plaid wool tap shorts and other future projects

Perhaps this post should be taken as some form of online IOU.. rather than getting a Sewing Saturday project completed and posted, I ended up having an awesome (but not so productive) weekend with some visiting friends from college. Neil and I had company over this weekend and we spent our time running around town and showing them the sights.. which, unfortunately, didn't leave a lot of time for sewing.

So here is the plan for next weekend! I recently stocked up on over 100 yards (my sewing room is a mad mess of fabric and sewing patterns that have nowhere to go) of vintage fabric from the nicest couple, and in the lot I purchased came a bunch of tartan plaid wool. I can't wait to cover buttons and sew matching collars to fall coats with it! But in the meantime, I think this lightweight wool would be perfect for a pair of high waisted tap shorts. Maybe they'd be a good piece to transition from summer into early fall wear? Not that wool sounds remotely wearable for Nashville yet, but I'm looking ahead (basically I just want an excuse to wear fall colors again).

The sewing pattern is one that I purchased last spring, and I've been really excited to make these shorts ever since. They have a side zip enclosure and are ridiculously high waisted. I'd love to make some out of mauve silk, like the hue from this dream skirt.

A couple more projects that have been on my mind.. I'm still on the lookout for a good dress pattern to sew a white lace dress from, which is something that a couple of you have requested. I'm planning a hand-sewn buttonhole post in the near future (they look so much cooler than my machine stitched ones), as well as a tutorial for detachable peter pan collars with bias tape tie enclosure and interfacing. Also, the trapeze coat I was making for my niece Stella's American Girl doll didn't quite work out the way I wanted it to (the fit was really strange and not right.. maybe for Christmas, I'll sew her a matching dress for herself and the doll - velvet holiday dresses?), so I've decided to use a Barbie pattern from the late 70s to craft a new Barbie wardrobe for her birthday (little miniature dresses and jumpsuits and even wide legged pants). I'll make a few different pieces and post the process here.

I'm in the middle of sewing several mock-ups for my fall collection, which honestly takes up a lot of my sewing drive and leaves me little ambition when it comes to sewing other things.. I need to get out of this funk! This week, I'll work at it and come up with a good Sewing Saturday to share. Any project you'd like to see before the rest?

In the meantime, Neil and I are out house hunting. Our lease goes up in late August, which means we better renew or find a new place to live (preferably still in East Nashville.. we love this neighborhood). We'll see what happens - decision time tomorrow!

countryside summer

Vintage liberty print dress - East Nashville Flea

Gold watch pendant - American Apparel

Vintage wood wedges - from my mother in law

Earlier this week, Neil and I took a day trip to southern Illinois to spend time with his family. While we were there, his mom gave me some amazing leather and wood wedges that she had worn in high school - several pairs in different styles that her mom had stored away in a closet and just recently found. I was so excited to find out they fit! I'm going to buy some leather conditioner, polish them up, and wear them constantly.

This super warm weather has me really longing for a break.. maybe a trip to some east coast beach or sailing on the lake? So lightweight cotton dresses and high waisted shorts in linen and chambray are in my arsenal lately. This dress was a find from the East Nashville Flea Market a couple months ago. It's great for a quick and easy outfit, but I'm also planning on layering it for fall wear with some matching maroon tights and a gray pullover. I like simple shapes the best right now, so the idea of a little sleeveless dress with a short, gathered skirt and loose fit is perfect for me - so versatile.

In shop news, I've extended the 30% off sale to Monday! Just use the code SUMMERSALE upon checkout. Sewing Saturday (and a thrifty guest post) this weekend!

black myrtle

Some recent finds and purchases.. thrifted silk blouses (and one chambray tie top), a lovely little vintage watch necklace, and these velvety flowers. Vintage velvet millinery flowers have been an obsession of mine since last winter and I finally have some of my own, courtesy of Etsy - black velvet roses and velvet myrtle blossoms with a bit of yellow. They're going to be a big inspiration to me in my fall collection.. any ideas on how to wear them?

Thank you for the well wishes last week! After five days of antibiotics, I am feeling so much better. I'm going through that amazing post-sickness happiness where you're grateful for just feeling normal. Hope you're all having a wonderful week!

summer sale

Summer sale! 30% off of everything in the shop, including handmade items! Just enter the coupon code SUMMERSALE upon checkout.

I've just added some of my favorite summery pieces to the shop, including these striped high waist shorts, a lovely eyelet lace maxi skirt, loose fitting pocket crop top, and more.. just in time for the sale.

Hurry, ends Thursday, July 28 at 11:59pm CST. Happy Monday!

the bostonians

So as it turns out, I'm stuck at home with a sinus infection and bronchitis. NOT cool. I've never had either of these before and they kind of suck.

Fortunately I have antibiotics, a kitchen stocked full of chicken noodle soup and ice cream, a husband that's not afraid of germs, and Netflix. So last night, Neil and I watched movies and ate soup. And I managed to take some screenshot photos of The Bostonians, a 1980s film based on the Henry James novel of the same name.

This film is actually one of my least favorite Merchant Ivory films. The story centers on a young woman torn between allegiances to the feminist movement (which includes her opportunist parents and a reserved, rather lifeless lesbian, played by Vanessa Redgrave) and an uncharismatic southern gentleman (played by Christopher Reeve). Neither side is likable, unfortunately. I finished the film with little care or concern for any of the characters, least of all the main character, Verena Tarrant, who couldn't stop talking and yet had nothing to say. At least she had lovely hair.

The costumes and scenery are worthwhile, however. The English countryside, complete with its rocky coasts and overgrown gardens, were full of muted color, and the Victorian details on the button-down dresses and white underclothes were perfect. The simplest dresses were by far the best. There's one scene where Verena wears some sort of green ivy woven through her thick hair and it turns out beautifully, and a beachfront picnic complete with old-school swimwear is hard to miss. I can't wait to get back to sewing.

More screenshots can be found here.

There will be no Sewing Saturday this weekend as I recover, but I should be better by Monday for a shop update and special sale! I'm really hoping to get better soon.. I'm bad at doing nothing.

Happy weekend! Hope you're staying healthy.

midsummer

Rhi and Jamie have done it again. Here are some shots from their Midsummer Lookbook at Silent Sundays, featuring newly added vintage pieces (and some designer favorites) from their southern adventures. Just when I was starting to get sick of the hot weather, these photos make me excited for the summer all over again.

Shot in a little coastal town in Florida. Isn't the model adorable?

And speaking of summery vintage.. new pieces added to the shop today! Striped high waist shorts, mini floral dresses, 1950s barbecue blouses, and more on the way.

sewing saturday! a tie front crop top

Sewing Saturday! Sorry for the delay with this, our internet has been really finicky the last two days. This weekend, I crafted a tie front crop top from an oversized bed jacket.

I've had this black lace bedjacket for awhile now and have always loved the black lace, but not the boxy fit. It's also a bit faded in areas, so I thought it'd be great to cut off the faded bits somehow and still make it wearable. So a tie front crop top ended up being my best option, especially for hot months still ahead (Nashville's summer doesn't really end til about mid October).

What you'll need for this project.. a button up of your choice to make the crop top from (as long as it's the same width or larger and about the same length, waist ties included, as what you're looking to make), a tie crop top to use as a guide (not necessary), and the usual measuring tape, matching thread, and chalk for tracing.

To begin, I laid out the tie crop top over the bed jacket, folded up a couple inches at the bottom (the chambray top is kind of big on me, so I wanted to make the black lace top shorter), and traced along the shoulders, arm openings, and bottom of the chambray top. I then cut where I traced, trimmed the back ties off (only one set of front ties needed!), and trimmed the sides when I was finished so the fit wouldn't be so wide, being sure to measure out my bust and compare (about 30 inches, 1/4 seam allowance included, of the top bust). Trimming the sides also made the arm openings not as large and deep.

If you don't have a crop top to use as a tracing guide, simply measure out the length, from shoulder to waist, that you'd like the top to be, cut the sleeves off in a slight arc, and cut the ties at the bottom by trimming from the outer side of the shirt in at a straight, horizontal line, then curving downward when you near the buttons in the middle part of the shirt, and trimming all the way down. Be sure to measure out the ties first so you know what size you're looking at. My ties measured 7 inches long and 3 inches wide (not including seam allowances).

Then, I sewed the side seams back together and serged all of the unfinished ends, folding them in on themselves and sewing them again to finish (no serger? simply press 1/4 inch inward, then fold it in and press it again, and sew). I then folded the tie ends inward, making a triangle by taking the bottom edge of the rectangle and matching it to the inside side edge, and sewed it shut, so it added a finished point to the ties.

And that's it!

That's all for today! A super quick project that yields a little summery top, although it's easily transitioned into the fall depending on what kind of fabric you use and how you style it. Soon, I'll be showing you guys how to do handsewn buttonholes that look really lovely, and also - my finished niece's doll project for her birthday!

Shop update tonight! Happy Monday!

summer in the city

Photos by Neil!

Chambray stripe top, high waist linen shorts, neon nails - American Apparel

Velvet hair bow - Handmade

Leather bag - Thrifted

Wood wedge sandals - Madewell

Yesterday, Neil and I took our first visit to the War Memorial in downtown Nashville. It's only about five miles from our house, and we felt silly never exploring it before now.. it's near the courthouse and a couple of other stately buildings, nestled just north of the craziness that is Broadway. Apparently Nashville was big on Greek Revival architecture in its day - with Belle Meade Plantation, the Parthenon, and several others - and I'm not complaining.

This all American Apparel outfit is what I wore for a chambray contest the company is doing among its workers.. fingers crossed, I hope I win some free stuff! But honestly, I love AA button ups. I never seem to find a good enough replica at thrift stores (while I find a million silk blouses, I'm bad at finding well tailored button ups), so I caved in and purchased this chambray shirt a few days back, partly for the contest. The high waisted linen shorts are also something I've been coveting for awhile.. they remind me of trousers Meryl Streep might wear in Out Of Africa, or maybe a late 70s Woody Allen movie. I have mine rolled up high, but the length is actually pretty long and kind of mom-ish in a cool way. Any ideas on how to transition them into fall wear? Would you wear linen in the fall? I really want to, even if it breaks some old fashioned rule.

I also wore the shorts for the HARRY POTTER PREMIERE last night! We arrived at the theatre around 9:30 for our midnight showing only to see a huge line of people waiting before us (and I thought we were crazy for coming so early). But we still got great seats and it was phenomenal. I've kind of grown up reading those books, so it was emotional. And so so good. So good that I forgot to eat any candy during the movie. And I may have cried. And then we got burgers at Steak n Shake and went to bed at 4am - a great ending to a perfect summer day.

The irony of this post is I'm now in bed fighting off a cold (or the flu maybe?), while it's all summery out. Oh well, I guess this gives me an excuse to eat ice cream and sleep all day.

Happy weekend!