....Is a day wasted!
I've been pricing and packing the stock ready for the weekend but even though I've got no intention of venturing any further than the Kinky shed, I'm still dressed. Apart from the fact that I don't own any scruffy clothes, I work far more efficiently if I've got my lipstick and a pretty frock on.
I've been pricing and packing the stock ready for the weekend but even though I've got no intention of venturing any further than the Kinky shed, I'm still dressed. Apart from the fact that I don't own any scruffy clothes, I work far more efficiently if I've got my lipstick and a pretty frock on.
I'm wearing a 1960s handmade wool dress, a vintage crewelwork waistcoat, a Rajasthani choker and my trusty space boots. I did have my red suede coat on over the top - yes, it really is that cold - but after hulking 19 bags of stock into the back of the van I've warmed up a bit.
The April hail showers haven't been the ideal conditions for photographing stock in the garden but here's a few of the items coming with us on Sunday.
The Afghan-style dress has been handmade- but not by me! - using Collier Campbell fabric in lightweight wool, the suit is by Phool and was bought by the original owner in 1979 and the floor length Moroccan-style velvet coat is the dreamiest shade of midnight blue.
Menswear includes this 1970s Italian Army issue trench coat, a zingy mustard moleskin waistcoat, a '70s dagger collar shirt by Spaghetti Western in a hard-to-find larger size and a classic 1980s flight jacket in wonderfully aged leather.
Our weekend trading destination? The gorgeous St Stephen's Church in uber-posh Hampstead. Last time was fab although I'm not looking forward to the 4am get up. Do come along and say hello if you're in the area!
In my last post I mentioned using my witchy powers to convert a torn kurta, a sun-damaged curtain and a Punjabi table cover into something wearable. Hooray for the £1 charity clearance shop, offering customers one last chance to rescue damaged textiles before they're consigned to landfill. Refashioning isn't scary or intimidating when the pieces you're using were destined for the scrapheap anyway.
The belt is a bejewelled curtain tie back.
This was an utter beast to sew, I must have sewed the sleeve on inside-out three times and there's still a bit at the back that needs attention. A few people have suggested I could make a few of these for festivals but I think I'd lose my mind. I've got so much respect for anyone who sews clothes for a living.
I'm calling it the Psychedelic Cossack, just don't ask me to dance, I'd hate to put my hip out before Sunday.
I love packing for a fair early and having a whole day free. We're currently embroiled in bleak Norwegian thriller, The River, which we'll finish watching this evening then Jon - weather permitting - is hoping to crack on with painting Gilbert tomorrow. After I've washed my hair and decided what to wear to work on Sunday, I *might* do some more sewing!
See you soon.
There's a brilliant blue butterfly whose name I can't recall -- but that's the appellation to be given the stunning blues in this post, Vix. The Psychedelic Cossack is a costume worthy of that Russian ballet designer whose name I can't recall either...
ReplyDeleteYou say the nicest things, dear Beth! x
DeleteLeon Bakst - the "Firebird"!
ReplyDeleteWow! I've just Googled him and I'm in love with his designs! What a compliment! xxx
DeleteLove both of those dresses Vix.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a great weekend trading.
Hugs-x-
Thanks, Sheila! We had a great time but we're a bit battered now! x
DeleteSorry not to have commented for ages but I have been admiring your sewing endeavours from afar. This is gorgeous. Such a brilliant, creative way to recycle textiles. You look really lovely in them and are an inspiration to us all, Vix. i loved your cloak. What a find! Hope that Hampstead is a lot of fun. Love to you and Jon. Xx
ReplyDeleteAlways lovely to hear from you, Kelly! xxx
DeleteYou have so much imagination! I'm glad you saved those items from the landfill.
ReplyDeleteMy Wolverhampton grandma was a seamstress before WW2. She had been apprenticed to a tailor and was really skilled. Apparently she charged sixpence to make a dress and even reused her tailor's tacks. Life was pretty grim unless you were Upper Class.
Thanks, Jan! What a tough life your Grandma must have had. I always think that when I watch historical/costume dramas - a fine old time you'd have had as a member of the upper classes and a life of hardship for anyone not so fortunate. I'm so glad to have been born in the latter part of the 20th Century! x
DeleteAnother bold winner! The colours are fantastic.
ReplyDeleteWishing you an excellent show!
Suzanne
http://www.suzannecarillo.com
Thank you so much! We had a fab time - just wrecked now! x
DeleteI am in love with the crewel work waistcoat. I#'d love to have a go at crewel work; I'm guessing it's a bit like tapestry. I love your red dress.
ReplyDeleteThe new items for Kinky Melon's stock look wonderful. I never cease to be amazed at what you find.
As for your new recycled refashioned dress the 'Psychedelic Cossack' - it's amazing. The Kurta must have been beautiful before it was torn; I'm so glad you were able to salvage it.
Have a great trading weekend.
xxx
Thanks, Vronni! The more I come across tapestry and crewel work, the more I'd love to have a bash at them.
DeleteIt's funny, no matter how slim the pickings are, there's a star piece every day. xxx
The Psychedelic Cossack is astounding! Those colours are magnificent, Vix. I also love your "casual, not casual" outfit.
ReplyDeleteIf I lived there, I would be at every single one of these vintage fairs! I love going to them. Your stock is so much nicer than many of the vendors' here! I would spend ages going through every item.
Good luck and good weather for your show!
Thanks, Sheila! I know you'd love the UK vintage fairs, especially the London ones, there's such a wide variety and with most we're all vetted so there's no modern stuff with the labels cut out! xxx
DeleteI think your make is wonderful! Just wonderful! You are clever. Your sewing the sleeve on backwards does make me think of the Sewing Bee though! Haha!!! I enjoyed the final and actually, your first dress put me in mind of Juliet's Made to Measure!!!
ReplyDeleteI had to hang my head in shame, giggling at Ricardo's sleeve and doing the same blimming thing not once but twice!! xxxx
DeleteOrange and blue are so great together. Hope you have good trading tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteThey weren't my first colour combo but they seemed so good when I laid them out together! xxx
DeleteWhat fab finds, I'm sure you'll have a great day of selling.
ReplyDeleteNow if only you were in Australia and selling your vintage crewelwork waistcoat, I'd happily buy it! X
Thanks, Jess! I bought that waistcoat with the intention of selling it but I tried it on and the rest was history - my excuse is that anything with a 32" bust can hang around on the rails for months - I might as well keep the offending garments! xxx
DeleteJust WOW!!!
ReplyDeleteCudos to sewing the heavy velvet to the flimsy kurta fabric. That dress turned out sensational- and the color is perfect on you. Chapeau!
Happy trading! Xxxxx
Thank you so much!! It was an absolute nightmare sewing the flimsy kurta to the heavier velvet - something I might avoid in the future! xxx
DeleteThat sixties red wool dress looks gorgeous on you and I love the vest you paired it with. Such a gorgeous styling, shame you had to hide in under the coat. We had a few cold days as well, not very typical for our region.
ReplyDeleteThe vintage additions to your shop are fabulous, this time the men's department caught my eye the most. How gorgeous is that vintage leather flier jacket!!
The orange kurta dress you made is a work of art. I have respect for anyone who sews for a living too. It's harder than it looks, isn't it?
Isn't the weather odd? Even my Spanish friends are having an unseasonably cold blast after the false Spring in February!
DeleteIsn't that jacket amazing? they were very popular in the early 1980s but one of the first I've come across in years!
Sewing is hard - it's fun as a hobby but when you're doing it for someone else there's so much pressure for perfection. It takes the joy out of it! xxx
I can't agree more! I'm always dressed up, even if I have no intention to leave the house. The only time I wore jeans and a jumper (and they weren't even scruffy, just not me) was when we were clearing my parents' house, and I hated every minute of not being dressed up. I'm sorry to hear it's being cold over there. Other than a couple of crispy morning and the ubiquitous April showers, we can't complain really. The Psychedelic Cossack is a masterpiece, utterly gorgeous. Wishing you happy trading uber-posh Hampstead! xxx
ReplyDeleteIsn't being dressed down horrible? I feel like someone's run away with my personality, I just want to hide away!
DeleteI'm desperate to get out in the garden and do some planting but there's a real danger of frost at the moment. I hope it improves for the classic Car Boot at the end of the month, it was positively Baltic last year! xxx
Loving the hat and curtain tieback touch! I used to make bags for sale, and had to think sooo carefully to ensure the lining didn't end up backwards or insideout. You have given those pieces of stunning fabric another glamorous life! Applause! Xo Jazzy Jack
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! Sewing real does tax the old grey cells, doesn't it? I'm constantly having to talk myself through every stage and I still do daft things! xxx
DeleteI love the orange creation, you have a really good eye for colour combo.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Betty! xxx
DeleteI love the fabulous orange Cossack look.
ReplyDeleteThe crewel waistcoat is gorgeous. I love waistcoats, I bought three from Beyond Retro in Brighton the other week, I tried so hard to choose but in the end all three had to come home with me!
I hope trading is brisk today and you have a fab time.
Also hoping this posts after much failure!! xxx
Ha! You're a girl after my own heart. If you can't decide get all of them. I love customers like that!
DeleteI'm so glad the blog commenting has rectified itself. i wonder if it's got anything to do with that Google Plus thingy? xxx
Amazing work:)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! x
DeleteI hope you had a successful fair, certainly some lovely stock there. I do like the psychedelic cossack, good album title actually! I end up itching to sew after reading your blog... Xx
ReplyDeleteThe fair was fab, thank you although the 3.45am start was a bit of a killer!
DeletePsychedelic Cossack would be a great album title, sounds like something Kate Bush would release! xxx
Hope the fair went well. A 4am start isn’t the best of things for sure.
ReplyDeleteI’m going to hold my hand up and say I had a dress down day yesterday as I was having a clearing out and cleaning up session. On top of that I had to get all the bedding out as we have had bed bugs. Lawd knows how that’s happened. I’m neurotic now about it. Then it flaming rained and the eiderdowns got wet through. Not the best of days.
Your lovely outfits and pictures have cheered me up though xxxx
Bed bugs?! No way! I remember having those in a guest house in Goa and having to drag the mattress out into the hot sun to exterminate the little sods - no chance of that here unless you want to freeze them into submission! xxx
DeleteI do love to see you dressed up and rocking so much whatever you're doing. Love your red dress and Perfect Waistcoat!. I have to recognize that I wear a robe at home (a cute one!), but I dress to the nines even to go out to the corner shop. I'm not able to dress casually, it's damn difficult!
ReplyDeleteObviously, I'm in love with the orange and blue afghan dress you made!, it looks like a dream of comfort and colour! Orange fabulousness!.
But I understand pretty well that sewing different fabrics together can be a nightmare!, it is taking me ages to do it myself!!
Admiring every piece you sell, greater stuff ever!
besos
Thank you so much! I like a fabulous robe to wear at home, too - I'd hate to scare the poor postman! xxx
DeleteI hope the fair was a huge success and lots of fun. After a 4AM wake-up call, I can't really have fun until at least cocktail hour! Love your Cossack dress, it's a stunner. xox
ReplyDeletePatti
http://notdeadyetstyle.com
Thanks so much, Patti! Was it wrong of me to start looking forward to my homecoming rum and coke at 5am?! xxx
DeleteJust like Sheila, I too would want to attend all of the Vintage fairs if I lived over there! That crewel-work waistcoat is lovely. I wish I would have paid more attention when people tried to teach me to sew when I was a kid. I have lots of ideas, but neither the patience nor the skill to bring them to fruition. I love seeing your latest creation.
ReplyDeleteI'm the same, the bit of embroidery I did at junior school (I was about 8 years old) held no interest whatsoever - now, when I come across stuff like the waistcoat, I'm so cross that I didn't pay more attention! xxx
DeleteThat's a smashing dress you've made. You're so much better at getting dressed than I am; within two days of being at home I'm living in trousers, a T-shirt and not putting any makeup on...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mim! I don't feel like me without lipstick and a decent frock even if nobody buy Jon and the cats see me all day! xxx
DeleteSuch a gorgeous outfit in your red wool 60s dress, it's really special.
ReplyDeleteAs for the psychedelic Cossack, I absolutely love it! It strikes me that this sort of bodice construction could be a great way to use too-small shirts, as well. xx @jessiejessyg
Thank you, my friend! Lovely to see you pop up over here! xxx
DeleteIt's a beauty! The colours are so vibrant and warm, love it!
ReplyDeletexx
Thanks, Hazel! x
Delete