The blog has been a bit quietly lately, I have been doing a lot of sewing, happily, just not the projects I keep on thinking about tackling, I have sewn up some clothes for Luna and Blake, and finished some everyday separates for myself and attempted a little sewing room clearing out…
In other news, I was very excited this week to win a copy of this fabulous book, Real Modern, Everyday New Zealand in the 1950s and 1960s, by Bronwyn Labrum from Te Papa Museum (Thank you thank you!) I have been secretly waiting for this book to be published for some time. At the Costume and Textile Association of New Zealand’s 2014 Symposium, Bronwyn Labrum presented a paper that was a bit of a taster of the work she has done in producing this book, examining the meanings we associate with everyday domestic textiles and objects, it was fascinating, and I wanted more!
I am enjoying the book already, and have of course, loved all the photos and illustrations throughout, here’s a little taster..
Women at work..
Leisure and lifestyle.
The iconic State house.
Homewares…
Flight Attendants, of course.
I’ll be reviewing this book in the next few weeks, but, if what I have read so far is anything to go by you ought to have it on your Christmas list.
On the sewing project front, I have a couple of garments that have been gnawing away at me…some have been put off due to shifting house – argh – twice this year – and loosing my sewing mojo, others I have had genuine challenges in making!
This Vogue 1195 is *almost* done, pending final fitting tweaks, buttons and hem (yes, ok that’s a lot left to do…but I’m trying to be upbeat about it!)
Everything lines up, finally, I needed to reach this stage before final the ‘button’ decision..
Purple buttons? No, self fabric.
….Just smaller than those ones, above! See, even longer getting the perfect buttons for this dress. I’m still a bit intimidated by this dress!
Vogue 273, a really lovely 1940s Noir frock is on the back-burner after an ‘accident’ with a child and my scissors (the child is fine, the dress, not so much).
That’s about all I’ll say just now.
Other than, it’s just so pretty, and I can’t wait to finish it.
Here’s to some sewing time, and good reading! I am hoping to get these two dresses complete by the end of the year, as I planned for the Vintage Sewing Pattern Challenge, which I hope you have been following, if not participating. Marie at A Stitching Odyssey is hosting the fun times, and if you need some inspiration, go and have a look at the latest pattern stash interview…
mermaids purse 