blog #058 >> Adventures in Sewing: Part 1

If your name is Amy Lynn... Stop reading NOW! Close this blog and skip to the next one. If you name is anything other than Amy Lynn, then please continue. This week I learned about all the dangers of sewing from vintage patterns. I found this pattern at an estate sale around Roseburg.


I even bought it from the lady who originally made it. She was so excited to see someone buying it. She said, "I can even remember when I made this for my son... and when my son scribbled on it!" Ever since then I've wanted to sew it up. And I've found a great excuse. Her name is Ada Catherine Rohrer. (My up and coming niece and my brother and sister-in-law's first baby.) She is going to need lots of little pink things when she gets here. So why not start with this adorable layette set.


I grabbed my pattern and set off to Fabric Depot. I already had the cute little baby print and I picked up the little pink floral print to go with it. After I hit up the notions section and found some nice contrasting hem binding. I went home...
Where everything sat in a bag on the floor for a few days. But after that I got to work.

I opened my pattern only to discover... there was some missing. Lesson learned: check the vintage pattern before you buy for instructions and pieces. (Unless you're just buying it for the picture.) If I ever want to make the fitted crib sheet I'll be in pretty good shape. But quite a bit of it was missing including the ever important instructions. However, I did not let that shatter my hopes, I'm much to stubborn for that. I had planned to make this pattern. Bought the fabric for it. And that was that. I went to work.


For the parts I'm making, I have the back of the robe and the panties. I am missing the front of the robe and the sleeve. So going by the guide to the pattern on the back and by measuring the back of the robe I recreated the front and the sleeves. It sewed up beautifully. But I'm a bit worried about the fit. That's the hard part. So if anyone knows a baby about 1-6 months old who would like to start a modeling career, it would be greatly appreciated. I'm very proud of this little robe, and I even stitched up the hem by hand. Now all I have to make is the shorter robe and the matching panties. So stay tuned for more "Adventures in Sewing" featuring vintage patterns.

blog #057 >> Tea for Three

I'm happy to say that in the past month I have almost completed this tea set.
I started out with just the tea pot. And then Dave and Trina saw the matching tea cups at Lounge Lizard on Hawthorn. (They've got lots of cool clocks and retro lamps by the way.) So, I promptly went and snatched them up. And then they surprised me with the cream and sugar (Which they found at House?, also on Hawthorn) to pay me back for dinner the other night. THANKS GUYS! Now I need to have you come over for tea. And everyone can have matching cups.
T

blog #056 >> Hideous yet Delicious

Those potato pancakes taste much better than they look. (The blue spots are chunks of blue potatoes not blue berries.) It was a recipe Fawn gave me. Thanks. And it's got cooked potatoes, cheese, onion, rosemary, thyme, basil, salt, pepper, flour, one egg, milk.... and possibly something else... I can't really remember. I'd post the recipe but I didn't measure anything so there's really nothing to post. But they were delicious! And I liked them with ketchup. Next time I make them though I think I'll make the batter little thinner. They seemed too thick and cooked too slow.
T

blog #055 >> Book of the Week: You Will Go To The Moon

This week's book is an amazing story about how someday we will be living on the moon. It's a fairly long book so I wasn't able to scan the whole thing. But I did include enough of the pages in the attached link to get the plot of the story. I only wish I could have posted the whole thing. I left out the parts about: getting ready to take-off in the rocket, the trip to the space station, the inside of the space station, and traveling from the space station to the moon. I mostly included the pages of the moon since that's what the story's about. And yes, I'd like my own moon car when I get there.
Click here to download: You Will Go To The Moon 1.8MB

Mae & Ira Freeman ©1959

blog #054 >> blog redesign

I just completely redesigned my blog. And since I'm not too sure of my hand-coding skills and I don't even know what type of script that was... PLEASE let me know if something looks strange or doesn't work.
Thanks,
T

blog #053 >> Book of the Week: Volksy the Little Yellow Car

I'm going to try to post a book illustration or cover per week.
This week I've got the whole book up, if you want to read it.
It's an endearing story about a little car who came all the way from Germany to live with a sweet little family.
Click Here to download book:
Volksy The Little Yellow Car 9.3 MB

Rand McNally & Company ©1965

T

blog #052 >> new skirt I sewed

Goodness Sakes!
It's hard to take a picture of yourself wearing a new skirt.

I sewed it all up myself using the fabric Amy gave me a long time ago from some old drapes... I think... Anyhow I saw it in the window and I just couldn't resist. Here's a link to the pattern I used, well sort of used. I really improvised on this one... a lot. I made it longer, wider to so it would be below the waist instead of at/above, I finished off the edges, skipped the lining, and finished off the top a completely different way. And if I make it again, I think I would make a lining, and I'd decrease the curve of the flounce, and I'd add a waist band. I wasn't too sure of it just after I finished it. But I think I like it now.


http://www.voguepatterns.com/item/V8296.htm?tab=skirts_pants_includes_designer&page=2

blog #051 >> hat and gloves

There aren't new. But I really like this hat I got awhile ago at Mike's. And I knitted these fingerless gloves myself. I had no idea how to take a picture of my own hands so I never posted it. Here's my best attempt.

blog #050 >> All Vinyl Workday

This Friday the NW Media Art Department was proud to present....
The All Vinyl Workday!
Sound fun? It is. And I suggest it to anyone who wants to get to know their co-workers better and has a portable turn-table. It was a hit! Last Tuesday I realized that almost everyone at work has records. So, since it has been slow and stressful this week we came up with the All Vinyl Workday to... well, make this week rock! Of course not everyone brought records, some people forgot, some couldn't find theirs, some didn't get the bulk email, (sorry) and some just didn't have any. But we did get a huge variety of music: Deerhoof, Patsy Cline, Radiohead, Simon and Garfunkel, David Bowie, The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, some disco, some Spanish folk, The London Symphony Orchestra, Beirut, Ron Stewart, and so much more. I don't think my "Sing Along with Spock" album has ever had so much attention or compliments. And Jeanne even came up with one of NorthWestern's first recordings from the 50's entitled "Teen Age Boogie." (And if none of you knew, NorthWestern's claim to fame is that we recorded "Louie Louie" by The Kingsmen in 1963.) We made it though the day with only two or three noise complaints. It did get a bit loud... okay we got really loud. But that's pretty much normal for a day. So I'd say we did well.


Yes, it's blue!


Unfortunately he can't sing.


My record player at home.