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…

We had a few days away in Katikati, and I stopped in at Paeroa for a change and had a bit of a wander around, the secondhand shops are usually interesting, though a bit pricey.  I ducked into the Salvation Army shop, and found these lovely sheets, two singles, and the pink flowery ones are a pair, and I bought them for $9 – what a score!

I really love this yellow sheet, I’d like to make something for me out of it, but I’m not sure what, I think it’d also make a beautiful seahorse…  but I need to find homes for the ones I have here before I make any more.

This green one is still quite soft, and maybe will make a nice sea shell?  Not sure yet, maybe it will be a comfy sheet.

So, I’m already slipping.  I was going along all nicely finding a classic weekly hire dvd from our local dvd rental place, thinking it would be great if I could get back into watching films, just on dvd for now.. then I completely lost it!  Too much work and not enough work-while-watching-movies!  These days I can sometimes help Luna off to sleep then get little Blake all snuggled on my lap for a long breastfeed and sleep – awesome really – I just get the dvd all cued, grab the remote, water, cup tea if I’m really organised, a snack and go!  Nothing like watching a couple of good movies to cheer me up on those days I could go mad.

But hey, I’ll get some more dvds tomorrow, in the meantime, I’ll write about Sayonara, I watched this about three times a few weeks ago, because I loved it so much.  I also watched so many times because it worked out that the kids slept all at once (wohoo) also Marlon Brando has a way with words that reminds me of looking through the wrong prescription glasses, and finally it is SO romantic, it really is.  I’m usually loath to get all soppy about romantic movies, and I hate ‘romcoms’ but this oh, be still my heart!

I imagine that this must have been pushing the boundaries when it was released, in 1957.  It is a classic love story, similar to themes in Romeo and Juliet, and seems authentic.  I think the issues around cross-cultural relationships and marriage are still relevant, sadly, and I think Marlon Brando and Miiko Taka did well in their roles.  Cool to see plenty of traditional Japanese theatre and the costume design was also stunning, I want to make a kimono and I want to go to Japan!

In my sea horse sewing frenzy I have sorted through some of the fabric pieces and remnants I’ve had stashed away for ages. The piece above is actually a set of very old curtains I kept when we moved out of the Bowling Club, they were converting the flat so I figured the old curtains were not needed, sneaky I know.  Sadly, after a wash and a perished-or-not test (a very firm yank near the edge of the fabric) they are pretty much falling apart, too much sun and probably cigarette smoke I imagine.

I had planned to make a dress, but never mind, the fabric below is from a hideously unflattering but well made vintage dress I picked up a little while back and it will make a very pretty sea horse I just know it!  Hopefully I can get a starfish out of it too, and maybe a purse…  we will see.

Lastly, I have an old sheet that was too pretty for the rag bag or to throw out, but had torn a little and so no good for the bed…  the edges are still nice and thick and will make snuggly sea horses and scallop softies.  All going well, I’ll cut into it this evening – wohoo!

Over Autumn, I’m planning on making one of the sleeved dresses to the left and the hoodie on the right, I’ve had these patterns for ages and between looking after the kids and midnight sewing stints I ought to be able to get one of them made!  I took down some kitch old curtains from our previous flat, with the idea that I’d make them into a dress, will see if they will hold up..

Hey this looks fabulous darlings!

Would love to join in, and I might have to head on down for a look, or even a ride (if someone holds baby for me!).

Make sure you visit the website for the details…

Mermaid’s Purse will be there, will you?

Date: Sunday, May 3, 2009

Time: 10:00am – 3:00pm

Location: 32 Clarence Street, Devonport, Auckland

These are some groovy new finds from a recent op shopping mission…  10 cents each how could I resist!  Maybe I’ll even make them…

I also found some other ‘Aotea’ brand pattern leaflets, so cheesey!

I started out making these little baskets out of this ball of course string that I had around, they are really fun and quite easy to make, not quite as soft as wool or acrylic yarns.

Then I decided to try out the pattern for these little booties for the baby, they are made from this lovely soft cotton that I picked up at an op shop a while ago – not quite enough for a whole outfit, but enough for a few little pairs of shoes.  Next I’m making some knitted slippers, quite a different look and shape to these…