Eva's journal

I'm still ill and tired and aside from working and sitting in my couch knitting nothing much happens. Knitting works better than sewing when my brain feels like this, because I can follow someone else's directions and don't have to construct the pattern myself.

So I've started on the project to make pentagram tams and caps for my coven. First I made the cap version for Inger:



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I've also bought new shoes, from Miss L'fire:

Yep, that's me. I had planned to buy one pair of all the shoes that I lust for this summer and it stood between Irregular Choice (especially these) and Miss L-fire (possibly a pair of green Betsys) - but in the end I settled for a pair of sensible, comfortable and still stylish shoes instead, these lovely late 1940s/early 50s repros from Rocket Originals. 



I ordered them on Wednesday evening, they were sent out on Thursday from Sheffield and I could pick them up today - not bad at all. And they're comfy and made of real leather.

The spring/summer collection this year includes these:



Yes, yes, I know that I wouldn't use them enough to justify a purchase, because I walk too much in my daily life for these, but they are soo pretty - I just want to own them, look at them and pet them! And wear them to parties.

I'll probably ned up buying a pair of Aphrodites some time this year. The blue ones (most shoes come in differnet colours, check the web page!)

So. Friday 13.15 I landed at Heathrow. After collecting my, then much lighter, suitcase I took the tube to Hammersmith and soon found my way to armillary (Björn) and Sarah's place. Sarah had a cold and was home from work, which meant that I could get rid of my suitcase before heading out for shopping. We had tea and Sarah accompanied me by foot to Goldhawk Road and Shepherd's Bush market. I bought this printed cotton, pattern designed by William Morris and a shot cotton/viscose blend (I think) in strong turquoise. 

Then I left Sarah and took the tube to Oxford Circus and then went down to Margaret street (off Regent street, on the same side as the Topshop flag store) and Bravissimo, where I got this and this; both in black. By then I had realized that a) Ieft my A-Z at Björn's place and b)really wasn't sure about the exact location of Carnaby street; since I hadn't been there since the 80s, when it was one of the places you could find shiny leggings in leopard print. With the help of the map at the tube station I was, however soon there and promptly went to Irregular Choice and bought these:

After that I went back to Hammersmith and went to the local Primark and bought knickers, panties, whatever you like to call them adn to the pub next to where Björn and Sarah lives for a quick pint of bitter. I met some really nice blokes there too, wargamers.

Then I had dinner with Björn and Sarah, really good food made by Sarah and we talked and they sewed and we had some Canadian Icewine and then some of my home made apple wine that I had given to Björn years ago before I went to bed.

Next morning I was awake at seven and up at half past seven since I was going to the new research day organized by the Association of Dress historians. Everybody was really, really nice and I got to meet such celebrities as Jenny Tiramani, author of  "Seventeenth-Century Women's Dress Patterns", who seems very nice. The presentations were all very good and interesting and I look forward to having more contact with these lovely ladies (well, there were a few men too). My presentation also went well and I didn't stumble much on the long English words such as "Hierarchy" and "Aristotelian".

Still, a conference from 10-17.30 is rather taxing so when I got to billyoblivionx place it was with great pleasure I received a beer as soon as I entered and then had a bath and home cooked curry and even more beer. Quite a lot of that actually, so I spent most of the Sunday being rather hung over. Though we also took a walk and listened to music.

I was home again at half past ten in the evening and it seems almost unreal that I've been to London an back just over the weekend.

I just got these in Schuh's eBay store. I've been looking around for lace up shoes with a wedge and rubber soles for a while, since that is such a typical 40s style. These are too high to look right, but I still couldn't resist them. They cost 25 pounds and then another 12 pounds for the shipping to Sweden.

I noticed these already when they showed up in the swedish chain Monki this autumn and I was even considering paying the full 450 SEK (approx 72 dollars or 45 pounds) for them (though I'm not convinced that the quality warrants that price). Then yesterday when I was on my way from the fabric store to the wine and liquor store (I see a pattern here. Or something) I noticed them among the sale clothes when walking past Monki. And now for 100 SEK! (less than 10 quid or 16 dollars). And there were two pairs left, both in size 39, which is the most common shoe size among women in Sweden; isn't that weird?

These are my christmas present from Rickard:




The photo is from Asos.com, which is where they're from (currently on sale for 24 £), because Rickard took the camera with him when he and Maja went to see his mum today. Not that I think the world would be a better place if you could see me wearing them right now; with a Teenage Fanclub t-shirt (in matching green though), knee high socks in two shades of pink and granny panties.

But it's annoying in another way, because I had planned to fix my hair and take some nice photos of me in my new dress. I prefer being alone when doing that and now I am alone until tomorrow at five pm.

At the event I got two pairs of vintage shoes (we're guessing the 1950s) from Estrid, baroness Nordmark, mundanely known as Johanna Lundquist (who makes lovely jewelry: modern, fantasy and period, so head over to her web site). She's had them for many years but felt that she didn't use them as much as they deserved, so she offered them to me. The are leather, suede and rubber and made in Austria. The quality is superb and I only need to change the bottom of the heels because they have gotten brittle with age. And they're wide enough for my toes!!



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Today three pairs of new shoes arrived from a mail order company (they were on sale so including shipping and handling it ended up 305 SEK, which is c. 26 £ or 39 $). And I think that I really needed three more red shoes ;)

When I got home from Stockholm there were two packages waiting for me: from SockDreams and from Bravissimo. I bought two pairs of SockDreams striped knee socks and some stockings. I may be wearing these to Tip the Velvet's Valentine's party.




The shose are also new - they're cheap plastic shoes my friend Annaa's daughter bought for her fashion show and I bought them from her even cheaper. It's easier to see both the shoes and the sequined hearts om the stockings in this photo: