little red riding hood

well, hello there! ... and, happy springtime!!

it feels good to be back - sharing my projects with you again after that unexpected little hiatus. i've got a small stack of completed sewing/printing projects just waiting to be worn, photographed and shared with you all so i will do my best to get those up over the next couple of weeks before the big spring shop update! i'm super excited about all the fabulous vintage pieces i'll be adding to the shop later this month - stay tuned for some fantastic vintage finds!

you might remember, a couple of months back i became completely smitten with miu miu's adorable spring 2012 capelets and then found this quick & easy tutorial by FtAshion for making a similar version. for my own capelet, i chose a bold bright red lace and paired it with a thick burgundy velvet ribbon for a bit of added depth & contrast. i can't tell you how easy this diy was - perfect for the absolute beginning sewer. you basically just cut the fabric, fold it, and run a straight stitch along the edge before inserting the ribbon - i was done in 20 minutes tops! and, then it sat in my sewing room for weeks as i pondered how to style it. 

after scoring this amazing blue 60's scooter dress at an estate sale last week, i remembered seeing dakota fanning's styling of the miu miu red capelet and immediately knew i wanted to try a 'celebrity look on a budget' type of thing using items solely from my own closet. i took the scooter dress in at the sides to give it a more 'stuctured' look and paired it w/ a vintage emerald green evening bag (instead of a silver clutch, like dakota,) nude heels, a chunky ring and thick eyeliner to complete the look. it's obviously not a perfect match, but i think it's a pretty fantastic compromise for a tiny fraction of the cost!

i made another capelet in mint green which i'll be wearing on my birthday and sharing with you later this week. i'm really loving these little capelets and can't stress enough how simple they are to make - whip yourself up a version of this cute spring accessory in less than 20 minutes before the temperatures get too hot!

xoxo

☆ emilia ☆


*outfit details: vintage blue 1960's scooter dress // calvin klein nude heels // forever 21 rings // vintage emerald green evening bag

never neverland

i'm taking a bit of a break from making pleated skirts as i wait on some white ink to arrive in the mail for an upcoming printing marathon. in the meantime, i've been working on a few quick sewing projects in an effort to use up some of the interesting fabric scraps i've got lying around from past endeavors. this peter pan collar tutorial by elegant musings is the perfect quick & easy project for all those random leftovers and even gives the choice between pointed or rounded ends - how cool is that?!

it's difficult to tell in the pictures, but i used a very fine corduroy for the bright red collar which adds a wonderful texture and was also really fun to work with. the print-at-home pattern & instructions are easy to follow - all you need besides your fashion fabric is a bit of interfacing and your choice of closure (ribbon, button, etc.) i finished my collar off with a thin mustard velvet ribbon and couldn't be happier with how it turned out. makes me feel like a little girl in a fairytale who stumbled upon never neverland and never wants to grow up!

xoxo
☆ emilia ☆

*outfit details: dress - dear by amandy bynes / skirt - isaac mizrahi for target / shoes - naya / purse - vintage / glasses - vintage / owl ring - ebay 

furoshiki gift wrapping

check out this video on the japanese art of wrapping your presents in furoshiki, or cloth. what a fun and interesting alternative for wrapping holiday gifts! unlike wrapping paper - which usually can't be recycled - furokishi can be used again and again for a huge variety of purposes. i love the bag idea at the end of the video - i'm totally going to try that with some extra fabric i've got on hand. i love simple ideas like this which make it easier to help keep our planet greener through recycling.

xoxo

☆ c. emilia ☆ 

inspiration - diy couture

images: diy couture

i recently ordered a copy of diy couture's book how to make a  pleated skirt, the first in a series of instructional books aimed at teaching the average person how to sew without using complex sewing patterns. 

the idea behind diy couture is to make the reality of constructing unique, personally fitted clothing accessible to anyone. easy-to-follow diagrams and photos offer simple visual instructions for garments that can be endlessly reinvented in a million different ways. for instance - designing your own pleated skirt means you can play with the length of the skirt, number of pleats, width of the waist band, and weight of the fabric (stiff & puffy vs. draped & flowing) on top of experimenting with stripes, blocks of color and pattern. the possibilities really are endless!

i've been brushing up on my beginner-level sewing techniques recently and am so ready to move on past tote bags & headbands to intermediate-level skirts, shirts and dresses. i've been working through the projects in red velvet's diy dress up e-course and am slowly seeing improvement as the projects get more and more complex (i will share pics of my progress so far next week.) but, as soon as my diy couture book arrives i think i'm going to have to switch gears & give the pleated skirt a shot. i am swooning over the idea of using custom printed fabric once i get the technique down. super exciting stuff!!

xoxo

☆ c. emilia ☆

crochet friday

left image: people webs

after all the crochet talk on this blog, i finally get to show you pics of my first completed project - this adorable bow headband designed by lindsi of people webs. isn't it just the cutest? the pattern is super simple and absolutely perfect for a beginner like me. i think my bow turned out a bit smaller than it was supposed to but i love the way it looks puffed out - really reminds me of hello kitty's bow! 

i followed this tutorial and used the same yarn as recommended - caron simply soft - in a nice light gray. this is a great afternoon project and lindsi does a fantastic job of explaining every step and providing detailed photos. i love how soft the synthetic yarn is but it gave me a bit of trouble as my hook kept getting caught on the individual strands and separating the main strand. this doesn't seem to happen when i work with wool yarn - i'm starting to understand the pros and cons of each type of yarn blend but i've still got so much to learn.

i can't wait to make a few more of these headbands for myself in other colors. next time, i'll make sure to count the rows so my bow turns out nice and big. i might even add a few rows to one for a cute oversized look. staying warm in the winter was never so fun!

xoxo

☆ c. emilia ☆