Vintage patterns are a fun (and potentially inexpensive) way to get brand new vintage clothing. You can make sure that the garment fits you, select fabrics you prefer and change the design to update it or add personal flare. I found some amazing designs in my recent search and would like to share them with you.
I made this elephant coin purse using a pattern from a vintage Russian toy book.
This Ducky Case was inspired by the elephant coin purse. I made it for a friend’s birthday. Felt outer with cotton lining and googly eyes.
Here are the patterns for the Ducky Case, so you can make one as well. Original design and patterns created by me. This pattern is for personal use only.
Click on the pattern to get whole size. Print full page on 8.5 x 11″ paper.
Materials:
Felt, Cotton, 5″ Decorative zipper, Embroidery floss, Thread, 2 googly eyes
Instructions:
Print pattern and cut all fabric
Blanket stitch wings to body on the dash-line
Back stitch beak to body
Blanket stitch body, leaving room for zipper
Blanket stitch beak
Sew lining bottom and side using sewing machine or back stitch by hand
Clip and trim lining seams
Press under 1/2″ of lining
Sandwich zipper between ling and outside and back stitch
Glue googly eyes to body
I recently visited the Louis Armstrong House Museum – a little gem tucked away in Corona, Queens. Although it is a relatively small space (our tour group had six people in it including the tour guide and we were just able to fit into the rooms), it is packed with history, music, art and design. The tours are given every hour, so arrive at least an hour prior to closing time. You might want to come early because you are very likely to run into Selma Heraldo, Armstrong’s next-door neighbor and family friend, who will gladly answer your questions and tell you stories about Louis and his wife Lucille while you wait for the tour to begin. You can also take this time to rest in the Japan-inspired garden.
Kitchen, Louis Armstrong House Museum
The kitchen is one of my favorite rooms in the house. The bright painted and lacquered wood cabinets are sure to make anyone smile. The kitchen features a blender that’s been built into the counter, one of the first microwave ovens in the world and a six-burner stove, which was such a novelty that the company affixed a metal plaque, stating that it was custom made for the Armstrongs, to it.
The other rooms in the house are just as unique and there are small treasures scattered around the house, which gives you a feeling that it is still occupied. That feeling is further enhanced by homemade records of Louis and Lucille that are played by the tour guide in every room – Louis and Lucille can’t agree on what day, month or year it is , Louis talks about music and sings, etc.
Armstrong made a lot of recordings of his music and of everyday conversations and life in the house. He kept the tapes in boxes, which he decorated with photographs and newspaper cut-outs. These collages are a work of art on their own. You can see some of them on display at the museum. You can also check out Satchmo: The Wonderful World of Art of Louis Armstrong, an art book biography, to see his scrapbooks, art and writings.
The museum will be expanding to a new building across the street in a year or two in order to provide educational opportunities and to display their extensive collection.
These shoes were designed and made by me using original patterns. Velvet, pleated cowhide, sheepskin, and velvet trim outer, metallic kidskin lining. The leather laces feature decorative sheepskin heart-shaped aglets with contrast stitching. Leather soles.
Fun fact – The black cowhide in these oxfords is a production waste scrap from Knoll that I got during a factory visit.
Last weekend I visited the Freshkills Park in Staten Island. Freshkills Park was once better known as the Fresh Kills Landfill. Established in 1948, it was the largest landfill in the world and the cite remained operational till 2001. It is now being converted to a beautiful 2,200 acre park, the third largest park in the five boroughs. The project began in 2006 and will continue to develop in stages over the next 30 years. Freshkills Park is equipped with systems of drainage pipes, soil barrier layers, trenches and flare stations. The landfill gas is collected and purified while methane gas extracted from it is sold to power 22,000 local homes. The leachate (liquid byproduct of decomposing waste) is piped to an onsite treatment plant and the purified water is released into the Arthur Kill (a local creek). Some of the wild life is already making Freshkills Park its home. I saw an Osprey nest during the tour; white-tailed deer, muskrat, red-tailed hawk and many others have been spotted on the grounds. The city is hoping to make some of the recreational areas of the park open to the public as early as next year. Currently the city is offering free public tours of the park and I think everyone should take advantage of the opportunity to see Freshkills Park in its early stages. The landscape is filled with a mix of natural and industrial elements that provide gorgeous views and an opportunity to learn.
Photos of my finished work are finally here! All of the photography below was done by the wonderful A Vee Photo (you can find a permanent link to her portfolio under Links in the sidebar). Special thanks to A-Images for letting us use the space. More projects coming soon.
This tote bag was designed and made by me using original patterns. Cinched cowhide outer with magnetic snap closure, printed cotton lining and interior wall pocket.
I really enjoy making beaded jewelry; it’s an inexpensive way to create very impressive pieces. This is Field of Daisies, a bracelet I made using glass seed beads strung with fishing line.
These are instructions for making the flower pattern that the bracelet above is based on. Try making one of your own. Don’t be afraid to experiment.
My mom is going to Siberia to visit relatives and she asked me to pull together some photos from our previous vacations to show them. It was fun for me to take a trip down memory lane, so I decided to take you along for the ride.
I’ve been working on a new handbag. I am designing the flap ornamentation to match the lining fabric I selected. Below are some of my sketches, workspace, patterns and a leather selection for the flap (a lot of colors to choose from).
