Old Clothes into Quilted Art

Old Clothes into Quilted Art

Turn old and vintage clothing into a work of art

I don’t know about you, but there are some favorite clothes I hate to part with even when they’ve gone out of style or showing wear in places. The perfect way to preserve them is by using them to make a quilt.

This is a great way to save special t-shirts. I have some that my favorite uncle sent me from his different travels around the world. I also have some that marked special milestones in my own life. These make a lovely soft quilt to display on the back of a chair or even hang on a wall.

I even have a few quilts and quilted pillows that have pieces of family history in their design. Pieces of my great-great grandmother’s dresses, a piece of my great grandfather’s shirt, scraps from my grandmother’s wedding dress all combine together for a fun remembrance that everyone can enjoy.

This is also a lovely gift to share with other family members. And if you don’t have enough for multiple quilts, you can frame it as a focal point on a wall with family photos. Or even put it in a frame with a collage of family photos.

Written by

W R I T E   T O   L A D Y   M

Have a fashion question or a fabulous and frugal tip you’d like her to share in this column?
You can email Lady M directly at
LadyM@TheImpostersLtd.com

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Last Second Scarf Saves

Last Second Scarf Saves

The Problem

You need to dress up an outfit fast, and you don’t have a lot of time to do so.
You’re still dressed for work or are just relaxing in something simple and comfy. When GASP, you remember you need to be somewhere in just minutes and don’t have time to change. What’s a girl to do? 

The Fix

Your evening or appointment is saved with a quick fix – a scarf. And no, I’m not talking about an infinity scarf. You want a scarf that is free-flowing and able to drape. A pin is the only other thing you’ll need. A decorative broach or a large safety pin will do.

First fix, if you are wearing jeans, weave the scarf into the belt loops and make sure that the two ends meet just in front of one of your hips. Tie the ends together loosely and allow the ends to drape down your leg.

For the second fix, you are wearing a simple dress. Drape the scarf behind one shoulder while wrapping the scarf all the way around you. You can pin it in place with a decorative pin for a little added sparkle or use a safety pin underneath so that very little of the pin is visible. This tip also works if you want a more modest neckline.

Also, using an oversized scarf as a shawl is always a classic look and can work with almost any outfit.

Need to do something quick with your hair? A scarf can be your quick emergency go-to. Tie it around a ponytail. Wrap it around a bun. Tie it around your hair like a headband.

And there you go – quick, stylish wardrobe pick-me-ups that take just moments to add.

Always keep a neutral-colored scarf in a resealable bag in your purse, and you’ll be ready no matter what last-minute surprises get thrown your way. And you should always have a safety pin or two on hand for emergencies (like a ripped seam).

 

Written by

W R I T E   T O   L A D Y   M

Have a fashion question or a fabulous and frugal tip you’d like her to share in this column?
You can email Lady M directly at
LadyM@TheImpostersLtd.com

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Patching

Patching

Bigger Holes? No problem!

Maybe you have a hole or a rip too gaping to darn. Or your favorite jeans have worn dangerously thin and you risk putting a knee through every time you wear them. (This happens quickly with distressed or faded jeans because of the chemical processes used to make them look worn.)


Let’s discuss a number of techniques used to patch holes and sagging rips. There are two major types of patches, overpatching and underpatching, and several different ways to attach the patch that will change the final look.

 

Overpatching

Overpatching is what most people picture when they think of a patch: a piece of fabric covering the outside of a hole. Common methods of application include:

-sewing or serging around the edges,

-using iron-on patches

-using fusible webbing around the edges of the patch.

 

Underpatching

Underpatching is applying a patch to the inside of a hole, so the fabric shows through. This method shows the ripped edges of the hole but hides the edges of the patch. Many people use a patterned or colored piece of fabric underneath for visual interest, lace also works well. Iron on patches don’t work well with this method, but fusible webbing does.

 

Sashiko

Sashiko is a sewing method that works well with both over- and underpatching. Originally a Japanese method for mending kimonos, sashiko involves covering a patch with a repeating pattern of stitches. These stitches hold the two layers of fabric together, disguise the patch’s edges, and look decorative. Sashiko ranges from lines of running stitches, to elaborate geometric patterns.

 

To apply a patch, first pick a piece of fabric and either baste it or use fusible webbing to hold it in place.

Then, sew through the patch and the garment around the edges of the damaged area.

Trim the edges, and, if overpatching, turn them under to create a hem, sew in place.
Lastly, add embroidery or sashiko as desired for extra stability and decoration.

Written by

W R I T E   T O   L A D Y   M

Have a fashion question or a fabulous and frugal tip you’d like her to share in this column?
You can email Lady M directly at
LadyM@TheImpostersLtd.com

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Patches don’t have to just be efficient–they can be decorative!

read more
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Why settle for a bad fit on a beloved tee?We all have them. Those T-shirts in our drawer that we love for the graphics or the text on them ... but whose cut leaves something to be desired. Maybe they're just too big, or maybe they're actually a unisex T, which doesn't...

read more

Comments

British Intelligence in 1909

British Intelligence in 1909

In 1909, “British Intelligence” was actually a bit of a misnomer. England had no unified intelligence force. And though there were intelligence divisions of the army, the navy, and the police, they were laughably behind other countries in the intelligence game.

The Novels That Created Spy-Mania

Then came a write named William Le Queux. He wrote spy novels. He wrote wildly popular, wildly imaginative spy novels. They always, always focused on German agents invading the UK…and they were convincing. So convincing that the average British citizen began calling in reports of enemy-spy activity every time they saw a German tourist or waiter.

Le Queux and his publishers were clever, too. They would not only come up with stories about calculated German invasions, they would map them out along the subscription routes of the papers that serialized his books, so that the towns ripe for “invasion” were also the ones with the most readers. Those readers, in turn, would be delighted-and-terrified to see their own little hamlets and villages featured in Le Queux’s books. Subscriptions would sky-rocket…and suspicions would mount. Everyone began looking for the real spies among them and reporting them to an overwhelmed and beleagured police force who had no idea what to do with all these reports.

It got to the point where the general populace and the novelist himself were convinced that William Le Queux knew more about England’s intelligence game than the government did. They were convinced that Germans were sneaking in and undermining their country.

And the Crown couldn’t honestly assure them otherwise…because the Crown had no unified intelligence agency to gather, evaluate, and file or dismiss all the concerns. So in direct response to the spy-mania that had seized the country thanks to the works of this novelist, they changed that in 1909.

MI5 – England’s First Unified Intelligence Agency

In 1909, England took its first step into what one might call the modern intelligence game. They did it by creating an organization that would combine intelligence reports from all the separate military and police forces, which included at the time the army, the navy, and the police force.

For the first time, there was a centralized, unified organization to collect and evaluate intelligence, both at home and abroad. Here, reports were gathered from the army and naval agents in the field. Here, police reports from within the UK could also be gathered. Which meant that finally they had a way to compare reports of espionage within England with reports from their own intelligencers in Germany and other European countries, to determine whether in fact their political rival was sending agents into England.

The novel A Beautiful Disguise takes a fictional view on the formation of MI5, inserting characters into the fledgling organization that were certainly not real…but also drawing inspiration from actual scandals in European intelligence.

Russian Colonel Alfred Redl

From 1903-1913, Russia’s highest-ranking intelligence officer, Colonel Alfred Redl, was in fact in the pay of Germany, proving that other European nations were playing an intelligence game far beyond what England was doing at the time. Over that ten years, many Russian agents-in-the-field in Germany vanished. Not exactly unusual, given how dangerous a game espionage is…but as it turns out, their disappearances were no accident.

They’re superior was selling them to the enemy. Agents would vanish–killed–and Redl would get a payment from his German counterparts.

In 1913, Redl retired…but he apparently didn’t let the Germans know. Another payment came in. Suspicious, his successor followed the delivery of the money and was shocked to see the courrier go to Redl’s home. He quickly evaluated the books, realized there was a direct correlation to other such payments and when their agents went missing, and arrested Redl. Redl, further, was discovered to have been using the money to fund a secret life of homosexuality, which was illegal at the time.

The story has a bitter ending. Redle was left in a hotel room with a loaded gun and an unspoken command. He did exactly what he was expected to do: he shot himself, leaving a note that said, “Passion and levity have destroyed me. I pay with my life for my sins. Pray for me.”

Where Truth Meets Fiction

If you’ve read A Beautiful Disguise already, then you’ll be able to see the parallels between this sad true story and my fictionalized scandal that MI5 was facing before it even officially launched. There was no similar scandal on record in England at the time, but without question, such things were possible, given that they were happening even then in other European countries.

And as it happens, England upped its intelligence game just in time to get their feet under them before political rivalry boiled over into war.

W R I T E   T O   F R A N C O

Have questions about the circus or managerie?
You can email Franco directly at
Ringmaster@TheImpostersLtd.com

More from the world of the Imposters

There’s So Much to Explore!

Learn more about the Edwardian circus that defined the Imposters’ childhood, get fashion tips from Lady M, explore the theater of the day, meet the team, pet the animals, go behind the Top Secret stamp to learn about intelligence in the early 20th century, train yourself to be a private investigator, and dive into some fun and games!

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British Intelligence in 1909

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read more
Circus Buildings

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In the footsteps of itinerant jesters and strolling players of the past, the world of circus emerged, illuminating the glimmer of wanderlust in the hearts of their audiences. As the late 18th century dawned, troupes began touring to even the tiniest hamlets, bridging...

read more

Comments

Circus Buildings

Circus Buildings

In the footsteps of itinerant jesters and strolling players of the past, the world of circus emerged, illuminating the glimmer of wanderlust in the hearts of their audiences. As the late 18th century dawned, troupes began touring to even the tiniest hamlets, bridging the gap between imagination and reality. In the 19th century, when the veins of the railway reached across the land, these circuses carried the magic of their performance further still. Majestic enterprises like Astley’s Circus would traverse through Britain, visit the quaint avenues of Paris and other European cities, and persist despite the often grueling conditions of travel.

Richard Sands’ “Splendid and Novel Pavilion”

One such intrepid wanderer was Richard Sands, an American circus proprietor, an acrobat, and a “ceiling walker” of notoriety. In 1842, his company, Sands’ American Circus, made its English debut with a retinue of 35 horses and 25 equestrians, adding a whole new dimension to the circus culture. His infamous “air walking” act, a daring demonstration with rubber suction pads affixed to his feet, kept audiences on the edge of their seats. However, this stunt, as thrilling as it was, ended in tragedy in 1861, reminding everyone that even within the glistening fantasy of the circus, the harsh reality of life could intrude.

Despite this tragedy, Richard Sands gifted England an enduring symbol of the circus – the tent we so fondly associate with these spectacles of wonder. His “splendid and novel Pavilion” was met with an enthusiastic reception and was rapidly imitated by other troupes.

Charlie Keith’s Circus Building on Wheels

The evolution of the circus Big Top buildings is credited to Charlie Keith. He was a celebrated clown and circus owner, who, in 1892, patented the first portable circus building. Tired of circuses with leaky tents and muddy floors, Keith dared to dream of a sturdier alternative. His invention – a flat-packed marvel of wooden planks and a canvas roof – offered the convenience of mobility with the stability of a permanent structure.

The danger of the hastily built, transient circus buildings of the early 19th century was a grim reality. Tragedies such as the gallery collapse in Bristol in 1799 or the fatal accident in Leeds in 1848 served as stark reminders of the risks. Keith’s innovation, his “circus building on wheels,” although not entirely original, was a significant step towards the more stable Big Top structures we associate with the circus today.

W R I T E   T O   F R A N C O

Have questions about the circus or managerie?
You can email Franco directly at
Ringmaster@TheImpostersLtd.com

More from the world of the Imposters

There’s So Much to Explore!

Learn more about the Edwardian circus that defined the Imposters’ childhood, get fashion tips from Lady M, explore the theater of the day, meet the team, pet the animals, go behind the Top Secret stamp to learn about intelligence in the early 20th century, train yourself to be a private investigator, and dive into some fun and games!

More From This Category

British Intelligence in 1909

British Intelligence in 1909

In 1909, "British Intelligence" was actually a bit of a misnomer. England had no unified intelligence force. And though there were intelligence divisions of the army, the navy, and the police, they were laughably behind other countries in the intelligence game. The...

read more
Circus Buildings

Circus Buildings

In the footsteps of itinerant jesters and strolling players of the past, the world of circus emerged, illuminating the glimmer of wanderlust in the hearts of their audiences. As the late 18th century dawned, troupes began touring to even the tiniest hamlets, bridging...

read more

Comments

Aerialists

Aerialists

What Are Aerialists?

Aerialists are acrobatic performers specializing in the sub-categories of acrobatics performed in the air. They include trapeze artists, tightrope-walkers, high wire acts, and performances on silks, hoops, rings, or other suspended devices.

The History of Aerialism

Much of the history of these acts is a bit murky, with “founders” of the specific arts being credited mostly with bringing popularity to things hinted at in records well before their lifetimes.

Trapeze

The trapeze rocketed to fame thanks to French performer Jules Leotard, who is credited with the invention of the trapeze…though records show the word in use before he was born. At any rate, he brought new life and popularity to trapeze performances in the mid 1800s.

Types of trapezes include:

Sstatic trapeze–ropes and bars and rings that don’t move, around which the performer swings. These sports are still popular in gymnastics and even featured in the Olympic games.

Swinging trapeze–a bar suspended from ropes that allow the performers to swing out in an arc like a pendulum. Swinging Trapeze begins from a still position, and the performer works up his or her own momentum, much like one would do on a playground swing.

Flying trapeze–similar in form to a swinging trapeze, the flying trapeze differs in approach, with the aerialist leaping onto the bar from a great height and using gravity to provide the momentum.

Trapeze acts can be performed solo, in two, or even with more performers working together.

Silks and Ropes

The practice of using fabric or ropes to drop, climb, and twirl. Cirque du Soleil is in large part responsible for catapulting these skills to the fore, but it’s uncertain whether their history dates back further. For the purposes of the Imposters, I assumed that aerialists had been doing these tricks far longer than from the 1990s.

 

Aerial Hoops

An aerial hoop is a variation of a static trapeze that uses a large ring instead of a bar. Performers flips, twingle, hand, spin, and climb on and through the hoop for their act. The first recorded use of the aerial hoop was in an 1893 circus in New York, by a performer called “Caedo.”

 

W R I T E   T O   F R A N C O

Have questions about the circus or managerie?
You can email Franco directly at
Ringmaster@TheImpostersLtd.com

More from the world of the Imposters

There’s So Much to Explore!

Learn more about the Edwardian circus that defined the Imposters’ childhood, get fashion tips from Lady M, explore the theater of the day, meet the team, pet the animals, go behind the Top Secret stamp to learn about intelligence in the early 20th century, train yourself to be a private investigator, and dive into some fun and games!

More From This Category

British Intelligence in 1909

British Intelligence in 1909

In 1909, "British Intelligence" was actually a bit of a misnomer. England had no unified intelligence force. And though there were intelligence divisions of the army, the navy, and the police, they were laughably behind other countries in the intelligence game. The...

read more
Circus Buildings

Circus Buildings

In the footsteps of itinerant jesters and strolling players of the past, the world of circus emerged, illuminating the glimmer of wanderlust in the hearts of their audiences. As the late 18th century dawned, troupes began touring to even the tiniest hamlets, bridging...

read more

Comments