knitting, knitting community, vintage knitting, vintage knitting patterns

Fall/Winter Knitting Plans!

Check out my latest video on YouTube!

1950s, 1960s, halloween, rockabilly, sewing, vintage sewing

Spooky Sewing! Bat Skirt Tutorial!

It’s spooky season!

In this video, we are going to do some spooky sewing and I’m going to tell you how I made my bat skirt! I’m also going to chat about why I chose bats as my theme this year!

I use my Cricut often for sewing. There is a detailed tutorial coming in the near future for this. Please make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss it!

There is an even more detailed blog post over on Patreon! You can follow me for free there. In the new year, I will also be adding paid content with lots of fun projects! The link is below.

Thank you for watching! Please subscribe and tell your friends! I post a new video every other Friday! Subscribing and clicking the bell notification icon ensures you won’t miss a video!  https://youtube.com/@killerkitschvintagelizzie 

If you are inclined, I have a Ko-Fi account. All donations are appreciated and will help me upgrade my equipment (lighting, microphones etc). Thank you so much! 

https://ko-fi.com/killerkitschlizzie

Other links to follow! 

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/killerkitschdesigns 

Discord: https://discord.gg/yPeZRJpWpk   

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/killerkitsch13/  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/killerkitsch13  

Website: https://killerkitschdesigns.com/

1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1945, 1950s, 1960s, killer kitsch sew-a-long, sew-a-long, sewing, vintage, Vintage Community, vintage life, vintage pattern, vintage reproduction, vintage sewing, vintage style

Vintage Trousers/Pants Sew-a-long!

We are doing another pop-up sew-a-long over in our Killer Kitsch Vintage WIPs Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/killerkitschvintagewips/  This time around we are doing pants/trousers! We will be starting on August 24th, 2020. There is no deadline to finish, so join us when you can. Please click on the above link to join our group!

The pattern will need to be 1970s and before. It can be an original vintage pattern or vintage reproduction. If you are joining us please tag me on Instagram (@killerkitsch13) and use hashtag #killerkitschsewalong.

Why trousers you ask? For the last two years I’ve been telling myself I would finally take the trouser making adventure, but I always end up talking myself out of it. I haven’t worn pants (always dresses or skirts) in over 10 years and for a few reasons, but the main reason is I hate the way modern pants fit. The waist is too low and the rise too short. I prefer the styles of the 1930s to 1950s for trousers and pants and those are the era’s I will be sticking with. The waist line and rise are perfection. Heck! I’m even making a pair of shorts. The trousers are from 1945 and a pattern I found on the Eva Dress Etsy store. The shorts are the Loretta shorts from Charm Patterns. (You will need to join their Patreon to get the pattern.) I am also going to attempt a 1950s style pedal pushers. Photos are all in the slide show below!

If you are wanting to also get started and are looking to make trousers/pants, please join us!

1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, i make my own clothes, little shop of horrors, marilyn monroe, sew a dress a month, sewing, vintage, vintage life, vintage pattern, vintage reproduction, vintage sewing, vintage style

Sewing Inspirations

This year I am hoping to make more dresses inspired by dresses I’ve seen in movies. Two of my biggest inspirations are Marilyn Monroe and Audrey from the 1960’s Little Shop of Horror. I already have the two Marilyn Dresses planned out (just need to get the right material) and am figuring out the Audrey dresses as I write this.


The blue Swiss Dot dress I am using the Lila and June Picnic dress pattern. The red Marilyn dress from the movie Niagara will be a Gertie pattern. I’m deciding what patterns to use for the Audrey dresses.

adjustable skirt, ask sarah, killer kitsch sew-a-long, sew-a-long, sewing, vintage, Vintage Community, vintage life, vintage pattern, vintage sewing

Adjustable Skirt Sew-a-long

We are super excited for our February sew-a-long, because it’s another collaboration with Ask Sarah! Our last collaboration with Sarah was for the super swell Tiki Set! Anyone who participated will remember how much fun it was to make the Tiki Set.

Oh, and did I mention it will be an adjustable wrap skirt for the February sew-a-long! That’s right an ADJUSTABLE wrap skirt! Who doesn’t love an adjustable skirt!

The SAL will run from February 1 to 29 (yuppers, this year Feb is a leap year!). As always, if you post on Instagram please tag @killerkitsch13 and use hashtags #killerkitschsewalong #wrapskirtalong. Please, also tag Sarah on all of your posts as well. Her Instagram is @asksarah.com.au

We will also provide information about the sew-a-long in our Facebook group. (https://www.facebook.com/groups/killerkitschvintagewips/)

Now a little bit about Sarah!

Ask Sarah is a DIY, self-drafting fashionista with vintage flair. Sarah can be found creating twirly half circle skirts or sassy ensembles. Sarah doesn’t put pockets in all the things… but there is always cat fur on all the things! 

Ask Sarah is an Australian based creator and designer and all of her social media links are below.  https://www.instagram.com/asksarah.com.au/

1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, crochet, crochet pattern, crochet-a-long, knit-a-long, knitting, knitting community, refashion, sew-a-long, sewing, vintage crochet, vintage knitting, vintage knitting patterns, vintage sewing

Pencil Skirt-a-long

November’s a-long is the long-awaited Pencil skirt sew-a-long! You are free to use your own pattern, but if you prefer to self-draft, I have options below for tutorials. In addition, I have a few links to paid patterns Your pencil skirt doesn’t just need to be sewn. That’s right, knitting or crocheting a pencil skirt is also an option! Heck! Do a refashion is that is your preference. The only guideline is the skirt must reproduce patterns from the 1960s or earlier!

The pencilskirt-a-long will run from November 1 to 30! As always, if you post on Instagram please tag @killerkitsch13 and use hashtags #killerkitschpencilskirtalong.

As with every sew-a-long/knit-a-long/crochet-a-long/refashion-a-long, all of the information to the tutorials will be found in our Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/killerkitschvintagewips/).  

1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, crochet, crochet pattern, crochet-a-long, knit-a-long, knitting, knitting community, sew-a-long, sewing, vintage, Vintage Community, vintage crochet, vintage knitting, vintage knitting patterns, vintage life, vintage pattern, vintage reproduction, vintage sewing, vintage style

New Challenge!

Each year, starting on my birthday, I give myself a new garment related challenge. Last year I tried to make one garment a week and though I didn’t quite make 52 (made 45 garments for myself) I am quite proud of what I achieved. With my birthday approaching (July 31st for those keeping track), I need to come up with a new challenge. What o’ what could that challenge be?


I’ve been bouncing ideas around and decided to take a look at my wardrobe to see what I needed to fill in gaps. When I did this I noticed that I don’t have trousers, fitted skirts and very few blouses. I am also lacking coats and cardigans (and the ones I have are looking shabby). After this realization, I also concluded that I don’t have many structured/fitted garments and I believe a large part of that is because I am a curvy girl and it is hard to find sizes that fit right. I found myself saying out loud, ‘But isn’t that why you make your own clothing?’ Yes. Yes it is.


Hold on… did you say you don’t have any trousers. That is correct. I haven’t owned trousers of any kind in at least ten years. Why? I hate the way they fit. As I mentioned earlier, I am a curvy girl. I’ve always had an hourglass figure, (large boobs, smaller waist, wide hips) even when I was slender. I hated shopping for pants of any kind. If I was able to get them to fit in the hips, the waist was too big. I also have really long legs and a high waist, so I could never get the rise to fit right either. So…. I stopped wearing them. That is about to change.

Toile! Toile! Toile!

Anyone who sews knows you need to make a toile to get your fit down and when making pants I see a lot of them in my future! I want to make 3 basic types. 1930/1940 high waist style, 1950s Rockabilly style and elastic waist Beach Pyjama Style. These will cover most of my vintage inspired wardrobe needs.

Another large project I want to undertake is replacing all of my cardigans. Many are in shabby shape and I will likely repurpose them into mittens or other things. That said… knitting will need to wait for a while. I’ve done something to my thumb and need to wait a few more days before I can have it looked at. In the meantime… there is sewing!

However, me being me, I am adding and addition challenge starting January 1, 2020. I am going to start reproducing Miss Lemon’s wardrobe (from the TV show Poirot). Because in my world, one challenge is not enough!

Let’s get sewing!

Please add my Instagram account @killerkitsch13 to see regular progress updates.

1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, Sew Over It, sew-a-long, sewing, vintage, Vintage Community, vintage life, vintage pattern, vintage reproduction, vintage sewing, vintage style

Sew Over It’s Betty Dress Sew-a-long

We are super excited to be making another dress with Aly from Sewcial Dee for our August sew-a-long. We will be making the very popular Betty Dress from Sew Over It! 

With this tutorial we will be posting the tutorial in three steps and will be posting those steps weekly. If you are someone who is new to dressmaking, this will be the perfect tutorial and sew-a-long for you. You will find the tutorials here (www.sewcialdee.com)

OH! and there is more!!! Aly will be running a giveaway related to the Betty dress for the add-on pack! For more info on the giveaway and to enter, head on over to Aly’s Instagram @sewcial.dee. The contest will run from August 1st to August 15th.

As with every sew-a-long, all of the links to the tutorials and more information on the Betty dress will also be found in the files area of our Facebook group.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/killerkitschvintagewips/

The Betty Dress will be a will be a paid, downloadable pattern and can be found on the Sew Over it website.  https://sewoverit.co.uk/product/betty-dress-sewing-pattern/ I believe many already have a copy of this pattern and this will be the perfect opportunity to make it!  

Now a little bit about Aly! Aly is a postmodern girl in a new century world Southern California girl with an affinity for all things retro. Aly’s blog is about sewing and focused towards vintage styles (either vintage patterns or vintage recreation patterns). Aly’s posts are an indepth look and review about the patterns she recreates, with added flair. Aly considers the pinup look to be part of her lifestyle and she also uses this space to offer her opinion on vintage reproduction brands she loves. 

Aly’s social media links can be found below.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sewcial.dee/ 

Website: https://sewcialdee.com/ 


 

1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, summer, vintage, Vintage Community, vintage crochet, vintage knitting, vintage knitting patterns, vintage life, vintage pattern, vintage reproduction, vintage sewing, vintage style

Killer Kitsch Summer-a-long

June’s a-long is a bit of a free for all! We will be doing a summer outfit a-long. It can be a dress or separates. It can include knitted and crochet garments as well. It can be self-drafted, from a pattern or a refashion. The only guideline is the outfit must reproduce patterns from the 1950s or earlier! Show us your memade vintage inspired outfits! I may actually do another tiki set. Or… a patio dress. There are just so many options!

The summer-a-long will run from June 1 to 30! As always, if you post on Instagram please tag @killerkitsch13 and use hashtags #killerkitschsummeralong.

As with every sew-a-long/knit-a-long/crochet-a-long/refashion-a-long, all of the information to the tutorials will be found in our Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/killerkitschvintagewips/).  

Show us your outfits!