Vintage Tuesday: 80s Wit Knits
February 9, 2010
Oh the 80s is just such a gold mine for bad fashion isn’t it? Funnily enough crafting had started to lose some of it’s cool by the 80s so there isn’t a massive craft trend that I’ve spotted so far – apart from the bedazzler which I’d kill to get a book or some pics of!
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Wit Knits is an entire book of “lively and original designs” direct from 1985, a time when I was just 10 years old and sporting more flourescent jumpers and socks than I care to admit. I can honestly say that I’ve never seen a couple wearing matching knitted jumpers (or vests), my memories of the 80s were more leather jackets and electro rock, falling asleep regularly to the sound of dad’s band practicing which made the whole house vibrate. Not a witty knitted number in sight I’m afraid!
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Got any 80s crafty memories to share?
To market with mobile kits
February 6, 2010
So the year got off to a bit of a slow start but suddenly I find myself in market fever. Next weekend I’ll be at Allies Attic in Mosman, on the 6th of March I’ll be at Mathildas market, Paddington and then on the 14th of April I’ll be at the Stitches and Craft Show, Redfern. So now I’m in full kit mode and first on the list are Owl Mobile kits – I had lots of requests last year for a mobile kit so here they come.
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The part I like best about making up kits is choosing the fabric and sock combination. There’ll be 3 colours initially – piggies and cream, pink and robo-blue… whaddya think? The fabrics are mostly Japanese - the piggies I’ve had forever in my stash (oh how I wish I’d bought more!) The little robots were bought from Retro Mummy, and the pink/white flowers are called Hana Bunny. I’m still deciding with the robots whether I should use red/white dots fabric or red gingham. I’ll have them at the markets and in the store next week.
Thanks for all your entries into the Stitches and Craft giveaway, still time to enter I’ll draw the competition on Friday.
S&C Sydney news & giveaway
February 3, 2010
The Stitches and Craft show for Sydney has been announced for the 14-18th of April. Hooray!!! But hang on, it gets better – there’s a new venue too. The show will be held at Australian Technology Park in Redfern – an amazing heritage building that I’ve been to many an event at and it’s so much closer to the city!
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So I’ll be there with bells on and I’ll also be holding daily classes where you’ll be able to make your own baby sock owl.
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The Giveaway
To celebrate I’ve got two free tickets to the show (courtesy of the lovely people at S & C) plus I’m going to throw in two free owl classes. To enter just leave a comment below and/or tweet “I wanna win Stitches & Craft show tix and a baby owl class from Craft Schmaft @claireisis“
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Vintage Tuesday: Mad Menesque patterns
February 2, 2010
Last weeks post, Vintage Tuesday: Mad Men Fashion, was met with such enthusiasm that I did a little extra research into vintage patterns available online. Well I can tell you that the interweb is brimming with vintage sewing patterns. While big companies like Vogue and Butterick have stunning reproduction patterns (well hello Joan Holloway) I also came across a couple of great blogs (Stylista – thanks Bridget!, Sew Retro) that led me to a world of free vintage patterns. This is by no means a definitive list but here are a few that I found…
Well hello Joan Holloway: (Butterick retro B6582)
Dear Mrs Draper: Free 1950s Daydress pattern by the V&A
Ahhh… my favourite museum in the whole world. Found via the sensational “sew retro” a gold mine of vintage freebies.
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The essential headband: Free headband tutorial
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The Jet Set: Free Vintage style bathing suit pattern
Normally I’d call it a cossie, being a Sydney girl, but this really is a bathing suit. A little gem over at Burda.
Sunday Dinner: Free Vintage Petal Apron Pattern
A new little project
January 31, 2010
I’ve wanted to try making a little mushroom from left over sock bits for ages. I wasn’t sure it would work but here’s the first attempt. I think it definitely has potential and talk about quick. It’s made out of the toe and ankle band of a sock with two pieces of felt. The thing I really like about this, and working with socks in general, is that every one you make turns out slightly differently – variations in size, pattern, elasticity and fibres mean you never quite know the exact shape you’re going to get. I love that they all have a personality of their own – little quirks and looks that they’re born with.
I’d like to create a little cluster of these in different colours, sizes and shapes, just like you’d find at the base of a tree in a forest. The other thought at the moment is to embroider a little door and windows, perhaps some spots on top and turn it into a a tiny house. *sigh* there’s nothing more wonderful than the possiblities of a new project, before you get in there and start realising that certain things just wont work.
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What are you daydreaming of?
Hearts for Haiti – Love Owl Kit
January 28, 2010
The little Love Owl Kit is all ready to go. This little fella was going to be a valentines day owl, a crafty gift for the one you love… or for yourself. I’ve been watching the amazing rescue efforts in Haiti over the past two weeks, the stories of courage, survival and spirit and I wanted to help in some small way. So I’m dedicating this Owl Kit to the hearts of Haitians and $5 of every one sold in the Craft Schmaft Store will go to Médecins Sans Frontières who continue to provide medical care under devastating conditions.
Click here for The Love Owl Kit
Vintage Tuesday: Mad Men Fashion
January 27, 2010
I’ve just finished season 2 of Mad Men. While I could go on and on about how very little has changed in the ad industry since the 60s but this post is all about the fashion. Oh my – I wanna watch that whole season all over again just for the clothes. Is it just me or was there so much more effort put into appearances in the 60s? I’m the kinda girl who has to warn hairdressers that I will never be able to achieve the “styling” that their haircuts require. I don’t wear make-up often. This used be smiled upon as going natural… sadly now I think a little spack filler and concealer would go a long way!
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Anyway, I came across this 1961 Women’s Weekly Dressmaking special with Lucille Rivers. It struck me just how much attention to detail individual figures got and how amazing the tailoring was back then. Now we just tend to wear our “size” in whatever we pick up off the rack. Back then they used to adjust patterns – this booklet details how to adjust for a “flat derrier”, “large pelvic bones” and a “high abdomen” amongst every other alteration you can imagine. Incredible.
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There is but one giggle in this Vintage Tuesday – Lucille Rivers endorses “Bri-Nylon”…
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“BRI-NYLON…. easy washing… quick drying….
no ironing… plus, of course, the glamor of
Australia’s own top-quality Nylon”
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Oh the glamor! I can’t wait for season 3!
PS: Sorry I’m a day late… can we call it fashionably late?
Stay tuned for S and C
January 25, 2010
Thank you so much for all your tweets, emails and comments on Stitches and Craft. I have good news… the Sydney hasn’t been canceled (my mistake) only postponed and there will be a new date announced this week. Hooray! We live to stitch another day ladies. Stay tuned and I’ll let you know all the details.
As a sneak peek, here’s one of the owl mobile kits I’ve been working on for the show. I’ll be launching them online next week.
Stitches and Swapsies
January 23, 2010
It’s been a bit of a rough week. Earlier in the week I found out that the Stitches & Craft Sydney show has been postponed to August. Just when I was gearing up for the new year of markets and shows. This has left me feeling a bit like a a ship without any wind in it’s sails – almost like I’m stuck in the harbor waiting for the trade winds to set me off on another adventure but so far this January… nothing. Not that I’m without things to do, I’ve been finalising the Love Owl and new Owl Mobile kits this week and not going to Stitches and Craft means I’ll be able to concentrate on the online store and etsy (one of my millions of new years resolutions). It’s just that I was looking forward to the market buzz.
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So sadly I won’t see you at Stitches and Craft in February but I will most definitely be at the Melbourne show in May. And in other great news I’ll be at Mathildas market in March.
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I signed up for sooz’s tea towel swap. I love a good swap and thought a little change from sock toys into a new craft might do me some good. My swap partners are the lovely Magdalena from the Craft Revival and Nyssa of Surreal Design. So I’ve been off getting some inspiration for styles – I haven’t illustrated in quite a while but I’m really looking forward to it. I seem to remember my dad going through a t-shirt screenprinting phase so there might even be some father/daughter crafting time – not seen since disastrous Year 9 art project. Love a little side adventure.
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So some tea towel inspiration below… Campervans by Pearl & Earl, borrowed spoons by Skinny LaMinx, “T” towel by SpinSpin, Chopper Bike by Pearl and Earl
Vintage Tuesday: The Moncho
January 19, 2010
I have dubbed this little gem The Moncho. Much like ManFlu (see ManFlu youtube video here) the poncho has a devastating effect on any male it comes into contact with. I found this little gem in an op-shop in Woodend, Country Victoria on the weekend. Oh how I wish this photo was in colour – I like to imagine that the yarn is a mustard yellow. The whole patten book is shot with these two guys playing pool and I can only imagine that they were told it would be a laugh – a few beers in a pub and a couple of photos. I have serious doubts that this man was warned he would have to don a poncho. What do you think was going through his mind as that shot was taken?
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Now I promise that not all Vintage Tuesdays will be from the seventies – I also found a fabulous fifties Womens Weekly dressmaking supplement that I might share next week. But truly that poncho was just too good to wait.
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Got a great vintage crafting pic to share? Email it to me and I’ll feature it - claire [!at] craftschmaft {dot} com
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Hello. My name is Claire. I have a sock toy addiction. It began two years ago when I was pregnant and nesting. At first I dismissed it. I hadn't sewn in years. "Craft Schmaft" I said. Well it seems this crafty thing is here to stay. This blog brings you the delights of making sock softies, fabric finds and crafty inspiration from round the interweb.
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