Wednesday, August 21, 2013

coat hanger ugly :: retro crafting

I love that scene in
Ratatouille
where the food critic
after sampling the ratatouille
travels back in time
in his mind
to when he was a child
eating a bowlful of his
mothers stew.

Like that.
Food has the ability to trigger
memories.
As do scents and fragrances.
A song.
And apparently
crafts.

Before my sister's family
relocated to Pittsburgh
we visited her
and the fun shops of Noblesville
one
last 
time.
While there I spotted a vintage
shirt that had
disco fun written all over it!
My boys were repulsed
by it...
which encouraged me to want it
all the more.

It was like five dollars.
Seriously
I had to have it.


When I took it to the counter
much to my boys chagrin
I noticed the hanger
from which it hung

You know...
one of those 
old crochet covered hangers
with variegated acrylic yarn...
that I know I
made back in the seventies.
This particular one
was the genuine article.
Sadly
it was not included with the purchase.
But the seed was planted.

Coincidentally
when the sisters
were hanging (excuse the pun)
around the table
leafing through magazines...
something we do
there was an article entitled something like
ugly vintage crafts updated.

Guess what was a feature?
Yep...
the crocheted hanger!

It was destiny.
I have no idea why  that project
made its way into 
my brain this morning...
but it did.

So I got busy.
Playing with cotton yarn.
Letting my mind travel back to
my kid-hood.
It was like muscle memory.
I whipped that baby up in 
less than an hour.
Now I'm reliving
a time where
wide lapels
and a groovy pattern
Just 
felt
good.

Who knows where this may lead?
Macrame
Decoupage
String art?
Which will take me down 
the road of
Tuna casserole
Root beer floats
Bologna sandwiches 
with Campbell's Tomato Soup
While listening to
Perry Como (my family totally gets this!)
Elton John
The Beatles.

It may be ugly
but I'm totally diggin' it!

What was your crafting passion
in the
60's... 70's...80's?

Give it another run...
you'll be amazed at where it 
will take you.


5 comments:

  1. you are clever! I have a few covered hangers but it's not crochet it's like woven fabric?? I think my MIL made them years ago, I'll have to ask her how she did it. Love how now whatever you hang will not slip off.

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    Replies
    1. Why thank you. Both :)
      Yes...clothes stay put AND it just looks retro cool...perfect for our shop!

      ;)

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  2. So glad you got around to trying your hand at this one! Now the real question is this...how often have you worn that shirt? LOL!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Does wearing it around the house to torture the boys count? I didn't think so. This is one of those shirts that is waiting for the perfect opportunity to reveal itself...and no, I'm not talking Halloween! LOL.

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