My latest video is on YouTube!
Tag: seamstress
Fall/Winter Knitting Plans!
Check out my latest video on YouTube!
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/
Recent Haul & Sewing/Knitting Update
Hello and welcome to Killer Kitsch Lizzie! My little world where I sew, knit, and go on many fun and sometimes weird creative journeys!
In today’s video, I talk about a haul and my most recent makes!
Links:
Lights: https://www.facebook.com/killerbcinema
Tripod: (I can’t find the exact one, but this is similar) https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/platinum-series-platinum-series-tripod-monopod-kit-pt-tpm665-c-pt-tpm665-c/10293985
Dolman Sleeve Cardigan: https://subversivefemme.com/patterns/1950s-dolman-shortie-cardigan/
Rita Blouse: https://charmpatterns.com/shop/rita-blouse/
Killer B Cinema: https://www.facebook.com/killerbcinema
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
Other Links:
If you are inclined, I have a Ko-Fi account. All donations are appreciated and will help me upgrade my equipment (microphones etc). Thank you so much!
https://ko-fi.com/killerkitschlizzie
Other links to follow!
Discord: https://discord.gg/yPeZRJpWpk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/killerkitsch13/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/killerkitsch13
Website: https://killerkitschdesigns.com/
New Vlog is Live on YouTube!
Hello all!
I have a new Vlog up on YouTube!
I have also started a Patreon. I will have additional blogs, vlogs, and information for projects there. Here is the link if you want to join. https://www.patreon.com/killerkitschdesigns
Sewing Plans!
Every year on my birthday I put together a new sewing plan for that year (my birthday is July 31st — the sewing plan is from August 1st to July 31st each year) Last year it was the dress challenge. (which is still ongoing as I created a sew a vintage dress a month challenge with two other lovely ladies. We now have a large group on Facebook and Instagram also participating with us.) The year before that was a drawing/sketch to finished garment and year before that was the create a garment a week. (I could keep going but you get the idea) This year it’s to add 1940s silhouettes to my wardrobe. Mid-1940s to late 1950s have always worked best for my shape. After many, many years of fighting it, I now sew and knit for the body I have, rather than the one that society dictates.
As I mentioned above, I am adding more 1940s to my wardrobe. I’ve mostly been concentrating on the 1950s for sewing and 1930s for knitting and have a wardrobe filled with lovely garments because of it. I have plenty of dresses, skirts and tops, but no trousers at all, very few a-line skirts and very few blouses. My main goal is to fill the holes in my wardrobe and a 1940s style is the perfect way to go!
A sub challenge to the main one, is to make trousers. I haven’t worn pants of any kind in over 10 years. I’ve actually lost track to when the last time I did. There are many reasons for this, but the main one is that I hate the way that trousers look on me. Modern pants do not fit properly or rather, they don’t fit me properly. The waists are too low and they just don’t fit curvy girls the way they should. If I want the hips to fit, the waist is too big. If the waist fits, good luck getting them on. I also don’t need to be showing off my butt crack.
As with all of my other makes, it will be easy to get a fit the way I want it. It may take several toiles to get there, but I will. I’m going to be giving these trousers a try. The pattern is from Eva Dress on Etsy. Liz Von Villas and Bex Hulands have both inspired me to make trousers! I’m excited to make my first pair!
The other garment I’m excited to make is the a-line skirt. I have lots of circle skirts and gathered skirts in my wardrobe, but no a-line skirts. The beauty is they will take up way less material!
I hope you follow along with my 1940s sewing journey!
In 2021 I will also be adding 1940s knitwear to my wardrobe. Rather more 1940s. I already have a few pieces. That will be a post for another day.
Knitting yourself into an injury!
PSA from the girl who can’t knit/crochet or sew (it hurts to cut fabric) for the next 4 to 6 weeks. I learned a hard lesson and need to share it with all of you. 😔
I am someone who would, without realizing it, knit for hours at a time. It wouldn’t be until my digits or wrists got tired, would I realize how long I had been knitting. Then, I noticed my thumb started to get stiff in the morning (when I woke up), then sore and hard to straighten out right away (I would need to stretch it)… now it hurts to bend. Two weeks ago I stopped knitting to see if that would help, but it didn’t. I went to the doctor and I have tendonitis and it will take 4 to 6 weeks to heal fully. I’m frustrated because I can’t knit, crochet or sew and I have to be patient. Not being able to at least knit is making me antsy!
Many times I read how important resting and stretching was, but I didn’t heed this information thinking I would be fine. Don’t be like me! Take lots of breaks and stretch your hands before, during and after knitting/crochet. It will save you from injuring your digits or wrists. Here are the stretches and strengthening excises I’ve been doing. https://www.healthline.com/health/de-quervains-tenosynovitis-exercises?fbclid=IwAR0Bf34cj0-MF4o52hHbHHShFBv9_99NIfvu6sCJm7v2T3tr1pUN2VF6f-o#thumb-lifts
On the positive side, I’m hoping it is healed up in time for the next KAL/SAL and for my winter cardigan knitting plans. Unfortunately, I can’t even sew ATM because even cutting out fabric is hurting my thumb. I’ve missed out on the Beach PJ SAL and possibly the Betty dress SAL. 😔
Do yourself a favour and take care of your hands!
Summer-a-long Outfit Complete!
If you’ve been following along on my Instagram account @killerkitsch13 you will be seeing posts about our current sew-a-long (or see this post). I decided to make an outfit inspired by the below 1940s photograph. Everything I made was self-drafted.
With this SAL I did a bit of an experiment. I bulk cut and then bulk sewed garments. Because of this I was able to sew 2 skirts and 3 tops. Next week I am going to spend my sewing time drafting patterns for the rest of the things I want to make for my summer wardrobe.
{The photos of myself below I am wearing a slightly different top. I made two white tops to go with the gathered skirt.}
There is still time to join the sew-a-long. Hop on over to our Facebook group. (https://www.facebook.com/groups/killerkitschvintagewips/).
52 Outfits in 52 Weeks! Update!
Did she do it? Did she succeed in her 52 garment in 52 weeks challenge? Well…. almost.
How many garments have I made so far? Since July 1st, 2018, I have made 45 garments for myself. On top of that, I’ve made 3 sweaters for my husband and several hats/scarves and a purse for myself (approx. 49 pieces including those). (I have also made many hats and scarves as gifts to others as well) OH and I should mention I made all these from either vintage patterns, self-drafted the patterns myself (I learned how to draft patterns in High School. Thank you Mrs. Hewitt) or made them from vintage reproduction patterns. My memade wardrobe is all vintage reproduction.
I’m proud of this. It’s been a lot of hard work, but I love it because it is another way to stretch my creativity! My goal is that most of my wardrobe is memade, with a small percentage of it from thrifting or clothing swaps. I’m getting there! The extra bonus of making my own clothing, they fit properly!!!
To help keep me motivated, I created groups and we have knit-a-longs, sew-a-longs, crochet-a-longs, and refashion-a-longs. These groups are my happy place!
Where does my original inspiration come from? My Mother is my sewing inspiration. She taught me how to sew when…. I think it was ten-years-old — she says I was younger than that. I learned how to sew on a Treadle sewing machine (My Great Grandma Brown’s (made in 1898)) that I now own. My Mom also made her own and all of our clothing (when we were kids), without patterns. That’s right folks, wanting to self-draft my own patterns vs using premade patterns is in the blood!
I’m incredibly happy with my achievement this year. Even after sewing for decades I am still learning new skills. That brings me to my new goal. Starting August 1st I am going to begin using Draft-at-home systems. I have quite a few that include Haslam, Mrs. Depew and many others. I’ve done a blog post on it, it you want to give it a gander! https://killerkitschdesigns.com/2019/03/13/draft-at-home-systems/
In the meantime, I’m off to sew!
52 in 52, AKA – A Garment a Week
My birthday is on July 31. Smack dab in the middle of Leo. Born on The Day of Loki. Each year I’ve been making a promise to myself, not really a resolution, but a way of making myself and the universe happy. If you have read my post about Me Made, you will know what I’m talking about. It’s all about creating my own clothing. All of it!
This year I have decided to add a promise and for it to begin on August 1st. My plan is to make one garment a week, whether it be a top, skirt, dress, jacket, foundation garment or something I knit or crochet, these outfits will all count towards my 52. I have also decided to include anything I make during knit-a-longs and sew-a-longs as an item on the list. Heck… I’ve actually started a spreadsheet to track my progress and list the garments I make. The other part of this and the bigger part for me is that I also need to post a photo of me wearing the outfit once it is completed. As a matter of fact, at some point soon I am going to do a little photo session for all of the things I’ve made in the last year and a half. I have no excuse. I just need to get into the routine of doing it!
So… I know a few of you are wondering why I’m calling it a promise rather than a challenge… well… let me tell you why. For me, this is a lifestyle change. I’m going back to traditional dressmaking, I’m creating. I love creating my own garments and I always have. At one time I was going to study fashion design but chose graphic design instead. I also know how to self-draft as well as create printable patterns. I have always been madly in love with every single facet of dressmaking and now that I am back to it I am feeling empowered. I love that I not only make my own clothing, they fit well and I am proud to wear them. For me this is fun and adding the word challenge to it, will make it less than fun and really, who wants that.
Now… onto the next question. Would anyone else like to join in on this challenge with me?
Killer Kitsch Designs 