I had intended to post a Wardrobe Strategy post today, but for various reasons (from thunderstorms wrecking my lighting to having to deal with a broken toilet), I decided to share a recent outfit instead!
blouse: thrifted | skirt: made by me | shoes: Remix “Picasso” wedges | belt: thrifted | half-snood: knit by me | hair flowers: made by me
I’m jumping on the bandwagon with the 40s inspired peasant look! You knew it wouldn’t be long for me, didn’t you? (Especially considering I’ve obsessed over it in years past.) I found this blouse at one of my favorite thrift shops for a mere $1.50. It’s not the perfect peasant-style blouse I had in mind, but considering my "ideal” blouse would have been far more than a couple dollars (or required me to embroider my own… which I’ve tried before and lost steam. I think I need to start with a smaller project first…), I wasn’t going to argue! Plus it sported blue embroidery, and we all know how enamored I am with that particular color.
Speaking of embroidery, I have been contemplating properly starting a little project in the near future. Usually in the evenings I’ll knit, but right now the idea of knitting does nothing for me (it’s just far too hot and humid—not exactly knitting-conducive-conditions for this little gal). So I thought perhaps I should revisit embroidery. I haven’t done a lot, but have been contemplating for some time that I need to embroider some tea towels—perhaps with some nautical/sailor motifs of some sort. I’ve been studying various stitch guides online and plotting. Just need to pick up the supplies and get to it! I do have one question for you embroiders out there: what is your preferred method of transferring a design? (Especially if it’s just a free, old graphic I print on my home printer—not an iron on transfer.) This is the one area that always confuses me a bit, funnily enough! Opinions would be appreciate!
Just a quick reminder that the Sewaholic pattern giveaway ends this evening (July 22 at 10pm EST). Be sure to enter if you haven’t already! I hope you’re having a lovely Friday!
That blouse is lovely! I need to incorporate some more pieces with embroidery in my wardrobe.
- Ani x
I use the simplest and cheapest way to trace my embroidery. =) I usually use images I’ve printed off my computer, too. I tape the image to a bright window, and then tape my fabric over it, pulling everything even (I use masking tape). Then I just trace the lines with a water soluable or disappearing ink fabric pen. Super easy! =) This is all I’ve ever used so far, honestly. It works well on any relatively thin fabric, even if it’s dark-colored, as long as you’ve got some light coming through the window.
My favorite way to transfer is with an iron-on transfer pencil. I found mine all Michaels or JoAnns. You trace over the printed (backward) image with the pencil, then iron on to your fabric. Though I’d note that it doesn’t wash out, so you have to make sure to stitch over all your marks. I was going to point you to the sailor “day-of-the week” designs, but I see you’ve already found them!!
I like Kristins idea of using a window – ingenious! You can get ‘dressmakers carbon paper’ which you put under the design, coloured side down on your fabric, then trace over the design with slight pressure. If you google ‘dressmakers carbon paper’ you will find it I’m sure. Not sure how expensive it is in the USA – Kristins idea is definitely the cheaper option!
Hey Casey, I love the snood! Could you pretty please do a tutorial on how to make one and more importantly how to wear one? Also if theres any tricks for us med/short haired gals who love the look. As always I adore you’re blog!
$1.50 thrifted top? Wow. I love it. I haven’t visited the thrift stores in a while. I must go…Yes, I love the snood too. I’m hoping it’s knitted cuz I love a project like that…
Love the outfit! It’s been 100 degrees here and the heat is driving me to want to sew crop tops.I like the style you are wearing, it might be a great bodice for what I have in mind. The shoes are wonderful!
Using a light box (window or television screen) works well, transfer pen does too, as does a dress makers carbon. A wash- away marker does a good job too. Always test, particularly on a light fabric. However, I like to do thread tracings. Particularly on any lightly textured fabric or fine fabric. Print a copy of your pattern from internet, book, what ever. Now, take some tissue weight paper and transfer the pattern to the tissue. Since tissue paper is semi-transparent this can usually be done without a light box. Now secure the tissue paper to your fabric by tape or pin. I also like to use a very light spritz of a spray on fabric adhesive, just enough to secure the tissue. The goal is to thread trace the design, through the tissue paper, with a silk thread. Test your thread on a scrap piece to make sure it leaves no color or fiber residue when removed. Now remove the tissue paper and discard. You now have the pattern accurately outlined on the fabric. Keep your first pattern copy to make notes, document color choices etc. I save these as a “Master Pattern.”
Oh that is a pretty blue blouse! I’ve wanted to start embroidery for awhile too now, and beading. but it seems like such a leap! good luck.
Now I have a light box and use a #2 pencil, but before that, I used Kristen’s method and it worked pretty well.
I have a blogging friend who does BEAUTIFUL embroidery. She is currently working on napkins for her daughter’s wedding which are colored and embroidered. She shares many vintage patterns and coloring pages (which are great for embroidery patterns). Here is a link to her blog post on how to make a homemade light box. In the comments she also has tips for how to transfer patterns. http://qisforquilter.com/2009/03/wine-light-box/
Casey, you wear that snood really well. Sometimes I see them and think – “no thanks, not for me”, but whenever I see them in your pictures I find myself wanting to make one or two. Echoing Heather, have you done a tutorial on how to wear one? If not, it would be a great addition to your video tutorials.
As far as embroidery transfers – I have traced them with a pencil. Not very sophisticated, but it works for me.
You can always buy iron on transfer paper for your printer
I just like to use a washable ink pen and trace… or you can actually use thin paper and sew through it (or interfacing).
That top is beautiful! Love it!
I was going to say exactly what Kristen did up above. Taping the pattern to a window and tracing it works really well. I thought about investing in a light table at one point, but this works just fine for me. Unless its a rainy day and there is no sun.
I hope you get around to embroidering some tea towels. I actually did a few with a nautical/pirate theme a while back. You can check them out in my flickr stream if you are interested. http://www.flickr.com/photos/38015499@N06/sets/72157623561869476/
i love the blouse!! i love the idea of embroidery – esp how portable it is – but you’re right, it is easy to lose steam on a big project like that. my embroidery ventures tend to take months to finish haha.
i transfer my embroidery patterns the free way – i use the tracing paper that you use with a rotary for sewing (for some reason i have boxes of it… and when sewing, i prefer to just use chalk). lay it face down on the fabric, lay my pattern on top, and trace the whole thing with a ball point pen. done and done!
What an adorable Outfit! I love the blouse!
I zoom up the image on my computer then trace with paper and pencil, then pop over to the window ala Kristin and trace it onto my aida.
I’ve got tea towels on my list too. Have you thought of staining with tea? I just found a tutorial/idea for this in a magazine, brilliant! Sort of a pre-emptive strike against discoloration and coffee stains. Good luck, summer is the perfect time to embroider. Check out molipop’s original: http://www.etsy.com/listing/75816176/reading-is-sexy-embroidered-walrus
Oh the tea staining idea is brilliant! I’ve embroidered about a dozen tea towels and my homemade laundry detergent just isn’t able to take all the stains out.
Oh I love embroidery! I used to do it all the time. When I was growing up I always ironed on my embroidery patterns. I’m not up on the latest printer methods but I’m glad to hear there is a printer iron on method. The thing to be careful about tracing against the window (and I would not be against doing this myself) is to not distort the fabric. I am very careful to keep my fabric square. Also I try not to tug the fabric with my marking pen/marker/etc . I have used a window to trace items onto paper and that can be difficult in itself.
Laurie
You are weraing a snood! I have just started makeing one because I have been seeing them many places worn 1940′s style and they are so cute! Adorable outfit
Livi
Super cute outfit! It’s so satisfying when a $1.50 shirt works out so well.
My favorite way to transfer designs is also the window & soluble ink pen. It’s easy, cheap, and if you don’t have the pen, you can use a very light pencil line, and it works just as well!
I adore this outfit from top to bottom, but your hair looks truly lovely like this. It’s a great style for you!
I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE this outfit! ;o)
I’m obsessed with 40s peasant looks too. I finally found a little blouse I altered a bit. xo
I adore this look! My style (okay, ideal style) is a cross between bohemian and retro. This 40′s peasant look is a sweet mix of the two. My embroidery transfer advice is to use black carbon paper (or white depending on the fabric color you’ll be transferring onto) and sandwich the paper (carbon side down) between the fabric and image to be transferred. This is my favorite technique, though you could also trace your design with a transfer pencil, then set the design with a hot iron onto your fabric. This is an easier technique, though I’ve found that the transfer pencil can crumble, and those tiny flecks of “ink” are incredibly stubborn, if not impossible, to get out.
I have usually used an iron on pencil, but for my latest embroidery I used black fabric so the pencil was out of the question. I simply used tracing paper and it worked fantastically. If you will be working on it for a very long time there is always the possibility that the lines will rub off, but that was actually preferred in my instance.
Sometimes I will also use a wash away ink pen, but the detail isn’t the best.
I know its totally not the point of this post, but I love the hairstyle! Is that a crocheted snood?? It looks adorable
Also, I completely understand your obsession with Blue and White- a classic nautical colourscheme and perfect for so many occations
SUCH a cute outfit! And I think your question has probably already been answered a few times, but when I embroider, I use old transfer paper that was actually my grandma’s from a long time ago. They come in all sorts of different colours and that way depending on the fabric you use, the lines aren’t so noticeable.
My mother always used a #2 pencil for her embroidery – much of which was the delicate French Handsewing type. It always worked and washed away, so I do the same. I generally use a mechanical pencil.
Chiming in on the love for the snood. I wish I could wear them.
Your peasant blouse is super adorable! And a great find for $1.50 (you can’t buy a handkerchief for that in any of the charity shops round here – I’m not even kidding!).
Re embroidery, for my embroidery projects (monogram and carousel embroidered collar) I traced the design with a disappearing ink fabric pen, then stitched the outline in quick before it disappeared.
PS: I don’t know if you saw, I featured a pic of you on my blog today – I hope that’s okay!
xx Charlotte
Tuppence Ha’penny Vintage
Gorgeous outfit, the peasant top is so lovely and such a bargain. x
This is how I transfer and it’s worked lovely. I put a piece of transfer paper (a color that will show up) face down. Then I put the design face up on top of that and trace over it with a pen. Then you should have a chalk design on your fabric. Sometimes I go over that with pen right on the fabric to make it easier to see. Love your outfit.
aww so this is the pretty snood outfit you were talking about posting. I love it. I adore peasant blouses so much. I have one for the winter that I always forget I own so I never wear it at all, but I used to own a load of them in high school. They were always so much fun for me. I think the one you are wearing here is so lovely and seems comfortable!! The blue design on the collar/shoulders is really pretty!! Love the black snood too!! I only have my white one. I like your idea about the nautical stuff too!!!!
Love the blues!
I love that outfit! It reminds me of the outfit Shirley Temple wears in the field day scene of The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer. I’ve always wanted something similar.
I’m an embroiderer, and I prefer to trace my designs by putting the design underneath the fabric and tracing with a disappearing ink pen. I find that if I am tracing on white, I do not need to use a window or any sort of light box. If I do need extra light, I have a makeshift setup involving the lid of a clear storage bin, and a lamp placed underneath it. If I am using a really dark fabric, I will actually sometimes just print the design on paper, pin it to the fabric, and embroider through the paper. I do try to use slightly bigger stitches than usual. It is usually pretty easy to remove the paper. I use scissors to get rid of the big pieces of paper, and then a pin to get at the little bits around my embroidery. I will really only do that on smallish projects, though.
I second what Corinne Said- for intricate designs it’s superior to tracing. Also it doesn’t matter how thick or thin your fabric is.
Chiming in with a vote for a tutorial on the hairstyle and how to make a half-snood– love them both!
As per the usual, you are painfully adorable. What else is new?
Where did you learn how to embroider? I am thinking of embroidering a bird on my skirt…but never done it before!