All posts filed under: Miscellenia

White Zombie: on set

Published by The Dreamstress

Being on set for White Zombie was fascinating.  I have tons of theatre experience: I’ve costume and dressing for ballets and operas and plays and other live performances, but this was the first film I’ve worked on. It was pretty much what I expected in most cases, but fabulous. I expected that there would be moments of rushed panic (“can you just take in the lapels 3/4″ before the next shot?”) and lots of time sitting around waiting to be needed. I gathered that unlike a stage play, there wouldn’t be an absolute schedule – the order in which scenes were shot got rearranged a little to suit makeup and hair, and if we ran ahead or behind schedule we just did the next thing, or tried to prep for the next.  With a play you have to start at a certain time! What I didn’t really realise was how much time lighting would take.  That was really the most time consuming thing of the whole day – more time was spent on it than …

Retro cuddlies

Published by The Dreamstress

I found a couple of vintage knitted stuffed toys recently and just had to have them (or at least have them for a little while).  They didn’t come together, but are about the same size, and are the only two knitted stuffed toys I have ever come across, though I have seen lots of patterns for them. I don’t know a lot about them, as knitting and toys aren’t my areas of textile expertise by a long shot (if you do, please speak up!), but though they were too cute not to share. The first one dates back to at least the 1940s, and probably a little earlier. Isn’t it adorable!  It’s just so cute and simple and cunning! It’s pure wool, and, except for the beak, is worked all in one simple stitch – very characteristic of early 20th century knitted items, including toys. I’ve seen patterns for similar stuffed toys in pre WWII women’s magazines, but haven’t seen this exact pattern. It doesn’t look like it was every really used or carried around …