vogue 7975

French Vest by Tracey

Pattern, Vogue 7975 (modified)

This vest is one of my go-to items for spring. Since I made it out of canvas, it’s got some weight to it, so it works really well on those “sort of”‘ warm days. (Anything below 85 is not warm in my book. Yes, I’m a lightweight.) I was obsessed with an Isabel Marant vest from a few seasons ago, and decided to make my own version. I rounded up all my supplies on a trip to New York which involved buying lots of bags of pyramid studs from M&J Trimming. Opening my suitcase at home, it was no surprise to me at all that I had a note inside announcing that my bag had been checked. All those studs probably landed me on a watchlist somewhere. And those studs did end up causing pain, but only to me and my pattern-making instructor Lindsey as we sat there puncturing our fingertips trying to push the little buggers through the fabric. But when all was said and done, I was pretty happy with the result. And our babysitter said, “I would actually buy that!”. High praise indeed.

We’ll see you in two weeks. Happy Easter!!

Black Jacket by Tracey

Pattern, Vogue 7975 (modified sleeves)

Wool tweed and silk charmeuse, Mendel Goldberg

Buttons, M&J Trimming

Photography by Santiago Vanegas

Location, Sunbrimmer Records

I don’t know about you, but I am so glad that vinyl is back!! You can make an argument that the sound of vinyl is so much better than CDs and certainly better than downloaded music, and believe me, my husband makes that argument all the time. But you know what I really love about albums? I love the art work. I love that with each record there had to be a fully fleshed out concept–music and art. The best records not only had unforgettable music but they also grabbed your attention with an interesting album cover. And you had so many opportunities to be creative. Front cover, back cover, insert. I used to love the feeling of tearing the cellophane off the record and reading all the liner notes and lyrics.

And you know what else I miss? How record stores used to be social gathering places. I used to spend hours and hours there. Those lazy afternoons, flipping through the bins, talking to whoever came in. That’s what we love about Sunbrimmer Records. It’s the kind of place that attracts people who really love music and get excited when they find that elusive album they’ve been hoping to score. So, we were really multi-tasking when we photographed this spread. It was as much about shopping as it was about photographing. And thank you so much, Mike for allowing us to use your fantastic store as our backdrop.

My jacket is an older make. I finished it in 2013 and let me tell you, I’ve worn the heck out of it. I think it’s still my favorite item that I’ve ever created. It was a product of my very first workshop with Susan Khalje and it’s my sentimental favorite because everything I made before this jacket had been more of a learning experience and less about a wearable garment. When I completed this jacket, it was the very first time I experienced a feeling of my vision meeting my skill level and producing something I would actually wear. It represents a major turning point in my sewing adventure. I feel so strongly about it that I treat it like a friend. It’s not unusual for me to talk to it and say things like, “I’m going to take you shopping today!” It’s nutty, I know, but it’s more than just a jacket and should be afforded the proper respect.

Next week, I’m going to show you the garment I made after this jacket. I used the same pattern and modified it to make a vest. So come back on Sunday, March 29.

And one more thing….I have to tell you about one of my favorite blogs. It’s called My Husband’s Stupid Record Collection. If you love albums, this is a blog that you have to check out. Her record reviews are so entertaining! And while I’m on the subject, Santiago and I recently watched the movie, Last Shop Standing, The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of the Independent Record Shop. It has a really great interview with Johnny Marr. Love him!!!

And here’s what we bought….