Hello friends!
We’re busy packing up and emptying out the refrigerator (a little too quickly, as it turns out; what are we going to eat this weekend?) for our trip back to the US! We leave on Monday and spend two weeks in New York before heading to see my family in Madison, Wisconsin. So exciting! Our list of things to do and people to see is looooong, sort of like my list of fabrics to shop for while we’re in New York. I’m learning what I can and can’t find in Spain. Linen, lace, and trims here are amazing. Knits are much more difficult to locate, as are good silks and cotton shirtings. Cashmere is not available. Period. Not to mention proper ribbons. And now that I’ve finally unpacked all my supplies from the studio, I’ve discovered I have enough thread to last more than a lifetime but my supply of invisible zippers is extremely colorful (I guess I used all the beige and navy?), so that needs to be remedied, too. I really want a few proper YKK zippers, not the plastic kind that is so prevalent here. Spoken like a true sewing diva, I know.
I’ve also taken some of your sewing tool suggestions to heart and have made a short shopping list based on your ideas. Have you decided to try anything new from the comments everyone left?
Pinterest Picks
It’s always been tough to get S to eat fruit and vegetables, but she was ecstatic when I make her a smoothie bowl the other day. After all, it’s Instagrammable, Pinnable, etc. Thirteen, folks! We are very much in the teenage years.
I love the trim in these photos, and you could do something similar using our Oliver + S Family Reunion Dress with some tiny pompom trim along the edge of the external facing or with a fancy trim along the neckline of the Oliver + S Badminton Top or Dress. (Or use our Liesl + Co Maritime Top or Lisette for Butterick B6464 halter top if you’re sewing for yourself.)
Speaking of sewing for yourself, I love this plain white shirt with pockets, which reminds me of our Liesl + Co Classic Shirt. Also, isn’t it nice to be able to sew for yourself? I really need a khaki pencil skirt, and it seems so odd that no stores carry them right now. I’ll be shopping for khaki twill fabric for an Extra-Sharp Pencil Skirt while we’re in New York. Oh, and how great is this vintage Claire McCardell top? I was thinking it’s similar to our Bento Tee, maybe in a men’s shirting. Striped, of course.
How many of these stain removal tips do you know? (Honestly, I usually just use the stain spray….)
Weekend Reading
- I want to sew a real tutu! (But I think I want more time than these contestants were given….)
- Ooh, Dior is coming to the V&A! (And on a side note, can I just move in someplace behind the fashion exhibit space? With one great exhibit after another there, it would be easier than traveling back and forth!)
- Isn’t this article about costume design for Suits interesting? Imagine, buying two identical dresses so you can cut one up just to add sleeves to the other! But also, the importance of tailoring and proportion.
- Iris Van Herpen is just amazing.
- I must admit, my first impression was Tintin. Yours too?
Don’t forget to tune in next week–lots of exciting things coming up! You’ll be happy, I promise.
You always come up with interesting things here Liesl, thank you! I have two classic shirts in my sewing queue: a lyocell blue chambray and a cotton plaid shirting. The heat wave on the E. Coast has stopped from sewinging lately though.
You brought me back to my teen years with the tutu article: I was very lucky to both see some of the process of constructing a Tutu, as well as have the opportunity to wear a fully handmade one on stage. The small pre-professional ballet company that I danced with hired professional costumers from the local University to make our costumes, including tutus: in 8th grade I did a school project where I filmed parts of the process of making the costumes. I will always remember watching the ladies hand cutting the many under layers of the white tulle into perfect scallop shapes. As far as I know, those handmade tutus are still in use by the company today, almost 30 years later. It was such an honor to dance in one of those tutus: I was the second person to wear one of the newly made tutus as the Rose Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty. I don’t think I ever felt more elegant than I did in that costume (only my handmade silk wedding dress came close).
I saw a Dior exhibit years ago (at the MET around 1994??) and I still have memories of it. I wish I had a reason to visit London for the V&A exhibit.
I usually pre-treat stains with Dr. Bronner’s concentrated liquid soap and most things come out like magic.
Packer country? Really? Sigh. Well, I guess you’ve got no choice if they’re holding your folks. One of my DILs’ family is from around Madison, though I don’t remember the exact town where her grandmother lives. Things get very lively at my son’s house during football season! I love the weekend links; thank you for sharing them. Have a safe trip and a happy visit!