hello? how are you.

Sorry for the radio silence here lately! 

Since closing my "brick&mortar" shop I've been exploring all the fun weekendy things I missed out on in those 3 years, and I'm also diving into some new (non-SCV-related) endeavors that require a lot of study time. I'm still creating, crafting and thrifting pretty regularly but I've cut back to selling once a month at the vagabond flea for now. My etsy page is a ghost town and I have been meaning to update my blog for ages. It's not that I don't care, I just had to decide where my time and efforts are best utilized. Selling online and in person is hard work, y'all! You look at the instagrams of the professional vintage sellers, with their perfectly lit photos and clever item descriptions, and you have no idea how much time goes into making those images and creating those posts. It's really a full-time job just selling online alone. Props to all the ladies who do it, and do it well (I'm looking at you,@shoptheedit). This is a rambly post (would have made a good blog post, ha!) but it all boils down to this: 👋 hi. I'm still here. SCV still exists, just in a more minimal form at the moment. See you at the next Vagabond Flea! (April 9)

big news

So, big news: I packed up my shop at the beach blvd flea last Sunday 😢 I know, so sad, but I did it for good reasons! This will free me up to travel around Jacksonville and beyond for art walks, farmer's markets, pop-up fleas and other vintage/handmade events. It'll give me more time to create new things, and I'll have more control over my schedule (I can go on day dates with my husband again!). I have LOVED running the shop every weekend and I put my heart into making it a place that fully reflects my brand and personal aesthetic. It was my happy place for over 3 years! And one day, who knows, I might go back to brick and mortar retail. For now, I feel like I got what I needed out of the experience and I'm ready to see where this next chapter takes me. No regrets, except that I didn't give y'all more notice! It all happened really fast, and things fell into place quickly and with ease so I know this is the right step in my small business adventure.
I'll post where you can find me around town! Thanks to all my loyal customers for supporting my dreams. Can't wait to see you at the next pop-up event

where you'll find Stitch Craft Vintage in October

This is a busy month for SCV! I leave tomorrow morning to head south for another massive merchandising trip (follow my adventure on Instagram and Facebook); I'm soooo excited to spend a few days wandering the aisles of every thrift store I can find. I've got some specific items on my list this time, including flannel shirts, jean skirts, good denim, wacky printed skirts, and of course pretty vintage dresses. And I'm always taking suggestions for things to add to my list, so reach out and let me know what you've been looking for!

This month I'm also trying to do more events around town, which brings me to Jax Beach Art Walk and the Vagabond Flea.

Last month's Vagabond was rainy and gray, and I was under-prepared without a canopy to cover me.  Luckily a few of my vintage-selling friends were there and they let me squeeze under their tent with them.  Thanks Ravishing Rabbit! Y'all are life-savers. This month I've got a tent of my own (with a pink canopy, natch) so I'm excited to bring more vintage with me to share. I also have a few Halloween-themed circle skirts that would look great if you decide to opt out of the costume game this year, or if your workplace won't allow them. I've got such a soft spot for silly novelty prints, especially when they sync up with holidays.
This month will be my first Jax Beach Art Walk!  I'll be selling Halloween skirts and bags, as well as my handmade wristlets and purses and anything else I make between now and then (this is a handmade/artist event, so no vintage!) I'll be at spot 95 between COS Surf Shop and Lynch's Bar, toward the end of the line of vendors. Come out and say hi!

At the end of the month Ben and I are taking a little fall holiday to celebrate Halloween- it's also the 8th anniversary of our first date!  He took me to our university's Rocky Horror Picture Show interactive event and it was probably the best first date anyone has ever had, obviously, since we ended up getting married :) So it's kind of a special day for us, and we are heading out of town to have a little Halloween fun. The shop will be closed that weekend!

Ok, this post is getting loooong but I had one more thing to add.  As a small business owner, all of the responsibility for my shop falls solely on my shoulders because this is a one-woman operation, and I do it on top of my 8-5 job during the week. As such, every once in a while something comes up on the weekend that I can't help or that seems more crucial than running the shop that day.  Shit happens, I'll wake up with a flat tire or a sinus infection, my sisters will all be in town at the same time and we'll have the rare opportunity of spending time together, a family member will get married, Ben takes me on vacation, or whatever.... When I can't be at the shop there's no one else to run it, so there are days when I have to close on short notice.  I feel awful when I learn that someone has made a special trip to the flea market just to visit my shop on a day that I'm not there, so I try to update my hours on instagram and facebook as soon as I can.  All this is to say that I appreciate every one of my customers and I LOVE running Stitch Craft Vintage and I take it very seriously, but once in a while I have to let my real life take priority over my shop life.  And thank you for understanding that.

Hope you have a great weekend!  Don't forget to follow on instagram and/or facebook for sneak peeks of my merchandising trip (with my MIL!)

SCV at the Vagabond Flea!

 This Saturday SCV participated in the Vagabond Flea Market in Hemming Park! Despite the very inconvenient rain during set-up, the event itself was great! The weather was pleasant, almost cool at times (although that could have been due to my drenched dress and hair...) and there was quite a turn-out-- definitely a different crowd than I usually see at the Beach Blvd Flea.

My booth was part of Vintage Alley, a collective of 5 different vintage vendors; I really enjoyed talking with the other sellers and browsing their racks.  There were a lot of vendors buying from other vendors, and that made me really happy.  We vintage sellers are each others' best customers, I think.

Due to the rain, I didn't put much of my vintage clothing out; I did sell a lot of handmade pieces though! I had a huge selection of wristlets, including a few new designs that I worked up this week.  I'm firmly into the black-and-white aesthetic these days (now and forever!) which makes for nice photos :)

The Vagabond Flea runs the second Saturday of each month from 9-5 in Downtown Jacksonville's Hemming Park.  Come out and see what's good next month! And bring lots of cash, because you'll find a lot of pretty things to take home.

It's that time of year.... (for a BACK TO SCHOOL SALE)

It's that time of year...

....when we all have an excuse to go shopping!  It doesn't matter if you're 15, 20, 25 or 50, there's something about the return of the school year that prompts us to treat ourselves to new blouses, dresses, pants and shoes.  Maybe it's the anticipation of the changing seasons. Perhaps it's a habit formed from Kindergarten that's reinforced annually for 12 years.  Or it could just be a fabulously successful marketing ploy for retailers to move stock.  Whatever the reason, you can always find a good excuse to go shopping in August.

To celebrate this time-honored tradition, 
every vintage item in the shop will be on sale this weekend!  

Come in and take advantage of a 20% discount 

on your entire vintage purchase.  

Sale runs Saturday and Sunday, August 15 and 16.

Handmade items not included. 

photo via

we have a dressing room!

We have a fitting room! This is something I've felt the shop needed for a while and now that it's here I can say that the whole space feels very legit now, less like a flea market stall and more like a true boutique.

In the past, my customers had two options: try on clothing in between the racks or settle for comparing their measurements to those of the garment.  While that worked in most cases, not everyone is comfortable changing outfits in the open, and most of us want to know that the clothing will fit when we swipe our credit card. Returning clothing is an inconvenience in any case, hence the obvious need for a dressing room in the store.

I posted a full album of photos on the SCV facebook page so you can see the process unfold. I'm so fortunate to be married to a carpenter who loves his trade, and the end result turned out even better than I anticipated.

There are more benefits than I expected, outside of the obvious.  Lighting in the shop can be wonky at times since I rely solely on natural light from opposite ends of the store, but I was surprised to find that the white paint on the interior walls reflects and diffuses the light and creates a bright, clear space for trying on clothing. I'm using this lightbox effect to my advantage when I take product photos for the etsy shop later today. I love spaces that serve multiple purposes, especially since I'm working with very little square footage in my booth.  And it's amusing to me that even though this fitting stall takes up a significant amount of space, it actually improved the overall aesthetics of the shop as a whole.  It forced me to rethink the layout and move some racks around to accommodate all the clothing, and it also gave me an extra half wall to work with.  The feng shui of the whole store is significantly more cohesive and, not to get all heady on you, but it feels like there is a better flow of energy throughout. Feng shui is no joke, people.

If you're a Jacksonville local or just passing through on a weekend, stop by the shop and try something on!

The return of the 1970s at NYFW, and how to wear this trend now

The return of the 70s began last year with the spring 2015 shows and was in full force at the Fall 2015 shows.  You'll start seeing these trends in clothing stores soon, but you can find the looks now in vintage shops and thrift stores around town, at a lower cost and higher quality than big-box retailers can offer.  

The key to wearing this trend without looking like you're headed to a theme party is to mix vintage elements with modern pieces.

A pussy bow blouse paired with boyfriend jeans and strappy heels looks modern and chic, and you can remix the same blouse for work by pairing it with a colored pencil skirt or tucking it into sleek cropped trousers. Remix a simple sheath dress by layering a pussy bow blouse underneath.

See: Emilio Pucci, Frame Denim, Jason Wu, Sophie Theallet

Take on the metallic trend by adding a vintage sequined jacket over a sleek little black dress for a touch of vintage glam on date night.  And you can't beat a sparkly metallic dress when you want to get attention on the dance floor. 

See: Jason Wu, Giambattista Valli, Rodarte

Boho is always right for summer on the coast; a vintage boho maxi with gladiator sandals or a bohemian printed blouse with jean shorts is the perfect look for festival season.  If you're really into the modern hippie look, try a loose, worn-in vintage t-shirt tucked into a boho maxi skirt for a look that's casual and comfortable.

See: Anna Sui, Rebecca Minkoff, Thakoon, Tory Burch

Fringe plays right into the boho trend- try layering a fringe vest over a lace mini dress or adding a purse with fringe details to your daily outfits.  Fringe is another great choice for a night of dancing!

See: Rebecca Minkoff, Emilio Pucci, Tom Ford, J. Crew

Flares are back in a big way, and look best with a slim, short top or fitted blazer to emphasize your waist.  This season you'll see flared pants in all textures and fabrics, the most wearable of which will be denim.  You can find great high-waisted flare denim in vintage stores and thrift shops if you're willing to dig a little.  The benefit of buying vintage denim is that it's already broken in for you!  For a modern fit, find brands that did flared jeans back in the 90s- still vintage, but more akin to the shapes of our bodies today. If you're on the shorter side, you'll be pleased to know that platforms and clogs are also having a fashion moment right now and are the perfect way to add a little height to lengthen your leg line.

See: Derek Lam, Frame Denim,  Coach

The patchwork trend may not be for everyone, but if you like to mix and match patterns, this one is for you.  The 70s gave us some truly awesome patchwork skirts that can be very now when paired with modern shoes and a simple top.  This is also a great opportunity to patch up all those ripped jeans you bought last season- just layer different patches of dark, medium and light wash denim over those holes in a random, yet balanced way for a look that was all over runways this year.  

See: Etro, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Tom Ford

click here for original sources linked from style.com