Clara Studies

Dress from the thrift store last week. Early nineties vintage rayon, with tiny buttons and a wide sash

Someone Else's Needlepoint

Needlepoint pillow from the thrift store, perfect condition, just a dollar. The back is velvet!

Cashmere Capelet

Most of this super-soft sweater has gone for other projects--but the top of it makes the coziest, most beautifully shaped little capelet. All I did was cut it off right above the underarm seam, leaving the top of the sleeve intact, then finish the raw edge with a zigzag stitch.

And then sew on some bugle beads, of course. That was the best part.

White Birds: Two for One

New for me: a double-decker rendition of the ubiquitous white bird. 

Candlesticks + Begonia Cuttings

Thrift store candlesticks, begonia cuttings from a friend. I kind of like them in a plastic cup.

Fancysaurus

You really do not know what the thrift store holds for you. This will be a pillow on the couch in the stone house living room. Unless Molly is afraid of dinosaurs? 

All the Animals of North America, for My Walls

This morning I was thinking about what I want to hang on the walls of my little stone house, and I remembered an amazing thrift store find from several years back.

Everyone's favorite animals of North America, as presented by Mr. Audubon. I think I will be taking this former library book apart and framing these most excellent illustrations.

SaveSave

A Big Box of Dishes

Daisy and I ran into the thrift store between an orthodontist visit and a piano lesson. I walked out with a large box of dishes--just what I needed! They are Homer Laughlin's Viking Wheat, and so darling. It's most of twelve place settings (I know, that's a lot). But they mix right in with my everyday green and white plates, and they're soooo appealing, so here they are!

The One-Minute Jacket

Yes, this is a one-minute jacket. It's a thrift-store tee shirt (with some spandex in it) cut up the middle and pinned back together. 

Pin it at the waist if you like, or under the bust to emphasize the ribcage, or leave it open.

Today It's Two Wool Tote Bags

It's a series of things done in twos! Yesterday I made two wool totes. I had two related-but-not-similar pieces of crewelwork from the thrift store (still in their hideous green plastic frames).

After unpicking the stitches that held the embroidery to the cardboard backing, I just trimmed the linen ovals and then joined them to the wool with bias binding.

Sister bags, I guess, for your trips to the library! Cotton velveteen handles, pansy-printed lining.

They'll go in etsy soon, or you can email me if you want them. $22 each, or $40 for the pair.

The proceeds from my last few weeks of sales are going to a young family here with four children--one birth, two adopted, and one foster. To pump up their Christmas a little :)

A Festive Library Bag

I think a library book bag should remind the carrier that it's a treat to go to the library. A whole building full of books! And you can take any of them home with you! For free!

Vintage crewel-work panel set in corduroy, lined with bright pink cotton, handle lined with velvet ribbon. In the Etsy shop soon.

Saving the Pocket

A raspberry wool ladies' blazer was perfect for turning into a tote--the functioning pocket was an easy save and creates a perfect spot for a phone.

The blazer was big enough for a second tote which I gave to Daisy. There I used a buttonhole to create the opening for a pencil slot--I just stitched it to the lining to create a pencil-shaped pocket.

Saturday Morning Book Cull

Clara and I attacked the upstairs Saturday morning (company's coming). Stacks and stacks of books on the floor meant we had to winnow. That's so hard for Daisy, but she did let us take out this pile--it's back to the thrift store for them, as part of our "thrift-store rental" program. Buy for a quarter, keep for a year, then redonate.

Mink, I Think

This is what I found at the thrift store today. It's in absolutely perfect condition. I did a moment of internet research and am guessing it's blonde mink.

The original owner's full name is embroidered inside.

A Copper Pot Full of Autumn, in Needlepoint

I found this needlepoint at my favorite thrift store. It's even more awesome up close, with the butterfly's raised body, and the dimensional peas.

I'll be making it up into a shopping tote perfect for the fall harvest.

I actually have a backlog of thrift store sewing materials sitting in the sewing room, and I'm going to try tackling them this week. Keep me honest, folks.

A Pair of Golden Birds

I love the pairs of birds I find at the thrift store--often white, but these are an actual weighty metal. Not so impressive by themselves, but grouped with other pairs they are nice.

Noble Bird

Noble Bird, thrift store edition.

A Jersey Shirt Pattern, with Back Extensions

I picked this up at the thrift store because of the back extension that comes up and over the shoulder.

However,  I don't believe I will be making contrasting shirt halves and sleeves. Or sewing that neckline as is, because who looks their best in a crew neck? No one I know. I'll be scooping it out a little.

Winter Tree

At my house it's not quite time for a Christmas tree, but it's not too early for a Winter Tree. I set up this pine cone tree in a milk glass container as the table centerpiece. Then I realized that the tree was from the thrift store, the pedestal was from the thrift store, the bird, the candleholders, and the doily--all from the thrift store. For the win.

Purple Velveteen

I found a cotton velveteen dress at the thrift store and brought it home because I can't resist really good fabric. Purple velveteen--where am I going to find that around here?

Turns out it was a Laura Ashley (that explains the quality). But the cut was so weird, I couldn't tell the front from the bag. So I lopped off the bodice, added a side zip, and had a luscious skirt for Clara.