Lofty Sewing Aspirations

Okay. So I still haven't beaded. I'm still on sewing-obsessed hiatus, which has led me to register on Ebay solely for the purpose of bidding on one amazing lot of vintage patterns. Which I won. I am really, really trying not to get too excited, because I am afraid something will go wrong! Since I haven't been busy beading, I thought I would update on my possible victory (still trying not to get my hopes up, just in case!). It was a lot of 126 - yes, you read that right- 126 patterns from the 40s through the 70s, all complete, and I won the lot for $25. Can you see why I am nervous? It seems too good to be true. Now the item description had lots of pictures and a full list of the patterns, which I've been looking up while trying not to get even more excited. I'm posting some of the included patterns so you can share in my joy!






Now I will have to read all of those tutorials about re-sizing patterns to fit and doing different fitting adjustments... and then get some pattern paper... and some material and thread... On the plus side, I found some bags of zippers (still in their old packaging) at the thrift store, so notions-wise I'm pretty set. Some day... some day I will be a master of sewing. For now I can dream.

Ahahahaha! That was so corny!

More realistically, for now I can gather the necessary materials, study sewing with vintage patterns and tailoring, practice with easier patterns and just generally try not to muck it up beyond wearability.

A Disorder Which Leaves Me With a Deficit of Attention

Osiris cuff

Okay, so here's the thing. Or more like one of the many things. Here's one of the things: I don't actually have attention-deficit disorder, but I do have a sort of hobby-related skip-around-y-ness. That was absolute gibberish. For the past few weeks, I've been in a sewing mode rather than a beading mode, so I've sorely neglected beading projects and this blog! Instead, I managed to pile all of my sewing patterns (new and vintage both) and a pretty good selection of material (also new and vintage) on the dinner table, where it still lingers untouched.

Here is another thing: I really like to know all about what I'm doing before I jump into doing it. Like bead embroidery! I read and scoured blogs and photo sites and tutorials for forever before I put needle to faux-suede. So the sewing projects have been more about sketching out ideas, cutting out patterns and then waffling on which fabric to use and just generally planning on sewing rather than actually sewing! It seems a little silly now that I say it.

Anyhow! To continue with this theme of hobby-skippery, I was compelled to start two new cuffs instead of finishing Atlantis. Yikes. I have, thanks to our friend M, started on Osiris- I am sorry M; I had to start Osiris first- I blame Halloween, it's an Underworldly time. I was able to find a really awesome central bead for this- it's a scarab! Yayyyy!

Creepy scarab close-up

I plan to continue with the sort of pattern-heavy look of Osiris; lots of geometric pattern, lots of dark colors.

A couple of nights after I began Osiris, I watched Fargo with my husband and BAM! I was like, I need to start a Babe the Blue Ox! How could I have neglected you, tall tales?! So I chose to use several blues on a tan cuff. And I like it! I just need to, you know, finish it.

Babe the Blue Ox

In super exciting news, I have now sold- in addition to Hansel and Gretel's Dark Forest- Dracula!!! Huzzah! I shipped it off this morning. I couldn't decide what to do as a "freebie" with a purchase like that, but I eventually settled on making a little drawing to go with the package. I made a pen-and-ink drawing of Vlad Tepes' castle at night, stars and all. I meant to take a picture of it, but in all of my shipping excitement, I sealed it all up before I remembered! Whoops.

Finished FeeJee, Atlantis Re-visited

FeeJee Mermaid cuff

Oh my goodness! This felt like it took forever. It was difficult to forge ahead, but I finally got through it. Overall, I'm pretty happy with it! I will never ever try to do another filled-in netting stitch on a cuff. Lesson learned.

I think it looks like dinosaur skin.

Should be posted to Etsy tonight!

On to Atlantis!

I've started doing some raised beading for the waves, and I think it looks super cool! I'm also thinking about doing some thread embroidery on the background. I liked the idea of leaving the negative space. I'm only just realizing that I didn't post any pictures that aren't close-up. Whoops! And some of the gaps in the first image will be filled in eventually; they look pretty weird right now.