tulip skirt

I have never had any luck acquiring clothing from Wiksten, and I was pleased when I heard that Jenny Gordy had designed a pattern for Stitch magazine. I had purple linen, and since I have always loved the Alison skirt from Wiksten, I used it for my version. That might make me unoriginal, but I do love that material and that colour.

It was a nice skirt to make. On the pattern sheet the front and back pieces are mislabeled, but otherwise the fit was fine and the instructions were easy to understand (the cutting directions say to cut 2 self, 2 facing pieces for the placket, but I ended up using 2 pieces only -- I'm not sure if i did it wrong or not, but it made sense to me). I hemmed it a little shorter, because I am 5'3", and I took out one of the buttons.

I did make one big mistake, though, which I will blame on feeling a little unwell and on being tired: when I was making the skirt I tried it on and thought it was too big. I cut a few inches from the front, where the plackets are... I had completely forgotten about the pleats! It ended up working out, but the seams are a little pulled to the front. If I were to make it again, I would baste the pleats in place early on in the process. I felt very silly indeed, forgetting about such a major design feature.

My friend Jennie wanted me to teach her how to sew (knowing I am not a seamstress, of course), and we made the skirt together in a navy blue twill. She has never made a garment before -- in fact, she had only made a pillowcase during the sewing essentials class at the Workroom. We cut the pieces together, but she did all the sewing and most of the hand-stitching; I sewed in the buttonholes, because my machine's buttonholer is fussy and unfriendly. We had a small serger mishap (whoops), but it went well otherwise and she finished the skirt in one Magic Oven pizza-fueled evening. I am very proud of her. I was amazed at how much her confidence grew in a matter of hours!

jack & marjorie

Last night Geoff & I went to the One of a Kind Christmas show, and he picked up an early Christmas/birthday gift for me, the Madeline bag by Jack & Marjorie (above).  All their bags are made from military surplus materials, but are so feminine and beautiful.  I adore the bell shape of the Madeline.  The one I got is slightly different because she no longer makes them with the tea-dyed cotton ruffle; all the ruffles are made of the green tent canvas.

 

I have so many purses but I wanted a new one anyhow (it never ends) -- I specifically wanted one made from repurposed / vintage materials, because at this point, it's not too hard to find such a thing.

Now the question is if I can start using the bag now, or if I have to wait another month...

sarah seven

I love love love this shop out of Portland. I'm always so thrilled to find clothing at this level of creativity and quality on Etsy (cf. kcoline, hollystalder, makool, etc.).


Yes Love Babydoll coat, $310


Blackberry Jam shirt, $78; high waist bow skirt, $115

Tea top, $125; Crumpets skirt, $115

thank you x2

I wanted to thank all of you once again for your lovely comments & for your support. Once we started pulling things together for our Etsy shop, we realized how much work it can be (I've long since blocked out my memories of selling vintage knick-knacks on Etsy). I spent the last few weeks in a state of awe at women who design & assemble entire garments, or who take time picking out the most beautiful materials to print on, or who knit divine accoutrements for the rest of us. We all have busy lives; something as simple as going out to buy envelopes and bubble wrap can be a trial and a labour of love. And even if our accomplishments are modest, it's worth it.

I read this elegant statement on Abby's blog earlier today and it made me more determined to continue to buy handmade & local whenever I can:

I know that economically speaking, times are tough right now. That's why I'm trying really hard to get gifts and things I need from these women who work very hard to create beautiful things. I know it is impossible to shop completely from local or hand made sources, but we can all try, right?

oh my

I think I need this, but in dress form. I have no problem with looking like pastry.

phew

Well, some things are up on Etsy. Please let me know what you think, and thank you all so much for the moral support!

soon

Hi guys. I am nearly there. The Etsy shop will be ready in a few days. It's going to seem like so few things once it's up... but I suppose I'll just play it by ear with respect to how often I'll add to it. I think later this week I'm going to make myself a dress!

In the end, it has been a nice little diversion and if it doesn't work out, oh well!

(I know that I am totally obsessed with these little buttons, but I can't help it!)

This girl is the cutest.

(From Face Hunter)

I love her bag, in all its wood handled, carpet baggy glory. It has set me off a-scourin' eBay for something similar, which is so silly! I am not fond of purses that I cannot wear on my shoulder. I don't know about you, but when I have to carry my purses in my hand, I always transfer them to the crook of my arm. I can guarantee that later that same day, I will be moaning about how my arm hurts. I still love the doily bag I made, and I recently acquired this exact bag from eBay (a total impulse! It was $3.99! I bid and instantly regretted it! The bag is cute, though). I do not need any more bags of this sort.

The girl below (also from Face Hunter, also from summertime Australia) has inspired me to hunt down some mustard-coloured fabric. The little bow is the sweetest. I wish I could see what book she is reading!

practice makes perfect

Even though I live with him, Geoff continues to amaze me with his beautiful drawings. Every day he shows me new ones, and he just keeps getting better and better at it.

I think this is my favourite; I think it was drawn from Face Hunter. It looks so good in person.

thank you

You are all so lovely.

This was my kitchen table this morning. It has been in this state for a while now. I like to think that it's the type of disarray that compels you to look closer. So go ahead, peek in! You are welcome to.

leger comme une plume

I was feeling a little vulnerable and sad a little while ago, full of self-doubt about my skill. What a horrible feeling. I wish I could be free of it for at least one day a week! Alas, alack, etc.

I saw this beauty by Sofia Barão posted on A Cup of Jo today and felt the vintage lace lust. It was inexpensive, and the words "beautiful white and antique pink vintage lace that I will never be able to find again" made it absolutely irresistible to me... & so I bought it and instantly felt better. Funny how things work that way!

I didn't buy anything this weekend except a few meters of gorgeous dusty-rose sequin trim. I am in love with it. I am a lace girl, I am a dusty-rose sequin girl. I am not sure how I will combine the two, but I will certainly try for something pretty. Or maybe I will just look at it.

I am loving the latest entry to The Selby, for Abigail Smiley Smith and Philip Smiley. Other than the creepy shell animals on the toilet, of course. All that light and a pet bunny too!

abby try again

My print from Abby arrived today! I got the "Lovely Ladies" print, which was a prescient choice. It has since sold out, but is available in a larger size. I may very well try to collect them all over time.

I thought the goodies that came with the print were very sweet!

dream thrift

Today I had a bit of a dream thrifting experience. Thrifting, lately, has been difficult; I've been far more choosy, and I am convinced the prices have doubled (they are still inexpensive, of course). A few weeks ago I found a coat for sale in estatesale's Etsy shop and seriously considered buying it. I have had a few bad experiences in the past little while with respect to buying vintage clothing online, and I hesitated... and I hesitated just long enough for someone else to snap it up! I kept the coat in mind and continued to browse the coat racks, looking for something similar. Was I ever surprised to find this one! And it fit, too! And it was $20! I was giddy.

It came from Simpson's originally and is a wool/viscose blend. I need to have it cleaned, and I need to find new buttons for it. Otherwise it is perfect, with no tears in the lining at all, and I am smitten with it! It's all about the collar and that lovely weave.