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Showing posts from September, 2011

Finished Project Chica Verde Series 2!

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This pattern was given (actually a copy of it) to me by Andrea at New Vintage Wardrobe . I liked Andrea the very first time we conversed on a forum. I no longer partake in said forum because its pretty douchebaggy and it's a long story....BUT I do follow Andrea and we chat =-) She sent me this copy, what a honey! This is a 40s pattern with princess seams and a button close on the front along the princess seam. Now let me tell you how much trouble that gave me!!! AYE! This is Simplicity 2247! No duh! I have a vid showing how I took Simplicity 2247 and made in one piece instead of having a separate bodice. Well all I had to do to get this dress/pattern  to fit me, is copy the front button parts from Andrea's pattern! DONE! I also studied the pieces and learned how to make the extra panel on the inside of the dress that the buttons are sewed onto. And I copied the neckline directly. The single pocket is cute. This is the original pattern pocket. I just omitted the ribbon tie they

New Plus Size Sewing Tutorial! Mini Video Lesson on Adapting Vintage Patterns to Plus size!

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Hello! I put this together rather quickly this weekend. It has a major gaff but I pretty much don't care because *I* think it adds personality, and demonstrates my psycho-ness quite nicely LOL. This is a small sample of my process used to take vintage patterns and re-make them in my size. No...I don't grade up. No....I don't copy and then cut and slash. It's easier than that.... I have my sloper (a basic bodice and skirt pattern that is fitted to by body like a glove) and is serves as the foundation for every vintage pattern I make. You can buy one (called a fitting shell) at Butterick. If you search "fitting shell" on the Butterick website it comes up in the results. You have to follow the (very well written and illustrated) directions to get the perfect fit. It takes some work, but MAMACITA it is the bees knees when you HAVE ONE! For each pattern, I use my wittle eyes to analyze the pattern style lines and how they differ from my sloper. Then, I modify my SL

I make art for Big Girls

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 The tattoo shop in Leesburg VA where I get my work done  - Inksanity Tattoo Company has an art show regularly. Customers submit art to sell! They have themes for each show. October's show is "CARNIVAL" It takes place October 15 at 8pm, if you are local to the area. I have interpreted this in my own way and made this piece.  It's paper on wood construction. The ladies are all BIG BEAUTIFUL carnival side show "FAT LADIES"  What inspired me about these ladies is the amount of pride they have for their bodies. Their bodies earned them a living. And you can see pride in their eyes. Yes, sure they were being exploited and marketed for being "freaks." Blah blah but I don't think they saw it that way. It was their way of earning a living. I read a quote from one such lady who said (paraphrased) "why would I want to loose weight? This is how I earn my living!" And we bitch about the lack of clothing options fat girls have now! NONE BACK THEN!

Silly 30s hair!

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 You must excuse me. I am the first born daughter of a hairdresser ( a damn good one at that). I was brought to the shop while Mom worked. By the age of 10 I could set a doll's hair for a perm in  about 40 minutes...  All my dollies are now bald. It's not my fault.... they had weak hair! So it's just natural that I fell in love with the art of beautiful hairstyles crafted by hand. Every day I like to try something a little different. I don't like to be bored with hair. I move through different decades and try all the looks. If it's a challenge, I like it even more. Who ever invented finger waves is a god. To me, they are the ultimate master of hair...the master of the domain; if I may. They make me weak in the knees. I am a TOTAL hair whore. I drool over a good hair style. Sometimes I miss 10 minutes of a movie because I am watching THE HAIR.  This is my take on 30s fingerwaves. I set them using gel and finger waves done by hand. Since my hair is kind of too long fo

Finished Project: La Chica Fresa! The first dress in my "Chica Verde" Series!

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 What the Hell is The Chica Verde Series? I have planned a series of handmade dresses all featuring the color green! In all shades! Yo soy chica verde!  This one is called Chica Fresa because it is covered in Strawberries. Yes. it is fall. Who cares. I am berrylicious yo!  Things I learned on the muslin: 1. UNDERSTITCH THE COLLAR. 2. IGNORE THE DIRECTIONS.  And I also added the green band on the bottom and left the length longer. I feel so Donna Reed in this. Cobwebs beware!  Another thing to note. If you drive with the windows down, the giant collar blows up on either side of your face; encompasses you like a face-eating plant, and impairs driving significantly! My booboid garden of las fresas! Ps... I love Spanish! I am teaching myself. I actually got hit on at the gas station in Spanish last week. I understood him, answered back too. That was a bad idea. Apparently white girls speaking spanish is "hot."  So to sum up: -las fresas (strawberries) are totally wearable past th

Finished Project: What every Good Goth 50s Girl Wears!

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 Muhahaha! This is actually a wearable muslin! All the fabric was sitting in my sewing room!  The pattern (another borrowed from Raven) is not dated but it feels like early 50s to moi. Well if I was an honest gal I would tell you that is actually my sloper with the 50s pattern's collar tacked on...but shhshshsh we won't talk about that little secret.  Waiting for my limo to take me to the gig...where ARE all my  limos? Oh yeah they got repossessed...  What a pity...I shall instead dazzle you with the stunning back collar. Tray Sexy.  Of course it's just a "quilting cotton." Pooh and shame on those that look down upon quilting cottons as clothing!  Girly Skulls in Grey! Rockstar Shots! I wore Glitter Eyelashes and they kept me thinking that lights were following moi around all night LOL can you see the lashes? I have already made another of this pattern, I will be posting it soon my loves. ROCK ON!

SAVE THE ANTIQUES!!

Hey Peeps! I am not dead yet! I have two dresses made to show you from a 50s pattern (borrowed from Raven) and I went antiques rummaging and have goodies to share, and some hair pictures too! I am working on a massive post =-) In the mean time. What do you think about those "antique places" that are just old shit made into new shit??? I watched "PICKER SISTERS" and wept. But never realized how bad the scene had gotten until this weekend... Me...I HATE IT! Interior designers! It's all their fault! I want to see actual antiques! Not painted over, fake shabby sheik wanna be SHIT! WHY? OH WHY?! I went to 5 stores this weekend and two of them were just DUMB interior decorator bullshit. I have seen enough Shabby Shit and smelled enough candles for the rest of the year! BRING BACK ANTIQUES!