Sew What?

I got a sewing machine for Christmas, and I have been so busy dreaming about all the wonderful things I am going to create, I haven't actually gotten around to making any of them. But I will! I must! I will!

In all my plotting, I have become quite taken with this little gem of a site, Burda Style. There are tons of hip, easy patterns for everything from dresses to quilt tops to handbags to fleece ski masks, and a bunch of them are even free!

I am especially loving the Jenny Dress, which is actually four patterns in one! Three skirt variations and a dress!! There are not enough exclamation points in the world!!!













I am not quite confident enough to tackle it yet, but I think one of you should try it and let us know how it goes.

And tell us, what other patterns and projects are catching your eye these days?

Start With Savings

And a very happy new year to you, my dears!

Did you have a wonderful holiday? I did, and thank you so much for asking.

But now, sigh, it is back to real life. Which, for me, means being outside in the cold and actually setting my alarm and going to work. Bleh.

Are you feeling the post-celebration blues as well? Never fear! There is a smattering of holiday magic left! What could it be? you ask. Why, the Winter Wonderful sale, of course! is my reply.

That's right, through January 28, just enter "winter20off" at checkout and watch all that Christmas money go a little further. There is nothing to get your through the next few brutal months of winter like a sultry little black dress...



... a cozy sweater dress...



... or a chic wool dress.

Pick out one of your favorites today, and winter really will be wonderful.

It's Easy Being Green

{Image courtesy of TreeHugger}

The other day I was walking downtown and there was a man shouting out, "Learn more about green fashion!" and handing out leaflets. I took one. And it wasn't about "green fashion" at all. It was thinly veiled animal rights activism with really disturbing pictures of dead sheep on the front. My friend, Cristy, got really mad and called the guy a liar. He just smiled.

Don't worry, I would never do such a thing to you. My interest was sparked, though, so I did a little research of my own.

The first thing that came to mind when I started thinking about green fashion was recycling old clothes. Donating your little-worn items to a thrift store or consignment store is obviously an easy, green way to go. I also like passing on old favorites to people I know will love them and wear them as much as I have. You can even get some friends together for a closet swap, with everyone bringing a pile of old, but fashionable, good-conditioned clothes that are ready for a new home.

Another one of my favorite ideas is cutting up a few different favorite items and combining them to make something new. Maybe you love the design on a certain T-shirt, but it's too threadbare to wear in public anymore. Cut off the design and sew it into a new T-shirt, or even onto a collared shirt or a hoodie for something old and something new. Do you have a cardigan that just doesn't get you as excited as it used to? Sew some lace around the hems, or spruce it up with a couple handmade rossettes. And, voila! You have something new without buying something new.

If you are buying something new, but still want to limit your fashion impact, there are plenty of ways to do that, too. Stick with organic fabrics, like cotton, and companies, like Fair Indigo that provide fair trade merchandise. You can even get vegan shoes designed by Natalie Portman!

Still skeptical? Take a little trip over to TreeHugger for 7 Reasons Why You Should Care About Sustainable Fashion.

I bet you feel like a better person already.

An Attitude of (Shopping) Gratitude

There is a lot to be thankful for this season. Like the delicious cupcake I found in the fridge this evening.

And a little Shabby Apple sale, which is our way of saying a Big Thanks! To you, our faithful fans and shoppers, who we love with all our hearts.

So, please accept our heartfelt gratitude by enjoying 15 percent off everything at Shabby Apple, from now through December 2.

Happy holidays, everyone!

You're welcome, I'm sure.

Crafted and Found

The rule about swearing in my house always was that it doesn't count as a swear if it's a quote. (This has given us a surprising amount of latitude when it comes to cussing, just for the record.) Which is why it is not really swearing for me to tell you that the other day I went to a craft fair called Crafty Bastards, and I wish every single one of you could have been there.

There were skirts stitched together from recycled fabric! Jewelry made out of vintage typewriter keys! Purses made from the covers of old books! Hand-bound journals! Screen-printed T-shirts! And the list goes on and on.

But since every single one of you couldn't be there, I am going to do you the next best thing. Which is tell you where to find some of my favorite finds, all through the magic of the Internet. Can you handle it? Here we go.

For starters, I could not get enough of these statement headbands from Giant Dwarf. I bought this one in blue and gray tones, which turned out to be the perfect accessory match for my new Shabby Apple teal wrap dress, Azure Coast.

I was also quite taken with these enamel pendants from Dandelion Blu. The cherry blossoms were my favorite.

I can see this being just the right piece to grace the neckline of the Martha's Vineyard brown wrap dress, or to add a flash of color to the Storm grey knit dress, a personal favorite of mine. Throw on a pair soft pink heels to tie it together and you'll be the most stylish thing out there.

And now that you're all dressed up with somewhere to go, you need a one-of-a-kind, on-trend clutch to carry for your night out on the town. Right? You can find everything from whimsical to fancy at North Carolina-based Pear Threads. The Condie clutch, made from soft vinyl and vintage kimono fabric seems a match made in heaven for Shabby Apple's new black tiered dress, Tiery-Eyed.

And those of you currently stocking up on Shabby Apple's new line of maternity dresses should also be stocking up on some so-cute-you-could-die screen printed baby onesies from Pinecone + Chickadee. Seriously, if this cupcake came on grown-up clothes, I would be all over it like a cheap suit.



Now you're wishing you could have been there, too. Aren't you? Crafty Bastards happens here in D.C. every October, so feel free to join me the next time around. Until then, tell me which of these fabulous finds is your favorite, and how you plan to flaunt it.

Runway Your Way

It has been Fashion Week madness on the East Coast lately, with all sorts of stars showing up for all sorts of shows from all sorts of designers. (I know because People Magazine tells me.)

Personally, I never pay much attention to runway fashions for two reasons.

1. They are usually so avant garde and, frankly, ridiculous, that I would never, ever wear them. Ever.

2. And even if I wanted to wear them, I could never, ever afford them. Ever.

Which is why I was so pleased to come across this little piece about recreating reasonable runway fashions on a reasonable budget. I am especially intrigued by the idea of mixing plaids. Give it a read and let me know what you think. Will any hot new fashions make it from the catwalk to your closet?