Oktoberfest Sneak Preview

The Oktoberfest Dress

This is a sneak preview of something I'm whipping up for this weekend's Oktoberfest festivities.  I used a vintage pattern (from my great aunt's collection) and turned it into a dirndl dress.  The yellow flower-print fabric comes from my mother's stash of fabric and is probably at least twenty years old.  I'm almost finished sewing the dress-- I need to adjust the hem and add a back zipper and then this dress will be ready for a spin on the town.

On another note, I'm sorry that I disappeared from the blog for a bit.  I was in Vermont for most of the summer taking German language classes at Middlebury College.  I had intended to keep the blog updated (although all of my entries would have had to be in German-- that's one of the conditions of the "Middlebury Pledge"), but I ended up being so busy going to classes and studying that I hardly had time for anything else.  With any luck, I'll be able to get some of my summer photos posted.  Vermont is seriously gorgeous!  Anyway, I've missed you guys.  I'm going to ease back into this blogging stuff, but I do hope to be more committed!

Oliver + S Contemporary Sewing Patterns for Children

Aren't these sweet?  I just discovered this line of sewing patterns for children over at Butterick and McCalls-- each comes with a 5" paper doll!  Click here to look at all of the Oliver + S collection.

I Love the Rain

It's raining cats and dogs outside.  If I were in Australia, I'd say it was bucketing.  The rain is falling so heavily (and the wind is so strong), it is practically going horizontally.  You get the picture.


I'm not much of a fan of the rain, but, as they say, every cloud has a silver lining.


I have been craving proper Wellington boots ever since I watched Keira Knightly and Sienna Miller tramp around in them in The Edge of Love.  They're something of an obsession for me.

Loeffler Randall

But, THEN, I saw these on The Purl Bee's blog.  Yes, the one pair look like traditional Wellies, but then look how cute and practical the little booties are.  I'm smitten!

Purl's stirrup socks.  Buy the pattern here.

AND, it gets better.  Purl has created a knitting pattern to make the perfect pair of stirrup socks to wear with the boots.  You can buy the pattern from them, or you get a free pattern when you purchase the rain boots.


The rain isn't so bad after all, is it?