What inspired my vintage journey...

Joanna of Dividing Vintage Moments is hosting a great giveaway. Here is a picture of the goodies (make sure to check it out)

I don't normally post on my blog about other bloggers giveaways because I don't write on my blog often and I do not want it to turn into a list of giveaways. But I do post frequently about giveaways on my facebook and twitter. The reason I am posting about this one is because she asked an interesting question... What ten items inspire your vintage journey. I thought the question was a good one and I would like to see what other people have to say about it and it has been a whole since I posted, so I thought why not? So here it is.

1. Bloggers. If you read my blog, it will probably not surprise you to know that I am a working mother (of 3 young kids). I do not get out much (well besides work), so I do not get time to spend with adults very often and hardly any (if any) that have similar interests as me. This is where the blog world comes in. I read a ton of blogs. It is slightly sad, but it makes me feel like there is someone out there that I can talk to. I can ask about a sewing issue that I have had problems with or opinions on shortening a vintage skirt. I can see what other people are wearing, where they are finding things, and how they are making/altering things. My vintage journey was only and idea/dream until I found the vintage and sewing bloggerverse. Now it has become a reality. You have really inspired me.
As I said I follow a ton of blogs, but I wanted to give a few a shout out (I am sorry that I can not post all of them, but it would really take a whole post).

http://www.chronicallyvintage.com

http://www.blogforbettersewing.com

http://subversivelesbiananarchicknitter.blogspot.com

http://lostin1950.blogspot.com/

http://bygumbygolly.com

http://blog.tuppencehapenny.co.uk/

http://www.vavoomvintageblog.com/

http://atomicredhead.com/

http://blog.caseybrowndesigns.com

http://malepatternboldness.blogspot.com/

 They might not all have the exact same aesthetic as me, but they all seem so authentic to who they are and I really love that. BTW, Jessica from Chronically Vintage wrote a great post on that the other day and you should check it out too. 

Ok, that was 10 am I done yet? Oh it wasn't suppose to be 10 bloggers, hm.....

2. Pinterest - If you have checked out my pinterest, you have probably seen that I am really inspired by things posted there. At the time of this posting I have 151 Boards and 6879 pins LOL. Now not all of them are vintage (luckily you can follow someone and unfollow boards, you don't care for like my kids learning techniques), but a vast number of them are. There is just so much there and it is so easy. I check it out in spare moments that I do not have enough time to go somewhere, do something, or even talk to someone. I just look on my phone while waiting in line, while heating something in the microwave, etc. 

Well, that's it. Bloggers and Pinterest those are my two links to the outside world. I was suppose to have 10? Well, I guess I will have to dig into those categories some then...

3. Actual vintage clothing. Looking at styles, details, colors, it all inspires me. So hard to only pick a few images (and I didn't want to spend too much time). These can all be found on my pinterest boards along with so so so much more.

 3. Vintage Catalogs/Magazines ( again all images for the rest of the post are from my pinterest, go there to find original links ..sorry)

4. Vintage Patterns 

5.  Vintage photos non- celebrity (please excuse if I accidentally got a celebrity shot unknowingly)

6. Vintage celebrity photos

7. Vintage blogger outfits (and other modern ladies wearing vintage). I posted some of my favorites in number 1 with some of my favorite bloggers, but here is a few more...

8. Vintage inspired sewing creations by talented bloggers and others (I'll try to expand beyond the bloggers already listed in #1)

9. Movies/ tv shows (modern and vintage)

10. lastly vintage inspired Sewing patterns and ready to wear (not as proud of this one, but its true)

So there you have it 10 things that inspire me in my vintage journey. That was an extremely picture heavy post. Hope you don't mind. So, what inspires you?

Fall for Cotton Fail

So, here is my Fall For Cotton project... I know I didn't announce that I was doing it, just because I thought that it might not happen. you know how long it takes me to get around to making things completely. But I did finish so I am posting, even though it was a fail. 

 I didn't iron it before taking photos, which is always a good idea. I also didn't prep the area where I was taking photos, another great idea. Oh well.

Ignore the boxes all over the floor of my closet (I am still working on switching summer/fall clothes, the weather is just messing with me and we need both sweaters and shorts).

I used Simplicity 1880 which I made my yellow shirt waist dress from earlier this year using A Fashionable Stitch's sew along.

I used a blue/white cotton seersucker I picked up on sale at Joann's. Yea, not too fall like huh? I didn't think of that at the time obviously.

I thought things were going to go great with this project since, I had already made it before. So I decided to step up my game and play with my seam finishing. I did bias bound seams which I think look great.

The only problem is since I bias bound all of my seams before realizing there were some really big issues with my dress, I didn't want to unpick them to fix the problems. So I decided that this is going to be my first housedress (I did wear it out once, just because I was so happy to have finished it).

Anyway, I might as well show you what I messed up. I have no excuses for any of these mistakes, I guess I was just hurried or distracted with the kids or who knows..

First off I used the pattern's button guide instead of as directed in the sew along. I don't know what I was thinking! So there is no button in between my bust, which makes it pull slightly (The dressform is not set to my size in the pictures so this looks loose, but it is actually quite fitted). This wouldn't be such a big deal if I had not made my dress out of seersucker where it has these tiny stripes and you can see it bow out slightly between the top two buttons.

Also, I aligned the center of the skirt with the button placket instead of the center line of the buttons, Oops. 

Then there are the sleeves. I didn't have sleeves in the yellow dress or anything else I have ever made, so this was a first for me. I thought I was doing good sewing them all together and I looked at each one and they looked "okay". The first one was a bit poofier a the top (which I liked better), but no big deal right?

Wrong! Apparently that made a big difference because the sleeves look different lengths.

I set them on top of each other to compare, they are exactly the same size, the holes that they are in are the same size. So why on earth does the one look so much bigger? I took it out and tried again, and it is just a fail. 

I did say I needed dresses to wear around the house to clean and lounge around in.

Once I decided that I went ahead and added the pocket, because how could I clean without a pocket. Well wearing an apron with a pocket would have worked, but I didn't think of that. Must make an apron now.

Vintage Cleaning/ Lounging/ Workout clothes

I enjoy wearing vintage clothing all of the time, but there are some things that I have not found appropriate vintage clothing for. Exercising is one of those things as is cleaning and lounging around the house.

 

I know, I know ladies did clean in dresses. I just don't feel right wearing them even with an apron. the apron just doesn't feel like it will protect my dress and I am doing some pretty heavy cleaning at times. I have had the idea to wear some of my me-made clothes that were muslins or clothes that had gotten stained or such that I didn't feel are nice enough to wear out. Though, I have ended up wearing my shirtdress muslin out, I can't help it. I am so proud of it (even with the mistakes) and it is so comfortable! And my other muslins were messed up and I didn't end up sewing them up into anything even wearable around the house. They just got cut up into something else. I think it is still a plan though once I start making and getting more clothes.

As for lounging I would prefer some looser fitting clothes and possibly pants because I like to lay on the couch and sometimes I end up unbuttoning the top of my skirts because I am twisted a little odd and they get tight.

 I do not like changing clothes a bunch when I get home (and having to wash so many things), so if I had comfortable cleaning clothes or night clothes that were comfortable and not too revealing, I would probably lounge in them. So that is a possible solution. once I have some cleaning/night clothes, I will have to test it out and see how I feel about it to see if I need something else.

That leaves exercise clothes. I like to exercise. I have really enjoyed p90x as well as some other home workout programs, but I also like mountain biking, hiking, etc. I have tried running. I wasn't good at it, but I want to be. One of the things that I don't like about exercising is that I don't feel comfortable in the clothes. For my home workout videos and running, I normally wear yoga pants and athletic top with a built in bra. I do like the material of these clothes, they feel more cottony than the moisture wicking clothes I have seen on the market.  But, I don't really like them. They are cling to all of my "problem areas" and I just feel self conscious in them and I don't like that. Mountain biking clothes are even worse, I like the padding because it makes the ride more comfortable, but it feels funny to walk in when not riding, let alone what it looks like LOL. I do like the pockets in the bike shirts because I love pockets. I am okay with my modern hiking clothes for now, they are comfortable and don't make me feel bad. They don't fit my style 100%, but I am okay with that.

I have been thinking about it for a while, trying to come up with outfits that I think I would feel better working out in. I created a board on Pinterest and asked a few other people online, without any real solutions. Though I think I had a break through the other day.

While I was on ebay, I ran across a vintage tennis dress. It was so cute. It was white which is great because sweat stain removal methods will not mess up the color. It had little bloomers, so that you don't have to worry about how short it is. Actually, I am not really certain I will feel comfortable in little bloomers, I might need to make some more shorts like bloomers, I will have to test out and see.

I have looked though my patterns and am thinking about making one for working out in.

Something I am not sure about though, what fabric do you think it should be made out of? I don't think it should be made out of light weight cotton like my shirtwaist dress because, not only would it make it look more like a dress, but you would be able to see through it more if it got wet. I am thinking something more absorbent, but I am not sure what.

What do you think about tennis dresses for working out in? (My hubby is not sold on the idea yet)
What fabrics do you think might work best?
What are your favorite workout, lounging, and cleaning clothes?

How do you feel about wearing cliche prints/styles?

So, I have been slacking with blogging (as always). If you missed the first post, I will go ahead and tell you again, that it is not in my plan right now to keep up with the blog and post several times a week or anything like that. However, I would like to be posting more.
I have been hung up because I want to post about the projects that I have been sewing, and I haven't been sewing much and what I have sewn, I don't have good pictures of. I am just not a good photographer. :(
But I have decided that I think it is okay to post things that are not about what I am sewing or what I am planning on sewing.

So, this post if just a question post. How do you feel about wearing cliche (overused, expected, etc) rockabilly, pinup, etc. outfits?

I love vintage and vintage inspired clothing, however, certain prints and styles seem very cliche to me. Not that I do not like the style, but it just seems so over done, that I feel almost like I am "dressing the part." It is weird and I am just not certain how I feel about it.

For example, I have a cherry print dress (like this fabric)

 
My husband loves it (which is why I keep it), but I am just not certain about it. I feel like I am dressing up "rockabilly" (just add a red cardigan, heels, and pomp and pony). It is not that I have anything against dressing rockabilly, I actually love a lot of rockabilly clothing. I don't know it is really hard to explain.

Here are some prints/styles that I am just not sure I can feel confident in...

sailor inspired wear

cherries I already mentioned

leopard/tiger print 

even polka dots, gingham, and stripes to some extent!! 

Now, don't get me wrong. I have nothing against any of these companies or any of this clothing. I really like the look on other people. I personally feel odd wearing it. It is weird and I don't really understand it. I was curious if anyone else was like this.

Beach trip (suitcase view)

I think my last post was about what I wanted to sew for my beach trip. Well, the beach trip has now come and gone and this is what actually make it into my suitcase....

Oh and 2 bathing suits which I didn't save a picture of (and luckily my hubby hasn't posted any pictures on facebook). 

There were 9 pieces of clothing which could be used to make a dozen outfits:

The most versatile piece that I brought was the yellow shirtwaist dress that I finally finished from a fashionable stitch's shirt dress sew-along!

The first day I wore the yellow shirtwaist with the sailboat skirt (and forgot to take a picture because we left so early).

I also wore the shirtwaist dress by itself (I took this picture before accessorizing for some reason)

And I wore it with the circle skirt (I made during Casey's sew-along) over top of it (which is my favorite way ).

I also wore the circle skirt with the afternoon tea halter top (that I talked about a couple posts ago).

The halter also matches the sailboat skirt (which I made into an a-line from a vintage gathered skirt and does not have the yellow coloring in it that I thought it did. It is still really cute though), though the colors don't quite look like it in the pictures.

The white sorbetto (that I posted about making earlier) could have been worn with any of the skirts/shorts as well.

I wore the sorbetto and the pink linen pants to hang around in the beach house, it was very comfortable. The pants are vintage, though they are newer that usually my style. I really like them though they have an elastic waist which I do not love. Is there anyway to edit those to not have the elastic (add a zipper and waistband)? 

So, I didn't get all of the sewing done that I had hoped to, but I kind of expected that. I would have really loved to have replaced that jean shorts outfit with a cute 2 piece play suit that could possibly have mixed and matched with the other pieces. And I would have loved to have made two vintage inspired swimsuits (one of mine is vintage inspired, but the fit isn't too good). But, I am pleased with what I did accomplish and wear.