For the past couple of months, Casey & myself have been in cahoots with a swap we were planning. It started with me offering her my copy of Simplicity 5148 (which – can we just agree that this particular style would look darling on her? Yes? Yes.), and we decided to just take advantage of the opportunity & fill each other a little box of goodies that we swapped out over the weekend. Casey actually had a birthday on Friday, and mine is a little less than 2 weeks away – so the timing was pretty perfect!
I almost feel bad posting this because the entire package was full of the most AWESOME stuff, and it’s just going to make everyone else jealous aha. So sorry, y’all!
Here is the whole pile in all it’s glory:
Right?! Are you salivating yet? I swear, every single thing I lifted out of that box made me shriek with delight.
Here is a pristine white slip, with beautiful scalloped edging. I really love that this slip is white, and not that horrid pink that is suspiciously close to my skin color (like all my other slips).
This gorgeous linen tea towel – which, if you’re wondering, looks great in my coral kitchen 🙂
A generous length of fabric – it’s labeled Acetate, and even though it’s very clearly a lining I’m still tempted to sew it up into a circle skirt. Would that be painfully obvious?
Simplicity 4604, a simple – but perfect – sheath dress
Simplicity 8497 – this 60s style dress is one of my favorites (I have 2 vintage dresses just like the long one, although the fabric is quite a bit less formal). I know I’d never wear that brocade full-length one, but I am seriously tempted to sew it up anyway.
Simplicity 8496 – I’m imagining this in a soft wool for fall. I think it’s so sweet!
There were also books in my box…
How To Make Belts & Hems by Simplicity. UH HUH, my belt-making is sorely lacking so this is a great blessing to appear in my home!
Home Sewing is Easy – ahaha, this book is so awesome & unintentionally funny. The woman on the cover looks like she’s about to eat her young, and the book is actually written out like a comic book. I love it! Casey – where the hell did you find this, btw??
See what I mean? She’s totally about to eat a baby.
(on second thought, maybe she’s just planning on eating that other woman instead)
Hehe!
There was also the Complete Book of Sewing (the hardcover book at the bottom of the stack). I actually collect sewing how-to books – I know, it’s totally dorky, and I have at least a dozen lol. All mine are from the 60s-80s, though. This one has a copyright from the early 40s and the illustrations are gorgeous.
See?
(she is beautiful, but what I’m really eyeballing is that scalloped collar. Uh-mazing!)
And what sewing goody box would be complete without a few notions?
Lace trim, red buttons, and pretty buckle. I think the buckle *may* be Bakelite – it smells like formaldehyde, anyway 🙂
Oh, and knitting supplies!
Those little sheep are STITCH MARKERS. That’s actually what killed me in the end. When I realized what they were (at first I was just a little confused but I still thought they were cute!), I actually yelled & the cat practically fell off my sewing table in surprise hahahaha. These are seriously the cutest things I’ve ever seen. And there are actually 6 of them, but you see 4 because 2 of them are already stuck on a knitting project 🙂
I can’t even tell you how much it delights me to reach a stitch marker and then remember that it’s a SHEEP.
Ok, I think that’s it! I hope I didn’t forget anything – as soon as I unpacked the box it ended up strewn all over the house because I was carrying everything around like a mama kangaroo carries around her young… I forgot to take pictures! Oops! At any rate, I can’t even express in proper words how much I love love love everything that was in my little box – best birthday present ever! If Casey enjoys her box even half as much as I love mine, I will consider this a splendid success 🙂
Thank you, Casey, for organizing this swap with me! Everyone else, I hope this inspires you to reach out & maybe have a mini-swap with someone else – it is so much fun to plan & collect everything, and get an awesome surprise on the receiving end!
If you want to lurk the box that I sent to Casey, she has written a post about it here!
LLADYBIRD 
super fun! i love Casey!
I am so, so excited that you loved your swap box so much!!!! 😀 Like I said, I always get nervous about whether I’m adding enough cool things into the mix. rofl. So yay for a swap success!!! You know I adored everything you sent me, and am itching to dig in to a few of those patterns and that fabric/trim. (Plus this has now made me want to take a flea market road trip! lol.)
That hilarious sewing book I think I found in Florida at a thrift store. (Which may explain everything… There is some awesome, amazing and somewhat wacky stuff in thrifts down there. hehe!) It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it??? lol. I got such a kick out of reading it! haha.
Also: I totally need to take post-writing lessons from you. 😉 You explained everything so much better than my brain was able to figure out. lol. (Well, that is partially because I scrapped my original post this morning and between chasing the dog who was chasing other animals, rewrote. Probably not the wisest move on my part…)
Oh, the fact that you got the book in Florida makes perfect sense now. Florida is so weird! I refuse to believe it’s even part of the South… I think it’s a chunk of northern state that broke off & floated to the bottom of the continent lol.
Given the quantity of the Florida population which is retirees who have relocated there- it’s no wonder- the people really have done just that…
Hi! I actually just discovered your blog through Casey’s post about this blogger swap (I’m an avid reader of hers!) and I just want to say that after “lurking” your closet I’m a huge fan of your aesthetic and finished projects! Definitely will be following your blog from now on. 🙂
Aw shucks, thank you! 🙂
Ohhhh, those wee sheep stitch markers are too much! And yes, you’re correct, these swap posts are making me super jealous, lucky ducks, both of you!!
Also, I grew up in Florida-it is a strange place. Ever heard of the game Germany or Florida? Basically when you see weirdo news stories, it’s usually from one of those 2 places, hahahahahahahaha
Share, share, share. Lol. Just joking, enjoy your well deserved Stash.
You guys really sure did each other such wonderful things! I love the baby-eating-comic book about sewing, that is so amusing. But the sewing book from the 40s looks fantastic, what a great resource! That’s amazing that there’s a section on becoming necklines.
This is definitely inspiring me– I want to have a mini swap now too! lol
I thought I recognised that Sewing Made Easy book – have either of you seen the Alexander Henry fabric? http://www.etsy.com/listing/96409128/home-sewing-is-easy-from-alexander-henry How awesome is it!
Haha that is AMAZING!
Ooh, may I see these books in person, please?
Yes! I will bring them to our next knitting night 🙂
I too just found your blog via Caseys blog. You are such a talented young lady! Very clever…..so many gorgeous things that you’ve made. I’ll definitely be making regular visits to your site now 🙂 Enjoy the new goodies that Casey sent you….those books look awesome (and so funny!)
Oh my god that “Home Sewing is Easy” book is HILARIOUS!! (“Gosh Honey, if you can make dresses like that your sewing machine was one solid investment all right!” what. a. dork.) Where did she even find that??
Looks like such a fun package!
That’s the third time today that I have seen that sewing comic. Rhinestones and Comicbooks recently posted a dress she made from that Alexander Henry Fabric and Dolly Clacket also has it as her blog header.
Ooo! You got such awesome goodies! What a fun swap.
Lucky duck. I have nothing more to say.
I just found this post via Casey’s blog. Sounds like you both had fun sending and receiving those little treasures. Simplicity 8497 was the pattern my Mum used to make her own Wedding dress 40 years ago!!
Ohhh, I bet that wedding dress was lovely!