Shirt redo - From sloppy to stylish- Multi color plaid

So, I have been on this re-do, up-cycle kick.  Recently, I have been remaking old sloppy shirts into ones that fit me just right!  Here is an example of a shirt I recently remade. 

Before:

multicolor plaid front

multicolor plaid back

 This shirt had some good bones, the collar and front tucks were a step in the right direction.  I removed the sleeves and cut out the excess on the sides.  I then took the tucks that were already there and took them all the way down, front and back.

Shirt back, tucks running the length.

To give the shirt more interest, I made the tucks in the front into Mexican tucks. (Which means the are sewn opposite to give a wavy illusion to the fabric).

 

After that was done, I cut off the sleeves to make them short, but I retained the cuff.  Why do more work than necessary.  I finished all of the seams and tacked down the collar. 

I wear this one all the time now. 

Feminine illustration

This is one of the first illustrations I did with the Prisma color markers.  I was still learning how to make the shading work.  This is another example of taking my design from pencil to marker and making a fashion flat too. 

Green with Evny - illustration

Another fashion illustration. 

 This is my ballerina in green.  Envy is her name.  Her favorite color is green.  

Once again I used the Prisma markers for the color illustration. 

Happy St. Patty's day.

 

Vintage Orange Dreamsicle - illustration

This was another assignment for school.  In my textile class, I had to manipulate a piece of fabric and make it my own.  I then had to design a garment that would show that new fabric.  Drum roll.....
VINTAGE -- Orange Dreamsicle.

Orange Dreamsicle - Mood board.

fashion illustration and flat drawing (hand drawn, not in CAD)

Fabric was altered with ink dropped onto the fabric, misted with water and then air dried.  

The damask image  was screen printed form an original design of mine in silver ink. 

Here is a picture of the drawings taken from pencil to Prisma markers.

Three Wild Things - Illustrations

Oh ladies three... let the wild things come out to play.

These ladies were a project I did for school.  The assignment said that you needed three fashion figures that were interacting in some way. 
Once again, PrismaColor Markers were used. I decided they needed to be smiling.  I had to choose fabrics and then illustrate from those.  Here are pictures of the mood board:

Front page : Chocolate Bliss

Fashion Flats of the items the illustrated girls are wearing.

Mood board with fabric samples and fashion illustrations.

The Red Dress - illustration

This is an illustration I did a while back.  I love ruffles.  You can see the pencil sketch and the finished color fashion illustration side by side.  The red one was done with Prisma Markers.  I used a touch of white colored pencil in the hair, the rest was markers.  When I first used the markers, I did not know if I would like them.  I have  always been a colored pencil kinda girl.  But I was hooked with the easy way the markers blended together.  

I am going to start posting more of my illustrations here.  

Let me know what you think!

Tara

Lil' Grey sweater - makeover

This little girls sweater was $3.74. My little girl needed a longer sweater than what she had, but finding one was a trick. I saw that there were many people "fixing" sweaters to meet their needs. So I thought it was a great idea and did it too. It is an easy craft idea too. I took the sweater and sewed two zig-zag stitches down the middle, next to each other. I then cut between the stitches. I added a button and small string to hold it closed. Also, I rolled the sleeve cuff up about three inches.

....... New knee length sweater for my little beauty girl! As she was getting out of the car to go to school, I heard one of the teachers comment to her, "Cute sweater". That did my heart good!


-Tara




Here are some shots of my beauty girl in her sweater.

Slippers on my feet

I have been wanting some comfy slippers.  I have been cold!  Last year I found a pattern for slippers and made them for every member of my family (except me).  The pattern was difficult and did not work, so  I started from scratch and made up my own pattern.  (I call them new years slippers).  This new pattern worked out so much better.

 I used left over fuzzy fabric for the insides (which is why the fluff at the sole and sides do not match).  

These boot slippers can be left up to make a tall boot, 

or folded over to make booties.  


Either way works well and I love them. 

Fashion - Dollar Dress

Dollar Dress

Now here is something that finally worked!
I bought this sheet at a thrift store on a sale day. I payed one dollar. I then preceded to make a dress out of it. It is a pullover with elastic at the waste. I made up the pattern.   It is all cotton, perfect for Arizona! No zippers or buttons! The only thing that I had to spend extra on was the rick rack on the edge. Other than that, I did not spend anything. I used up supplies I had (thread, elastic)








The sleeves were gathered up (because they were too long) which ended up looking pretty cool. I made a few changes. I moved the rick rack from the neck to the hem line. Here is a close up of the sleeves and hem.

I get comments on it every time  I wear it.  

Fashion Design - doll dress day

My Beautygirl decided that we needed to make doll clothes for some of her dolls.

I did not have any patterns, so I suggested that we call grandma and see if she did.

I was thinking "quick trip".

--Go to grandmas
--get doll clothes pattern
--go home and begin project...











When I got to grandmas, she was already in the midst of one doll dress for another granddaughter. Grandma accused me of getting her involved in a NEW project. I told grandma what my plan was and then.... I discovered that my Beautygirl had set up a very different event. Little did I know that Beautygirl did not just call grandma, but she arranged that grandma would be making the doll clothes for other cousins at the same time. And Beautygirl had talked to the other cousins and told them the plan as well. It was to be a day! Not only that, but Beautygirl had brought some of her fabric scraps to make the doll dress.

She set up a project day at Grandmas--without my knowledge.

Hmmmm.....

So, this time, I figured "What the heck! I am already here."

This could be an opportunity to teach a little sewing.
I let Beautygirl design the dress.



I then made up a pattern (because after all that, the patterns at grandmas were WAY to complex for a doll dress)
I showed my Beautygirl how to pin the pattern to the fabric and how to cut it out.



Well, that was about all she could handle. (After all, she does have a hyper-focus issue that we deal with often)

So guess who made the rest of the dress? You got it...ME!




However, I did require Beautygirl to sew on the buttons.







In the end, The dress turned out pretty darn cute.

Vintage bag gathering

I have a thing for vintage clutches or evening bags.  Alas,  I have collected too many.

These are some of the ones I am ... (insert heavy sigh).... parting with at  this time.  All good things must come to an end.....Maybe not ALL.  If any of these interest you, check out my shop.

Are you seeing a theme of black and cream (and a touch of gold)?
  (I still have several delicious purses I am not willing to part with.)

- Tara 
Bring a bit of whimsy to your funky world.

Peter Pan - Collar of Leather- "How To" and Pattern

I just love all of the necklaces and accessories that are out there in the peter pan collar style.  I have been looking at all of the options, and could not find one that I just loved (at least not enough to part with my cash for it.)  I wanted a peter pan collar that was simplified, light weight, flexible and a statement.  So I made one.



This is what I ended up with.  I made it out of deep red leather.  It was a scrap left over from a different project.  I thought I would share how this was made. This was easy, no sewing, no taping, no hot glue.   If you want to make one, I have a link to the pattern in a  pdf .   










Supplies:

• 8 inch by 10 inch piece of leather (I also have used old leather coats that don't fit or have an unfortunate blemish on them.)
• permanent market
• cutting tool (scissors or rotary blade)
• self healing cutting mat
• punch tool for setting eyelets (ones used in paper crafting work great, but not a paper punch!)
• acrylic paint or gum tragacanth**  (the gum is sold only at leather supply stores)
• jewelry findings and clasp closure
• embellishments

Steps:

• trace the pattern onto the leather with the marker  

 

• cut out the collar shape (cut off all of the black markings)

• punch holes where marked on the pattern

• rub the gum tragacanth around the edges of the leather.  You can use your fingers or a spoon.  I have done this step both ways.  It just depends on you.  This gum smooths and stiffens the finished edge of the leather.  It dries clear too.  But, if you don't want to get the leather gum stuff,  you can also CAREFULLY paint the edge with acrylic paint, or leave it as is.  

• attach clasp closure (on the back I used an oval jump ring and a clasp for the closure. A dot of jewelry glue sealed closed the edges of the jump ring.)

You can be creative here. Use a button closure or piece of ribbon and tie the peter pan collar closed.  Do the back first so the front embellishments are not scuffed up.

• I hooked a jump ring through the two holes in the front and attached some dangle flourishes to it.  I bought these trimmings while I was in Nottingham, England this past summer.  I am so excited to be using them, not just looking at them wistfully.

Again, the pattern for this peter pan collar project is free. To get it,  click here.    I would love to see your projects.  Send me a picture!
(if you can't open the pdf, email me at whimsyfunk@gmail.com and I will send it to you.)

**For the leather stuff (that is bio-degradable with no harmful emissions) you can go to www.tandyleatherfactory.com. It was around $7 or $8.
  

Fashion is not for Sissy's

 For all of you poo poo'ers, take a look at yourself.  Are you wearing something?  Anything at all? (if not, OK... go put something on!)  Fashion is not just frivolous, all humans wear some form of covering.  

That, my friends is Fashion.  

I am going to school for Fashion Design and it is high time the blog reflects that a little more.

There is so much in fashion from the fibers to the fabric, from the designing of clothing to the cutting and manufacturing (sew it up), from trending to marketing,  High fashion to ready to wear, and Fashion forecasting (people actually go out and find what colors and silhouettes will be in style in the future.  I think there is some math and statistics involved too)... someone has to do all of these things.  

Dots and Ruffles... I love you so.

And there is a market for it.... a BIG one.  

I bet you did not know all of that.  
 (the illustration was my midterm.  I was given a swatch of fabric and told to design something.  It had to be completed before the end of class and handed in.) 

Well....I have been designing my own fashion line.  

I am learning pattern making, draping, textiles (what fibers the clothing is made of)
and computer aided drafting for fashion design.   I have already taken the class on fashion illustration.  And yes, that is a job that people get payed to do too.  

The fashion industry is very cut throat and very competitive.  
 



To quote designer Michael Kors, 
" Fashion is not for sissy's."



 I have been really interested in textile design.

From vintage designs
to the cutting edge, I am so excited to be learning so much about this field. 

 To reflect my schooling, I am also transitioning my etsy shop to reflect more fashion items. (more vintage than anything else).
  Don't get me wrong... paper and I are still best friends.  But there is always room for more friends.

So check back often, and see what new things I have found. 

Tell me what era you love.  I am into the 1940's.