2019 making plans

Hello and happy 2019!

I'm here to bring you some sewing plans I am hoping to keep up with for once. I'm looking at some of the gaps in my wardrobe, and figuring how to fill them. I figure this would be much more simple than throwing out an arbitrary number of items or patterns, and feeling stressed out while thinking about them. Sewing for me is fun, I want it to eventually be my job, I mean I got my degree in it for a reason.

Blouses

Here are some basic blouses I can probably do in my sleep. I need fun collars and monograms galore.

Bottoms

I just need more skirts and nice fitting trousers in my life.

Jackets

One day on Instagram, Jennifer of TheVintageSmalls posted this coat in her stories. I quickly screenshot it, and spent the next day drafting it. SO I will be making this beauty, which I'll blog about in depth soon.

Misc.

I need lingerie in my life, and damn it all I'm going to make myself some this year! As well as some swimwear, hopefully I will learn to swim this year, so I should at least look cute while doing so.

Knitting

I also plan do add some vintage knitting in here. I intend to knit or crochet at least two sweaters this year, and to make a plethora of accessories.

If I plan it out right, I'll be sewing at least one garment a month, which is manageable.

What's on your work table for this year?
Any knitting and crochet plans?
What's on your to-buy list?

Magazine Monday- Milkshakes from Calling All Girls

A few years back I bought a magazine called Calling All Girls, which was an early teenager magazine for young women from the 1940's. As I flipped through it I saw some recipes for malted milkshakes to make at home, and I was intrigued. I've only had one malted milkshake, my grandma wasn't a huge fan of them, and I have a newfound love of cooking things and want to try to make them. So first, I will share the recipes with you all.

One serving per recipe

Originally written in Calling All Girls by Jane Richards.

Hot Chocolate Malted

2 tablespoons unflavored malted milk powder

2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup

1 cup of milk

Glasses (heated with hot water to keep malted hot)

Electric mixer

Heat milk, but do not let boil. Remove from flame, add powder and syrup and beat in saucepan with an electric mixer until powder and syrup are dissolved.

Cold Chocolate Malted

2 tablespoons malted-milk powder

2 tablespoons syrup

1 cup of milk (be sure its really cold)

Shaker

Large glass

Dump ingredients into shaker with a couple of tablespoons of cracked ice. Shake like mad for 20 seconds, then pour into your large glass. If you have an electric mixer, it will be frothier.

Egg Malted

For each drink, beat egg (and beat it hard so no horrid strings snaggle your teeth), add to same proportions of syrup, milk, powder and same amount of ice. Shake in the shaker and serve at once. 

Broadway Malted

½ teaspoon prepared cocoa powder

1 teaspoon coffee extract powder

1 teaspoon sugar

Cracked ice

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons malted-milk powder

2 tablespoons syrup

Add all ingredients together, shake vigorously, serve

Sugar-Saving Syrup for Shakes

6 squares of cooking chocolate

Double Broiler

1 can of condensed milk

1 cup of boiling water

1/3 cup of sugar

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt the squares of cooking chocolate in the double broiler, add to it 1 can of condensed milk, 1 cup of boiling water (stirring slowly so the mixture won't lump), 1/3 cup of sugar, a pinch of salt, and one teaspoon of vanilla extract. Stir till the sugar dissolves, cool, and store in a covered container in the icebox. This makes about 2 1/2 cups syrup.

I hope these are as interesting to you all as they are to me. I will maybe try to make these on a video sometime in the near future.

Happy drinking!

TinyAngryCrafts is now on Patreon!

Yes folks, I'm bringing my youtube page back into view with help of darling people on Patreon.

My first video, which was shown to my lovely patrons first, is a video on how to trace vintage patterns.

Now I'm sure some of you are wondering what Patreon is. Its a site where you can donate to creatives and help them achieve greatness.
I like helping people, and through Patreon, you help me help you!

So consider becoming a patron, and you'll be getting perks such as; early video access, behind the scenes sewing, outfit sketches, and more!

Sewing book collection

When I first began my sewing adventure, my mom gifted me something important, her 1970's version of The Bishop Method sewing book. I was fourteen, and fell in love with the amazing, new-to-me methods. Catch Stitch, Arrowhead tacks, the proper way to place buttons on a shirt. Oh, and don't get me started on the illustrations, cute little doodles of how to do stitches, and especially how to press ones seams. All very captivating for a 14 year old who was, and still is, very much a nerd.

Tons of knitting projects

I noticed I'm more productive the longer I'm around fellow crafty types. 

Case in point, when I hang out with my friend Jennifer. When we are together, we will knit, hang out in yarn shops, and talk about upcoming projects. We also help each other with confusing pattern parts, and be 'bad' influences to each other. 

Lately, I've been knitting a lot more. It's portable- I can knit on the trolley and in a waiting room- and super compact. I can also watch fun things on Netflix and TCM and work without extra noise in the background. 

I have some upcoming projects, and works in progress, and a finished object to share with you today. 

In the upcoming category, I fell in love with the gorgeous knitted blouse Squidneyknits made for Dita VonTeese, and I felt I needed one of my own. 

Bought the pattern from SubverisiveFemme's Etsy, and picked the yarn color, nice soft pink. 

Next, I've been coveting Susan Crawfords Stitch In Time books for ages. They've been out of print for some time, so I turned to my library. They didn't have Crawfords edition, rather the original 70s one. I photographed as many interesting patterns as I could, and chose the Light and Lovely as my go-to.  Thankfully I'm close to the standard knitting size of the 40's!

It will make up lovely in this blue. 

I am not sure what the sweet potato-colored yarn will be, but I'm thinking something with cables?

I'm currently working on a cardigan that I might enter into the county fair if I play my cards right. 

The cables are super fun and the pattern is easy to remember. I changed the length some, so I shall see how the button holes are effected when I get there. 

I also started on a sweater that will take me a lot of time to create. 

I'm embarking on the Egyptian sweater, because I love myself and I love challenges. When Janey mentioned it on her blog ages ago, I knew I wanted to make it. 

Did I mention the colorwork is repeated on the back? Haha. I am in no rush to finish this. I might cheat and just do pyramids on the back, I dunno. 

I only finished one knitted item in 2016. The Victory beret that ByGumByGolly designed. I knit another for a friend, and hopefully will have a pattern review up in the coming days. 

So there's a lot of fibre in this post (haha I'm terrible I know), but it will all delightful vintage knits I will wear when it begins to cool off again. 

What are things you're currently knitting?

Do you enjoy vintage knits? 

A good basic set

In order to diversify my wardrobe by purchasing more separates, and to save money

and hone my skills by making more dresses myself, I’ve created a self-imposed dress-

buying ban for the year.

After a ridiculous bout of feeling like an inadequate seamstress, I sat down and worked on a skirt. A couple days after Dapper Day, I cut out a blouse. Last week, I did finishing bits on them.

I am in love with the skirt, it's a good basic black skirt. The length is comfortable, and being a stretch cotton sateen, it's actually very warm and cozy.

The blouse I have a love/hate relationship with, mostly due to the how sheer the fabric is. I need to strategically dress with it, so it becomes just another thing to think of when putting together an outfit. But, this is what happens when you fall in love with a color, and don't check the fabric, haha! Lesson learned.

If you didn't figure it out, I was having fun with a 40's-style Hufflepuff student ensemble, haha.

I'm pretty sure I will get more wear out of the blouse in the warmer months, not a couple days after a huge rain storm.

Blouse Sewing Details

Fabric:  Yellow Cotton Fabric

Pattern: Hollywood Patterns 1573

Year: 1938

Notions: covered buttons, self made shoulder pads

How historically accurate is it? Very accurate!

Any tricky parts to the pattern? None, very straightforward

Did you change anything? Just added a monogram on the pocket

Time to complete: I don't remember

First worn: 

Total cost:  Roughly $15 total

Notes:  I used my shoulder pad tutorial(and forgot to put them in for photos. Oops.). And I ran out of fabric, so I had to make the short sleeved version. 

Outfit
Blouse- Self made
Skirt- Self made
Hufflepuff Pin- Gift from friend in the UK
Shoes- Thrifted
'Wand'- Knitting needle
Scarf- WIP

Skirt Sewing Details

Fabric: Black Stretch Cotton Sateen

Pattern: Simplicity 3688

Year: 1940's reissue

Notions: Covered button, bias tape

How historically accurate is it?  Pretty accurate, if we ignore it's a stretch fabric in the skirt, haha

Any tricky parts to the pattern? None, it's a very straightforward pattern.

Did you change anything? Nope!

Time to complete: Couple days

First worn: 

Total cost: About $22

Notes:  None

I had very few issues with either garment, which lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. I felt terribly proud to put these darling labels in them. What's that you say? Labels? Stay tuned, dear readers.


Have you felt extra proud after making such a basic garment?
Do you have issues with purchasing separates?
What is your Hogwarts House?

A little WIP of a hat

So I bought a fancy planner and ignored it for almost three weeks. I felt a sense of overwhelming dread due to personal reasons, and other things in my life.
A friend asked how my hat was going. My hat. That's a simple nice not overwhelming project I can work on.

I am so happy I took millinery classes last year. Hat making is such an awesome skill, and because I love hand sewing, calming for me.

I might use this fabric for the hat, I am not sure. I believe a friend gave it to me when I started my first millinery class.

The tip is sewn to the hat body, and is about to be covered with crinoline to make everything nice and smooth. With this constantly rainy weather we've been having, it's nice to make something to wear when it's not a downpour out. Something of a motivator to keep smiling in bad weather?


Have any of you made a hat?
Do you have any hat plans for this coming season?

Winter/Spring 2017 wardrobe plans

The last thing I sewed and loved was my graduation suit.

I was hit with a terrible sewing block. Some days I would start a project, and immediately hate the direction it was going in. Some days I would finish a project, only to find it didn't fit, despite sewing with the pattern a couple of times. I doubted myself many many times. (Even to the point of screeching the 'Years of Academy training, wasted' line from Toy Story.)

After Dapper Day, I tried to make a wearable muslin from a new pattern I purchased. I loved it. I drafted a small pattern for tap pants, then sewed up a wearable muslin. I loved it. I made a basic black skirt, which I still have to hem. I love it. It fits. I'm happy.

I showed my mother and grandmother the wearable muslin, and they adored it, which gave me a huge confidence boost. I told my mom about my sewing block, and she gave me some motherly encouraging words and told me 'go slow, baby'. I now put this on post-it notes, and place them on my sewing machine.

With this newly found confidence, I set on working on my Winter/Spring 2017 wardrobe.

Now, I put myself on a self-imposed dress buying ban. I get this weird mindset after I purchase dresses. “I need a certain outing to be at to wear it, otherwise it's useless,” or some nonsense my brain makes up.
To counter that, I've been thrifting more separates, and have some patterns in place to sew some as well.
But, I can sew dresses. I usually have a certain idea when I sew a dress about where it will be worn. If I make some basic dresses, I will more than likely wear them more.

Here are the tentative ideas about what I intend to create this winter and spring.

Some of the patterns I want to use, but didn't photograph are:
VeraVenus' Circular Knickers
Wearing History's 1930'sstep-ins

OhhhLulu's Jasmine Bra
Self-drafted hat patterns

Self-drafted skirts

I'm still unsure of the actual colors I'd like to use, but I know I want/have already created some things which are celadon green, so I can go from there. (grey, pink, navy blue?)

So, I think I have a nice little starter wardrobe which I can mix and match for these next few months. And I can work on new skills with making lingerie. Ya know, as one does.

Do any of you have wardrobe making plans?
Have you put yourself on any purchasing bans for certain items?
What are you most excited in seeing me create?

Fall Dapper Day 2016

It's been a good while since I attended a Dapper Day. Thanks to the extreme kindness of my friend Tony, I was able to attend two of the days of the weekend.

First day I wore a cute patio set I got for a song at the Frock You Vintage sale. It was rather warm that day, so it was a very good choice, I think.

On our way up there, we grabbed my best bro, Gabe for more shenanigans!

We meandered about a bit before Janey texted that she was on her way to the parks. I got on the Haunted Mansion/Nightmare Before Christmas with her for the very first time. It was rather adorable with the NBC overlay!

We then all parted ways, and I crashed with Tony and Erin at their hotel, to rest for the Saturday festivities.

Erin and Tony were all tuckered out, so Tony shoved me to the parks, and bid me adieu. I then ran about with my friend Jenny!

Jenny is a local knitter and vintage lover, and she's got such lovely clothes. I think whenever I visit her home, I'll roll through her closet a bit.

We jumped about more, and finally went to the Dapper Day expo. This time around the expo was held at the Disneyland Convention Center, and my goodness, I was a bit overwhelmed. There was a plethora of things for everyone. Barbers, shoe shiners, hair stylists, and of course clothing and shoe vendors.

The both of us made a bee-line to the Besame Cosmetics booth, where I finally got to meet Loni in person. She hugged me on sight, and we gushed over how lovely the other looked.

I snagged the last of the 1930s rollerball perfume, and tested the new rouges on my wrists (I absolutely love 1915 Delicate Rouge and I need it now)

I then made a bee-line to Match Accessories and got a pearly white D brooch. And I got to meet Sam, who was so excited to see me and was explaining to her husband 'That's Janey's friend!! Ahhh I'm such a fan of her.' Needless to say, I made a lot of whiney noises, and we hugged each other a lot.

After, Jenny and I made some fun purchases, tried on pretty dresses, and made our ways back to the parks.
We then left, and made oodles of plans to hang out at later dates.

I had such a lovely time, it was well needed, and I'm so grateful of all the lovely people who helped in making my weekend so grand.


Here is my haul from the weekend.                                  

The 1930's scent is absolutely amazing, and I want either it, or 1920 in the larger atomizer spray.

I've already made a muslin of the Hollywood pattern, it's so lovely!

I've been a fan of Match Accessories for a good while, and it's so lovey to own one of their brooches!!

Simplicity patterns had a booth space there, and had patterns for sale. I don't really buy modern patterns, so I grabbed a freebie they had. I think I can teach my little sister to sew in the new year!!


Have any of you attended Dapper Day? If not, what would be your ideal Dapper Day?

Product Review: Besame Cosmetics Victory Red Lipstick

Edit to add- Besame's Marketing Director reached out to me, and asked me about which are the best ways to do photograhs for showing the product on varying skintones, and my opinions about diversity in general.  I appreciate it, gratefully. I am excited to see how this new step in the more diverse direction of Besame.

This was actually a difficult review for me to do, for a number of reasons, which you'll read in this.

I was ecstatic to see a new Besame Cosmetics color! A color from 1941 called Victory Red.(currently sold out) I buzzed about it with friends, and a friend helped me get it, as she'd be awake early for work.

A week after she got her lipstick, she sent mine, and I was still excited, but not as much. On the fair toned models who bought it in store and the fair toned Besame Girls Promotion team, it was starkly bright. I was worried, but I tried to hold the worry in the back of my head, as it might be different on me. I was hoping to see it on a darker toned person, but I didn't.

I tried it the night I got it, doing my usual applying from the tube. It was the worst experience ever. It was akin to dragging a crayon on my lips. So I got my lip brush and gingerly applied it. It looked like costume lipstick was on my face.

It was very bright. And very drying, my lips feel chapped.

I scrubbed it off my lips and said I'd try again the next day. So I did. And I tried again the next day. I tried to make myself like it, but alas, I can't.

I'm reminded of this post I've seen floating abut the internet.

That's the same shade of lipstick on two different skin tones.



Its a darling color, it's perfectly accurate, but its not for me. I think if Besame had put the lipstick on a variety of skin-tones, it would have bettered my purchase. Honestly, if I saw it on someone similar skin-tone to me, I would have not purchased it.

I talked it over with a friend who was curious about the company, she looked through their Instagram and told me she counted less than 10 darker toned women who's faces were featured. (This was on June 27th of this year) That made me very sad.

I talked it over with my sister, and she said she'd probably not want to make a purchase due to that fact 'If I don't see someone who looks like me, I wouldn't want to waste money hoping it works' She tried it, and was quite shocked at the starkness, and scrubbed it off after a while, saying 'It would work for the club maybe'.

My friends assured me I look lovely in the shade, but I am not a fan, sadly.

Like I mentioned earlier, the lipstick is a beautiful shade in the tube, and there are many many girls who look stunning in it, and rock it, but its not for this darker toned vintage lover. I'm hoping in the future, Besame has a nice gambit of skin-tones of vintage lovers, instead of maybe, three lighter tones.


Have you had an issue with a lipstick?
Do you own Victory Red? How do you find it?

EDIT- 8-23-16: I found this lovely article which addresses some of my concerns for having a more diverse cosmetics company.

Disclaimer: I purchased this with my own money and am receiving no compensation from Besame Cosmetics.I have used affiliate links in this post.