A thoroughly modern Thursday

My tennis practice was rained out for the second week in a row, so I did what any modern, 21st century girl would do. I sat down and hemmed some handkerchiefs instead. (and waited for a sunny day to photograph them, of course!)

I use cotton or linen, 1 foot square (30x30 cm). With cotton I usually machine-hem them, but with soft fabrics like linen it's almost as easy to hand-roll the edges, and it looks so elegant. I prefer white, because it's so easy to wash all your white things at once and stick them in the sun to dry. Otherwise I like to use fabric scraps from cottons I've sewn with, as in these green ones. Sometimes I initial or monogram them, but I don't always get around to it. The pattern for these initials comes from an old book of my grandmother's.

Handkerchiefs are one of those things I love because they are so perfectly practical, as well as being a little bit old-fashioned. Not to mention their versatility as an accessory. But I love things that are perfectly simple, designed to suit one purpose very well, and with no superfluous bits. Things like Converse sneakers, white t-shirts, and sturdy handkerchiefs.

It doesn't hurt that they are reusable, and it's so much nicer to pull one out of your purse or pocket than it is to use a kleenex!

Shorts: 1942 edition

  

Today I started sewing a pair of shorts for my boyfriend on his birthday.  The pattern is from 1942! It has the coolest buttoning-waistband detail.

This is the first time I've sewn with a non-printed pattern.  Instead of printing the markings on the tissue (such as where darts go, etc) they put small perforations in the paper and you copy these onto your fabric.  I think it's actually a bit easier than using printed patterns, as transferring the markings is just a matter of using a sewing pencil or tailor's chalk to draw them on, rather than having to use tracing paper, tailor's tacks, or any of the other ways to do it.

I'm planning to make a post in the future about sewing with vintage patterns! It's not very much different from modern patterns, but I do have a few tricks up my sleeve to share! Plus I just want an excuse to show off my old patterns and the things I've made with them!

Projects in Process

I almost always sew and bake more the more I have to do at school.  It's the best way to procrastinate.  This weekend I've been working on a paper about blogs, which makes it much more difficult to unselfconsciously make a blog post.  But anyway, here we go, let me show you what I've been working on:


I've sewn lots of things to take my boyfriend when we see each other next week!  I love sewing and I love sewing men's clothes, especially.  They have all the nice sharp edges and neat details that I love to make but don't usually wear myself.

First I made a light blue dress shirt, something everybody should have.  I hand-worked the buttonholes because my machine, reliable as it is in other ways, makes terrible buttonholes, and anyway, it's a skill I wanted to pick up. This is, I think, the first one I made.  They got better as I went along.

I also made a pile of monogrammed handkerchiefs.

It might seem silly, but I've always wanted to monogram something.  I love things that are just a little too unnecessary, too detailed, too old-fashioned.

I took quite a few in-progress shots so that I can make a how-to post later.

Finally, I've been making pyjamas.  My pyjamas are starting to get a bit fall-aparty, and this super cute kitten fabric is just the thing to make new ones out of.  

And, finally, I made some jams for my partner, too.  We need to be able to have pyjama parties, after all! All the fabric I used was already in my stash: striped seersucker, soft white cotton, and some lilac cotton for trimming.

  Phew! That's all for tonight!