Saturday, March 14, 2009

Vintage Neglect Syndrome

I haven't done any sewing, unless you count sewing up a certain knitted hoodie (which I haven't finished sewing up by the way. I blame pure laziness.)

Today one of my spies texted me that there was a vintage fair at Leichhardt Town Hall.

Now, how I didn't know about this when I walk past the place on a regular basis is still baffling me. It's on once a month apparently, and within walking distance of my house. I do flick through the local paper every week.

Only one thing can explain it. I have developed Vintage Neglect Syndrome or VNS.

This rare disease occurs in the sew-er and vintage shopper who, having spent many of her younger years straining her pecs and hands pulling through racks of polyester, faux fur and napthalene scented rayon, and risking her knees and back squatting on her haunches lifting boxes and old suitcases of vintage patterns and fabrics, has lost all of her vintage radar through overuse.

Obviously, I now have to rely on others to let me know about such things as vintage fairs, rather than being able to sniff them out myself. Symptoms include not seeing flyers, banners, signboards and newspaper ads for vintage fairs in plain sight. I can only think this loss of independence is due to the mothball odours that have ruined my vintage-sniffing-out abilities. Full time carers are required to point the person afflicted with VNS towards vintage shops and fairs.

I should have realised what was happening, when I was in Melbourne in December, and was in the vicinity of Lost and Found, but somehow didn't make it there.

This afternoon, thanks to my kind spy, I was able to make it to the fair 15 minutes before closing time. The lady at the desk let me in for free (obviously a kind person who recognised my condition when she saw it) and, although I didn't have time to fully explore everything, it looked excellent. It's probably best I didn't go through the racks and exacerbate my problems though, don't you think?

Oh and apparently the ability to buy vintage boots is unaffected by VNS.

Sunday, March 08, 2009

ChildHood from Knitty

I haven't done any sewing lately, because I have been knitting this:

It's ChildHood, from Knitty.
E's first birthday is in early April, and I only have the hood and finishing to do. I should make it.
I will follow the pattern's suggestion and use snaps as closures with buttons sewn on the band. If I can find the right buttons that is. Curse you buttonmania for not being in Sydney!
I'm using Moda Vera bamboo/cotton from Spotlight, which is lovely and silky, being mostly bamboo. It is a bit splitty, but nothing too bad as long as I use bluntish needles.