's fabric swap (thank you Thimbleanna!).
I didn't have a pattern to hand but knew I wanted a knitting bag stylee, it didn't take long to rustle a pattern up.




Plastic glitter handles from ebay, buttons John Lewis, polka dot fabric from the stash. The lining is made from my Green Dress trimmings (see previous post) and the bag is in fact reversible, should I want a fully co-ordinating outfit.



A girl can never have too many bags. So I want to make some more, please check out Thimbleanna's felted bags on her blog - they are divine, as are the little initial button trim she's added. I did have miles of ric rac but cannot remember where I have stashed it! When I stumble across it I'll add a ric rac corsage for that extra special occasion.

Bag made to the strains of Louis Prima and lots of hot Java.