Thursday, February 14, 2013

Crazy Quilt -- Nylon Blend Plaid

I enjoyed sewing dresses even if I had nowhere to wear them.
This one got to shine at my my wedding rehearsal dinner in 79.
I bought the yardage from my Aunt Ricky. In the 70s, she had a home business selling Leiter's Fabrics. Based out of Kansas City, it was kind of like Avon, but for home sewers with a taste for couture fabrics. They had all kinds of fabric -- from basic knit jersey to fancy brocades. I guess they worked out some kind of deal with fabric wholesalers -- one of the fabrics I still haven't cut into is from Fischer and Gentile - not your everyday stock from the local fabric store. (And there was NO local fabric store in Barneveld, NY and the one in Utica is unmemorable).
She got long boxes full of swatch cards organized by fabrication every season and was constantly pulling the cards of yardage that had sold out. I diverted many of them and lots of those swatches went onto the quilt.

I have a worse-for-wear paperback book, Secrets of Creative Tailoring and Finishing, by Leadell Hall with illustrations by Michaele Vollbracht that was published by Leiter's in 1971.
It's still available on Amazon! The internet is a wonderful thing!
Here are some scans from it:
Aren't the illustrations great?
I love the paper bag on the head!
(I kept these 3 last images higher rez, if you want to click on them and read the text)
Back cover
Look how hep (and young) Michaele looks!
Wow, I forgot how good this book is! Helpful, even. Must re-read!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! The timing of this post was totally accidental -- didn't even realize the date until a few days ago. GAH! Featuring a photo from a marriage that didn't last on VD... Oh well, I'll go lounge on the fainting couch and wear my paper bag chapeau and call it a day. Sev's off on the east coast playing gigs. Where are the bon bons?