Beautiful Disaster

I live a block away from this vintage shop, Via's Vintage and I love seeing their new window displays go up.  The other morning I was all agog over this little number.  I'm not sure what about it has captivated me so, but I had to go back and photo it yesterday to share.

On a certain level, it's too much with the palette of orange and strawberry sherbet..certainly the tulle sleeve/wrap has aged awfully, to the point one can only imagine how it hugged the shoulders when it was new and spandy.. Clearly this isn't made of fine fabric, it's definitely all nylon tulle just waiting to eventually fall to pieces..

When you get down to the details, which accentuate the "you look like a beautiful blonde pineapple" effect of the dress (bonus points to people who can identify the quote!).  Although the gathered ruffles of tulle are too much for the elegance I believe this dress is trying to achieve, the effect of the bands of satin trim on the tulle is lovely.  Upon closer inspection, they must have been handsewn with a zigzag stitch.

I guess the minutia of almost anything can sometimes take your breath away..  I'm still not sure whether I think this dress is fabulous or truly awful, but I kind of love it like sherbet balls melting into 7up punch...

Random Things by Request

Kwik Sew 2957 in Joel Dewberry Marquis Gold. A pencil skirt I whipped up for a class I taught. 

Lavender at threadsquare was lovely enough to tag me with a Versatile Blogger award. Thank you Lavender!  Apparently the rules are as follows:

• Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post;
• Share seven things about yourself on your blog; and
• Pass this award along to recently discovered blogs.

1.) I like to wear cotton kerchiefs in my hair (made by me of course!) if I want to hold my bangs back, because scarves are too silky and slip right out.  My ex used to say when I wore them I looked like a schmatte, so I began to call them that since "schmatte" actually means a "ragged garment" or "any garment" rather than someone who works in the garment district.  I named the blog "schmatte" because of this lyric from "Shattered" by the Rolling Stones-

"All this chitter-chatter Chitter-chatter, 

 chitter-chatter 'bout schmatte, schmatte, schmatte 

 I can't give it away on 7th Avenue  

 This town's been wearin' tatters, uh-huh"

2.) My first sewing project was a yoked nightgown that we had to make in flannel.  I took a class with other girls in my 8th grade class at the high school I was thinking of attending.  I did not finish the nightgown, but I did end up going to the high school.  I didn't really start sewing until I was 20, and I did so voraciously.


3.) I'm the oldest of 4 girls.  My sisters are 3 yrs, 10 yrs, and 11 yrs younger than me, respectively.  I did a lot of babysitting as you might imagine with the age difference.  I am mother to 2 girls, ages 15 and 13.


4.) I've been a blogger since July of 2003 when we called them online journals.  I started because I had given a baby up in a direct placement adoption and felt weird not talking about it.  My first blog "Bad Luck on Tap" was at diaryland, and can be still be perused by interested parties.

5.) I moved at least once a year from the time I was born until I was 6.  That year I asked "Daddy, can we live here another year?  The trick or treating is SO GOOD!"  During a brief follow up interview it was revealed to my father that I remembered my birthdays by the color our house was that year.  I am happy to report we lived in that neighborhood (Ham Lake, MN)  for 4 years before moving to glorious South Minneapolis when I was 10.  I've lived in the Twin Cities ever since.

6.)I used to manage a comic book store, The College of Comic Book Knowledge from 1989-2004.  In later years I wasn't the manager anymore, but the assistant to one of the owners.  I still love comics, but I'm too poor to buy them weekly and I usually check them out from the excellent Hennepin County library system.  If you haven't ever read a comic (or graphic novel), you really should.  I recommend Love & Rockets, Ghost World or this quite highly.

7.)Orange has been my favorite color since I was at least 6.  I asked for my room to be painted orange, and got walls the color of baby aspirin instead.  The room was, however, carpeted in awesome bright orange sculptured shag.  Later my walls were painted bright yellow which I loved.

Now to tag!
anywhere I lay my head
Nikol Creates  
high plains thrifter
Sweetheart of the Rodeo


Thanks again to Lavender at threadsquare for the tag!

That's right, it's an Elvis skirt.