Peeko by Brooklynn

If there ever was any other designer (besides me) who embodies a love of the earth and being part of the solution of reusing this is the gal: Brooklynn of Peeko Apparel! Check this girl's redesigns out:



Isn't she the most creative and chic designer?! She's even a July-baby just like me!!! Once you visit her Etsy shop you will be a fan: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6910886

La Belle Savage

Pretty, eclectic, bold, edgy, artistic, one-of-a-kind--truly. Holly, the creativity behind La Belle Savage, makes these gorgeous creations with not just any old vintage & antique findings--these are pieces that have been handed down from her Grandmother who worked for a company that supplied jewels for Vogue fashion shoots in the 1940s and 50s. These are some of my favorite pieces, but with all the shop has to offer, you'll most likely end up flipping a coin...or, just buying both ;)

Did You Guess Sleeve?

Yep! That neck ruff collar used to be the sleeve off of a blouse--see:

Crazy, huh?! Don't you love how something can be reborn as something completely different!?
The fabric was so fluid and with the sleeve already being a double layer, I figured it would have enough body to hold up as a ruff. It was a one-of-a-kind, but really it's going to be more like one-of-a-pair since I have another sleeve yet to be transformed!

This blouse also had a very beautiful lace collar that I just dismembered from the fabric and adjusted the circumference to fit the neck as a choker (that sold on Ebay in less than a day!):

The Most Beautiful Discards

Karen Miller has the kind of eye that a lot of people envy. She looks at an old piece of wood and sees the frame of a clock; or a scrap of metal wall hanger and sees a decorative chair. Simply creative.

Bayou Salvage

Ever heard the term "Southern Gothic"? No? Well take a trip to Bayou Salvage via Etsy.com and you'll find the quintessential southern gothic accessories and "storyville" clothing that's romantic enough to put the most hardened heart in the mood to dine with St Valentine. Bayou Salvage is at once beautiful and comforting, as this crochet capelette shows (my personal FAV!):


And talk about an "IT" belt! This lace doily reminded me of the oversize belts that Karl Lagerfeld (genius!) did for Fendi's Spring'09 line:


Sweetly tragic: Southern Gothic Charm


What a versatile piece! This, most obviously, would look amazing as part of a bridal ensemble but would look just as ravishing with one's most casual jeans-& a-tee outfit.


Click on Bayou Salvage under "Rockin the Recycle" to the left or paste this in your browser:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5097827

One-of-a-Kind Steampunk Rings

Some of my Steampunk rings that I made eons ago (okay maybe just this past summer) finally SOLD! Yay! With the economy tanking the way it is, I suppose its much easier to digest spending $20 on a piece of jewelry than spending double that, or more, on a coat.

Japanese Recycling

Kosuke Tsumura
Be impressed. Be very impressed. Not many words are needed for this accomplished master of recycling, but here is a read-worthy article:
http://www.pinktentacle.com/2007/09/pet-bottle-armor/


Okay, so not everyone can do this sort of thing. But it just gives an example, albeit extreme, of what is capable when one lets their imagination rule!

Spin Jen Spin

So here's the beginning of getting to see my pieces on actual people! YAY! I love it. Jennifer bought the striped double collar shirt for a gig DJ'in: Doesn't she look amazing?! She wears it so much better than the dress form (lol). And that corset she's got on with it looks like they were made for each other. Thanks for the pics Jen!

Slacker

Wow. A whole month has gone by without a single post. Surely no one has noticed but me. It's not like I haven't been working. I work on being a good Mom and an attentive loving wife and try to keep the house from being a pigstye. And in between all that, I try to get a few pieces done. Here's a few that were done this past month:

New Brag

TALULA creates romantic quirky and of course, one of a kind jewels to adorn your unique person. In her own words, "talula is all about rust, tarnish, imperfect bits...". Ah, close to my heart. And of course I love her because she practices what I'm all about: Recycling!
Check her out: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15499366 (she's also to the left under "Rockin' the Recycle")
A few of my faves (really, ALL of her pieces are my faves):

Tins Tins Tins

Ya know those tins you get when you buy gum or mints (Altoids) or a metal cylinder that tea comes in or those little tiny lunch box style tins that Target sells that have old school candy in them? It bugs me. I just want to collect all the used tins in the world and find homes for them. Artists could use them to make little shrines. Kindergarten classes all across America could do crafts with them. Crafters could turn them into little holders of tiny supplies and store them in a wall shelf. Hmmm, sigh. So much potential. The logistics of gathering and organizing and disbursing is another story.

Recycled Leather Cuff

Here's my first attempt at a leather steampunk cuff:


Used some leather that I've been moving from house to house for at least 8 years now. I grabbed it at a sample sale from a company I used to work for and didn't have a purpose for it then; but I just knew I'd use it someday! It only took me 8 years :+)

Opulent Oddities

I am in LOVE! This gal's pieces are SICK! Check out her Etsy shop called Opulent Oddities (it will also be on the left hand side bar under 'Rockin the Recycle'):

Every Little Piece

I made these arm spats from the left-overs of the brown plaid pointed-lapel waistcoat I sold a few weeks ago. Practically every inch of that jacket was used...now let's see if someone actually wants these:

Military Duster

I almost didn't even change this sweet duster jacket because it was so Steampunk all on it's own (especially with the watch pocket)...but that's no fun :+)


Just cut about 15 inches off the front and brought the back into an inverted pleat to give the front its finished look. Also added pewter toned buttons at back sleeve cuffs and front closure.

Oh SO creative Upcycling

Not only is Karna an accomplished crafter (somehow that doesn't seem like a good enough word for what she does), as you can see from a couple of the pieces in her shop, but she is also amazing with pen and ink! Check out her drawings/paintings on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocoondesigns/



Please visit her Etsy shop for purchasing these precious and clever creatures. http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5572078

Re-Designed Trench: Military Steampunk

Just putting the finishing touches on this military-flavored trench:

Portfolio (mostly past & sold)

New Project

Trying a trench coat this week:

Neo Victorian Brown Velvet Waistcoat

Here is the custom brown velvet waistcoat for fallhaven that will be in my Etsy shop, SteamTrunk Restycled (please click on the "SteamTrunk Restycled on Etsy" to the left to take you there).

Vintage Store Liebemarlene

I am really excited about this gal's vintage shop. Her selection is chic, well merchandised and in good condition! Check her out at: http://stores.ebay.com/LIEBEMARLENE Vintage
Let's give her a round of fashionable applause for making Vintage look SO chic and polished!

Boho Magazine

I am SO excited about a new magazine for gals who love fashion AND the environment. You may not have seen this on newsstands yet (issues just dropped in stores August 12th), but this is a publication that I think is going to pick up great momentum for the already-strong green-movement. It's called Boho and you can visit them at: http://bohomag.com/index.html

As to whether or not YOU are a boho gal, well, read this excerpt from their website:

Velvet...yummmmm

This piece will be a sort-of custom waistcoat with self-covered buttons at lapels and sleeves. It's gonna get the negative-space shape that the plaid one got a couple weeks back. Should be interesting trying to execute the same style in a much-looser & softer velvet...

Bustle Waistcoat

The jacket I was restycle-ing turned out great...too bad it took me more than a day to complete!!! Oh well, here it is in it's finished state and it's now up in my Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5196406

Lots of New Jackets to Hack

Pretty much all I did today was shop. And what a haul! I've been working on a jacket from my own closet that I think will turn out nice once finished. Started out as a motorcycle-style stretch zip-front; still liked it but never wear it down here in the hot zone. Just need to add buttons, lace to heighten the collar, and some junk in the trunk to give it a lil' bustle effect. Hope to have it up on ebay by Monday eve...

Domestic Construction

Domestic Construction

Check this out: Ya know all the glassware you see rows and rows of at thrift shops? The ones who you feel maybe a tiny bit sorry for because it seems their only destiny is to sit in oblivious boredom for the rest of time? Well, these gals take those and make schweet lighting fixtures out of them! They have also done some really great installations. Check it all out on their website: http://www.domestic-construction.com/index.shtml as well as their Etsy shop where you can buy one of these lovely and lovingly crafted pieces! http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5967130

Branding my Work

My girlfriend and I were talking about all these pieces I've been selling on ebay and she asked me if I was putting a label in any of the garments...I hadn't really thought about it, even though I made labels from the get-go for my Eight x Lucky line on Etsy. She was right! Of course, I needed to put my name in all these pieces I was restycling! Tried one on muslin and one on twill tape and I think the twill tape will have to go. Although, the muslin would look so much better if it were tea-dyed, so I'll be experimenting with that. But for now, here it is in plain muslin:

super abbreviated velveteen shrug

Wanted to try an even shorter shrug where basically its just sleeves, a collar and a bit of fabric attaching the two. This was the perfect jacket to do it on because it is a firm but soft velveteen that would hold its shape after being cut to almost nothing. I can never seem to do any shrug twice the same way--I always want to try a new shape or line every time. So I put a deep 'V' at the back. Up on ebay tonight...

Finally started on the pinstripe "left-overs" to turn into a corset top. Added a velvet bias-strip at the top edge and then a soutache braid on top. I have some flexible "boning" laying around that I will send through a casing at the major seams and some fancy schmancy gold and black buttons. Added clear elastic straps


This jacket had neat little eyelet strips loosely tacked in the front seams at waist and realized they would be perfect as lacing holes for ribbon on the back to give it a corset-type appearance. It is so much more satisfying when every piece of the old garment has a place in the new!

New Shrugs

Two new shrugs this week: The first, a plaid waistcoat shrug, turned out better than I expected (see last pic of original jacket). The fabric is a very light-weight polyester with a bit of stretch--not a traditional type of fabrication for a vintage piece. But I just started cutting it to shape around the bust, sorta like using the negative space. Then added the vintage metal floral buttons to tack down the lapels and vintage plastic buttons on back with self-tab to cinch it in so that it hugs the curves more closely. This will be going up on Ebay this evening.



The black and white houndstooth shrug is a favorite fabrication to work in and to wear! So traditional and regal--especially with the velveteen collar and trim. After cutting the length, I took inverted pleats at the back, then tacked down the collar points and added a narrow velveteen binding around the bottom edge.

So much for working on the pinstripe piece today...oh well. Hopefully this weekend sometime, then.
After I posted my "bragging session" yesterday on those great designers who are doing great things with recycled materials, I found another who I just HAVE to brag about! Ktjean is creating wedding gowns, among other things including little girls' adorable dresses, from vintage garments and recycled fabrics!!! And these are nothing to scoff at--they are modern and beautiful; and today's bride would look pristine and gorgeous in one of these unique custom-made pieces! Check it out:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5715631

Tomorrow, I hope to start on the bottom half of the pinstripe jacket I cut off to make a shrug. The "discard" portion started me thinking that there is no reason why this can't become it's own garment. Why, shoooot, it almost looks like a corset anyway, right? Just needs a bit of trimming here and darting there with a dash of hardware thrown in. The possibilities are practically limitless! More to come...

Inspiration

The thing that inspires me most is to see something that has been completely transformed from its original form into something that people love to see and want to use or wear. These are artists/seamstresses who inspire and/or make me feel happy to be associated in that category with them:
There is a gal who sells vintage and re-made vintage in her Etsy shop, BamaBelle Vintage Boutique: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5124047
She takes old vintage that is too flawed to wear as is and makes it wearable; so basically she saves stuff from being thrown away! We LIKE, LOVE & COVET that! Here is one of her corsets:


Here is a shop, Nue To Me, that recycles old tee shirts into adorable precious little dresses for kiddos: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5963397 How stinkin' cute is this pirate dress from the shop:


There is another gal, Bonzie, who sells her wearables on Etsy.com which she makes from vintage materials and upcycled clothing and it is amazing! She also does quite a bit of very creative bridal pieces. Definitely check it out: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5104063
This one of her jackets that is for sale in her shop. Gorgeous, no?!


One more for the day and we'll call it good. I LOVE this KISS infant sleeper by RACHZEL (sold on Etsy at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=44961 ):

This black lace shrug comes from a frumpy neglige (last pic). I threw it up on the dress form and started cutting the lace trim and then pinned it back into place at a shrug length. Then took the extra cut-away lace that was hanging down and tucked it into the bustle of fabric created in back. I finished by putting a few more gathers in back to draw the bustle into one big train. The sleeves just had to be taken up so I folded and folded and gathered and tucked and voila!
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First Shrug I DIY'd...it came out lovely if I do say so myself! Sorry to brag!
It originates from an 80's boxy jacket. I cut off a bunch of the length, took up some fabric with darts/seams at the bottom so it would be fitted around body and added a velvet binding. Pretty simple actually.


This one was the next one I did after the houndstooth shrug. This was an old blazer I'd had for a few years that just totally lost it's appeal--especially after I moved to the heat! I flipped the collar up and folded & stitched down the lapels and added gold military buttons. It also had lots of tucks that created an interesting back.



This is one of my latest that is up on Ebay right now. Not sure if it will appeal to the die-hards but I thought it turned out great--not only because it's cute but because I used almost every single inch of fabric. It started as a dumpy vest (see bottom pic) that I cut 11" off of, added little sleeve caps, neck cuff and tab-n-buckle (from the back cincher).



Okay, last one: This is my attempt at a "Waistcoat Shrug" and I was pleased with the results. You really can't go too wrong with Victorian Era clothes--they're just SO fabulous, no?! Cut it to shape, did the collar flip and instead of laying down the lapels, I left them up and did a "french cuff" closure treatment. Also, I had a cinch-clip laying around (think it came off of a yucky old 80's playsuit--super ICK) and covered it with self-fabric to give the waist a little more shape.

Rested and Refreshed

After having some time to catch up on badly needed sleep (mother of 2 young-uns), I have re-visited my calling to improving old or ugly, worn or dated or just plain boring clothes with a focus on Neo-Victorian or Steampunk aesthetic. I have always been an historical clothing fan and now have the chance to put my own spin on that era's clothing. I love that there are lots of folks out there who are keeping the regal and proper attire alive from the Victorian age by dressing up and carrying out Live Action Role Play (LARP) and going to conventions and having parties where the people are polite, the guns are extremely creative DIY and the clothes are amazing! I'll be sharing some projects I've done and some that are still in my head (everything comes out organically on the dress form--I almost never sketch ideas for clothing).

This black pinstripe shrug is from a basic contemporary jacket I picked up at a thrift store. I chose to leave the back unfitted as I liked the way it stood out, giving it a sculptural feel.

Manipulation and Revision

If you are a creator of crafty and creative things, specifically those of the sewing machine world, you owe it to yourself to get this book by Colette Wolff: The Art of Manipulating Fabric. This is the most comprehensive and complete resource for changing your flat one-dimension fabric into an amazing piece of art (or just a garment). Even for those who don't sew, machine or by hand, this is great inspiration for creating.

My very very first blog...

Why is it that we can spend our whole lives doing something and not even think about it, and then when it changes format, be almost completely frozen to continue?

Fear is good
Fear is BAD
Fear is constant
Fear puts you in your place
Fear takes you out of the race
Fear kicks you in your rear
remember, Fear is always near