Just A Couple of Wearables and Words

I used to wear a lot of simplest of simple t-shirts. And still, nothing wrong with a perfectly executed tee. But it can get a bit boring. A bit mundane. A bit, well, blaah. I have always liked a sort of folksy traditional style though as well, be it 19th century Russian embroidery or hippie-chic-60's applique sunflowers, and since there are still a few of those blah white t-shirts gathering dust in the recesses of my wardrobe I thought I might as well start doing something with them. My first thoughts were obviously embroidery, but then I found an old scarf that I had never really worn and there it was, not quite sunflowers but applique nevertheless.

So, basically I just cut the flowers and spread them on the shirt, each one is individual. Then I just sewed them on any which way which means the stiching is all over the place and there are threads sticking out but I actually like it that way. As a last whimsy, I stuck on the bow with basically two stitches so it can easily be removed as well. And the best thing? I wore this out with the Daughter one afternoon, and next morning while I was getting dressed she said to me: " Mommy, what pretty thing are you going to wear today? " Perfect.

And speaking of pretty things, there has been no cakes since last weekend and the plumbing disaster, but I have a few on my mind that are going to be kept brewing there for a while longert . Of course I've been baking everyday thingies such as bread and cookies, the garden variety. Today I did try to make dark rye bread for the first time in I think a decade, but as I was not completely happy with the results I'm going to keep at it and see what I can come up with. Some of the cookies were lovely though. The ones made according to this Chewy Chocolate Cookie recipe from Smitten Kitchen were just that, perfectly chewy and chocolatey but unfortunately highly unphotogenic so I'll just let you admire the pics at the Smitten Kitchen and think mine came out looking like the ones on her site.

The Forties Frock is going well though, as far as the dress itself goes. I've been sewing the top by hand, due to wanting it to be just so and for precision nothing beats hand stitching in my opinion. Or maybe that's just me not knowing how to do the same with a machine...Here's the top being constructed.

And as ever, I'm being a delinquent with the instructions and only taking a peek at them when something just boggles me completely.

Pardon the horrible ironing board cover, I really should start thinking about a new cover for it. But I do think the shape of the neckline is coming out rather lovely.

There is no lining on the dress in the original, but I'm considering it at least on the top. I just think it might give the dress more wear-time at this latitude.

And it just occurred to me, I really used to have a denim jacket with an appliqued sunflower in the back sometime in the early 90's when I was pretending I was living in the 60's. I was never really the fashionable type, as I'm sure is obvious by now and if I still had that jacket, well, I just might wear it with this dress. And I'm not planning on waiting for old age to wear purple, or the satin slippers for that matter. And somehow, I doubt the people who do know me would be that much shocked and surprised anyway...

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple

With a red hat which doesn't go and doesn't suit me.

And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves

and satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired

And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells

And run my stick along public railings

And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in the slippers in the rain

And pick the flower's in other people's gardens

And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat

And eat three pounds of sausages at a go.

Or only bread and pickle for a week

And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry

And pay our rent and not swear in the street

And set a good example for the children.

We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?

So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised

When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

Jenny Joseph, 1961