Button Bonaza

I should now have enough buttons to last me the rest of my life.

On Friday I received an order of mixed buttons from ButtonButton and Saturday I found a biscuit tin full of even more buttons at a garage sale.

The buttons from the garage sale were tied together with string according to a plan I could not fathom. However, sorting was much easier than the lovely mess from ButtonButton.

I've now pretty much sorted them all according to colour, and my little button caddy is full.

When I was a child, my mother would give me her button jar to play with when she needed to have some time to get things done. It would keep me out of trouble for hours.
Apparently not much has changed.

I'd Rather Be Furnished, Thank You

A few years ago I noticed a sign in a department store indicating Mens' Furnishings. Intriguged, I investigated further. I was somewhat disappointed to find that I was in the mens' underwear department. But that started me thinking; 'furnishings' sound much more comfortable than 'lingerie', or even worse, 'foundation garments'. Really, what would I rather do, lean against the soft upholstery, of say, my chesterfield, or the architecturally interesting, but distinctly hard and chilly edge of the limestone holding up the house?

I have some mens underwear; it is very cozy (a topic for another day-why can I wear mens' underwear and not cause a stir but a man wearing womens' underwear still raises eyebrows?) And lingerie, if you investigate its etymological roots, refers to anything made of linen. I like linen, but I would not necessarily like to have pure linen right next to my skin.

This whole little thought process started when I went looking for my backless, strapless bra to wear with my backless sundress. This bra definitely qualifies as a foundation garment, since it will stand up on its own.
I have no doubt that my garment is much more comfortable than this corset I found on Wikicommons. I look much better in my dress when I have it on, but it is not my first choice when getting dressed in the morning. Plus, I can't imagine needing someone to help me get dressed, and pulling the laces on this baby would definitely require some extra hands.
Even some of the styles worn today don't look much more appealing. While I like pretty things as much as the next girl, some of the lacy panty and bra sets I see look downright scratchy. I hate being uncomfortable-it distracts me from the other subtle nuances of life. Not that all of the mens briefs are as comfortable as boxers. If you want to know what I mean, go to Google images and search 'underwear male models'. Interesting indeed, and some of the underwear looks like it might actually be comfortable. But the rest?

How Old is Vintage?

I made this dress in the late 1980s. Clothes from the era are considered vintage in some places now so I am glad I kept it. It isn't necessarily indicative of the style of clothes back then, but I wasn't too enamoured of those styles anyway.

The pattern is New Look, tho' try as I might, I cannot find it. I certainly hope I didn't give it away, as I have always planned to make it again.
I added a jacket on this occasion as I was wearing it to work. It was one of my last days before going on educational leave and one of my co-workers was having a pool party for me to celebrate. It was also an incredibly hot day, to it was a bonus to be able to wear it.

The jacket is also New Look, and again, I can't find the pattern.

Making Room?

I found this Mexx linen dress at the MCC on Saturday. They had it priced at $5 but they were having a half-price sale so I had a pleasant surprise at the till (as if $5 wasn't pleasant enough).

I washed it and tried it on.

I think you know where I am going with this. Or rather, where I won't be going with this.

I toyed briefly with the idea of letting out the seams, but even with seven seams and at the most half a centimetre of ease per seam, I still won't be closing this dress over these girls.

If it doesn't fit one of my sisters, I may wind up with a long brown linen skirt.

I Love Garage Sales

The ad in the paper said 'moving after 52 years at the same address'. Considering what I accumulate after just a few years, I was hoping for all sorts of interesting stuff. Plus I am an incurable snoop.
The lady of the house liked to sew, and the patterns were my size; bonus! She had boxes of patterns but I managed to restrain myself and bought only a few.

I just have to find the time to take a close look at them and actually make one...
or two.