tulip skirt (and a new camera!)

My outtakes on this camera are better than the final cuts on my old camera.

And because I am still learning how to use this camera (and use it on manual focus, and use it on self-timer), I have only outtakes of this skirt.  (I really have no excuse for the lack of ironing though, sorry, except I hate ironing).

This is the Tulip Skirt, another lovely Wiksten pattern.  The fabric is a remnant of unknown fabric content from G Street Fabrics.

I made size S and everything worked out about right, but for some reason my waistband didn't match up to the skirt when it was pleated.  It may be because I did french seams and used greater than the seam allowance accidentally, but I just made the pleats a little smaller to adjust.

I had fun playing with the stripes, using them horizontally for the placket, and cutting on the bias for the ties.  The inside of the waistband is horizontal as well.

I toiled for a day over which buttons to use - these were from the collection I inherited from my grandmother.

Sorry for all the pictures - I'm excited about my new camera!  I bought a Canon Rebel EOS XT body (pre-owned and discounted) and a Canon 50mm f1.8 that Kristina recommended.  And then I discovered that the lens on an old 35mm we got at a yard sale fits too!

I just don't have a clue what I'm doing with it.  More projects to come this week though!

Oh I almost forgot!  This is the first of my Handmade Wardrobe - you can see it here on Flickr along with photos of handmade clothes by other members of the group!

vintage finds

Oh my goodness.  I loved Avenue Antiques, once I discovered the downstairs. 

That place is so big I never bothered to go upstairs until last weekend.  It's even BETTER up there.  It's like vintage pyrex heaven.  I think I was in the whole store for two hours (poor Ben).  That place is a gem, and luckily I don't think anyone from Baltimore reads this blog, so I can keep it to myself a little longer...

Charlie Brown/heart monitor skirt (I don't know) - $10!!

 I'm working one of these plate walls - $6!

I untangled this necklace for 10 minutes in the store without knowing if it was worth it - my hard work paid off - $10!

And a vintage map of Massachusetts for $6.

Earlier in the week I picked up another addition to my vintage suitcase collection from Avenue Antiques and it's becoming a paper and pencil organizer for the kitchen because EVERYTHING ends up on the kitchen table.  This was half off - $7.50.

I know it's probably so tacky to list the prices but they're SUCH good deals!  You'll know if I don't list the price I'm embarassed to admit how much I shelled out for something...

Blogging has been slow because I've been waiting for my new camera (and now a CF card?!) and I wanted to take these pictures and others with it.  Hopefully today - I got the camera yesterday and I was sitting there with the manual in one hand, dslr guides on the computer with the other hand and somehow a third hand fiddling with buttons and switches and then I just put everything down to start looking for photography classes.  I feel like a baby learning to walk.  I'm SO excited though.

camera recommendations

Tax refund time - I want to finally buy a dslr but I don't have the first friggin' clue what I'm looking at.  What kind of camera do you use?  What brands do you recommend?  What should I pay the most attention to, especially since right now I don't know what most of the descriptions even MEAN?!  I fully realize that a nice camera means nothing if you don't know how to take a picture, so I'd like to pair this purchase with a photography class since I'm so clueless - which unfortunately means I have to stay on the low end of cameras price-wise.

I posted this picture because it makes me laugh - I would have liked this picture if it wasn't for the fact that you can see the lens cap (cover?) in the corner because it won't always open all the way because is sticky with the remnants of peach juice.  That's not funny actually - this owner needs to take better care of things, particularly a future camera.

I also posted it because summer sounds nice right now.