A few days at the lake

A glorious couple of days at the lake last week. Perfect weather with a cool lake breeze. 

The above 1950s Dresden Plate was whipped into shape. Very torn border and a few shattered spokes.
I was toying with rebinding in red, or piecing the old blue border to make a narrow binding.

 In the end I merely removed the blue and turned the white backing to the front to bind. A bit anemic but  in truth, it was not really  a good enough piece to command more effort.

The latest batch of gooseberry jam.  We have a bumper crop this year. A bit of a fiddle as we do not get those huge UK goosgogs. I must say I was proud of myself as I did not have any kind of recipe and had to play it by ear. Gooseberries are high in pectin and they all jelled perfectly.

More knitting now off the needles.     Vintage wool bought at an oppie in Richmond NZ and

My tried and true Beehive pattern c 1930.

Please, do not think I sit and do nothing.....I read three books as well. All left my my daughters and DIL who keep me well supplied with reading material.

Needlework box

The memory of a vintage sewing basket that I had to leave in Richmond NZ about 10 years ago has left a permanent scar. It  was a  standing basket lined with 1930s floral cretonne that  was much too big to carry home 

However, last year I managed to pick up an adorable knitting basket from  the same area, Wakefield, The Pigeon Valley to be exact.

I do have a thing about sewing boxes, bags and baskets.

Which brings me too a new venture from my blog buddy Lynn at Tialys.
She has actually made a downloadable tutorial for her darling hexagonal sewing boxes......go on, have a look

Well done Lynn, I'm very impressed.

Liberty

This small printed label has long been the indicator of my favorite sort of Liberty scarf. So I was delighted to receive a reply from their Facebook  page when I inquired as to when this label was retired, the archivist  thinks it is pre WW11. I must have about 100 in my somewhat large collection.

But what is going on with Liberty these days? First I come across a scarf I almost dislike - then I come across a very dubious Liberty scarf,  perhaps a misprint.

 I ordered some Liberty print shirts ( on sale!!) last month from The Hudson's Bay Company, a department store here in Canada.

100% cotton, yes, Tana Lawn,, no. Reasonably made though a bit on the skimpy side  -  though that may be the extra lbs I have put on.
But whats with this ludicrous marketing tag? The new ' telling a story'  suppose.

Rather like my local supermarket that pretends to be a French market place.

button button

Vintage buttons are so alluring and collectible. 

Relatively cheap at the Kiwi op shops and easy to transport home.

Some, from my recent trip to New Zealand , have already been put into use, these from a  stash of MOP buttons bought in  Wakefield, here on a freshly knitted baby cardi.   ( vintage pattern, of course)

More op-shop finds.

These steel grey lozenges are livening up my new grey linen dress.

I seldom find buttons at home in the Canadian thrifts.

very Audrey Hepburn

1950s vintage scarves or neckerchiefs

now all together in a basket, ready to take to market.

Nearly all silk, they range from 15 - 18" square

Novelty, floral and some souvenir, they are very Audrey Hepburn in

Roman Holiday......my favorite film of all time.

Whats your favorite movie?