Vintage thoughts from Finnfemme, a practical fashionista
I just had to share this fab 1960s knitting pattern for a head scarf. Perfect for the upcoming chilly days, you can rock the mod 60s head scarf look, and keep your ears warm!
Made in either fluffy angora or mohair, it is triangular with tie strings. The instructions look pretty easy, so it’s a good project for a beginner.
So get out those knitting needles, buy that angora yarn, and get stitching!
Download the pattern here: Angora Head Scarf Pattern
~Marilyn Huttunen
Now that autumn is firmly ensconced, I turn my attention once again to those lovely angora sweaters. I love angora sweaters, but my special devotion lies with vintage angora! You see, most of the new angora sweaters that you find today are flimsy, thin, and in a blend with about five other fibers, leaving the angora content around 10%. They tend to pill very easily, and are not soft, furry, or have that extreme hairy fluffiness that vintage angora has.
I am always on the hunt for quality vintage angora. The best decade for FABULOUS angora sweaters was the 1980s
. OMG, those sweaters are just the bomb! Usually made in Korea (where I think the best angora comes from), and in incredibly bright colors, with bold shoulder pads and ornate beading and embroidery embellishments. Just completely out there in that bold 80s way!
But the most fabulous thing about the 80s angora is that is almost always 80%, 90% or 100% pure angora rabbit hair. It is just incredibly thick and plush, with long fluffy hair. The softness is not to be believed! I have sensitive skin, and cannot wear wool or mohair next to my skin. But angora (and cashmere) is so soft and nonirritating against the skin. Very warm too, without the heaviness of wool.
I gently wash my vintage angora sweaters in lukewarm water and Woolite. I air dry, and then carefully comb out any pills with a fine tooth comb. Never, never, NEVER dry clean angora! The natural rabbit hair was meant to be washed, not bathed in chemical solvent. It will turn out sparking clean, soft, glossy and fluffy.
The vintage 1980s white angora bolero and pink angora sweater shown are two that I have sold recently. They are off to new homes with appreciative angora lovers.
So don’t be afraid of angora! It is truly a glorious fiber, brought to you by mother nature.
~Marilyn Huttunen
My curiosity got the better of me again yesterday when I decided to go back to Target to check out the Missoni goings-on there. I must admit that I started coveting the colorful zigzag shoe box and somehow felt I just had to have it (I know, I know; caving into the hype).
The Missoni clothes rack was completely bare at my Target. When I went to look at the shoes, there was one box of shoes left. They were the suede pump and, get this, they were in my size (10)! So I took this as a sign that this pair of shoes was meant for me.
I was kind of thrilled to get the box, it is very cool. I was actually pretty impressed with the shoes. They have a suede upper and a leather sole, which I thought was quite remarkable. The 4″ heel is a bit too high for me; I will stand 6’1″ while wearing them. But they are quite solid and comfortable, with a cushioned insole.
What struck me the most (literally) was the overwhelmingly toxic stench of the shoes upon opening the box! I am pretty sensitive to smells, and this was really quite awful. I opened the box and put them out in the garage to air out. After a day of airing, alas the smell is still there.
This brought me back to the reality that these shoes were made in China, not Italy. Who knows in what kind of conditions, and what kind of toxic chemicals were used? The jury is still out on how this will affect Missoni’s image in the fashion world. But I’m sure that I’m not the only buyer who noticed this.
I’ve got the box, and I’ve got the shoes. It will remain to be seen if I’m actually able to use/wear them.
~Marilyn Huttunen
The new Missoni for Target line debuted today. Normally I don’t go crazy for any of the ‘certain designer’ for Target lines, but as a Missoni fan, my curiosity got the best of me. I went to check it out at my local suburban Seattle Target.
I got there around 9:30 am, and the parking lot was full. The clerks said that they were huge lines before the store’s opening, like Black Friday. I saw women wheeling out carts filled with Missoni luggage and pillows (the bright zigzags are hard to miss). I walked in to find just a few clothing items left, but got to get a look at the quality of the line. Disappointingly (but expected), the items are all made in China. The few zigzag knitwear items that I saw were actually of surprisingly good quality, which is a relief because Missoni’s trademark is zigzag knitwear. I was less impressed by the cotton pants and polyester blouses; they just looked cheap.
There were a lot of pushy, grabby, snobby women fighting over the remaining items. Come on people, this is a Target in suburbia! Nothing to be snobby about. I overhead two women plotting against another shopper, “she’s the one who got the last piece of luggage!!!” I think they were going to go grab it out of her cart by the sounds of it.
I went to look at the Missoni bicycle. The one they had in the store was a black and white zigzag number. It was kind of cool, but looked like a zebra. I didn’t see anyone fighting over that.
It will remain to be seen what this will do for Missoni’s image in the fashion world. Normally these ‘designer for whatever store’ lines don’t bode well for the designer, and cheapens the overall image of the line. It’s a double-edged sword; you get lots of sales, but at what price?
While I felt a panicked urge to bolt from the store immediately, I did decide to buy one Missoni item for posterity. A pair of purple zigzag socks for $6.00. I have to say that they are really quite fabulous. 🙂
~Marilyn Huttunen
This may be one of the most unusual folk remedies that I have ever used…and the easiest…and the safest. For who knew that a simple bar of soap placed under the bottom sheet of your bed would help relieve leg cramps?
I know I had heard about this remedy several years back, but had completely forgotten about it. But in the past year or so, I’d been having increasingly irritating leg cramps, especially at night. Not knowing what was causing them, I tried a myriad of remedies. I tried walking and exercising more, walking and exercising less, ibuprofen, achy muscle creams, tonic water (with quinine), homeopathic tablets, extra vitamins, and supplements. Nothing worked!
So when I happened upon a recent article where the bar of soap in bed method was mentioned once again, I thought “AHA!” – I just had to try it. What did I have to lose (except possibly my leg cramps)? I unwrapped a bar of soap and placed it under the bottom sheet at the foot of my bed. The first night, I didn’t notice much change and kind of forgot about the soap for a couple days. Then about 6 days later, I realized that my legs actually felt much better and my leg cramping was greatly diminished! I haven’t done anything else much differently, so I’ve just got to assume that it is the magical bar of soap that is contributing to my relief.
No one seems to know why this particular remedy works. Some scientists say that it is the placebo effect. That doesn’t really matter to me. All I care about is that my leg cramps are mostly gone, and it is as a result of a completely safe and non-toxic method. So get that soap in bed! 🙂
~Marilyn Huttunen
I’m in a somewhat wistful, moody, sad mood today. Yes, I’m pretty much the chipper optimist most days, but sometimes the weight of the world becomes too heavy for my shoulders and I just gotta take time out to brood. And it feels good.
The end of summer/start of the school year time is always a bit poignant and wistful for me. Add to this, my son will be a senior in high school, and I’m having to deal with all the logistics and tensions about SAT scores, applying for scholarships, applying for financial aid, applying for college, amongst all the other myriad minutia in the daily life of a single parent.
Most of the time I can deal with being a single parent just fine, because I will admit to being somewhat of a control freak. But having to make all the decisions all the time can be draining. Especially when money is tight, or nonexistent. Everything falls on you to deal with. I was just reading in Isabel Gillies’ memoir, about the reality that single mothers can become ‘islands’; feeling that we can do it all ourselves without help. Yep, that’s me; I feel like a big ole island most of the time.
I pray, practice yoga, and meditate on a regular basis. This has helped greatly to keep somewhat of a calm balance in my life. But I do live in the real world, with all its real stuff to deal with, not in an ashram or monastery. So when my thinking mind goes into overdrive, pounding me with worry and anxiety, I just gotta let go. I embrace my moodiness and just go into full-out brood mode. Feel the brooding! Love the brooding!
My foul moods never really last too long anymore if I just accept them and go with the flow. Soon the worrisome contemplation gives way to a peaceful place, where maybe I’m not incredibly happy, but am calm and present. So, you must excuse me now; I gotta go brood.
~Marilyn Huttunen
I'm Marilyn, and I'm obsessed with vintage clothing, thrift stores, clotheslines, and Chanel. Welcome to my down-to-earth world!