Still Here After All These Years

Just posting to say that I'm still here, guys! I've been busy with loads of projects, ideas, and just getting through life and taking care of things in general. A LOT of things have happened in the interim, both good and bad (of which I won't go into detail or even mention --that's for another blog for another day), so here's a very bare bones highlight reel:

2013 (November-December)

• Bought our 1st house 
  

2014

• Got our first dog together, a vicious beast named Lucy 

• Got a job pouring wine in a quaint tasting room 
  

• Went back to school for the first time since high school 

2015

• Got a new full time job
• Got another vicious beast named Mancy 
  

• Survived the Butte Fire 
  

• Acquired a weekly radio show 
  

                                    (insert caption here)

2016

• aaaaaaaand you're pretty much all caught up!

 So I've been craving another yarny bathing suit project since my first foray into knitted swimwear, but didn't wholly realise it until I recently came across this blog post by Pretty Old Patterns, with the 2nd option having leapt from the screen saying "Knit me! Knit me! I know you have the perfect yarn already!"

(image © Pretty Old Patterns)

I picked out some lovely yarn that my Step Mommy Dearest brought back from Scotland (darker blue, left), as well as some Mini Mochi I bought a ton of through an online sale somewhere (drat for not keeping good notes): 

So far I keep getting held up at the same spot, as you can read for yourself on my Ravelry project page for it. 

I'm at the point of relegating it to the corner while I get through a case of "Finishitis". (It's a word, I promise I'm pretty sure.) Since I've got a lot of time on my hands these days, I figure I'd start finishing projects before I start any more. There's a mantra for ya: "Start Finishing." It's given me a second wind type of elation... finishing projects that have been UFOs (that's yarny speak for Unfinished Objects) for-EV-er has put the wind back in my blogging sails!

It's kind of insane how many projects and recipes I've had on deck for these past 3 years... THREE YEARS. Every time I dive into a vintage book/pattern/recipe/cocktail (<---sometimes it feels like diving in after trying a few recipes I would rather not repeat again), I think "This will be perfect for the blog!" and proceed to snap photos and take notes, then get overwhelmed at knowing how much time and effort goes into a blog post-- even one as seemingly simple as this one-- and just quickly share it on Instagram or Facebook with the tap of a few buttons on my phone and call it good. That being said, I've decided to use this blog mostly for more detailed and descriptive posts, when the benefit of storytelling elaboration is better. I can't tell you how many times I have gotten a project going-- usually from a vintage pattern-- gotten stuck, searched the internet for any information at all in hopes that someone else-- somebody, ANYBODY?! (We are in the "information age" after all, right?)-- has done it before and blogged about it, only to come up empty handed and still stuck and frustrated, hence the start of even more projects. And in this day and age of increasing narcissism self promotion and decreasing attention span (<---- guilty as charged), I figure I'd do my part. 

So expect more from this blog than in years past (5 posts in 5 years?? I mean, come ON). Though, you can throw those delusions of grandeur weekly post expectations right out the window. I'm not sponsored or have my own tv show. Yet.

In the spirit of being a living, walking & breathing contradiction, here's a totally modern podcast about the early days of Hollywood: You Must Remember This 

Enjoy.

An Update and a Promise

I'ts been almost a year since my last post.  A lot has happened since then. Like, a LOT. I moved from Portland to Sacramento, lost weight, gained employment, lost employment, and am currently seeking employment-- just to name a *few* things.

In the meantime, I plan on sewing. A lot. Like, a WHOLE lot. I've been bitten by the bug again, and this time I'm sticking with strictly vintage and true vintage-inspired. I say "true" because there's too much "vintage" out there from the 1980's-- and now the 90's is considered vintage?? Come on people... it was only 20 years ago and I was just a kid then-- and still kind of am! Sheesh.

Anyways.

I am currently adding more things to my library section over there. To the left. Upper left... keep scrolling-- there ya go! You found it. A for effort. I have a good amount of original vintage sewing patterns lined up to work on for the foreseeable future, and here is a sneak peek of just a few:

Well what do we have here? Another pencil skirt?? Why yes, Yes, a resounding YES! (Details to follow in the library section.)

Goodness, this had better turn out like the illustration, wasp waist and all. Oh wait, I guess you have to actually *have* a wasp waist to begin with. Sigh. A girl can dream, can't she?

This is one of those mail-order patterns, but sadly the date isn't on the postmark. I'm guessing it is from the late 40's to early 50's. I don't see a copyright date anywhere on the instructions-- further googling is needed. (Details to be added in the Library Section soon!)

So this is pretty much just a drop in the bucket of what I have planned. A very shallow bucket, but a bucket indeed. I will be figuring out how I want these patterns structured in the Library-- individual entries, or just one big entry under a "Vintage Sewing Patterns" type category. Either way, each pattern will have more details like how/where I acquired each one, and a direct link to the blog post(s) as I work on each one, and any worthy historical tidbits as they apply. A compendium of sorts, if you will.

IN OTHER NEWS: I got a serger, I got a serger, I got a serger, hey hey hey HEY!

She's a basic Brother 4-thread, and I couldn't be happier....

Just look!

My wonderful husband got it for me from Amazon for a friggin' steal shortly after I yelled at him exclaimed "If I had a serger I would make these vintage panties until the cows came home!" I secretly (or not so secretly) think he gets a kick out of my crafting binges. Especially sewing, since it doesn't happen a lot and he has mentioned more than once that he would love to have home made clothes. Such a grandpa great guy.

Okay. Enough with the snarky strikeouts. I am off to sew my first practice pair of granny panties! (Couldn't help it. It was too good not to do it.) I look forward to adding much more to this blog in the coming weeks, and despite my good intentions when I started this thing a year ago, I will make good this time, promise fingers crossed!