Hello Lovelies! Abby here – Today, I wish to speak with you about Arts & Crafts, while attempting to teach ya’ll something that will make Pinterest go crazy with excitement! …maybe….? I…
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18th Century Stays: Boning Patterns
In preparation for making your Simplicity 8162 18th c. stays, you may wish to re-draw the boning pattern. The pattern comes with an accurate layout for half-boned stays. If you would like…
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How to Add Shaped Pockets to Pants and Skirts
Pockets. We need them. We put things in them. They keep our hands warm. They’re conspicuous in their absence on pants, and a pleasure when included in skirts. Quite a lot of…
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How to Make Your Own “Mistress Firebrand” 18th Century Shoes
Last week I shared with you our “Mistress Firebrand” shoes, a pair of “Georgiana” dyeable sateen 18th century shoes that I had decorated with fabric dye, fabric paint, silver lace, and petersham…
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Antique Edwardian Shoe Rehab
I’m going to call it rehab instead of restoration, because these shoes were in a *state.* They were sent to me by a lovely follower who saw the potential in a pair…
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How To Move the Buttons on Your American Duchess Button Boots and Shoes
It’s a question that’s been asked many a time, so here’s a handy tutorial to show you how to do it yourself. Luckily, moving the buttons on your button boots or button…
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How To Make Your Own Pair of Couture Pompadour 18th Century Shoes
Last week, I showed you several pairs of custom-made shoes I designed for Whoopi Goldberg. I was so flattered by the comments – thank you! – and also a little frustrated that…
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Dyeing Those Dyeable Ivory Leather Boots (or Shoes)
Those of you who have been following for awhile will hear me go on and on about “dyeable ivory” this, and “dyeable ivory” that, when it comes to the leather shoes in…
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Restoring Antique Shoes – How to Polish Leather Shoes
Ever since I started collecting antique shoes, I’ve been a little obsessive about restoration, primarily bringing leather shoes back from the dead. I look for the *worst* leather shoes on eBay and…
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How To Paint Your Own 1920s Flapper Shoes
Hi! Today I’m going to show you how to take a pair of 1920s white “paint-your-own” 23Skidoo spectator t-strap heels and transform them into the most amazing, glamorous, show-stopping flapper shoes fit…
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V351: How To Make the Simplest 1920s Slip
Yesterday I showed you some original 1920s slips, and now today it’s time to show you the results, as promised, of my own little project. Here is my finished slip – the…
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V348: How To Do The 1940s Lip…
Yesterday I received Retro Makeup: Techniques for Applying the Vintage Look in the mail, and sat down right then and there and read through it. I’m fascinated by hair and makeup of the…
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V346: How to Make a Victorian Bustle – Pattern and Instructions
Hi all! Okay, I’m going to attempt to explain how to make the lobster tail bustle I posted about last time. I want to stress that there is no right or wrong…
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V303: How To Create Flapper “Doll Eye” Makeup
Today’s tutorial is inspired by several things – primarily Bette Davis and Clara Bow, and their ridiculously huge eyeballs, but also a blending of original flapper smokey eye makeup, and 21st century…
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V289: Where to Wear – How To Throw Your Own Costume Events
Ladies attending the 2012 Titanic Memorial Tea, at a local tea shoppe called The Isles Hi All! Today I’m going to answer another question I get often – where to wear the…
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V278: How To Fit & Seam Your American Duchess Stockings
So you’ve purchased a pair of pretty silk stockings from my shop, and you love them, but perhaps they are a little big in the foot, or you would like to add…
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V277: Working With Ostrich Feathers: Plumes, Drabs, and Spads
Today I would like to share my experiences with ostriches. … or… at least their feathers. Ostrich feathers are not as straight-forward as one would think. There are three different types of…
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V275: How to Take In-Focus Detail Photos With Any Point-and-Shoot Camera
We’ve all seen pictures like this, most frustratingly on eBay and Etsy. Don’t fall victim to the blurry detail shot! Today I’m going to share the secret of taking up-close, in-focus photos.…
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V263:How To Find Original Image Sources on Google
Last week there was some talk about citing sources, particularly image sources, in blog posts, and how it’s not being done enough. On of the reasons is because it’s so dang easy…
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V212: Georgian Hair Hopping
Chris and I did a photo shoot the other night, for the clocked stockings pre-sale coming up in a couple days. I wore my new “Parisian Gown,” and wanted to do a…