(Join the Vintage Craft Flickr group here!)
So my friend Heather and I were talking last week about how we both can't ever seem to finish projects and we challenged each other to try and finish at least ONE project a month so that we can stop starting and stopping, and starting on something new, and so on.
You crafty folks know what I mean. : )
We both have a lot of vintage patterns lying around and that was our motivation for this. To create something from a vintage pattern once a month. How fun would that be?
Now I would be lying if I didn't say "yeh, that might not happen" to myself. Because as you can see from my sporadic posting here, life and family (and sick kids) come first and you can't always predict how life is going to go any given month.
But I think it's good to have goals! I too often say "eh, i probably won't have time to do that" and then I just abandon the idea. I want to at least try it. And I thought it would be fun to see if others wanted to play!
You can play by joining this Flickr Group "Vintage Craft" and adding your projects using vintage patterns. (See the group description to see what we're looking for.) Really it's for ANY crafts: sewing, crochet, knitting, embroidery, cake design (I say that because of this awesome cake my friend Virginie made inspired by a vintage cake design!), etc, etc.
I seldom see people using vintage patterns in their crafts (lots of embroidery patterns I guess, but not other crafts...) Maybe I'm not looking in the right places, but I would LOVE to see how people use vintage patterns, or even reinterpret them in their own unique way! As you can see, my two projects below using vintage crochet patterns didn't come out exactly like the original pattern. It's always fun to tweak things to make them your own. (Although I'm definitely not opposed to making things exactly like the original designs because that is why we love them! They are awesome.)
I personally like finding small projects because they aren't so overwhelming to finish.
So I hope you'll join in! I am going to try and post some of the projects from the group here on my blog from time to time.
You can share this group with everyone by adding one of these little buttons to your blog if you'd like.
Joining on Flickr now...As a mama I totally understand ;)
Posted by: Purple Deer | May 25, 2011 at 07:06 PM
Great projects and what a cute Flickr idea. Will definitely grab a button and share.
Posted by: CrochetBlogger | May 25, 2011 at 07:21 PM
love. it. to. death!! i really want to join in, but i already have no time :'( can i try and do something bi-monthly? or does that not count?
Posted by: pilgrim | May 25, 2011 at 07:22 PM
Joining now! So many vintage projects I want to try! :)
Posted by: Kayanna | May 25, 2011 at 07:35 PM
Hope I can pull out some vintage patterns and join in sometime! Great idea, adding the button to my blog for ya.
Posted by: Theresa | May 25, 2011 at 07:53 PM
i only use vintage sewing patterns when i make my little girl clothes - they are so easy and you can't beat the styles! i just thrifted about 50 vintage kids patterns (oh happy day!) so i'm sure i'll make some soon and put them in the group! and i LOVE your lion, i need to find a vintage craft book now!
Posted by: stacy (hart + sew) | May 25, 2011 at 08:35 PM
Since I'm not much of a vintage shopper or thrifter, I'm hoping maybe a post on some good online sources for vintage craft patterns would be super awesome! I'd be game to join if I could find some great knitting or embroidery.
Posted by: Tania {hey daisy} | May 25, 2011 at 10:29 PM
This sounds brilliant! Just grabbed a button and will pass the message on.
Posted by: Becky W | May 26, 2011 at 03:12 AM
i wanna play!! i joined, and posted!
Posted by: Virginie | May 26, 2011 at 07:38 AM
i would love to play along, where do i find vintage projects tho? I don't have any just lying around, and in Scotland they just dont' come along to often - can I find any free ones online to get started?
Posted by: vicki yelland-browning | May 26, 2011 at 07:50 AM
I'm in Edinburgh and I sometimes come across good books in the charity shops. Elsewise Amazon is very good if you know of a particular book or writer of craft books that you're after.
Posted by: Liz Ashton | May 26, 2011 at 11:41 AM
I can wait to do a bit of vintage crafting. I've spent the last few days gawping at vintage craft books on etsy. I also found this site called Groovy Crochet, they've got a couple of the clothes patterns from that McCall's book with the lion in it. Here's the link.
http://www.groovycrochets.com/book
The didn't have the lion pattern though, I'd love to make him. Hint hint ;)
Posted by: RachelM | May 26, 2011 at 12:34 PM
YAYYYYY!!!!!!! i am insanely excited about this! I bought a vintage crafting encyclopedia (20+ volumes) and have been dying to jump in. Maybe this group will give me the encouragement I need?
Posted by: knitxcore | May 26, 2011 at 09:49 PM
LOVE this idea!
Posted by: Jaime | May 27, 2011 at 08:40 AM
This sounds great, count me in!
Posted by: ingrid | May 28, 2011 at 04:08 AM
I just stumbled upon this post tonight! Love the idea. You inspired me to invest in a vintage McCall's Crochet mag, and there's a couple of projects I'd like to try out. Count me in!
Posted by: Sue May | June 04, 2011 at 09:22 PM
I have a MASSIVE stack of vintage craft books on my shelf, I can't wait to play!
Posted by: Oh.My.Wow. | August 10, 2011 at 08:09 PM
Joining Rachel - "lion pattern... I'd love to make him... hint, hint..." ;-) Please, pretty please?
Posted by: Ketutar | September 06, 2011 at 06:42 AM
Your blog is amazing - I love it and will be a regular visitor. x
Posted by: Thestitchsharer.wordpress.com | June 21, 2012 at 12:35 PM