noel vallens: say something pretty

a few weeks ago, the neighbors were having a moving sale, and i found a skirt made out of beautiful fabric that looked like it belonged on the wall of a victorian mansion.  unfortunately, the shape was long, unflattering, dowdy and just too big.

you can see, in this completely normal standing-on-my-couch pose, just how unflattering this skirt was.  finally - i remembered to take a ‘before’ photo.

so, last night i set to work putting in two gigantic darts into the back of the skirt.  since the zipper was in the side seam, those couldn’t be taken in.  and i wanted to maintain a flat, straight front, so no action there either.  so, those two darts in the back had to bear the weight of 1) making the skirt my size and 2) bringing the waist-line from hip to waist level.

i think it’s now a much better fit…

next, i chopped off several inches, gave the bottom a new baby hem, then used the extra fabric and lining to make an extra long tie-belt that wraps around twice.  i had envisioned more of a really thick tie-belt with a big knot tie, but i didn’t really have too much extra fabric to really make the one i wanted.  but, this will do.  but i’m now becoming worried that my entire closet is going to be made up of my neighbor’s clothes.

the fabric is a cream and yellow, and my general habit is pair everything with black.  but i decided to go with the grays and creams.

joelle and i had a fun fall photoshoot in battery park.  while we were hanging out, throwing leaves up in the air, we had some bystander-photographers actually make a photo request.  apparently the first 3 times of me throwing leaves wasn’t enough for them to get their shot.

reworked thrifted banana republic skirt, f21 shirt, h&m cardigan, seychelles heels, etsy lion necklace

noel vallens: brainy brainy

in nyc all of a sudden it went from winding-down summer days, to what felt like full on winter.  but then we finally got a few days of pleasant fall weather.  it’s my favorite weather for clothes, where it’s chilly enough to wear fun tights and little jackets and blazers, but not full on winter coats and snow boots.

i love this tweed wool skirt, but the length was making me feel a bit school-marm-ish, so i decided to let my legs throw a little lace-tights-party.

this little pyrite necklace was a recent creation of mine.  i love pyrite so much!  i think it all goes back to my childhood when i was obsessed with all gems, and…all rocks pretty much.  but pyrite was always my absolute favorite.  i think it was because i always thought the rock people had to slip up and let some real gold through sometime.

so, i’ve gotten a few comments on my recent daily wear of my glasses.  my eyes are recovering from a little scratch, so i’m on glasses for a bit…so it’s a good thing that earlier this year i completely stocked up on a million pairs of new glasses.  i found out that you can buy glasses (frames + lenses) online for something crazy like $8 to $40 a pair.  so, i went a little crazy and could now wear a different pair of glasses every day of the week.

these are some of my favorites, but you definitely have to dig through the sites to find the good ones, because there are some horrible ones on there, AND you can’t really try them before you buy….but when you can get a whole wardrobe of glasses for $15 each, it’s worth the risk. this is pair that i’m wearing above, and this website has all of the sites, and has a ton of information.

thrifted wool skirt, pyrite cluster necklace, thrifted sweater, seychelles heels, tights (i can’t remember), freeway glasses, thrifted evan picone jacket

pattern: moss stitch bow headband

so, first things first this  morning.  congratulations to Clare from Between Laundry Days for winning the crochet bib necklace!  yay!

and today, i have a simple little knit pattern.  this photo was actually taken a while back, but i’m thinking of making everything out of these bows.  necklaces? bow ties?  bracelets?

this bow headband is so simple to make, it doesn’t really warrant the creation of a pattern, but here it is anyway.  i just used the brightest yarn that was laying about the apartment, but pretty much any substitution would work.  and the variations are endless.  for my next one, i’m thinking BIG.  and floppy.

the idea for this knit bow came about after seeing this crochet version and thinking i want to knit it.  and i want it to have texture (i.e. the moss stitch).

Materials
- Worsted weight yarn (I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease Solids and Heathers) Less than 1 skein
- US #8 knitting needles
- size G crochet hook

Gauge
18sts and 24 rows = 4”

Notes
Gauge, nor yarn weight is critical for this project.  For a larger or smaller bow, add or decrease cast-on stitches, making sure to keep the total number an odd number.

Seed stitch pattern: K1, *P1, K1.  Repeat from * across.
Repeat for all rows.

PATTERN

Main bow:
Cast on 13 stitches. 
Work in seed stitch until work measures 5.5 inches.
Bind off in pattern. 

Loop:
cast on 5 stitches.
Work in seed stitch until work measures 3 inches.
Bind off in pattern. 

Headband:
Using crochet hook, chain stitch 3 ropes about 20 inches long (or size to fit around your head).

Piecing it together:
To make the bow, wrap the loop around the center of the main bow and stitch it together on the backside.  Run the 3 crochet chains through the back of the loop and join to the beginning of the chains.

noel vallens: a skirt only a mother could love

this is the story of my trash treasure skirt. one day a week or month or so ago, i spotted a sign for a stoop sale not far from my apartment. since it was getting late in the afternoon, i was scurrying as fast as i could to get there before everything was gone. unfortunately, the location was unclear and no stoop sale in sight. however, in my frantic searching, i saw a mysterious bag of items near (okay, in) a big trash bin.

never one to pass up some treasures, i took a little peak. i’m sure this was just leftovers from the recently ended stoop sale. right?

just when i was about to give up, i noticed a little gold glimmer shining out in a bin full of grime and grit.

i pulled it out to get a good look. someone had given it a lot of love and wear, and it had definitely seen better days. the fit was all baggy and length too long, so i decided to take it home and give it a makeover.

after chopping a bit off, taking it in, and giving it a better shape…it’s finally ready.  tonight, i was walking around my neighborhood wondering which one of my neighbors threw out this little treasure, and what they’d do if they saw me wearing it around.

trash skirt is worn with the weardrobe dress, courtesy of modcloth, who was nice enough to send the dress out to all of us conference-goers to see how each us styled it up.  i thought the pleated neckline was a perfect compliment to the gold glitziness of the skirt. paired with a vintage faux fur collar and some handmade jewels.

this is a double animal outfit. double predator animals. the lion was a great find at a neighborhood stoop sale for something crazy like $1.

and the snake was a little something i picked up this weekend at a yard sale near beacon, ny. i also got his black snake twin, but he’s missing a tail and needs a little work.

this little guy, barkley, wanted to be a part of the photoshoot. apparently, he loves having his photo taken (he was very excited).

i pretty much put on as much gold as i could find in my closet. these earrings are little something i made over the weekend. they are chunks of pyrite on a chain… and they’re my favorite earrings at the moment.

and finally, everything wouldn’t be complete without gold, shiny heels.

skirt found in the trash, modcloth weardrobe dress, stoop saled lion belt, yard saled snake bangle, self-designed pyrite earrings, seychelles gold platforms, vintage faux fur collar, gap jacket (thrifted), self-designed necklace, oliver peoples glasses

giveaway: crochet bib necklace + pattern!

this week, we’re hosting a little giveaway, of the ruffled crochet bib necklace.  this is a little handmade number was recently featured on our blog, and…now it can be yours!

to enter you have two options. for one entry, just leave a comment.  for two entries, post about the giveaway to your blog or site (or tweet it!), and then leave us a link to your post in our comments section. the last day to enter is sunday, oct 18.

or…if you’d rather make your own (and you know how to crochet), here’s the pattern:

**pattern updated 10/19/09: updated Row 3 of  pattern**

Materials: I used Peaches & Creme cotton solids and a size G hook, but you could pretty much use yarn/hook size to get whichever size you prefer.

C= chain
SC= single crochet
DC= double crochet
TC= triple crochet

Chain 33 sts
row 1: DC into third stitch from hook, DC across row.
row 2: C3, turn, DC into first st, *chain 3, DC into next st, repeat from * across the row.
row 3: C3, turn, DC into first st, then in loop created from previous row (TC, C1, TC, TC, C1, TC), * C3 skip 1 loop, SC into next loop, C3, skip 1 loop, in next loop (TC, C1, TC, TC, C1, TC). Continue from * to the end of the row. DC into remaining st. Bind off.

Repeat for next layer only chaining 29 stitches for the foundation row.

Repeat for next later only chaining 25 stitches for the foundation row.

Stitch all three together and attach to a chain.  you’re done!

noel vallens: winged traveler

this past sunday was a rainy dreary day, so i spent most of my time indoors working on some crafty projects.  the sun peeped out a bit in the evening and rick and i took a little walk for some snacks and treats.  rainy sundays call for big oversized cardigans and ruffly ruffles.

over the past week i’ve been experimenting a bit with my new hair, and have been going with the most ridiculously cutesy-cute curls.  (like here, but generally even curlier).

these are the curls that i long for…

however, when cutting my hair, i underestimated my tendency to wear cute things - ruffles, frills, polka dots, secretary dresses.  paired with my new curls, i’m feeling about as sweet as a cupcake.  so, i’m starting to gravitate towards a few new things now, to counterbalance my hair:

1. leather
2. lots of black
3. long, flowy drapey things
4. leopard prints
5. mini(er) skirts, low cut shirts

one of my weekend craft projects, i crocheted up this ruffled bib necklace, and put it on a vintage gold chain.  it turned out so adorable.  i know i was trying to stay away from ruffles, but i couldn’t help it.

and i’ve pretty much been living in this big batwing cardigan since i got it.  it was a recent purchase, from…walmart.  it’s a part of the norma kamali for walmart collection, and i love it!  and it was something ridiculous like $15 or something.  it was in the “athletic” category, so i was a little scared, but it’s adorable.  the quality is good, and the fabric is a little stretch cotton knit, but completely cute.

the jeans here are a gift from pacsun from the weardrobe conference.  they are totally cute!  this dark wash was my favorite of all the colors, and the fit is amazing.

and yep, i wear glasses. and so does joelle.  we’re pretty much blind as bats.

norma kamali for walmart batwing cardigan, uniqlo tank, self designed crochet bib necklace, vintage booties, oliver peoples glasses, pac sun jeans, vintage bracelets, glitter pop ring

noel vallens: shipley and halmos

this past saturday, thanks to my friend dan, i was lucky enough to get a ticket to the shipley and halmos show, which was just spectacular.

foregoing the runway, they displayed their line via videos which were projected on every wall.  then we got to peruse the collection first hand, by sifting through the pieces displayed on a rack along the wall.  all that was missing was a fitting room.

after milling about the show for a bit, we headed up to the high line for an impromptu photo shoot.  all of these fantastic photos were shot by cory.

this “dress” is actually a shirt, but i didn’t let that stop me from wearing it without pants.  it’s made of the softest jersey material ever and was so comfortable it was hard not to wear it to sleep.  the dress/shirt was a recent purchase (so recent it showed up on my doorstep the day of the event) from the gomattagirls site, which i’m becoming slightly obsessed with.  it’s a one-day only sample-sale kind of shop, so each day they’ll have completely new stuff.

n. fem dress, self made chain necklace, seychelles gold platform heels, vintage ferragamo purse, vintage gold bracelet cuff

noel vallens: going wild and bright

one afternoon i was itching to make something, but i wanted it to be done very quickly, i.e. in just a few hours.  so, i went over to the fabric store and picked out a bright fabric that matched my blue nails and carried it home.

what came of it was the multi-purpose skirt/scarf/party dress that can be transformed, looped, and molded into pretty much any garment you want.  and it’s super easy to make.

the most functional is probably this double layer full skirt, held up by a belt + a decorative belt on top to make it look pretty.  it’s not exactly….slimming…with all of that fabric and so many belts, but it works.

here’s the full tutorial for the cirlce scarf/skirt.

and…i’m also wearing my new cat necklace!  this beauty started out as a belt buckle (hence it’s gigantic size and substantial weight) but not having an appropriate belt to pair it with, i strung it up as a necklace.  and you’ll also note that it is double-cat day with the leopard ring.  usually i have to sneak out of the house before rick can check me for wearing too many cat accessories.

self-designed circle skirt, f21 tank, cat buckle as a necklace, seychelles heels

nobody puts baby (hem) in a corner.

joelle and i recently had a craft excursion out to my apartment in brooklyn.  on the way, we passed some pretty doorways that we couldn’t resist climbing into and snapping some photos.

noel: my skirt is actually one of my recent d.i.y. tailoring projects.  i found this in a recent trip to providence, rhode island but it was originally very long and very church lady-ish.  but the red plaid is so bright and wonderful. i thought it could use a bit of freshening up with a shorter hem.

i have a huge stack of skirts in my apartment that are just waiting to be hemmed but i keep putting it off because i’m not much of a hand-sewer and as joelle knows hemming a full skirt can be a pain.  however, i just recently discovered the baby hem and it is my new best friend.  it’s so easy quick and easy to do…and no hand-stitching!  it makes a nice neat little topstitch on the edge of your skirt…and is really great when you’re working with slinky, slippery fabrics.  the best part is, it makes hemming full skirts sooo easy.

here’s the full how-to baby hem tutorial.

also, this past weekend, rick and i went shopping on our street (i.e. stoop sales) and i picked up this super adorable red purse.  and joelle cleverly pointed out that it can transform into a clutch in just one fold!

joelle: the abaete nancie skirt i’m wearing today was a favorite on my most beloved fashion site of all, fashionism.org. it has an exposed silver zipper in the back, and comes with a detachable puffy white crinoline. i actaully wanted the skirt because of the crinoline- i love adding vintage slips to skirts and dresses. but the minute i put the abaete combo on i felt like a french maid. oh well- i like each piece alone. i really recommend this skirt- i’ve seen it on so many people over on fashionism, and it looks great on everyone.

today’s shirt is another brooklyn consignment find (from the same place i got the studded belt i posted recently). i’ve decided i want all my shirts to be banded in elastic on the bottom, like this one is- that way there’s no annoying bunching when you try to tuck things in. perhaps NOEL could do a special DIY about how to add this sort of banding to all of my shirts. *hint hint*

noel: thrifed self-altered plaid skirt, black tank, h&m belt, seychelles heels, second hand purse

joelle: vintage top, abaete nancie skirt, modern vintage shoes, marni bag, vintage mouse belt

noel vallens: don't come round and speak to me of yarn

over the past week, i’ve been diy-ing up a storm.  joelle and i are treating it as a sort of craft training/warm-up for the upcoming weardrobe conference that we’ve been invited to.  speaking of which, we are super excited and can’t wait!

anyway, back to my d.i.y.  so, this isn’t necessarily related to fashion, but you’ve got to surround yourself with pretty things, right?  this time, i focused on my bathroom.  rick and i were throwing out an old comforter, which sat beside the door for a week because i couldn’t bear throwing out yards and yards of perfectly good fabric.  maybe we didn’t want it on our bed anymore, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t too good for our bathroom floor.

using a tutorial from cocoknits, i was able to create this…

out of this pile of a comforter….

you can make ‘yarn’ out of any sheet, comforter or big pieces of fabric that you have laying around.  (or maybe your old t-shirts??) and the finished product is so thick and sturdy.  it’d be fun to make a structural skirt out of this material.

here’s the full tutorial on how to make the yarn.

for some reason, i seem to have some sort of obsession with making (and completing!) bath mats and bath robes. this is a hand knit bathrobe that took me over a year to make.

it’s so lovely and cozy.  this is pretty much what i live in at home.  the pattern is from a book by swimwear designer ashley paige…which includes adorable knit swimsuits and fuzzy rompers.  maybe one day i’ll debut my hot pink knit bikini….

in any case, my bathroom isn’t totally covered in knit…yet.  at least i don’t have a lime green crocheted toilet paper cover…….

hand knit bathrobe (by me) from ashley paige knitting book