Name the Dress Form Contest Winner!

Well it took the judges and I a bit longer than expected to deliberate! We loved the many names that you clever readers came up with but only one could win. The choices were so good that even the judges couldn't land on the same one! In the end I took the top 6, tossed them in a bowl and picked one at random. So, the new girl has a name! Meet Lusty Lulu!
Which means that our gift certificate winner is Emily! Emily also happens to write a great vintage-style blog, well worth checking out!
(Emily, I'll shoot you an email to work out the details.)

A special thanks goes to our guest judges: Brittany of Va-Voom Vintage Blog, Tilly of Tilly and the Buttons and my best friend, Becky!

In other news, a few days ago I finished my last final for the classes I was taking at my local community college. Boy, was it a relief! I loved the classes, my professor was brilliant, and my classmates were hilarious (ever seen the show Community? Spot on.) but I was exhausted from too much work, puppy, super-secret Christmas sewing (he doesn't even know I've been sewing anything!) and homework.

I especially loved my Fashion Illustration course. I went from basically drawing stick figures to a pretty decent grasp of the industry standard "10 head (tall) fashion figure".
For my final project I drew illustrations of my corset and long line bra from the Ohhh La La Pin-up Sew-Along and while they're not perfect, I had so much fun creating them in Photoshop!

If you have some free time next month, try a class at your local community college and learn something new! It's a blast!
I'll share more of the super-secret sewing project after Christmas so I don't let any cats out of bags but right now, I'm off to walk a German Shepherd pup who is sick of chilling calmly in my studio all day.

Happy Holidays!

happy birthday ellesse!

we hope crispy bikinis girl and crispy bikinis girl model search 2012 model search winner ellesse tzinberg

a very happy birthday yesterday!

click here follow @ellesse_jordan on instagram and wish her a happy belated birthday ☺

mermaid out of water // ellesse tzinberg

check out crispy bikinis girls 2012 model search winner ellesse tzinberg

rockin her crispy bikinis 'MANHATTAN' bandeau and 'CHERIE' bottom

both in Glow Pink and Reversible in Python

▼ get the look ▼

click here to design your own 'MANHATTAN'

click here to design your own 'CHERIE'

{photos cred joel dellosa}

caught in crispy style // season two sx ed with miss sx: episode two

have you checked out miss supercross dianna dahlgren in "sx ed with miss sx" season two : episode 2?

dianna is rockin a custom monster energy x crispy bikinis crop top

{designed and handmade by the ladies of crispy bikinis - sue and cristina}

how crispy customers do it: gunmetal grey skies

some stylish crispy bikinis girls have been turning to cool grey hues for an understated,

effortlessly hot bikini looks.

ready to go gunmetal grey? check out these lux combos...

'MANHATTAN' bandeau X 'DELTA' bottom in Grey and White Chevron Stripe and Reversible in Gunmetal

with a cute little scrunch butt

click here to design your own

'RHUM' top X 'REIGN' bottom in Galaxy Black

click here to design your own 'RHUM' top

click here to design your own 'REIGN' bottom

'PYT' top X 'LINGERIE INSPIRED MUSE' bottom in Grey and White Chevron Stripe with White Lingerie Trim

click here to design your own 'PYT' top

click here to design your own 'LINGERIE INSPIRED MUSE' bottom

'AXL' top in Galaxy Black with Onyx Black Straps X 'CHERIE' Bottom in Onyx Black

click here to design your own 'AXL' top

click here to design your own 'CHERIE' bottom

'ESTELLA' one piece in Gunmetal

click here to design your own 'ESTELLA'

'808' top with Purple Ties X 'CHERIE' bottom - both pieces handmade in Grey and White Chevron Stripes

click here to design your own '808' top

click here to design your own 'CHERIE' bottom

'MUSE' suit in Gunmetal and Reversible in Atlantic with Onyx Black ties

click here to design your own 'MUSE' top

click here to design your own 'MUSE' bottom

'COASTAL' top X 'LINGERIE INSPIRED CHERIE' bottom with White Lingerie Trim

both pieces in Grey and White Chevron Stripes

click here to design your own

yay! // #caughtincb contest winners announced

we are so excited to announce our latest #caughtincb contest winners!

as always, we can't thank you enough for your continued support and for rockin' crispybikinis

we can't wait to share these beautiful #caughtincb photos!

if you are mentioned in the announcement below

please eMail info@crispybikinis.com to redeem your prize ❤

caught in crispy style // season two sx ed with miss sx: episode one

have you checked out miss supercross dianna dahlgren in "sx ed with miss sx" season two : episode one?

dianna is rockin a custom monster energy x crispy bikinis suit in the opening and ending credits

{suit designed and handmade by the ladies of crispy bikinis - sue and cristina}

New Paper Patterns Sitting on my Shelf of Awesome.

Boy have I been busy, my dear readers! Between two college classes (why, oh why did I think two at once would be a good idea?) running Mrs. Depew Vintage, and le pup needing full time watching, I've been seriously overwhelmed! I dropped everything yesterday to go get a massage and today, I'm sore but also a bit recharged again. When I haven't been chasing after Butters (le pup has been renamed... it's a long story), doing homework, or taking care of the house (so much pet fur to stay on top of...) I have been busy folding patterns!

I thought that I was going to hate it but there's something so satisfying about breaking a large piece of paper down into exact fractions so that they fit perfectly in their little envelopes... over and over again... I'm such a sucker for repetitive work.

I have started with my most popular patterns, most often requested by those with no printer at home, and so without further ado, here they are!

Depew #1003 available at Mrs. Depew Vintage.

Depew #2013 available at Mrs. Depew Vintage.

Depew 2012 available at Mrs. Depew Vintage.

Currently they sit in a place of honor right under "Boobs" McGee, my 1950's bullet bra model.

My "Shelf of Awesome".

Next up in paper patterns will be the 1950's Style Bathing Suit pattern (Depew #1001) and the ever popular 1950's Style Beach Bustier (Depew #1018)... if I can ever find the time to finish them!

I was so excited about how reasonable printing costs were in comparison to what I paid in Norway! It means that I can offer reprints of my other paper patterns for lower prices. Huzzah!

This has been a big project and I'm so relieved to have it finished for the time being. But enough about me!
How about you? Have you been working on any of your own big projects lately?
And when you're finished, how do you usually reward yourself? With a massage? New clothes? Shoes? More fabric?

Happy sewing,

fourth times a charm for dianna dahlgren

check out four-time miss supercross dianna dahlgren

in the latest 2014 sx ed with miss sx video trailer

dianna is rockin custom monster energy x crispy bikinis pieces

designed and handmade by the ladies of crispybikinis {sue and cristina}

aint nothin but a prism party

just a dash-of-flash with pearly brights and iridescent treatments

like these shimmery customers creations and crispy bikinis favorites

▽△

cb '808' top in Runway Pink X 'AXL' bottom in Sugar Skulls Print - both pieces with Teal ties + straps

click here to design your own '808' top

click here to design your own 'AXL' bottom

cb 'DOUBLE DARE' suit in Runway Pink with Gold Rings

click here to design your own 'DOUBLE DARE' top

click here to design your own 'DOUBLE DARE' bottom

cb 'BEETLEJUICE' suit in Yellow Peacock Print and Runway Pink with Gold Rings

click here to design your own 'BEETLEJUICE' top

click here to design your own 'BEETLEJUICE' bottom

cb 'BEETLEJUICE' top in Leaf Print and Reversible in Runway Pink

click here to design your own 'BEETLEJUICE' top

cb 'COASTAL BANDEAU' top X 'A MILLIE' bottom both pieces in Emerald with Gold Ties and Chain

click here to design your own 'COASTAL BANDEAU' top

click here to design your own 'A MILLIE' bottom

cb 'AXL' top X 'BOUDOIR' bottom reversible in Emerald - both pieces in Coral

click here to design your own 'AXL' top

click here to design your own 'BOUDOIR' bottom

cb 'KINGSLEIGH' top in Onyx Black with ties in Emerald

click here to design your own 'KINGSLEIGH' top

cb 'REIGN' bandeau top X 'GEM' Bottom in Glow Pink and reversible in Emerald

click here to design your own 'REIGN' top

click here to design your own 'GEM' bottom

cb 'MANHATTAN' bandeau top X 'CHERIE' bottom in Glow Pink and reversible in '13 Natural Python

click here to design your own 'MANHATTAN' top

click here to design your own 'CHERIE' bottom

cb 'COASTAL' top in Leopard Print with Glow Pink ties X 'DELTA' bottom in glow pink

*specially added Leopard Print bow

click here to design your own 'COASTAL' top

click here to design your own 'DELTA' bottom

cb 'KINGSLEIGH' suit in Glow Pink with Hot Pink ties and ribbon

click here to design your own 'KINGSLEIGH' top

click here to design your own 'KINGSLEIGH' bottom

cb 'KINGSLIEGH' top in Camouflage X 'COASTAL' bottom in Glow Pink with Camouflage ties

click here to design your own 'KINGSLEIGH' top

click here to design your own 'COASTAL' bottom

cb 'RHUM' top in Camouflage and Glow Pink X 'GEM' bottom in Glow Pink

click here to design your own 'RHUM' top

click here to design your own 'GEM' bottom

cb 'PARADISE' suit in Glow Pink and reversible in Camouflage

click here to design your own 'PARADISE' top

click here to design your own 'PARADISE' bottom

cb 'COASTAL' suit in Camouflage and reversible in Glow Pink

click here to design your own 'COASTAL' top

click here to design your own 'COASTAL' bottom

repost contest! do it now ▸▸

all you have to do is...

1. repost this photo on your instagram

2. make sure you follow + mention @crispybikinis

3. hashtag #cblovelacesale

and you will receive one crispybikinis.com u.s. free shipping code!

❤ pass it on! please share with your family and friends

*free standard shipping within the u.s.

More Simplicity S-Series Patterns!

Hello lovely readers. Before I get started on some serious homework this weekend, I wanted to show you what I have in my sewing room right now!

As most of you know, I collect a particular line of vintage sewing patterns created by Simplicity in the 1930's, which I call the S-Series. There were maybe 23 different patterns made in this line (I'm still trying to place the exact year and number) and as of today, I now have 20 of them, including the two loveliest that I've been looking for the longest!
Below are Simplicity S605 and S612, two of the most beautiful sewing patterns I have ever seen.

Sadly both are missing a couple of pieces so I'm still hunting for complete copies...

I want to extend a very warm thank you to those of you who have emailed me to let me know about patterns up for sale that I might not have seen yet. I owe most of my success in finding these patterns to you, my dear readers!

I owe my particular success in finding the above to two different Etsy pattern sellers who were kind enough to contact me and offer me incredibly fair prices for their patterns. It's pretty common knowledge how badly I wanted these patterns and neither of them took advantage of my weekeness, so thank you!
These pattern sellers are Amy of Vienna's Grace and Mary Beth of Retro Monkeys. Both of these ladies have incredibly beautiful vintage patterns in very reasonable prices so I recommend checking them out if you're in a pattern buying mood.

I also added two others to my collection, Simplicity S619: a darling baby romper pattern, and S609; a beautiful nightgown pattern with pretty gathering details at the bodice.

So what's the plan? What am I going to do with these lovely patterns once I have them all? Why, sew them, of course! Granted I'll have to find some small children to dress in the few children's patterns included with this line... but I'll worry about that later...

For now, I have homework which involves me drafting half a dozen bodice patterns in various princess seam variations and since it's going to take for bloody ever, I must get to it.

Happy weekend!