Suspect Walks into Jail Office

Interesting things come in vintage pattern envelopes....

Headline:  "Suspect Walks Into Jail Office"
Copy reads: "A dapper young fellow, wearing blue corduroy trousers and a dark sweater, walked into the sheriff's office Monday and addressed Chief Deputy Sheriff George Beckstead thus:
"I am Jack Bunce, 22. My address doesn't matter. You want me for a burglary."
And it's just as well that he did, for deputy sheriffs were preparing to jail him within a few hours as a suspect in the burglary of the Texas Oil company service station at Thirty-third South and State streets last Tuesday.
Mr. Beckstead said Bunce admitted taking eight tires from the service station and selling...."

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Goes to show, you never know what you get with vintage stuff.  This was so much fun to receive after a frenzied Etsy and Ebay splurge where I purchased four vintage 1930's patterns for my daughter and myself.  This pattern is a homemade additional collar pattern for the young girl's dress.  Here are a few more images of the pattern and the dress I'm now working on. 

Dress in progress

Pattern envelope and instructions

Newspaper collar pattern

Work in progress.....

More on the dress itself later.

Parent and Child Sewing Workshop

Working together!

Gratia and Dad Ethan

Proud Grandpa

 Admittedly, when asked to create a Mother / Daughter sewing class, I cringed just a little bit.  Often I hear from parents that it's hard to teach their kids something new.

Well, I kept getting requests.  Honestly, I thought the parents just want an excuse to have some fun.  Keeping my mind open, I put the word out and was surprised at the response.

Ok, so what happened next was even more surprising.  I had one mom say that she wasn't interested, but her husband might be.  That blew me away.  In today's day and age, I don't get too many male students.  It was very exciting.  This was going to be interesting and I would have to change the name.

 A darling family joined us our first week.  It was Father and son with daughter and grand daughter. How sweet to see the men taking such interest in their girls.  Even better was the story from Alden and Gratia's grandfather.  He told me that he bought a machine for his wife, the girl's grandmother, when she got pregnant and then taught himself to sew.  He went on to make her first maternity dress, then taught his son to sew.  What a family legacy and how special of them to share this skill with future generations.

In reality, the kids and parents learn and work together.   What fun we can all have.  I can't wait for the next one....

Patchwork mittens for Gratia

ironing is fun!

don't forget to giggle!  Andrea and Sabina

Andrea and Pari

Sabina and her stuffed guinea pig!

Gratia with her mittens and pillow case

Andrea and Pari with their cat pillow ready to stuff with fluff!

Going to the Gatsby Summer Afternoon

 Such a fun way to spend a Summer afternoon.  The Dunsmuir house in Oakland, provides and elegant background for this special day brought to us by the Art Deco Society.   Every year folks dress up in Art Deco Attire (circa 1915-1940) and come out for this Event.  Whether you like vintage clothing, vintage cars, a great picnic or croquet, you will be in for a treat.

There were many amazing picnics, but this year it was all about the clothes for me.  My friend Joy Johnson found two fabulous matching dresses for myself and my daughter (see below photo), so we were able to dress up and compliment each other. Such a thrill for a mom personally obsessed with American Girl dolls as well as sewing and times gone by.  We were so lucky that the dresses fit and we fit in beautifully.  I'm already thinking about what we'll wear next year.

 

Darling table with a lovely setting!

I was watching these two impeccably dresses ladies about all day.  Their dresses were fabulous.  I'm   not sure if they were vintage or if they made them.  In either regard - gorgeous 1930's.

Here are our dresses - Just needing a few minor repairs.

 Also Ella Schwartz above, posing on one of the cars.

 This ensemble was made from a pattern that belonged to the model's grandmother.  So cute!  Love the hat.

Wouldn't it be delightful to have a maid by your side?  And doubly special if her hair was an exact match to her dress. 

Looking forward to my next Gatsby!
Toodloo!