To infinity...and beyond!

Oh, hey! Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year and has been well since that last post!   My hibernation was awesome!   And productive!  And I come bearing gifts; I'm revealing how I've made one of a kind infinity scarves from a fairly common thrift shop find: vintage maxi skirts from India!

 I usually roll my eyes when I see stupid-easy diy projects on blogs, but I hope this is helpful and informative to some!  This is my first tutorial; let me know your thoughts!

In today's class, we'll learn how to make something awesome even awesome-er.

The downside to seeing the potential in everything, and not being able to resist a deal (or a pretty pattern), and frequenting thrift shops, is that I end up with clothes (and other things) awaiting modifications before I can use them. And until they've been tweaked, they're sorted into a semi-organized tower of plastic storage containers that haunt me:

A few years ago, I fashioned an infinity scarf from a vintage gauzy Indian maxi skirt. It turned out beautifully and I made a couple for friends and sold some in the etsy shop. Recently, I had my seamstress* whip out a few more using the rest of the skirts in my collection. The lovely woodblock-like printed patterns with floral motifs or elephants or peacocks and other designs are almost always from India and usually made out of a really lightweight material. These skirts (and printed dresses and blouses) were popular in the 60s and 70s.

Dem colorz, dat pattern... *swoon*

The blouses and dresses are harder to find (and consequently more expensive...not sure I'd cut one up!)  But I see the skirts often enough... Unfortunately for me, the fit isn't super-flattering on my body; I feel like there's too much fabric on my hips and the length is always wrong. And often, the elastic waistband has dried out and there's a tear or stains near the hem where it probably grazed the ground or was stepped on. But the patterns! They're sooo good! And using the material for scarves is easy and perfectly showcases the print! They're such a fun and colorful layer to add to your outfit! Huge infinity scarves are a favorite because they're foolproof to style; just loop it around your neck a few times and go! Let's get started!

  

Things you need:

• A skirt. Duh. You can basically use any skirt for this, but consider a lighter-weight, not-scratchy material that'll drape nicely around your neck. And, for ease, don't use a skirt with gores or tons of panels. (I mean, you can, but it involves more math than I want to explain.) 
• Scissors. 
• Thread. 
• A needle, if sewing by hand, or a sewing machine, or a seamstress 
• Pins (sewing or safety, dealer's choice.)

Clear, easy-to-follow Instructions:

1.  Cut the waistband off the skirt.  We don't need it.  Try to do this in a straight line and as close to the waistband as possible.  But don't stress about that too much...

Snip, snip.

2.   So now you have a big tube.  Or maybe it's a funnel... Whatever.  You could, theoretically, call it a day at that last step, but the fabric is oriented the wrong way and it's so weird how that one edge is jagged, it just looks like you're wearing a skirt around your neck!  So we're not done yet!  Lay the skirt flat and rip open the side seams so you have two rectangles.  Or maybe they're squares... Whatever.  It's okay if the edges get a little messy, in fact, it's good.  Try not to use your scissors.  If your skirt doesn't have a side seam, or it has more than two panels, just tear it into equal pieces; they do need to be the same width.  (You only need two, but you can use more to make one really long scarf, or multiple scarves, or other things.**)

Frayed edges are yer friends!

3.  If you don't want to do any sewing, you could call it a day here...you have not one, but two basic scarves!  One for you, one for a friend!  Here's one I didn't finish because I wanted it to show the unfinished, fringe-y edges.  And it's okay!  You can't even tell!  It still works!  Yay!  But read on if you want an infinity scarf.

It's not so bad to be basic.

4.   Now let’s look at our two panels.  We’re going to sew these together width-wise; stitching along the hem and stitching along the top (where we removed the waistband) to make a big loop. We can do this two ways: stitching the panels hem-to-hem and top-to-top, or stitching them top-to-hem and hem-to-top.  Does this make sense?  For example, sometimes stitching the two hems together creates a big block of a single color (like if the skirt had a solid border).  If this is your first rodeo, I recommend stitching top-to-hem and hem-to-top because it makes the next step easier…  But it doesn't really matter which option you choose; it just depends on the pattern and your preference.  Use your pins to secure the two panels together, right-sides facing out, with the finished hem of the skirt overlapping on the right side of the fabric. 

Green highlighter on the finished edges that were the hem of the skirt.  If I stitched this together as shown, I'd consider it top-to-top and hem-to-hem.  It's easier to turn one of the panels upside down so the finished hems get stitched over the unfinished top edges on both panels.

5.   Once you’ve pinned down the edges, you’re ready to make it official and sew them together!  What’s really cool about this is that you don’t need to be #prolevel to sew this.  The material is forgiving and the pattern on the skirt will hide any uneven stitches.  Hopefully, you’re stitching top-to-hem and hem-to-top, this way you can just follow the line of the hem as it overlaps the top of the other panel (making a long rectangle), and then follow the hem line from that panel over the top of the first one (making it into a loop).  Does this make sense?  Here’s a picture:

6.   Stitch together the other ends.  In the photo above, you can barely see where the second row of stitching was done; it goes right along the hem to attach the other panel underneath it.  On the reverse side, excess fabric was trimmed away.  You can stitch a single line or two.  I've done two.  Again, I just went over the stitching on the hem.

7.   Now you have a big loop!  Whoomp there it is!  THIS is your infinity scarf!  Depending on the original dimensions of your skirt, your scarf may be really long or maybe it’s short and wide.  It’s okay!  These come in all shapes and sizes and they’re all beautiful!  Real talk.

I believe this skirt had four panels.  I used them all to make a longer and narrower infinity scarf.

Your infinity scarf can be worn in many ways.  Not an infinite amount of ways, but several.  Shrug, shawl, or wrap dress/sarong, anyone?

Mostly, I just end up doubling it over my neck twice.  And it’s easy to convert into a snood should you get caught in a downpour!  The one on the right is probably my favorite.

I also love this blue and white tie-dye one.  I’m seeing a lot of that this season and I’m a little sad I sold it!  So pretty!  It's not an Indian print, but the material; slightly sheer and crinkly, was suitable for a scarf.  If you look closely, you can see one of the panels was stitched along the sides (versus at the top and the hem) so it doesn't drape the same.  It's not bad, just unique!  There's no wrong way to go about this.

Look from Madewell Spring 2014.  They have a similar, non-infinity scarf here.

I went a little crazy and turned a few regular scarves into infinity scarves.  You can easily stitch the ends together on a long, rectangular scarf, or use two large square scarves.  Or stitch together several in a large patchwork panel.  Infinite possibilities!

Let me know if you make anything!  Share your masterpiece on Instagram, or here!  And check out the shop if you’d like to buy a finished one!

*My speedy seamstress, Hilda, completed the ones shown after I cut and pinned the pieces together.  It's amazing and insane how quickly she works, but, I assure you, this is an amateur project and shouldn't take longer than an hour, tops.  Unless you're simultaneously hate-watching a Lifetime movie: why isn't the leading lady questioning this sketchy man/situation/her acting career?  Or you're threading your sewing machine the wrong way and almost break it in frustration.  Or your cat thinks the panel of skirt fabric you've laid out is, in fact, just for him...  In any of these instances, it may take significantly longer to make a single scarf.

Mine! That'll be all.

**I had a skirt with three-panels and used two panels for my infinity scarf and applied the third to the back of a button-down shirt.  Still need to finish it, but you can already see it’s going to be boho-cape-chic!

(Not sure what happened with my font size up there...I tried to fix it and then it messed up the rest of the formatting and then I gave up.)

Beyond the sea

What summer isn't complete without a jaunt to the beach?  About a week ago I had a girls' weekend near the water and I can still hear the waves crashing on the shore and feel the sand under my feet:

Wish You Were Here!  (Fun fact: That's also the title of one of my favorite jams in high school...)

Despite a freak near-death drowning incident in Key West when I was younger, I love being in the ocean...or just near it.  I spent an afternoon napping on the beach (another choice jam...) and it was the best, most tranquil nap ever.  Maybe it's because of all those negative ions or maybe I've just been brainwashed by singing along with Sebastian to that catchy little jingle in The Little Mermaid.  But, most logically, my obsession with the sea is easily explained by the fact that I'm a water sign.  (And by this very scientific reasoning we can also deduce that air signs like being around air and earth signs like the earth...and fire signs are pyromaniacs. ) 

Cartoon of me at seventy, channeling Little Edie and a photo of me at seven, dressed as a gypsy fortune-teller for Halloween.  Full disclosure: I already own and wear all the pieces illustrated in my Advanced Style moment.  And another fun fact: I downplay how much I love reading horoscopes.

Anyway, the beach.  And beach style!  In middle school I had a strange obsession with surf culture.  (And a shout out to the Pacific Sunwear at the local mall for helping me look the part in all those Roxy boardshorts and Billabong tees despite being landlocked and not actually knowing how to surf.)  I dreamed of hanging loose, or hanging ten, or...whatever.  I really had no idea.  But I imagined I could be a modern-day Gidget, learning how to surf with the help of all my hot guy friends, who had nicknames like Moondoggie and partying on the beach. 

I've only seen the movie version with Sandra Dee.  I just like this book cover.

Fortunately, my idea of seaside style has evolved since middle school.  Finding the perfect-fitting and wearable and a pattern/color I love and flattering (tall order, I know) vintage swimsuit or romper has eluded me of my Esther Williams moment.  I've had much better luck going the vintage route with creative cover-ups.  I love an embroidered Oaxacan dress or tunic for the beach or poolside; they're cotton and breezy and just really beautiful with a bohemian vibe.  I happened to be wearing the shorter one below when I was selling vintage at a flea market a few years ago:  

This older Mexican lady complimented me on it and she was so kind and friendly and so knowledgeable about these embroidered designs; she explained the meaning behind everything in the design...from the direction the little people were dancing, the types of flowers, etc. might reveal if you were single or taken or otherwise tell a story about your family.  She knew exactly where and when mine had been made just from the stitching!  Here's a closer look:

See the little pink and yellow people around the bust?

  

It was such a cool experience!  To use some [stereotypical assumptions of?] surfer-lingo, it was all good vibes, man.  I was totally enlightened!  Unfortunately, it was also about a hundred degrees outside and I can't remember the specifics of what she said and I wasn't able to find any other info along the same lines about it on the internet...and that's where this lazy girl's search for answers ended.  I know they're popular souvenirs and  so the designs have been simplified and/or made with machines and I usually see ones for sale just described as 'Mexican embroidered dress/tunic/caftan' with no other specifics, except maybe an era.  Was that adorable abuelita awesome or an awesomely insane mirage?  Cue Unsolved Mysteries theme song: If you have any information about this, write to me at vintageadoptionagency@gmail.com, or in the comments!  I'm really curious about it and it'd be cool to know (again!) what, if any, meaning the different patterns have.

Sorry, guys.  This one sold faster than I could get this blog post finished...

The one above was full-length with a more unusual pastel-rainbow gradient embroidery..and hot pink floral details.  I think it's newer than the black one.  Here's another Mexican dress in my personal collection; this one has pintucks and rows of lace: 

It's another adorable beach-y option, probably from the sixties or seventies.  More often I see maxidresses with bell-sleeves in this style.  Here's one on eBay from Tachi Castillo that I love:  

The color!  The dropwaist! 

If I wanted to go in a less hippie and more chic direction, I have this unlined eyelet LBD that I could totally style into a more retro-glam vacation-appropriate look:

 I'd wear it over a solid black strapless bandeau and matching high-waisted bottoms.  I was inspired by Anna Dello Russo in that Dolce & Gabbana lace shift a few years ago but here the more modest cut of the dress would balance the peekaboo effect.  During the day the dress could be accessorized with a straw hat, woven belt (worn backwards), and flat leather sandals.  Later, I'd switch up the crafty belt for one with a gold-tone seashell buckle (mine is from Mimi di N) and swap the sandals for dressier platforms.

Lastly, what's a trip to the beach without a stylish way of transporting all your beach essentials?  I love colorful woven market totes!  They're pretty to look at, yes, but they're also extremely sturdy and practical.  Plus, many have leather straps so they're comfortable to carry and easy to sling on your shoulder.  Over time, the straps get softer and the colors become more muted.  It's an obvious choice for the beach but I like keeping a few in the trunk of my car for impromptu stops at yard sales or farmer's markets...or as an alternate in case I forget any of my other reusable bags and want to avoid paying a certain bag tax:

Perfection.

These are the two (above) that I find myself using most often.  So, why the hell am I keeping all of these:

Pick a bag, any bag...

Answer: I'm insane.  Or maybe greedy.  I just need options...  But I'm definitely running out of space.  ALL MOST (they're moving fast!) of the bags shown above are available in the etsy shop.  (Not so greedy, afterall...) 

Ughhh...beach withdrawals.  Writing about the beach and beach style makes me want to plan another escape.  Blog post, what?  I have to research my next holiday... Enjoy what's left of summer; SPOILER ALERT! it's almost over!

Flower Power! Part Two!

Last time we talked florals, they were entirely of the patterns-printed-on-clothing variety. Since then, I’ve realized that flowers are literally everywhere in my life and on everything, including my head and toes!

I scored the hatbox for a few bucks at a little thrift store in Frederick, Maryland.  Aside from the daisy pattern on the side, it's cool because it's local to DC...which I also consider myself local to even though I don't visit that often.  Inside the hat box I've been storing a few vintage fascinators and assorted supplies for making floral crowns!

I got the vintage millinery flowers off of eBay (and I highly recommend this dealer; great selection/prices and so kind!) and while the twine and tape were thrifted, they're easily and cheaply available from craft stores. 

Now, I haven't gotten around to (ahh, isn't that always the case...) actually making my floral crowns  but  mentioning it on my blog certainly motivates me to follow-up on this like it's going out of style...aka going to an outdoor music festival circa 2012.  Anyway, it started last year when I actually paid full-price for one I saw on the Free People website, got it in the mail and was not impressed, and decided it was an easy diy.  Because. Obviously.  But until I get my diy-time, I can get some floral headpiece action with these babies:

I have a bit of a bigger head and big hair doesn't help but these floral fascinators are truly one size fits all (I wish I could find the picture of my brother wearing the gold one...) and the detail put into the design and the flowers is incredible.  They add some serious interest and whimsy to your ensemble.  

I need to build up my fierceness to wear them on a more regular basis and/or go to San Francisco and/or find a church with a rich and proud tradition of women rocking awesome headwear to get inspired.  When I was interning at the vintage boutique in college, I loved that I got to spend a Saturday morning helping an octogenarian pick out a new church hat and later saw a young lady trying on some of the same hats for a theme party.  Vintage: it brings generations together!  I have a couple of fascinators (and a watercolor floral pillbox hat!) going up in the shop.  

And speaking of awesome head-attire and flower-related-adornments, I love this girl's style.  And I've always been a fan of this one...  So naturally, I was delighted when I noticed Zoe was rocking Frida earrings in a recent post:

Those glasses. That crown. Those earrings. That lipstick.  That ribbon.  Everything.    

 

These docs are more evidence of my nineties grunge-meets-granny floral appreciation.  I live in them during the colder months and they're holding up nicely.  They make me smile whenever I happen to look down and they seem to make other people smile, too: they're crowdpleasers that have collected compliments from random people at random places and times.  Example: peering underneath bathroom stalls...   

I got them off of eBay a few years ago and I've only occasionally seen them in thrift stores (usually marked up, but not over $20) yet never in my size!  Dr. Martens has had a bunch of floral patterned boots over the years, but these are my favorite.

Floral brooches are something else I've been collecting for awhile.  Consequently, they're a little harder to part with, but some of them will be in the shop.  The one in the first row, third from left is a favorite; it's usually affixed to my coat lapel or the front pocket flap of my denim jacket.

Remember in the mid-nineties when sixties hippie-style made a comeback? (How about those flared jeans from Mudd that came with their own fringed/crochet belt?!) And daisies, notably Gerbera daisies, were everywhere, too?  I had earrings for that.

They'll be in shop.  And they'll be sold in a bundle with a couple of other nineties gems from Claire's Accessories. 

In the daisy department (there is no actual daisy department), I also have a recipe box and a trivet going to the shop.  Perfect for the kitchen!

In the bedroom, I've got these flowers on my walls:

And these ones in other places:

The trays are great for corralling the random junk that collects on top of coffee tables and dressers.  That cookie jar kind of reminds me of a chamber pot and presently it's just on a bookshelf.  The hangers were thrifted and I intend to make more using other wooden hangers and fabric scraps and the iron side table is perfect for plants!  In the shop, I'll have a couple of pillows, a tray, and a really cool new old stock thermos just waiting to go on your next picnic.  The tag (still attached!) says it's 'perfect for home & patio, picnic & camping, sporting events or office' so you probably definitely need it (if you don't already own one!) since I definitely don't need two...

The comforter below was thrifted maybe five or six years ago and it has since become a personal summertime favorite and a picnic/beach essential for me.  The pattern is one part Marimekko and one part Vera Neumann and it is colorful, kaleidescope-like perfection:

I've grown quite attached to this comforter, not in the sense of carrying it around with me like Linus, but whenever I look at it I'm reminded of fun times outdoors with family and friends.  

On a morbid/bizarre (but probably not so bizarre) note, when I was a kid (and before I'd gone to an actual funeral) I thought of caskets as, literally, little beds (because c'mon, what else would a 'final resting place' look like?!) and imagined that, whenever I died, I'd be wearing pajamas and tucked into my casket with my Sesame Street bedsheets and comforter.

Beyond floral comforters, I have a stash of vintage bedsheets that I have assorted plans for.  But I'll get to that in another blog post.  (And maybe this blog post could have just been called a diy project to-do list...)  As far as linens go, I also have some great floral (of course, see theme) vintage (also, a given, see blog) tablecloths around.  I love the pom pom fringe on this one:     

In other tablecloth news, I scored the Soraya Maxi Dress from Anthropologie last week.  I don't recall being mesmerized by it online, but when I saw it in store I freakin' loved it!  I didn't see my size at first, which wasn't a biggie since I really had no intention of buying it, so I was pleasantly surprised when I found it in the sale section being sold 'as-is' (and at almost $100 less) because the zipper had gone off track.  Now, sometimes I've seen a bunch of the same product in the sale section of Anthro because they all have an identical issue and it's clearly some kind of design defect but this was random and it should be an easy fix, as I won't need to replace the whole zipper.  So it's just a matter of finding the time for it!  But back to tablecloths... I went to read the reviews for this dress and several people complained that it looked/felt like too much of an old tablecloth for their liking.  Ironically, that's exactly what it reminded me of and exactly why I love it (oh yeah, and it's flattering) so I'm not sure what that says about me...  

Once the zipper is fixed, I'll probably wear it with my platform espadrilles and with either a denim jacket or cropped sweater (shown) so I don't feel overexposed.  Other items on my mending to-do list include the purple and blue floral blazer on the left.  I love the old-lawn-chair-cushion-chic of the pattern and I've worn it on and off for a little over a decade but I've always wanted to change the buttons (easy) and the lining (not so easy). The lining is torn in a couple of places and since I usually scrunch the sleeves I was thinking it’d be fun to do it in an unexpected contrasting color like a bright red-orange. 

The yellow blazer on the right (made in Paris, ooh la la!) just needs to be drycleaned (easy). The fabric on it is great and so cheery and I love how it looks when worn casually with a white blouse and slouchy jeans, not unlike the way this yellow blazer is worn.

The fit on the blazer above is amazing and I love the strong shoulder/short sleeves but I haven’t worn it in a long while. It might be headed to shop! I also love the fabric on it, check out that detail of the raised petals!

Aside from (hopefully!) documenting the diy projects mentioned above, I think I've shared enough flower-related things for now...all that's left more to do is step away from the computer and smell some actual roses.  I'm a decent woman who exports flowers...the rest of the floral things will be in the shop this week!

Lastly, did anyone else finally get the opportunity to be an actual flower girl in an actual wedding only to commit career suicide by forgetting to do the one thing you're supposed to do?

It was the most important day of my life.  I received my cue to walk down the aisle.  All eyes were on me.  My hair, my dress, my shoes...perfection.  But I was forgetting something.  What was it?  What was my mom hissing at me through that strained smile?  I nodded and smiled harder.  I may have tip-toed.  I may have done the Miss America wave.  I definitely did not do anything with the silk petals in the ribbon-adorned basket I was holding.  When the bride appeared at the end of the aisle, I may have felt upstaged and it may or may not have shown on my face...