How I Spent My Etsy Vacation

Yes, I'm aware there's an elephant in the room, which I am assiduously trying to avoid addressing, but I'll just say this and move on: Yes, it's been a jolly long while since I posted anything on the blog. No excuses, per se. I just couldn't think of anything I might have to say that anyone would be interested in reading. And I have been harassed and harried for time, which is pretty much a perpetual state of affairs around here, even when I take a break and try to regain my tenuous hold on sanity.

So, moving right along...

I took six months off from Etsy selling so thought I'd share a bit of how I spent the break. The most notable thing I did was that I bought myself a new sewing machine with a few more bells and whistles and made stuff. It was thoroughly satisfying--actually making things instead of merely selling things.


This frothy little charmer was made of vintage flocked sheer fabric, using a vintage pattern.

These play outfits were also sewn from vintage patterns, and some vintage plus some new "vintage look" fabric.





I did some experimenting, too. A favorite jersey-knit shirt was irreparably stained, so I took it apart at the seams and used the pieces to fashion a pattern of my own, tweaking it a bit to improve its design. And with leftover fabric and my new gathering-foot gizmo, I made a matching fabric brooch.



I did some playing around with a jellyroll purse pattern, which was rather fun. Wish I could remember the designer I bought it from so I could give credit!





I made some ditzy living room curtains from some aging atomic era fiberglas drapes that had some holes and snags in them.

And I embroidered a poodle on a t-shirt, using a vintage Vogart iron-on transfer.



A couple of vintage Vera linen napkins being ignored in a drawer became some snazzy throw pillows.



And I had an absolute blast sewing men's boxer shorts for various family members. They were so much fun to sew! These I will not be showing you; a decision I'm sure you will appreciate. There is, after all, such a thing as too much information.