A Pattern of Behaviour

A selection of lovely patterns from the Butterflies Hospice Shop. All 20 cents each. A bargain.

Uniformly attired

Today I am wearing my blue printed smock style dress - which I have previously blogged about here - and I must say the pattern is quite eye-catching as I glance down at myself.

As I have complained previously, there is a sea of black and grey, interspersed with other dark colours in fashion of Dunedin women between 35 and 60. Young women tend to be more in the Supre/Glassons/Pagani attire which leaves me cold, and not just in temperature. At least they are colourful. To compensate for this I am very lucky to work with two women whose sense of fashion and style is both visually and conversationally an added bonus of being in a warm centrally heated office.

Lady A, a working mother like myself, is a slim blue black haired woman whose sense of style is unmistakably European - classic skirts teamed with beautiful hosiery and lovely shoes. Soft cardigans and sweaters with jackets with nipped in waists. Colours are mustard and grey, fawn and black, a nude pink with silver and smoke. She mixes Overland with Witchery, with opshop and thrift.

Younger Lady B, is a fabulous breath of freshair with neon stilettos and black opaques. Her height enables long line cardis in soft flowing fabric and layered singlet style dresses to transverse casual into gorgeous. Waists are cinched with corset belts. Many items are sourced from Savemart, shoes from The Shoe Warehouse and a selection of treasures from opshops. Today she is in stripes - wide hosizontal black stripes that on most would make us look a la Michelin man, but she looks awesome!

All things green and beautiful.....

I seem to have an attraction to all things green at the moment.

The top image is my very first piece of English Depression glass which is actually slightly clouded - and it is the most lovely shade of green.

The middle one is the green chiffon dress I have yet to wear and the bottom one is Burda 6009.

Pale Mint Green Polka Dotted Shirt - Burda 6009

Burda 6009

Current project started on 10th July 2010 (approx)

Polka dotted mint green cotton purchased from Spotlight @ $4 per metre (approx)

Blog Auditor Frowns upon Monday Lunchtime Shopping Succes...

For a while I have been thinking about making a pair of high waisted trousers. But I don't have a pattern. Today at lunchtime I made a quick (ish) trip to the Butterflies shop and ....success - two 1970's patterns for twenty cents each! Also, an OSTI dress which was hanging in the "Nightwear" section for only $2!!!!

Dear Reader, I know what you are thinking "what a hypocrite". I can hear your hrmphhs of displeasure (although i would rather they were squeaks of glee).

Penny-Rose, you said you were not going to buy ANYTHING in July. You said you were going to SEW or REFASHION any new items of clothing.

That's right. I did say that I would only SEW or REFASHION new items in July. But, this is an item of Nightwear.
No its not. Its an OSTI sundress.

Okay, maybe it is an OSTI sundress. But it was in the Nightwear section. Thus, its a nightie. Its not day to day clothing. Thus, its not covered by the Make it Mend it July Pledge.

Husqvarna Combina

There is a story to my trusty Husqvarna. Long, long ago when I was twenty years old, I was working in a lovely shop to pay off the overdraft I had accumulated from my first two years studying at University. There used to be a fabric shop on George Street, just along from the corner of Hanover heading towards Arthur Barnett's. I found some great woven cotton material there, and bought one of my first ever sewing patterns. Anyway, I digress. The sewing machine was lent to me by my boss, Margaret, a lovely lady who had been recently widowed. I can't remember how I asked her, or the exact circumstances.

This machine has been an absolute treasure - I have sewed the toughest denim, and thick canvas. I made about 3 linen straight skirts, then about 4 or 5 A-line skirts, I have zig-zagged the edges of metres of polar fleece to make baby blankets and bunny rugs. It does struggle with chiffon and fine fabric, but that could also be that I did not use right stitch length or needle, so I accept 50% blame. I made several cushion covers and a roman blind (which did not work properly). It is so heavy to carry that when it had to go to be serviced I had to carry it like a baby in my arms from the carpark and I nearly fainted! Several people have told me "they don't make them like that any more" and thats the main reason I am loathe to get a new machine.

My dear, dear friend who gave me this machine on "long term loan" still asks about my sewing exploits. I meet up with her and the other ladies who worked in the shop about every 3 months of so, for a ladies lunch. The Husqvarna is my enduring connection to her and her kindness.

My Chil-daw Mannequin

This mannequin was kindly given to my by my friend Glenys. She told me that it originally came from thew Sew Hoy Building / Factory in Stafford Street. Although she is a little askew - she is almost my shape if I wind the wheels out to maximum. As it happens the Sew Hoy building is now home to SAVEMART which is where I bought my lavendar fur stole. One time when I was there late one Sunday one of the shop assistant and I were talking about it being a spooky place to be at night and she told me that there is a ghost - Mr Sew Hoy ended his life by swinging from the top floor by his neck.

Here is a great website explaining a bit about these mannequins:
http://www.vintagestylemannequins.co.uk/item_188/Vintage-British-Chil-Daw-AdjustableTailors-Dressform-Mannequin.htm

The Furry Shoes

My most recent (successful) sewing project

Beautiful Orange Pussy-Bow Blouse

Friday is Joyous!

White Gold Silver has read and commented on my blog ~ I am so happy :-) AND I now know what I am going to do at lunch time. Yes, dear readers I want polkadotted nails - just like these..... (Huge intake of break) And then I discovered there is a whole nail polish blog community out there which would be so totally suitable for my friend Lisa who has the MOST gorgeous nails.

I brought a smile to my dear friend Liminal Melody by linking to her blog. Liminal Melody and I have a keen interest in knitting although she is an advanced knitter and I am, well, a determined advanced beginner who is too silly to realise that some patterns are just way out of her scope of experience. I have just finished a pair of fingerless gloves for J which are made out of the Zhivago which I used to make a wrap 2 years ago but never liked because it was too floppy. I am making two pairs of f/less gloves for moi - silver crazy stuff I bought from Spotlight so probably Moda Vera something, which twists terribly while you work with it, so you end up with a twisted lump of thread which you have to undo. Anyway, silver looks very cool - or as M said "like Michael Jackson" (which I thought was hilarious). The second pair were previously my first attempt at a real pair of socks, with sock wool, which makes a faux fairisle type pattern as you knit. Using 4 x 2.5mm double ended needles was pure torture. So now they are being converted into gloves.

Linking to other blogs, commenting and following is a nice way of joining a community of like minded people. I am shy(ish) by nature and its nice to make contact with others via blogs.
Here is one example of a blog where there is a cool giveaway (not sure if it includes postage to little old New Zealand:http://thelongandwindingbobbin.blogspot.com/

Dunedin OP Shops bursting with returning Students