Friday 14 October 2011

Vintage Felt Corsages

Back in April, I designed an anemone corsage having taken inspiration from some amazing shades of felt that I bought at my local craft shop. 

This is my little anemone displayed on one of our hand knitted jumpers (please excuse the bookcase in the background!!)



My anemone :-)


I'm very proud of it and, now the weather here is a lot colder, it has graced my purple winter coat and it looks brilliant!  I sold over 40 of these little posies over the summer so I'll be busy preparing more when the evenings draw in.


I collect original 1940's sewing and knitting patterns as well as magazines from the time.  At an auction in June, I was very lucky and picked up a large lot of 1930's and 1940's ladies magazines.  In one from 1941, there was a pattern for this "English marigold" corsage.   



I made a couple of tweaks from the original because I needed it to be a little more durable than the pattern suggested.  It's great because all of the stems are wired so the flowers can be arranged into a proper little posy that really stands out on a lapel.


Last but not least is this unusual corsage, also from an original pattern.  I used the colours as suggested in the pattern and although it may not show from the picture, it was a fiddly little thing to do as the tiny flowers are only 4mm across - I didn't enjoy making it but once I start something I can't bare to be beaten by a pattern so I had to see it through to conclusion!!  You can be certain of one thing, this little beastie is a one off - I won't be making another one!



I hope you like them :-)  I have a few more designs in the pipeline - I'll let you know how I get on!!


Monday 10 October 2011

Vintage button love :-)

I have a thing for vintage buttons and I'm not ashamed to admit it :-)  For the jumpers I knit and the dresses Mum sews, we try to use vintage buttons whenever possible.

I'm always looking out for new buttons to add to the ever increasing stash.  Sometimes I'm lucky and stumble across some in a charity shop or at a car boot sale but in my neck of the woods, such finds are few and far between.  That's why I squealed with delight when I happened across a wonderful seller with more vintage buttons than you can shake a stick at! 

I seriously could have bought all the stock she held but I was sensible (much to my husbands amazement!!) and I considered each purchase carefully and only bought those that I thought I could actually make use of.  I came away with a modest 16 sets and once I'd paid for them, I couldn't wait for them to arrive.

Well, today was the day!!!  My poor postie, I couldn't get them out of his hand quickly enough and I wasn't disappointed!  Inside my nicely packed parcel were the following little lovelies.....

All on original cards - I have plans for the white ones on the right already......

More on their cards - the brown ones are destined for a brown cardigan I have an order for.

Green, my favourite colour - I couldn't leave these little gems behind ;-)

Love the turquoise frilly ones - and the ones on the top left come from France! 

These little yellow ones will be adorning a dress shortly.

Last but not least.....


I hope you will agree that they are really rather pretty and I simply can't wait to use them!!

Back soon with a post about my latest knitting project :-)