Category: Wonderings
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December makes and mends
Mixing and fixing is more the order of business this month. I’m hoping to do a big project over Christmas, so it’s just been quick and immediately rewarding bits. Fixing holes with silk stitch After laundering a 1930s jacket, I copied the existing silk stitching to fix a bunch of holes and weak spots. They…
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Secondhand cashmere
Cashmere is always amazing. But new cashmere is very expensive and, honestly, probably not the quality of vintage cashmere. True vintage cashmere – 1950s fur-collared cardigans and Scottish Ballantyne sweaters – can be found easily online but likely for £50 to £100. Luckily, cashmere can be found in nearly every charity shop in the land,…
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Rescue mission
A 1930s jacket. It’s made of a patchwork of silk-stitched shapes in icy blue, olive green and two purples. At first glance, in great shape. However, we have several holes, some of which I think are cigarette burns. Some mending required. But the biggest challenge: laundering. It usually is. Handwash She smelled quite musty, so…
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A thrifting roundup
I’ve been on QUITE the charity shop crawl, but interspersed with antique shops and vintage boutiques. Very treat for little old island me. I’m in Somerset for a week, cat-sitting an amiable little baby boy. I was feeling a bit daunted by a week away from home but it turns out I’d be happy as…
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Real bodies
I learned to sketch bodies for clothes in college. But I learned to sketch bodies that do not exist. Last year, I got a Remarkable tablet to help with my brain and the unexpected outcome is that I started sketching clothes again. I began with the body I’d learned, the body that doesn’t exist –…
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