The Liebster Award

If you know the source of this graphic, let me know! xo

The lovely, Nicoline of The Reckless Needle (faabulous name!) has kindly nominated me for the Leibster Award! I'm not completely familiar with the award, but my understanding is that you may nominate your favorite blogs that have 200 or less followers. This nomination gives the blogger the opportunity to answer some questions about ourselves & our sewing, allowing you to get to know us better!

I've been stitchin' and sewin' along off and on since high school. I've become much more serious about furthering my skill in the past year.

Essentially, I am self taught. I do have to credit my mother with some thanks; she showed me how to straight stitch a 6"x6" pillow in elementary school. For my 21st birthday, I FINALLY got a sewing machine (after asking for years!). Since that day I was determined to teach myself. Last August, I interned at a local vintage dress shop redesigning garments. Months later, I was hired as the designer's assistant! Since I've learned many little tips and tricks for redesign from her.

I sew for various reasons: self expression, body love, self reliance, sanity & because I love it! There is nothing more satisfying than wearing a perfectly sized, handcrafted, garment that reflects who you are. You don't get that very often with the mass produced ready-to-wear collections today.

At the risk of sounding cliche, Gertie, or Gretchen Hirsch was one individual who really opened up my eyes to what can come of a strong passion for home & couture sewing. It hadn't crossed my mind that home sewing had a presence online and her blog was the kick in the pants I needed to realize I could become a fabulous sewer without enrolling in an expensive design course in the city.

My sister and I (1/5!). As different as night and day, but geek girls at heart.

At the moment, it's gotta be my Butterick B5748. I wear it WAY TOO MUCH! I plan on making it in a bunch of other colors and prints. I believe it to be a vintage wardrobe staple for those who love full skirts :)

Right now, I'm not balancing it sew well (PUN, AHAHAH)....Between working 6 days a week, night school, nannying & freelance jobs I haven't sewn anything for myself in about 3 weeks :(
Typically, I sew on my day off in the morning. On days where I don't work till 11am, I sew from about 8 to 10am with a cup of coffee a good 6 feet away from my work area ;)

The biggest hurdle I've had to overcome so far has been my ego. I wanted to be a professional right off the bat. With such a mindset, you're putting yourself up for a lot of tears and frustration. My advice is to enjoy the learning process, and if that means putting down your project and walking away from the machine before the waterworks begin, then that's what you need to do. It keeps you from associating anything negative with what you love. 

If you're struggling, stop. Take a step back and research the technique you're having a hard time with. There is an abundance of information on the web (as you know). And if for some reason Google hasn't helped, don't be afraid to go down to your local fabric shop! The sales associates should be able give you a new perspective on approaching your project.

Hmm..I really had to think about this one. Because I still consider myself a novice, I could name a billion techniques that intimidate me. A few simple skillz I'd like to perfect are:

• Using horsehair braid in my hems
• Dyinig fabric for custom color & design
• General Tailoring
• PANT ZIPPERS!

I first began this blog because I was having trouble with my Butterick B5748 and I couldn't find anyone who had blogged about the same issue. Now, I'm using it as a visual diary of my sewing journey and as a way to connect with other lovely home sewists!

Inspiration hits me randomly, so I'm always carrying my sketchbook. Like many, Mad Men is a goldmine for inspiration. Good ol' classic rock n roll always gets me in the mood for sketching as well. Early Betsey Johnson designs are what actually sparked my interest in design and sewing.

As a teenager, all I wore was skinny jeans and band tee's! I wouldn't be caught dead in anything else or any other color than black! Now, while I still rock band tee's and denim, I can't imagine going back to such a limited wardrobe full time!

Nicole of Manic Pop!

Nicole is a fashion designer out of Chicago & blogs about her life and designs. Her home decor is to diiiieeee for and she's posted a few great vintage inspired DIY's (like a fantastic latch hook rug...yes please!). If you love psychedelic designs, definitely check her out! She also boasts of an excellent taste in music, and I've quiet enjoyed her suggestions ;)

Miss Allie Mass

I found Allie on Julia Bobbin's Mad Men challenge, and I've gotten a kick out of her posts for Made by Me May. I'm not one for blouses, and I've been living vicariously through hers! This one, in particular, is my favorite so far! :)

Questions for my nominee's:

1.  How long have you been stitching?
2.  Where did you learn to sew?
3.  Why do you sew?
4.  Which blogger has had the biggest impact on you? 
5.  What is the thing you have made you are most proud of? 
6.  How do you balance the rest of your life with sewing? 
7.  What piece of advice would you give to a novice stitcher? 
8.  What sewing skill eludes you that you would like to perfect?
9.  Why do you blog? 
10. What (or who) is your biggest source for inspiration? 
11. Tell me something about yourself that people would be surprised to know!

Okay, so I don't follow as many small blogs as I should (I'm still new to the sewing community!). Do you have any you'd suggest? Want me to check out yours? Leave the URL in a comment below :)

Once again, a big thank you to  Nicoline of The Reckless Needle for taking the time to check out my blog and mention me in her Liebster nominations!

Did you make it to the end of this post? Here, take this delicious cupcake as a reward! *hands you the cupcake of your dreams*

I'm almost done with the bridesmaid dresses, and my finals are next week, VERY SOON I'll be starting up some projects to keep you updated on!