Buckle Up
March 25th, 2013
Oh dear, I’ve let things slip again. Or more accurately, I’ve simply been too busy doing everything else to take time to do anything worth writing about.
But I did find this neat vintage buckle at a thrift store this afternoon…
It’s got bars on either side to attach a fabric belt, and the two cast metal buckles in the center hide little hooks and eyes.
It could pass as 1930s/40s, but I think it’s more likely 1960s/70s…
Swing Your Partner
April 16th, 2012
Do any of you remember the Amazon Drygoods catalogue? Now they’ve got a website of course, but I’ve got such fond memories of poring through their pink-paper-bound booklets, dreaming about all the historic and ethnic costumes I’d make.
I did end up buying quite a few patterns through them, including my first forays into Ms. Altman’s excellent Past Patterns. Among the patterns that my mother firmly discouraged however were the square dance dresses. She realized, as I was not then able, that I would have absolutely no use for a square dance dress in northern Delaware. Looking back, I can see that she was probably right. But I always carried a secret regret.
So you can imagine my joy when I found a whole pile of the very same patterns at the local thrift store. For 90 cents a piece!
Which of course begs the question, what on earth am I going to do with a square dance dress on the central coast of California?
Hmm, that reminds me — gingham is on sale at Walmart…