etsy shop update.. white lace love.

Etsy update! The 1970's eyelet dress and romantic lace onesie are both up in the shop today! The bloomers and handmade ribbon and lace bow will be added later in the week, as well as a few more feminine things.

For the sake of natural light, I'm trying out a new shop backdrop this week.. a pretty brick spot on our porch. I wanted to test it out and get your opinions on the look. Do you think I should start shooting all my shop photos this way, or return to the old backdrop? Which showcases the pieces better?

Hope you all had a fun and uneventful Memorial Day weekend! We did the ceremonial grilling out tonight and finished with raspberry clafouti. Happy June, all.

sewing saturday! 1940's era chambray bloomers

Today, I get to introduce to you one of the sewing projects I have been most excited about. I told you recently that I've made a lot of Etsy orders in the past week for vintage patterns and fabric.. well, this pattern is my favorite out of the five or so that I've found (I'll debut my favorite fabric purchase later on!). It's a gym set pattern from the 1940's, found via Firefly Vintage - a fitted blouse and these incredible bloomers.

The project took longer than I originally thought (the reason for Sewing Saturday being posted on Sunday night!). I was expecting something quicker and easier, like the simple shorts I made into bloomers last week, but there were a few extra steps to this one that made me continue the project into today.

First, I had to choose a good fabric to work with. I narrowed it down to gingham, corduroy, velvet, or chambray, before choosing chambray (an old curtain I found at Goodwill). I then laid out the pattern pieces, cut them, then marked them.

These pattern pieces were unlike any I've worked with before. They had holes for markings, but they were clear of writing or seam lines. Is it a pattern age related difference? The pattern told me that they allowed 1/2 inch for seam allowances, so I marked those and added a 1/2 inch marking at the hem of the shorts and a 1 inch marking on top of that to allow for my casing.

Once everything was marked, I sewed the shorts front sides together, back sides together, then front and back together at side seams (up until a designated point, where the bloomers would later button up). I then sewed the legs together.

These bloomers asked for button-up sides and a waistband. I sewed the button and buttonhole flaps at the sides inward, folding them under by a 1/4 inch to finish the edges before sewing. I then sewed the waistbands shut at the side, flipped them around, then prepared the top of the shorts for them by doing a couple quick stitches at the pleats to keep them flattened (two in the front, two in the back). I pressed the raw edges of the waistband inward by 1/4 inch. I marked 1/2 inch at the top of the shorts to know how far to slip the waistband over the shorts, then I sewed them together!

Once the front and back waistbands were finished, I only had the buttons, buttonholes, and casing to contend with. I sewed the casing at the hem of the legs quickly by pressing them first. Then, I slipped elastic through (thanks to Jumping Bean Girl for the suggestion of attaching a safety pin to the elastic! that's my new favorite method).

Once the casing was finished, I sewed buttonholes onto the front sides (thank the Lord for a machine that has a buttonhole function, man alive) and clear buttons onto the back sides. The pattern called for three small buttons on each side, but I used two large ones instead. These clear plastic buttons were a flea market find from last weekend, and I love them.

Then, I pressed the shorts.. and here is the end result!

I am definitely planning on using the pattern again and again, and the next time will be with a stiffer fabric so there is more volume to them. There's a pattern I own of a ruffled overall bib with suspenders that attaches to shorts, and I may make the overall bib to go with these bloomers instead. In brown corduroy? That might be my next move. I'd wear them all summer long.

I would LOVE outfit suggestions for these bloomers. What do you think?

On a less related note, I'm feeling much healthier today. This cold really slowed me down this week, so I've been lagging on a lot of responsibilities lately. Now that I feel better, I'll be able to update the Etsy shop tomorrow with some pretty stuff.. lots of lace, including the eyelet trimmed dress I wore to the Karen Elson show (sadly too big for me! it will suit a tall girl much better), a frilly lace onesie, and pretty lace bloomers I found at the flea market. Update post tomorrow night!

meeting karen elson!

Photos by Neil, Dad, and me!

AGH, so I'm going to blame my blog tardiness on the fact that I've been sick for the past few days. I have a cold, which really wouldn't be so bad save for the aches and pains that make even my jaw hurt. But no more complaining. It didn't stop me from attending Karen Elson's show yesterday, and it won't stop me from announcing the Timely Vintage giveaway winner.

So, without further announcement.. the winner of the giveaway is Rebecca of Zang Wow! Rebecca happens to be a Greenville College friend of mine and an insanely creative girl, so I'm super happy to see her win this. Yay, Rebecca!

Thanks to all who entered. I have another exciting giveaway planned for the near future.. I'll keep you guys posted!

Well, I'm sure it's no surprise that the Karen Elson show at Grimey's last night was magic.

Before the show, I had listened to a couple of Karen's songs and while they sounded good to me, they were nothing compared to the live performance. The harmonies and accordion added so much to the show, and Karen's adorable candor and accent made her easy to listen to and love.

Meeting Karen Elson after the show was the absolute highlight. She wasn't at all what I expected a British folk singer/established model/vintage store owner/Lula guest editor/wife of Jack White to be like.. she was genuine, sweet, humble, almost unpolished (which I mean in the absolute best of ways). She was herself, grateful to be playing her music, seemingly surprised to be noticed.. how is that even possible, when she's so accomplished in so many fields? But while I'm painfully biased, I'm also speaking the truth. She calls herself a "strange bird" in a recent Annie Lebowitz-photographed interview, and it must be true. Karen's a British Vogue model living in Nashville with two kids and a Detroit bred husband.. you've got to be a little strange to blend such inconsistencies so seamlessly.

I asked for a photo with her and told her that her issue of Lula was the best, and I loved her style. She was lovely to me, told me that she liked my dress, and said what a wonderful lady Leith Clark was. You guys, Karen Elson is the greatest.

(By the way, for my fellow Raconteurs and Dead Weather fans.. see that familiar face in the center right of the first photo? Little Jack Lawrence was there for support with his photographer wife. He's hard to miss, dressed in black like Johnny Cash with his long hair and old school glasses.)

Did you catch her cool platforms?

Neil and I did a mini photo shoot before the performance. The dress is the eyelet lace trimmed one I found at the flea market.. I thought it'd be a good dress to wear to the performance, because it's so feminine and prairie looking, as well as a longer length than I'm used to. Maybe Karen Elson-ish? Oh I sure hope so.

Here is a short video (the song Cruel Summer) I filmed of the performance to leave you with!

etsy shop update. a sailor summer.

Shop update! The drop waist sailor dress is currently in the shop, as is the faded denim dress. Keep an eye out for the cowboy romper and cut out polka dot dress, both of them should be up on Thursday. High waisted denim shorts and a plaid crop top will be added Saturday!

Thank you so much for all of your handmade clothing compliments last post. You guys keep me going with (and finishing!) all of my Sewing Saturday projects, so thank you! I really couldn't start and finish all of these projects without you. I made six recent Etsy purchases of vintage fabric and patterns, so I'll be sharing them soon. Now, the real dilemma is which project to pursue first.

Tomorrow is a big day. Karen Elson is playing at Grimey's here in Nashville, and we're going to be there! I just wish my sister could watch her with us, especially after her inspirational Karen post she wrote recently. Maybe next time? I hope this lovely lady continues playing her music for a long while. I'll be posting photos tomorrow night!

And one last thing.. if you haven't entered the Timely Vintage giveaway, do so! I announce the winner tomorrow! Happy week, all.

a handmade outfit and crafty flea market finds

White Blouse, Liberty Print Shorts - Handmade!

Black Wood Wedge Heels - Crafty Crow Vintage

Here are my last two projects together! A spring outfit. I had a tough choice between tights or no tights, and truth be told, it was super hot today so black tights were foolish. But I really like the overall look.

I also lucked out and had a chance to go to the flea market with my friend Colleen today. She was on the lookout for furniture for her new apartment, and I searched for vintage picture frames. While I didn't end up with any frames, I did find all sorts of crafting supplies like mint green lace, red pom pom trim (any good ideas for it?), clear plastic buttons, and lots of great old patterns. I also bought vintage lace bloomers (strange, after my recent bloomer obsession, to actually finally find some) and a pretty 1970's white dress with eyelet trim and pink ribbon. Oh, I love my finds.

I also drank coffee and ate an awesome hot dog.

Shop update tomorrow.. starting the week off right. And for all you giveaway lovers, Vanessa is hosting a lovely one right now!

sewing saturday! liberty print bloomers

Bloomers via anthropologie.

So, it was a last minute decision that I add elastic to the bottom of the pant legs instead of scallops. I've been obsessed with bloomers for over a month now, so I finally broke down and tried a simple shorts pattern with an elastic waist and added some minor bloomer-related alterations. Here's the process!

First, I did the usual pressing, pinning, cutting, and marking. Wow, how awesomely easy these shorts were.. two pattern pieces, four cut pieces in all.

Then, I sewed the two front pieces together and the two back pieces together, following the seam allowance lines and matching markings. I then sewed the front and back pieces together at the sides. Sewing the leg pieces together front to back was the last step.

Once the shorts were sewed together, I clipped and pressed seams inside.

I then had to make room for elastic casing. There were marks to let me know how far to fold at the waistline.. 1/4 inch pressed under, then about 5/8 inch from there, just like I've done before on the romper and white top. I simply repeated the casing process on the leg openings and left a spot open to slip the elastic in.

Once I sewed two lines for the casing on each opening, I put the elastic in (I used 1/4 inch elastic) and sewed it together. I then finished the empty spots in the casing.. that's all!

Sometimes when I'm lazy and using elastic, I cut holes on the inside of the casing to pull the elastic through and speed up the process. A new way, I found, is the same level of fastness but much neater. I leave more than one opening on one of the casing lines and pull the elastic through. It's cleaner because once the elastic is inside the casing and sewn into a circle, you can simply close up a few openings in the casing rather than just the first one you used to slip the elastic in. Much cleaner than holes on the inside of the shorts.

After trying them on, I found they didn't work exactly how they should have.. not enough fabric in the hip area. Bloomers are supposed to be pretty roomy. But I actually still do like the way they turned out. Since it wasn't like I had imagined, it compelled me to buy a proper bloomers pattern. The pattern I found is from the 1940's and kind of magical, so I can't wait to receive it in the mail and share it with you guys!

I've got to own up. I know some people will just look at bloomers as sleepwear, and yeah - I did find all of those lovely Anthropologie examples above in the nightwear section. But, hey! I bet we can wear bloomers out if they're done properly. Urban Outfitters even lists some pretty ones that look surprisingly easy to wear on a summer afternoon.

And I'll be debuting mine (along with the white top I made last week) tomorrow!