what was forgotten turns beautiful!

some of my vintage skirts waiting to be transformed

things are off to a good start here at sans map – – tomorrow will be one full week up and running on etsy!

thank you to everyone who has given me feedback and/or encouragement so far – – i love to hear what you think, please don’t hesitate to let me know :-) suggestions for improvement? send them my way!

i have lots of ideas, a few new designs and plenty of stuff swirling around my head to keep me busy and i plan on adding more items to my shop very soon…

i found some amazing vintage pieces to use as fabric….it is surprising to see what other people find worthless and give away. when i got them home, a couple almost became part of my wardrobe……the fabric is stunning! (don’t worry, i didn’t give in to temptation this time….)

i love to pick apart vintage clothing, something about how the clothing was made, how it feels, a forgotten beauty. i re-purpose the material with the utmost care and respect.  i have even found some handmade items that are finding purpose again and giving them a second life! i always wonder who wore these items and what history they carry with them. it’s intriguing.

one thing that i am careful about (we always learn important things the hard way, right?) – – is inspecting vintage clothing for imperfections, excessive wear and (gasp!) moths. it is imperative. thankfully i have a good process of de-lining all skirts, throughly washing and drying them and then…..when all is said and done, ironing them while i inspect. just in case i missed anything at the time of purchase. this helps me not only to physically inspect every nook and cranny of the fabric but also to envision the fabric as a new creation!!

so don’t fret, i personally clean and inspect everything and if it’s not in excellent condition – i don’t use it.

of course, my motivation to use vintage clothing is because re-purposing is eco-friendly, cuts down on waste and helps reduce over-production. there are thousands of vintage items waiting to be used again, sadly forgotten, unwanted, and i’m in line to make it happen.

it is the entire process that gets me ticking; from searching for specific types of fabric by color, age and how the fabric feels….to the actual sewing…..i could sew for hours on end. and seriously, i do.

so as i start off, my heels firmly planted on the path leading forward, i feel like i’m off to a good start.

and i hope it only gets better from here.

….not to mention i’m moving to brooklyn in 2 weeks   :-)