Favorite Finds on Etsy

Favorite Finds on Etsy - December 2010

Here are a few of the best things that I've found on Etsy lately.

First, these fabulous Syroco Peacocks! They're adorable. I purchased a set on Etsy and I was so pleased with them when they arrived. They look adorable sitting on our fireplace mantle. There is also a painted grey set on Etsy that would look cute for a more modern style decor. I have to admit, I'm so tempted to buy another pair, they're that beautiful!

Mini 1/2 Scale dress form. This is perfect for decorating a sewing room or even to hang jewelry on in a bedroom. It's adorable and looks just like a real dress form. This would also be a great present for a youngster interested in creating their own fashion designs.

Somebody please buy these lotus candleholders from India before I do! They're beautiful and I want them sooo much. But, I've already been collecting vintage lotus candleholders for awhile and don't need another pair. These are so darling and would be perfect as a table centerpiece at a party.

DIY Silk Flowers

Above: Red Silk Flowers made by me for our wedding.

Tonight I'm making some lovely silk flowers for one of the 1920s dresses that I just completed. The dress was inspired by the lovely sheer pink 1929 Vionnet dress on page 468 of the Kyoto 'Fashion' book. My version is made of a sheer blue fabric.

I made silk flowers with my mom for my wedding. There they are above in the flower decoration in the corner of the tent. I really wanted to decorate the corners of the tent - but not with real flowers. And I didn't like the look of store bought silk flowers either. Paper flowers were pricey for the amount that we needed, so we put our silk stash to good use and were able to make beautiful red silk flowers for all of the bouquets.

I used Martha Stewart's directions for making these lovely flowers. This time around I'm inspired by the tutorial by Mrs. Oyster on the Wedding Bee website. I love the many pictures that she took of the process, and especially her use of a rhinestone earring for the center of her flower.

These flowers are super easy and fun to make, and great for those silk scraps that you have left over from previous projects.

Above: Process shot of a silk flower by Mrs. Oyster

1929 Orange Dress Costume

Mom and I have been busy at work sewing the 1929 evening dresses for my Dance Light production. This dress was made from a 1929 pattern from Europe reproduced by EvaDress patterns. The fabric is a stunning orange sheer fabric that I found at the PA Fabric Outlet in Lemoyne, PA.

I found this awesome rhinestone applique on a tank top at the thrift store.

I'm really happy with the way that it turned out!

Early 20th Century Parasols

I've been doing a little research about Oriental Parasols in the Early 20th Century for one of the characters in my Dance Light piece. Here are a few of the best images that I found in my search.

Early 20th Century Parasols

L.O.V.E.

I adore this picture!

Early 20th Century Parasols

A few lovely paintings illustrating early 20th century oriental parasols.

Isn't this a stunning image?

I LOVE this gigantic oriental parasol - can't find things like this anymore (at least not that I've seen!).

Vintage Flowers

I've been researching vintage flowers to get ideas for the type of flower that I would like to create for a 1929 dress reproduction for Dance Light. Here are a few of the favorites that I saw recently on Etsy.

1920s Sequined Applique

Semester Break!

My first semester as a grad student at CMU is finally over! It was quite a whirlwind experience. Here's a picture from our critique session of a few of the projects that I've completed this semester.

I've been working diligently on sewing the red silk 1889 bodice for the past few weeks (in between other assignments). It's finally finished! I still need to make the complex skirts to go with the bodice.

You can also see the fun dye projects that we got to work on this semester. Next semester I have a fabric painting class that I'm really looking forward to. Three of the dye projects were done using Shibori dyeing techniques. The peacock feather was done by 'stitching', the scarf under it was a quick exercise in 'tyeing' and the yellow, green, abd blue silk was dyed using a combination of 'wrapping' and ombre techniques.

Whew! I'm so glad to have a little break! Although, if you know me, you know that I never really take breaks. I'll be working on costumes for my Dance Light piece - sewing 1920s dresses, doing a little house redecorating, and sewing some civil war items for customers. But I won't be pulling all nighters, so that will be refreshing!

1770s Silk Dress

My mother has been very busy constructing costumes this fall! On Saturday afternoon she wore this costume to a Christmas homes tour in historic Strasburg, PA. She was asked to dress in costume and be part of the tour for a 1770s home. (The photos you see here were taken in my mother's home)

The dress is made of striped silk taffeta from the J.P. Ryan Polonaise pattern. The cap is made from the J.P. Ryan Dormeuse Cap pattern from white cotton organdy. The trim is box pleated silk taffeta with white lace around the neckline and at the elbows.

Since I've been so busy with school these past few months, I have to live vicariously through her. ;)

Green Silk 1870s Dress

This weekend, my mother Nancy wore her new olive green silk 1870s dress at Wheatland, home of President James Buchanan. I designed the dress for her, we worked together to create the patterns, and she did the sewing. I was inspired by the lovely purple dress in the BBC movie 'Daniel Deronda'. I'm very pleased with the way it turned out.

The bustle and petticoat worn under the dress were created using Truly Victorian patterns.

1870s Dress Question

Question: Which black trim do you like better at the back of this 1870s dress - larger or smaller?

My mother is making this lovely 1870s dress to wear this weekend. We had planned to put the larger trim at the back of the bodice, bustle of the skirt, and then continue it between rows two double rows of black velvet trim at the bottom of the skirt. Do you like the larger or smaller trim?

I would greatly appreciate your opinion!

I promise to show more pictures of the dress after this weekend!