my red socks

I am in love with my red woolen socks. They come from The Custom Woolen Mills  in Carstairs, Alberta.

 Bought at The Purple Sock, the LYS I frequent in the summer on my way to the cabin. We always stop in Coldwater.

There is another pair in a much larger size waiting to go under the Christmas tree.

Indian Summer

Looks like today will be the last of our Indian summer,temperatures are expected to drop tomorrow.

The rusty planter on the front steps is looking forlorn....but the color combo with the mossy steps is rich.

 Tiny, button chrysanthemums will certainly be the last bouquet from the garden, I understand this,by now, rather ragged lot was planted in the early 1940s and they are my favorites.

A small Christmas cactus is putting on a show already, seems it likes being pot bound.

Knitting du jour

A charming wee scarf, hand knitted in fine Merino wool, that I bought at an op shop in New Zealand last winter. I listed it in my etsy shop and it is now living in Hong Kong. But not before I copied the pattern. The first time I have ever done that and it was not so difficult.

Tired of knitting baby sweaters, I set out to use up some of my vast yarn stash. I remember working with this pink Phildar yarn in 1982 on a trip to Vermont. That was the holiday the youngest broke her leg skiing.

Some of the stash has been around the house since the early 70s. I never would buy man made yarn these days, but am enjoying how these are knitting up. Simple garter stitch looks completely different with every yarn.

Olive green chenille yarn of unknown content bought at a street market in Florence for 1 Euro.

Thought I had a unique, funky/vintage project until I found a million similar items for sale on-line. Great minds think alike I suppose.

Yes, another one

Yes, there was another  big tub of  "lost" scarves in the garage. Not perhaps lost for 12 years like the last lot, but at least 4 or 5 years. The bottom layer I do not remember at all, then there were some plastic bags stuffed with scarves....seems as if I came home from some rummage/jumble/yard sales and just shoved them in, have a vague recollection of some of these.

 No Liberty scarves this time,or couture designer. I must have started my special Liberty box ( make that closet) and designer drawer by then. A pretty selection of fine woolens were there.

 Plus a couple of smaller boxes ....no doubting the contents. I must have been more organized in those days,

This cravat has just the right label.

 And, this Hermes wannabe. It may well be an early Hermes, no imprint, as often was the case.... guess folks were not so 'label' conscious back then.   The size of the scarf is right, the hem is right, the entire 'look' is right.
 I wish Hermes had a complete catalog of designs. There is a fancy coffee table book that I have, but its rather pretentious and does not tell me what I need to know.  

Shall I move it to my Hermes box?
Thinking it would be a fun thing to share with my granddaughter I was going to treat us  to this Hermes coloring book until I saw the price.....


lots more for the shop, think it will keep me going for a year or so.

what was I thinking of???

R found a large tupperware box at the back of the garage. Chock a' block with vintage scarves that I must have bought at some point. About 350 darlings and  I can not remember one of them. They have not seen the light of day for at least 12 years and some still have the thrift store tags (thrift stores have gone up in price quite a bit, I note).  A bit damp and a little smelly by now, nevertheless it is like Alladin's cave to me.

Part of the yield is a bunch of Liberty scarves.

Whoops...forgot this one. Even I did not recognize this print.

1950s oblong  woven rayon scarves, most likely made in France.

 My all time favorites, these old foulards that I generically call Macclesfield prints,

 always with a modest colour range and selvedge to 2 sides....more about these at another point.

 A fun bunch of 1950s neckerchiefs,very 'Roman Holiday'.

Lots, lots more, so I am busy working my way through them one by one, washing, ironing, and listing in my etsy shop. They are coming up very well.
I will loose a few, about 10% from either my original mistakes or from storage.
I have a very vague idea there may be another box somewhere as well .....I do hope so.

75% sure.....

Some more vintage Liberty silk scarves for my collection.

 The middle one, 1950's I think,   I have in other colourways, but the scarf at the top is a new pattern for me (60's 70's perhaps)

Usually,  I know definitely  when an unmarked scarf is a Liberty. Not sure why I am holding back on this one, the color is right, the printing is right, the size is right. I think is is the depth of the border that is throwing me off.
. Actually, the more I look, the more I think it is.....lets up date that title to 85% sure.....maybe 90%.