Sparrow Song (video)

Hello loves,

 how about this beautiful 70s graphic-print dress? I love it so much. It came from a vintage store on Belmont  where a friend of mine works. I've been hesitant to go there. Probably because I am so proud of finding vintage, on my own, at thrift stores. But  I'm glad I finally checked it out. They had a nice selection of affordable dresses (12 bucks). I got three and I didn't have to dig too much. I'm sure you'll be seeing them.

Yeah, that's me, my little vox combo-amp (thanks Anthony/Craig's List) and my electric mandolin. I bought it on a whim at a pawn shop. And now I can't live without it.

I have been concentrating a lot on work and music lately. Not that my work at the record store is very difficult, I just work a lot of hours. I also have my first show as a one-woman band (and my first show, besides open mic, in years) on the 21st.

I made a little video of  myself performing one of my original songs, if you're interested in hearing it...

Sparrow Song from Dominique D'Amico on Vimeo.



It's called sparrow song. When I was a little girl my grandma gave me a guide to the birds of North America. The first bird I identified was the common House Sparrow. And I've wanted to be one ever since.

thanks for reading
xo
D

A New Old Dress

See, I told you I was back. And for my first outfit post of 2012 a sweet little vintage dress:

As usual, this dress was floor length when I bought it and I'm not sure if I shortened it enough. The fabric is a  nice soft flanel. I think I'll make a pillow out of the the scrap that I cut from the bottom.

Can you tell I'm trying to get into the swing of blogging again? I could only get one good photo of myself and I have no idea what to write. I'm sure it'll all come back to me.

xo

D

Oh, Hey...

 I'm just going to saunter on in and make a post like I haven't been ignoring this blog for almost a year.*whistles nonchalantly*

A lot has changed since I last updated this thing. I moved into a new place.

I share the entire 2nd floor of an 100 year old feather duster factory with 5 other people. As you can see the space is amazing. I couldn't be happier. And I found it just at the right time.

I also got a new job at a record store, one of the oldest surviving independent record stores in the city. I love vinyl and have been casually collecting since highschool. I get to listen to records all day. The people are great. It's the perfect job for me.

So life is good. I've decide to renew my commitment to this blog. If anyone is still reading, there will be an outfit post this week. And more about Reckless and records in general.

I missed you

XO
D

Criminal Negligence

I have been shamelessly neglecting my blog and Etsy shop recently. If they were my children, they would have been forcibly removed from my custody by the relevant authorities. I haven't stopped thrifting/aquiring goodies, I just haven't gotten around to sharing them or posting them for sale. I can't claim I have been super productive over the past couple weeks, I've mostly just been singing karaoke and going to open mic night. but as a result, I've met some truly good  people and have been inspired to make music for the first time in a couple years. I'll share more about the music stuff sometime later I'm sure, right now I just want to show off a few of the recent finds that will be making their way into in my shop this week...

    

And there is a ton more, lots of dresses and other lovelies. I just need to stay on top of listing everything. Oh, and please ignore the sound of crickets echoing loudly from this blog. I'm still around. I promise. 

xo

D

Did I mention I'm an Audio Engineer?

  

Or at least I'm trying to be. I think I'm pretty good at it, but I don't make a living recording. I just love it. Especially analog recording.

I wanted to share some pictures from a day in Control B. A little peak into my life beyond thrifting and crafts.

2 tracks of 10k tone, as played through the repro heads , pre-azimuth adjust. 

Adjusting repro gain

I was actually making a cassette that day. So I used this when I was done to judge how it would sound on a regular old boom box.

Since this blog is supposed to be about clothes and crafts I didn't want to get into too much gear talk but if you have questions about what I was working on let me know. And speaking of clothes...this is how I look on an average day at the studio...

Casual 

A Little Trim Makes a Time-Warp

A few moths ago, I found this plain old 90s sack dress at the thrift shop. I dug the impressionist nose-gay floral print, and there was something cool about the way it fit, but it was nothing special...     

On another thrift trip, a couple months later, I found a bag of old ribbons and notions that included some great faux-crochet (faux-chet?) trim. Today, I decided to put the two together... 

  

         

        

The end result is a little tie-back baby doll that I will totally wear...

 I like it much better now. I  feel like I opened a ribbon-lined worm-hole from 1993 to 1969. Now it's more granny/girly, more my style. It's also a little more flattering. I'm also considering shortening it a  bit. Why not complete the time-warp and make it a mini? But I'm a little torn. I sort of like the length. I think I'll wear it a couple times before I decide.

Anyways thats it. A little trim and some hand sewing can make a so-so dress a little more wearable. Actually,  some of you might think the dress was better before I go my hands on it. If so let me know. I can handle it. 

Thanks for reading,

XO

D

Oh and  PS, I added two new dresses to my Etsy Shop today. Go over there and check them out if you feel like it. 

Shop Update: Let the Vintage Dress Listing Begin!

The Prim and Proper Vintage Dress and The Sweet Heart Mini Dress

As I mentioned in my last post, I finally got a dress form to display the vintage dresses I have been amassing for my Etsy Shop. I started by listing  these two little beauts. I am still learning the ins and outs of my new camera so I want to spread the photos out. I feel like if I do them all  at once, I will end up needing to retake some of them.

I've decided to list at least 2 dresses at a time, once a week, for the next 2 months. I will be listing other things (belts, jewelry, handmade stuff, blouses) throughout the week, but Wednesday will be Vintage Dress Day.

If any of you have any advice on lighting / photographing clothing let me know. I need all the help I can get!

xo
D

Chicago Craft Social

Oh, hello. It feels like I haven't posted in a little while. I haven't been particularly busy, I've just been in a period of blog/shop limbo. I'd been shopping around for a new camera and a dress form. I felt like I couldn't do ANYTHING until they arrived. But they are here now, so limbo is officially over. Expect more posts and shop updates this week, for sure.

Now, just because I've been in limbo, doesn't mean I've been completely stagnant. This weekend I had a blast leading a ribbon embroidery project at the Chicago Craft Social....

My sample project

My table mid-social

Super-fancy recycled fabric facsinator table

A finished fascinator

a duct-tape clutch

A craft social is and event where crafters get together to learn and make stuff. There were about 20 tables at this particular social, each featuring a different project. All supplies needed to make each project are provided, and everyone goes from table to table making as many things to take home as they can.

It was a really fun afternoon, but also kind of  hectic. I had a constant steam of eager embroidery students from 1 to 4 pm but it felt like the fastest 3 hours of my life. I started showing people how to make ribbon roses, and then BOOM, I look up and the whole day was over. The only bummer was that, as a project leader, I didn't get the chance to leave my table and try any of the other fun projects.

And now, to work on photos for my Etsy shop. I am so happy that I have my dress form. I can list all the vintage dresses I have hanging in my hall closest!

Thanks for reading,
xo,
D

My New Obsession: Side Combs

I came across a huge bag of multi-colored plastic side combs in the " ziploc-bags-full-of-random-collections-of-stuff " section of the thrift store. The combs were just hanging there, all ignored, between a bag of doll parts and another full of old phone chords and ac adapters. I'm still not sure what appealed to me about this bag of used hair accessories. Something inside me just knew I had to have them. And at a dollar a dozen what did I have to loose?

I don't argue with fate. So I took them  home and soaked them in rubbing alcohol overnight (I'm wierd not crazy). The next morning, I put one in my hair and instantly fell in love. I'm not quite sure how I lived without these things before now...




I  am so happy with my purchase. So many possibilities for cuteness.  For the look above, I added a little pink crochet trim to a blue pair (what doesn't look cuter with crochet trim?) and set my hair in rag curls for a 40s inspired 'do.

 

My crochet cuties and a small sampling of the secondhand combs that changed my life.

I think the moral of the story is: Don't be afraid of secondhand hair stuff. Almost anything can be cleaned. A secondary personal moral: I must be easily amused/inspired if a bag of plastic combs can make me so happy.

Thanks for reading,


xo
D

Knit Project: Color-Work Cropped Sweater

Yeah, I know, it's a little late in the season to be knitting a sweater. But this hand-spun alpaca was calling to me from my stash. Besides, it's still snowing outside and this little number will be a staple of my wardrobe next fall.

 Have a look...

I used intarsia and stranded color work to make the little floral motif. The jacquard daisy design is from  this color chart by Jessica Tromp. Her Site ( http://www.jessica-tromp.nl ) is full of free knitting charts and patterns. I have never met her or anything but I'm pretty sure she's an angel.

Obviously, this was my first time doing stranded color work. If you compare the bottom of the panel to the top you can tell my technique improved as I got the hang of it.






The shape of the sweater is based on  Elizabeth Zimmerman's  Norwegian yoke sweater with a couple of tweaks . I shortened the body and sleeves. Obviously, instead of increasing the sleeves gradually, I increased to the total number of stitches on the first row after the ribbing. I also took advantage of the natural stretch of knit fabric and used negative ease for a nice tight but comfortable fit.  I also improvised a little with the shoulder shaping because I wanted a boat neck.






So that's what I've been up to for the past week or so. There is something very comforting about knitting in front of a fire, and that's pretty much all I've been doing lately (I have a gas fireplace. That counts right?). Oh, I have also been working on my ribbon embroidery skills for an upcoming Craft Social event (more on that later.)


Anyone else out there have any interesting projects in the works? Feel free to link. I would love to check them out.


xo
D