Just have to share the best op shop find I’ve had in a while.  In the rough old hat basket with caps and beanies tossed in, I saw with amazement four beautiful vintage hats in apparently perfect condition!  When I took a closer look I found they were stuffed with sheet music – oh my god!  I know, what’s that all about?

Anyhow, I have a big head, and most often the loveliest old hats just don’t fit.  So, I was pretty happy that one fitted, this one, it’s navy blue with a ribbon of twisted or woven nylon around.

So I took them to the counter, and tried to pretend that I wasn’t that excited, and she sold them to me for $5 each, one is a pretty blue paisley style print that is a great little (though oversized) sun hat for Luna, a brown faux fur hat and another really lovely aqua cap style hat that I gave a friend.

She offered to take the paper out, but I thought they needed to be together, turns out they came from a theatre company, the sheet music seems to be all church songs.  How about that?

This one is mine!  When starting a new project I always have a few to giveaway to friends and of course something for myself.

I rally enjoyed working these out, a raided my fabric stash, which includes some beautiful vintage and retro fabrics, especially some sweet soft gingham.

Nice huh?

This gingham was from my nana’s stash, she made clothes for some ragdolls I still have out of it.

These are extra special, I have used some vintage duotone embroidery thread, also from a family stash…  Do you remember this post about raiding some of my tins?  There is only a limited range using this good stuff, can’t bear to use it all up…

This is my vintage rose fabric, soft and SO lovely.  Perfect for spring, and more embroidery.

I’ll be at Kraftbomb at the end of the month, come and grab yourself one there!

And this pattern, unused and very sweet.  I have been looking out for some simple vintage dress patterns lately, I have plans to make one this year.  I also found a dress, it’s pretty stylish and home made by the looks, photo to come it does need a wash!

It was a fun morning out, very hot, so many beautiful things to look at and dream about taking home.  It was much more than textiles too, with costume vintage jewelry, heaps of hat boxes and haberdashery.  Patterns and other random antique and vintage articles like traveling cases, lasts for shoes, hat blocks, bags and accessories for every occasion and books.  Hanging out for the next one!

I am really so excited!  That’s all I’m saying.  Besides the deets of course.

It’s from 10 am – 5 pm, Alexandra Park Raceway, corner Greenlane & Manukau Roads, Epsom.  Genuine vintage
* Fabrics
* Clothing
* Hats
* Linen
* Accessories
* Trims
* Buttons
* Lace
* Books
etc
General admission: $5.00, door sales only.

Wohoo.

If only I’d had a chance to whip up this blue number…

And some fuzzy photos of my lovely snuggly Sea Horses and Scallops.

Come and say hello, take home something lovely and have a delicious cupcake at Kraftbomb, in the Grey Lynn Community Centre, 11am – 2pm. x

Only five more sleeps til the Auckland Art and Craft Market!  Wohoo!  You’ve probably heard the adds on the radio and seen posters up around town, so you’ve been saving up and planning your shopping list for AGES.  We’ll I’ve been planning for agaes too and I have some sweet treats lovely Scallop Snuggly softies and new Sea Horses too, as well as gifts for craftsy peeps!

So.. if you need to know the details, visit the website, or look here!

Saturday 11th June 2011
11am to 3pm
Aotea Centre, THE EDGE
Auckland Central
Gold coin entry donation

Did you see all the artist interviews?  I have been reading them too, here’s my one…

I know!  It’s very exciting!  Just two weeks away, the Auckland Art and Craft Fair will be spreading the craftsy goodness around for you guys who are lucky enough to be in the city.  You can read my artist’s interview here.

Saturday 11th June 2011
11am to 3pm
Aotea Centre, THE EDGE
Auckland Central
Gold coin entry donation

See you there!  x

I started this ages ago, I wanted to practice some proper crochet stitches and I have a huge pile of this pink wool, that I’ve dying to use to make something wearable, like a top or something, but that will take me about a year I’m sure!  So I had to work on a smaller scale…

I’ll probably make some more ’cause I love crocheting and don’t like following patterns, I’ll just have to crack into some other yarns in my stash.  I rescued the buttons from an old red vinyl jacket that I had worn to death, I enjoy combining red and pink so this was the perfect match!

Some more photos, and this is just so easy, just crochet a rectangle as long and wide as you like, add button holes and buttons and then you’re done.  Oh and I was experimenting with increasing and decreasing, so it tapers in and then out again.

See?  Nice buttons huh.

This is a very disorganised pile of most of my vintage (and some newer) gloves.  You may have noticed I love gloves, and I love Autumn because that’s probably the perfect season for gloves.

Most of these gloves belonged to my Nana Shirley, my dad’s mum, she had several very long gloves, both black and white, long leather and long kid gloves.  She also had many pairs of short gloves, just to the wrist, and although long gloves are a must for evenings out, the short gloves are just perfect any day or any night, the mustard ones above are slightly fleecy inside, so very snug for those cool winter morning walks..

Another sweet detail, a cinched top of the glove, these are short navy gloves and will go with loads of outfits.

This beige pair are so soft to wear, and they have lovely clean and shiny buttons, I have never worn them, but one day will – the problem with white or lighter colours is of course keeping them clean!  Modern long gloves usually are made from stretch fabric and so do not need beautiful buttons to fasten then, such a shame really.

These mid forearm length coffee coloured gloves are one of my rarely worn favourites, so pretty with the detailing.

Another pair of beautifully detailed gloves, just over the wrist and hardly worn.

Mum gave me a couple of pairs of mauve gloves, at different times, she loves mauve.  Here’s a close up of the embroidery…

These are mostly short gloves…

These are pale turquoise long fingerless gloves and I think they were my Nana Shirley’s bridesmaid’s gloves.

Most of them spread on the table…

I LOVE vintage gloves.  I really, really do.  I love to have them, and I love to wear them, infact Summer is one of those seasons I stuggle to find gloves for it’s just too hot.  So roll around Autumn and I’m happy.

I’ve been planning on photographing my collection for ages, and it will take a while, I’m not sure how many pairs I have…  I have most of my Nana Shirley’s gloves, I wore the fingerless gloves she made for her own wedding when I got married, see?

They’re probably my favs, but I don’t wear them, too fine and lacey.

Thing thing I love about a good pair of gloves is they do keep you warm.  You can wear them with almost anything, swing coats for shorter gloves and for those bare sholders and halternecks who can turn down some silky full length numbers with those impossible-to-do-up-with-gloves-on pearl buttons?  Not me.  Then you just need a good hat…