Just Lovely Inspiration

“Mrs. Grace taught me to sew, and Mrs. Penelope taught me to read.”

I just love the Gutenberg book project. There are so many wonderful books. This particular one is a visual feast.

Front Cover

Back cover

The Fairchild Family, by Mary Martha Sherwood has beautiful illustrations by Florence M. Rudland and is a delightful read.

The Story of Apples

There was one he could just reach

In their newest morning dresses – love the pattern

Enjoy!

30 Absolutely Fabulous Collars to Make

I love free-standing collars. They are fun to make and so simple. Collars frame for your face, as we tend to focus on the face.  You can change the look of a simple outfit completely by just adding a collar. You can even keep a few in your handbag if you need a quick change! 

Just to get you started into the lingo of collars; here’s a collection of different types of collars

(For all the images – just click on them for the source)

Different types of collars you can make

The embellished collar is particularly big now with the Barogue look.

Chanel – Image from ZsaZsa Bellagio

Every girl needs pearls! You may not want the little string of pearls but these pearl embellished collars you can make yourself will are just gorgeous.

Pearl collar Necklace from Style Hive

DIY Tutorial from Les Arts Plastiques

Tutorial Trinkets in Bloom

Just add pearls and lace to a plain collar to get this feminine look.

Image from Barbro Andersen

The black and gold baroque look is just fabulous and that too can easily be done with a DIY collar and cuff added to your little black dress.

Black and gold Baroque collar – Image from Jkayre

Either embroider a black collar and add pearls and sparklies or simply sew on decorative buttons!

Baroque button collar – Image from Reciproque

Tutorial from from Fashion Margo Girl

Unusual Lace and beaded collar video tutorial

More great tutorial to make these collars. I especially love the ruffled ribbon collar.

Tutorials from On the Fourth Floor

Then there is the silver and metallic look – the following pictures gives great tutorials for the collars – just click on the images for for the tutorials..

Faux Glitter Collar – tutorial from Wobisobi

Vuitton metal peter pan collar – tutorial matter of style

Tutorial M & J Blog

Here’s another idea for a black and gold Baroque collar in the Puritan style. Just cut out a collar (x 2 plus facing) in the shape of the collar shown in the picture below to the size you want, and use thetutorial for the Peter Pan collar to make it up and embellish to your hearts delight. Tie with a ribbon or a decorative button with a button loop.

Image from Fashiolista

How to make a puritan or Peter Pan collar – Full Tutorial from A Common Thread

My favourite for DIY – Doilies

Best Tutorial for how to make a collar from a Doily from El Calaix

Or you can just crochet a collar here’s on pattern I like

Crochet a collar – from Lulu Loves

Ah, then there is the Faux Fur collar, lets not forget.

Tutorial Elegant musings

Here’s a really unusual use of the faux collar

Faux fir collar that fastens with soft knit ties, which you could easily knit yourself – Image and idea from Transient Expression

Sweet and Simple

If you haven’t found any collars to your liking here’s some more DIY collars from True Blue and Me.

Image From True Blue & Me

1. DIY Style Miu Miu Cat Collar by Audrey Kitching here. Love how she uses iron-on transfers (I use these all the time).
2. DIY Scallop Edge Detachable Pearl Collar by Megan Nielsen here. I was going to suggest glue and then read one comment saying how happy they were she sewed this the “proper” way. This collar reminds me of an antique one I own.
3. DIY Felt Scalloped Collar by The.Dot.Spot. here. I’ve included this because you can make any shape, any color with any number of perferations.
4. DIY Inspiration from Marc Jacobs seen at acidule here. So easy to make.
5. Zipper Collar Inspiration. Seen at acidule here. This is one of the few times I cannot find the source anywhere.
6. DIY Embellished Collar by …Love Maegan here.
7. DIY Reversible Angel Wings’ Collar by Rachel Faucett at Craftzine here. Detailed pattern and versatile.
8. DIY Louis Vuitton Gold Collar by just angelina here, using a tutorial by a Pair & a Spare here.
9. DIY Embellished Colars by Toronto Standard: Ride or DIY here. Examples with pennies, shells, seed beads etc…

More …

Lastly here is a collar I made from an old shirt with a frayed collar, that would otherwise just have been thrown away. It can be worn up or down.  I will give the tutorial in my post – How to make a worn collar into a Baroque collar necklace. I will also do a few more posts on different types of collars because a just love collars.!

How to make a worn out Collar into Baroque Collar Necklace

Refashioning the New Green

As far back as I can remember I have been a Refashionista. My first projects were from tablecloths until I discovered second hand clothing shops with their endless supply of material to refashion. I rarely buy new clothes.

Refashioning is not just for DIY at home any more. Refashioning, recreating, repurposing and upcycling of clothing is hitting the limelight and is becoming a necessity in the polluted world.  Refashioning is the new green.

Recycling old clothes is probably the ultimate eco fashion. It reduces waste and also the environmental impact associated with manufacture of new clothes. Tonnes of old clothes end up in landfill.  In the US alone, almost 11 million tonnes of textiles ends up in landfill. An Article that makes for interesting reading The Afterlife of Cheap Clothes gives further insight into the problem. H&M made the headlines earlier this year when it was accused of slashing and dumping unsold clothes in rubbish bags outside one of its outlets in Manhattan. (Ref) 

Perhaps the most famous Refashioned dress of all time is Scarlett O’Hara’s up-cycled emerald green velvet curtain dress from Gone With The Wind.

Recycling of clothes is nothing new and is perhaps as old as fashion itself. Recently however, the sales of vintage and second hand clothes have shown huge growth, and the rise of the reworking and refashioning of second hand and vintage clothing is especially increasing. The new designs keep a bit of the history of the clothing from which they were made but also give consumers something fresh and exciting. (Ref)

The desire to experiment with styles is also growing and eclectic styles rather than just a particular style is what the latest fashion trends incorporate. Women are looking for designs that contains unconventional aesthetics. Recycling, refashioning and upcycling is ideally suited to fulfil this trend. Many Fashion designers are coming up with very trendy designs for refashioned clothes, making refashioning one of the hottest trends for 2013.

The new trend does not only include refashioned clothes but also includes refashioned trash material.

Designer Karishma Shahani

Designer Karishma Shahani from India collection of upcycled fashion – “Yatra” is made from recycled plastic packaging mixed with natural fabrics like cotton, silk, linen and muslin that were dip-dyed using plants from a local market. (Ref)

Designer Stefanie Nieuwenhuys

Designer Stefanie Nieuwenhuys created a collection of ‘biomimetic’ corsets, evening dresses, pants and accessories, working with a bio-waste firm to obtain discarded pieces of plywood which she laser-cuts into shape. (Ref)

 

Lia Griffith’s intricate paper couture

Lia Griffith’s intricate paper couture,  Paper Couture’s creations, are made of recycled paper. So often prom dresses and other special occasion have dresses made at great expense that is only worn once, so why not make it from paper?

Isabelle de Borchgrave’s paper clothing. Details of dress of Queen Polyxene of Assie.

If you are still not sold on what you can make from paper just have a look at the incredible dresses by Isabelle de Borchgrave.

Pull Tab dress

Pull Tab prom dress

For more details see Teen Ink

Orsola de Castro

Though many designers now create ‘upcycled’ fashion from waste materials, Orsola de Castro is the first to do so on an industrial scale. When Speedo launched its LZR Racer swimsuit in February 2008, it was a sensation. But then in July 2009 Fina, swimming’s world governing body, banned the LZR on the basis that it gave its wearers an unfair advantage. The LZR would never be allowed again in a major swimming championship. The decision left Speedo with a significant problem: 18,000 obsolete swimsuits. They gave the swimsuits to Orsola de Castro, the founder of From Somewhere, an upmarket men’s and women’s fashion label specialising in off-cuts and ‘waste’. Rather than make sportswear out of the costumes, she crafted cocktail dresses.  de Castro saw glamour in the LZR fabric. ‘It holds you, it sculpts you, it has a shine, it gives you confidence: it’s heaven.’  Bottoms have been turned into elegant sleeves, and legs transformed into a pleated skirt. (De Castro had to devise a new language for her pattern-cutters: ‘de-bottoming’; ‘straight-leg-to-gusset cut’; ‘vertical tit split’; ‘horizontal tit split’.) (Ref)

Orsola de Castro – Speedo refashion

Up cycling Design by Gary Harvey

Image from Top Designers in Denver

It is not just clothes that are made from upcycling fashion waste , shoes and accessories recreations are also showing a great rise by designers.

Image from – Kingdom of Style – Recycled Record and Cassette Tape Saddle Shoes are hand cobbled in Guatemala with fair trade leather soles and recycled tire heals. They are a collaboration between WrecordsByMonkey and Sonic fabric, who invented and produce fabric made from recycled cassette tapes.

The Jeans Sandal Boots by DaniKshoes are Pants for the Feet

Zipper Bracelet by Dara Gerson and Ashley Lowengrub

Bag made from refashioned Blazers

Save the Planet –  Refashion, recreate, repurpose and upcycle

Deck the Halls and be Merry!

The Fashionista Christmas Tree

Here’s some of my favourite Christmas images and dresses to wish everyone a joyous Festive Season!

(Just click on the images for source)

Vintage

‘Zémire’ evening ensemble by Christian Dior. Cellulose acetate, with the skirt lined with layers of silk and net. Paris, 1954-5

Image From V & A

Steampunk

Elegant Couture

Karolina Kurkova

Image from Fashion Gone Rogue

Marchesa Spring 2013

Image from Vogue 2013

Gothic

Mori Girl

Mori Girl Christmas

Lolita

Kamiko Christmas Dress from Courne Supremacy

Lolita Christmas Dress

Whatever your style – Merry Christmas!

Camo Chic – DIY your own Camouflage

The Military trend with camouflage prints still seem to be around. I must confess that I have always had a soft spot for military style and camouflage prints. Getting hold of camouflage fabric though, was always difficult, especially because at one point it was actually outlawed to wear any camouflage in South Africa unless it was actually in the military.

Never being one to give up against odds I decided to make my own camouflage fabric and to make a backpack from it. But before I show what I have done, here’s some great camouflage looks to give you some ideas of what you can trasform into camouflage by handpainting the camouflage patterns on plain fabric. The one below is from  from Sweetie Pie Style

From Sweetie Style

And from Fashion Blog Love

From Fashion Blog Love

I had some heavy duty cream fabric left from a previous project, which I decided would be ideal for making a backpack from. So, step one was to find a camouflage print design that I liked. Here’s some ideas from Blog Spoon Graphics (The patterns are available from Blog Spoon for download)

Woodland Camouflage

Urban Camouflage

Desert Camouflage

I chose to use a version of Woodland Camouflage often used in Africa. I used fabric paint to paint the camouflage patterns on – freehand. After the colour was set and I washed and ironed the fabric, I started to cut out the design. What is great about making your own bag is that you can decided exactly how many pockets you want, what style, size and straps.  I made my own pattern looking at various bags and picking what I like.

I salvaged straps and closures from old broken backpacks.

This gives you an idea of the pattern I painted

For fun I painted a Griffon on the Flap

It can even handle all the sketch books and drawing equipment

Ready for a day out

 

 

 

More than just Darning

Victorian Family Darning

One of the most precious things I inherited from my mother was her darning cowrie shell.  As a child I often took the cowrie shell from my Mom’s sewing kit and stroked its smooth shape imagining the stories behind the shell; my grandmother’s hands … The cowrie shell was given to my mother by her mother as part of her trousseau. In those days in South Africa, a large “Cyprae Tigris” tiger or Leopard cowrie was an essential part of every woman’s sewing kit for inserting into socks when doing the darning. Yes, I still darn socks with that cowrie.

darning with a cowrie

Darning Leopard cowrie

Darning seems to be making a comeback these day not just as a necessity but also with a new interest in slower, sustainable living. There is also something wonderfully therapeutic about darning and mending. Perhaps it serves as a deeply subconscious metaphor of healing the hurts acquired through our walk through life .

She knew enough about darning to know that the secret is not pulling the gap shut–it’s filling it in with newly woven threads. Romanceis hope in story form… the thread that darns the gap between what is and what we dreamt would be. – from Patterns of Ink by Tom Kapanka

from Roger Wilkerson

So, how does one darn? Here are great Mrs Sew and Sew leaflets from WWII giving darning instructions.

from Coletterie

How to darn socks?

I just had to post this wonderfully clever darning egg. Would it not be wonderful if they sold these again? You can see more darning eggs, balls and mushrooms at Home Things Past

Darning egg designs from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Pincushions, needles, thimbles were often found in hollow darning eggs. The middle one also holds a glove darner, scissors, yarn, and an emery bag for polishing pins and needles.

It is impossible for me to see darning as a chore. With such a rich history, darning is more than just darning. Every time you darn something you link with a long line of your ancestors.

Darning class

Victorian postcard 1909 from Kate Davies Designs

Sewing a Poem

It was as if it was waiting just for me – a crochet and knitting book from 1973 at a library book sale  Crochet and Fine Knitting by E.E Visser. It literally has thousands of patterns and detailed instructions for every stitch for lace-like knitting and crochet – doilies, bedjackets, toys, collars, cuffs, cheval sets, traycloths, afghans, laces and edgings, gifts and bazaar boutique and lots more. It is so big that the librarian joked that at least the wind won’t blow me over. (The Cape Doctor is blowing up a storm here at present)

Crochet and Fine Knitting by E.E Visser

It has thousands of patterns

Besides the great patterns it also has quotes and poems relating to sewing, knitting and crochet. This one poem in particular expresses for me what women through the ages have felt is the joy of hand crafts.

Sunlight and Shadow – by Blacklock

Image from Wikimedia Commons

Sewing

I’ve embroided a frock, and I’ve sewn the long seams,

While I stitched up a heartache And mended my dreams.

I’ve patched a torn garment, And darned a big rent

While I’ve worked in new  hopes And a sweeter content.

Why stitching brings gladness, Or ease for life’s pain,

And healing from sadness, I cannot explain,

But for little hopes baffled, And foolish tears shed,

I had sought and found comfort with needle and thread.

The Piano Shawl

The Piano Shawl named after their original use – as decoration for pianos or dressing tables –  have been slipping in and out of fashion since the Sixties. I was given a silk piano shawl possibly dating from the 1900s to 1920. Unfortunately it is badly torn and the fringes all tangled up but it has beautiful embroidery.

tangled fringes

Surprisingly the tangled fringes  untagled relatively easily beacause they are made from silk. It just requires a lot of patience. But what do I do about the tears and the fabric is so fragile that the even with careful handling it tears?

Wondering how I can fix it, I did some research into the history of the piano shawl. 

From the beginning of the Victorian era, shawls, in a variety of materials, were an essential part of ladies’ dress. Many were imported from the East, but they were also produced in large numbers at textile centres in France, England and Scotland. Their heyday was the mid-19th century. (Ref)

J.W. Coffroth residence (c. 1926). This well-known San Diego racehorse and polo trainer’s living room featured Spanish Revival ceiling stencils and an eighteenth century Chinese celadon vase on the piano shawl.

The piano shawl serves a practical purpose of protecting the piano from nicks, scratches, and the elements. As most piano shawls are quite elaborate they also serve as decoration.

Detail of Embroidery

Image from Jess Graham Interiors

Piano shawls are very often heavily embroidered with bold colors and patterns. The patterns often incorporate flowers or nature scenes. It is also quite common for piano shawls to be edged in long fringe. Not only does the fringe look exquisite, but it also helps to drape the shawl evenly over the piano.

The shawls are generally made of thick silk. This fabric glides naturally onto the surface of a piano and is kept in place by its natural weight as well as the weight of the embroidery. (Ref)

I also found that it was often featured in art.

Matisse Madam Matisse shawl Manilla shawl 1911

Deco Piano Shawl

Spanish Impressionist – piano shawl

Even this great pic of Jimi Hendrix in a room with a piano shawl from Moon to Moon

 

Raquel Welch wearing Valentino, photographed by Franco Rubartelli for Italian Vogue, 1969

They were often used as room decoration in the 60s and 70s

Beautiful example of a black piano shawl

Some were even refashioned into dresses and tunics.

From Girl on a Vine

piano shawl tunic

Advise on buying Piano shawls:

Silk shawls may be bought at antiques auctions or from specialists in antique clothing or fabrics. The fabrics can be quite fragile, so, if you want to preserve their condition, you shouldn’t wear your shawl, or drape it over a sofa or table as the Victorians did! Dust and light can cause irreparable damage and fading, so store your shawls carefully. Pack them in acid-free tissue paper, in cardboard boxes rather than plastic bags, to allow the fabric to ‘breathe’. Repairs are sometimes feasible but can be expensive. If in doubt, obtain the advice of museum textile experts. (Ref)

After I have untangled my piano shawl’s fringe, I will set to work on how to fix it. The only way I can see is to give it a backing silk fabric and then to darn. I also found an article on how to restore vintage silk. Patching Silk with a Sewn Patch which I will use as the basis for my fixing.

Here’s another great article on Caring for your Vintage.

An excellent article – A guide to Restoring Vintage Clothes

I will keep you updated or if you have any ideas let me know.

Sophia

Best of Doily Fashion Remakes

The doily is possibly one of the oldest forms of crochet.  Crochet became popular in Europe in the 19th century, and white, crocheted lace doilies were a must-have accessory for any household. Doilies gained popularity in the Victorian Era, when women hand worked them in their spare time to add a little elegance to their households. They were originally used to protect table and dresser tops.

At one time, doilies were considered so important that a young lady was expected to have at least 10 to be ready for marriage, and these were carefully stored in a trouseau chest to be used when she set up her household.

To make doilies certainly requires a lot of skill to make a beautiful doily and many hours of work.  I never had the patience to make them but luckily for us many considers doilies to be kitsch or granny decorations so you can always find cheap crochet doilies in thrift stores. I have a large collection of doilies I inherited and collected and to re-use them in a wearable item makes me feel good because I feel that I am honouring my ancestors skills and hours of work.

Trousseau Chest

Today Brides to be may have other ideas to collect doilies  – for the wedding dress itself!

Here are two great examples of Doily wedding or prom dresses.

From Wasted Wardrobe

How: Make, or collect doilies from thrift stores.You need a basic bustier dress in the colour you want peep through the doily lace. Then just pin the doilies on the dress and  machine- or slip-stitch in place. If you want to make it even more special you can sew beads and sequins on, embroider flowers, or even dye the doilies.

Dye, embroider doilies with sequins and beads. Image from Emma Cassi

Embroider Doilies from Living with Punks

If you want to know how to dye doilies there is a great tutorial at The Haby Goddess

Dyeing Doilies from The Haby Goddess

Just to get your creative juices going even more, here’s some more Doily dresses from Rubychic on Etsy

This gorgeous photograph by Bill Gekas just  portrays all the possibilities of doilies embellishment and is a great introduction of how you can use doilies to accessorise clothing.

To embelish a plain sweater, corsage-style, pin doilies, then machine- or slip-stitch in place.

Read more: Accessorize with Vintage Doilies – Country Living

You can find this great doily collar tutorial at Blog Her

Doily lace collar

I also love this Victorian inspired collar from Miss Gracie

from Miss Gracie

I adore Chrochet Chokers this one is from Biljana at Etsy but you can make one yourself by either using two small doilies sewn together, or one bigger one that is the right fit for your neck. Just lace through a ribbon or sew on buttons and button loops if necessary and viola! For a evening look dye it black and embellish with sequins and beads if you want, or just add a brooch.

The tutorial for this lovely doily necklace can be found at  Thrift and Style 

Doily Necklace from Thrift and Style

Make this romantic hairband by snipping medallions from a lace runner and machine-stitching them along a length of velvet ribbon or a piece of elastic.  Read more: Accessorize with Vintage Doilies – Country Living

Doily lace is great for adding a romantic touch to any garment such as this jacket trimmed with doilies on the inside of a jacket hemline and sleeves or …

Image from FashionRefashion

You can just fold Doilies in half for wrist warmers or wrist corsages such as the one below from Biljana at Etsy or just lace through a ribbon.

Romantic Wrist Corsage from Biljane

These gorgeous romantic cuffs from Martha Villa shows another inspiration for doily cuffs – cut a doily in half, over-lock the raw edges, gather to make a frill, and sew the gathered halves to a straight piece of lace edging trim. Add buttons and button loops.

Victorian inspired cuffs by Marha Villa

Create this look by just sewing doilies on sleeves. Image from Mode the World

What you can do with doilies seems to be limited only by your imaginations. I love what you can do with bags and shoes and doilies.

bag and shoe ideas from the Celebration Team

Below is a great idea from Recycled Fashion All you have to do is dye doilies black or find some (less likely)  and mod podge onto a pair of  shoes.

You can do the same or sew and glue them to a pair of sneakers like these from Fashiolista

From Fashion Boutique

And if you do not feel like wearing shoes there are the hippy sandals or barefoot sandals made from two doilies – a loop for the toes, attached ribbon crochet cords laced up.

image from Bohemian Pages

And then there are many ways to make lace purses and bags from doilies such as this great lace tote. Find the tutorial by Samantha Baldwin at Examiner

Love this leather and lace doily bag from Urban Heirlooms

You can make this cute bag from lace doilies –  tutorial at Gathering Dust

Here are more great purse ideas

Or you can make a similar doily pouch/bag as this one by Sykvia Landman  as per instructions from Country Living

Take two doilies; For the lining, cut two fabric circles, about 3/4 inch smaller than the two doilies. Right sides together, sew together the lining pieces, leaving an opening at the top; turn right side out. Sandwich lining between doilies, topstitch through all layers (lining included), leaving an opening at the top. From a runner, cut a wide handle, folding it lengthwise in thirds. Machine-stitch down its length. At the lining’s opening, turn under the raw edges; stitch the ends of the handle inside.

Or you can make a simple doily pouch by cutting a circular lining of your colour choice, just smaller than where you want to lace a ribbon through. Sew it on the doily, and lace the ribbon through and you have lined doily pouch.

Tutorial for the above purse from The Thrifliness Miss

Here’s another cute idea for a doily decorated straw tote from Moss Garden

Doily Straw tote

Here’s another great idea from from Rakuten – add a doily pocket! There are many more great ideas on the site. 

feom Rakuten Cawaii

Who would have thought to add bleach patterns by using a doily as a stencil? See the great tutorial at Cut Out and Keep

Last but not least in this post is this great idea for the urban romantic by Linda at Warpspeed

I leave you with this inspiration from pompom rouge –  lace made by crocheting into ricrac. You can learn how to do it by tutorials from Janice Ferguson Sews

Have fun! 
Sophia

The Best of Men’s Shirt Refashioning

I wonder what it is about men’s shirts that inspires such creativity in women? Whatever the reasons there are amasing tutorials on how to refashion men’s shirts. Skirts, dresses, tops, bags, puses and many more wonderful ideas abounds.

Here is my selection of the best of  Men’s Shirt Re-dos

Men lock up your favourite old shirts!

Fiona Storey, Tokyo Voodoo – love this idea for a restyle – picture from Fashion Slop

Men’s shirt skirt from Indulgy

This great skirt’s tutorial is at Create

This is possibly one of the favourite tops from men’s shirts. I found it posted in many places but without the tutorial, below is the tutorial from Indulgy.

The Tutorial for the Skirt worn with the tied shirt-top can be found at Adventures in Dress Making

The equivalent of the no-sew shirt-top is the no-sew shirt skirt – tutorial found at Mommy chic

 

1 Shirt & 1 T-Shirt = New Top

This clever Refashion from a shirt into a woman’s ruffled strapless cami is from Dances with Fabric 

The baby doll button up dress’ tutorial (below) can be found at Cut Out & Keep.

This clever zipper shirt requires more advanced sewing but if you are up to it the tutorial is available from Brassy Apple

zipper shirt from men’s shirt – Brassy Apple

This particular idea has been repinned, and reposted so many times that I cannot find the original source, but it must be listed as one of the top best ideas of how to simply refashion a shirt.

This dress-shirt could very well be the front of the previous button styled back and is from Craftster 

How to make two shirts into one dress can be found at one little minute

Man’s dress shirt makeover into ladies halter top

The how-to for this great idea of man’s shirt into a ladies halter top can be found FireflySoda

or from this tutorial

Another clever halter top – shirt refashion from Wobisobi

This men’s shirt refashion is from Refashion co-op

This great refashion is from Whiptips

This Feminine refashion is from a Fashionable Stitch

Even the collars and cuffs are cut off for some of the restylings can be used such as this great embellished collar from Joyzz

For the cuffs these great pouches – tutorial at Camilla Fabbri

What are your favourite men shirt refashions?