By Emily Konkler •
August 4, 2009
Once upon a time, a young woman, oh let’s just call her Emily, was vintage shopping. She tried on garment after garment, in love with their colors, styles and worn appeal, yet nothing fit. She held handfuls of fabric behind her back, yanked hems up a couple inches, glared at long droopy sleeves and was saddened by puckered torsos. The girl, completely frustrated, left the store in a huff, dreaming of vintage items that couldn’t be bought.
There’s nothing quite as satisfying as finding that beautiful vintage item that no one else owns. However, it’s disappointing when it doesn’t fit quite right. Maybe it’s too long, the sleeves are too big or it’s shaped like a large square. Deborah Brosenne, owner of Taxi CDC, a.k.a. vintage re-constructor extraordinaire, excels in making vintage items new again by deconstructing and designing them into a perfect fit.
By Jamie Ervin •
November 24, 2008
We’ve found a great way to reuse the kids’ clothing, DIY Stockings. Have the kids help you go through their ripped and stained clothing to design the look of your stockings. Then have them help you search for embellishment options. Odd fabric scraps, buttons, beads, patches, lace, ribbon, and appliqués made from other clothing all work beautifully as decoration.
These stockings were made using one pair of holey jeans (size 7 kids), a couple of toddler t-shirt fronts, a brown sheet and some old lace. I’m working on one made with an Asian Silk Kimono Robe. Delicate fabrics (such as the silk from the robe) may require special handling. I use pinking shears to cut and am lining the front and back of the stocking with white fabric from an old bed skirt (the eyelet part of the skirt will become new petticoats for under my daughter’s dresses).
