About my photos; I’ve been asked who takes the pictures I put in my blog; well 99% of the time the photos are taken by me with a self-timer. However for today my photo is taken by my lovely husband. We have been here in Melbourne for him to attend a medical conference, now that is finished and we have two lovely days further to enjoy each other’s company here in this exciting city.
Thankyou so much to purple who left a comment yesterday regarding the Alannah Hill fabric outlet; you can be sure we traipsed out there today!! (Later edit: 188 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy) And if it hadn’t been for my husband, well I’m quite the procrastinator, humming and haa-ing over whether I really need this or that particular thing; my husband always just says “You may as well get it since we’ve come all the way here”… what a wonderful husband. He really is a great enabler, the perfect shopping companion. So I bought more fabric! And I just had to take a photo of the bundles, see below. Funny! This is just how it was handed to me. I was served by a delightful young man, maybe in his early twenties or some such who obviously had no experience at fabric cutting, well, laugh! He hacked away at the silk charmeuses, laces and sequinned silk chiffons in great jagged sweeps of the scissors while I was torn between giggling or gasping in horror at this very rough treatment of all the delicates, but he was such a sweet guy and all the while chatting and joking away in a very charming manner… Then he just rolled it all randomly up, wrapped around a bit of paper and dabbed on a few sticky labels haphazardly in a vain attempt to hold it all together. Such finesse in the wrapping here, lol! Looks like fish n’ chips, or at least a bundle of old rubbish, no? And the little plastic bag; yes, that is 2.5m of the finest silk charmeuse, rolled up and bundled any-old-how and stuffed in to a sandwich bag! A sandwich bag!! This was achieved much the same way one might stuff a cushion… hilarious!
The skirt I’m wearing today is a new-ie for summer, made using a pattern from a Burdastyle magazine issue 8/2009 (I think). I’ll have to check for sure when I get home… it’s called a trench skirt. Like the photo in the magazine, I wanted for the final effect to be like as if I had bought a trench coat and just chopped the bottom off to get a skirt.. well this is the effect I think, but now I would like the skirt to be a bit more streamlined around the waist and not so “bunch-y”. I think I’m hippy enough without this “paper-bag waist”, I reckon this gathered excess of fabric at the waist just emphasises the lower half; so I will be doing some slight alterations on this one when I get home…
Details:
Skirt; Burdastyle 8/09 trench skirt, khaki cotton
Tshirt; Country Road
Cardigan and tights; Metalicus
Booties; Django and Juliette, from Zomp shoes
Bag; Gucci






















HELLO!!! Welcome to Melbourne!! (again). Oh oh please post the address for the Alannah Hill fabric outlet… I will have to make a trip there. I have been looking at the Tessuti fabrics website and yes they do look pricey but they have a great selection. Have you been down the Mornington Peninsula? You could drop in for a cuppa. 🙂
http://www.modelmumma.blogspot.com
I think you look great. And I see no problems around the hip area, in contrary, you look gorgeous and very well.. proportioned (is it weird to say that? ;-)). Nice outfit!
Poor guy! thx for making me giggle this morning 🙂
your skirt is fantastic!
I'm very surprised burda is so well known nearly all over the world – thanks for this conclusion 😉
The skirt suits you so well. I think I wouldn't change anything on it.
And thank you very much for your comment in my blog. Don't worry about your German, who speaks German, anyway, except the Germans, of course…
I'm so happy I found your blog. You and your posts about Melbourne are the reason why we are seriously thinking about travelling to Australia next year. Maybe we can manage it for three weeks – we really would like to go there :)))
What a wonderful world since there is the WWW – being connected over thousand and thousands of miles is such a wonder!
See you 😉
Liese
Carolyn, Thanks so much for answering my question about the photos. I will have to really work to learn how to use my self-timer. No one ever wants to take a photo for me. My family just doesn't want to mess with it. One, however, will work with me. He really has an eye for good photographs.
How funny the way they wrapped up your fabric. That would make me cringe a little too-Ha!
No, I don't expect you to tell ten things about yourself. I certainly didn't. I think I forgot about the part. I just launched into, "Here's five of the most intriguing and creative blogs I've ever seen.".
LOVE that skirt! It does indeed look like a coat cut off at the waist now that you mention it–but is great with the background.
Now I'm intrigued…do you dress up every day? Well, you have an amazing mind for composition. Every photo tells a story–and it makes your sewing blog truly unique!
Love it!
Donna
You maniac, continuing with the photos after sss is finished. You look great.
Actually, I thought the skirt was a refashion (knowing you are/were also a member of wardrobe refashion). And a very good one at that. I really like it the way it is. I think I'll have to try something similar in the mustard coloured gabardine I bought recently.
About your photographs: I use a self timer too, but I don't have any attractive scenery nearby and it seems you are much more able to keep your facial expression natural while waiting for the timer.
P.S. Remember the button-closure issue? I posted about it again, with some more information. The post is at http://petitmainsauvage.blogspot.com/2010/09/everything-you-never-wanted-to-know.html
I adore your skirt. The double row of buttons adds such a nice touch.
The silk fabric is gorgeous. You were such a good sport about the way he wrapped it up.
He he, I thought Melbourne was on the other side. so I was wondering, how'd she do that? in one day? but there are such things as airplanes, I guess. Hope you and your hubby are having some sweet time together. I can't imagine getting away by ourselves … that day will come again, though, all too soon when the little man is grown.
Your fabric shopping sounds very productive! My hubby is a shopping enabler too, a good thing to have.
hmmm, I'm just noticing the "new to my library" in your sidebar, that looks interesting ….
So glad the shopping tip was useful and fun. The staff upstairs at AH have always been sweet even if not fabric experts.Perhaps the young man was giving you the message that the silk would make a very small travel outfit!
Coincidentally my hair has purple touches but not like your amazing wall picture.
Enjoy the cool sun in Melbourne
I love the graffiti laneways in melbourne. I recently picked out the skirt you are wearing to trace and make up. And as usual, I love your shoes!
Finding a new fabric store is such a thrill 🙂
The silk charmeuse looks beautiful.
I like the trench skirt idea, it looks great!
oh i like this outfit very funky and stylish! xx
I have this skirt traced out. You look so smart and polished whilst wearing it.
The fabric cutting story is scary. You are very restrained for not leaping across the cutting table and rescuing the rest of the fabric from the shop assistant – he obviously does not appreciate it like you do.
I have pattern of this burda skirt too, but can't find time to make it. It looks great on you – the skirt and the whole outfit.
The skirt suits Hair melbourne
you so well. I think I wouldn't change anything on it.
And thank you very much for your comment in my blog. Don't worry about your German, who speaks German, anyway, except theMelbourne hair
Germans, of course…
I have pattern of this bursa skirt too, but can't find time to make it. It Melbourne hairlooks great on you – the skirt and the whole outfit.
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