Daffy Gladys

Gladys loved flowers.  Especially if they were purple.  Gladys also loved to embroider and crochet and had developed real skill with both.  Sadly, Gladys wasn't very good at botany.  Or color coordination.

You can purchase Gladys' lovely runner in my Etsy store.  It is 16" x 41" and has a slight yellowing in the center from being folded up in a drawer for years.  I don't believe it was ever used.

I'm sure there is someone out there who appreciates all of Gladys' hard work!

A Glorious Potpourri of Crafting

I am in the process of putting some new old manuals in my Etsy store and I'm giving you a preview in case there is something that you just have to have.

First up is one I know you'll want.

This is the original--not the repro I've seen on Amazon.  You can tell by the original price in the corner.  Very good manual for making hats circa 1944.

Another one that features hats is this Woman's Day Annual from 1947.

Lots of inspiration here, plus doilies, mittens, gloves, sweaters, etc.

From the Domestic Sewing Machine Company for making over and mending.  No date, but this was encouraged during WWII.

A pamphlet from 1943.

All about Talon products new in 1968.

Knitting for children and babies.

Don't let your babies eat yarn.

Frightening clowns.  Why was that little guy playing with elephant poo?

Beautiful doilies.

Ubiquitous Poodles!!

How-To Books.

This one from 1966 features lots of RED!

And more weird hats and weirder purses--perfect for all those made with love especially for you, faery wear, steampunk, burning man Etsy crafters. (Not saying any of you are like that!  I've been reading a lot of Regretsy posts lately.  Warning!  Not for the easily offended!)

Give me some time to get them all up.  If there are any that strike your fancy, let me know before I put them up and I will Reserve them for you.  I haven't set any prices yet, so bear with me.

Baby Cat Needs A Blanket

Baby cat went looking for a blanket.   He found this yummy seamist green one.

But it was wayyyyy too big for him.

Then he found this nice sea-shelly one.

He like the colors but it was wayyyy too big.

Then he found this nice stripey one.

He liked it very much, but it was still wayyyyy too big.

He tried another stripey one.

It was smaller, but still wayyyy too big.

Then he spotted this one!

Just  Right!

These baby blankets made by my Mom are so pretty and soft it makes you want to have a baby!  Ummmmm,  no thanks!  She's frustrated that my brothers and I didn't produce enough offspring to satisfy her knitting and crocheting needs so she just keeps making blankets in the hope she can find some babies to give them to.  The blanket closet is getting a little full so she gave some to me to sell on Etsy.  They will be available shortly for all your baby cuddling needs.  Buy one for yourself!

Another Shameless Plug

"Jane, I've got the best idea!", Ann whispered evilly.  "See that couple over there with the horrible matching sweaters?  Let's try to break them up!  We can do it, we've got our granny square bikinis on underneath our clothes today."

"Make sure you swish your skirt !"

"That ought to get his attention away from that matching sweater freak."

"Oh, look!  There's Olivia! Are those leather pants she's wearing?"

"You're the one that I want you karma chameleon, you!"

The above illustrations are from some knitting and crafting books I just put in my Etsy store.  The following just didn't fit into the story line but are equally worthy of mention.

Remember when you were little and would wait eagerly until the next McCall's Needlework and Crafts magazine came out and your mother bought it?  Remember all the strange little things you could make out of odds and ends like paperclips and hairpins?  Who thought up all of that weirdness like twig sculpture

pebble and macrame jewelry

toys made out of apricot pits

knitted lions wearing clothes

giant hamburger pillows?

(that skewer looks dangerous!)

And then there's the beautiful.  I love this sequinned Chanel jacket.

Say what!!??

The Wristlet

This is my favorite gadget of all time and I used it constantly when I was crocheting a lot of doilies back in the 1980's.  You unhook the holder from the wrist bracelet, slip a crochet ball of thread on and re-clip.  It hangs from your wrist, the ball sits on the circle, which swivels down,  and works like a dream.  No more chasing the ball around when it falls out of the basket.

This is an ad from the Evening Post, Rōrahi LXXXVII, Putanga 3, 5 Kohitātea 1914, Page 9.  That's Maori for Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 3, 5 January 1914, Page 9.

A search for the patent revealed that it is probably a Canadian or English patent and not online.  The maker is not listed on the item.

I just found this from an auction site in Sussex, which confirms my English origin theory.

Amazing Needlework!

Just look at this beauty!  It is new work and I scanned it full-size on my 8-1/2" x 11" scanner so you could see it close up.  I was browsing an antique mall and found a bookcase full of these.  The proprietor was close by so I asked what country they were from, thinking China or another low labor country.  She said they were made by two ladies in Romania.  There were doilies of several sizes and some large tablecloths, all with this wonderful needleweaving and crocheting.  I just Googled "Romanian crochet" and found this website.  It seems this is called Romanian Point Lace and is from Transylvania.  The "grapes" are formed of bullion stitch.  Here is an explanation of the origin and a slide show.  Be sure to look at the other slide shows at the Lacis site.