Only a little bit of sewing...

In last year's makeover post I mentioned wanting to get hold of a Queen Anne style bedroom suite. I finally did a few weeks ago - two bedside tables, a mirrored dressing table, and a bed. (I reckon from the 70s, going by the maker and what I could find out about them - they're made by The Prestige Furniture Co, Reservoir).

It's brown shiny veneer, so I knew I had to paint it - I thought either white, black, or pink. I decided on the black, with pink handles. I found some great repro medium pink glass handles on eBay - sent from the USA, with great quick (and cheap!) shipping, and really well packed... (Rousso's Reproductions - NAYY but highly recommended).

I didn't want to have to do all sorts of sanding and so on, so I went to the paint shop and got a recommendation for Zinsser 1-2-3 Bullseye (what a name!) which you can paint straight over varnish - and so it did. I painted 3 coats of gloss black over the top (all water based, much easier than oil).
So, here's the first part of the suite:


As you can see, I also whipped up a doily for it - some leftover pink linen from another project, some crochet lace from the shop up the road, and Wednesday's days of the week kitty from Embroidery Library (embroidery machine, I have been neglecting you!)

Now to paint the rest of the suite, which also involves fixing the busted leg on the bed... that will be interesting. I'm not sure if I'm going to upholster the bed - I'll paint it first, then see how I like it.

Vintage Fabric Heidi

It's been a long time between posts; I've been sewing, just not fast enough to blog about it.

I finished the final iteration of Heidi today.

She fought me all the way.
I've been working on this frock for weeks! The fabric was slippery and recalcitrant, and it just wasn't fun. I got through the ordeal by working on her in short bursts, giving up and closing the door of the sewing room when I felt ready to throw the whole thing in the bin.

I even made a self-fabric cummerbund too. I think you can tell by my posture in the cummerbund pic that I'm not thrilled with it! I think this version of the frock looks better without a belt:
The cummerbund took ages too, because of the naughty fabric. Sigh.

I lined her in bright pink cotton poplin, inspired by the little bit of pink in the fabric:

I'm pleased with the final result, but she shall sit in the wardrobe until I'm over the ordeal of making her. Also until it warms up enough to wear her. I might even warm to the cummerbund with time, but I'm not counting on it.

In the chilly weather, my thoughts turn to knitting. I love sitting on the couch with a nice warm knit!

This is what I've made:
Big Bad Baby Blanket: from Stitch n Bitch, in an acrylic from Spotlight:

Sludgy green ribbed lace bolero, for Ms Mog, who says she loves it and wore it already so maybe she doesn't lie:


Yarn is "Classic" 100% merino (colour Guava) from Bendigo Woollen Mills.

I'm knitting another, more complicated baby blanket now. More on that one later.