Jungle Bells
Jungle bells, jungle bells, Jungle all the way. Oh what fun it is to sew for Jungle January. Four! Jungle January IV This year, my jungle will feature at least one zebra. Possibly in jacket form: How about you?
Author: pennylibrarian
Vintage Jacket – the collar that caught my eye
One of those idioms that I until I come to type it I don’t question. I’m now imagining the literal act of someone catching my eye. Under what circumstances has my eye become free of its socket? Am I grateful that someone has caught it? !Imagination! If you could just stop right there. Things… Continue reading Vintage Jacket – the collar that caught my eye
Midnight Jungle
A three-hander. Sequel to My Jungle has Birds and Butterflies. Cast List Agent Velvet Black : Velvet has always been in the shadow of her brighter and more popular colleagues: Intense Violet, Bahama Blue-eyes and of course the fiery red-head – Burlesque. But not this time, this time Agent Black will truly make a difference. Pattern Patsy… Continue reading Midnight Jungle
Fair Isle Finished: Memento and Metaphor
A finished thing! Reason to rejoice forsure. I’m far from expert in these matters and a perfunctory glance at the Wikipedia entry would suggest that this patterning is not for the purists. In my defence, it is rendered in a limited palette and I worked in the round. It’s the alliteration that I was after, can we… Continue reading Fair Isle Finished: Memento and Metaphor
Expectations and Assumptions – Butterick 4743
One of the many things that I love about working with an older pattern is drawing deductions about the time that the pattern was written. I have no clue where you would start to search for contemporary accounts from seventies seamstresses. The archives of Houseparty or Womans Weekly? It matters not, I’m shunning the… Continue reading Expectations and Assumptions – Butterick 4743
Vintage scuba
An oxymoron if ever there was one. I wonder if the creators of McCall’s 8118 envisaged anyone fashioning their dress in such a fabric? Given that in the year of its making both the Russians and the Americans were slipping the surly bonds of Earth, vacating their crafts and having a bit of a walk about in… Continue reading Vintage scuba
Autumn rules!
Rule One: log fire flickering and guttering in the grate Rule Two: cats recumbent on the hearth rug, paws stretched in sleepy supplication to the flame Rule Three: the distant rattle, crack, whistle and pop of Bonfire Night pyrotechnics Rule Four: A car alarm oscillating incessantly Probably set off by all the suddenly-not-quite-so-distant-fireworks. And they’ve… Continue reading Autumn rules!
What I did on my holidays.
Or. Everywhere I went, my trousers followed. Where did your sewing follow you this year? Mine tucked itself neatly between the sun-cream and the woolly socks and trailed us to a northerly Shire where the roads were steep and the locals were friendly. Much is made of the English North/South divide, but honestly, being a… Continue reading What I did on my holidays.
Delighted cackles
Yep. Truly delighted cackles. Delighted cackles emitted, by me, on pulling this: from its hanger. Yes, it’s so bright it’s attracted a fly. Yes, it’s too bright for work. Yes, the ancient cotton will tire quicker than a toddler on a trampoline. However. Whatever. Aloha autumn! This dress is the colour of the nectarine that… Continue reading Delighted cackles
Inspirational Oranges
Wondrous makers of the web, you inspire me! I am literally COMPELLED to take to my machine in a desire to match a kaleidoscope of colourful that has beautified my blog roll of late. Looking for a muse or five? Allow your senses to delight in the spiced and fruited hues of these fine makes from… Continue reading Inspirational Oranges
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