thrifting...knitting...collecting

i've been hitting the thrift store pretty hard lately. i scored these two weekends ago. there are thirteen of a series of time life books on sewing. i think the copywrite date is 1973. what clinched the purchase, though, was that the previous owner of these books must have taken a sewing course and the certificate commemorating her first completed garment was still in the front of one of the books AND the date of the certificate was TO THE DAY 28 years ago. each of the books covers a different sewing topic...there are even instructions and patterns to make leather gloves. the covers each sport a different fabric...the top photo showcases a few of my faves. the one on the end is orange corduroy...mod, mod, mod! (hey, and check out my breakfast crumbs in the front of the bottom pic! mmmm, whole wheat toast!)

the blue socks are complete and even survived a trip in the washing machine. the neopolitan socks are 1/2 done. i keep reading and hearing about a way to knit two socks at once on two circular needles...that way you finish them at the same time and they're always the same size (btw...my blue ones are exactly the same size! thank you very much!). but the directions seem so cryptic. any savvy sock knitters out there that have walked the plank and tried this sock knitting method, please let me know. yes, i need to know because on sunday i actually purchased MORE sock yarn. so that brings the count to one completed pair of socks, one half pair of socks and yarn enough in the stash to make two more pairs. i've got it bad. and the allure AND lure of crochet is beckoning me so fiercely, i can barely control it. fabric, yarn, thread, buttons, aprons, beads, paper, old books, vintage patterns all threaten to take over the house. thank goodness i have broken free from my addiction to collecting! (not!)

i have yet to mention my now ever expanding collection of 1960s cookbooks...the most recent addition, "lunches and brunches," in which aspic is often mentioned. yummy!