Monday 17 September 2012

My favourite time of year

So you know when you've been super busy and haven't blogged in a while, you feel like you have to post something really exciting to get back in the game?  And then the longer you delay, the bigger you feel like the post must be to merit such a long absence?  No? 

Everyone seems to slow down over the summer, whether it's because:
A) you're home with your kids and don't have a moment to yourself that doesn't involve cleaning up sand and wet towels and Popsicle stickies, or
B) you're travelling and your vacation destination has dial-up, or
C) you're just lying by the pool drinking margaritas all day and end up too drunk to operate a computer, let alone the flying blades of a serger.  (not naming any names)

The heat and humidity of Montreal summer have finally passed, and we're into my favourite time of year.  The chilly nights have given me back some of the energy that was AWOL for the past few weeks.  I don't have anything monumental to post, but I do have lots of little interesting things to catch up on, so I'll spread this out over a few days.  First of all, please join me in welcoming this beauty to my house:

 
 
This belonged to my great-grandmother Warren.  Luckily my parents are in the purging mode of life and drove up to Montreal last week with this in tow.  She needs a bit of work, but still runs well.  Luckily again, my neighbour does furniture repair/refinishing in his basement as a retirement job, so I'm going to pop over there for a bit of new veneer.

Also included in the purge swag, some fugly '80s patterns:


That poofy dress on the left look familiar?  Yes, it was the prom dress that my mother made for me in 1987, featured below in my Awkward Prom Photo that Oona asked us all to contribute for Promaballoona back in July.  

identities hidden to protect the innocent / guilty
It has a pretty tiny 32.5" bodice, so I doubt I'll ever use it again, but I just had to post the final piece of that prom puzzle.

More catch-up tomorrow.
V


5 comments:

  1. Wow your sewing machine is utterly beautiful. x x x

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  2. OH MY GAWD. That machine is gorgeous! And it still runs?! Ah - mazing.

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  3. Aren't the Egyptian motifs beautiful? I remember from my childhood that almost every auntie and grandmother had one of these languishing in some dusty corner; the kids would always have treadle pumping contests to see who could make it go the fastest. I'm sure many a machine was broken due to mid-century kid abuse. I doubt that I'll use it much, but it would be fun to make at least one project completely on this machine, just for the experience.

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  4. It's absolutely beautiful! I was given one by a neighbour quite a few years ago when I still lived in a house large enough to accommodate it and while I was still doing dressmaking for extra cash-around-the-house, but - probably it was just me - I found that sewing with it was like trying to drive one of those big heavy tanker trucks. It felt as if it was giving the orders and I was just trailing along behind. Yet its original owner was a tiny, partially-disabled lady who made all sorts of utterly exquisite clothing on it. Best of luck in handling yours, looking forward to seeing how you get on.

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  5. So. Freaking. Jealous. (Of the Singer, not the '80s patterns!)

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