Fear Not The Buttonhole

My first coat. My first lining. And, most importantly, my first buttonhole(s).

Now, is there an online tutorial for fussy cutting the front so it matches up? While cutting, I was thinking about how the sides match, but forgot about the front, doh!

The Pattern:
Vintage Simplicity 9903, a classic from my childhood. I think my grandma made the fuzzy version for my sister.

The Fabric:
Wonderful Richard Scarry-esque construction crew canvas fabric, part of my first purchase from Superbuzzy. What a fun package that was — all so beautiful and different, lovely and Japanese.

The Inside Scoop:
The lining is plain green quilting cotton stitched to look like woodgrain from a variety of brownish threads (read: lazy sewer doesn't want to match bobbin thread and doesn't seem to have two matching browns anyway). Tension was a little wonky, but i went with it anyway. In St. Blaize speak, it's a "better-than-it-was situation" — sometimes that's enough. I left the sleeves plain, not wood-ified, because i thought it would feel funny, too bumpy. Lining installation went well even though my brain refuses to think inside out.

Special Thanks:
To Kristin at Sew, Mama, Sew, for the inspirational Kid's Clothing Month sew-a-long. I really pushed to get this done in time to post in the Flickr group.

To my mom, for putting up with my kvetching about buttonholes. I like to talk, complain, dread, ask a ton of questions, and fret a lot before I finally dig in and try something I've never done before, like make buttonholes, or choose a kindergarten for my child.

To Sara, for a wealth of knowledge about sewing and kindergarten.

To my happy customer, for being socuteIcan'tstandit (one word).

Flashback Friday — Big Hair Days

Originally uploaded by becktress.

My sister uploaded this gem, as well as a couple other wacky photos from back in our swing days. Actually, this was just prior to the move to the Red House with the Green Kitchen where we learned to dance. Once we started dancing I think the hair got much smaller. What were we thinking? Wacky stuff, I tell ya.

Gatsby Picnic

At my mother-in-law's request our family attended the Gatsby Picnic a couple weeks back. It was motivating, if nothing else. Where does a 185 lb, 5 ft. 9.5 in. girl get herself some authentic 1920s or 30s vintage outfits in a hurry? She doesn't. She has to make them.

I started by buying some patterns from Decades of Style because they have redrafted some great vintage patterns to fit larger sizes (Angelina are you listening?). I made this skirt and this jacket (still a WIP). My sister found a vintage-looking Target sweater at a garage sale. I just happen to have some vintage size 11 shoes that worked. My goal was to look appropriate, but not too fancy.

After looking at the Vintage Pattern Lending Library I was dying to make one of these wonderful felt hats. Of course, I picked the one with the flowers. I used all materials from the stash — a benefit of being a hoarder. The picnic day turned out to be very warm, so I traded in the wool for a straw cloche that my MIL had. The wool hat made its debut at preschool last week when my hair was in a state that might scare small children. Turns out the hat scared them more than the hair. Go figure.

More photos from the picnic here.

The Original Green Kitchen

Some people have wondered where the name came from. It's not as cool and eco-based as it seems — it was, literally, just a green kitchen.

I lived in this house, known as the Red House, with my sister from 1994 to 1997. It's an old farm house with solid wood walls and a porch that wraps around two sides. It sits at the end of an industrial neighborhood, which was good for late night musical happenings.

For awhile we lived there with another set of sisters. We all learned to swing dance and wore a hole in the paint on the wooden floor with all our one-two-rock-steps.

Woodsman Pants: A Finish What You Have Project

Pants for a woodsman, with built-in suspenders and antler buttons. Now, if I would just let him chop some trees down, he'd be really happy.

Fabric by Joel Dewberry via Sew, Mama, Sew. Crochet closure inspiration from Mette.



Vintage ear flap hat from grandma C. She has a vintage clothing store (Decades of Fashion) in San Francisco — I know, lucky us! The truck shirt is for hauling the wood out of the forest, don'tcha know.



Little brother's contribution to the woodsman game was to wear a hand-knit thrift store sweater with squirrel motifs.

I Heart Aqua & Red: A Crochet Bodice Dress

Mama and sons can match, too. :)
Click on photos to see my notes about making this dress.

Crazy Train

train
Originally uploaded by Green Kitchen.

Just waiting for the crazy train to pass — hopefully it will with the beginning of the school season.