Writer + Maker

Exploring craft, couture, and handmade style

  • The New Shirtdress: Femininity and Freedom are Always in Style

    The New Shirtdress: Femininity and Freedom are Always in Style

    The shirtdress is the ultimate one-and-done garment. It is comfortable to wear, looks pulled together with a few key accessories, and doesn’t require time spent in front of a mirror agonizing whether an outfit “matches”. It is a classic that is always in style. Speaking of classic, who can forget Audrey Hepburn’s iconic shirtdress moment…

  • Wearing my Handknit Twinset in the Wild

    Wearing my Handknit Twinset in the Wild

    I finished knitting the Woolfolk Pringle Twinset back in June but didn’t have a chance to wear it out until now because the weather has been so warm! As I wrote in a prior post, I love how this set turned out. The Woolfolk Tynd yarn knits up into a soft, drapey, and lightweight fabric.…

  • Writing a Novel is my Ongoing Challenge

    Writing a Novel is my Ongoing Challenge

    Back in my 20s, just a year or so out of school, I found that I already needed a break from my job as a science writer. While I didn’t have the option of taking a real break – as in, quitting my job – I was able to take a mental one by doing…

  • Learning How to Reverse Applique the Alabama Chanin Way

    Learning How to Reverse Applique the Alabama Chanin Way

    I have to admit that, when Alabama Chanin’s unique reverse applique t-shirts gained popularity in the late 2000s, I wasn’t a fan. Unfinished edges (even though cotton jersey doesn’t need to be finished), uneven hand stitching, and exposed thread tails — the details that others found charming went against my tailored style aesthetic. I couldn’t…

  • Finding Truth and Imagination in Old Photos

    Finding Truth and Imagination in Old Photos

    I love looking at old photos, and this is one I’ve seen many times. It remains in my grandmother’s photo album – the one with the blue and green geometric pattern on the cover – because despite my best efforts, it refuses to release from the adhesive-coated page. It’s strange because the other old photos…

  • Sailor Style is One of the Most Enduring Looks

    Sailor Style is One of the Most Enduring Looks

    Sailor collars, crisp stripes, tie closures, and shiny buttons — sailor style is having a moment and I’m all in! I’ve always been a big fan of sailor collars and nautical style. Perhaps it’s because I grew up in the 1980s, when sailor style was enjoying a resurgence in popularity thanks to Princess Diana. Or…

  • A Peplum Moto Jacket Marries Opposites for Edge

    A Peplum Moto Jacket Marries Opposites for Edge

    A peplum moto jacket seems like an odd combination. After all, moto jackets are tough while peplums are so feminine. But there’s something about marrying the two that somehow works — kind of like how opposites attract! My version has the requisite hardware of a moto jacket — visible zippers in the front and on…

  • The Peplum is One of Fashion’s Most Enduring Styles

    The Peplum is One of Fashion’s Most Enduring Styles

    From dramatic to demure, the peplum makes a statement. It’s a style that’s been around since 500 BC and, despite ups and downs throughout fashion history, continues to fascinate. But it can be a rather divisive style. Today, camps of peplum lovers and haters are either celebrating or bemoaning the fact that the style appears…

  • The Moto Jacket is Always Stylish and Forever Cool

    The Moto Jacket is Always Stylish and Forever Cool

    The moto jacket — or motorcycle jacket or biker jacket — is one of my fave styles. I love the details, such as the notch collar, exposed metal hardware, bold stitching, shoulder epaulets, and prominent zipper closure. It has a flattering silhouette that just skims the body. When made in traditional black leather, it definitely…

  • Wrap up Your Summer in the New Floaty Knit Wrap

    Wrap up Your Summer in the New Floaty Knit Wrap

    The new Floaty Knit Wrap is elegant and as light as air — making it the perfect accessory for summer. Handknit with a luxurious silk, cashmere, and merino wool blend yarn using large knitting needles, the resulting fabric is airy, drapey, and light enough to squish into an already-full beach tote. Just having a Titanic…

  • A New Nautical Twist on the Classic Twinset

    A New Nautical Twist on the Classic Twinset

    Fresh off the knitting needles is my take on the classic twinset — a new twist on the nautical look that is super popular this season. The sleeveless shell is a mix of stripes — wide and narrow — that plays on the traditional mariniere look. The cardigan is a solid navy blue but with…

  • A New DVF Wrap Dress in an Edgy Floral Print

    A New DVF Wrap Dress in an Edgy Floral Print

    The DVF Wrap Dress is truly a classic. I just completed a version in a beautiful fuchsia and gray viscose knit fabric and love the result! The Details For this version, I used a stretchy knit fabric as the dress is cut and fit to hug the body in the bodice. This fabric is a…