It's no secret that I love vintage styles. So when I inherited this pale-pink and cream jacket, I immediately saw a new project - how could I alter it into something with an feminine, 1950's feel that would still be wearable in everyday life? I often browse pictures as a starting point for inspiration - collecting my favorites and pulling details from this one or that one. A few of my favorites are below. [I take no credit for these pictures.] I focused on a closely fit waist, understated peplum, and an asymmetrical front. I also really liked the possibility of rolled sleeves, a more casual feel that fit nicely with the lighter weight material of the existing jacket. And here's the final product! Slimmer fit, shoulder pads and pocket flaps removed, and new button placement - and I have a lovely new piece to pair with a simple dress or dark skinny jeans for a classy night out!
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The first step, of course, was to make myself a pattern. Patterning for myself is usually the easiest, since I can start with an existing piece of clothing and make small changes in the pattern while preserving the fit. I have a denim shirtdress that's a very similar look for warmer seasons that was a great start. From there, I added in a double turned button placket, a little extra length on the skirt, and pleats instead of gathers at the waistband. To top it off, I had enough material to make a matching lightweight blanket scarf for my man! Lots of winter fun to come.
I love socks. Actually, that's only half true - in the summer, I'm always barefoot. But come winter, there's nothing I love more than a pair of heavy wool socks to warm me up. A few years ago, my sister and I were looking for a new knitting project, and she asked a good friend to teach us a simple sock pattern. We've had so much fun we haven't stopped since! You can only wear so many scarves in a winter, even a Minnesota winter, and I just don't have the patience for blankets - but socks are always useful. If you're looking for a fun Christmas gift or something to give to your special someone who just can't get warm in the autumn, a pair of these handmade socks will do the trick. Socks are priced between $25 and $30. E-mail me for more information on this cold weather favorite!
I was married just over a month ago, so my late summer was brimming with new projects. We had our wedding at the camp in central Minnesota where we met - the perfect setting for a fun, casual, beautiful day. We did a lot of DIY projects - which probably wouldn't surprise many people who know me. Despite being crazy busy, I had a lot of fun creating and putting together all the details. My first sewing project was a linen shirt for my groom. We pieced together a few of our favorite colors to make a loose palette for the wedding - blush pink, maroon, rose, light blue, grey. We chose a nice, medium weight linen in a dusty sky blue for his shirt, a mix of comfort and casual class. And definitely something he can wear again! I based the pattern on a shirt he already owned, that he knew fit him well. I chose a light grey thread for the topstitching to add a little more interest, and understated grey buttons to round out the contrast. The material holds itself so well I didn't any interfacing or extra lining - the cuffs and collar are self-lined. I adore natural fibers - they're easy to work with, comfortable to wear, and easy to take care of. I'm actually a little obsessed with linen at the moment - it's an incredibly strong fiber, so clothing made from linen is very durable, and it's highly absorbent, and cooling to wear on a hot day. And it's a dream to sew on. Besides all that, it lends itself well to an easy elegance, with it's smoothness, light natural luster, and correlation with finer and more expensive tastes. But back to the project at hand. Major structural seams are flat-felled, with double-turned hems. I decided to create my own version of bound buttonholes instead of more traditional sewn buttonholes - it gave the front placket a cleaner look, leaving the focus on the simple lines of the linen. Up next on the wedding tour, ties and bowties for the groom and bridal party!
It's been a long summer since I wrote last. Well, it didn't feel very long to me - I was married at the end of September, so my summer was quite full! I've done quite a bit of sewing over the last few months, but had very little time to write about it. Now that things are starting to settle in a bit more, I have lots of projects and pictures to share! First up , something fun and simple - lace panties! It always makes me feel pretty to wear something fun underneath that nobody can see. But pretty underthings can be so expensive! Over the last year or two, I've been starting to experiment with making my own underwear, and I've had great success recently with a simple pattern I found online for lace boyshorts. Three pairs in, and a little experimenting, and I'm very happy with the results. First and second pairs followed the pattern pretty closely, except that I cut the front rise a little higher for comfort, and used a thin ribbon elastic instead of a lace trim. This style will also be available for retail in a selection of colors, starting at $10.00 a pair! Contact me at [email protected] for details and ordering! For the third pair I tried something a little different, and used a wide lace band instead of lace fabric. The result? I'll call them cheeky shorts, a little longer all around, and super soft and silky. Stay tuned, more wedding projects coming soon!!
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