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    • View All
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How to Sew Vintage: Start Here

Hi, I’m Bianca and Welcome to Vintage on Tap!

This website focuses on showing you the behind the scenes steps and process of sewing.

My aim is to show you the immense possibilities of sewing: how great fit and great construction influence our happiness and self esteem. My aim is both inspire and encourage you to sew your own handmade garments (specifically, how to sew vintage!)

If you’re brand new to sewing or are curious about how to sew vintage, this page is for you!

 

How to Sew, Vintage lifestyle and sewing | Vintage on Tap

 

Vintage-inspired sewing is a powerful way to take control of the way your clothing makes you feel, using beautiful silhouettes from the 40s, 50s, and 60s.

The process of picking out the perfect fabric for that perfect dress— and then making it a reality is absolutely a possibility and you can start today.

Practice and patience go a long way in creating a self sewn wardrobe, but by cultivating love for yourself, your body, and the garments you wear, you can become even more inherently radiant.

 

Sewing is an act of self love | Vintage on Tap

All the garments featured as part of a project on this blog were made by me, with over 17 years home sewing experience.

The journey to becoming a seamstress is inherently built on learning from your mistakes- but with each blouse, each dress, each yardage of fabric, you improve and get better.

Before scrolling ahead, you are welcome to check out the Vintage on Tap YouTube and Instagram pages! Both will feature the most up-to-date projects, Outfit of the Days, and sewing inspiration as I invite you into my sewing space in San Francisco.

Vintage on Tap on YouTube! Follow for sewing tutorials! | Vintage on Tap

Vintage on Tap YouTube channel | Vintage on Tap

Vintage on Tap on Instagram! Follow for fashion inspiration! | Vintage on Tap

Vintage on Tap Instagram page | Vintage on Tap

 

Let's Get Started Sewing! | Vintage on Tap

Learn how to sew vintage clothing | Vintage on Tap

I crafted this blog from the heart: to be a resource past the “this is how you sew a pillowcase” tutorial and instead focus on the journey of building confidence and love in the act of creating your own clothes.

This sewing blog is a repository of projects, information and video tutorials to get you started on your sewing journey.

A couple videos I recommend right off the bat are below:

 

 

If you’re brand new to sewing, please check out my Sewing Tools page.

Getting started making clothes that make you feel amazing does not have to break the bank and these are the tools I use and recommend (via Amazon Affiliates):

 

My Recommended Sewing Tools, by Vintage on Tap!

 

 

How to use this sewing blog | Vintage on Tap

Learn how to sew vintage clothing | Vintage on Tap

 

This blog has been updated and optimized with you in mind! I wanted this website to be your sewing resource. Scroll down to see the topics I cover:

Start Here to Sew! Technique Videos by Vintage on Tap

Technique Videos on this blog focus on specific sewing skills that will increase your experience level. They are not necessarily tied to a specific project, but are a bank of skills to practice and draw from as your experience increases. Techniques are both modern and also to each you how to sew vintage!

Snipping guide lines on bound buttonholes. Learn how to make bound buttonholes with this tutorial! | Vintage on Tap

Click here for Technique Videos

 

Start Here to Sew! Technique Videos by Vintage on Tap

The Fitting Videos on this blog are project based, however, skills covered in these videos are universal. I take a standard, out-the-envelope pattern, and show you, step by step how to I manipulate a pattern to fit, including pattern drafting.

Vintage Butterick B6282 | Vintage on Tap

Click here for Fitting Videos

 

Start Here to Sew! Technique Videos by Vintage on Tap

The Sewing Videos on this blog are project based as well, taking a popular or familiar vintage and retro sewing pattern, and showing you the sewing process. Videos in this category draw from the previously mentioned Technique videos, as well as showing you the shortcuts and tips that have worked for me in how to sew vintage.

How to sew vintage clothing, 1940s vintage B6282 | Vintage on Tap

Click here for Sewing Videos

 

Let's Get Started Sewing! | Vintage on Tap

I hope I’m able to inspire you to make your own beautiful garments.

Truly loving the way you look and feel– in clothing you make yourself– should be a joy everyone gets to experience.

-Bianca and the Vintage on Tap Team (Jose, Albondiga the Cat, and Michael the Editor)

 

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How to Sew, Vintage lifestyle and sewing | Vintage on Tap


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My name is Bianca, I'm 34 years old, and a California girl through and through 🏖

I inspire people to sew, to feel comfortable and confident in their bodies, and am an avid lover of tiki culture and Vintage Style Not Vintage Values!

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It's important to take time off to give your brain It's important to take time off to give your brain time TO THINK and FIND INSPIRATION ✨⁠
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From Old Trafford to Buckingham Palace, the V&A Museum to Bath... to Edinburgh! From a quick 5 minute visit to the Jane Austen Museum in Bath... to the ACTUAL Roman baths... and... even... Stonehenge- up close and personal 😱 (I actually cried there- it was so powerful and overwhelming.)⁠
⁠
While "wanderlust" and "omg take me back!" tend to encapsulate a lot of pop travel, I was instead left with the idea that... ⁠
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WOW. It's really important to "shut off" regular life sometimes, to let your mind breathe and to allow new ideas to formulate. To reconnect with what actually makes you excited to get up in the morning. ⁠
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I know this is a luxury for a lot of people-- actually, for most of us, with the grind of day-to-day life. But. When the opportunity arises, it's never a bad idea. ⁠
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For me this sort of big trip is a rarity and my daily "shut off" moment is instead my coffee in the morning, with my journal and my tarot cards.⁠
⁠
What's yours? ⁠
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#travelforthesoul #mentalhealth #sewinginspiration #uktravel⁠
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Wait- has it already been TWO WEEKS since coming b Wait- has it already been TWO WEEKS since coming back from the UK? GET OUT 😱⁠
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It was such a beautiful trip, being present for @luka1502 and @mr_mistta 's wedding! ⁠
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Sharing a few photos of the Big Day that I really loved-- though more photos of the rest of the trip coming this week. ⁠
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Super happy that we got to go- the ceremony was really magical 💍⁠
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🥲⁠
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#britishwedding #morningwear #vintageinspired #1950svintage
Not every project makes it onto the 'gram. Actuall Not every project makes it onto the 'gram. Actually, lately, it's been none of mine 😅⁠
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Including this @jessssiemae beanie that I made back in November (!!) for my low-key chill wedding anniversary trip to Reno 😛⁠
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Why? Just not wanting the pressure of having to dress up for a photo... sometimes it's just nice to wear what you've made without the stress of it all. ⁠
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Any projects of yours flying under the radar? ⁠
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I ended up pulling out this #puffypoufhat for my trip last weekend out to Vancouver and ya-- I was sooo glad I had it 🥶⁠
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#millennialknitting #knitstagram #slowfashionmovement
Breaking the IG posting indecision, and posting a Breaking the IG posting indecision, and posting a smiling photo... just because 😝⁠
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Actually, besides getting knocked on my butt with my booster shot these past couple days, things are going well over in my corner of the world. ⁠
⁠
Working on a few fun goals this quarter (NOT "resolutions") and they just ~feel right.~ Major shout out to @muchelleb / @lifemapcollective who shifted my perspective from BIG GOALS to... time bound, specific, actionable quarterly goals. I'd been starting to lean in that direction last year, and this year, it's been how I've been approaching my days. ⁠
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🧵Most Important Goal: Developing a personal health regimen. This goes beyond "lose weight" and "work out" - but cultivating practices that energize me. It looks like... drinking lemon water first thing in the AM with my vitamins. Or getting back to my regular meditation practice. Ya, some workouts thrown in, but a more holistic approach. ⁠
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🧵: Develop Creative Flow (again.) Y'all know I've struggled with this one in recent years-- between being distracted due to work, low energy (lol) or just generally self sabotaging due to excessive tech use. I can see this one being my ultimate focus for 2022, but for now, setting up those routines to celebrate and recognize what "creative flow" looks like in my life. Might be spending an hour winding yarn or cleaning my sewing tools and getting lost in the process... doesn't have to necessarily be producing an output. More options are on the table. ⁠
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🧵: Learn about and practice Digital Minimalism. I posted about this on my stories last week, but tldr, reducing and being more intentional about my tech usage. No, I'm not leaving IG 😅 But what I am doing is... only checking IG via desktop and only a handful accounts at a time, no phone in the bedroom at night, my phone is *always* on DND. And don't get me wrong, I love my iPhone. But this feeds that Creative Flow piece. I need the focus of uninterrupted time to get into my craft again. ⁠
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Anyway, would love to hear from you if you have some quarterly goals set up this year or if you're also embarking on similar journeys! ⁠
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#lifemapcollective #digitalminimalism
On my mind lately is... the struggle of getting in On my mind lately is... the struggle of getting into the creative flow 🌊 ⁠
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Low key, high key, I've been struggling with this for a while lately but I've only just come to grips with it in the last couple months 🤨⁠
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Luckily (ha!) I know I'm not the only one, so I've been binging on inspirational content and feeling a lot better about it, day by day. ⁠
⁠
Few things which are helping the process:⁠
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🧵 @andyjpizza 's podcast, The Creative Pep Talk.⁠
🧵 Books, in the flesh. Art books, sewing books, physical books that take me away from the screen and into the basics of what inspired a creative lifestyle.⁠
🧵 Spending time with friends and with @josecarlosvivanco , focusing on being present, rather than self blaming myself for my lack of creative output.⁠
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Healing? Absolutely. ⁠
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I've been mostly succeeding in trying not to think about how a majority of what's in my closet right now is RTW. That I'm _physically_ uncomfortable in my clothes most of the time due to my current weight. And that the beautiful serger I got for my birthday in September is still sitting in its box. ⁠
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But no pity party here. Just gratitude that I'm at peace with all of this and working my way back into flexing my creative muscles, my physical muscles at the gym (oh how I've missed it) and looking forward to the long holiday break because my mind needs rest. ⁠
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Lots of love to all of you still following me here on Instagram 🙂 I miss our regular chats! ⁠
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#VoT #stitchwitch
Two years married, eight together 💍. Still send Two years married, eight together 💍. Still sending each other @nytimes links, falling down YouTube rabbit holes (current binge: scamming-the-scammer prank videos) and generally getting into random creative adventures involving a sewing machine and a Black Magic camera.⁠
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Love you, @josecarlosvivanco !! My life has never been the same since I met you at the Stef’s 😉 Here’s to the next one~
Small photo dump of St. Thomas adventures 😉⁠⁠
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Honestly, it was a trip extremely needed after everything that's happened 🧘⁠⁠
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Super thankful to the friends who I got to share this with. We did it: power outages, tropical storms, iguanas and all!⁠⁠
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#VoTtravels
TAKE ME BACK ☀️🏖️! (Seriously thinking ab TAKE ME BACK ☀️🏖️! (Seriously thinking about my next Grand Escape haha)
Flashback Friday to one of my favorite nooks from Flashback Friday to one of my favorite nooks from The Castro 😎⁠⁠
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Saw it on my camera roll, got nostalgic, wanted to reshare 🌈⁠⁠
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Only 15 more days till Pride month, too, OMGGGGG!⁠⁠
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#memade #vintageinspired #livingcolorfully #bisexualvisibility
Seriously 😉 ⁠ ⁠ The Big 4 is great and all Seriously 😉 ⁠
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The Big 4 is great and all (...and my 1k pattern collection proves this!)-- but let's try out some new patterns, new designers, and fresh perspectives.⁠
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Any new pattern designers you're excited about right now? Let me know down below!⁠
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Looking for new design inspiration? Go watch my latest YouTube video (linked in bio) if you're looking to expand your sewing horizon!⁠
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#sewingfun #sewinglife #sewingtips #sewingwithlove #sewingprojects #sewcialistsofinstagram #sewcial #sewVoT

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