An Entrepreneur is Born!

Ever since she was little, Nikki has shown an entrepreneurial spirit.  When she was 10, she began making really cute hairbows and posted them on my fledgling Etsy site.  While having a big time with all kinds of fabulous ribbons, she made herself a little profit while getting a taste of what you can do with energy,  artistic talent and drive. After making the bows for our school cheer squad for 2 years, and making a killing off her no longer adored American Girl dolls, Nikki continued to hone her artistic skills by drawing and excelling at school projects.


Fast forward to 13 and Nikki is at it again. From her broadcast news position at school, she brought in different coffee mugs to enhance the set.  With a revised look for the set, the cups came home and Nikki had an upcycling inspiration------playful pincushions made from the cups.  After all, why should all pincushions be red, stuffed with hard sand material and made in China?

She started by deciding on a name- Corky Red Curls- and creating the logo above.  Perfect for her and the whimsical nature of her creations.  She procured an new email address and began working on her Etsy website, so she would have a venue to sell her fun items.  One of the first cups---cows paired with a fabulous checkerboard silk topper-- is shown at left.  Wouldn't this pincushion make you smile?

She soon moved past the cups that had once adorned the broadcast studio to other objects like this strawberry bowl.  A larger pincushion could hold more and might work better for a serious seamstress.
















The next one she made- I Like Mike- is my favorite.  Made from a baby food monster bowl, it is my favorite color palette. (Not to mention that it's black and white pin part looks like Jef's hair from the Bachelorette!)

And finally, a few more.  A sly fox (called Swiper after Dora the Explorer), a wise old owl and a steaming cup of espresso joined the group.  She's had a lot of fun being original and artistic.

With some imagination, careful thrifting and a lot of rummaging in my studio for leftover material, Nikki struck gold----and created some cool pincushions.

Jack-o-Lantern Halloween Hoodie --Boo!!

In case you didn't know, Halloween is only 134 days away.  So, it seemed totally natural to me- a major Halloween lover (ck out my Pinterest board on Halloween!)--to create a Halloween Hoodie at the beach.  With the use of a ton of scrap fabric and ribbon in my studio, I was able to craft a hoodie I am super excited to present.

Made from a black Danskin cardigan hoodie base, I removed the zipper and hood and cut it to a more flattering shape.  With the remainder of a giant plush Halloween pumpkin pillow my daughter mutilated for her cell project in life science, I added a huge Jack-o-lantern grin to one side of the new shorter bolero.

Then, the fun began.  With a myriad of minky, corduroy, knit and other fabrics, I started assembling the hood. (It's a version of the ones I made last year with some Katwise twists----she's the upcycled coat guru on Etsy- thrown in.)

One more admission- I love luscious bubble cuffs.  It was only natural that I add some in a wonderful orange minky that I had in the studio. A giant shoestring and some trim around the perimeter complete my fun look.  A giant button can hold the hood closed in position if desired.



So fun. Now, it's time to consider making some great witch feet for my table. Stay tuned.

If you enjoyed this blog post, I humbly invite you to visit my website- www.echoclothingcompany.etsy.com to see more upcycled creations or to follow me on Twitter @braitzatl.

Go Team USA!

Last year, I made a couple of hoodies with very long hoods-just for fun.  I had seen an artist on Etsy named Katwise who made wonderful coats with long hoods from recycled sweaters.  The two that I made both sold to boutiques almost immediately, but  I had to move on to spring sweaters and didn't make any more.

The idea kept coming up  in the back of my mind until I decided to do a few more.  The first inspiration was the upcoming Olympics in London and Team USA.  Wouldn't it be marvelous if a US athlete wore my hoodie in the closing ceremonies?

With that thought in mind, I began crafting it from a navy Danskin hoodie.  I searched the studio high and low for great leftover or recycled materials, and then began cutting a more flattering style held closed by a giant shoestring. Fun ruffled navy and white trim soon found it's way around the perimeter, and I also added luscious red polka dotted minky cuffs.

The result can be seen in the pictures.  Not only would this look smashing on a member or supporter of Team USA, but also would rock on anyone who wants to wear their team colors proudly.  I've listed it on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/listing/100711573/ladies-usa-medium-upcycled-cotton-fairy so that my  dream of seeing it at the Olympics has a chance to come true.

If you would like to see more Echo creations, I humbly invite you to my website at www.echoclothingcompany.etsy.com.  You can also keep up with us on twitter- @braitzatl.

One-of-a-Kind Reprised

Several years ago, I found a wonderful sweater base in grey and black stripes.  It was unusual, interestingly made and had some elements I could accentuate as I upcycled it.  By restyling it from a boring pullover and adding some hot lime green trim, I called it the Zoe.

It was very well-received and helped me be accepted into an American Craft Council show in GA as one of 10 up and coming Indie designers to watch.  As you can imagine, I was excited and even more thrilled when they chose it to appear in the show's program.

The Zoe sold quickly, and I have often been asked to make another.  Unfortunately, I had not found a base that was slightly off the shoulders and unique like the original Zoe was made from....until now.








This past week while thrifting, I came upon a pristine cotton blend top that had very interesting elements.  It was nearly off the shoulder, had similar stripes and very interesting sleeves.  Long black cuffs reached almost to the elbow and a vertical stripe ran down the sleeves.  To top it off?  A perfect t-shirt in a great chartreuse shade was also there.


Home I went and cleaned, re-cut and created the Zoe 2 (with help from Debra!). It's not the same, but one-of-a-kind things never are. The sleeves are very unique- you can push them up, leave them down or even turn the cuffs up.  I love the updated look --it pays homage to the Zoe, but is a tad edgier. Mission accomplished at last!

If you enjoyed this post and would like to keep up with what we are producing at Echo or the art we are musing about, I humbly invite you to follow me at braitzatl on Twitter or visit us at www.echoclothingcompany.etsy.com

Hoodies Don't Kill People, Guns Do

I'm sure that by now Geraldo Rivera regrets his off-the-cuff comments that Trayvon Martin's hoodie was just as responsible for his death as the bullet that killed him.  However, the comment lingered with me and I tried to express my thoughts in ways most artists do best---in their art.  For me, that was with- no surprise-..a black hoodie.  In both my regular upcycling and also when I had collegiate licensing for GA and Georgia Tech, I loved using hoodies.  So, I grabbed a plain black hoodie and went to work with some thoughts on the situation.

Regardless of the facts of the case, a teenager is dead who didn't deserve to die walking down a street in America with tea and skittles.  So, isn't it time we started to break decades-old stereotypes and stop the hate so that innocent kids aren't misconstrued for being anything other than what they are---- a fellow human being loved by God?  Using various pieces of other tee shirts in the studio, I have mapped out a strategy on my hoodie.  If just one person takes it to heart--- including me-- it was worth the effort.

Taking a jacket and tee from fun to fabulous

Most of my fashion ingenuity is focused on upcycling sweaters into new creations better than ever before.  But occasionally I come across a jacket, skirt or tee that just calls to me with possibilities.  Two such garments grabbed me this week, and I decided to share them as I hibernate from the pollen haze that has attacked the ATL.  (I put my life-and sinuses-in jeopardy just by dashing outside to snap some quick photos.)




The first was a cute tee shirt that reminded me of an English Garden.  What made it so cool was that the back, sleeves and front were all out of different, but complimentary, patterns. It was also made of a heavier weight t-shirt material that might make a better bolero.












So, with a quick cut of the trusty sewing shears, I had a better shape.  Some fun pinky-purple striped trim (from another tshirt cut up long ago) was just what it needed to take it from English frump to British funk.














The second took some courage to cut as it was quite cute before I started.  I began with a lined  t-shirt blazer that was a cute blackish-navy and cream stripe.  Great basic pieces with tons of potential.  Drawing on my reservoir of courage, I cut the lower 1/2 of it off and started rummaging around the studio for something to take it from good to great.  Enter some black and cream polka dotted material- very soft and pliable.  By doubling a row of it, I was able to pleat it around the bottom to create a new, fresh take on the original jacket.  A row of red rayon trim- stitched on the edge to give it a slight curl- made it nearly complete.  Finally, a fun polka dotted rosette (stolen from my daugher- don't tell!) completes my new look.  It's called Peppy and will be rocking my Etsy site shortly. (www.echoclothingcompany.etsy.com)

A Better Mousetrap?

Sometimes, I come across a great piece at a store that is almost perfect.  Key word? Almost.  Maybe it's the fit, the color, the styling, but it just needs a little something.   This past week, I stumbled upon a sweater at Anthropologie, one of my favorite stores- not only for their clothes, but because of their great displays.  The store inspires me, plain and simple.  So, when I saw a small striped sweater on clearance, I danced right to the checkout with it.

What I loved about it was the back.  The front is a relatively simple crew with two cute pockets.  But the back---wow.  Only two buttons at the very top, then totally open.  I thought of it over a long white tank, and mused---great potential. Yet, it needed a little something---perhaps in the way of color--- to tie it into my black pants or make it a smidge more interesting.














Enter some red sheer polka dotted material from my studio and a leftover black and white bottom from a sweater that had been made into a bolero.  By attaching them to the interior edges of the back and letting them drape, I created a more interesting back---- which still pays homage to the open idea, but without the hassle of pulling it together over my tank.

With the back complete, I needed to add clue on the front.  So, by attaching a leftover ruffle that could be tied on one side to the interior top of one pocket, I introduced just a little pop of color and maybe a curiousity of what you might find on the back.















Finally, I attached two buttons--- different sizes, but complimentary.  Not only did they complete the look, but helped hold the pocket upright as well. Different, unique and colorful---just what I had envisioned.



When I was finished, I realized what had inspired me. I had inadvertently created a simpler, backwards version of one of my favorite designs from 2011- a turnstyle (see Smoke Flowers below).  Perhaps my upcycled sweater was a slightly better mousetrap (for me at least), but it's nearly impossible to improve on Anthropologie.......

Smoke Flowers

Tee Toppers Are Born

If you live in a warm place like Atlanta during the summer, you are constantly bombarded by hot and cold, hot and cold.  It's hot as blazes outside, so you are comfortable in a sleeveless top.  You walk into Willy's, the movies, Yogli Mogli, Target, (fill in your own blank here), and it's oh so cold. Enter my idea for "tee toppers", named for the perfect little shrug to throw over a tee.

In my post as designer for Echo Clothing, I am constantly grabbing up gently used tees and cutting them into shreds for trim.  Sometimes, it pains me to do this because they are cute and beg to be left whole.  As luck would have it, I started to come across good as new tees at my favorite thrift haunts, as well as super-reduced tees at regular stores ($3-4).  An idea was born.  Why not take them, recut them just like our bolero sweaters, and trim them with strips from other tees?


 







Not only would they be lighter than ordinary sweaters that might be too hot in the south in the summer, but they would be "green", original and a great way to transition between hot and cold. As an extra bonus, they could be washed in the washing machine, hung to dry----unlike some sweaters that have to be dry cleaned.  Even better!








Just like with sweaters, where we can alter a pullover, cardigan or crop into another shape, I decided to let the sweater lead the way (which I guess makes me a "sweater whisperer.") If it has a regular scoop, it typically gets a hook and eye (hidden of course) at the top.  If it scoops lower or is a v-neck, it may just be a standard bolero with no tie or hook.  Check them out. They are as unique, different and fun as the women whom I am hoping will enjoy them.

If you want to see what inventory we currently have available, check out the new on-line arm of Echo Clothing- www.echoclothingcompany.etsy.com. We keep posting as we make them.