Sunday, December 13, 2009

Vintage patterns too fabulous for words.



These gorgeous, architectural dress patterns are from the 1957 Vogue Pattern Catalog. It's not so much that I want to own all these patterns immediately, it's more that I'd like my closet to already be full of unique, gorgeous outfits like these, so that I too can look completely fabulous all the time.

Shawl collar vintage sweater

If you've been following this blog for a while, you might recognize this vintage placket neck sweater that I talked about last Spring. Well, I'm happy to report that it's finally finished!


I chose a tan color Cascade 220 wool, and knitted it in a size that would allow a somewhat slouchy fit. I think I was inspired in part by the granny-chic look that seems to be everywhere in indie fashion these days.


The collar can be worn up or down. I think I prefer the look of it down, but having it popped up will certainly keep the chill away in the cold. Overall, it's a really warm and cozy sweater--and I can see why Cascade 220 is so popular. The downside to the sweater is that I feel a bit frumpy in it--if I were to do it over, I would have chosen a more vibrant color to balance the plainness of the design.


I think if I had a better sense of how to style clothing, I'd be able to pull this sweater off a little better--but that's nothing new! Despite that, I'm sure I will appreciate the warmth of this new sweater when I head back home to the Midwest for the holidays.

CSA Love: big recipe recap

I've been making a lot of repeat recipes as I get repeat veggies in my weekly CSA pick up, so I thought I'd wait until I had a bunch more recipes before I reported back here on the blog. So here goes:

Tonight's dinner: Potato, chard and scallion soup
Using what I had on hand. I sauteed one chopped yellow onion for several minutes, added 4 cubed potatoes, 5 cups of veggie stock, and simmered til tender. Then I added one bunch each swiss chard and scallions (all chopped), and cooked for 5 minutes more. The whole thing was pureed with my immersion blender, and then I added a bit of heavy cream. It was really yummy! Especially with a good helping of fresh pepper and parmesan.


Salad with spring mix, red carrots, feta, sunflower seeds, and balsamic vinegar.

Acorn squash veloute with Indian spices.

Roasted rosemary potatoes


Roasted sweet potato with scallion miso butter.
If you like sweet potatoes, and sweet-salty combinations, this is the recipe for you!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Craft wish list

I want to make this quilt. Is craft imitation the sincerest form of flattery?

I'm also looking for a new knitting project. I will either try to tackle one of the designs I've been thinking about for ages, or maybe this or this.

Friday, December 4, 2009

Sewing book recommendations?

Hi there,

I've been working on resizing some vintage patterns for a better fit, but I feel that my instincts for doing so are fairly limited. Do any of you have a good book to recommend that would teach me how to properly adjust patterns for fit?

Thanks!
Meghan