This Mint Dress

Awhile back I purchased some wonderful striped mint knit from a new thrift store we had opening up. It was a great color and a great price. Even though I didn't necessarily have an exact plan for it at the time, I knew that it had to come home with me. I thought about a cardigan, but I just couldn't stay committed to that idea for long. Then one day it hit me: make a dress. So one afternoon I set out to make a nice little shift to dress up in and make fancy. I must warn you: on the hanger it doesn't have much appeal, but once a body is in it it looks pretty decent.

Action shot

So I decided to go with a bodycon style that had some large inverted pleats on the bodice and skirt portions just to add a bit of interest. It is a very wide bateau neck dress which sometimes has an off the shoulder effect. It has Dolman sleeves and a kind of weird waistband. (I'm not really sure why I drafted a waistband into it. I think I was only going to make a skirt at first and changed my mind.)

Neckline ribbing

Inverted pleats and waistband

And Yet Another Button-down!

I do believe I may have become quite fond of sewing these types of blouses. Once you get the swing of them, they are pretty simple to create. I mentioned this one before in a previous post. So now for pictures!

And here is my adorable model who took care to be extra silly while trying on this shirt!

This shirt is also available in the shop now.

Have I mentioned before how much I LOVE sewing with vintage sheets. The possibilities are endless when it comes to mixing and matching these beauties.

I'm thinking....

... about doing a Vintage Sheet Swap. Well not sheets per se, but sheet fat quarters.

If anyone else is interested in one, just leave a comment below or you can email me at lani5287[at]yahoo[dot]com. Then after we establish a general interest, I will post the details.

Can't wait to start swappin'!!

Shop Update

I just added these cute little pouches to the shop. You can personalize everything from hair color down to mouth (zipper) color. Go check them out!!

Shop update: Embroidery Designs!

I finally added my first embroidery design to my shop. I'm so excited. I should have done this a loooooong time ago, but I finally got everything set up just right. Now I present to you the Quilted Keychain Wallet design is available for purchase here.  Now I can't wait to add more.

Shop update

last weeks stitching, a photo by lani5287 on Flickr.

Just wanted to let everyone know that I added a few dresses and skirts to my shop for the up and coming school year. I also added a bunch of items to my "Sale" category, so check those out as well!!!

A Little Digitizing

So I was on Pinterest one day and came across the cutest little bag. (When I find the link, I will have to remember to post it.) I started my gears a-turning, and I ended up with an embroidered version of a little girl's face turned into a pouch.

I lined and backed them with vintage sheets. I used lipstick colored zippers. The multicolored one was just a test dummy to see if my stitches were right.

I think I'm getting the hang of digitizing embroidery designs, especially the in-the-hoop embroidery. In-the-hoop embroidery designs are my favorite embroidery designs to digitize and stitch out.

These are so fun and cute to tote around. Even my daughter loves them!! They are perfect for carrying around a couple of extra dollars, a handful of coins, and lip balm and other small necessities. I've been toying around with other hair, skin, and eye colors.

Thrifting 8.13.12

I haven't had myself a good thrift haul in a while. In fact I haven't been doing any serious thrifting lately. But today I decided to go check out my favorite Salvation Army since it moved to a different location. Can I just say that I am glad that I did?? I brought home some UH-MAZING vintage sheets and pillowcases and this super cool and super itchy leopard sweater that I am thinking about turning into a cardigan. I only spent $5.50 on everything.

I came home with two matching pillowcases and four sheets. I'm really in love with this selection. I think the last sheet may be a tablecloth instead. It's really thin and lightweight with serged hems. 

Matching pillowcases

I rarely get many large flower power items, so I was really ecstatic about scooping these up. 

This particular sheet makes me really really happy! Just look at that gorgeous hem with the scalloped trim. Everything about this sheet is perfect. I'm not one that goes for the faux patchwork look, but this one is right up my alley.

The flowers on this one are huge, about the size of my palm or bigger. I have a thing for mottled roses and cabbage roses on sheets. 

This one reminds me of the previous one. They are both by the same manufacturer, so I'm not sure if they are supposed to be a set. They didn't come together though. 

This is the softest, lightest piece of material. I'm really not sure if it's a sheet. Either way it goes it will be cut up into something beautiful. Just not sure what quite yet. And it does not have pesky hems to worry about. Yay!!

What vintage sheet goodies have you thrifted lately? How often do stalk hunt your favorite thrift shops looking for vintage wares? What particular vintage sheets do you look for when looking?

Why Haven't I Used This Sooner?

Behold my Binding Foot!!!

It's a weird looking piece of equipment I know. I must show you how this works someday. It is a serious time-saver and headache-reducer.

It attaches binding of all sorts, from single-fold and double-fold to unfolded, unpressed binding up to 15/16 of an inch wide to anything. And it does it perfectly! I have been having a slight little issue in curves, but I think that is due to operator-error. It has been a true Godsend when it comes to making little girls clothing and dealing with teeny binding that's only a quarter-inch wide.

Once I figure out how to take a decent video I will have to post it so you can know how it works should you ever find one of these beauts!

This Past Week

I have been sewing like it was an Olympic sport. I am certainly not used to whipping out 3 or 4 items of clothing in two and a half days, but I did it. And mighty proud of myself too!

I have been working on a back to school collection for little "women" to add to the shop and am proud to announce that I have stitched up a few dresses and a wonderful little shirt (that I neglected to get photos of, sorry!)

So here goes it....

This one by far is my fave even though it is unfinished. It has cap sleeves, a ruffled placket, and elasticized waist. I have to finish adding the buttonholes and the vintage buttons to the placket and binding the neckline.

This dress had small pintucks on the bodice, pleats on the front of the skirt and gathers on the back. It is also bound with contrasting binding and a zipper in the back.

This dress, too, features contrasting binding and a back zipper. The skirt is in a "High-Low" style, which I think is adorable on little belles.

Another one of my favorites. It has a back zipper and contrasting binding. The skirt has teeny-tiny pleats that look like gathers. The bodice also has a peter-pan style collar.

I have so many more ideas and designs coming to my head now. I wanna make a little person dress every hour! I can't wait to get these into the shop.

I just enjoy designing and sewing dresses so much. What are some of your favorite things to make?

Vintage Sheet Sewing

Hi there everyone!

It's been quite some time since I posted anything. I have been a tad busy. I also have tried to remain sewing. I completed a self-drafted sleeveless button-down shirt earlier this week. I am rather proud of it actually.

This is the first button-down that I have ever sewn for myself. I have been really craving floral button-downs lately, and they never have exactly what I am looking for or my size at the store when I go shopping.

So last Sunday I sat down drafted up a pattern, picked up a vintage sheet, and set to work. I was so thoroughly impressed with the progress I was making that I wanted to skip work just to get it finished. But at last I got it done.

As soon as I can find more awesome floral sheets, I will be whipping out more of these guys.

The shirt is made from a vintage sheet, vintage buttons and vintage bias trim to line the armholes.

I purchased these Coldwater Creek green jeans from the thrift store and made them into skinnies. They are super comfy and only cost me like six bucks. Can't beat that price!! Plus they will look great with so many other things in my wardrobe.