marie-madeline studio

How 'bout $4.98??

Hi everyone!

This week we’re working hard to spruce up our studio and we need your help! Since we newly formatted our patterns, we have some of the older ones that need a happy home, and that’s where you come in! You’ll find amelia, anaclaire, street fair skirts (sizes 2-10 and 10-18), tessa, ilsa, laraine, and little chic sisters all on sale for $4.98 while supplies last! AND, if you purchase 3 patterns you’ll get free shipping off of your entire order (US only)! Just check out as normal, and we’ll promptly refund your shipping costs. Sale starts on May 25th, and ends June 1st.

happy shopping!

xox the Long ladies

PS. We've just added several new titles to the mix, so be sure to check them all out!

shop sewing patterns

Expensive Inspiration:: THE Clutch

Hers.

Theirs.  (photo credit here)

When Abiah saw the Dreamweaver Clutch in the J.Crew catalog, she knew that IT was IT.  Of course, the $325 price about made her collapse too (that's what we call a 'double collapse' -- one from sheer cuteness, the other from sheer expensiveness).  So, what would'ya know??  Some help from Apphia for pattern + directions + a few stitches later Abiah was wowing us all with this darling clutch!

She loves it, and has carried it around ever since.  It seems to be just the right size for all of her goodies.  Oh?!  And isn't that matching zipper fabulous?  And the lining has pockets too. 

Okay, okay!  Is there anyone else out there that's a clutch carrier??

Happy Wednesday! xoxo

PS~  We just wanted to let you all in on a quick sale, if you don't receive our newsletter!  Dear Stella is 20% off through May 4th AND we have lots of new $5/$6 yard fabrics!

Petticoat Junction! {a tutorial}

Here it is at last!!  The tutorial for this fun tulle petticoat.  The nice thing about this project is the fact that it's pretty quick to whip up.  Because, you see, it's one of those lovely things that's really better when done quite imperfectly. So let's get started!

Petticoat Junction!

What you will need…

-a soft cotton for the slip, like voile or batiste (yardage will depend on the size of your slip - you can use the measurements figured in the first few steps to decide)

-½” elastic (based on waist measurement)

-thread

-lots of tulle, in two coordinating colors (approximately 3 ¼ yds. of each - you can use much more if you'd like your petticoat to be really, really full)

First, we’ll take a few measurements to create a custom slip - then we’ll add the layers of tulle to the lower edge for a fun, fluffy petticoat. But of course, feel free to use these easy instructions to make everyday slips, too. Or add a long piece of lace to the hem in place of tulle for a vintage feel. Please read through all the instructions before getting started!

To find measurement A:

1. Measure fullest part around body (usually hipline)

2. Add 10” to this measurement

3. Divide this number in half

For example - if your little girl’s hip measurement is 28”, you’d add 10” for step 2, making it 38”. And dividing that in half gives you measurement A: 18”.

To find measurement B:

1. Measure from waist down to hem of skirt

2. Subtract 3” from this measurement

For example - skirt length is 23 ½”, making measurement B 20 ½”.

 

Step 1

Stitch slip front to back at side seams, using ½” seam allowance. Finish seams using a zigzag or serge stitch. (French seams are also an excellent option for this step.)

Step 2

Hem lower edge of slip by pressing raw edge under 5/8”, then tucking in the raw edge to meet the crease. Stitch close to folded edge.

Step 3

Make casing for elastic in top edge of slip. Press upper raw edge under 7/8”. Turn raw edge under to form a 5/8” casing. Press again. Stitch close to lower folded edge leaving a small 2” gap for inserting elastic. (We’ll insert elastic last.)

Step 4

From hem of slip, measure up 1 ½”. Mark all the way around the bottom using a soft pencil or water soluble pen (even washable markers work well!). Stitch along this line using a basting stitch. This will mark the tulle ruffle placement. Repeat this step three more times, marking each line 1 ½” above the previous one.  (You may remove markings now, if you prefer.)

Step 5

Cut your tulle into 12” strips from selvage to selvage - four strips per ruffle. You should end up with eight 12” strips of each color.

Step 6

Fold strips in half lengthwise and run a large machine stitch ¼” from the folded edge, leaving thread ends free. As you get to the end of your first strip, overlap the second and continue stitching till you’ve added on all four strips of the first ruffle. You should end up with one long “chain” of tulle.

Step 7

Pull gathering stitches on “chain” to create puckers. Line up on right side of slip, with fold of ruffle along first stitching line. Evenly distribute fullness and pin in place, overlapping ends of chain an inch or two at the end. Stitch on top of gathering stitches using a zigzag stitch.

Repeat steps 6 and 7 for remaining three layers of tulle, alternating colors as you go up the slip. We only have four rows of tulle on our petticoat, but there’s really no reason to stop there if you don’t want to! Just have fun with it!

Step 8

Cut ½” elastic length of waist measurement, minus 1”. Using a bodkin or safety pin, insert elastic through gap left in casing. Overlap ends of elastic and stitch securely (we usually use a zigzag stitch). Try on for size and adjust to fit. Stitch gap in casing closed. Distribute gathers around waistband evenly and stitch in the ditch at side seams. This will prevent your elastic from rolling around on the inside of your waistband.

And there you have it!  Enjoy!

Happy sewing to you~

xo, the Long ladies

1 skirt | 3 days | Day 1 ~ J.Crew in Honduras

Skirt - Made by me | Tee - Gap | Flats - TJMaxx

My best friend (Ashley!), along with two other bloggers is hosting a 1 skirt - 3 days event, where you wear the same skirt for three days in a row, and try your hand at styling it different ways.  I chose this bright green skirt that I made a few months ago.  The fabric is denim so it holds it's shape very well, but the poppy color is a great unexpected part.  Especially since I've lately been having a great love for all things green!

I was inspired to make up an outfit that was a good combination of brights.  The combinations in J.Crew always inspire me --- they seamlessly weave happy colors together for great outfits (take a look at this combo!  I love it!).  Oh, and the flats remind me of something that would have come home from a Honduras mission trip when I was a child.

Happy Friday to you all!  In a few hours I plan to sit on the couch, watch some good movies, eat yummy pizza, and maybe stitch a little.  Hugs! xox Achaia

Oh, happy skirt!

Personally, we were tempted to title this post "Our Mommy is insanely cute", but we opted for more of a descriptive term about that fabulous skirt she's sporting.

If we had to choose simple words to describe what Mom likes to wear best it would be happy colors.  Oh, yes.  And she just likes what she likes, regardless if anyone else is wearing it (we love that about her).  We have already previously mentioned that Mom wore a red and white checked skirt to her high school graduation.  See what we mean?  Happy and unique.

Mom's first idea for this skirt came to life after seeing jeans done up in a similar patchy way.  (There are instructions in the ePattern about making skirts too.)  When Nan came down last fall they put together a darling patchy denim skirt out of reds and navys, that is just perfect for fall.  Well, of course, spring and summer call for something more bright and fun.  And, who's fabric can be described like that better than our friend Jennifer Paganelli's?

It goes without saying that we can't just follow the directions to the letter.  Oh no.  So, Mom and Nan added specialty "cut out" pieces, and a gorgeous swath of vintage lace from Mom's fabulous stash.  It was originally a table runner, so Nan meticulously cut around and about to make it that neat shape.  Our those two great or what??

Happy and bright.  Yep.  That's our Mom!!

xoxxx

Piece by Piece

Wow!  Thank you so much for all the sweet comments about my Gina dress!  You are just too kind.  I will say that on our recent spring break I had the happy opportunity to wear it officially, and loved it! (And I did wear it with those bright blue flats I was telling you about....)

Several of you asked if this was going to become part of our ladies pattern line.  Sadly, we don't plan on it.  However, I'm going to give you all a blow by blow (or piece by piece--- Get it!?) account of how I made it.  I will give you one small warning... some of it is semi free-handing, free-flowing, so it will take maybe a bit more work than another dress.  But, trust me, it's absolutely completely worth it!

Now, let's jump in!

The Gina Dress ~

::I started out with these two Retro Butterick patterns -- the one on the left (B5209) for the skirt, and the right pattern (B4790) for the bodice.  And, of course, I used this fabric.

::The Bodice -- Technically, the pattern is designed to be a wrap-around bodice (remember this darling dress of Abigail's??), but, I just didn't want to "settle" with that, as I really wanted it to be very, very similar to Gina's.  However, the bodice did seem to be the right shape.  So!  I placed the back pattern piece 5/8" in from the fold of the fabric to allow for a zipper.  Then, once I'd cut the piece out I just sliced the piece into two for the zipper space.  I cut out the front piece all the way down past the long dart.  Obviously, it ended up considerably longer than the back piece, and had to be trimmed up at the end to match up with the back, but I wanted to make sure that the dart laid down properly.

I piped out the sleeves and neckline with this Stella dot.  And, I used this fabulous tutorial from friend Jona to make one fat quarter into 5 yards of bias binding.  When it was time to "draw the lines" in the tutorial I chose to make the pencil marks only 1 1/4" apart (vs. the 1 3/4" it calls for).  Gina's dress piping seemed to be on the smallish side, so I opted to make mine smaller too.

Once I'd sewn the darts, sewn up the shoulder seams, and placed the piping around the neck and down quite bit on the sides, it's time for the slightly more 'free-flowing' part.  I had my lovely assitants - aka sisters (whichever one was free at the moment) - help me pin up the back seam at approx. 5/8" (zipper space), and then pin up the sides to fit me correctly.  Once I took it off, I used a quilt marking water-soluble pen to make lines up the sides, and basted it.  After trying it on again, chopping off some of the extra fabric, and fixing any other things that needed done, I sewed it regularly and finished the seams.  Zipper up the back.  Bodice done!

::The Skirt --  Really easy peasy.  I used the pattern for the skirt exactly as they say to (it's four pieces... a seam up the front, back, and both sides).  The only thing I changed was that I added about 6" to the skirt to give it the length I wanted.  (Oh, and I didn't pre-wash my fabric, so the length did shrink up a bit.)  When I attached the skirt to the bodice the first time, it really was missing some of the shaping I was wanting.  Once we pulled it up to the more proper area - read in my natural waist - and I restitched it, and it was just perfect!

There you have it!  I do hope some of you will give it a whirl.  It really is a very fun dress!  And, of course, I would love to see pictures of your very own Gina dress if you decide to make it!

Oh, oh, oh!  And several of you asked about the hairstyle I was sporting in my Gina pictures.  Abiah gets the credit for that one.  Lord willing we'll have up some sort of how-to for it later on this week!

Have a beautiful night! xox Achaia

Going Through the Era's: the Gina dress

If it hasn't been said already (and I think it has), I have a great love for all things vintage.  And, clothes are no exception.  When I slide into them, they just feel right.  I just think there's something fabulous about taking an idea from the past and updating it for today.   

I love to gather ideas from practically anywhere I can lay my hands on.  My inspiration for this dress came from this fantastic photo of Gina Lollobrigida (who happens to play in one of my favorite movies).  It was so cute to me... I just couldn't get it out of my head.

This week's Going Through the Era's Fashionable Friday just happened to be 1950s, so it was the perfect excuse to finish this dress up!  I am over-the-moon happy with the results, and am just itching to "officially" get to wear it!!  I also have a pair of bright satin blue flats that match perfectly with the bright blue in the peacock feathers so I'm excited to match those up with this dress. (Of course, I used this fabric!)

hugs~ xox Achaia Victoria

prepping for Market!

These little pretties are destined to end up even prettier....

xox!

Kristie~Apphia~Achaia~Abigail~Abiah

Going Through the Era's Fashionable Friday: Casablanca Inspired

Details~ Lauren's jeans ruffle blouse {Macy's} - red ruffle skirt {Made by Abigail for me!} - navy cumberbund {Made by me} - Anne Klein flats {Macy's}

Well, today is Fashionable Friday, 1940s inspired, so I chose to gather up inspiration from one of the most famous movies of all time: Casablanca starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.  This seemed to be pretty fitting, as this year marks the 70th anniversary of the movie's release.  Plus, my sweet family has decided that out of almost any actress I can look most like Ingrid Bergman. 

Casablanca came out in 1942, and is still widely considered one of the best movies ever made.  My outfit was inspired by the ruffle blouse, maxi skirt, and cumberbund that Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) wears when she goes to Rick's Cafe (you can see the real outfit here, here, and here).  I've always loved Ilsa's clothes, and hope to make an almost perfect replica of this outfit again one day!

Okay.  Time to go watch Casablanca!  (Is there anyone out there who hasn't seen it??)

"Here's looking at you, kid"~ xo Achaia

PS  I found out some interesting information about the movie.... To prepare for her role opposite Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman watched The Maltese Falcon over and over again.

Expensive Inspiration:: Uneven hem skirt

Ours.

Theirs.

You know, sometimes you see a piece of clothing that makes you almost giddy inside.  As if it's just too good to be true.  Sometimes you jump at it, other times you just, well, can't afford to exactly jump. (Unless it ends up on sale.  Then you jump extra high.)  In other cases, it's just fun to look at the things you can't afford, become inspired, and gather up supplies to make your own.

That's what we did here.

As soon as we saw this gauzy mint maxi at Anthropologie our hearts skipped a beat.  It's just too lovely -- flowy, long, and a perfect uneven hem.  Which inspired us to completely take this idea to new heights with some voile.  We'd seen another skirt floating around where there was not only the suppley goodness of one layer of voile, but two.  With an exposed zipper to boot.  This was where jumping came in handy! 

The skirts were a cinch to whip up and, what's even better is that they were made with no pattern (yay!) and just over 2 yards of voile.  You read that right... each layer was only 1 yard.  Double yay!

Abs and I did ours each a bit different, however.  Abigail's bottom layer is the same length all the way around, with the upper layer "dipped" in the back a bit.  Mine is longer, and both layers have the "dipped" effect.  Of course, the difference in the front and back length isn't quite as dramatic as the inspirational Anthro one, but that isn't too big of a problem. (Especially since we were able to save fabric.)  Though, we are definitely thinking it would be wonderful to make up another one with more dramatic proportions!!

What's your favorite place(s) to gather inspiration????

Hugs! xo Achaia & Abigail