bits and bobbins

again, it’s been a bit slow lately with the fashion news, especially that of the business-y, culturally significant variety.

anywho, i still have links for yoooo, albeit of the more crafty and DIY variety. which is always, always good! right? right.

-here’s the way to excite a long time vintage pattern junkie like myself! via burdastyle comes news of a commercial pattern archive hosted by the university of rhode island. said archive contains 25,000 scanned patterns, and the oldest of those patterns dates back to 1868. you can peruse the archive of these vintage patterns via a CD they have for sale. a small price to pay for a vast education of fashions of the last 150 years, i think! (more information on the u of ri’s COPA website.)

-laupre has a how-to on how you can make your own sewn ‘legwarmers’…some sassy buttoned ones that to me look more like spats. spats are so, so chic, methinks. who doesn’t like a piece of leather or fabric that can turn a chic shoe into a boot (so to speak!) in a second? (via craft:)

-onegirl, a fellow blogger, maker, and crafter, is expecting a baby girl too! and it’s just my luck (and your luck too, maybe!?), as she recently posted a listing of links of patterns to knit some sweet, easy little sweaters totally suited for little girls (and really, little boys, too!). more patterns for baby wearables can be found on knitting pattern central as well. baby needs to be chic too, and nothing is more chic for baby than a handmade sweater, right?

and, hey…i’m putting out a call for YOU to get involved with this link fun!:

send me your links! heard or seen anything cool around the nets you want to share? tell me and i just might put it here in a future (not so) random links post.

not links to promote your own blog, really, ya?

but..more like bits of interest or suggestions on websites, cool links, other people’s blogs, and news that others might find interesting too…fashiony, stylish things of any of those descriptions that you just can’t keep to yourself!

got it? good!

comment away!

holy hannah! holy cow! jeebus!

the goodness just keeps getting…gooder?

there were so many awesome photos i wanted to post, but couldn’t post them all! so i went with a few extra this time…for your delight and perusal. thus proving, as always, how MEGA wonderful wardrobe_remix is! dontcha agree?

this here is the ORIGINAL and OFFICIAL weekly wardrobe_remix recap of the latest and the greatest from the wardrobe_remix community, from yours truly, the creator of wardrobe_remix!

any wardrobe_remix photos that find themselves here showcase great style + great photography = the two meet and merrily marry to make a perfect expression of YOU and your singular personal style! and i’ve said it a million times before, it’s not what you wear, it’s how you wear it…the ticket is the confidence and sureness you exude when you express yourself the way that makes YOU feel most comfortable. that confidence shines through and is captured on film. so whether you’re wearing couture clothes from the finest designers, mass market threads, thrifted stuff, or even a shirt you found on the side of the road…rock it! it’s ALL GOOD and it’s ALL WELCOME in wardrobe_remix!

softspoken:


coquelicot sleep:


emilie who?:


shopaholic supergirl:


hique:


becktress:


laska.wanilii:


the snail and the cyclops:


ryfka:

thanks to everyone who’s been posting about wardrobe_remix or featuring fashions and folks from the group in their own blogs or websites. thanks for getting the word out. i am glad that wardrobe_remix inspires you! remember to give credit to the people in the aforementioned photos (if you use them in your blog posts, etc.) and to wardrobe_remix itself. it’s good internet/blogging karma! (plus it actually goes with flickr’s terms of service and a little thing called copyright!)

remember: you can click on the photo of any of these terrific wardrobe_remix(ers) to learn more about their photo or outfit, explore their flickr photostream, and beyond. all of the photos are owned by the awesome people who are depicted in them, of course!

join us over at wardrobe_remix and show off your awesome EVERYDAY trendbusting and trend-SETTING personal style!

spread the word!

and see you there!

my online pal, writer and crafter/designer susan beal (of west coast crafty fame) just came out with a gorgeous new jewelry-making tome called bead simple, which is jam-packed with information, instructions, and a huge selection of projects that promise to make the making of jewelry with beads and baubles super-easy, and the results of such making stunning.

the thing that really sets bead simple apart from the pack, i think, is the clean, modern feel of the art direction of the book as a whole. well-lit, thoughtfully-arranged photos and simple illustrations abound, and are coupled with easy-to-understand instructions. as a complete work, the book is a superb, approachable launch pad for any reader/crafter’s creativity and idiosyncratic personal style.

another facet of the book that i feel takes it to another level is the inclusion of reams of projects created by a cabal of crafters whose names are well-known to those in the know: jennifer perkins, leah kramer, and many, MANY more. this gathering of creative folks gives the book a diverse feel…ensuring that there’s something for everyone as far as projects and inspiration are concerned.

some of my favorite projects from the book include…

this riotously colorful bracelet formed from deliciously disparate beads (by jennifer perkins):

i’m a vintage button fangirl, so why this one caught my eye is obvious:

and…full disclosure: i have a project in the book as well! it’s these low and swingy ‘pop organic’ earrings, that can be found on page 55 (should you possibly be interested).

thanks, susan, for allowing me to participate and create a project for your book! i’m so proud of you.