Twofer Post!

Well, it has been a week. Let’s just leave it at that. It’s getting better, so I will thank my lucky stars and move on. I am still on the hunt for signs of spring, and I have matching snow drops with Deb. No crocus yet, but I am itching to get out and work in the garden. For Colorado, the surest sign of spring is wind. Sigh. It warms us up and dries us out and makes me cranky. My family always wonders why, but most of it has to do with how badly it stirs up my allergies. So today the wind is howling, and I will spend the day snarking at folks, so watch out, you all!

Lucky you this week. We didn’t have many St. Pat’s photos, so you will get a twofer post with some fun craft patterns from a vintage sewing booklet.

A few weeks ago, we highlighted a Valentine’s Day runner made of netting with sequins, etc. Well, here is its friend:

I might have bought both of these, but I think the thrift thought they were old or something and had stupid prices on them. Honestly, already HAVE a St. Pat’s day runner for my dining room table, although it is sadly missing sequins, so it is probably just too drab. These days I am so busy that changing a runner on the dining table is about the extent of my decorating for most holidays, so I have quite a collection.

We thought that this little fellow was pretty cute:

He was some sort of soft pottery, which accounts for the paint loss. He has that perky, you just gotta forgive him for all the mischief, sort of look that all good leprechauns should have. You better believe he has been up to no good, but what is a mere mortal to do about it?

This one is not so successful:

As a coffee mug, it is pretty much a fail, as his staff is guaranteed to poke you in the eye the first sip you take. This wee fellow is also missing the charm of the other one that would make you overlook the failings. That and the poke in the eye, is enough to make you push the mug off the shelf and hope it breaks quickly. How useful is a St. Pat’s coffee mug anyway? If it were Irish coffee (as it should be on that day), that is served in a tall clear glass mug, so that’s no good. Also, if you are spiking your coffee, you don’t want a stupid leprechaun giving you away, and you know he would, because mischief is his middle name. Better to hide the coffee spiked with Kalua in a plain mug wrapper.

As that is the extent of our pix this week (St. Pat’s is not a huge decorating holiday, you know), I thought I would highlight some fun things from a small pattern book that must have been an extra with your Pfaff sewing machine in the ’60s. I was a bit alarmed by the cover, as it looks like a spaceship has unloaded a squad of high-heeled alien spools of thread to take over the world:

But it was relatively harmless on the inside, at least there was no threat of invasion. I just picked some of the ideas that seemed a bit more fun. The pictures show the full extent of the instructions, so you will just have to take it from there, if you decide one of these looks is for you!

First off the ubiquitous muumuu:

This one calls for three Fieldcrest bath towels. How long has it been since you have seen a bath towel that looked like that? I am pretty sure it must have been turquoise blue and avocado green with touches of harvest gold, right? As a beach coverup this was a real winner, as you got dry and looked fashionable at the same time!

This next one called for a pillowcase and they were very specific on the brand and style:

I don’t know why you were not allowed to make it out of any other type of pillow case, but hey we could be rebels and let it fly, especially, as I suppose Pepperell Rose Duet pillow cases are hard to come by these days. (Note: I just Googled it and there are a few, if you really need them.) I think this is supposed to be a nightie, but I want to know why the fellow is still hanging out in a suit, but who are we to judge? I always wonder about this combo and the temperature of the room. The man is roasting in a suit and the lady is freezing to death in a skimpy little something. No wonder everyone wears jeans and a t-shirt these days—equal opportunity temperature sensing.

Next up, some fun with sweatshirts:

These crafts are still popular today, and honestly, these are pretty cute. I have made some fun tops like this before. The little crop top with a jazzy trim could be super adorable. I would use some brightly colored pom-pom trim, and it would still be fun for modern teens.

This last one cracked me up, but I do think it would be fun to make:

Of course you would have to find a willing male to wear it to get the full effect, but still. And, I suppose you have to get him outside for one of those old-fashioned weenie roasts. Maybe he would be more amenable if those were steaks on that grill. Not a hard pattern and pretty clever. Those folks at Pfaff were full of ideas. The rest were pretty basic bags etc., but I did like these. I will be passing the book along with the original machine manual that came with it to some owner of a Pfaff 362, and I hope they take the time to sew up some fun. Check out my Etsy shop if this is you!

Hope you indulge in a beer or two and some corned beef, and celebrate whether you are Irish or just feel that way.