I'm All Red, I Am

in my newly made coat, and hat, with my new-to-me red boots.  tra-la-la-la-la.

~ nothing subtle happening here ~

Using up bits and pieces from the stash:  the yoke is brocade leftover from a coat last seen here; the grey linen patch underneath is from a tunic and pants seen here; and over that is an ombre wine abstract flower patch leftover from a kimono seen here.

~  some pieces were given to me ~

In fact, the sleeve tapestry was from Anne of Spy Girl during a clothes/ fabric swap at the Blogger meet-up in Vancouver several years ago.   The collar was a thick knit scrap from a sewing friend in Chicago.  And the assorted antique buttons from another Chicago friend.

~  it's a Koos pattern, of course ~

Koos Vogue 1146 coat pattern to be exact.  Yes, I've made it before as a Spring coat, here.  The new one is version A with a lining and a few more extravaganzas.

The main fabric is an ombre jacquard I got in a mystery bundle.  The yoke and the two rectangular pieces were samples I had laying around.  The round photographic rose section was leftover from a dress, here.

~ the other side ~

That's a bit of quilting cotton next to the sleeve.  Another piece of the photographic roses and the base here is a deep red canvas.   I think that about covers it.

~ except for the lining! ~

Yes, it's flannel-backed satin.  yum.  And I squished a strip of raspberry velvet in between the lining and the collar for some special effects on the inside.

Oh, I see I've forgotten to mention that front rectangular patch of wine linen with small handwriting on it (in French, no less).   I also used the lining to make bias tape to encase the hem of the outer coat, leaving the inner lining to hang loose.  yeah.

~ like this ~

What I'm wearing underneath:  Velvet pants from Tina Givens Phoebe pants pattern and the cut-off bodice made of the same velvet from her Bethany Dress made previously and seen here.   The stretch mesh shirt underneath is adapted from Vogue 8450.

~ aerial view of the hat ~

Hand-sewn with scraps of red fleece using Vogue 9235, view D.   It was a quick sew, cutting the circles of the pattern and then the fleece is what took time.  I eliminated the elastic called for on the brim as there was no need for it.

~ back view ~

Those aren't shadows, I used two different colors of red for the hat.  And while I was at it - variegated red thread for sewing.

~ last, but not the least, for sure ~

A glamour shot, a centerfold, a knockout view of my ebay doc marten boots.  whoa bay-bee.



Now, if you haven't jumped around enough already, here's some more links not to miss!  I'll be joining Patti and the Visibles at Not Dead Yet Style, Catherine at I Will Wear What I Like and Cherie's Shoe and Tell, when they all go live.  Oh, and the hat.  I'll be with Judith, the Style Crone for her monthly Hat Attack!  Hope to see you everywhere!


Watch out for the 8 inches of snow we'll be getting later today/this evening - if you're in the Midwest.   There's nothing like sewing when snowed-in, I tell ya.

ed. note:  as of the next morning, we've been dusted with an inch.  The only thing blustering was the weather forecast.

Back to the Flannel

~ ahaha ~

If you've been around Project Minima long enough, you've seen this before.  My rehabilitation of fav flannel shirts.

This one comes complete with a black suede buckled bow taken off my old sandals.  Nice.  And that silk brocade was given to me by a friend.  It's from curtains, I believe.

~ look at that, it's so warm out I don't need a coat! ~

I added cuffs from a tablecloth scrap leftover from that series of  French house dresses I made out of old tablecloths.  The pockets were short sleeves from a dress made along while ago.  And the pocket, collar and button placket were covered with stretch mesh leftover from my handmade tights.

~ hey! This is my house ~

A friend gave me the ombre, pleated, dotted fabric.  All I had to do was run a drawstring through the top and a skirt was born.  Tights, now stockings, were from a swaporama held by Style Agent 99 way back when.  I remember I swapped a gauze peasant blouse for 'em.

~ shoe shot ~

Shoes, as ever, from ebay.  Xoxo is the brand. 

~ the jewels ~

Those golden scarabs are dollar store plastic glow-in-the-dark bugs painted gold by moi.  Retro-fitted with gold-colored jump rings through their creepy crawly parts.  Red silk cord is threaded through and voila.  One bug is on a cord as necklace, the other is on a pin as broach  - to be arranged at will.


And now it's time to join the crowd of Visibles at Patti's Not Dead Yet Style before it's too late!!!  Also tune in for Catherine's I Will Wear What I Like party and Cherie's Shoe and Tell.  There's fun for all.

Flannel Shirts: Better Than Ever

~ song by leGoodLum ~

I'm on a new kick.  From recycled tablecloth dresses to rehabbed flannel shirts.  This is my second one.  The first one hasn't been photo'd yet.  I love flannel shirts, always have, but the problem is they just aren't very cool to wear anymore, now are they?  Well, wait until you see my new Flannelstein top!

a yellow plaid flannel shirt I had

with a silk brocade curtain given to me by a friend

 a leather bow with buckle from old sandals

scraps from my op-art stockings for collar, pocket flaps & center closure

It took a week to figure it out & put together.  Things you can't see very well in my blurry pix are the skirt pockets that came from the sleeves of another dress I made and the ruffled cuffs.  They were the border trim from an African print tablecloth-turned-dress.  You can see all the details clearly and up close on my Clothes for Fall page.

I'm wearing the Flannelstein top with an ombre gray to black dotted skirt (fabric given to me by a friend), gray & black houndstooth tights (given new in a swap), and my black leather/gray suede XOXO boot/shoes from e-bay.

Oh, here's some shoe shots...

looking down

looking askance

and sideways.

With that I'm ready to join the Visibles at Patti's Not Dead Yet Style and Shelia's Shoe Shine.  Then, tomorrow I'll be at Rhonda's Me Made Monday and Sacramento's Share-in-Style: Shoes.  Hope to see you all there!

A Chicago Sewing Bloggers Meet-Up

And I was there!

Ok, I'm not in the picture, cuz I'm taking it.

And here's were we met/ went last Sunday:

The most amazing place on Earth, fabric-wise

Can you believe this place is in Chicago, in the Pilsen neighborhood, and I never ever went to it before!!!!  ooooooommmmmggggggg sums it up.  It's like discovering Tutankhamen's tomb, or Alibaba's cave, or ...

A little back story here.  All this time I'm wondering why are there no Chicago bloggers - sewing clothes ones.  Then one day I follow a lead to some recommended tights for an online indie pattern.  It's the Rose Hip Tights & Stockings Pattern by Seamsters Patterns and I buy it, download it, make it, like it and check out her blog.  Turns out Mari is from Chicago and also wonders where are all the Chicago sewing bloggers, but she goes a step further and actually asks the question.  And people answer.  Including me, even if it was a year later.  I immediately got a reply that the Chicago Sewcialists were meeting at Textile Discount Outlet in a couple weeks.  

Now let's see some pictures inside, yeah?

Fabric & Frockery from Fabulous Friends, 2013

Without further ado, so you can oooo and ahhhh as I did, here's the fantastical lady things, found and made by my gal pals.  Ready? 

~ My new-to-me Opera Coat courtesy of V. ~

(Ah yes, pay no attention to that hulking artwork behind me.  It's called Samurai from my Kimono Series where I recycled my older artworks and remade them into Kimono forms.)

 lightened-up to see velvet collar and beading detail

modeled with S's refashioned vintage scarf and E's handmade fingerless gloves

E's handmade fingerless gloves + mirrored image

(Again, just ignore the ceramic sculpture below.  It's called Zen Bones and consists of a replica set of human vertebrae I made.  Part of a series on Reliquaries. The bones were placed in a snake-like form in a shallow wooden tray filled with fine black sand.  But then, the cats really, really liked it.  So the sand was quick to go.  And the cats still play with the bones now and then, so they're scattered about in whatever form they land.  yeah.)

Do I luv these or what?!

vintage velvet & gold embroidered handbag from S.

Is it not like everything goes together or what?!

and Le Piece de Resistance from S.

plus some stupendous sari fabric from V.

close up of me wearing vintage scarf refashion from S.

(Perhaps a bit camouflaged by the snake-skin print top I'm wearing and the fabric beads I've been making, oh and that Samurai painting over my shoulder...)

My Opera Coat and I are going on over to join Patti's Visibles.  See you there!

Fabric Scrap Gems

Okay, we had our gift swap yesterday.  So fun.  Boy, do we know each other.  And we didn't take any pictures either!   We just started this officially last year, exchanging something hand-made and/or thrifted.

I was on a fabric jewelry making binge.  Still am actually.  I didn't know who should get what, so I wrapped them up in Modern Painter pages glued onto round cheese boxes.  They were left to pick whichever package they liked best.  Oh, too bad there's no photos of that either.

But I did take pix of the stuff before it went on its merry way...

~ BEFORE ~

See what came after, after the break...

Pink Snakeskin Boots

Yeah.  My ensemble du jour evolved around them, so watch for it.  Everything else has been seen/worn previously.  Ready?

made-from-scratch knit top, gifted thrifted vest, and very old bracelet

gifted hand-made necklaces

made-from-scratch drapey skirt

refashioned sheer pantaloons, old tights cut into sox, thrifted pink faux snakeskin boots

The rabbit just hangs out there as a door stop.

See more pix in situ after the break...

It's Monday!

And you know what that means...it's showtime at Patti's Not Dead Yet Style for all the Visibles!  Join us and start your week off right!

Here's looking at you, kid!

Check out the details after the break...

From the Treasure Trove

I've been assembly bits and bobs together to make some jewelry lately.

painting by George Gower

Oh, and I received a Sunshine Award from the loverly Vivienne of Thrifted Shift: 

Thank you.  While I will always appreciate a bit of sunshine sent my way, I really do loath all the Q&A that tag along with those awards...so I shall make up my own rules and repeal that aspect.

I'm going to award some sunshine pick-me-ups to a couple of bloggers who could use it right now.  Vix of Vintage Vixen who has a bit of pnemonia and Lakota of Faith, Hope and Charity Shopping who is nursing a cold.  Enjoy your Sunshine Award and do with it what you will!

Now back to my treasure trove...after the break

Swap-o-Rama

Style Agent 909 suggested we all link up and do an on-line swap this Saturday, September 22.  So here I am with what I have to offer:

 Black suede heels, says size 8, feels like size 7

These shoes are in excellent condition inside and out, top and bottom.  They're too small for me now and too high.