button joy and some op-shopping

This button necklace came in the mail from Kate (thank you!), along with some other lovely treats- vintage fabric, braid and knitting patterns. Kate makes these necklaces from layers of vintage buttons woven together with a light coated wire, so that they sit flat and in shape. I love the colours in mine, and the plasticky rattle of it around my neck- yum.

I've had a bit of a break from op-shopping for a while- spurred on by what seemed to be a temporary drought of vintage fabric and other stuff, (i may have played a part in this) and an urgent desire to make use of the things that were in my already-crammed craft room.

But last week I had some really nice finds that I couldn't really just leave there...

a very rare find- some hand-embroidered linen pieces- some is quite stained and ripped so I don't feel too bad about cutting into it...

some Australian-themed prints on linen

and this hand-knitted fair isle hat which I've given a good wash and am trying to decide whether I will wear or not this winter. The ear-flaps (a friend's 2-year-old daughter calls them 'blinkies'- how sweet is that?) are double-layered and I think the yarn was handspun and dyed. I feel that it may sit on the border between nice and ugly, you know? But I'll probably wear it anyway.

Comments

[rachael]

he - I think half my wardrobe lives on the border between nice and ugly. Do you think that coul;d be why people sometimes gawp at me? Lovely op shop finds. I haven't been for a while either - I can feel a trip coming on.

xx

[Jessicah]

Love the button necklace. I know what you mean about nice/ugly- a good way to describe it. I feel kind of that way about the crazy scarf I made a while back- could be a scarf or could be a table runner. I haven't felt it appropriate to wear yet!

[VictoriaE]

Definately nice, not ugly!

[Elizabeth Joy]

Do you have garage sales in NZ? You can peak at my blog to see what I found for $1 at a garage sale this weekend. You find wonderful fabrics at you second hand shops that I just can find here in my part of the USA, but I keep looking.

I wish I had a washing line. I think I am going to have to figure out how to hang one up.

[Debra]

HI again Melissa, ha! Lovely blog as always... I liked the washing line stories!
Awww lovely linens, it's so great to find the embroidered pieces, you will make some beautiful things out of them. Eva's looking forward to wearing your beautiful scarf you made...oh yes you must wear the hat..... keep up the great work Sweetness x

[caireen]

Well done you - these are great finds. I've been thinking about these old embroidered things too - when they are a bit out of condition they could be redyed so you get this great 3d effect all one colour. My cousin did this to a stained heirloom tablecloth which she dyed bold christmas red, and actually it looked great and meant it got used.
I was figuring last night I live in a town of circa 10,000 people and there are 5 charity shops - is that quite a high percentage?
The hat is cool, and can be tied round the neck for jaunty colour!

[Zelia]

Well i just adore the flappy ears....

[Fiona]

Bringing those linen home makes so much more sense. :-)

Me adore those ear flaps too..

[kimberlee]

oh wear it!!!! yhou'll make it beautiful

_kimberlee

[Ruth]

Lovely op-shop finds, I especially like the red flowers whose name I cannot at present remember :)

[Tash]

When it comes to a choice between aesthetics and warmth, I am known always to go for the latter (I actually quite like it!). But then again I'm not a trendy person - street-cred? Street-schmed! heh.

And some lovely op-shop finds, I daren't go into any more charity shops, because I know I'll spend too much, and buy even more!

[Dawn]

That knitted hat is smashing! with a simple top and pants (solid colors) it will look soooo cool. If you mix it with patterns and to many colors then you run the risk of looking clown-ish and having children ask if you can make balloon animals for them. Love the button necklace, love the colors! you have such nice friends.

[alice]

Ooh, i like the button necklace. A good way of using up some buttons so i can buy more.. er, i mean, er, yeah.

And the hat is cool - love the double ear-flap thing!

[Rennagayle]

The hat is nice and ugly, and I'd wear it for certain! :-)

[heidi]

the necklace is sooo cool! and i definitely think the hat is on the right side of super cute!

[Mary]

I may be odd but I don't think the hat is nice...or ugly...just simply beautiful. Go girl wear it! Mary. PS loved the washing line post.

[alisonmc]

Earflap hats are so now - wear it and be modern!

Fabulous embroidery finds. I sometimes wonder what will happen to all my needlework in the future. I mean surely it won't all be put to good (any?) use but I'd love it if someone like you came along and gave it new life.

[Chara Michele]

Lovely finds! I love the hand embroidered linens:)

[Anastasia]

such pretty embroidered pieces! love that linen with floral print - lovely finds!!
its been really cold in Sydney too Brrrr.....

[Anastasia]

such pretty embroidered pieces! love that linen with floral print - lovely finds!!
its been really cold in Sydney too Brrrr.....

[amisha]

some of my favorite clothes straddle that "is it cute or is it ugly?" line :) i love when an item can go either way... at that point it all comes down to attitude. for what it's worth, i think the hat is cute!
and i understand how you couldn't leave those linens in the shop... they are beautiful! my heart goes pit-a-pat at the sight of handwork lying in a thrift store. it needs to be loved, or at least cut up and repurposed, by someone who can appreciate it.
xo