Makeshift Chic

doing it yourself, for yourself

2012-01-16T18:48:00.005-05:00

Gahhh! I'm so sick of reading DIY articles where the main reason for doing it yourself is to save money. The main reason for doing anything yourself should be to have fun, get creative, try something new. If DIYing saves so much money, why are there so many successful craft stores? And seriously? "Make your own candles to save money!" If I was trying to save money I wouldn't be buying candles. Much less candle-making supplies. And I wouldn't be spending hours making candles; I'd be working or looking for a job. Ok, maybe if my electricity got shut off or something... but even then, I'd just get the $1 unscented tapers at the corner store.

Can't I just do it myself for the pure enjoyment of doing it myself? Can't I make my own candles for the fun of it? Why does creativity have to equal poverty? I don't make stuff because I'm poor. I make stuff because I like making stuff. If I had infinite money, I'd still make stuff (though I'd use way more silk and cashmere!). I get more out of creating things than I get out of buying things. I like pairing different colors and textures for a knit scarf. I like sewing clothes that fit my unique body and my unique personality. I love that feeling-- when something I only saw in my head is now a real thing. I also love that feeling-- when someone compliments my dress, purse, hat, etc, and I can say, "Thanks, I made it."

So why does it have to be about money?

underwater

2010-07-27T17:57:00.002-04:00

I guess I never really post any of my film photography on here. Check out these photos I took just by putting a cheap plastic camera in a ziplock bag.

The first two are from a few a few weeks ago when I went swimming in the lake with my cousin. The last two are from a year ago when I went swimming in the pool with my boyfriend. He broke up with me that day, so it wasn't really a priority to develop them...

making shift?

2010-07-11T21:48:00.002-04:00

"there has to be a change, I'm sure
today was just a day fading into another,
and that can't be what a life is for..."
-Counting Crows

For quite a while I've had this idea of starting my own magazine. I always thought it would be about making stuff- especially clothing and accessories, decorating, etc. Kinda a DIY type thing like "Readymade" but it would be geared more toward women. Like "Martha Stewart Magazine," but for a younger, trendy-er woman, I guess. I was going to call it "Makeshift Magazine," and it would be all about making things. Nowadays though, I'm starting to feel like it should be something more. Not just something about making stuff, but something about making life, maybe about making due in life.

I just left the cozy world of college living, and soon I'll be taking off for a new city on my own. It doesn't feel like a new chapter in my book; it feels like a whole new book. I guess I just feel like I have something to say about making a life for myself. When I hear about other students who've just graduated and are now making all kinds of money at their "real jobs," it kinda makes me feel inadequate and incompetent for taking the grad school road, the starving artist road, the student loan road... But when I think about how much I can learn and accomplish through this experience, it all seems worth it. I'm scared to death, but I know that I'm being true to myself. I have nothing of financial value to gain by getting an MFA in musical writing. It's just not a moneymaker like other master's degrees. But I have SO MUCH to gain by way of knowledge, networking, and experience. I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be, "real jobs" included.

I'm also looking forward to spending time with people so similar to me. When I went to Tisch for the interview weekend all the applicants got to meet each other and do workshops and stuff together, and it was wonderful to be around people who have the same love of this craft, as well as the same fears and pressures. It reminded me of senior comp class last fall. Everyone was so supportive of each other because we were all in the same boat as writers trying to find our voices and face our fears, especially with graduation and "real life" just around the corner.

So I guess what I'd do with my imaginary magazine is write about what it's like to be a starving artist, or a fed artist, or just a dreamer. I'd want it to be supportive like the class. I'd want it to make people feel like they're not inadequate or incompetent for choosing a life of artistic expression, but rather, it would showcase the thrill of inspiration and the joy of creation that make our lives truly rich.

(I guess I'll end on that sugary, inspirational, cheesy note there... nighty night.)

purses!

2010-06-22T17:18:00.005-04:00

Check out these bags I made! I made the black one out of an old leather coat from goodwill ($6!) and I made the green one out of a pair of cargo pants from there.

music musings: the fratellis

2010-06-14T20:04:00.006-04:00

Time to share some of my latest music interests. After a long aesthetic dry-spell, I have finally found a new band to love: The Fratellis. Ok, so they're not new, but they're new to me so just let me love them. And there are so many reasons I love them... the fun 90's rock sound, the hints of ska, the punchy lyrics, varied pacing and winsome accents. Plus their band name reminds me of the Fratelli brothers from The Goonies, so how could I not love them?

Seriously, I have never fallen in love with a band this quickly. The moment I heard Chelsea Dagger I ordered two of their albums. I've been listening to a youtube playlist of their music on repeat until the cd's come in the mail. Some other favorites: Henrietta, For The Girl, Look Out Sunshine, and Everybody Knows You Cried Last Night. This is totally my kind of music! Where have they been all my life?

vintage fabric love

2010-06-13T20:20:00.007-04:00

Once upon a time, I was wandering through salvation army, when I came across a frumpy, shapeless, oversized vintage dress. Though the cut was hideous, I couldn't help but fall in love with the charming floral cotton it was made of. I bought the frumpy frock for three bucks, inspired by the print, and sewed it into this trendy little sundress. With pockets, of course.

I still had a few scraps left over afterwards, so I made this little scarf out of them. The floral print makes it girly, but the fringe gives it a bit of an edginess, I feel. I'm thinking I might make some more scarves like this and sell them on etsy. I'm having trouble getting a summer job here in Michigan, so I'm a bit worried. I start grad school at NYU in the fall, so I need to make as much money as I can before I move out there. Trouble is, no one here wants to hire me for just two months or so. Sigh.

alteration

2010-06-10T16:02:00.009-04:00

I altered the dress I wore to the navy dance. I just added a bow over the part where the waistline is skewed. Why fix your mistakes when you can just cover them up with a pretty bow?

Next up, we have a satin top I made from an old pajama set. Not too crazy about the fit, but it does look chic under a blazer.

Meh, I'm not thrilled with either of these garments. I'm getting kinda sick of poly-satin.

navy dress for navy dance

2009-11-28T13:45:00.004-05:00

Here is the outfit I sewed for October. My school had a dance with the Midshipmen after the Notre Dame-Navy game, so this is the dress I made for it. Another unflattering picture. The flash makes the satin look all weird, but it's actually very fitted and pretty, and the back looks fabulous, I promise. I wanted to take better pictures, but I kept putting it off, so I decided I might as well just post this one.

So the dance was pretty lame and awkward (probably since we lost the football game so pathetically), so a bunch of us bailed and hit up Finnie's Pub in our dresses. Way more fun. We had a few drinks, met a few guys and had a great time. Let's hope Notre Dame does better tonight. Ha.

I started up a new blog with my friend Mary. http://judgmentalcentral.blogspot.com It's different from this one. It's called Judgmental Central, and we basically just judge dumb stuff and stupid people. We do have some coarse language, so read at your own risk I guess. Just thought I'd share that here since it's another blogspot one.

Well, for my next sewing endeavor, I'm going to try to make a blouse out of an ugly chiffon skirt I picked up at goodwill yesterday. The print is really pretty: navy blue with pink and taupe roses. The skirt is so ugly though. It's long and pleated and high-waisted and weird. Why do people waist lovely fabric on hideous garments? Haha, I guess I've been guilty of that too though...

blues and greys

2009-10-01T17:34:00.006-04:00

Finished! The skirt doesn't really fit that well but I totally love the top. I made the skirt out of an old pair of men's slacks, and I made the top from some cheap jersey knit I got on clearance. I guess I don't have much else to say about it except that I'm glad I got it finished. Thanks everybody who encouraged me!

So, I'm thinking for October I might try making some pants, seeing as the weather's been in the 40's and 50's all week and they still haven't turned on the heat in my dorm. I'm wearing gloves and a jacket as I type this, shivering. So yeah, skirts and dresses don't sound all that appealing right now. I've never made pants before. I'm kinda scared but kinda excited. It might be a little too ambitious of me, but I guess the whole point of this blog is to challenge myself to try new things, especially if I'm scared of screwing up.

Wow, that picture looks really bad on my blog. Yuck. The colors and the lighting and the angle just look so amateur and out of place. I need to start taking better photos for this thing. Ew it just hurts my eyes with the tan against the grey background. So sorry about that. ick.

almost done!

2009-09-27T15:36:00.002-04:00

I'm almost done with my september outfit! I had to change my plans because I screwed up the scallops and didn't have enough fabric left to finish the dress. So my back up plan was a navy blue shirt and a grey skirt. I just finished the shirt today! It's adorable, with a big bow on the front. The skirt is about halfway done. I'm a little worried about how to put in the zipper, but it's looking good. Even though I changed my design, it's still kinda inspired by the 500 Days of Summer wardrobe too, though not based on any specific outfit. Just the neutral color palette, retro silhouettes, menswear fabrics and cute feminine details that I've been so crazy about lately. Now, if only I could afford to buy a bunch of cute shoes and purses to complete the look... sigh.

intimidation

2009-09-07T22:28:00.003-04:00

I haven't made much progress on my dress. I feel kind of intimidated by it, I guess. Why do I always get so intimidated when I have a good design or idea? If I screw it up, whatever, right? I'll get it right eventually, as long as I try, right? Especially if I'm off to a great start. It's the same thing with the play I'm writing for my senior comp. I've got about ten pages of notes on characters and scenes and plot and everything, but so far I've only been able to crank out about four pages of legit play. I need 3-5 more by noon tomorrow. I love my plot and characters, and I know this play could kick ass, I just get nervous whenever I write it. What is that? fear of not being good enough? even though I'm the one who came up with the idea? who could write this play better than me? Same with the dress. I designed it. Who could sew it better than me? So why hesitate?

updating

2009-08-30T20:05:00.004-04:00

I've designed my next outfit, and I'm quite excited about it. It's partially inspired by Summer Finn's blue shirtdress in the film 500 days of Summer. I really wanna try making the scalloped hem and the scalloped button front. I've never done anything like that before, but I want to try new techniques and this is a perfect way to start. My design is a little different from the dress in the movie. It's going to be ivory instead of blue, and it's going to have black lace detail instead of embroidery. The skirt will probably be shorter and fuller, and hopefully there won't be as much pleating on the bodice. And mine will have pockets. I LOVE pockets. Especially on dresses.

Yesterday I went to Chicago sort of on a whim for this family picnic croquet tournament thing. It was a lot of fun. My aunt and uncle made some amazing food, and it was a really great time. It was pretty cold, so they set up a fire pit, which made the whole thing very cozy. And for the championship game, the kids made a playlist of inspirational music like the Rocky song and the Final Countdown so everybody was cheering and really getting into it. I love doing stuff like that. I love my family. I have this little fear in the back of my thoughts that I won't get to do stuff like this as much once I leave college. All the grad schools I'm looking at are in California, New York and Florida, all far away from here. And my parents are moving to Michigan next winter. That's going to be weird, but at least they'll be close by for the rest of my senior year. And my little brother is moving to Indianapolis, so that's just weird as hell. Now I've got this bizarre feeling that pretty soon we're all going to be disconnected and scattered across the country. And I'm probably going to be the farthest away of all after I graduate. Am I just scared to be going off on my own, without my parents to support me, emotionally and financially? I guess I'm just sad to be losing this closeness where we're all still involved in each others lives. Wellll, it's time for me to get some sleep.

back to school

2009-08-24T12:34:00.003-04:00

I wore the dress I made in June (black with pink flowers) to a party last night and I got so much positive feedback on it. Everyone loved it and couldn't believe that I made it. So I guess I'm kind of an attention whore about it, but who could blame me? I'm really proud of that dress. I designed it myself, made it for cheap, and I even invented my own method of attaching the jersey knit top to the cotton weave skirt with elastic in back so that it can stretch without bunching. So yeah, I get to be proud of myself. I was so thrilled that a lot of people liked it. A couple girls even said they'd pay me to sew some for them too. How awesome is that? I could definitely do it too because this kind of dress looks great on all figures and it doesn't require too much fitting since the top part stretches and the back has elastic. So yeah, I'm feeling really great about this.

film inspirations

2009-08-16T18:02:00.005-04:00

Well, I saw "Julie & Julia" last week. If you've been reading my blog, you might know that it was the trailer for that film which inspired me to do my own blog challenge with sewing. And if you've been reading my blog, then you might know that I've failed at that challenge. It definitely added an extra level of understanding to the film. How the hell did Julie keep that up for a year??? Haha. Then I started thinking about our differences and similarities. The main difference is that I never told anyone I know that I was trying to do this. I just started doing it. Maybe I should have mentioned it to my friends and family or something, so I could have their support and understanding. I guess I thought I could handle it on my own. Plus, I wanted to be able to discuss my personal life without worrying about making myself vulnerable to people who are actually involved in my personal life, if that makes sense. Even though I rarely even discuss my personal life. So I think this fall I will try to let people know what I'm working on.

Also, I know I keep changing the rules, but I want to change my challenge to making one outfit per month instead of an outfit a week or a garment a week. I don't want to stress myself out too much, and I definitely don't want to get discouraged and give up like I did this summer. I also need deadlines. So, I'm going to vow to update every Sunday on my progress, even if I haven't made any progress. And I vow to post pictures of the final outfit by the last day of every month. I also want to start taking better pictures instead of just standing in front of a door and rigging the timer on my cell phone camera. I know it's not as impressive as the Julie & Julia project, but I have no delusions of grandeur, no dreams of a book deal or movie deal. My aspirations for this project are pretty simple. Self-fulfillment. I want to accomplish something personal that I can be proud of. I want to inspire others to make their own clothes and to pursue their hobbies and perfect their craft. And, of course, I want to make a bunch of fabulous outfits for myself.

Changing the subject here, I also saw "500 Days of Summer" last week. I saw the first matinee show on the day it released here. I guess I couldn't wait. It's such a sweet movie. Not only is it a lovely little film, it also had a lot of designing inspiration for me. I especially love the color palette, all neutrals paired with shades of blue. The vintage elements are inspiring too. They give the outfits a quaint, classic feel without seeming old, nostalgic or outdated. Mmmmm. Just give me that blue dress with the scalloped hem and that light brown shoulder bag. I kinda want to emulate that simple, quaint, classic look in my designs and in my style. I have some blue fabrics that I'm going to play around with this week. I also just found two pairs of cute, oxford style shoes. Heels on ebay and flats at goodwill. Both real leather. Score. I don't know why this particular style appeals to me so much. Maybe it's because the look is kinda student-ish and I'm going into my senior year of college. Maybe it's because people keep telling me I look like a blonde Zooey Deschanel. Or maybe it's just because I look fantastic in blue. Regardless, you might be seeing some cardigans, skirts and dresses in neutrals and blues on my site this fall.

hottie in hot pink

2009-08-04T16:37:00.009-04:00

Ok, so I'm seriously failing on the weekly update thing. Failing. Why is it so hard for me to deal with deadlines and goals? It's not just with sewing and blogging, it's with everything in my life. I'm so bad at getting things done on time. Why?? Am I lazy? Deluded? What? I missed the deadline for the cover-up competition. I could have won a new sewing machine or a dress form. I would love to win both of those things, and I have the skills too. I just can't get things done and I always end up disappointing myself. I guess I should be fair to myself though, I have been working A LOT. I've been picking up shifts left and right to pay off my speeding ticket and still afford books and food next semester. That does take up a lot of my time. That's not a good excuse though....

Well, here is a cocktail dress I just finished. I reconstructed it from a cheap dress I got at TJmaxx for $8. I adored the embellished neckline, but the rest of the dress was ugly and unflattering, so I cut it up and made it into something new and cute. It was kinda sac-like, with a stretchy band for a hem, and it made my butt, thighs and tummy look huge. Now it makes me look little and pretty, so yay. I can see myself wearing this to club fever with the girls. It's rather short, but not too skanky, you know? And the color looks so good on me. So naturally, I'm psyched. I made the earrings too, but they're hard to see in the photo.

EDIT: I don't like to have too much space between the end of the text and the end of the photo. So I thought I'd share one of my favorite musicians ever. Anya Marina. She is the bridge between badass and adorable. Sweet and sassy sauce. Her cover of Whatever You Like (by TI) has been stuck in my head for a couple weeks now. Some other songs to check out-- Move you, Cowboy, Afterparty at Jimmy's, Clean and Sober, Vertigo, and all of her songs ever. The end. I really hope you like her because I totally LOVE her music.

confession time

2009-07-21T17:05:00.000-04:00

Just thought I'd write about some of my bizarre little quirks. For starters, I like going to movies by myself. Weird, I know, but I feel like I can experience it better surrounded by strangers. That's not to say I hate taking other people. Haha, don't take that the wrong way.

I love to check craigslist "missed encounters" every once in a while. Just in case someone mentions me. I obviously have attention issues. Of course, no one's ever mentioned me. And I don't know what I'd do if someone did. It's just something I do. Funny thing is, I've never posted a missed encounter. I just read them. Maybe I should try it sometime...

I like Velvet Revolver better than Guns 'n Roses. I know, I know, you're supposed to like the original better, it's classic, blah blah blah. They are both good bands, but Velvet Revolver wins. end of story.

I'm addicted to chapstick. I need it.

Ok, well that's enough confessions for now. Time to get some sewing done. I'm making a swimsuit cover-up for the craftzine contest and the deadline is thursday.

recycled plaid

2009-07-14T00:04:00.005-04:00

Wow, I'm starting to fall way behind on my sewing and blogging. Buuuuut, after many screw ups, ripped stitches and pricked fingers, I'm finally able to present to you my second outfit of the summer. I made the charcoal tank top out of an old turtle-neck sweater (my dad's). It's a soft, thin knit. I made the plaid skirt out of an XXL men's button down I got at goodwill. It's not all that flattering though. It doesn't make my tummy look any smaller. Oh well, at least it's still cute.

I have some bad news. It's hard for me to back down from a challenge, but I kind of need to. I said that if I got to 30 followers I'd keep making an outfit per week in the fall too, but after seeing how much time and money a full outfit takes, I'm going to have to amend that challenge. Instead, in the fall, I'm just going to make one garment per week. I don't want to disappoint anyone, but I know that I'm not going to have enough time or money to sew an entire outfit every week for 4 months. Who needs that much clothing anyway? I feel like sewing one garment per week would also allow me to spend more time on each piece, so I could try out new techniques and really do my best. Oh, and this doesn't change the challenge for the summer. I'll still sew one outfit every week until I start classes again.

speeding ticket

2009-07-03T03:11:00.002-04:00

Today, on my way home from work, I got my first ticket ever. For speeding. The problem is, I wasn't speeding. I'm sure everyone says that, but it's true. The officer said he clocked me going 45 in a 30, but that couldn't be true. The worst part is, my family just switched insurance companies this week and now the premium is going to skyrocket. And my mom is yelling at me for not trying to bargain with the officer or deny it when it happened. I didn't even get a chance to. He asked for my license and registration, then walked away for a bit and came back with a citation. He never even told me why he pulled me over until the ticket was already written and in my hand. What was I supposed to do? Hand it back and tell him he's wrong? As if I could say anything, I was so confused and intimidated, I didn't know what to do.

My parents and everyone at work says I should go to court and contest it. It seems like a good idea, but if I'm that confused and intimidated from just getting pulled over and cited, how could I defend myself in a courtroom without having a complete breakdown? I could just pay the fine of $129.50, plus insurance increases. Or I could do the infraction diversion thingy for $191.50. That erases it from my record as long as I don't have any violations for 6 months afterwards. But it's so unfair that I have to pay all this money just because I'm scared to go to court. When I wasn't even speeding. Just because I'm scared that no one will believe me. What is wrong with me? Why am I such a speechless moron every time I have to deal with confrontation? Why do I put up with crap I don't deserve?

roses & studs

2009-06-29T23:05:00.010-04:00

Better late than never, here is the first outfit for my sewing challenge. That purse was such a pain to make. Literally a pain. I ripped a hole in my finger trying to bend one of those metal loops with jewelry pliers, and it is still bleeding six hours later, ick. I love how pretty it turned out though. It was worth all the blood, sweat and tears. Ok, maybe not the blood part...

As for the dress, I totally love it, but I probably won't get to wear it much. Although, it kinda looks like a cocktail dress. Maybe I could pull it off with some black tights and stuff in the fall.

I wish I had more occasions to wear pretty dresses. My friends here in Bloomington don't really dress up much. Which is fine, I don't mind being casual and comfortable. I just like to show off once in a while, you know? And I rarely get to wear dresses in the frozen wasteland where I spend the school year. So I guess the solution would be to get a new boyfriend so I can wear dresses on dates. Or start hanging out with some girlfriends who like to get dolled up and go out. Any takers? Ha.

I kind of feel like a loser. It's weird. I wrote a poem for class sophomore year about sewing a pretty dress but having nowhere to wear it. It was just a cute little sappy poem about having potential but lacking opportunities to fulfill it. But now it's kind of literal. Oh cool, I just found it---

I bought four yards of silk chiffon,
a zipper and some thread.
I snipped and stitched and toiled to make
a gown of luscious red.

The flounces flared, the color flashed,
a stoplight for the eye.
The envy of the other girls,
the lust of every guy.

But no, I never wore the gown.
I never had the chance.
I had nowhere to wear it to,
no party, date or dance.

No invitation to the ball.
And so the dress remained
unseen til it fell out of style,
and out of sight it waned.

I put it on when I’m alone,
though I was thinner then.
I wonder how I could have danced
and who I could have been.

Annnnnnddddd, I just remembered my family is having a grad party for my little brother on sunday. I can wear my pretty sundress then. Bam. The end.

week 1 update

2009-06-24T19:10:00.002-04:00

My first outfit is going to be a dress and a purse. There. Now that I've said that I can't back out.

The dress is almost done. The last few parts are going to be hard though. The purse is going to be a nightmare. But if I get it right, it's going to be hot. A hot nightmare. I was starting to consider giving up on the purse, but that would just be pathetic. So that's why I'm stating here, for all to see, that I'm making a dress AND a purse this week, and I'm not backing down. And by "all" I mean my 3 readers. Don't worry, I won't let you down. Ha.

So yesterday was the first time I saw my ex since we broke up on saturday. We had to work together in box office. I was kind of surprised by how normal I felt. No anger, sadness, rage, despair or hatred. Just a little awkwardness. Wow. Does that mean he never meant that much to me? Would I have broken up with him at the end of the summer anyway? I guess I'll never know. I'm really surprised how quickly I got over it all. Usually I need another boyfriend to help me get over a breakup. not this time though. I guess that's what you call self-sufficiency.

The big question now is when am I gonna wear this pretty dress I'm sewing? Breaking up has severely decreased my opportunities for wearing pretty dresses. Such a shame.

Summer Challenge

2009-06-21T17:44:00.003-04:00

Well, I saw a preview for the film Julie & Julia, which made me realize how lame my blog is. So. I decided to create a challenge for myself this summer. Here are the rules:

-I must sew one outfit per week for the rest of the summer. (9 total)
-I must write two blog entries per week. One must include a picture of the finished outfit. The other could be anything I want. (18 total).
-The outfit can include anything. I could just sew one dress, or a skirt and a shirt. or shorts and a top and a jacket and a purse. Quantity is irrelevant, however, the outfit must clothe me fully and the pieces must actually look good together.
-The pieces can be sewn from scratch or reconstructed from old clothes.
-As of now, I have three blog followers. If I get 30 followers by the end of the summer, I promise I will continue the challenge into my fall 2009 semester.
-This entry does not count as one of the 18.

Basically the idea is to improve my sewing skills as well as my writing skills. The challenge I did for Lent really helped me to get more confident with my sewing and try new things. I'm hoping this challenge will have the same effect. Time to start sewing!

floral skirt

2009-06-20T22:50:00.001-04:00

I feel like I need to start writing better blog entries. Lately they've all been some sort of summary of whatever I wrote on craftster. I'd rather make this a showcase for my writing abilities instead of just a mechanical chronicle of my sewing projects. It's weird for me to get personal though, so I expect it will feel awkward at first.

Well I suppose I should begin with some sort of vague comment about life. Life is harder than it looks. Then I should say something about my personal life. My boyfriend broke up with me today. My boyfriend "let's-just-be-friends"-ed me today. We've only been dating for a couple weeks, but rejection is such a slap in the face. A slap in the face that you have to pretend doesn't hurt. Why is it always my first instinct to fake indifference? Of course, I'm sure the "yeah, ok, we're cool" bullshit wasn't all that convincing. And that just makes me even more pathetic.

Now I guess I should mention the skirt I made. I finished sewing it today before our date. It was harder than it looks. I made it out of a frumpy old skirt I got at goodwill. I cut it up and transformed it into a sexy little bubble skirt with pockets and a bow. It looks pretty simple, but I did put a lot of hard work into it so it would fit perfectly and hang just right.

And then I should probably tie the skirt thing into the personal thing. Except I can't really think of anything. This morning I felt so pretty and trendy in my chic little skirt. Now I just feel ugly and lonely. It was supposed to go from frumpy and unwanted to sexy and cute. How did I get it backwards?

Fringe Fever

2009-06-10T14:01:00.001-04:00

I'm kind of into the fringe fad right now, so I've whipped up this yellow fringe scarf and this grey fringe bag. I also made that skirt.

The scarf was super easy, I just cut up and old t-shirt. I didn't even need to sew anything, I just tied knots to make the fringe.

The bag was super hard, since I never really sew purses from scratch. It was definitely a learning experience though.

Another pic of the bag--
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g157/lancaster5/0610091249a.jpg

Slacks skirt

2009-04-25T15:51:00.001-04:00

I love recycling old clothes. It's WAY cheaper than buying fabric, it keeps stuff out of landfills, and, if you're creative, you can get around doing the hard parts like zippers, button holes and belt loops. I made this little navy skirt out of a pair of men's dress slacks I picked up for $1.50 at goodwill. By using an old pair of pants, I was able to avoid having to sew the zipper, buttons, button holes, belt loops, pockets and interfacing. The hardest part was probably ripping out the stitches. The second hardest part is getting around to ironing it... oops.

born in black & white

2009-04-07T15:24:00.001-04:00

ABSTRACT: My objective is to prove that the following formula is true: black + white + buttons = classy-as-hell

Perhaps it is the allusion to classic black and white art photography. Or perhaps it is the polite nod to the ultimate in classy formal attire: the tuxedo. Whatever the underlying cause, black and white clothing just radiates elegance. Add some buttons to the mix and you've got instant classy.

Figure I:

I made this classy-as-hell top out of plain old t-shirt jersey knit. Boring right? But since I used black and white fabric and adorned it with buttons... tada. Classic.

Figure II:

I made this classy-as-hell dress for a semi-formal dinner. Since I have no money, I had to make this out of fabric that I already owned. Yikes. Plain cotton plus cheap poly satin would normally end up an ugly mess, but, well, you get it by now: black + white + buttons = classy-as-hell

Disclaimer: The classy-as-hell formula, like all fashion formulas, becomes null when used with shoulder pads, skorts, white pleather pants and crocs. Sorry, but these items can never be classy-as-hell.

Ruffle tunic tank

2009-03-17T16:28:00.001-04:00

Summer is alllllllmosttttt here, so I decided to whip up this tank top last night. I recycled a big goodwill tee-- the sleeves became the neck ruff and the front lining.

I totally love it and I can't wait till it's warm enough to wear it out!

More photos:
no belt
ribbon belt
w/ high-waist skirt

Cuff bracelets

2009-03-14T20:20:00.000-04:00

So a little while ago I started watching old episodes of Firefly online. I got instantly hooked and basically watched the entire series in about four or five days. Naturally, I felt like a lazy bum just sitting at my computer watching an old tv show for hours on end, so I had to find something to keep my hands busy. I settled on jewelry-making, and that, dear reader, is how these bracelets came to be.

This is my favorite. I cut up an ugly old purse to make the leather strap. Then I made some roses by sewing gold beads to a small felt circle base, which i then sewed onto the strap. it closes with two snaps and looks super sexy.

I already mentioned this one in my post about the grey top, but I thought I'd give a close up. I copied it from a bracelet I saw at freepeople.com for $118. Yikes. here's a link to the picture--expensive bracelet and here's a pic of the one I made...

There really isn't much difference between the two. Except that mine didn't cost me a cent. For the strap, I used the leftover scraps of leather from a purse I reconstructed. Then I just sewed on some beads that I already had. Do people actually pay $118 for this? Wow.

Wristlets

2009-03-14T19:59:00.000-04:00

I've been sewing old clothes into new clothes ever since eighth grade, but until just recently it had never occurred to me to sew old purses into new purses. Sorry these cell phone pictures are so crappy...

Here's what it looked like before--http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g157/lancaster5/0215091739.jpg

I didn't get a before picture for this one, but trust me, it was ugly.

I never really understood the point of wristlets until I turned 21 and started going to bars and clubs. I get it now.

Cropped cardigan thingy

2009-03-12T02:12:00.001-04:00

It's easy to recycle a huge plain t-shirt into something chic and new, but what about all those free tees covered in ugly graphics and advertising? If you don't want to work with the graphic, then you have to find a way to work around it. I got this shirt for free from one of my uncle's basketball games. It had a huge superman S graphic on the front with "AU spartans!" written across the bottom, slightly uncentered and tilted and weird looking. Here's what I made it into--

When I started making the cardigan, I wasn't really sure what it would look like or how I would make it. I just sort of started cutting up the t-shirt around the graphic. I pieced it together with the trial and error method, and somehow I ended up with this cute little garment. Sometimes you just have to dive straight in and see what you end up with.

Lent

2009-03-02T20:04:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I give things up for Lent even though I’m not Catholic. This year, I decided to give up buying new clothes and accessories. That includes everything. No new shirts, jeans, jewelry, purses, and (gasp!) shoes. I waste so much money on clothes and stuff that I don’t need and really aren’t that great anyway. Plus, I rock at sewing and making stuff myself, so I kind of see this as an opportunity to get creative and be more self sufficient.

So the first thing I made after ash wednesday was this pretty grey top with drapey sleeves. I made it out of an old XL t-shirt, so it’s super comfy and soft. I also made that bracelet and that necklace; I copied both of them from jewelry I saw on freepeople.com (their stuff is EXPENSIVE, yikes).

Sassy Vest

2009-02-23T13:22:00.001-05:00

Why do I keep clothes around when they clearly don't fit me anymore? I've had this pair of dress pants in my dresser for years even though I could barely button that size 6, high-waisted nightmare. So instead of pretending like someday they'd fit me again, I just chopped them up and made them into this sassy little vest.

Everything on this vest is recycled from the pants (except the thread!). I made my own covered buttons out of the original buttons on the pants, and I even cut out the interfacing from the waistband for the buttonholes. I had just enough material from the pants to fully line it. I'm so thrilled that it actually fits, and it looks so great with a lot of my clothes. Yay recycling.

Shapeless Shirt to Stylish Skirt

2009-02-16T16:58:00.001-05:00

It's 20*F outside right now but for some reason all I can think about is skirts. This is the second skirt I've made this week. (I'll do a post about the first skirt once I get around to ironing it and taking pics...)

I made it out of an old XL t-shirt and it was super easy. I love the big slouchy pockets and the high waist. It's so comfy. I just wish it was warm enough to wear it!

Magazine Valentines

2009-02-09T17:53:00.000-05:00

Oops, forgot I had a blog... Anyway, for the past few years I've been making my own valentines out of magazines and mod podge. I love this project because it's a great way to recycle old magazines and because it's kind of old fashioned and quaint. In the Victorian era, people used to hand-make elaborate valentines from paper, lace, fabric and ribbons. So instead of buying cards at a store, save some money this Valentine's day and try making your own.

They're pretty easy to make. All you need is an old magazine or two, modpodge (or glue), and a q-tip. You might also want some card stock or sturdy paper to back them with.

The best way to make concentric hearts is to cut out the smallest one first. Then use that one as a patten for the one behind it, just cut it a little bigger. If you want your letters or hearts to have borders the easiest way is to cut out the letters/hearts first then glue them to the paper you want to use for the border. Then you can just cut around it to make a border.

After you finish gluing together all your magazine cutouts then just glue the valentine to a piece of cardstock. Once dry, you can cut the cardstock flush with the edges of the heart. The cardstock makes the valentine sturdier, and it also gives you a clean back to write a message on.

You can also add a little ribbon bow, or anything you want. Get creative. Go crazy. And Happy Valentine's Day!

Past Projects: Party dress made from gauchos

2008-04-13T17:54:00.000-04:00

I think I'll start off by posting some of my past projects since I'm at school with final exams coming up and I don't have much time for sewing and such...

I made this fabulous little black dress out of a pair of gauchos pants my cousin wanted to throw away. Bad cell phone pictures...

I'm going to Europe this summer and I plan on wearing this a lot. It's so comfy and it can be casual or dressy depending on what I wear with it. What I love about this project is that I took something out of style that was about to get thrown out and turned it into something classic and wearable. Yay.

First entry!

2008-04-13T13:40:00.000-04:00

I basically made this blog so I could show off my sewing projects, crafty endeavors, thrift store purchases and maybe even some interior decorating. The idea is cheap and affordable style with attention to consumer consciousness. Let's face it, being fashionable in college can really drain the bank account, so this blog is going to be about how to have style and flair without spending a ton of money on mass-produced merchandise.

I have a taste for retro-vintage-nostalgia type things-- swing dancing, jazz music, old movies, cocktails, oldies and sometimes my friends and I play croquet in vintage sundresses and suits on the quad at school... I'm also into supporting things like the arts, the local community and the environment.

So I guess we'll see where this goes...