Summer Roundup

The end of August already?  Hmm, it seems that our extended summer holiday has kept me away from Blogger!  At the beginning of the holiday, with the weeks stretching before me, I had grand plans for numerous posts, plenty of makes and hoped to catch up on lots of cataloguing of my patterns.  In reality, I’ve actually achieved very little of what I’d hoped to, but I have a good excuse; I’ve been out and about with the family having fun!!

So what have we filled our time with?  Well, looking back, we’ve actually done an awful lot. 

We did a vintage fair in Heydon, Norfolk, which was lovely, but I sent Mr Y off to Sheringham with the camera, so no pictures of the fair, but plenty of the trains!  The weather was glorious and there were oh so many beautiful things to buy, but I was good, and all I brought home with me were some more knitting patterns and two 1950's blouses for the girls.

We also touted our wares at the 1940’s event at Ramsey, but again I have no photographs because I didn’t venture far from the tent.  Well, that’s not entirely true, I did venture down to see just one lovely trader who had, yes, you guessed it, more patterns!   She also had some 1940’s black suede ankle boots with Astrakhan trim in a rare larger size, but my mum, being the vintage hunting pro that she is, snaffled them first!! :o)

I may have also acquired some more patterns.  More patterns than I probably should have done. 

I bought, and fell in love with, some incredible pieces of new stock.  Some amazing ox blood red suede CC41 shoes, an incredible lavender coloured crepe dress and coat set and a whole collection of lovelyness including a 1940's Harrod's evening dress, 1930's day dress, 1940's pink moygashel dress with pink piping and a silk vestee from the 1940's :o)

We’ve travelled the highways and byways of East Anglia and visited Colchester Zoo, Minsmere, Sutton Hoo, Dunwich Heath, Land Guard Fort, Holt, Sheringham and Parham, to name but a few.  We’ve been swimming and walking, and paddling and riding.  Wandered through the leafy forests and ambled along the pebbly Suffolk shore.  The girls have dug for treasure and built sandcastles, grubbed in the dirt and come home filthy.  We’ve picked flowers, picked blackberries and picked (and munched!) delicious strawberries.  Eaten picnics in the shade of a tree and eaten over indulgent meals out.  Had cuddly, snugly film nights in and child orientated trips to the flicks!  Phew, no wonder we have welcomed our beds at the end of the day!! 

Racey, C's much beloved, and once white polar bear.  He goes everywhere with her.

We had family staying with us for 2 ½ weeks, which curtailed the adventuring a little, but the increased time at home did mean I was able to finish off 2 jumpers, a blouse and a dress.

  

We did some decorating, well, I picked the colours and my Mr did the decorating!  I also put him to task on a bookcase, so my once dark oak bookcase is now shiny and blue, the perfect home for some of the girls’ book collection.

All in all, it has been a pretty jam packed 3 months.  Having my Mr home has been absolutely incredible. I think we squeezed in as much as we could and I will never forget this gift of time that we have had together.  It’s been a blast, but as a lady who likes routine and order, I am eagerly awaiting things to get back to normal here on Wednesday, when we will start the countdown to the autumn!!

 

Snow, Shoes & Stitchcraft!

Firstly I just wanted to say hello to my new followers - I hope you enjoy my waffling :o)

-x-

Well, what chilly weather we've been having here in the UK.  Were you one of the lucky few who escaped the blanket of white?  We had 4 inches over the course of a week and much of it is still lying about in icy blocks, waiting to send someone skidding to the ground!  The weather reports suggest more may be on the way - I hope they are wrong!

10 days since my last post - tut tut!  I had planned to write a post before now but time simply hasn't allowed.  I blame it on the snow and its hypnotic quality that has seen me wasting countless hours of my life watching the flakes fall!  

The fluffy stuff didn't keep me from a spot of sale shopping.  I've been dithering on this purchase for a while now.  They are kind of impractical for my daily life and I'm not sure how much wear I will actually get out of them, but they are SO pretty that I simply had to succumb, right?? :o)  Lovely, comfy, elegant and beautifully made Miss L Fire shoes! 



Ridiculously comfortable shoes.

   So what else have I been up to??  Well, on Sunday, Mr Y thought it would be a good idea to go and walk in the local forest.  Never one to miss an opportunity to tread upon crisp virginal snow, we hot footed it to our favourite spot. 

In the countryside, away from the warmth of the town, the snow was much deeper, lying heavily upon the branches of the towering trees.  The girls' screams of delight could be heard echoing through the forest for all the scantily clad (yes really!) orienteering runners to hear :o) I looked set for an arctic exploration (or like the Michelin man as I was kindly informed by my other half!) and the only part exposed to the elements were my eyes!  Mr Y's coat served me well and although I'm certain I looked hilarious, I was the toastiest one of all :o)

I apologise in advance for the following snowy snaps.  I'm sure you've all had enough of them on other blogs but I couldn't let the opportunity pass by.  Scroll down quickly, beyond the snow, and you'll see some knitting delights! :o)

Scamp 1 and scamp 2 :o)

Aside from striding it out in the cold, I've found myself doing a spot of shopping.  The cold snap has not been good for my purse.  Enforced indoor time has meant increased eBay time and I'm sure it's no surprise to read that I've bought some more patterns :o)   

My favourite (and silly dance inducing) arrival was the February 1940 issue of Stitchcraft in its large early war format.  Just take a look at the stunning jumper of the cover.

This elusive edition had been evading me for years but I'm pleased to say that Mr Y did a sterling job in purchasing it.  I'm not a very good eBay bidder when it comes to things I really, really, really like.  I get nervous about bidding (daft as it may seem) and instead entrust the heartbeat quickening task to him!

Along with the above, I've picked up some individual patterns, again on eBay, and surprisingly, with the exception of the "wiggly" design Bestway one, all were about £1 - not bad in my book. 

I couldn't resist the tea cosy pattern.  I'm not a tea drinker, can't stand any hot drinks actually, but my mum is and I hope to be able to knit her one for her birthday in May. 

Unsurprisingly, I've also been knitting.  While the girls have been making the most of their free time in the snow, I have much preferred watching them from the window, my chair pressed up as close to the radiator as I dare and have started another jumper. 

Now, strictly speaking, I should be knitting this pretty number;

But it's had to be shelved for a while because I have lost the cream wool.  Ridiculous I know!  It's somewhere here, it has to be, but I can't put my finger on it at the moment!  Instead, I've moved onto a late 1930's number and am using Stylecraft DK (in a desperate attempt to use up some of my wool stock) and I've gone for a jumper of many stripes! 

I don't know about you, but I find that such jumpers grow very quickly.  While knitting it, I'm always thinking about moving onto the next colour and then the next one and so on and it sort of spurs me on!  I've finished both the front and back plus the one sleeve and shall cast on the final sleeve this evening with the hope of revealing all on Sunday (maybe!).  What do you think of the colours??

January is always a busy month.  After the mass post Christmas tidy, attentions are turned to event bookings and trying to fit in all the things we hope to do this year.  My head is spinning with ideas and I'm forever scribbling things down in one of my trusty notebooks so as not to forget them.  2013 is shaping up to be a busy one!

Hope you've all been staying warm :o)

Vintage suitcase finds + more corsages!

This is a long post with a lot of photographs but please stick with it because I hope you'll think it's worth it :o)

As many of you vintage wearing followers will know, sourcing original 1940's clothing is not an easy task.  We are always on the look out, scouring vintage fairs and buying from re-enactors etc.  Normally we have to "find" the items but, a chance meeting at a 1940's re-enactment, not one that we were trading at, a lady who had discovered some beautiful items while clearing a house, brought them to our attention and we were lucky to acquire them.

First up, a suitcase.  I've riffled through many a vintage suitcase.  Sometimes they are full of treasures, other times the contents are so disgustingly dirty that I have I worry what I might have inhaled!  This unassuming leather suitcase, somewhat battered and tired.......

was full of treasure. 

Please excuse the chapel pew that the case is sitting on.  We have 2 in the garden that came from Perranporth Methodist Chapel where my daughters were christened and they are somewhat of a project!  Back to the case though!
 
It contained;

A half finished dress.  The sleeves are sewn in and the skirt attached to the bodice.  All it needs is buttons and button holes (argh!!), a collar and then a hem.  Why wasn't it finished?  I wish I knew.  It's been beautifully made, neatly finished seams and the like so should be easy enough to follow on and finish it off.  The instructions are in the pattern envelope but sadly no pattern pieces.

A collection of vintage cottons and a rather complicated looking knitting stitch/pattern counter thingy - think I'll stick to paper and pencil to mark off my rows.

Some instruments of torture!  Well, in truth, some 1920's crimping irons but I didn't know that until I asked my Mum.  They are complete with singe marks from when they were heated in the fire before being used on someones hair.  The damage they must have done and the smell - it must have been terrible.

Two rather lovely knits!  The tank top has been feasted on a little by some hungry moths - thankfully it's repairable though.  The cardigan is beautiful with just a tiny moth hole on the front rib and a missing button - better raid my button stash then.  Someone has boiled it and shrunk it which is a shame for us adults but a plus for C as it fits her perfectly.  However, as it's pure wool, she is reluctant to wear it - I shall persevere because I shan't be knitting anything as intricate for her!

More knitting patterns!!!!  I couldn't believe it.  They are in lovely condition and I had been after an original copy of the Bestway "Gifts in Knitting and Crochet" for a while.

Apart from some seriously sharp sewing needles and some random 1960's buttons, the last thing in the case was a little clear bag stuffed full of the most amazing.........

Corsages!!  Just look at them, so very beautiful and each one different.  They are mostly done in perle cotton (thank you Ginny for help on that one :o)!) and each one has a thick green felt back with 2, sometimes 3 safety pins on - no fear of them falling off.  Some require a little stitch here and there and the backs aren't the neatest but, who's going to see that once it's on a jacket?? 

This very talented lady must have spent hours making them and for what purpose?  An artisan with a shop perhaps or simply crocheting for pleasure, we'll never know.  

I would love to keep them all, they were a real once in a lifetime purchase, but I'm being realistic and have only kept 2.  I figure that they have been stored long enough and clearly haven't seen the light of day for many a year.  I'm hoping they will end up with people who will love and cherish them as much as the lady who kept hold of them for all these years did.

When looking through them, I noticed that the Bestway "Gifts in Knitting and Crochet" pattern had been put to good use to make 2 of the corsages.









Along with the suitcase, I bought 2 dresses.  I don't normally "show off" the clothing that I buy but these 2 dresses, both made of moygashel, a linen feel fabric, are so beautiful that I thought you might like to see them.

Patriotic red, white and blue number with it's original belt!

                                              

Cute hey?!

This recent lot of purchases really got to me and it's because there was an actual person associated with the items.  I know that that might sound odd, but a dress brought to us by a re-enactor or purchased at a fair is a stand alone garment with no reference as to the original owner.

 

This lady, whoever she was, couldn't part with her things.  She obviously deemed them important enough to want to hold on to them for many a year.  Worn on a first date perhaps or for a special occasion or maybe, like me, she was just a serious hoarder!!  Whatever the reason, I know that I'm incredibly lucky to have them and will be a willing custodian of them until someone else comes along to love them!