A WEEKEND IN NEW YORK

Hi pals. This post is a couple of weeks belated, but I finally got around to organizing some photos and thought I'd share my thoughts on my weekend in New York (you may have seen some photos floating around already).

I made a pretty spontaneous (for me) decision to take a long weekend in New York in September after realizing the cost of shipping everything I wanted from Mood was more than a quarter of a flight there. I wrangled Sallie into coming with me - it was high time our internet friendship translated into the real world. The whole trip was really an excuse to meet other internet buds like Marcy, Ginger, Wanette, Devra and Kelli, with a heavy dash of "buying way too much fabric under the false apprehension that I won't need to fabric shop for at least 6 months" (you fabric hoarders know how this goes).

It was a magical weekend filled with crazy meals, lots of sewing talk and the realization that all these women I've been in love with online, I'm pretty much head over heels with in real life... I even met a few new pals like Jennifer and Latrice (whom Sallie and I shared a rather epic night on the town with, ending up at the uber swanky Standard hotel bar, resulting in Sallie and I lying in a Williamsburg park in near tears the next day with hangovers that could have taken down Courtney Love).

I would like to make this some sort of annual pilgrimmage. Maybe organize a bigger meet-up next time. It seemed too overwhelming to pull a Lladybird and shop with every blogger in the tri-state area but maybe next time I'll have the balls. If Lauren is by my side, that is.

Oh my pretty, pretty ladies. Miss you to pieces (not that guy playing cello.  He was not one of us).

So what did I bankrupt myself buying? Ohhh boy. The first day was pretty overwhelming, what with all the female bonding and Mood despoiling. I ended up with a crazy beautiful piece of metallic stretch suiting (the most I have ever spent per yard) which will hopefully turn into some kind of impossibly chic skinny trousers. It's the Season of Pants this year, so I also picked up some black and magenta sateen, grey striped drapey wool, a drapey black cotton/wool mix and a some gorgeous denim, all to clad my legs in high-waisted work appropriate glory in the months to come.  Additionally, I snagged some gorgeous cream cotton for my Sewaholic Cordova jacket (next up on the docket), 3 yards of stretch silk charmeuse for slips, 3 yards of the most beautiful green silk blend (I think cotton?), and a few yards of a stable cream knit for a circle skirt (already made and worn a few times).

I went a little bananas on notions as well. Friends, if you ever get a chance to buy thread in the fabric district, DO IT. I got many, many spools of 1000yd Gutterman for under $3 a pop. Less than half the cost at my local sewing emporium. I also stocked up on lingerie supplies and various odds and ends I have trouble sourcing from home.

Then I discovered Spandex House. Maddie raved about it when she got back from NY last year and holy moly.... the girl wasn't lying. Two breathtaking floors of every colour of every imaginable knit for swimwear or lingerie... I lost my mind. Many yards of powernet and mesh were aquired. And then these beautiful spandex selections for my next foray into swimwear design....

I almost broke myself getting it all home.

It's been a few weeks since I got back and I still find myself smiling and giggling at all the amazing memories. NY, I heart you. Sewing buds, I heart you even more...

what's playing at cbhq // the september soundtrack

what are you listening to? we wanna know!

hashtag #bikinigirlplaylist on instagram, pinterest, twitter and/or tumblr and share your favorite jams!

click here to listen to crispy bikinis september soundtrack on spotify ☺

something is in the air

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"I do have a bikini on my body pretty much 24•7•365. Main requirements: that it stays ON, doesn't look like a diaper when getting out from the water and is DIFFERENT from all the others." -- Cristina Swink

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Continuing Education... and changing everything I knew about darts!

Hello lovely readers. Things are starting to settle down here a bit. We're 2/3 unpacked and my studio has a semblance of order (it's all an illusion) and so with a few quiet moments to spare, I thought I'd share what I've been up to.

With our return to the U.S. from Norway, all sorts of possibilities opened up. Should I look for a job now or continue with Mrs. Depew Vintage? Should I go back to school? Take a yoga class or learn Kung fu? Should I dye my hair pink? All of these ideas have been rolling around in my head for the last 6 months, even before we started packing. Some were put on the back burner for now... the Monterey area is nearly as expensive as Norway was and maintaining pink hair would be pricey... but I did settle on a few important things.

I love my job. I love running Mrs. Depew Vintage more than anything else I've ever tried, so it follows that I should continue to do what I love! But what next? I'm a huge fan of continuing one's education, in any way one can afford or find time for. I decided to take 2 days each week off from work and take some classes at my local college in the Fashion Design department. Right now I'm taking Fashion Illustration (very useful so far, as I can't draw to save my life) and Pattern Design. Granted, I know how to draft a pretty good pattern already, but I never studied it formally and would like to add some industry expertise to my skill set. So far, it's challenging and so much fun.

My professor has a great range of experience and so far has been a fount of useful sewing tips. One of which I simply had to share with you all the second I tried it!

My whole sewing career I have been sewing darts the wrong way! I followed my sewing books and blog tutorials when I first learned darts, and as everyone knows (or seems to) you sew a bust dart from the outside to a perfect point. And it always bothered my that there was a slight point at the bust apex. Whose boobs are that pointy?
Certainly not mine! So to fix this and get an incredibly smooth finish to your dart, simply change your stitching angle, just at the very tip of the dart, and slightly curve away from the dart tip as you sew.

Just a dart sewn into a scrap of muslin... notice the slight curve away from the dart tip. Pardon my battle scarred cutting mat.

The dart pressed open to reveal a very smooth bust dart, curving instead of pointing.

 Remember, this should only be done for bust darts. Any darts, say on your bodice back, won't need this.
I know it's a bit geeky, but hell, I'm a sewing blogger so I can totally be excited about learning a new way to sew darts better!

How about you? Have you ever taken any courses that you consider continuing your education (but not necessarily working towards a degree)? Have you enjoyed taking Italian for no reason, or perhaps a bread-making class?

Happy sewing,

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miss monster energy cup 2013

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the gorgeous gemma lee farrell wearing custom monster energy x crispy bikinis wardrobe ❤

SALLIE SILK PART DEUX

Remember my hand-painted silk dress I posted a few weeks ago? Well, there is more to the story.

Not only did Sallie send me 5 yards of hand-painted gorgeousness, but ANOTHER, extra BONUS 5 yards of a neon-y green silk crepe. It was her first pass at dying the body of the silk and it came out too bright so she started over again. So honey pie sent me the too-bright silk along with the the handpainted stuff.

An embarrassment of riches.

I had bought the Cascade skirt pattern from Megan Nielson early in the summer with the intention of making it out of something airy-fairy-beautiful, so the Sallie neon silk was delivered at precisely the right time. I actually made the skirt a while before I started on the dress as I wanted to practise working with the fabric when the stakes weren't as high.

I love, love, LOVE this pattern - very few pattern pieces and it's super fast to assemble. The effect is so ethereal and delicate. The way the edges seem to scallop gives it a sculptural element and when made from a lightweight material it floats like gossamer when you walk the street. The summer of 2013 was all about floaty, airy things apparently.

The only issue I have with this make is the translucency of the silk. This material really needs to be lined but this pattern is not a good candidate for it due to the high-low hem and the wrap front. I've been wearing it with an old slip, one that I plan on replacing with a new one made from stretch silk charmeuse to be purchased in NY this weekend.

Oh yes. Speaking of Sallie, and New York.... using all my powers of persuasion, I somehow convinced her to meet me in NYC this weekend! We are finally going to meet in person after years of pen-palling and I couldn't be more excited. I love platonic romance. Can't wait for Mood, Marcy, Sonja, Wanette, Milk Bar cookies, the High Line, and those amazing $6 plates of Halal chicken on every corner. I heart NY.

Sew Expensive... Butterick 5758 Bathing Suit Pattern

A while back, I was watching a great bathing suit pattern on Ebay. And of course, it sold for an amazing sum so I set the info aside for a rainy day... it's not exactly raining but my studio is still wall to wall with boxes so this is a good time to blog about some patterns!

Are you ready for it?
This lovely original Butterick 5758 from 1951 sold for an amazing $145.98.

Take a look at those lovely details! This is no simple skirted bathing suit. Notice the lovely gathers at the princess seam over the bust and the clever turned back collar formed, it appears, straight out of the criss-cross straps! It's tiny little details like this that set this pattern a head above your average vintage skirted bathing suit pattern. On a side note, I should also mention that Butterick bathing suit/ playsuit patterns always seem to be a bit more scarce, and in my opinion, this drives the price up a bit.
(You can see pictures of the Butterick Pattern flyer advertising this, and other great patterns courtesy of Cemetarian here.)

For those of you waiting for a great bathing suit pattern that don't have that kind of bank laying around, here are a few options that might work more in your favor.

Depew 1001, available in multiple sizes.

Depew 1002.

Available in a size 16 on Etsy at FancyWork, $55.

Bathing Suit Reproduction By New Vintage Lady on Etsy, $25.

Available in a size 14 at Glass of Fashion on Etsy, $59.99.

I know, many of you are thinking that summer is just about over for you. Summer has apparently just begun in Monterey (what fun! different seasons to learn!) and I can't get trips to the beach off my mind!

OCEAN PARK: Test Drive Kite Surf in Puerto Rico

Para probar mis bikinis en un escenario real me los llevé a Puerto Rico en mis ultimas vacaciones. Estoy aprendiendo Kite Surfing y pude ver lo bien que funcionaban y sentirme segura con ellos aunque una cometa de 10 metros me arrastrara por el océano. 
// 
 To test my bikinis in a real scenario I took them to Puerto Rico on my last vacation. I'm learning "Kite Surfing" and I could see how well it worked, and feel safe with them while a 10 meter kite drag me by the ocean. 

Chicas, teneis que probarlos! poneros en contacto conmigo y os lo hago a medida, tenemos varias posibilidades en colores y estoy trabajando siempre en nuevos modelos! 
//
Girls, you have to try them! Contact me and I will show you several options in colors and I'm always working on new models!

Pretty, pretty vintage table...

I am very excited! Tomorrow our household goods (i.e. everything I couldn't fit in two suitcases) will finally arrive! We've been without most of our household comforts for over 3 months now and I'm more than ready to be settled again!
Interesting moments in camping in our own house have included using lawn furniture in the living room, working at Mrs. Depew Vintage for hours at a time sitting on the floor in front of my computer (also on the floor), and making delicious meals with a simple frying pan and plastic cutlery. Right about now I would kill to get my hands on a vegetable peeler!

One thing I do have now is a kitchen table/ dining set! Our very own Duncan Phyfe 1940's table and chairs arrived a few days ago and looks wonderful in our butter-cream (that I'm not allowed to paint) dining room.

Though the picture doesn't show much, the table legs are two sets of what I like to call upside-down lily petals with claw feet. And the chairs are my favorite part. They have the most beautiful, curved lines.

And of course I'll be recovering the chair cushions. The antique dealer we bought them from said the greatest thing, "When I had it refinished, I knew that anything I covered the chairs with, the next owner would just hate. So I covered them with bed sheet fabric."
Genius.
Which leads me to my question... with black wood and butter-cream walls, what kind of fabric should I choose? A solid, a print, a stripe? Since I can't paint I'm hoping that I can use colorful fabrics to cheer up the room a bit.

I'm sort of toying with these... which do you like?

P.S. On another note, Mrs. Depew Vintage just reached 6,000 sales on Etsy. It has been a couple of years but I'm so proud! To celebrate, here's a coupon code for 15% off any order, good until September 5th! Use code "SIXTHOUSAND" at checkout.