“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” ― Lao Tzu

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”   
― Lao Tzu

That quote was on the little tag attached to my bedtime tea a few nights ago. Of course it felt timely with spring around the corner, but it also felt fitting to my type of designing and making. I can sometimes get rattled by the fast pace of the fashion industry, always feeling behind. The reality is that I don't make fast fashion items. The world is already full of so much stuff. I get inspired by the challenge of hunting for beautiful vintage fabrics, near and far.
This process is not the fastest, but I want to make pieces that people treasure, keep, and even pass down to others.

Before I work with any fabrics, I wash them all and often by hand. It's tedious and involves some testing, but then I can figure how to tell the customer to take care of the end garment.  

 The beautiful colors and prints may all seem random at first, but they eventually form little collections and it's my favorite part of the process. I make a huge mess, and then the ideas and stories starting coming together in my head. I'm currently in the "huge mess" part of the process with my latest batch of fabrics for spring, so stay tuned for new pieces ahead. All in good time! 

*** These are some of my current favorites! ***

Happy Spring friends, hopefully these New York temperatures warm up soon! Live in Color 🤗!

xo,

     Erin

Follow along the journey of ErinElsie and *Textile*Repurposed*Style.* Subscribe by email in the sidebar of my blog or sign up for Bloglovin!

*** CLICK TO VISIT MY ErinElsie SHOP for the latest! ***

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Coffee Talk & Clothes with Stories

Coffee Talk & Clothes with Stories

Monday!

Hello friends. A new week ahead of us. I like to start off my week with a little positive reflection. Trying to build a creative business can be hard and this keeps me positive in the challenging times.    

***

The NYC Marathon!

Sunday was the New York Marathon. What a positive way to kick off a new week. Even though we live in this big city, I often am comforted by a collective camaraderie! From that stranger who held the subway door for me, to cheering on the marathon; we celebrate and accept our differences, support the dreamers, and come together at moments like this! Thanks for the good vibes, NYC. Congrats to the accomplished marathoners from all over the world and country- you did it! 

 

***

Clothes with Stories!

ErinElsie is all about clothes with stories. I thoughtfully select and curate unique fabrics and thrifted finds. I love the idea that I am adding to the story of that fabric by turning it into a collectable item that someone will own and cherish. Even better, is when my friends and family contribute by giving me vintage bits and fabrics. It's awesome to get fun packages in the mail that are not bills :)

My Aunt Delsie recently sent me the most thoughtful gift! She made this picture using buttons. She's so creative and crafty! The bonus is the sweet handwritten note.  

This was not the first package my Aunt Delsie and Uncle Mike have sent me and I cherish every little bit. I'm turning this vintage bit, along with some others into collectible pillows. Coming soon!

I turned some vintage blouses they sent me into these bold little summer dresses for my new baby twin nieces. My first effort into little baby clothes-making! 

I also have a box of goodies from one of my dear old friends and creative contributors! She hits flea markets and estate sales with her mom. Although we live far apart now, she'll send me a little curated box of goodies. I always love every item and I can't wait to go through this one. I'll share the details soon!

On that grateful note, have a super week everyone. Thanks Aunt Delsie, Uncle Mike, Jessica, Mom, all the friends who send me things- your inspiration keeps me going!

xo,

     Erin 

Follow along the journey of ErinElsie and *Textile*Repurposed*Style.* Subscribe by email in the sidebar of my blog or sign up for Bloglovin!

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✰ Website: http://www.erinelsie.com

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Dangle, Dangle! Hand-stiched earrings...

I hope you all are having a good week! Sometimes over the weekends I need to take a break from my larger sewing projects. When you do it all, the design + construction, it can sometimes drain my creativity. My fingers rarely remain idle though, and this past weekend I stumble onto some tinier projects. 

Earrings! Denim, leather, velvet, silk...beautiful remnants that took on a beautiful transformation! I love a bold earring, but they can often really stretch and strain your earlobes. I love the idea of these fabric earrings; a super bold look, without killing your ears! Plus, I never let really awesome fabric go to waste. 

Shop these and other one of a kind items in the ErinElsie shop!

Have an awesome rest of your week, friends! Stay tuned fore more updates and blog posts. Thanks for taking the time to catch up with me,

xo,

     Erin 

Follow along the journey of ErinElsie and *Textile*Repurposed*Style.* Subscribe by email in the sidebar of my blog or sign up for Bloglovin!

Other Links:

✰ Website: http://www.erinelsie.com

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✰ Instagram: https://instagram.com/erinblank_designer/

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ErinElsie, Mad for F.A.D.

Hi Friends, 

I hope this finds you all well! I am busy, in part trying to prep for an upcoming Brooklyn market called f.a.d. weekend. As I still sell most of my items online, it's wonderful to get out and sell items in person! If you live in the NYC area, come check out my booth (and lots of others!) on Sunday, May 1, where I will have some new ErinElsie items for sale! More info about f.a.d below!

A little more about f.a.d. courtesy of their website:

f.a.d. weekend is a pop-up fashion, art and design indoor makers’ market & flea that is held weekly on Sundays in Brooklyn. We will begin our journey on May 1st at 22 Boerum Place, a McKim, Mead & White 1926 Renaissance revival style theater. f.a.d. weekend will move around in its first year to awesome neighborhoods and unique venues in Brooklyn.

f.a.d. is an acronym for fashion, art and design and we at f.a.d. weekend aim to create a curated collective space that brings together a pool of emerging and mid-career artists and designers from all backgrounds, representing the talent of the city and beyond, together with vintage, antique and collectibles.

Thanks for stopping by and hope to see you soon ;) 

xo,

     Erin 

Shop one of a kind items in the ErinElsie shop!

Follow along the journey of ErinElsie and *Textile*Repurposed*Style.* Subscribe by email in the sidebar of my blog or sign up for Bloglovin!

Other Links:
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✰ Instagram: https://instagram.com/erinelsie_official/ 
✰ Instagram: https://instagram.com/erinblank_designer/

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It's all in the (Denim) Details!

Hey Ya'll! 

I had to throw in the ya'll as I recently returned from a trip home to Louisiana. One of my best friends got married, and it was great to have a little girl time + a little family time. I'm busy with a freelance job this week; and since I don't have the time to create in my home studio, I'm just taking a little time to share about some recent work that came out of the studio.

There's definitely a noticeable pattern in my recent designs - lots of denim details! I love how the neutral denim compliments the bold patterns of these vintage fabrics, while also adding a little structure and edge. 

Americana Cold Shoulder Top

Americana at its best. A little bit structure and a little bit boho. This chic and breezy top is made of reclaimed, vintage fabric, as well as light blue recycled denim parts. 

Although it make look complex, the fit is actually easy. The trapeze silhouette drapes gently away from the body. The back has elastic, revealing just enough back and shoulders to keep it feminine and flattering.

Shop this top!

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Hawaiian Trapeze Top

Flow-y pieces can be flattering, it's all about shape and proportion. The trapeze silhouette of this tank drapes gently away from the body, and I love, love the print of this vintage Hawaiian fabric. It was salvaged from a shirt I picked up in Hawaii a couple of years ago.    

 My favorite part of this top is the back, it shows just the right amount of skin. The adjustable tie closures at the shoulders add just the right amount of sweetness. 

Shop this top!

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Gray Graphic Print Convertible One-size Maxi Dress

A bold print, denim details, and versatility take this maxi dress to the next level! The black denim details pull it all together. 

Ties along each side allow you to wear this dress a few different ways. You can simply tie the sides together to secure it and have them dangle, you can tuck them in and hide them, or you can cinch the front in for a different look. The back tie slides through the denim detail like a draw string, so you can adjust that however you like as well.

Shop this dress

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It doesn't get more classic than denim. A textile that was originally created to make tough, long lasting work clothes, a quality denim will truly stand the test of time. When I walk into a thrift store, I'm always blown away by the racks and racks of discarded denim in perfectly good condition. A lot of my personal favorite pairs of jeans are from thrift stores or are hand-me-downs from friends. 

Thanks for visiting! Have a lovely weekend, in your favorite denim ;)

xo,

     Erin 

Follow along the journey of ErinElsie and *Textile*Repurposed*Style.* Subscribe by email in the sidebar of my blog or sign up for Bloglovin!

Other Links:

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It's Fall Ya'll! Some of my favorite new pieces fresh from the workshop...

It's Fall Ya'll!

Whether your part of the world is cold, or just a little bit cool, fall is such a fun time to layer accordingly. I'm excited about some of my new pieces because they lend perfectly to that idea. 

Versatile Paisley Shirt Dress and Kimono

A perfect, timeless paisley print. From the moment I found this fabric, I fell in love with the rich, universally flattering color scheme. This fabric is a lightweight wool, made in France, I reclaimed from a vintage garment with a very dated and unflattering shape (I found the original piece on a recent vintage treasure hunt with my mom in Louisiana, you can read more about that on my last post here.) It was a joy to repurpose this fabric into this beautiful dress and kimono. I also love the idea of taking this piece into summer as a rich swimsuit cover-up. The exaggerated sleeves are super comfy and flattering, adding a fun shape that's not overly dramatic. As the days get colder, just layer it up with tights and/or a long sleeved shirt underneath.

SHOP LINK

Leopard Print Boxy Blouse 

 Leopard print has now established itself as a versatile and neutral print in fashion these days. I love the idea of interpreting it into chic pieces that you can incorporate into your wardrobe. This leopard blouse is such an easy and season-less one, but lends itself to fall beautifully. It's made from a piece of reclaimed vintage fabric. There are little black buttons down he back, and you can even flip it around to change up the look.

SHOP LINK 

Quilted Leopard Print Fabric Fold-over Clutch

I never let good fabric go to waste. I had just enough fabric leftover from making the above blouse, that I was able to create this chic little clutch. I quilted the fabric with cotton batting and lined it in a cute plaid print. It would add a perfect pop to both dressy and casual looks all year around, but looks beautiful with all the fabrics and textures of fall. It would also be a great little bag to just drop in your larger carryall as a wallet or makeup pouch.  

SHOP LINK

Alright, back to the workshop for me- more new fall pieces coming soon. Thanks for following along friends, and have a lovely weekend.

All the best,

-Erin

http://www.erinelsie.com 

Follow my ever day along on Instagram:@ ErinBlank_Designer