WIP Wednesday: The Hat in Question

As I'm teaching myself how to use Photoshop, I have hits and misses with my concepts.  

Sometimes the actresses and Burlesque stars have something clear to say 

and sometimes they are just esoterically whimsical. 

This young lady was the latter of the two.

But whether they come together easily or not I have so much fun doing this that I forget myself entirely and will tweak and nudge the pieces for hours, if not interrupted.

I'm reading a great book on creativity by Ken Robinson, called
The Element. 

So far ( I'm a third of the way in) it's about finding something that combines your talent and interest, so that you can find that unique endeavor that makes time cease to exist. It is then that you are in 

"your element".

What puts you in your element?

DIY Couture Give Away and The Cloak I Made in an Afternoon!

Recently, after I sold out, I was contacted By Rosie Martin at DIY Couture.
She asked if I'd like to check out their books and I said "Yes, Please! Shall we do a give away!?"
Of Course, she said yes, or the title of the post would be totally different.

I got her first three books in the mail so fast. SO fast, all the way from England. It totally blew my mind.

They are great. Well written step by step  instructions and full of excellent graphics so if you learn better from reading, or from looking at diagrams, they have you covered. It's basic sewing without patterns; just using geometry and  borrowing lines from garments you already love. It works great.  I made a lined cloak in less than a day.

Not an invisibility cloak, not a visibility cloak, 

just a nice summer wrap.

This came out so much better than the caplette I made from a pattern... In fact I may remake it, using this system. The books look great and there is a bit of surprise art in the back that gives them a fun Zine-like vibe.


So here's your chance to comment and win a set of  these 3. Make sure I can get a hold of you, (all you anonymous commentators, email address please, or a code name...something!), and a link back to this post gets you a second entry. Just be sure to mention your intention, so I can come see your sweet little blogs. I found some fantastic new reads the last time we had a give away! Not a blogger? A Facebook link will work too!

The 4th of July Weekend has me hoppin',  so I'll draw the winner next Tuesday, July 6th!
Good Luck, all you wannabe DIY Couturiers! And a Big Thanks to Rosie, for sharin' the love!

Gotta Fly Like A Superhero!
Betty

Fashion Friday: Can You Help Me?

All right all you vintage couture sewists... I want to make something like this:

Thanks to Dude Craft who sent me to Vintage Scans 

(Not all G rated.. BTW... but has the word strumpetry in the subtitle.. 

which I personally found kinda cute.)

Specifically the bottoms with the shirring. I'm pretty good at the elastic thread sewing, but would love to find someone who had a pattern they might be willing to trace for the rest of the shape. Even if it isn't a shirred pattern but just a similar or semi similar bottom... I will pay or trade, and love you forever.

Monday I'll have the DIY Couture giveaway all sorted.  I'm in the middle of something big and fun and secret this weekend...  And I want to have something "material" to show you using their methods for the Give Away post!

Work In Progress Wednesday: Fancy Footwork

Some girls collect shoes. For a year or so, I have been collecting feet. Sewing machine feet, for my vintage Singer. I buy them whenever I see them.

Threads magazine had this article on vintage sewing machine feet and their uses. I popped it open and it was pretty durn good. It wasn't the be all end all, so I also searched away in my vintage Singer manuals and Talbots Complete book of Sewing.

I hadn't set up the Farmer's Wife in awhile and I just got inspired.

I started out with the "tucker".

Easy rows of even tucks.  Seamed up one way and down the other.

And then tucking the tucks.

Can you say Addictive?

Then I tried the embroidery/darning foot...
Sweetly sketchy.

I had a drop by from a friend who does real serious art quilting. She helped me understand the  only problem I'm having is hand and pedal speed coordination. That takes practice. Practice sounds fine. After all, it's just thread and scraps.

Then there's the adjustable hemmer. Okay... it just  hems,  but it hems a Variety  of Widths.

I am really loving the mechanical way these devises work. Every one works with the straight stitch. No fussy width, length or tension adjustments. Industrial Elegance. With patience and practice at speed and guidance, the foot pretty well does the work.

And finally the button holer. Okay ... What? this absolutely SHAMES my modern machine. These button holes are gorgeous by comparison. And it does it by wiggling the fabric back and forth.

Three cheers for the good old days.

More footwork in the future... With some in depth tutorials, vintage how to book pages scanned and road tested vintage feet for sale on Etsy. ( Yes, exhuberence = multiple purchases = extra feet to share with you all)

And another give away coming right up from me and DIY Couture!!

Saint Anne (More Photoshop Practice)

I have been really lazy about taking pictures of what I'm sewing, but pretty disciplined about playing with other people's old pictures. So here is my tribute to the lovely Saint Ann. Patron saint of housewives, and seamstress alike. She was Mary's mama, don't ya know?

I also feel compelled to point out she also was  originally said to have had a virgin birth. Was that a lot more common way back when? Or maybe it just ran in the family. Anyway the Catholic Church had the story straightened out a few centuries back, so I should just stop spreading rumors.

Anyhooo, as my threads break and my seams tweak, it just find it comforting to know that there is a specific saint I should be calling on.

Her feast day is July 26th. Maybe I should throw her a party!

Made It Myself Monday: Photoshop Practice

I love this image of this beautiful French boxer from 1910.

Delicate, tough and haunting.

The photoshop practice has become very journalistic... or should I say journalish.

I'm often surprised where it takes me.

Yo Yo Blossom Skirt

 

here we go...

steal this skirt.

easy as pie!

 

first make a pencil skirt

like they show you here.

 

then make 16 or so yo-yos in different sizes

like This.

Then use fabric glue to pin them on with some snipped out leaves.

Then stitch them into place with a back stitch and a blanket stitch.

So? What are you waiting for?

Fashions of the Future!

Hi gang!
Husband's Birthday today so the staff here at Bitter Betty Industries is working it's celebratory magic. In the mean time I hope you'll enjoy our instructive 80 year old "look forward" to the Magical Year 2000. (That's why these look dated, they are so last decade.)


Dresses made of net? Sure, but generally the boob spirals are still only for Madonna and Lady Gaga.

My favorite is the "headlamp so she can find an honest man."
Love to know how that works out!

I doubt that it's the bearded fellow who always carries Candy for Cuties. He looks suspicious for sure.

And here's a preview of my personal Fashion of the Future:

 Just a teaser,

See Ya Monday!
Betty

We Have A Winner....

Number 49!

Hot Damn...

It's Daphne at Cranky is Good!

The really groovy felted Totoro is a Maker Faire Picture... 

but I thought he was suitably celebratory.

To all the folks who didn't win...

thanks for playing and please stop by again.

And if there are any other sponsors who want to do a give away here... email me.

I will give any offer careful consideration!