Dutty Wine

I made these in a hurry and don't have a decent photo yet, but wanted to share a little recon I did on some jean shorts to keep the posts flowing. I replaced the pockets with some scrap fabric I purchased by the pound from one of the few Unison warehouse sales, here in Chicago. I enjoy the end result, and now have a way to incorporate more color into my wardrobe as I usually end up defaulting to every shade of black.

Re:Up Handmade

I started making and selling these mini wallets as a way to use excess fabric/clothing/whatever I had or didn't know what to do with. They made their debut at a one day pop-up shopping event I helped to put on called Winter Local, held at the Chicago Artists' Coalition back in December. Since then, I've launched an etsy shop (which I am building up my stock and working on developing new accessories for) named Re:Up Handmade Goods, as the materials I use are reclaimed or upcycled. The name also is a small homage to a certain rap duo that I like. Can anyone guess who?

My wallets are also being sold at Green Grocer in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago.

(the assembly line)

Re:Up Handmade helped to motivate me to start really working towards my goal of creating a small apparel and accessories line of items geared towards sustainability, streamlined function, and unique + understated design. They're perfect for holding the essentials: credit card, transit pass, business cards, and several folded up bills.

I'll be updating more about Re:Up when I've got new items to share. Until then, here are some unedited shots!

Bomber Hat Meets Baby Bear

I feel that some of my best projects are the ones I end up making or giving away as gifts. I enjoy the satisfaction of making something personalized and one-of-a-kind for someone.

I do a lot of modifications/add-ons to existing patterns or tutorials because when there's a good foundation for something, that gives me more room to play as I know that I'm starting off with a solid base.

I made this hat for the 1-year old daughter (Inez) of my co-worker, Michelle, for the winter months in Chicago. It was inspired by the awesome ThreadBanger tutorial for How to make a Bomber Hat. The instructions were easy to follow and it was a lot of fun to make. It also didn't cost me anything as I just used materials that were already at hand. 

Materials: cotton corduroy, super soft polyester plush faux fur, vintage velvet cording, black plastic buttons

(In addition: Here are pics of my friend, Psymon, modeling as I did not have a baby head to model beforehand)

As you can tell, he was thrilled. Thanks Psymon!

So here we go...Bias Tape Seams!

Here are some shots from a button-up top I modified from a pattern, back in May. I cut the pattern as a petite, which ended up right below my chest line, so I added a band at the waist, bias tape to the seams and made some fabric covered buttons. It was a fun project for me as I really enjoy the details. Pardon the blurriness! I'll post a final picture soon.

Materials: Printed batiste cotton, cotton bias tape