shopping

22 Dec In the MOOD

Posted at 19:26h in Fabric, Mood Fabrics, shopping, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 10 Comments

I’m envious of anyone who finds time to sew clothes in December! I’ve not sewn since early December - but I've not bought a single item of clothing either. However, this week I had the good fortune to take a quick trip to New York, and visited Mood Fabrics for the first time! Swatch was hilarious running up and down the aisles, and the store was awesome in the truest sense of the word. I fell hard for the jerseys…. I fell hard for the silks……. I would have fallen for everything if I had been alone. Thank goodness I was with another woman, the wife...

09 Oct Sevier Skirts Party

Posted at 23:04h in clothing designers, Fabric, shopping, skirt pattern by goodbyevalentino 10 Comments

One of the determining factors to give up buying clothes for a year came after my daughter and I attended a Sevier Skirts trunk show at a friend’s home. Let me begin by saying the woman who started this company is brilliant… Several years ago, one of my best friends suggested she and I start a skirt company. Her ideas were general and I couldn’t envision how to develop a successful skirt business so we moved on. Then I attended a Sevier Skirt Party in August. Sevier Skirts offer customers the choice of three styles of skirts; pencil, a-line and swing, along with...

04 Oct Liberty of London Part I

Posted at 16:35h in clothing designers, Fabric, shopping by goodbyevalentino 8 Comments

In 1993 I took my first trip to London. I knew I wanted to visit the Liberty store and look at the beautiful Liberty prints. Pre-internet traveling days were full of surprises, good and bad, and this surprise was wonderful. I stayed in the store for six hours. My husband was in a meeting and I opted out of the spouses’ tours offered that day. The store captivated me from the moment I entered. I perused the Liberty fabric gifts on the first floor and somewhere along the way watched a bride being fitted in her gown. When I entered the...

30 Sep Ruffles!

Posted at 12:41h in clothes, clothing designers, DIY Clothes, Fabric, Fashion Sewing, sewing patterns, shopping by goodbyevalentino 0 Comments

I’m ending the first month of my one year promise to make and not buy clothes with ruffles! Around a year ago I saw these beautiful tops on the LaRoque website. When I recently discovered this Simplicity pattern I thought I had a close match and decided to put my newly learned Cal Patch skills to work. I spent $9.00 on this pattern solely for the neckline and the ruffle – definitely a worthwhile investment. I’ve...

27 Sep Simplicity

Posted at 15:53h in clothes, clothing designers, Fabric, Fashion Sewing, sewing patterns, shopping, skirt pattern by goodbyevalentino 0 Comments

I’ve was so busy assembling the 24 pieces of this skirt that I barely had time to glance at the Kate Spade 1 Day only 75% off online sale. Making this skirt saved me hundreds of dollars in that respect alone. The skirt is fine and it does fit but it doesn’t have much pizzazz. I was tempted by the Amazing Fit title and ordered it some time ago. I found this beautiful woven silk at Mary Jo’s last week and thought...

23 Sep To Share or Not To Share?

Posted at 12:07h in clothes, Fashion Sewing, sewing patterns, shopping by goodbyevalentino 0 Comments

I haven’t told my family about my blog yet for lots of reasons. I know if my daughters learn I’m sewing my own clothes this year they will think I should spend all of the money I’m saving on them – specifically clothes. I realize I’ve helped create this shopping mindset and I’m constantly thinking about how to change it. Secondly, my immediate family will tell me there is no way I can go a year without buying clothes and will offer hypothetical situations for me to consider that I don’t want to think about. They will also tell me I don't...

18 Sep Obsessions

Posted at 15:02h in clothes, clothing designers, Fabric, Fashion Sewing, New Look Sewing Patterns, sewing patterns, shopping, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 0 Comments

Hmmmm…….. I’m feeling divided. My goal is to make clothes and not buy clothes for one year. Through my self imposed challenge which will save me lots and lots of money, improve my sewing skills and give me a new sense of accomplishment, I’ve become more obsessed about clothes than I’ve ever been before. This obsession isn’t what I was expecting but here I am. I remind myself that I’ve got enough clothes for a year even if I don’t make anything! This challenge isn’t about seeing how many clothes I can make in a year but to remove myself from the endless...

13 Sep 350 More Days

Posted at 23:13h in clothes, clothing designers, Fashion Sewing, shopping by goodbyevalentino 0 Comments

Well, it’s been two weeks since I bought any clothes – only 50 more weeks to go. Instead of thinking about what to buy for fall, I’ve had to turn inward and look at what I have….. and what I have needs some variety. There is definitely too much black and too much lime green. This challenge I’ve given myself is definitely stirring the creative juices. I think about how to make everything I see in magazines, in stores and on websites! I’ve made or redesigned four skirts in the last two weeks, so it’s time for something else. A top, maybe? I...

09 Sep Last Summer Skirt

Posted at 13:10h in Amy Butler, clothes, Fabric, Fashion Sewing, shopping, skirt pattern by goodbyevalentino 0 Comments

Greeting me inside LaRoque two days ago was a cute summer dress made from one of my favorite Amy Butler fabrics. It just so happened I bought two yards of the fabric over a year ago, and seeing this smart dress was the inspiration I needed to get this fabric out of the stash and into my wardrobe. Once again I used the A-line pattern from Amy Butler’s Barcelona skirt pattern and I’m pleased with the result – a casual skirt to finish out the final days of summer. On to fall!...

07 Sep Inspiration

Posted at 21:37h in Amy Butler, clothes, Fabric, Fashion Sewing, shopping by goodbyevalentino 0 Comments

Last year I was searching for retailers carrying Amy Butler’s fabrics and came across a business that continuously inspires me. The shop is LaRoque in Columbia, SC and is owned by the young and talented dress designer, Annabelle LaRoque. Six months after learning to sew she left her corporate job to sew and design clothes. I finally visited her store yesterday which overflowed with Annabelle's terrific sense of style. [caption id="attachment_58" align="alignnone" width="200" caption="LaRoque skirt and wrap top"][/caption] LaRoque’s clothes are just great and Annabelle's perseverance is paying off with her wholesale line now available in dozens of stores throughout the Southeast....