I cannot express how incredibly surprised and honored I was to accept the Visibility award last month from the @humanrightscampaign . It means so much to me to be recognized by an organization working so hard to ensure dignity, compassion and equality for the members of our community, and I will be forever grateful for their support and encouragement. After three years of this pandemic, it’s been hard to feel connection to much of anything that’s outside of our immediate bubble- this was a beautiful and timely reminder that the impact of our words can reach far and wide, even if our arms cannot. Thank you again, HRC- me and my dad will never forget this special night ❤️❤️❤️ (also I’m wearing a hacked strapless jumpsuit combining a bodice pattern from a sewing book and the @helens__closet #winslowculottes in jacquard from @wearethefabricstore LOL)!
These are the #proteapants by @paradisepatterns in Kolkata fabric from @stonemountainfabric and I am in absolute love! Wide pants haven’t been my jam since JNCOs quietly excused themself from my delia*s catalogues so I was surprised at how excited I was to make, wear and style these but *wow* they did not disappoint. Going up to a size 61” hip, these comes in two views, one with the deep pleat like what I’m wearing, and one without. I only made a couple adjustments to these- I changed the side seam pocket to a curved one because they lay on my body better, and I edge stitched the fold of my pleat on the front and back to make sure it stayed crispy and clean looking. I’ve always been so fearful of wide pants without heels underneath them because I’m afraid they will swallow me up since I’m on the short side, and I’m so glad I was wrong- I can’t wait to pair them with sandals and other flats! All of Paradise patterns have been a real joy to make- she always includes some technical tidbit in the instructions that I’ve never heard of that I can then add to my sewing vocabulary and I LOVE how she included instructions to get a top stitched look or a clean look- I usually just automatically top stitch pants because I learned this with jeans making and just stuck with it but excluding top stitching gives you a slightly different look and it’s those details that I am always thrilled to see included in indie sewing patterns. I absolutely want a summery pair in maybe a yellow or pastel pink? Not sure yet, but I definitely have more pairs of these in my future. Sweater is knitted from a pattern designer I won’t name, belt is memade and shoes are RTW chucks ❤️! PS we got a new fence! No more diamond encrusted metal wire for us (IYKYK lol)! I can finally take pics outside on our own property that don’t look awful 🥹
These are the #proteapants by @paradisepatterns in Kolkata fabric from @stonemountainfabric and I am in absolute love! Wide pants haven’t been my jam since JNCOs quietly excused themself from my delia*s catalogues so I was surprised at how excited I was to make, wear and style these but *wow* they did not disappoint. Going up to a size 61” hip, these comes in two views, one with the deep pleat like what I’m wearing, and one without. I only made a couple adjustments to these- I changed the side seam pocket to a curved one because they lay on my body better, and I edge stitched the fold of my pleat on the front and back to make sure it stayed crispy and clean looking. I’ve always been so fearful of wide pants without heels underneath them because I’m afraid they will swallow me up since I’m on the short side, and I’m so glad I was wrong- I can’t wait to pair them with sandals and other flats! All of Paradise patterns have been a real joy to make- she always includes some technical tidbit in the instructions that I’ve never heard of that I can then add to my sewing vocabulary and I LOVE how she included instructions to get a top stitched look or a clean look- I usually just automatically top stitch pants because I learned this with jeans making and just stuck with it but excluding top stitching gives you a slightly different look and it’s those details that I am always thrilled to see included in indie sewing patterns. I absolutely want a summery pair in maybe a yellow or pastel pink? Not sure yet, but I definitely have more pairs of these in my future. Sweater is knitted from a pattern designer I won’t name, belt is memade and shoes are RTW chucks ❤️! PS we got a new fence! No more diamond encrusted metal wire for us (IYKYK lol)! I can finally take pics outside on our own property that don’t look awful 🥹
These are the #proteapants by @paradisepatterns in Kolkata fabric from @stonemountainfabric and I am in absolute love! Wide pants haven’t been my jam since JNCOs quietly excused themself from my delia*s catalogues so I was surprised at how excited I was to make, wear and style these but *wow* they did not disappoint. Going up to a size 61” hip, these comes in two views, one with the deep pleat like what I’m wearing, and one without. I only made a couple adjustments to these- I changed the side seam pocket to a curved one because they lay on my body better, and I edge stitched the fold of my pleat on the front and back to make sure it stayed crispy and clean looking. I’ve always been so fearful of wide pants without heels underneath them because I’m afraid they will swallow me up since I’m on the short side, and I’m so glad I was wrong- I can’t wait to pair them with sandals and other flats! All of Paradise patterns have been a real joy to make- she always includes some technical tidbit in the instructions that I’ve never heard of that I can then add to my sewing vocabulary and I LOVE how she included instructions to get a top stitched look or a clean look- I usually just automatically top stitch pants because I learned this with jeans making and just stuck with it but excluding top stitching gives you a slightly different look and it’s those details that I am always thrilled to see included in indie sewing patterns. I absolutely want a summery pair in maybe a yellow or pastel pink? Not sure yet, but I definitely have more pairs of these in my future. Sweater is knitted from a pattern designer I won’t name, belt is memade and shoes are RTW chucks ❤️! PS we got a new fence! No more diamond encrusted metal wire for us (IYKYK lol)! I can finally take pics outside on our own property that don’t look awful 🥹
These are the #proteapants by @paradisepatterns in Kolkata fabric from @stonemountainfabric and I am in absolute love! Wide pants haven’t been my jam since JNCOs quietly excused themself from my delia*s catalogues so I was surprised at how excited I was to make, wear and style these but *wow* they did not disappoint. Going up to a size 61” hip, these comes in two views, one with the deep pleat like what I’m wearing, and one without. I only made a couple adjustments to these- I changed the side seam pocket to a curved one because they lay on my body better, and I edge stitched the fold of my pleat on the front and back to make sure it stayed crispy and clean looking. I’ve always been so fearful of wide pants without heels underneath them because I’m afraid they will swallow me up since I’m on the short side, and I’m so glad I was wrong- I can’t wait to pair them with sandals and other flats! All of Paradise patterns have been a real joy to make- she always includes some technical tidbit in the instructions that I’ve never heard of that I can then add to my sewing vocabulary and I LOVE how she included instructions to get a top stitched look or a clean look- I usually just automatically top stitch pants because I learned this with jeans making and just stuck with it but excluding top stitching gives you a slightly different look and it’s those details that I am always thrilled to see included in indie sewing patterns. I absolutely want a summery pair in maybe a yellow or pastel pink? Not sure yet, but I definitely have more pairs of these in my future. Sweater is knitted from a pattern designer I won’t name, belt is memade and shoes are RTW chucks ❤️! PS we got a new fence! No more diamond encrusted metal wire for us (IYKYK lol)! I can finally take pics outside on our own property that don’t look awful 🥹
Its my birthday!!!! Welcome, welcome 43! My birthday has always been my favorite holiday of the year but as I get older it has become even more important to celebrate, with real joy and sincerity, all my years. We live in a culture that has historically shamed women for surviving and even thriving as they get older, a fact that continues to shock me as I feel myself get stronger, wiser, more thoughtful, more open to my community, more rooted in who I am and who I want to keep growing into. How could the world not want to celebrate this, too? But there’s the rub- it’s harder to control people when they realize their worth isnt, and was NEVER, connected to the systems put in place by the patriarchal powers that be. I know that unlearning the internalized misogyny/homophobia/racism/fat phobia we’ve been fed all these years will be a lifelong journey but if this is the stuff that keeps making me feel connected to myself and proud of who I am, then BRING IT 🙏🏽My birthday dress this year is the #nicksdress (up to 60” bust, 63” hips) by one of my favs, @closetcorepatterns in an Egyptian cotton from @blackbirdfabrics that I bought during their Black Friday sale last year. I had enough fabric leftover to make CJ a matching gosling shirt by sew sew def patterns and we got a cute pic with our neighbor’s dog who also got the color story memo 😂 This year I want to make more room for writing in my life so I’m getting back into blogging (yay!) and I’ll share more about making this dress soon when I reveal my site makeover later on this month. For now, welcome spring, welcome creative inspiration in whatever shape it takes, welcome rest and welcome peace!
Its my birthday!!!! Welcome, welcome 43! My birthday has always been my favorite holiday of the year but as I get older it has become even more important to celebrate, with real joy and sincerity, all my years. We live in a culture that has historically shamed women for surviving and even thriving as they get older, a fact that continues to shock me as I feel myself get stronger, wiser, more thoughtful, more open to my community, more rooted in who I am and who I want to keep growing into. How could the world not want to celebrate this, too? But there’s the rub- it’s harder to control people when they realize their worth isnt, and was NEVER, connected to the systems put in place by the patriarchal powers that be. I know that unlearning the internalized misogyny/homophobia/racism/fat phobia we’ve been fed all these years will be a lifelong journey but if this is the stuff that keeps making me feel connected to myself and proud of who I am, then BRING IT 🙏🏽My birthday dress this year is the #nicksdress (up to 60” bust, 63” hips) by one of my favs, @closetcorepatterns in an Egyptian cotton from @blackbirdfabrics that I bought during their Black Friday sale last year. I had enough fabric leftover to make CJ a matching gosling shirt by sew sew def patterns and we got a cute pic with our neighbor’s dog who also got the color story memo 😂 This year I want to make more room for writing in my life so I’m getting back into blogging (yay!) and I’ll share more about making this dress soon when I reveal my site makeover later on this month. For now, welcome spring, welcome creative inspiration in whatever shape it takes, welcome rest and welcome peace!
Its my birthday!!!! Welcome, welcome 43! My birthday has always been my favorite holiday of the year but as I get older it has become even more important to celebrate, with real joy and sincerity, all my years. We live in a culture that has historically shamed women for surviving and even thriving as they get older, a fact that continues to shock me as I feel myself get stronger, wiser, more thoughtful, more open to my community, more rooted in who I am and who I want to keep growing into. How could the world not want to celebrate this, too? But there’s the rub- it’s harder to control people when they realize their worth isnt, and was NEVER, connected to the systems put in place by the patriarchal powers that be. I know that unlearning the internalized misogyny/homophobia/racism/fat phobia we’ve been fed all these years will be a lifelong journey but if this is the stuff that keeps making me feel connected to myself and proud of who I am, then BRING IT 🙏🏽My birthday dress this year is the #nicksdress (up to 60” bust, 63” hips) by one of my favs, @closetcorepatterns in an Egyptian cotton from @blackbirdfabrics that I bought during their Black Friday sale last year. I had enough fabric leftover to make CJ a matching gosling shirt by sew sew def patterns and we got a cute pic with our neighbor’s dog who also got the color story memo 😂 This year I want to make more room for writing in my life so I’m getting back into blogging (yay!) and I’ll share more about making this dress soon when I reveal my site makeover later on this month. For now, welcome spring, welcome creative inspiration in whatever shape it takes, welcome rest and welcome peace!
I kind of lost steam before #memademay2023 even began this year. I thought I wouldn’t participate until I started looking at past MMMs and seeing how my style, skill, and feelings have changed in regards to the clothes I’ve made and shared over the past 8 years. I’ve been talking through these in my stories and comparing old fits to what I’m wearing today, and it’s been eye opening. I’m in awe that I have gotten so much good wear out of so many wonderful pieces and I’ve been inspired to remake some and re envision others. Honing in on a color palette has really elevated my wardrobe in the most unexpected ways and I feel like my clothes are telling a more cohesive and interesting story about who I am than I ever dreamed possible. It’s been such a treat to feel excited about this challenge again, and thanks all who have joined in ❤️ May1: Phillipa pants, stretch n sew rugby, memade belt shoes May 2: Phillipa pants, hand knit sweater (my color blocking on an unnamed sweater design) May 3: burda jumpsuit May 4: ice dyed vintage stretch n sew rugby Alphonse trousers * memade belt May 5: hacked jumpsuit @imadethatbag Nerissa coat May 6: vintage dress memade shoes May 7: Elizabeth Suzanne Clyde Jumpsuit
Either my neck has grown since the last time I made this pattern or I somehow mixed up my pattern pieces and made it too tight to button the neck comfortably- regardless, I’m not really a Top Button Buttoner™️ so this has been a non-issue for me- I just left off the neck button and hole and voila 😂! I’ve also realized over the years that, though I love the tailored look of collared shirts, they have a tendency to make my neck disappear, while band collars make it look slightly longer, just a smidge more graceful. This is of course a personal preference- while I think pretty much all fashion “rules” are complete bologna, I think it’s also important to wear what makes you feel like a bad bitch, and band collars do just that. That’s not to say I won’t ever wear or make a standard collared shirt again, but I like having staple design details in my arsenal that I can always rely on to give me a fit that I love. I used TNT Butterick 5526 for this shirt which has several classic views included (I’m a big fan of the princess seam view too!) and I sized down to an 8 to avoid dealing with the all the weird excess ease. It fits perfectly in the body but again, I might need to adjust that neckline if I want a button at the top! I bought these buttons at some secondhand shop a while back and never imagined I would use them but they look so cool with this shirt- a nice pop of design. The plaid cotton voile in red/blue from @wearethefabricstore was delightful to sew- it’s very lightweight and floaty and has a bit of transparency to it but it doesn’t feel see-through at all- the graphic print does a good job of covering up what is underneath. It’s excellent both for layering in cooler months (as I’ve done here) and I plan to wear it alone in hotter climates because the fabric is just so breezy and breathable. And as my friend Cyndi told me, it’s the perfect bright red for the lunar new year! I’ve paired the shirt with my #jennyoveralls by @closetcorepatterns adjusted for a slim, straight leg.
Either my neck has grown since the last time I made this pattern or I somehow mixed up my pattern pieces and made it too tight to button the neck comfortably- regardless, I’m not really a Top Button Buttoner™️ so this has been a non-issue for me- I just left off the neck button and hole and voila 😂! I’ve also realized over the years that, though I love the tailored look of collared shirts, they have a tendency to make my neck disappear, while band collars make it look slightly longer, just a smidge more graceful. This is of course a personal preference- while I think pretty much all fashion “rules” are complete bologna, I think it’s also important to wear what makes you feel like a bad bitch, and band collars do just that. That’s not to say I won’t ever wear or make a standard collared shirt again, but I like having staple design details in my arsenal that I can always rely on to give me a fit that I love. I used TNT Butterick 5526 for this shirt which has several classic views included (I’m a big fan of the princess seam view too!) and I sized down to an 8 to avoid dealing with the all the weird excess ease. It fits perfectly in the body but again, I might need to adjust that neckline if I want a button at the top! I bought these buttons at some secondhand shop a while back and never imagined I would use them but they look so cool with this shirt- a nice pop of design. The plaid cotton voile in red/blue from @wearethefabricstore was delightful to sew- it’s very lightweight and floaty and has a bit of transparency to it but it doesn’t feel see-through at all- the graphic print does a good job of covering up what is underneath. It’s excellent both for layering in cooler months (as I’ve done here) and I plan to wear it alone in hotter climates because the fabric is just so breezy and breathable. And as my friend Cyndi told me, it’s the perfect bright red for the lunar new year! I’ve paired the shirt with my #jennyoveralls by @closetcorepatterns adjusted for a slim, straight leg.
Either my neck has grown since the last time I made this pattern or I somehow mixed up my pattern pieces and made it too tight to button the neck comfortably- regardless, I’m not really a Top Button Buttoner™️ so this has been a non-issue for me- I just left off the neck button and hole and voila 😂! I’ve also realized over the years that, though I love the tailored look of collared shirts, they have a tendency to make my neck disappear, while band collars make it look slightly longer, just a smidge more graceful. This is of course a personal preference- while I think pretty much all fashion “rules” are complete bologna, I think it’s also important to wear what makes you feel like a bad bitch, and band collars do just that. That’s not to say I won’t ever wear or make a standard collared shirt again, but I like having staple design details in my arsenal that I can always rely on to give me a fit that I love. I used TNT Butterick 5526 for this shirt which has several classic views included (I’m a big fan of the princess seam view too!) and I sized down to an 8 to avoid dealing with the all the weird excess ease. It fits perfectly in the body but again, I might need to adjust that neckline if I want a button at the top! I bought these buttons at some secondhand shop a while back and never imagined I would use them but they look so cool with this shirt- a nice pop of design. The plaid cotton voile in red/blue from @wearethefabricstore was delightful to sew- it’s very lightweight and floaty and has a bit of transparency to it but it doesn’t feel see-through at all- the graphic print does a good job of covering up what is underneath. It’s excellent both for layering in cooler months (as I’ve done here) and I plan to wear it alone in hotter climates because the fabric is just so breezy and breathable. And as my friend Cyndi told me, it’s the perfect bright red for the lunar new year! I’ve paired the shirt with my #jennyoveralls by @closetcorepatterns adjusted for a slim, straight leg.
#MeMadeMay week 2! 8: vintage stretch and sew rugby dawn jean shorts 9: Persephone pants Aberdeen top 10: vintage button down memade belt protea pants 11: simplicity coat Hughes dress memade shoes 12: archer button down flint shorts 13: simplicity coat (I think??) envelope dress 14: jumpsuit from the Jazz mix and match pattern collection Scroll my feed and/or my blog for more details on most everything shared in this vid ❤️ #imakemyownclothes
I’ve made this simplified version of my beloved vintage stretch n sew #385 rugby pattern three times already in the new year because it’s just that good- my cool weather wardrobe always needs beefing up in the long sleeved comfy top arena. A few years ago it was oversized turtlenecks, this year it’s loose fitting rugbies! These past few months I’ve been on the hunt for interesting 100% cotton sweater knits because they are so hard to find- they usually are made of polyester which I try to avoid whenever possible. When I say “sweater knit” I’m not referring to regular jersey stretch knits. Think of the difference between a t shirt and an actual sweater- one has more body, hugs the form in a different way, and often has some visual design element, like ribs, a unique stitch pattern, or color work. This mustardy houndstooth cotton knit is from @promenadefabrics , one of my favorite shops for apparel textiles. I was able to shop in person when I was in NOLA a couple months ago but I found this wonderful knit when I did a deep dive of their website recently. They have some absolute gems there and it’s totally worth pouring through the site to find what you might not have even realized you were looking for. It’s substantial between the fingers but not stiff and has a gorgeous drape with a very soft hand. I have some other great pieces from Promenade that haven’t made it to the grid yet but they are on the way!
I’ve made this simplified version of my beloved vintage stretch n sew #385 rugby pattern three times already in the new year because it’s just that good- my cool weather wardrobe always needs beefing up in the long sleeved comfy top arena. A few years ago it was oversized turtlenecks, this year it’s loose fitting rugbies! These past few months I’ve been on the hunt for interesting 100% cotton sweater knits because they are so hard to find- they usually are made of polyester which I try to avoid whenever possible. When I say “sweater knit” I’m not referring to regular jersey stretch knits. Think of the difference between a t shirt and an actual sweater- one has more body, hugs the form in a different way, and often has some visual design element, like ribs, a unique stitch pattern, or color work. This mustardy houndstooth cotton knit is from @promenadefabrics , one of my favorite shops for apparel textiles. I was able to shop in person when I was in NOLA a couple months ago but I found this wonderful knit when I did a deep dive of their website recently. They have some absolute gems there and it’s totally worth pouring through the site to find what you might not have even realized you were looking for. It’s substantial between the fingers but not stiff and has a gorgeous drape with a very soft hand. I have some other great pieces from Promenade that haven’t made it to the grid yet but they are on the way!
I’ve made this simplified version of my beloved vintage stretch n sew #385 rugby pattern three times already in the new year because it’s just that good- my cool weather wardrobe always needs beefing up in the long sleeved comfy top arena. A few years ago it was oversized turtlenecks, this year it’s loose fitting rugbies! These past few months I’ve been on the hunt for interesting 100% cotton sweater knits because they are so hard to find- they usually are made of polyester which I try to avoid whenever possible. When I say “sweater knit” I’m not referring to regular jersey stretch knits. Think of the difference between a t shirt and an actual sweater- one has more body, hugs the form in a different way, and often has some visual design element, like ribs, a unique stitch pattern, or color work. This mustardy houndstooth cotton knit is from @promenadefabrics , one of my favorite shops for apparel textiles. I was able to shop in person when I was in NOLA a couple months ago but I found this wonderful knit when I did a deep dive of their website recently. They have some absolute gems there and it’s totally worth pouring through the site to find what you might not have even realized you were looking for. It’s substantial between the fingers but not stiff and has a gorgeous drape with a very soft hand. I have some other great pieces from Promenade that haven’t made it to the grid yet but they are on the way!
@cyndiotteson and @quinnofeaglerock have been my sewing pupils for a while and we have been meeting every Tuesday night for what we call Sew Fun™️- a couple of hours of hanging out, experimenting and making in my craft room. I can’t tell you what a joy it’s been to be in community with my neighbors and share the joy of sewing with them. The aha moments and maker’s highs I’ve gotten to experience with them has been absolutely delightful! I made the popular @criswoodsews #envelopedress earlier this year in a stunning silk velvet from @promenadefabrics and I knew it would be the perfect beginner pattern for Quinn and Cyndi. It’s a size inclusive (pattern is based off your individual measurements) no waste pattern that doesn’t take up a lot of fabric (I think it was @wzrdreams who articulated my issue with a lot of no waste patterns- many of them use soooo much fabric that it kind of makes the *no waste* part redundant). The pattern is perfect for beginners and has a lot of versatility in how you choose to style it and what fabric you make it in- a total winner for me and will be my go-to for all my friends who want to try their hand at sewing! First sewing blog post up in a while at jasika.com which just got a facelift and there are a few bugs to sort out still- thanks for your patience! 💕
I am over the moon with how these shoes turned out! I took inspiration from the beautiful footwear that @sevillasmith makes, even though I’ve never seen their shoes in person (but would love to invest in a pair one day!) They don’t use counters, shanks or toe puffs in their footwear, opting instead for a shoe that allows the wearer’s foot to breathe, the leather to mold to the shape of the foot for a more comfortable fit, and the muscles to strengthen (there is an idea in the foot health community that shanked soles and super cushiony shoes are causing our foot muscles to atrophy from not being engaged). Thankfully I don’t suffer from foot pain but I was still intrigued by the concept of a more simplified lasted shoe, so I went to work. The coolest part of this shoe is the lack of a lining or stitching in the upper. Made out of two pieces of leather, they are connected by rivets on the sides (no, I can’t feel them) and then lasted around a 2 layer sole with a stacked leather heel. Again, I don’t know what the actual shoes look like in person so this pair was created with a lot of guesstimation, but the end result is exactly what I was hoping for. All the leather is from the scrap bin of my local shop and the shoelaces are just some random string I found in a drawer that looked cute, though I plan on buying actual laces that won’t fall apart soon! Shout out to @icanmake_shoes and @rachelseessnailshoes for the cumulative knowledge I’ve gained from their teachings over the years! I’m wearing a vintage stretch and sew raglan top in a terry knit from @blackbirdfabrics , #persephonepants , a memade belt, and a cashmere coat from a cursed pattern that I would never wish on my worst sewing enemy (and yes, after that “unpopular sewing opinions” post from a while back rife with thinly veiled fat phobic sentiment, I have a few 😑).
I am over the moon with how these shoes turned out! I took inspiration from the beautiful footwear that @sevillasmith makes, even though I’ve never seen their shoes in person (but would love to invest in a pair one day!) They don’t use counters, shanks or toe puffs in their footwear, opting instead for a shoe that allows the wearer’s foot to breathe, the leather to mold to the shape of the foot for a more comfortable fit, and the muscles to strengthen (there is an idea in the foot health community that shanked soles and super cushiony shoes are causing our foot muscles to atrophy from not being engaged). Thankfully I don’t suffer from foot pain but I was still intrigued by the concept of a more simplified lasted shoe, so I went to work. The coolest part of this shoe is the lack of a lining or stitching in the upper. Made out of two pieces of leather, they are connected by rivets on the sides (no, I can’t feel them) and then lasted around a 2 layer sole with a stacked leather heel. Again, I don’t know what the actual shoes look like in person so this pair was created with a lot of guesstimation, but the end result is exactly what I was hoping for. All the leather is from the scrap bin of my local shop and the shoelaces are just some random string I found in a drawer that looked cute, though I plan on buying actual laces that won’t fall apart soon! Shout out to @icanmake_shoes and @rachelseessnailshoes for the cumulative knowledge I’ve gained from their teachings over the years! I’m wearing a vintage stretch and sew raglan top in a terry knit from @blackbirdfabrics , #persephonepants , a memade belt, and a cashmere coat from a cursed pattern that I would never wish on my worst sewing enemy (and yes, after that “unpopular sewing opinions” post from a while back rife with thinly veiled fat phobic sentiment, I have a few 😑).
I am over the moon with how these shoes turned out! I took inspiration from the beautiful footwear that @sevillasmith makes, even though I’ve never seen their shoes in person (but would love to invest in a pair one day!) They don’t use counters, shanks or toe puffs in their footwear, opting instead for a shoe that allows the wearer’s foot to breathe, the leather to mold to the shape of the foot for a more comfortable fit, and the muscles to strengthen (there is an idea in the foot health community that shanked soles and super cushiony shoes are causing our foot muscles to atrophy from not being engaged). Thankfully I don’t suffer from foot pain but I was still intrigued by the concept of a more simplified lasted shoe, so I went to work. The coolest part of this shoe is the lack of a lining or stitching in the upper. Made out of two pieces of leather, they are connected by rivets on the sides (no, I can’t feel them) and then lasted around a 2 layer sole with a stacked leather heel. Again, I don’t know what the actual shoes look like in person so this pair was created with a lot of guesstimation, but the end result is exactly what I was hoping for. All the leather is from the scrap bin of my local shop and the shoelaces are just some random string I found in a drawer that looked cute, though I plan on buying actual laces that won’t fall apart soon! Shout out to @icanmake_shoes and @rachelseessnailshoes for the cumulative knowledge I’ve gained from their teachings over the years! I’m wearing a vintage stretch and sew raglan top in a terry knit from @blackbirdfabrics , #persephonepants , a memade belt, and a cashmere coat from a cursed pattern that I would never wish on my worst sewing enemy (and yes, after that “unpopular sewing opinions” post from a while back rife with thinly veiled fat phobic sentiment, I have a few 😑).
It wouldn’t be a Jasika-made pair of shoes if it weren’t laden with Learning Success™️es, amirite?!?! I feel much more confident making heels and sandals than I do anything else so this was out of my comfort zone. But I’ve been wanting to make low heeled oxfords for so long and once I stumbled across this perfect gold piece from Sav-Mor-Leather, I knew I needed to put on my big girl pants, be brave, and just make them! I spent most of my time making the patterns. I won’t be able to explain this in detail here, but essentially I had to draft a different lining pattern so that the lining and upper could be attached at the mouth of the shoe but still fit together around the tongue. And I figured it out! It took a while but I’m very proud of that ❤️ here’s what I’m happy with: the fit, the comfort, the pretty leather, the stitching, the random shoelaces I found in a sewing drawer that happen to look amazing with them. Here’s what I will work on for next time: making the tongue a separate piece that’s longer and wider, making the lining pattern closer in design to the upper pattern (I have a center seam in my lining that shows thru the toe box on the outside), putting more space between the area of the laces the shoe has room to go tighter…honestly the list goes on and on so I’m gonna stop there 😂 These shoes were fun to make and I can’t wait to try my hand at them again now that I feel a little more confident! As always, if you’re looking to give shoemaking a try, check out @rachelseessnailshoes (sandal kits and beautiful instructional book) @brooklynshoespace = classes and great supplies @icanmake_shoes = extensive online shoe courses and supplies. If you want to know more about my own journey into shoemaking, check out my blog ❤️
It wouldn’t be a Jasika-made pair of shoes if it weren’t laden with Learning Success™️es, amirite?!?! I feel much more confident making heels and sandals than I do anything else so this was out of my comfort zone. But I’ve been wanting to make low heeled oxfords for so long and once I stumbled across this perfect gold piece from Sav-Mor-Leather, I knew I needed to put on my big girl pants, be brave, and just make them! I spent most of my time making the patterns. I won’t be able to explain this in detail here, but essentially I had to draft a different lining pattern so that the lining and upper could be attached at the mouth of the shoe but still fit together around the tongue. And I figured it out! It took a while but I’m very proud of that ❤️ here’s what I’m happy with: the fit, the comfort, the pretty leather, the stitching, the random shoelaces I found in a sewing drawer that happen to look amazing with them. Here’s what I will work on for next time: making the tongue a separate piece that’s longer and wider, making the lining pattern closer in design to the upper pattern (I have a center seam in my lining that shows thru the toe box on the outside), putting more space between the area of the laces the shoe has room to go tighter…honestly the list goes on and on so I’m gonna stop there 😂 These shoes were fun to make and I can’t wait to try my hand at them again now that I feel a little more confident! As always, if you’re looking to give shoemaking a try, check out @rachelseessnailshoes (sandal kits and beautiful instructional book) @brooklynshoespace = classes and great supplies @icanmake_shoes = extensive online shoe courses and supplies. If you want to know more about my own journey into shoemaking, check out my blog ❤️
It wouldn’t be a Jasika-made pair of shoes if it weren’t laden with Learning Success™️es, amirite?!?! I feel much more confident making heels and sandals than I do anything else so this was out of my comfort zone. But I’ve been wanting to make low heeled oxfords for so long and once I stumbled across this perfect gold piece from Sav-Mor-Leather, I knew I needed to put on my big girl pants, be brave, and just make them! I spent most of my time making the patterns. I won’t be able to explain this in detail here, but essentially I had to draft a different lining pattern so that the lining and upper could be attached at the mouth of the shoe but still fit together around the tongue. And I figured it out! It took a while but I’m very proud of that ❤️ here’s what I’m happy with: the fit, the comfort, the pretty leather, the stitching, the random shoelaces I found in a sewing drawer that happen to look amazing with them. Here’s what I will work on for next time: making the tongue a separate piece that’s longer and wider, making the lining pattern closer in design to the upper pattern (I have a center seam in my lining that shows thru the toe box on the outside), putting more space between the area of the laces the shoe has room to go tighter…honestly the list goes on and on so I’m gonna stop there 😂 These shoes were fun to make and I can’t wait to try my hand at them again now that I feel a little more confident! As always, if you’re looking to give shoemaking a try, check out @rachelseessnailshoes (sandal kits and beautiful instructional book) @brooklynshoespace = classes and great supplies @icanmake_shoes = extensive online shoe courses and supplies. If you want to know more about my own journey into shoemaking, check out my blog ❤️
It wouldn’t be a Jasika-made pair of shoes if it weren’t laden with Learning Success™️es, amirite?!?! I feel much more confident making heels and sandals than I do anything else so this was out of my comfort zone. But I’ve been wanting to make low heeled oxfords for so long and once I stumbled across this perfect gold piece from Sav-Mor-Leather, I knew I needed to put on my big girl pants, be brave, and just make them! I spent most of my time making the patterns. I won’t be able to explain this in detail here, but essentially I had to draft a different lining pattern so that the lining and upper could be attached at the mouth of the shoe but still fit together around the tongue. And I figured it out! It took a while but I’m very proud of that ❤️ here’s what I’m happy with: the fit, the comfort, the pretty leather, the stitching, the random shoelaces I found in a sewing drawer that happen to look amazing with them. Here’s what I will work on for next time: making the tongue a separate piece that’s longer and wider, making the lining pattern closer in design to the upper pattern (I have a center seam in my lining that shows thru the toe box on the outside), putting more space between the area of the laces the shoe has room to go tighter…honestly the list goes on and on so I’m gonna stop there 😂 These shoes were fun to make and I can’t wait to try my hand at them again now that I feel a little more confident! As always, if you’re looking to give shoemaking a try, check out @rachelseessnailshoes (sandal kits and beautiful instructional book) @brooklynshoespace = classes and great supplies @icanmake_shoes = extensive online shoe courses and supplies. If you want to know more about my own journey into shoemaking, check out my blog ❤️
