Munro Sweater - Vintage Shetland Project

Say hello to my FIRST. FAIR ISLE. SWEATER!

This has been one of the most enjoyable, learning-filled knitting projects that I've ever done! I loved watching the design grow row by row, and I tried out new techniques that I'd never used before, mainly steeks.

(TLDR details at the bottom!)

Tongue-Tied Blouse Resources

I've finished my Tongue Tied Blouse by the Poison Grrls! I absolutely *love* it and will definitely be making it again... a few dozen more times!

One of the things that I've really enjoyed about this pattern is that it has stretched me as a knitter. I don't use modern patterns a lot, and--believe it or not--some new developments have happened in knitting over the last 80 years, ha! I was able to learn several new-to-me techniques throughout this project. 

Supporting Small/Independent Business When You Can't Afford the Products

Most of us in the vintage community are big believers in buying quality, sustainable items. Although all of us are in this hobby for the fantastic vintage fashion aesthetics, a lot of us also love vintage for its quality. We love it for its uniqueness. We love it for the environmentally-friendly impact of secondhand shopping. We love the small, niche businesses that recreate vintage aesthetics and/or preserve the tradition of craftsmanship in our modern day.

You guys are probably like me in that there are SO MANY small and independent companies that I fangirl over. They create such beautiful garments, shoes, accessories, hats, jewelry, etc., and they're owned by amazing people that take pride in their craft and lift communities with them. I'm all about supporting them, but sometimes my budget is not so on board. So how can we support these small businesses with the budget constraints that many of us have?

Women's Equality Day & The Skirted Soldier

In the U.S., today is Women's Equality Day! I'm celebrating by looking back at women who paved the way and trying out some new tea flavors from The Skirted Soldier, a female veteran-owned business named for women of the past that stood up and proved themselves when their country needed them.

DIY Vintage Table Linens with Stencil Revolution

I recently got a new dining room table, which I LOVE. However, it is much larger than our previous table, and I didn't have any tablecloths long enough. When Stencil Revolution emailed to ask about collaborating, the dots connected and I knew the perfect way to fix this tablecloth dilemma!

I love the vintage stencily/painterly style tablecloths, and I thought it would be fun to give something similar a try for myself. What I love most about creating your own linens is the ability to pick exactly the colors you want.  I knew I wanted something jadeite green and red to go with my kitchen and dishes, but I also wanted to throw in some other colors to make it summery and bright!

Snow Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is one of those things that I've always thought about but hadn't tried for myself until recently. I've had pretty naturally bright teeth, but as the years have gone by and my tea and coffee habit has grown, I've noticed that my teeth are starting to stain a bit. 

Turns out, the ladies of yesteryear were also concerned about that! 

Stash-Busting Vintage Beret

I'm on a constant search for hats that flatter my round face and short hair, and I finally decided to start making my own.  I've found that a beret works well for both my hair and face shape as well as being a classic style that works for any decade.  I decided to look through my patterns and stash to see what I could come up with for a low-budget topper.

The Wanderer

Although it's supposed to be fall, it's still quite hot here in Missouri.  I have yet to put away my summer clothes, and I was delighted to try out this new sleeveless dress I received from Happy Yellow Dress to a friend's baby shower in a park.  The weather turned out to be just perfect, and this breezy cotton dress was super comfortable.  Not to mention it accents my runner's/farmer's tan beautifully, haha!

PUG Petites - Jenny Skirt & Peasant Top

I'm always glad when companies offer petite sizes.  As a short person, I often find reproduction garments that fit in the bust, hips, and waist... but they're all in the wrong spots.  The waist is below mine because the torso is cut too long for me, the apex of the hips are at mid-thigh because the skirt is so long.  Busts fit but shoulders and necklines are too wide. These things are fixable, but it's often an involved process, and--honestly--not usually worth it to me to do on a reproduction item.

Enter PUG petites!  I am pleased to show you a skirt from their petite line, the Petite Jenny skirt in Yellow Italian Landscape.  I've paired it with the black peasant top.  These are my first pieces from PUG, so I was intrigued to examine the quality and see if the sizing really worked for me.  Admittedly, I'm also branching out for a silhouette that I haven't worn much... but I have to say I felt FABULOUS!

Controversial Post: Intercultural Repro Reviews

You may have seen some of the drama relating to intercultural-vintage pieces available in reproduction shops lately (intercultural-vintage being my word for vintage-styled pieces that draw aesthetics from a usually non-Western culture).  The most notable seems to have surrounded the Dragon Print series from PUG, and it got some pretty strong responses.  I am not at all here to pick sides in any of these arguments; I just want us to take a pause and look at some other intercultural-vintage pieces and discuss them.

Santa Fe: T-Shirt from Memo Illustration

So you might have seen in my last post the amazing t-shirt I was wearing, and I wanted to share a bit more about it because it was one of exactly two garments I had been saving specifically for my Santa Fe trip.  (The other one is coming up soon!)

Interview with a Blog Husband

"Is your husband into vintage, too?"

"What does your husband think of your clothing?"

"Does he like old stuff?"

I get a lot of questions about my husband's style and interests, so I thought I'd take a chance to interview him!  Jacob takes most of the photos you see here on the blog when I'm not using a tripod, and I appreciate his help!  So here's some insight from the man behind the camera:

Art Deco Goodness from Revere Folie

I love the power of accessories to take a look up a notch.  When I discovered Revere Folie, a handmade and vintage-inspired accessories shop, I fell in love with the fun shapes and shininess!

Gatsbylady Isobel Petite Dress

A 1920s beaded party dress is ALWAYS welcome in my closet.  They're decadent, they're comfortable, they're fabulous.  However, as a short person I've had trouble finding gowns that fit well.  I usually have to alter the straps and make them shorter, and the shaping can be a bit off at times.  Not so with this dress!

Iron Rangers from Red Wing

I've been trying to take my vintage style in a more B.A., masculine route to match my changing life roles.  I want things that pair vintage style with toughness and resilience.  I've often found this combination in vintage motorcycle ladies, WW2 female war workers, female military personnel, and other boundary-pushing ladies of the past.  However, most of them seemed to have worn their gear to death, because it's hard to find, and very few people are reproducing such styles.  Enter Iron Ranger boots from Red Wing!

Frankie & Albert Vintage Home Decor

Out of the blue, I received an email from a "Frankie & Albert."  Having no idea who that was, but acknowledging the fact that Frankie is one of my favorite names, I popped open the email.  To my delight, I found out Frankie & Albert is a subscription service that sends hand-picked vintage home decor to your door every month.  I was intrigued.

I checked out their site, and seeing that it was awesome I accepted their offer to review a box of home decor items for you guys.

Having moved around for the past six years in high school and college, I don't have much in the way of home decor.  It's pretty much the first thing I threw out when I had to move.  However, now that I have my own home, decor items mean more!  I was fine not having much decor in years past because I lived in a dorm and it didn't matter much to me, but now that I'm in a house, I care.  It's the little decor items and accessories that really make a place feel homey.

However, although I have a few sentimental bits and bobs here and there, I haven't intentionally shopped for home decor items much.  I am still trying to figure out my home's "look," so I was intrigued to partner with Frankie & Albert to see what their designers would hand pick for me.  (AKA, HELP MEEEEEE!)

I asked for items to decorate our bedroom, and I asked for navy, red, sea foam, or yellow things.  I also said I loved the 30s and 40s, vintage military and Air Force stuff, and patriotic things.  LOOK WHAT THEY PICKED FOR ME!!!



I was astounded at how spot-on their picks were!  There are a couple of 1940s silhouettes, vintage veteran-themed matches, a lovely yellow bowl in the perfect shade, a Senate-themed porcelain coaster (my husband's favorite item), and a frilly fabric thing that apparently is a "bun warmer."  (I had never heard of those, and I'm using it for stocking storage!)

Well, seeing that their picks were perfect, I knew I needed a proper way to display them, along with the couple other knick-knacks I hadn't found a home for yet.  One thing turned into another... and my husband and I ended up building these honeycomb shelves!  I love the homeyness and personality these bits bring to our space.  I probably never would have picked them out myself, but they're just perfect!  I still need to work on filling up the other hexagons in the shelf, but this Frankie & Albert stuff has given me a great start!

So how Frankie & Albert works is that you sign up for a monthly subscription and let them know what kind of decor you like and for which room, and each month they'll send you a box of hand-picked vintage items to your door.  It's fantastic if you don't have a lot of time to hunt through flea markets for your own stuff or don't encounter good vintage in your area.  Or... if you're like me and just need some decor help.  Obviously, I can attest that they pick well.

If you'd like to learn more about it, you can go to the Frankie & Albert site here. 

How would you describe your home decor style?  What effect have accessories had on the look and feel of your home?

For 20% off a Frankie & Albert subscription, use the promo code FLASHBACKSUMMER20 at checkout!

Bonus Question: What item on the Frankie & Albert home page would you put dibs on?  (Personally, I'm torn between the yellow pillow and the white and gold tea pot. Super pretty flat lay picture, right?!)

In case it isn't already clear, I collaborated with Frankie & Albert vintage home decor for this post in return for a box of home decor items. Though the stuff was free to me, I'm being very real in my thoughts and opinions here!  You can read more about my collaboration policies here.

Craftsy Class: The Essential Guide to Tailoring

Since going through the Couture Dressmaking Techniques Craftsy class with Alison Smith to make my 1930s trousers, I've been itching to try one of her other classes, the Essential Guide to Tailoring.  You see, one of my goals this fall is to make myself several suits, and couture techniques and tailoring are a huge part of making really fabulous ones.

I've made a suit before, but it didn't feel like the sturdy, beautifully shaped vintage suits I've encountered.  Looking back, it's obvious!  I just sewed it together.  I didn't do any shaping or tailoring techniques, so the jacket doesn't feel as good.  While I still like it, I wanted something more structured.

The Tailoring class is currently on sale for $25, and that sale was just enough motivation to get me to buy it, in combination with the fact that despite searching high and low for free resources, I could find nothing truly helpful.  I bought it and watched the class, then I began implementing it on my first test project: a double breasted 1930s suit jacket to go with my Smooth Sailing trousers.  
In my next post I'm going to talk about the process of sewing a tailored garment and how the 30s jacket turned out, but for this post I wanted to talk about the Craftsy Tailoring class specifically.

Once again, Alison Smith hits it out of the park!  I had ZERO knowledge of tailoring besides what I had just learned in the Couture Class (mostly I learned to underline and hand sew things down).  As far as scary things like canvas and shaping and the "guts" of a jacket... I was clueless.  This class is now my go-to!

Sneak peek of my upcoming project!

It goes through three ways to tailor a garment: the traditional way, the speedy modern way, and a hybrid of the two.  I focused on the traditional methods to try first, both to have a piece that feels authentically vintage and to have a good foundation of tailoring knowledge. I didn't want to pick a shortcut yet when I didn't know the original path.

Alison discusses things like picking the type of tailoring to go with your fabric and garment, the materials you'll need, and how to put in the shaping bits like horsehair canvas and lambswool into the "guts" of the jacket.  She also talks a lot about how to steam, press, and stitch pieces to "put shape into the fabric" before it's even sewn up.  There's even a cheat sheet included for how to do each type of tailoring, and it's now taped up on my sewing room wall for easy reference!

I HIGHLY recommend this class.  One of the most expensive, coveted, hard-to-find types of vintage clothing is a suit that fits properly.  Now that I've taken this class, I feel empowered to make my own!  I've been extremely frustrated in looking for an actual vintage suit (very, very few seem to even remotely fit my petiteness), so the ability to make some for myself instead of dealing with the slim vintage pickins will radically change my wardrobe this season.

Like I said before, The Essential Guide to Tailoring class is only 25 bucks right now! If you want to try it, now's the time!

Have you ever tried sewing your own tailored garment?  How did it go?  If not, have you wondered about it? Have you noticed a difference between vintage suits and modern ones?

I am not affiliated with Craftsy or Alison Smith in any way and did not receive any type of compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are totally my own, blah blah blah, you guys know the drill.

Native Max Magazine

I honestly don't remember how I ran across it, but as I was researching stuff I found out about Native Max Magazine.  Intrigued, I bought a copy and decided to try it out.  And now I'm sharing my findings with you!  Native Max is a magazine made by and featuring First Nations (Native American and Canadian) peoples and culture.

Having never read the magazine before, I opted for the smaller size hard copy of the magazine and got it shipped to my house.  There are cheaper e-versions available, but I love having a real paper magazine with my hot beverage.  

After contacting Native Max via Twitter asking about prices (so I'd have up-to-date info to share with you guys in this post!), they said their print options are a bit expensive at the moment, admittedly, but they're hoping to find other printing options in the future to lower costs.

I really like Native Max magazine!  I love the fact that it supports native communities in the U.S. and Canada by using native models, photographers, writers, etc.  I also like that they advertise native artists and designers.  Although not vintage like many of us wear, their designs are undeniably twinged with tradition.  HOWEVER, I found a lot of pieces that could be incorporated into vintage wardrobes beautifully.  I think more of us should buy from these designers.  Many of us love Western and  Native American-inspired vintage pieces, but sometimes these pieces border on racism or, at the very least, stereotypical and inaccurate. By incorporating actual native pieces into our closets, we can get the looks we love and support the community that inspired them!  I'm on the search for some pieces for myself because supporting traditional cultures of all kinds is very important to me.  And also because COME ON, Native Americans and Canadians have come up with some really legit fashion items over the years.

Another aspect of Native Max that I appreciated was the insight into the lives of modern native peoples.  When so many of us base our knowledge of native cultures on Pocahontas and old movies… We could do with some accuracy!  The articles were positive, encouraging, and real all at once.  They acknowledged the hardships native people face but also showed examples of people that are successfully overcoming them.  As a white reader, I'm probably not the intended audience, but I appreciated the fact that I didn't feel blamed at the end of the articles; I felt inspired.  I wanted to help support and preserve such beautiful cultures full of strong people!  I think the magazine has done its job effectively!

Native Max currently has several themed issues out, and you can buy them here.  And Canadians, you may also be excited to know that a Native Max Canada edition will be starting soon, featuring exclusively Native Canadian cultures.  In each issue you'll find themed articles (there are women's, gentlemen's, sports, and California-themed issues so far) along with highlights of businesses and influential people within the native community.  The tone is casual, the pictures plentiful, and the magazine lots of fun!

Is this a magazine you think you'd be interested in reading?  What most intrigues you about Native American and Canadian cultures, fashion, or art?  Do you know of any native designers the rest of us should check out?

This post was not sponsored by Native Max in any way. I spent my own money, and this post reflects my own opinions!

Craftsy Couture Dressmaking Techniques Class Review

A few months ago during a Craftsy class sale, I bought the Couture Dressmaking Techniques class taught by Alison Smith.  It wasn't until recently that I dove in and started watching each session because I wanted to be sure I could dedicate proper brain power and concentration to really learning the techniques Alison covers.  WOW, have I learned a lot!



The class has seven sessions that cover all sorts of couture techniques for finishing seams, boning, sewing curved seams, pressing, setting in sleeves, and making your clothes looking generally a million percent better than they did before.

Probably my three favorite tidbits I took away from the class have to do with fabrics, darts, and pressing.  Alison covers which fabric pairings work for underlining and lining garments, and she even explains the reasoning behind it to help you make your own educated pairings.  BLEW MY MIND.  I've always been a bit unsure of which fabrics to pair up, and I knew very little about underlinings.  This section was hugely helpful to me.

Next, the darts.  She talked about all things darts: sewing, balancing, stitching down, and pressing them.  I tried balancing, stitching down, and pressing some darts on a pair of pants I'm working on in the way she recommended, and they are probably some of the fanciest darts I've ever done!  MIND BLOWN AGAIN.

Then my last favorite thing had to do with pressing in general.  At first I thought this Alison lady was crazy in the things she suggested, but when I tried it… it was like magic.  Now I need to get all the tailoring hams and rolls and everything, just for the ironing habit I'm going to have.  It makes a HUGE difference in how a garment looks.

I haven't even gone over half the things I learned!  She made boning accessible, sleeves much easier, and… Overall, I would HUGELY recommend this class to anyone that wants to take their sewing up a level.  It's great for learning techniques to make your clothes look better, and it's also helpful for making your clothing more durable and long-lasting.  As a vintage sewist, I would say it's a must-have class.  We love the clothing that has survived for decades, often due to many of the techniques Alison shares.  It can not only help you recreate vintage with the same quality high-end originals have, but it can also help repair and alter vintage in an era-appropriate way.

The class is on sale right now for $44.99, and you can learn more about it on the Craftsy site here!

Soon I'll show you guys the project in these pictures, too!  You can probably guess what they are if you've sewed for a bit, but I'm going to keep you in suspense for the reveal!

Craftsy has not collaborated with or compensated me in any way for this post.  Though, if they'd like to, I'd certainly welcome it.

1930s Couture Millinery

When Tanith won a giveaway for ad space on the blog a while ago, I was very glad!  I had seen her millinery work (from her shop, Tanith Rowan Designs) elsewhere on the interwebs, and I was very impressed.  I asked how we could work together to promote her shop, and she said she'd best let her hat skills speak for themselves!  She offered to make me a custom hat so I could share my experience with you guys.

She started by asking me what kind of hat I wanted.  (Logical, right?)  I actually don't have that many hats, and I thought I'd ask for a kind of hat I've been looking for a long time: a 1930s sun hat! I sent her some inspiration photos and asked for versatile colors, a wavy brim, and some kind of floral-y summer trim.  Boy, did Tanith deliver! 

The hat is light, summery, and fantastic!  It arrived beautifully packaged in a giant hat box, and it traveled safely all the way from Australia.  Tanith had taken my head circumference measurement, and the hat fits beautifully.  It really does feel like it was made for me… because it was!  I love the shape and wave of the brim, and navy blue is a color I wear a lot.  I also like the fabric detail on the back; it gives it an extra unique touch.  The hat is perfectly vintage appropriate, but without any of the condition issues vintage hats oftentimes have.  It's like being able to step back in time and buy the hats from "back in the day"… and it's brand new!

The spots are rain drops.  Which I will explain in the next post.

The beauty of couture millinery, like what Tanith does, is that you don't have to wait for a reproduction company to come out with a line of hats that may or may not strike your fancy.  You don't have to worry about it fitting your head, or flattering your face.  Working with Tanith gives you the opportunity to get exactly the hat you want!

I also wanted to get some insight from Tanith herself about her work in Tanith Rowan Designs:

In a world of fast, cheap fashion, what is so special about a handmade hat?

In my eyes, the most special thing is owning a hat that is a unique creation. Handmade means that you are wearing something that you just aren't going to see in the shops and on everyone else.

The ability to customise is a bonus with handmade as well. That could be anything from getting a style you like made in a different colour to having a completely designed-for-you one-off.

I personally am a believer in ethical fashion and supporting small businesses and craftspeople, so that is another element to consider. As well as the feel good factor, you get to deal directly with the maker, which I always love.

Why did you decide to get into millinery?

I don't know that I did "decide". It just sort of happened! I have always pursued creative hobbies, and this is one that I never got tired of, and kept wanting to follow year after year.

I have always been drawn to hats and have been collecting them for a long time. I made my first, very amateurish, attempts as a part of fancy dress costumes, which prompted my sister to give me a millinery book for Christmas that year. From then on, I was pretty well hooked!

What makes the quality of your hats better than store-bought ones?

Hand-sewing means that every stitch is carefully placed, and every detail is attended to. Each work is an individual creation and I will have checked it thoroughly before packing it up.  (Of course, I am still only human. I'm very aware while saying this that I forgot to add my label to Emileigh's hat!)

With hats, like clothes, the quality of store-bought varies, and it can be very good, but it can sometimes mean inferior materials and workmanship.

How much would it be to have a hat custom made?  What sorts of factors go into how you price them?

The main factors are materials and time. Your straw hat, for example, would be in the range of $200-250. The fine linen weave straw is expensive, and the edge is wired and bound twice, all with hand stitching.

On the other hand, a wool felt hat could be more like $100-150, depending on complexity, since wool felt is cheaper than straw, and the edges can be left unfinished for some styles.

What else should we know about your hats?

I'd like to include something about vintage style hats in particular, along these lines...

While I also do other styles of hat, vintage is my main passion, and that influence tends to appear in all of my work. I do a lot of ongoing research into vintage hat styles, trims and methods. I want my work to be accurately vintage appropriate and as authentic as possible, while still expressing my own artistic input.

At first, $100-250 can seem like a lot for a hat (although there are less expensive options available in her shop!)  But when I think about how well made vintage hats were, it makes sense.  That quality craftsmanship and human touch is what enables us to still wear these hats today!  Not to mention, you don't have to worry about outgrowing a hat. You can wear it forever!  That's a pretty great wardrobe investment in my mind.

I highly recommend Tanith's hats.  Her work is impeccable, and I'm ridiculously pleased with my hat.  I'm thinking of wool hat ideas for winter already!

Have any of you commissioned hats from Tanith?  What is your favorite hat in her shop?  Have you seen a hat you've loved on her blog?  If you could have any hat created for you, what would it look like?

I have received this hat for free from Tanith Rowan Designs in return for this post, but all opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. To learn more about my collaboration policies, click here.