When my husband and I moved up to Portland from Mendocino almost five years ago, I had to leave behind one of my favorite pastimes, an outdoor antique and collectible market the first Sunday of every month. It is held in Alameda at the old naval air stations right across the bay from San Francisco [...]
Archive for the ‘Clothing’ Category
Antiques by the Bay
Posted in Antique/Vintage Textiles, Clothing, Decorative, Fabric, Indomitable Women, Inspiration, Memories, Places, Seasons on May 3, 2010 | 12 Comments »
Embracing Femininity Part I
Posted in Art, Clothing, Indomitable Women, Inspiration, Memories, Places, Ruminating, Seasons, Uncategorized on May 1, 2010 | 22 Comments »
As I get older I become more set in my ways. Some are tolerable, as viewed by others, something I often find amusing. However, parts of me, huge parts are more personal. I view these as having been with me for a lifetime. In other words they seem so entrenched in my being it would [...]
My Love Affair with Sewing
Posted in Antique/Vintage Textiles, Clothing, Decorative, Fabric, Memories, Ruminating on April 22, 2010 | 30 Comments »
I finished my linen blouse today. I am usually very critical about all results. It fits perfectly. I love the linen. It was a dream to handle and sew. I love the vintage lace trims and the buttons are little gems. So what is my complaint? The ruffle worked well, and the pattern had a [...]
Celebrating Life
Posted in Clothing, Fabric, Inspiration, Nature, Places, Ruminating, Seasons on April 10, 2010 | 18 Comments »
I have been thinking a lot lately about colors in our lives, and primarily what colors we choose for our clothing. On my morning walks, I have been inspired by all the natural and vibrant colors in all the spring flowers. Tulips seem to be blooming in everyone’s gardens and now the wisteria hanging over [...]
Clothing for Us
Posted in Clothing, Fabric, Indomitable Women, Inspiration, Memories, Ruminating on April 7, 2010 | 40 Comments »
I have been thinking a lot about how we, as older women, dress. It seems problematic. I think we don’t trust our instincts or else we are mired in jeans and t-shirts or loose sweaters. I am a little tired of looking at myself in this attire everyday. I want to look like this woman [...]
Sewing by hand
Posted in Clothing, Decorative, Fabric on March 30, 2010 | 12 Comments »
I have been trying to slow my life down. I have been reading a lot, listening to audio books, taking long walks, watching movies, talking to my husband, and doing a lot of slow, hand-sewing. I have also, of course, been thinking about how we live, or rather how I live. I would prefer to [...]
Lampshades
Posted in Clothing, Decorative, fabric/collage/applique, Interior Design on March 14, 2010 | 21 Comments »
This is what I have been working on the last week, lampshades for a woman that asked me to make a total of five for her before my daughter’s wedding. She was in no hurry, but after I recovered sufficiently from all the wedding sewing, I felt compelled to get these finished as soon as [...]
A skirt
Posted in Antique/Vintage Textiles, Clothing, Fabric, Nature, Places, Seasons on March 1, 2010 | 29 Comments »
I finished the skirt late Friday afternoon, and silly me, after it was done, I was thinking how great this would have looked on Vanessa Bell with a paintbrush in hand and a canvas in front of her or Virginia Woolf seated at her desk, pen in hand, writing her journal or finishing the last [...]
The textile wastebasket
Posted in Antique/Vintage Textiles, Clothing, Fabric, Going Green, Ruminating on February 26, 2010 | 27 Comments »
This morning, as an experiment, I decided to select some of my most prized colorful silks and velvets and throw them in the waste basket just to see how it felt to be nonchalant and indifferent. What prompted this exercise was an article I read yesterday afternoon in a publication that is delivered to my [...]
The Silk Skirt
Posted in Clothing, Fabric, Indomitable Women, Inspiration, Memories, Places on February 25, 2010 | 18 Comments »
I am not a huge fan of flying. I have had this fear ever since I can remember. However, once the plane is steadied and I look around and see people relaxing, then I begin to relax and enjoy the mental space. My habit is to pick up a book and read for as long [...]