Friends, I thought I'd start today with my latest garbage find, from this afternoon. It's a paper-mâché....actually I'm not quite sure what you'd call it -- topiary? (Didn't Lesley Ann Warren have a few of these in her backyard in Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella"? Does anybody know what I'm talking about?)
It's pretty big (roughly 16" tall) and, I thought, kind of cool. It's from West Elm, according to the label. At least you don't have to water it.
In other news, while my food poisoning has passed, I don't yet have my full appetite back. A lot of things I'd normally eat just don't look/sound appetizing to me at all. Maybe that's why I was drawn to a fake plant.
I put the knit men's pullover project aside for a day or two and decided to start my Twenties robe. As fortune would have it, this very morning I received a lovely email from Anna Depew, thanking me for mentioning her Twenties negligee pattern a few weeks ago and sending me a free PDF copy of it! I was thrilled. It's quite wonderful and shows you how to make a variety of Twenties dresses and robes from very basic shapes you measure and cut yourself.
I was all ready to use vintage, bland, Butterick 6968 as my base pattern. The Depew pattern inspired me to make the robe more kimono like.
My version will combine elements from "model A," on the lower left hand side, and the top center version, "model 15."
What's really interesting is how close the Depew pattern and the Butterick pattern are in terms of basic measurements. Since I already had the Butterick cut and ready, I used the front and back pieces from that. My sleeves are (and overall style will be) adapted from the Depew pattern.
Here's a peek, with only the shoulder seams finished and no chartreuse sateen trim yet. The sateen will add some length to both the robe as well as the sleeves. I'm excited about how this will turn out; it's something I've never tried before.
That's all I have to report today, for better or for worse, readers. I have a new Twenties men's pattern on its way that I'll be showing you in the days ahead. Pre-Thirties men's patterns are hard to find so when I do find them (at affordable prices and in my size) I jump.
Have a great day, everybody!
(Cheap topiary starts at 7:49)
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Yes. I know exactly what you mean. But weren't Leslie Ann Warren's topiaries painted?
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness! I LOVE YOUR ROBE!!!! I have robe envy. I MUST make one for myself!!! Thank you for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteI have robe pattern envy. I would love to do that one at the lower right hand corner. Why don't the pattern makers do something like that???
ReplyDeleteJust a word of caution: don't fry bacon in those sleeves. I would tell the whole, sad story but I don't want to be a bummer.
ReplyDeleteLove it already :)
ReplyDeleteSpud.
Cheap topiary aside, thanks for the Cinderella blast from the past. I think that was on television in the mid sixties. I and all my preteen friends were enthralled.
ReplyDeleteI had to google your topiary--it sold for $24! http://www.houzz.com/photos/307681/David-Stark-Sphere-Topiary-modern-indoor-pots-and-planters-
ReplyDeleteKnickers? Spats? Oxford Bags? Raccoon Coat? Just what could this 'Twenties men's pattern be?
ReplyDeleteOh, I loved watching that Cinderella special for the first time when I was a kid! Mom made Jiffy-Pop and let us eat it in the living room. Was amazed to see it in color, many years later...
ReplyDeleteit looks magnificent .
ReplyDeleteI am absolutely loving this project. You picked such a suitable fabric. Can't wait to see it finished! Now I'll have to make one too.. and I am already obsessed with 30s and 40s robes.. no good can come of this
ReplyDeleteHeavens to Murgatroyd, that clip is as old as we are!! LAW looks so young, I guess that is because she IS so young.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE her in Victor Victoria. Perhaps you could make a negligee for Cathy like Norma's fabulous lemon silk and maribou one. When she leans on the bedroom door frame, carefully arrays it to look carelessly rumpled and utters those three fabulous words, "Pooky, I'm Horny!" SOOO funny. And not to be found on YouTube either...
Everybody looked younger 48 years ago. ;)
DeleteDon't fill a cigarette lighters and lighter fluid in those sleeves another cautionary tale that would be a major bummer to tell.
ReplyDeleteOh, now we will all have robe envy.. . Alas, alack, Peter, you have done it again, set a trend. You trend-setter, you. I love all these old robes, I have spent hours on Etsy looking at kimonos, but I know they are impractical - those sleeves! Although I must say that your sleeves look short enough to avoid major disasters. This is just lovely. Can't wait to follow this project to completion.
ReplyDeleteThe sleeves themselves won't end much below the elbow I don't think.
DeleteOh �� I'm speechless! Very messianic...
ReplyDeleteLove love love the topiary! I love when I find something that someone thought was useless and trash worthy and turn it into something spectacular. Love the robe pattern and the fabric choice is perfect. Can't wait to see the finished project. Will I date myself when I say that I loved Leslie Ann Warren in Cinderella, what a classic.
ReplyDeleteThat robe is gonna be great!
ReplyDeleteGlad you’re well enough to sew and blog.
Thanks for the clip. I saw it when it first aired and everyone at school was swooning for days.
LOL, where do you find the space for all your sewing machines and finds? You must have one large place. I threw out a whole lot of stuff, mainly accessories and such. My neighbor complained because they all ended up in her garage courtesy of her husband. I usually put them in a big box with the sign FREE. They are always gone because the garbage man comes. My junk is really in good condition, I just like to keep things at a minimal because we have a smaller home.
ReplyDelete