Vintage Kilo Sale - My Thoughts

I fell out of love with blogging over the summer, something to do with the hot weather and the gact that the camera broke and then the SD card broke and well I just sort of fell back on to instagram as its more of a instant thing. 

And then this week I realised how much I'd missed documenting all of my makes. So I got Rikki to fix the SD card and decided to crack on tonight whilst bake offs on.

Although oddly my first proper post back isn't about sewing! Nope its all about the vintage kilo sale I went to with my friend Chey a few weeks ago. 

So You can find preloved vintage kilo on facebook and instagram and the general idea is that you turn up and look through preloved clothes and put everything you like into a bag and you pay £15 per kilo. Unless its a coat or bag or shoes and then theirs just a foxed price if it goes over a kilo to save you money. 

Chey saw that it was coming to our local city on facebook and tagged me in it asking if I wanted to go. And obvs I said yes because this girl loves a vintage sale! And then I spent the week before stalking their instagram page trying to see what sorts of things might be up for grabs. 

I did really enjoy it however theres a few things to mention about the experience! [hopefully you can use these as top tips if you choose to go to one!

1. You will have to queue and pay to get in, I think it was like £1.50 to get in so not bank breaking but still. 

2. everything is packed onto racks! and I mean packed. Their wasn't even enough room to slide the hanger across to have a proper look instead to have to drag the thing out , decide if you like it and then shove it back in. 

3. A lot of its 90's and late 80's. I saw a LOT of shell suits, a lot of track suit bottoms with poppers up the sides and a LOT of NIKE. Not to say their isn't some absolute gems in there from earlier but thats what the majority of the stuff is. 

4. You will have to hunt. Which means going through every single item on the rail. Unluckily it seems neither me or Chey was in the mood to go through every single item whilst crammed in. We probably missed a lot of good stuff but we weren't too bothered because we did get some great stuff! [I did however realise that this is the sort of thing my mum is AWESOME at so i think she'd do well there]

5. Sizing is difficult, there are sizes in the items BUT vintage sizes can vary wildly. You can try things on in changing rooms but they were VERY busy so I'd recommend wearing some sort of leggings and vest top outfit so you can just try things over the top.  

6. a Kilo isn't as much as you think! In my case it was a jumper , a tshirt, a light dress and a shirt. In Cheys case it was two snuggly winter jumpers. 

All that said I had a brillant day and I loved the concept of re selling clothes rather than sending them to landfill. [Its also worth mentioning that the company do wash all of the clothes before sale so they don't smell musty or anything! But without further ado heres what I brought. 

Number one, some sort of vintage shift dress. Possibly 70's? Very definitely some sort of polyester. 

I can't claim this as my find as Chey saw it and told me I HAD to get it! And I'm so glad I did because I am crazy about the print. Here I'm wearing it layered with a roll neck and tights but it also looks cute without.

It is a bit see through though so its better with something else under it so I don't flash my pants. 

Number 2! 

A tshirt from Journeys Backyard BBQ tour. I went to vintage kilo with the intention of finding band tshirts but this was the only one I saw. Its cute and I love the band journey so it works. 

Its already in regular wardrobe rotation for those days when I can't quite be bothered with proper clothes. 

 Item 3. 

Mens Ralph Lauren jumper

I got this because 1. its Ralph Lauren and 2. it looks snuggly for dog walks. I like the oversized fit and its lovely and soft to wear. Its a nice classic jumper and I'm sure it will see lots of wear.

And Number 4. 

and my absolute favourite! 

A mens flannel shirt. 

I've been hankering after a nice flannel shirt for ages! Rikkis grandad wears a lot of flannel shirts and they always looked so lovely and snug. I brought this one because I liked the colours and the relaxed fit. 

In fact I love it so much that I wear it all the dammed time. It comes out of the wash and goes straight on my back. In fact I love it so much I've been inspired to try and make a few more shirts to put into regular rotation in my wardrobe! 

And that's it!!! 

I really enjoyed writing this so hopefully I'll be jumping back into proper blogging!!!! 

Much Love 

Frankie 

xxx

In the good old days...

I've never been normal, I've always been a little bit quirky, and I've never really gone with the flow, fashion wise.

And this item definitely proves I was never "a dedicated follower of fashion"

This is my school blazer, I probably had it from year seven to year eight, and then had a new one. At which point this happened.

Yeah I embroidered the entire thing, and I used to wear it all the dammed time!

Obviously I embroidered it with some super cool symbols, crosses, wings, eyes, bubbles?

Just to be clear, the teenage Frankie thought this jacket was the BOMB! Seriously why blend in when you can stand out!

Oh a teardrop, lil bit of emo Frankie creeping out there.

I honestly don't know if I would wear this (or even make this again!) but at the time I thought it was brilliant! As you can tell from the wear and tear on the stitches I wore it a lot! But can't actually find any pictures of me in it?

I don't know, part of me thinks that my teenage self has some very questionably taste, but the other part of me wasn't to put it on listen to some my chemical romance and whine about how the world doesn't understand me!

Have you made any questionable fashion choices over the years?

Much Love

Frankie

xxx

Searching For An Extra Inch

I should probably start of by warning you that I am absolutely exhausted. This is not an exaggeration, I didn't get to sleep until about 2am and Little Knitwit decided to wake me up at 5.45am, little swine  cherub. Sadly though little knitwit is just like his momma and likes his sleep, I cannot stress enough that if he wakes up any time after 7.30 my son is an angel, polite, well mannered, plays nicely , eats nicely and well if he gets up before 7.30? He just isn't.

But either way I do have some good news I finished my simplicity 4070 dress! Woop, Yay! Zip is in, trims are stitched down. It's lovely! And It fits thank god!

These are the second set of photographs that I have taken of this dress today, it turns out that taking a picture of a white dress against a white wall doesn't exactly work perfectly.

Still love this pattern, so easy to sew, fairly quick and their are so many skirt variations I can try. Here I just opted for a simple gathered skirt. Mainly because I had to sew two pieces of fabric together to get enough so there is a large seam down the middle. The gathers hide this seam quite nicely.

I added lace around the collar and arm holes after I had hemmed them but next time I might just opt for some bias binding.

I had to add the lace down either side of my very first zip because I hadn't left enough room on one side and one of the gathers got rucked up and almost pleated? The zip works fine and looked stunning on one side, so instead of redoing the zip and the skirt I just added the lace to cover it up.

The key hole detail at the back is so flattering!

My next step with this pattern is to work out how little fabric I can get away with using, I mainly draft my own skirts so the pattern packet is of no use to me . I've found an amazing site online called fabric rehab and it has so many beautiful and fun fabric choices, so I just need to work out how much fabric I will actually need and then I might just have to spoil myself!

The only other thing going on is me trying to finish off my knitting, I'm very close to the end I've just got a few inches to go and they keep eluding me! It doesn't matter how long I knit for, whenever I re measure I never seem any closer! Its pretty soul destroying work so I'm hoping it will be finished tonight! Although feeling how I feel I might just down a glass of wine and go straight to bed!

Much Love

A very sleepy

Frankie

xxx

Lazy Day's

As promised I finally got some pictures of me wearing my handmade pyjamas! My lovely daddy was kind enough to offer his photography skills for this occasion! 

 

As usual please prepare yourself for the usual round of awkward posing, although I did have enough sense to crop out my eyes because of the horrific bags underneath them (no seriously you could have packed those bad boys for two weeks holiday, abroad, with children) 

 

 

I still love them, they are very comfy and I love that I made them myself!!!!  However I was not aware of just how short I am!!! I blame my daddy he must have caught me at a weird angle, I'm fairly sure that I'm a six foot amazon women who should be strutting the runway and winning Americas next top model. At least I'm fairly sure.

 

 

Here's the bottom by themselves I should probably add that I'm didn't make the vest top its a Primark original!

 

 

And the robe is back on! So glad I put the pockets in perfect for carrying my phone around. I know there just patch pockets but they are the neatest patch pockets I have ever done!

 

In other news!

•  Simplicity 4070 dress done! Including a zip! my first one EVER! Just need to finish stitching the trim down. And by the way my zip was met with approval from both Momma Knitwit and my Aunty (who is quite the dress maker herself!)
• Starting Lil Knitwits jammies today!
• Knitting always knitting! Never stop knitting.
• And spending far to much time looking at fabric online! And drooling, and then drooling some more. 

Much Love

 

Frankie

 

xxx

Woo's A Pretty Owl Then?

This owl was slow going, probably because I've been doing a little bit of everything at the moment! But its finally finished! I love making owls , I have so much fun deciding on their little personalities and was accessories they should have.

I feel like I should call this owl "Molly Ringwald" Because it reminds me of the movie Pretty in Pink! If you haven't seen Pretty in Pink buy it and watch it immediately! this is the film my mum showed me when I realised I didn't dress the same as the other kids.

 

 

Here she is! I decided to do block stripes this time in a nice set of pastels, and then used pops of colour as accents.

 

 

So in love with her lil dinky feet/flippers?

 

 

She is filled with toy stuffing and rice to add weight!

 

 

Don't you just love the bow! Couldn't resist a girly touch!

 

 

This little lady with be winging her way over to Esty shortly (depending on how long Little Knitwit decided to nap for!)

 

Other than trying to get this finished lots has been going on! Little Knitwit has been testing how much he can get away with and testing mummy with it!

 

I've been trying to find a time to shoot my vintage inspired pyjama set , which I still haven't worn in an effort to keep it nice! I did however recommend the elastic I used to a lady at Tesco and managed to slip in that I'd made my own jimmies', she was less than impressed, but how can you expect someone who made their own wedding dress to be impressed by pjs! I know a wedding dress! Amazing!

 

And this week I also had the opportunity to go to my very good friends 21st birthday! And I used my up cycled moustache bag! Hopefully pictures of what I wore it with will be up soon!

 

How you've had a good weekend!

 

Much Love

 

Frankie

 

xxx

 

   

And loses herself in her dreaming and sleep
And her lovers walk through in their coaches

Pretty in pink, isn't she?
Pretty in pink, isn't she?

Finally Finished!!!

I'm doing my happy dance. Well not right now, right now I'm sat typing, but I was doing my happy dance. All because I finished my pyjama robe! I've actually made a full set (minus top but give me a break!) of pyjamas! Bottoms and a robe! Without adult supervision! (I don't count as an adult, I am mearly I child confined to an adults body!) I'm giddy with excitement! There not perfect but they are mine! And I made them!

 

This is the robe I made, it's based on one of my other robes.  I just copied the design and style using the old one, actually this taught me a lot about fabric and how it can change the look of a design. The original robe was made in some sort of see through crepe, in black with a lace coller and a very small ruffle around all the edges. It is VERY saucy (as far as robes go anyway).

 

 

Mine as you can see is cotton flannel in pale pink and is a little less saucy, it's more on the side of Marks and Sparks to be honest. (The nice end! The I want to sip my cocoa in peace and not look like a 1950's vixen end of the shop. I like the think of the look as 1950s housewife aka Bree Vanderkamp). It's roughly mid thigh length and has pockets unlike the original, is anybody else obsessed with pockets? Maybe it is because of all of the junk I carry around all day. But I feel lost without pockets! 

 

 

The only major hiccup I had was with the belt, stupidly used my needle set to the left, thought oh it will be fine, couldn't turn the blooming thing inside out and had to unpick the entire thing. Upon unpicking the entire thing I also realised I had my machine set to the shortest stitch length possible. Nightmare does not quite describe it!

 

 

 In general the robe features raglan sleeves with a gathered front , pockets and belt loops!

 

Please expect some much better pictures as soon as I have time to play model! And as Tyra would say "SMIZE!"

 

The only thing I'm considering is adding is a monogram of the front of one side? My Initials maybe? or Mrs Knitwit?

 

Much Love

 

And yippee I did it!

 

Frankie

 

xxx

Bottoms Up

I finished my pyjama bottoms!!! I actually couldn't be more proud of myself! Especially after I had accidently sewn up completely the wrong seams and had to start over, I'd like to say I unpicked them, but I just cut them off because I'm a teensy bit lazy! But either way they are done! And there pretty neat too! I reinforced the edges? (I think that's what you call it? I basically picked the most complicated looking stitch on my machine and re-sewed every edge to make sure they don't come apart, and then trimmed it down, kind of like over-locking but without the posh machine! ) Anyway without further ado here they are!

 

 

This is how they started out, I used an old pair of PJ bottoms as a template and just drew around them , and I cut all four layers at once (I didn't use separate piece for the front and back, I probably should have done to get a really good fit. But you live you learn)

 

 

Here they are finished. Now I completely understand that these are not going to win any sort of award in the pyjama bottom department, but I love them. And to be honest the fit is just as good if not better than some other pairs I have. (And they don't have a missive rip in the bum so there already have one up of some of my other pairs!)

 

 

I did an elasticated waistband because I couldn't actually think of any other way to fasten jammies, until I remembered about tie fastenings! Doh!

 

  

The bow is purely for show! The ribbon I used for it was my grandmothers! She had a lot of the stuff and its never been my favourite thing but it actually works pretty well on this.

 

 

And then I added some of the ribbon to each cuff to give it more of a vintage feel!

 

And I've nearly finished part two of this project, the robe! It was going to be a pyjama jacket but I mulled it over for a while (in bed, with a brew of course) and realised I prefer to sleep in vest tops, its very rare I wear anything long sleeved to bed unless I have the flu! So I've opted for a robe, which I'm making using my old one as a pattern but more on that later.

 

As soon as both pieces are finished, I will be giving them a model! Prepare yourself for some awkward posing and possibly my teddy bear! (you think I'm joking) So keep your eyes peeled!

 

And um did I mention I made them myself? Couldn't be more thrilled if I tried, I've actually made a wearable garment, dreading when the postman comes and I'm wearing them, I don't think I'll be able to stop myself from telling him!

 

Much Love

 

Frankie

 

xxx   

A Lot Of Cleaning, A Whinge and Some Yarn!

Its been a long day today, I ended up cleaning the whole house from top to bottom. It all started when the tumble dryer broke, I had to drag it out and to be perfectly honest it was darn filthy behind there! God knows how it gets that way, but at least its clean now! It had to be cleaned seen as the repair man is coming to take a look at it next week, and I definitely don't want him seeing my cob webby pantry. A girls pantry is a very private place!

 

Which brings me to my whinge, being without my tumble dryer is like being without an arm. Yes I know what some of you are thinking, It's beautifully sunny in England at the moment! Why aren't you pegging your washing out on the line. Well I am! I just hate doing it! I like to have my dryer as back up in case of emergency! I know washing lines have been used for years but they are so unreliable! Never once has my tumble dryer only decided to dry half my washing! (leaving the other half damp!), not once has my dryer allowed a bird to poop on my lovely clean washing! And I never have to run outside and grab all of my carefully washed and pegged out washing just because its started to rain with my dryer! Mr dryer takes all of these problems in his stride! And he has the common courtesy to bash the clothes around enough that they don't even need ironing! EVERYTHING needs ironing when it comes off a washing line! Sadly though my dryer is expensive to run, and good weather is free although not frequent! So I shall soldier on doing my little bit for planet earth.

 

Well that's my little whinge over and done with know I can tell you the good part of today! Due to the cleaning i ended up sorting out the black hole that is my wardrobe! And this time I resolved to ditch any t-shirts with holes in! Well when I say ditch I mean , turn into t-shirt yarn!

 

 

I've been wanting to make t-shirt yarn for ages but never seemed to get around to it. This is two vest tops and one long sleeved tops worth of yarn, but I think I'm going to need some more for the project I have in mind!

 

 

There's hundreds of tutorials put there on the internet for how to make t-shirt yarn, if you want to make your own. I was that excited I didn't even have chance to photography making it! I used very thin t-shirts though, and cut strips of about 1cm (some tutorials recommend strips of about an inch but it looked to bulky for me!

 

 

 I already know what its going to become! A nice little outdoor mat for my back door. Something we can rest muddy shoes on, and something I can stand on to water my hanging basket! I could have just brought one, but it probably wouldn't be as bright as this. And I can throw this away guilt free if it gets to grotty because I didn't spend a penny on it!

 

Love making recycled projects!

 

Much Love

 

Frankie

 

xxx

Pretty In Pink

Its refashion time again! I was reading a lovely little blog called eat sleep breathe fashion which happens to be written by my lovely and talented cousin Miss Sadie K, and she was talking about the amount of co-ordinating trends this summer.

 

Photo Credit eat sleep breathe fashion

 This is a style I love! But I've always been terrified of looking like something out of an eighties movie. You know what I mean , flowered skirt, flowered skirt, big hair, bubble gum, Molly Ringwald. I digress.

 

But anyway I decided to have a quick look in my wardrobe to see if their was anything I could tweak.

And I found this.

 

 

I'm not sure when I brought this, or what drugs I had been given, but all I can say is, it makes me look about 6 months pregnant, apparently the puffy under the bust skirt is not my friend!

 

 

The dress was originally from miso, and although I love the fabric and the fully lined skirt, I was not loving how it looked on me. So I changed it up a little bit.

 

NOTE;  Please give yourself some time to prepare yourself for some VERY awkwardly posed pictures taken by momma Knitwit. (Who only just learnt how to use an SLR camera today) (and kept making me giggle)

 

 

 I basically cut the skirt away from the lining but left it attached to the top. Sewed some lace around all the over locked edges on the top, and turned the skirt piece into an actual skirt using elastic! Oh elastic that's very eighties isn't it!

 

 (I know I am rubbish at explaining what I do, it's basically, cut, swear, pray, sew, cheer)

 

 

 Here's the back, (still working on that focus with momma) it originally had straight straps but I decided to cross them because one had broken anyway!

 

 

Wack on a belt and heels and I'm good to go.

 

 

Here's just the top, and yes I do know it looks like a nightie untucked but if Madonna can rock it so can I! The shorts are also a refashion, they used to be my sisters jeans and were cut down the summer my mum decided my sister needed to get her legs out more.

 

 

And this is the skirt as a separate, paired with my very old Ethel Austin top. I actually think I like it best styled like this, but either way its definitely more wearable now it doesn't make me look like I'm expecting baby number two!

 

 

But what have this project taught me:

1. Current fashion trends, can be achieved at home , without the hefty price tag.
2. If I could crop my legs at the knee in real life I'd be much happier
3. My mother should not be let near technology
4. Don't bin anything
5. And as much as it pains me to admit it, I would not win Americas next top model with my dazzling modelling talents!.

Much Love

 

Frankie

 

xxx