Sewing retro!

I came across these Japanese sewing pattern books at ebay:

"Dresses from the 60's Movies" was my first purchase.
My plan was an Audrey Hepburn dress, but when the kids laughed at my chosen fabric (white with grey Parisian buildings and red poppies) .I lost my nerve, and instead raided the suitcase in the attic for this possibly 1960's, possibly African cotton, and made a gorgeous little shell top a la Catherine Deneuve:

The buttons on the back are from granny's button box, and are bronze coloured flowers with some sort of shell shining through the filigree design. The overall effect is very retro - even when worn with a long vest and jeans underneath as I did the other night at the North Atlantic Fiddle Convention concert "Celtic Crossings"!

What I love about this pattern is the off-the-shoulder neckline and the subtle shaping, which makes this top hang so beautifully. here is what it looks like in the book:

There will definitely be more of these tops in my life!

Meantime I have ordered some stone cotton / linen mix and some white ribbon and lace-striped cotton to make some of the "natural" items in the second book. Delicate smocks, striking tunics and simple wide-legged trousers are beckoning to me!

Christmas preparations in the summer?

I have take the chance while the children have not been around to knit my daughter a scarf for Christmas!
This is in Hello Mango handspun in the Party colourway from Hipknits.co.uk. I love the silver sparkley thread that shoots through the purple! The pattern is from Sheep in the City - her "So-called scarf". It took me a couple of attempts to get it right, but I really love the texture of this stitch pattern - I will definitely be making one for me, and another for my friend.

I loved the spotted satin ribbon that the skein came with - great for gift-wrapping!

Not content with one Christmas gift in the bag, I am now working on some secret socks for my partner. These are the Fluted Bannister socks, knitted in Lang Jawoll, purchased from ebay for something silly like £3! It's a mix of cotton, wool and nylon, and really soft. I really like the reinforcing thread that they provide for heels and toes. However, I am worried I might run out of yarn, as the skeins are only 45g each. May have to knit the toes out of plain navy Rowan True Botany I happen to have in my sock wool box, together with the reinforcing thread.