vintage

vintage set remodelled to long cardigan

/ Susanoo

This post I did already back when we lived in Delft, Netherlands. Back then I frequently visited second hand and charity shops which were plenty in Delft. Back at those times there were not so much discussions about reuse or remodelling as we have now frequently every day in the media. I consider myself truly and utterly remodelling miracle. Well sometimes one needs to be honest.

Long cardigans can save your outfit problems in a second…proportion play in clothing is something I often do, cardigans and vests with long sihouettes have been my all time favourites, mostly because they suit my bodytype and also of the fact that in this way I can play more with layering clothes. Therefore when I came across this woolblend two pieced knit outfit at the second hand I just could not leave it…I had in my mind what would become of it and the price was also quite amazing- only 6€!

Susanoo fashion drawing with i pad

I joined the original cardigan with the skirt from the skirts hem, in this way I ensured that I have enough fabric also for the big pockets. It is a nonchalant ( relaxed and calm in a way that shows that you do not care or are not worried about anything) effect on a cardigan to have pockets, somewhere to put your hands and make the style more street-smart.

hand stitched decorations on the long cardigan

Oh and the shoes which I wear in these two pics are a gift from my friend; velvet stretch ankle boots from the golden 90s!

Susanna with remake long cardigan from second hand twin set

Cardigan works also nicely paired with denim culottes (my own design) and vintage leather boots.

cross stitch bag “Gypsy Lady” with #

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work in process, trying out different ways to decorate

This is a circa 1960s-70s cross stitch of a painting by “Torino” – Little is known about Torino other than he was prevalent from around the 50s to the 70s and there are a few versions (poses) of this “Gypsy Lady” print.

Came across this cross stitch work at second hand store. There it was lying amongst other finished and half finished needle works just for 3€. I knew at once what I wanted to do from it certainly something that will not go unnoticed. First I was playing around with the idea to really make the gypsy lady fierce with tattoos and make-up but after a few try outs I skipped that idea. The cross stitch work is beautifully done and it would be a shame to hide it. I needed a piece of fabric to go with it and choose checkered black and white, to make the whole look more contemporary. When the two pieces were joined it felt like the bag needs a message. Something to do with gypsy way of life, for example fortune telling, freedom and spiritual things. So I came up with the hashtag sign. Under the # one can imagine these words.

Back part of the bag is done out of recycled leather and handles are from old thrifted bag. The leather pieces that hold the handles are parts from a belt and the black rings curtain parts. So again 100% recycled, remake and zero waste.

handles from old bag, leather parts to hold handle old belt

diy gypsy lady cross stitch bag with # decoration

diy gypsy lady cross stitch bag with # decoration

silk top with fringes made out of old mens shirt

/ Susanoo

Summertime memories from working outside in the sunshine and remaking an old mens silk shirt. The reason why I actually started this project was that I did not have a matching top to go with my new striped jersey skirt…I needed something in black but still summerish and with a classic twist.

The silk shirt I used was long sleeved mens shirt.

First I cut out both the collar and sleeves. I boldly made some fringes to the hem which I gave a rough treatment…ripping the raw edges of the silk makes the silhouette more flowing and not so boxy. Maybe I still uppgrade this “black canvas” with more details, like this designer does!

diy sleevless silk blouse with fringes

 

Kurume kasuri goku masu

/ Susanoo

Bought Susan Briscoes book Japanese quilt blocks to mix & match from a craft fair in Finland few years ago and the amount of inspiration it`s given me! This denim bag started from the idea to have just one big  quilt block instead of several small ones and the pattern is called Kurume kasuri goku masu- five squares.

 

Struggled a bit with the scale but finally got it right!

Super happy with the end result! All denim used are from old jeans, shoulder strap is old leather belt and the lining is made out of old skirt. So again 100% recycled!

"Kurume kasuri goku masu- five squares" patterned denim quilt bag with second hand belt

"Kurume kasuri goku masu- five squares" denim quilt bag on the fitting torso

grand Ibiza bag

/ Susanoo

 

The bag is made out of a cool vintage tanktop I found. Super easy recycling for old tanktops to turn them into handy and cool bags…just with one seam!

Pictures not taken at Ibiza :)…photoshoot took place in Finland springtime by the lake.

Big tote with medieval touch

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Photoshoot for the bag took place in very mystical surroundings….

This project was started up by two pieces of fabric sofa samples that I found second hand…and one belt. Idea was to make a roomy bag, easy to sew and without any super fancy decorations.

But as the project went on I wanted to do something extra, to give that unique touch to this bag also rather than leaving it just black. I found from my cross stitch stock this “dragon”. It´s almost ten years ago I bought it and now was the right moment for it. By placing it in the middle of the bag it serves also as a pocket. Buttons are vintage too, red ones to boost up the red from the cross stitch.

Canvas belt found second hand had some nice studs on it and looks amazing as handles for the bag. By hand stitching some decor to one of the handles makes it look raw and crafty and the pattern just “created itself” while stitching.

Overall look of the bag is a little bit medieval- maybe thanks to the studs and the dragon. Location to shoot the bag was in this case easy to figure out- it is an old mill from 17th century in Röttle near Gränna Sweden. I think I felt some vibes from times passed by while taking pics there…

 

studs and squares

/ Susanoo

diy leather bag picture taken in Centre Pompidou Paris Susanna with her diy leather bag in Centre Pompidou Paris

Idea of this leather bag began when I found a pair of leather trousers second hand. I often buy worn and outdated but good quality leather clothes second hand…of course if the price is ok, under 10€ is still a bargain of a good leather.

In this case I cut out the front and the back pieces for the bag from the leg part of the trousers because leather on the legs were in good condition and I did not have to do any extra seams. I tryed out different motifs on the bag but finally I ended up playing with the swiss cross and by adding black leather squares the pattern looked deeper. Studs are there to “rock” the bag but the style is still versatile to combine with different looks and outfits: preppy, rebel, chic etc.

Because I wanted the bag to have “one piece look” so adding in handles was out of the question. Instead I cut out holes to the top part, folded the seam allowances from the cut out to the back and glued them with a flexible glue. Lining is done out of leather and denim, I repeated the same cut out hole and then I just glued the front and the back together. So more glue than seams on this leather project. Glue I used was BISON transparent, it was really easy to work with and now after carrying various loads in my bag for a week around Paris I can say that the glue hold the leather together super good.

Photoshoot is done in Musée des Arts et Métiers and Centre Pompidou in Paris. Thank you Paris!

striped clutch

/ Susanoo

diy striped leather and suede clutch made out of old trousers

diy striped leather and suede clutch made out of old trousers

Zero waste clutch bag; made out of old suede trousers and a white leather vest into my all time favourite clean and graphic pattern stripes. Pattern that looks good with almost any outfit you choose. Triangle decorations on the sides add interest and more body to the clutch. By adding the option that I can wear this bag also on my shoulder makes it more versatile, although the solid purpose is clutch in which only the necessary items fits in, such as lipstick, keys and my phone.

Tämä laukku sai alkunsa inventoidessani nahkavarastojani. Löysin palan hiekanväristä nahkaa ja mustaa mokkaa joista leikkasin samanlevyisiä, suorakaiteen muotoisia paloja. Ompelin palat yhteen värejä vuorotellen ja aikani valmista nahkapintaa katsellessani päätin tehdä siitä kädessä kannettavan laukun, clutchin. Laukun sivuihin ompelin tehokeinoksi “kolmio”nahkasomisteen, näin laukku sai myös yksilöllisen ilmeen. Lisäsin laukkuun olkahihnan joka näin muuntaa kädessä kannettavan myös olalla pidettäväksi. Olkahihnaa vaihtamalla laukun saa myös nopeasti päivitettyä asukokonaisuuteen sopivaksi. Irrotettava metallinen olkahihna löytyi kirpparilta mutta hihnaksi käy myös vaikka ohut vyö. Clutch ei ole tilaihme mutta mukaan mahtuu kätevästi kuitenkin kaikki tarpeellinen.

 

zig zag cross stitch bag

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Cross stitching crazyness! Really how can people give/throw away these beautiful and extra nicely stitched piece of art works? I believe there will be a time when these vintage cross stitch handcrafts will be worth gold.

But until that, let`s do a bag out of one zig zag patterned, thrifted cross stitch. It was a pillow cover when I found it from second hand Erikshjälpen Jönköping. Mostly when I come across these old handicrafts they are pillow covers or wall decorations. The colors on this one are bold and I like how the lilac color pops up from the whole palette. I had a piece of brown leather from one earlier project and decided to go towards gold color in the metallic parts and decorations. For the lining I choose sturdy denim so the bag will stay in shape even when empty.

 

Again all parts fort this bag are recycled from second hand bags. My mission is to buy as little as possible straight from the craft stores but to do a bag with good and functional elements requires a lot of different metallic parts. Such as magnetic closures which I usually take apart from my second hand bags. Handles and straps are also quite tricky;  to do a long leather strap requires a lot of good leather and usually that is hard to achieve with leftover leather scraps, so again second hand bags to the rescue!

I am pleased how solid the outcome is, all colors match together and even the gold colored labels fit in with the look.

diy bag photoshoot by the waterside with hand lettered board

diy bag with recycled cross stitch and leather

diy vintage cross stitch bag photoshoot by waterside with thriftwood

 

 

 

 

Three T-shirts

/ Susanoo

There is a number of ways you can repurpose a basic jersey tee—everything from braided accessories to full-blown woven rugs. It is all about making yarn out of your old, worn and torn T-shirts…and it is super easy just check out these instructions. For my bag I used three old T-shirts and the color stripes I crocheted horizontally…I did not decide the pattern or shape of the bag beforehand, I just went with the flow. When the bag was ready I came up with the idea to add long shoulder strap so that it would be easy also to carry the bag across my chest. Tassels I made out of black cotton yarn and by adding two different buttons I wanted to underline bags rugged hippie look…and buttons are of course vintage!diy crochet bag made out of old t-shirts with old button from the 50´s

black / white / studs /// repeat

/ Susanoo

I am so into stripes at the moment. Black and white can not ever go wrong, timeless color combination and easy to mix and match with a variety of other colors and styles. Material for this bag is cut from second hand leather jacket and trousers…the white jacket is already several years old. Stripes are 3mm wide and I joined the pieces together by zig zag stitch.

Lining for the bag is denim that also supports bags structure. Shoulder strap is taken from another bag and the studs and other metal pieces are also recycled from old bags. Pattern and placement of the studs are irregular…it needs to feel like the deco just “rain” on the bag.

diy bag with stripes and studs, all parts recycled

diy bag with stripes and studs, all parts recycled

“cactus” by Marimekko

/ Susanoo

Marimekko fabric "Cactus" jacket and bag

This beatiful fabric “Kaktus” is designed by Erja Hirvi for Marimekko. When I bought the fabric over five years ago I had it hung as curtains and now after a long search for a cool fabric for a long jacket I found it from my pile of old curtains that I had statched away.

To the shawl collar I left raw edges and also some of the seams in the jacket are inside out and left on purpose unfinished so that the fabric looks like it is worn and old. Frontpiece of the jacket is right way out but both sleeves and the back part is showing the garment inside out, which in this case makes an interesting look for the whole jacket. Lining is only put in for the front and back, to make the jacket heavier and more comfortable to wear.

I made a matching bag out of the leftover pieces; a bag to have on with the jacket. In the bag I left the name of the company and designer to be seen when I carry the bag, it makes the bag unique and shows in cool way the designers name.

Marimekko fabric "Cactus" jacket- raw edges and fabric turned inside out

dare to be SNOBBIG

/ Susanoo

avant

This clutch is actually a placemat called SNOBBIG from IKEA. Structure was quite stiff so it was easy to handle.  First I sewed the lining and decorative ruffles and the belt while the placemat was still flat then I joined the sides together.  For the lining I used one old t-shirt from which the ruffles are also done. Studs are actually plastic ones and each of them hand sewn.The lock is an old belt.

Shirts are my older DIY designs, necklace a showpiece for a photoshoot. Ankle boots and hats all vintage and second hand findings.

Susanoo diy and collected vintage items show case

“foil effect”

/ Susanoo

 

This biker type woolen jacket I found second hand for a bargain price. The jacket was to me like an empty canvas, just waiting to be standing out from any other black jacket. It had military style buttons which I replaced with some simple black round buttons. First I thought to sew something on the jacket, leather or denim but after a visit to the best fashion pages Vogue.com my vision become clear and I came up with the paint idea. And also with inspirational help of a knit dress from Guy Laroche.

Oh and the hat is vintage…and my boots too.

Susanna wearing her diy woolen jacket with Anne Linnonmaa vintage cardigan and woolen vintage hat

Susanna wearing her diy woolen jacket with woolen vintage hat

leopard print backbag

/ Susanoo

diy animal print back bagdiy animal print back bag with recycled decorations

The leopard print fabric and the cute Hawaiian motif one were a gift from a friend. What to sew out of these fabrics? I am not a big fan of animal printed clothes…so I came up with the idea to join both fabrics in the same item – a backbag. The Hawaiian print fabric I used as a lining. Shoulder straps are from thrift shop; a belt with gold colored studs 3€ and the chains from an old necklace. It is more my style to wear animal print as accessory – as a contrast or matching part of my outfit.

 

Photoshoot took place at harbour; beatiful sunny day and glittering water. From nationalgeographic.com: “Leopards are strong swimmers and very much at home in the water, where they sometimes eat fish or crabs.”  ;-)

denim wrap & Hermès

/ Susanoo

diy denim wrap skirt from old jeans, pattern from vintage leather skirt

 

The gored skirt is made of several triangular pieces of fabric, known as “gores.” The gores of a skirt are smaller at the top of the waist and wider toward the bottom of the hemline. When these gores are stitched together, the skirt takes on an A-line shape that works well for most body types. This design allows for a flattering fit at the hips and ease of movement while walking.

I bought second hand two pairs of dark denim jeans (5€) and re used them for my denim wrap skirt. I left the hem raw…in time being the hem will soften nicely and create a perfect worn look. I used my old, favourite leather skirt as a base when drawing the pattern. The back pocket from the jeans serves now as a handy front pocket in which my phone or other important stuff easily fits.

The silk top is made out of an old vintage Hermès silk scarf…yes it felt wrong to cut it but I use more the top now, the scarf I used mostly as a hairband.This way I can enjoy more of the beautiful motifs on the scarf; wearing a piece of artwork and true craftmanship.

I want to share with you one interesting fact about Hermès scarfs (source Wikipedia)

“Contemporary Hermès scarves measure 90 cm × 90 cm, weigh 65 grams and are woven from the silk of 250 mulberry moth cocoons. All of the hems are hand-stitched. Scarf motifs are wide-ranging, two silk-scarf collections per year are released, along with some reprints of older designs and limited editions.”

Hermès scarf top and diy denim skirt

diy Hermès scarf top and denim wrap skirt with zipper

 

botanic plate

/ Susanoo

diy stamped old plate with real leaves

Nature-inspired patterns on an old plate, by stamping with real leaves. The plate is an old metal plate that has a beautiful patina and can not be used any more for serving food but as an interesting eyecather in various installations it would still be an unique piece. I collected some leaves that had nice forms and and used them as stamps. It is easier to stamp with a leaf that has an even surface so the stamped image will look sharper and all fine details will also transfer properly…althought in this case there were some paint splatters but still the outcome feels old, just like the plate.

 

 

denim refashioning projects

/ Susanoo

“Moonlight drowns out all but the brightest stars.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The lord of the Rings

This was just another of my denim clothes refashioning projects. Crafting with old denim clothes is thrifty and you will have a unique garment; here I sew together a pair of jeans and an old denim dress which was outdated in style and shape. The jeans are added to the dress horizontally from the waist and they make a nice fishtail shape to the front. Stars are added for that final, signature touch.
Out of the remaining denim pieces of the dress, I made a clutch with quilting technique, adding a metal handle and a lobster clasp for funky detail. I love to work with denim, you can simply take some of the scraps from your stash and get creative!

 

fringe pouch

/ Susanoo

This vintage pouch is from Stockholm. To give it more personality and to match it with the rest of my wardrobe I added some fringes and black studs.

Vintage mustan pikkulaukun löysin Tukholmasta second hand-kaupasta. Laukku oli kaunis mutta halusin päivittää sitä vaatekaappiini sopivaksi. Hapsut ovat muodissa joka vuosi vaatteissa ja asusteissa joko pääroolissa tai efekteinä. Elementtinä hapsut ovat katseenkiinnittäjiä ja niiden avulla näkymätön muuttuu hetkessä näkyväksi. Pikkulaukkuun leikkasin kaksi riviä nahkahapsuja jotka liimasin laukun etupuolelle. Mustat kartioniitit viimeistelevät yläreunan ja merkitsevät kohdan josta hapsut ryöppyävät alas. Tämäkin laukku toimii vaikka seinälle ripustettuna katseenvangitsijana!

bag with studs and fringes

This bracelet is bended from silver wire and the ring is connected to it with a delicate chain.

diy bracelet and fringe pouch

 

azure

/ Susanoo

Susanna taking photos of her diy´s by the shore

Creativity and new combinations to old and forgotten jewellery. The turqoise pendant is a pairless earring together with some silver and glass jewellery. I love to do my photoshoots outside and especially by the water. The light is usually amazing and the clear water reflects it beautifully. Seashell pendants are easy to do, just find ones with already a hole in it and simply wear it.

 

Hopeakaulakorun uusi elämä. Yhdistelemällä parittomia korvakoruja, eksyneitä helmiä ja unohdettuja riipuksia voi saada aikaan uusia ja yllättäviäkin kokonaisuuksia. Kaulakorun yhdistävänä elementtinä toimii turkoosi väri ja hopea. Iso turkoosikivinen riipus on se pariton korvakoru ja puolikas eksynyt hopeasydän vanhasta kaulakorusta saivat uuden elämän. Turkoosi lasihelmi on riipuksena ketjun päässä. Kaulakoru tuo persoonallisen lisän vaikka yksinkertaisen korun parina.

Rannalta voi myös löytää simpukan kuoria joissa on jo valmiina luonnon muovaamat reiät hopeaketjulle.

sea shells on silver chain

sea shells on silver chain

 

denim vest with tattoo

/ Susanoo

Old nicely worn denim jacket that I turned into a vest. After considering few options what kind of extra decoration to add in it I came up with the idea about tattoos. The pattern is Maori tattoo, copy paste from a tattoo book. Here you can read more about the art of Maori tattoo. I placed my copy of tattoo in the front on the shoulders. Vest looks great with black shirt under, making the tattoo pop out even more.

Vanha farkkutakki herätetty henkiin. Takin väri oli monessa pesussa jo haalistunut ja pinta oli ajan myötä kulunut hienosti. Hieman hiekkapaperia ja saksia käyttäen takista alkoi vähitellen muotoutua monikäyttöinen denimliivi. Halusin liiviin myös persoonallisen elementin ja sain idean jonkinlaiseen tatuointikuvioon. Tatuointi itsessään on ikuinen mutta ajatus riisuttavasta tatuoinnista tuntui täydentävältä elementiltä tälle vaatekappaleelle. Maori tatuointi tunnetaan nimella “Moko” ja se kuvastaa kantajansa alkuperää ja henkisyyttä. Luonnostelun jälkeen piirsin kangastussilla symmetriset kuviot molempiin olkapäihin. Etupuolen rikotut taskut ja napit olivat itsessään hienot joten olkapäät tuntuivat luonnolliselta paikalta riisuttavalle tatuoinnille.