Sewing journey: Cupcakes and circle skirts

All you sewing pinups out there know how it begins, you walk into a fabric store, scouting the joint... then suddenly out jumps the most beautiful fabric you have ever seen. Immediately you see the garment form right in your head, like the fabric told YOU what to create!

I must mention upon further inspection of the fabric I saw it had a slight sheen to it, nice :) but also had that vinyl table cloth like backing, fortunately I could care less because it was BE-AU-TI-FUL!
The weight of it reminded me of my fave home sewn thrift find...



So follow along to watch me turn that into this...




















Anyway let me find a good tutorial... I've made a few circle skirts so far, but none as perfect as that black one. Each time I try a new approach but haven't found one I love. This method worked great!
I pretty much followed her directions until the waistband. I wanted mine thinner with the zipper closing UNDER the waistband. So after inserted the zipper in the skirt only I approached the waistband. I tried this;

I cut out a 4" long strip as wide as the fabric from my excess. I pinned my strip to the waist opening of my skirt for measuring purposes, left 3-4 inches extra and cut the rest. I fused very sturdy interfacing to both sides, since vinyl can be very stretchy.



Ironed my 4" strip in half to become a 2 " wide strip, then folded the raw edges and corners under and pressed to give a clean finish on all sides. Next pinned to waist, with raw edges tucked in, tried my best to align and stitched all around. This worked out ok, but I found there were a few areas it wasn't matched up perfectly, so I had to go back a redo a few spots. Since vinyl has a clean edge I skipped the hem but had to trim off about 1 1/2 inches.Added a hook and eye and it's a go!
Time spent from start to finish: from measuring to completion about 3 hours, great for me :) I'm a slowpoke. Amount of fabric: 2 yards. Here it is...






    Can't resist a twirl

Bathing Suit Jackpot

Here's the Lola Suit as shown at her store.

So it's been a while, I guess I haven't really been pursuing any pin up allure, shopping, movies, or sewing. I've been at an all around creative stand still, but now that I have some things in order I feel at liberty-and free of guilt to put some energy into my pure expression...

A few days ago I got the jump start I needed when my bathing suit arrived. My order was placed May 21, with the seller indicating it would take 2-3 weeks to make and ship, it arrived 1 week late but I allotted extra time being the busy season and it was well worth the wait. I ordered it on Etsy from Ava Bell Designs. I decided to go to Etsy because the pin up look is very big now, I never want to look like anyone else, so what better way to lessen the chances of "twinsies" than a made to order swim suit. I also wanted something tailored to hide the bad and accentuate the good. Ava Bell Designs had the perfect suit for me a tight skirted bottom that can draw up or down with the optional tummy control, yayyy!  You mean I don't have to worry about those bloated days? Or that healthy tummy on 5th day of eating on vacation?? Sign me up! The top has optional padding that I so desperately need although it wasn't as much padding as I thought it would be for the extra $18, I will have to add more :( . The bottoms are perfect, everything I expected. I adore this beautifully made suit and can't wait for the off season to order a customized one. Hopefully you can appreciate a real women with real curves.

Here you can compare the padding, the left side is shown with padding inserted.

Cute label, check out that sewing quality!

No cover ups here!

Notice The Wiz back there? I love that movie

Summer Wardrobe...Damn that's it???

I don't know about you but every year when summer approaches I go to the back of my closet and grab the bin. As I look through all the pieces I forgot about the past couple of months I always think, damn that's it??? Is this all I was wearing last summer?

Well I expect this year will be much worst considering Im building a wardrobe from scratch! I love all this rockabilly, pin up culture, and Although I realize I've been loving it for a long time, a few pieces here and there does not build a wardrobe. When I decided I wanted to do this everyday it was truly a lightbulb, queue the harps kind of moment for me but vintage inspired dresses typically start at $100 and the separates average at $70 a piece! So clearly this process is a bit expensive for wardrobe building. This quickly inspired me to revisit my college thrifting days and sewing days!

In the thrift store with my find

I've been thrifting and getting some great pieces, but I'm ready to venture out of my local spots and rummage the city. As far as sewing I finished one skirt and just need to do the hem of the other, but not sure of the length without a petticoat (a must for me.) But all in all I'm just dragging my feet being lazy, I'm going to look for some sew-alongs, I think they'll give me the motivation to see my projects through to the end, a little problem of mine. So that's my spring/summer wardrobe offensive plan.As far as the looks/ inspiration I'll put together a vision board but something along the lines of a social AKA "Sandy" from Grease in the daytime and Betty Paige dominatrix at night meowwwwwwwww.




Out and about



This is my first pencil skirt I made, i doubled the fabric for added warmth and for "smoothing."

Hers's me out and about in my creation. The shirt is a thrift find that I added shoulder pads to, whole look undern $20!

My un-hemmed cicle skirt project

Je ne sais quoi

Out for a night on the town, The inspiration for this look was the beatnik genre...interesting I know, I'll revisit that topic later. :) I guess its kinda beatnik meets burlesque greaser? Lol who knows, I'm whimsical...

 

 Top lace tank from fill in the blank for your local cheapy spot, leopard print miraculous bra from Victoria's Secret (my non negotiable,) pencil skirt and fishnets both from Target, they make the best quality fishnets for us curvy girls in a pinch and sequin beret forever 21 and peep toe ankle booties.

Stiletto Nails

Pedicure Area at Fierce Spa

So I decided I could no longer take the filthiness of my car and finally took it in for a detail hand wash at my favorite spot, Finishline Detail and right next door there's an über cute nail spot...I guess its time to stop with my awful nails hiding behind the excuse of, crafting hair for a living and just be a full on "girl" instead of the rebellious "A girl can still be cute with hideous nails facade." So I got the ” virtual nail” which is basically a modern day Lee Press On since I hate what acrylic, and other miscellaneous burning chemicals do to my nails.

I like to pull my inspiration from the past but exaggerate/modernize it. In the 40-50's the manicure was all about the pointed, rounded shape. Of course there was no other color to choose but red, with half moon left unpainted, and if you were really posh even left the tip unpainted, like an unpainted French. It was considered a wealthy look to have the tips and base unpainted. I decided on the half moon look with a point, now known as the "stiletto."


Well I loved the experience, and feel of the immaculately well kept Fierce Spa. Guadaloupe was sweet and its clear she loves nails, by her attention to detail and the decor of her salon, not to mention she did everything free hand!

It's definitely me although a bit much for most people. I even scared a little girl into a crying fit into the closet, sorry Charli, I didn't realize she was really afraid when she was running :/

But here they are....