I’m still not quite back into my normal routine as of now (YET – the good news is, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel! Yay!), so today I wanna take it easy with some eye-candy of the Laurence King variety š
This is Casual Sweet Clothes by Noriko Sashara, a new Japanese pattern book from – you guessed it – Laurence King. This arrived as a nice little surprise at my door recently (which, speaking of LK and surprise book, I don’t know how they manage it but they have their send-Lauren-a-surprise-book-so-it-arrives-when-she’s-having-a-bad-day shit down to a SCIENCE. It’s almost creepy how much they are on my vibe brainwaves, haha), and I really enjoyed looking at the pictures so I thought y’all would too!
I generally don’t care for most of the patterns in these sorts of books – they are cute, but not always really my style – but I see a lot of things in this particular book that I would actually like wearing! The styling is especially great – it’s still pretty sweet, but it’s not so sweet that you’re giving it the side-eye and wondering who the hell would wear that shit out in public.
FORREAL THO. What is it about this photo? Is it the styling? Is it that the shirt is actually pretty freaking fabulous? Is it the hat (I could never pull off a hat like that)? Is it the babely model herself? I don’t know, but I want everything about that outfit on my body right now (minus the model because, guys, I already have a boyfriend ok).
Not sure if I would wear the jacket, but it’s ADORABLE. I love the camel wool with the black bow contrast! And on the opposite page – such a pretty tank top! I have a vintage RTW dress from Mexico that’s in a similar style, and I’ve worn it so much it’s basically deteriorating. I’d love to make another one to replace it.
If those last 2 photos were still sweet enough to give you a toothache, just know that there are some good solid basics in this book as well – like this tiered pencil skirt.
One thing that I love about these types of books is that they offer a lot of inspiration in ways other than just the pattern itself. This dress pattern in particular isn’t necessarily something I would wear – but I *would* wear that cool lace inset in the sleeves! The book gives great instructions for adding this design element, and it would be so easy to modify an existing pattern to allow for a little lace love š
I REALLYYYY love this blouse. Look at the cute little bows on the shoulders! Ahhh!!
Also – this coat. See what I mean about the styling? It’s still pretty sweet (like, girl is wearing a tutu), but that coat would not look out of place in my closet.
Fun fact: this is the same pattern as the second photo (camel wool swing coat with the black bow). Just a couple small design changes – pocket, hood – plus the fabric choice make it a completely different garment! That’s another thing I love about these types of books – even if you don’t like the patterns offered, it’s pretty cool to see how the designer took the same pattern and reworked certain parts to make a completely different garment.
My very VERY favorite part of these books are the instructions! Yesss! I LOVE the diagrams – those alone are basically artwork to me. I’m so tempted to rip them out and stick them directly on the wall, but I’m one of those people who is mortified to see books get torn apart haha.
There are a couple small drawbacks to the patterns in this book- the sizing and the seam allowance (or, lack thereof). As with most Japanese sewing books (well, at least in my experience), the sizing is pretty limited – the largest size allows for a 36″ bust. That being said, the clothing is all very simple and relatively loose-fitting (and the finished measurements are printed for each pattern), so it wouldn’t be too hard to increase the size a little bit – or you could even find a similar shaped pattern and made adjustments (such as adding the shoulder ties to that tshirt). Or you could just use the book as inspiration, because there’s plenty of it in there! Ha! The patterns are all nested and crazy overlapped (so you gotta trace ’em if you wanna make ’em), and there are no seam allowances included, just fyi! Fortunately, the patterns don’t have a lot of pieces either, so there’s that!
GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED
Ok, giveaway time! š Laurence King has generously offered a copy of this book to one lucky reader! Yess!! If you’d like to enter to win your very own copy of Casual Sweet Clothes, just leave a comment on this entry and let me know where YOU like to go for eye-candy inspiration (I love eye-candy, need more in my life!). This giveaway is US ONLY and I will close the entries a week from today, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 2014 at 8:00 AM CST.
GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED
If you are itching for your own copy RIGHT NOW, no worries, I got a discount code for ya! Use the code LLADYBIRD35 to get Casual Sweet Clothes for a whopping 35% off! This code is good through 10/1/14, so you have time after the giveaway ends if you want to make sure you didn’t win first š Whoop whoop! Don’t say I never did anything for ya š
Good luck, guys! I promise I’ll try to be back to a more regular posting schedule next week š Also, international readers – I’ll make it up next month! Haven’t forgotten about you ā„
LLADYBIRD 
I live in Buford Georgia! For eye candy, I love to look at W mag, fashion blogs like yours and Mimi G Style, and I love to pin on Pinterest. I find the most interesting fashion there!
Wow! That looks like a great book. I usually borrow sewing books from the library & then find patterns that kind of look like things I like.
I also buy a lot of my fabric at thrift stores, in the form of vintage sheets, very large shirts, etc. The fabrics alone inspire me to try different things.
I love all the mags, especially Lucky which gives good ideas along with nice layouts. I also look at early 90s Vogues for retro inspiration. I live in Rhode Island right now.
Right now, my eye candy inspiration is all about the Vogue September issue. That baby is HUGE. Thanks for the chance to win!
I don’t subscribe to fashion magazines, (because I never throw them out, and they would pile up everywhere) but every fall I buy the September Vogue. I make a cup of coffee, snuggle up on the couch and take time looking through every page. I love it!
I usually visit pinterest for my sewing inspiration!
Sewing blogs, naturally!
I get my inspiration from hoarding Anyhropology magazines and fashion and photography on Pinterest!
Ooh I’d love to take a closer look at all these patterns! I usually go to Pinterest for inspiration, but I also love reading through Vogue magazine. It can be a little ridiculous sometimes, but I particularly love looking for fabric color combinations and the cut of the clothing on models. Also – anytime I make a pattern I always look around to see who’s made what (especially your blog, since you make pretty much every pattern out there!! :)), and then I go from there. š Thanks so much for the chance to win!!
I love looking through all of the sewing books when I’m at Joann’s. I can’t imagine buying a book without being able to see at least a handful of the patterns. I’ve looked through the Sweet Dress books before, and I feel the same as you – a lot of the patterns just aren’t my style. However, I really like a lot of those from this book that you’ve shared today. Especially that waist length jacket!
I’m in a small town, so online sources like fashion blogs, sewing blogs, Pinterest, TV shows , movies, and magazines.
Well, sewing blogs for sure, but my inspiration Pinterest board is FULL of pins from needsupply.com. They’ve got some really great stuff! Well out of my price range of course….but that’s why I copy it!
I look for inspiration everywhere–sewing blogs, Pinterest, my friends. This book looks great and definitely up my alley. Thanks for the giveaway!
I like to wander (stalk) the Anthropologie store. Ahem, have even been known to try something on and maybe take a picture in the dressing room.
I want! I look for inspiration on the celebrity blogs. They get to wear the most interesting clothes, so it’s cool to see what they’re doing.
Sewing blogs is where its at for me plus a little pinterest plus a little bit of movies.
I’m gaga over those navy trousers. They look awsome. Oh wait she has long toothpick legs, surely it will translate to my petite curvyness.
I love the Fashion Week photos–but just for a very few designers that I love, like Marni.
I get inspired by reading sewing blogs like yours, window shopping stores I can’t afford, and spending way too much time on Pinterest. I enjoy your blog, and especially like that you change up patterns somewhat, giving me ideas for what I can do with some patterns that I already have.
I am making my way through the September issue of Vogue for inspiration.
Oh! This would be perfect. I’m working my way out of my current wardrobe fitting and would love to make some key pieces from the images you shared! Pinterest is my go-to for eye candy and inspiration.
I am ashamed to say I get a lot of inspiration from Pinterest! Also other peoples sewing blogs.
I love a good fashion magazine for eye candy and every once in awhile I’ll get a catalog in the mail and tear out pages that inspire me.
This is such perfection! And would fit into my collection so well!
I get most of my inspiration from Japanese fashion magazines! (They’re a pain to buy and ship to the States, but totally worth it!)
I would love to get my mitts on this book. My eye candy inspiration comes from creative bloggers like yourself and of course places like anthropology.
Love the drawings!
Just saw that book in the store i loooooooove the ties on that top!!!!! I Get a lot of inspiration from pinterest. I could spend hours looking at all the details in the photos.
Ah, inspiration! Chanel runway videos are my fave; but snoop shopping at Nordstrom, Neiman, Anthropologie, Burberry, and the fine boutiques in my town get my creative juices flowing. Thank you for the opportunity to win this amazing little catalogue!
I get inspired trolling through pattern websites. If something looks interesting I check out the line drawing and see how it looks without the fabric distraction, and of, try to figure out how I could do something similar!
I usually look at sewing pattern books on amazon or similar. I love the idea/styling of the Japanese pattern books, but you’re right, they’re not always something I would wear (this book, however, looks great). I usually find more patterns/styling I would be interested in trying from sites like Kollabora or poking around Modcloth.
I tend to get sucked into the rabbit hole that is Pinterest when I’m looking for garment eye candy and sewing inspiration. I follow a lot of people there who have a fashion sense similar to mine or that I really admire. The infinite scroll feature makes it hard to break away!
Definitely Pinterest, and sewing blogs :-). And I buy a nice book every now and then, and even if I don’t make anything, I just like to look at it.
Wow, this is the first Japanese pattern book I’d wear stuff from. I loooove that bow-shoulder blouse. I’d totally rock that with jeans.
Blog hopping is sure to inspire a design choice. I also take my camera into the dressing rooms of better shops to get close ups of construction details and style ideas. Anyone have ideas on how to add hours to the day?
Pinterest is my go to for eye candy and inspiration. Thanks for hosting this giveaway!
I get inspiration from films, textures/colors in nature and from seeing and touching fabrics. I like that the “Casual Sweet Clothes” book includes a lot of technical drawings, I Iove the coats and the shirts
The book looks awesome!
I’m a very small young teenager, so the smaller sizes would be very helpful, sizing rarely works with me!
For inspiration I like old photo albums, LIFE magazine, and magazines I read at the dentist.
I get a lot of inspiration on Pinterest , fashion magazines & sewing blogs like burdastyle.
I hope it’s not lame to say that I go to the internet for eye candy š
I’m another Pinterest gal, but I also love looking at stores like Anthro or Madewell for inspiration
I love the look of some of those patterns. I like to look at toast.co.uk boden.co.uk and marrimekko for inspiration.
I wish I had a more interesting answer here, but most sewing inspiration for clothes I want to wear is from ModCloth. The loose-fitting styles in this book look great!
I go to Anthropologie and Threads for my fix most of the time and then window shopping and artsy places. I’m more boho but I like to mix and match.
I love these kinds of books but its always a bummer that they don’t come busty booty sizing.
Blogs, magazines and Pinterest, thanks for the opportunity.
Sewing blogs, pattern companies new patterns, H&M magazines, J Crew magazines, and Pinterest of course
I di like the aesthetic her so I’m going for it š I must agree it’s rather difficult to fit my US sized self into some Japanese patterns, but that doesn’t stop me buying the books in Japantown here in SF…
It is very easy for me to find things I’m interested in on pinterest.
I have definitely been known to wear ensembles that made people wonder (and straight out ask me) who the hell would wear that in public. I have toned it down somewhat in the past decade so it would be great to have these patterns
There’s eye candy everywhere you look; just taking a trip to downtown SF and window shopping (and people oggling) will do it!
For eye candy I usually visit the Easy Fashion Paris blog, Or I’ll go sit in a cafe and people watch. There are some particularly hip coffee shops in Philly that have equally hip patronage. While I sit and sip I try not to get caught staring and drooling over their clothes.
I’m mostly a knitter, but I’ve been leaning towards sewing a bit more lately. I hate spending a ton of money on clothes, but when I can make something really unique I have no issues spending $100 on wool for a sweater. I’ve been finding it more and more that clothing isn’t made for my body, especially dresses and sweaters, so I try not to purchase anything from stores except tees and jeans. I absolutely love modcloth’s site, but I cannot afford to clothe myself all in their wares!
I’ve never sewn a Japanese pattern, but these look so cute. I usually go to Pinterest for inspiration.
I love the design details. Pinterest is my primary source of eye-candy, although I enjoy Anthropologie and JCrew catalogs for inspiration. Thank you for the giveaway!
For eye candy and inspiration I like to browse etsy for vintage inspired dresses and clothing. There is so much out there! And I can take screen shots on my phone to reference later. Also I have a board on Pinterest dedicated to eye candy/inspiration!
The styling in the book is fantastic!
For inspiration, I go to sewing blogs, like this one, in fact. Also Anthropologie.
I like to walk in the mall and take picture of items I like and make notes. I also like to look through various magazines and cut out peices and glue them in my inspiration journal. It’s a fun process.
Well to be honest I lurk your blog for inspiration and that’s no smoke up the old skirt. Just the truth so get back in the saddle next week as promised:)
I like to walk around the mall and take pictures of garments or even handbags. Along with the pictures , I write notes for myself of any details I’d like to remember. I also like to look through magazines and cut out pieces to put them in my journal. It’s quite fun to look for inspiration.
Sorry, didn’t realize my first comment did post.
I find most of my online inspiration from sewing and vintage style blogs. I think the people that make the biggest impression on me, however, are usually people I see on the street or at events.
I live in Stockholm and I like to go to the flagship H&M store. I know. I know. But this store has stuff like I’ve never seen at any other high street store. Just today I ogled some peplum blouses made from flower-print neoprene. So cool. I try to figure out how to copy them!
Sewing blogs mostly, and magazines. Classic movies too!
My inspiration is pretty limited to RTW clothes and Pinterest, but this looks like great fodder, too!
That’s an interesting looking book – a bit out of range from what I normally am drawn to, which makes me like it even more! I go to the University district in Seattle for inspiration, it’s a great people watching area!
For inspiration I spend wayyy too much time online “shopping” for things I can’t afford & then I figure out how to recreate them myself.
I get my inspiration from Pinterest, window shopping & sewing blogs. Thanks for hosting the giveaway, the book looks fab!
I look online for my eye candy, typically designer stuff…because let’s face it, they do make the best designs š
I go to sewing blogs, Threads magazine and Vogue magazine for inspiration. From each of these I may find that one little detail that will take my design to another level. This Laurence King book would offer me that same inspiration.
I enjoy reading blogs, Kollabora and flipping through my favorite catalogs. Thanks for your great tutorials and inspiration!
What a great book! I like Mimi G & Erika B’s blogs but am just learning of and enjoying While bunch of new blogs!
Blogs, surfing, thrift stores, I’m not really a “Vogue Magazine” kinda girl, but recently I’ve been ripping out pictures….. from my own subscription, the magazine at the gynecologist office š and pasting them up all over my sewing room! And of course… fabric stores. I feel something and it screams to be made into something. š
I love browsing Allsaints’ stores, they’re everything I would wear but with such interesting details.
How interesting! I’m not familiar with this company, but they have some REALLY nice pieces! DYING to see that ‘Flounced Edge Jacket’ shown in the instructions part!! That looks REALLY cute!
My inspiration pieces come from catalogs, magazines and blogs like The Classy Cubicle and sewing blogs like this one š I have a ‘project board’ above my machine that has pics of favs, along with fabric samples. One day I’ll actually GET to sewing those …:)
I love love love these jackets!! I don’t usually go for these books either, but this one seems right up my alley. I love to go pet everything in J.Crew and look at all the construction for inspiration!
Oooh, I’d love to have my own copy of this book!
I like going to neighborhoods completely antithetical to my style. Boro Park or Williamsburg (the non-Hispanic side of Division) in Brooklyn, my mom’s village in Greece, Chinatown in Manhattan, Little Italy in the Bronx… Sometimes, I just like going somewhere where I don’t know anyone and I can be completely anonymous, so that I can just observe and take in what there is around me. Except for my mom’s village (a cute little seaside place), I can just hang back and let people do their thing.
Sometimes I’ll look at quilt patterns, or even more oddly, interior decorating sites like Apartment Therapy. There’s something about the uniqueness of both that bring inspiration. Even cookie-cutter houses could be decorated identically, or quilts made with the same fabric, but no two can possibly be the same!
EYE candy…..always the internet and that terrible vortex of online shopping. Le sigh…makes me want to make everything now that I know how to!
me right now: http://37.media.tumblr.com/e0491469eed5f1893fe482e51fda81c9/tumblr_n3q3cuiPwO1rungpko1_250.gif
im one to perus the RTW sites like zara for inspiration. but that 10K coat is inspiration enough for about a week for me
Steven Alan, those smooooth modern silhouettes in mortician colors really do it for me. Maybe it’s the crazy tall serious models, they look so mad sometimes!
Hi Lauren! I love perusing Women’s Wear Daily to see what is up and coming on the runways/designer side of things. Recently, I’ve gotten my best inspiration sewing while watching Project Runway. Somehow I feel like Tim is speaking to me through the tv when he says “Make it Work”. haha.
This book looks awesome! I love Japanese style and would enjoy having a copy!
Inspiration from everywhere, even books like these. I think I would give it a try but make it my own
Because Pinterest can get so overwhelming (but I do use it too!), I still collect and cut out clothes in beauty & fashion magazines that catch my eye. Even if there is only one aspect of a dress, etc that I like, I’ll cut it out and put it into a binder where I have about 6 plastic sheet protectors worth of clippings grouped by topic. – And I don’t care if the amazing collar of a blouse originally came from a shoe advertisement! š
Lauren, you have been my gateway drug to the world of sewing blogs! I’m very new to sewing and I’ve gotten sucked into your posts, lurking thru the archives, checking out your links to other fab designers and big 4 (love ur take on Vogue). Now I’ve hopelessly have far more ideas in my head than I’m capable of making. But oh well, enjoying the ride š
I go to blogs and Pinterest for eye candy inspiration!
I like fashion mags and Pinterest to get mix and match outfit ideas, but my favourite inspiration comes from vintage clothes, especially 50s and earlier- they had some fabulous details and fit!
Where do I go for eye candy? Sewing blogs of course! I am also obsessed with Pinterest so there’s that, but I also get inspiration from museums. Looking at the garments online from hundreds of years back is amazing, like metmuseum.org
I love looking at lovely blogs like yours, but also find inspiration in the strangest of places! Saw a bra in Ann Summers the other day, and loved the polka dot design and piping details, so that dress for the wedding color scheme is finally sorted! Butterick B6049 you are nearly ready to be made!
I like to go into high street stores and get my inspiration from there, I take photos in shops and then try and see if I can make my own. I also love pinterest, and my auntie (who used to sew all my fancy dress costumes) just gave me a load of fabric and patterns, so I can’t wait to get started again!
I like to look through old burda magazines, or just scroll through pattern websites and see what catches my eye!
My inspiration comes from so many places. I love following sewing blogs. I love looking at vintage pattern artwork. And I also like perusing sites like modcloth for ideas I can incorporate into my sewing.
Thanks for hosting this giveaway!!
Sewing blogs, catalogs, and any other ogs available.
I just moved from Japan and this is the first pattern book I’ve seen that has clothes if wear! It makes me miss walking around Tokyo seeing all of the petite, perfectly put together girls! And the current Japanese fashion is super sweet!
Every morning I get inspired over coffee by checking out my favorite blogs (hence why I’m here now!) but I also get seriously inspired by this amazing fabric store in my town called Fiddlehead Artisan Supply and a couple amazing yarn shops near my town as well. Thanks for getting a discount code for us!! This book looks fantastic.
LOVE Laurence King books- I have a few of them and would love to have this one, too. That dress with the shoulder ruffle is very similar to StyleArc Island Ali top which I had to sew twice because it is so comfy and pretty. Or maybe I should start blogging again and re-establish a relationship with LK books! š Or hey I could buy one! decisions decisions…..
I really like that casual jacket (though I’d pair it with skinny jeans instead of a tutu maybe). Thanks for blogging about this book.
Blogs are definitely my main source of eye candy!
I do a bit of everything mentioned (mags, blogs, pinterest) – and then I create a few watercolor sketches of the colors/textures I would like to use and leave it in a sketchbook. WI also try to take notes of a base pattern that could be modified to create it. If I am not organized, I end up lost on the internet and using all of my sewing time to look at what everyone else has made!
I get my inspiration from sewing/fashion blogs, Pinterest, Modcloth.com, and Japanese fashion magazines (Vivi is awesome!). That is one beautiful book!
I would love to win this book! I read blogs and window shop for my sewing inspiration.
Chippendales! Oh wait, that’s not what you meant LOL. I follow a few sewing blogs. LLadybird, Diary of a Chain Stitcher, Sew Busy Lizzy and Goodbye Valentino are my favs. I also will go to a designer website like DVF and then PIN what I might want to copy someday.
I live in a remote area so I get my fashion inspiration mostly from the sewing blogs that I follow and the cute fashionable ladies I admire in my town. 80’s goth, 50’s housewives, california girl breezyness, it’s an odd combination really.
For eye candy inspirations, I go to fashion blogs like yours, Petite Republic, and Restyle.Restore.Rejoice.
Ooh this book looks fab! I like Pinterest and Anthro for inspiration and eye candy! Mrsrachelsbooth@gmail.com
I usually go to Pinterest for inspiration š
I look for fashion inspiration on fashion blogs, Pinterest, and in magazines. I also like looking at shopping websites like Modcloth, Anthropologie and Free People.
I look for inspiration from blogs. My favorite are the ones that really focus on everyday wear. I know a lot of bloggers worry that simple things can be boring but those are my favorite things to see. I hope that doesn’t make me boring.
Fashion blogs, magazines, television, Pinterest, movies and sewing blogs!
I love lurking Modcloth for inspiration, there are soo many cute dresses on there, and the styles are usually pretty simple, just fancied up with cute prints. And of course all the sewing blogs! I want to make just about every single thing I see other people make, but there’s no way my budget or closet size could allow that. My Pinterest boards can hold ’em though!
I like ModCloth and vintage patterns.
Obviously, sewing blogs are kinda the best š But I also love Tomboy Style to find badass ladies from bygone days.
I visited Italy last summer and I loved just looking at people from all over the world. It was truly eye-candy at its peak. So many fashionable people!
I find it in my fabric scraps, putting surprising colors and patterns together, seeing different shapes.
I find inspiration in sewing blogs, of course :), as well as my favorite catalogs BR and J Crew.
I watch man of steel for eye candy
Right now I’m getting loads of ideas from the newest Boden catalog!
For fashion inspiration, I look to movies with period costumes, vintage patterns and clothes on etsy, and Japanese Harajuku style. I love Fruits magazine!
For inspiration I go to different pattern blogs, anywhere from Bernina to McCalls, and the Pinterest, Esty, and I love my Renaissance sewing books,
Pinterest, usually. And the blogs!! Yours, Saliieoh, Closet Case Files, Grainline, Coletterie, Fancy Tiger, The Papercut Collective, etc. And Modern Domestic, the awesome awesome fabric/sewing store in Portland where I live. It’s so great to have a community, on-line and off, to bring questions to and get project precedents from. Thanks Lladybird!
I get a lot of inspiration from Pinterest. I’m addicted. Thanks for the giveaway.
Oh this looks like an absolutely fantastic book and I love the idea of you offering it as a giveaway. What I love most from the photos you provided is the simplicity of the pieces, the nice clean lines, the warm neutral colours that are traditionally Japanese. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Lladybird!!
My inspiration comes from bloggers like you or Oonaballoona or Ginger Made or from watching tv. I’ve been watching Masters of Sex and the show is set in the 50’s. Talk about ultra feminine, body hugging clothes. My best ideas slap my awake from a dead sleep. Gotta love the creative mind!
Ooh! I’d love to try sewing clothing! My inspiration for that comes from Burda Magazine.
Anthropologie and Pinterest!
I usually look online for my eye candy. Pinterest and the many blogs that I read. Also the bookstore where I can look at the new books and magazines.
Definitely pinterest and online “window” shopping at stores I wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford! Learning to sew means the possibilities are endless! Thanks for hosting this giveaway š
For inspiration I often head over to pinterest. I can get lost there forever. Also paging through burdastyle magazines.
one word…Pinterest! I’m addicted. I also love browsing pattern books at Joanns.
This book looks fabulous. I love all of the Japanese sewing books (even the ones for dogs), despite that their patterns are sized for short stacks. This one looks especially promising because I can actually read the directions. I want to make every pattern in the book and then stage my own photo shoot so that I can pretend I live in a serene well-lit world where I didn’t just spend 5 hours with a seam ripper because I insisted on sewing while watching CSI.
Pinterest is like my crack, and these pics belong there most definitely.
I go to style.com for inspiration. I look for designers I like and then try to interpret into ready to wear garments.
I love getting surprise fabric as gifts, i think it’s so much more fun to say “what can i make with this?” Rather than “what will i make this out of?” I also love going through my entire fabric stash piece by piece. As a matter of fact I had to do this today. It was a rescue operation as my apartment building got completely flooded. We were able to save it all except 5 yards of blue/green flannel, it died honorably saving a beautiful wool plaid, a genuine martyr, it will be remembered fondly :(.
Also, now I have all this inspiration and no where to sew.
I’m in Virginia :). I love scouring pinterest for ideas, and then when I’m visiting NY I love browsing through the garment district without my hubby or kiddos HEHEHE
I love looking around at Nordstrom at some of the higher-end labels – and drawing inspiration from the fabrics and shapes they use! I think it keeps me trend-conscious, but also aware of what really fine seaming and construction looks like!
I’d have to say sewing blogs and pattern shopping at JoAnn’s. I have way more patterns than I can ever hope to sew, but I can’t stop buying them!
This book looks great! I want that coat. Other than sewing blogs, I would say I get most of my sewing inspiration from tomandlorenzo.com (the only Trashy Fashion Blog I really ready, and really, it’s not so trashy!) and from watching (and re-watching) shows and movies.
I do a lot of Pinterest and Etsy eye candy shopping. And magazines. And movies. And pretty much anywhere pretty clothes are to be had.
I get my inspiration from Pinterest and sewing blogs, but more currently from vintage patterns and books with fun sewing techniques like Fabric Manipulation.
My inspiration generally comes from the sewing & knitting blogs I follow. I’m not a huge Pinterest user (gasp!) & I don’t subscribe to any fashion mags, so I count on you & your blogland colleagues to keep me stylin’.
Oooh I love, LOVE simple pattern books like this one! I have one of the Stylish Dress books and it’s my fave because you can so easily adapt and adjust the patterns to make pretty much whatever you want! This book looks like it has some amazing patterns, like the lace sleeve blouse and that raincoat!!
I go to Pinterest first and foremost for eye candy inspiration these days! There is just so much fun/pretty/beautiful/interesting stuff to seeeeee! š
I look for inspiration on blogs, love burdastyle, and on the fabric shop š
I find my inspiration on blogs, sleuth shopping, magazines (mostly while getting my nails done) but mostly by looking at what people are wearing on the street. This book looks like great inspiration even if they’re not my typical styles.
Window shopping and online blogs work for me. I like reading about someone’s experience sewing a particular pattern before I give it a try.
Count me in for the giveaway! Fashion eye-candy is walking the street 24/7 where I live, so I can usually just take a stroll around town and come back with plenty of sewing inspiration. Yay! š
Hi, I signed up for Stitch Fix. I love the clothing delivery and usually buy something. But I love their outfit cards for inspiration and getting some great ideas. Having the clothing at home lets me check out the construction as well without lurking too much in a dressing room.
Did I already comment? Oh hell, I don’t know anymore! But what I know is, I’d love to get my grubby hands on a copy of that book, furreal.
That coat is awesome!!!
I know it’s a clichĆ©, but I love to look at Anthropologie and Modcloth for inspiration. They always have very interesting design details that totally fit in my style š Thanks for the giveaway!
I love Anthro and Modcloth for inspiration, too… the subtle “why didn’t I think of that??” details. But I’m a sucker for any eye candy… fashion magazines, catalogs, pinterest, you name it.
I want that book! Have a collection of pattern books from Japan and really like how most of the patterns are constructed. I’ve even used some of the techniques in modifying other patterns. For eye candy I mostly rely on sewing blogs including blogs from indie designers like Deer and Doe and Coletterie, and on coveting–shopping at Anthropologie and other stores I can’t afford.
I love to look at Anthropologie, Kate Spade, and Jcrew for store eye candy, but most of all get most inspired through the sewing community, whether it’s through blogs (like yours) and my local sewing meetup. š Thank you!
For the draw on Sweet Clothes, my inspiration comes from Phoebe Philo, any beautifully constructed garment and you! The links you send on other pattern makers has really got me looking at different things rather than the traditional pattern companies. Thank you!
For eye candy, I fall down the rabbit hole of “blog roll links” on my favorite sewing blogs…always find something new that way!
I usually always go to pinterest! Or other blogs of course!
The book looks fantastic. Simple styles but with beautiful elements. Just wonderful. Old movies are a great source for eye candy. I also enjoy a few fashion magazines too. And living in south Florida there’s a pretty good eclectic night scene from Latin influences, beachy casual style, rockabilly, punk and more. .. there’s definitely a lot to see.