Yearly Archives: 2010

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Retroswirly tights

12/06/2010 4:07 am \ 17 Comments \

So I made myself some tights!  What do you think?!  Pretty chuffed myself actually; self-drafted, and I did make up a paper pattern for next time although of course not all stretch fabrics are created equal and I think each fabric would have to be judged on its own stretch factor for this purpose before using a pattern…
I didn’t get enough fabric to go the whole length from toe to hip and initially was kicking myself for this frugality, but then realised that, of course! no one is going to see above hip height anyway! so not necessary to have an unbroken length of fabric all that way anyway… so made the above hip part of the tights separate to the leg part of the tights and joined them together after.  So all turned out beautifully as this meant I used the whole width of fabric and had no leftovers, yay!  As all seamstresses will agree; leftovers can be handy occasionally, but can also be a fiddly nuisance filling up one’s available fabric storage space…
The leg seam goes from little toe around the front of the toes and up the inside leg, there is a centre front and centre back seam on the above-hip portion (no side seams at all!)   Then the round-the-hipbone seam joins top to bottom, and finally the top is folded over to form a casing and 2cm wide elastic inserted.
(OK, so I’m wearing them here to show them as full length as possible, but in reality I will probably wear these with boots and longer skirts…!)
Today’s random picture below; witch’s hat with a view, seen this morning

Dress; Body & Soul, it’s so long since I bought this (approx 12 yrs ago) the label is washed white and unreadable
Tights; own design, stretch print jersey
Shoes; Nina, from David Jones

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Olive and grape

11/06/2010 5:20 am \ 4 Comments \

Hilariously I started out this morning dressing with a view to wearing my suit jacket I’ve been talking about.  But it didn’t look as good over this dress as well as I’d envisioned in my head, and a few discarded variations later and with time running out before I had to be somewhere else I settled on this outfit; without the jacket!  Nuts!  I’ll have to put a bit more thought into an outfit next time, perhaps when I’ve got more time.  Been a bit hectically busy this morning (as obvious from my weird facial expression here, sorry).
This dress is a favourite from last winter, made using Burda 7897 and out of some lovely fabric that is a mix of bamboo and cotton.  This pattern is now discontinued, and I’m not surprised.  The bodice is … funny.  I should have got a clue when the photograph on the pattern envelope depicts the model with her arm folded firmly in front of her chest, I suspect now to disguise the … funny … bodice.  Actually I love this dress, in spite of the bodice.  It’s nice and warm (because I lined it fully) and I love it’s dark olive green/grey colour.  It’s a smudgy muddy colour that goes well with so many brights and other winter shades.  I always wear it with something over the front though, hiding that “funny” bodice…
I also made the skinny self fabric belt using a buckle I picked up in an op shop.
I totally love these Metalicus tights (and am so glad I got them before the self-imposed Wardrobe Refashion shutdown on shopping!)  I’ve worn the navy ones a few times and this is the first time this winter I’ve worn these mossy olive green ones.  Love!  Actually I’ve been playing with the idea of making my own tights… got some fabric and I’ll keep you posted…
Today’s random picture below, I think this little fellow thought I might feed him, he came right up beside me!

Details:
Dress; Burda 7897, olive green bamboo/cotton
Scarf; Alta Linea, a gift
Tights; Metalicus
Boots; Andrea and Joen, from Uggies in Dunsborough

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Flowerpatch socks

10/06/2010 3:39 am \ 4 Comments \

Knitted to use up the leftovers of this colourful wool, and also using some Patonyle’s sock wool in airforce blue; the colours on these socks remind me of a springtime flower bed against a stormy blue sky.  Such a pretty mix of crimson, white, coral, primrose, apricot and green.  Very sadly the blue Patonyle’s wool doesn’t stand up well to washing in the machine and these shrank when once  I hadn’t taken care to switch the machine to a cold cycle.  (head slap) Grrr!  Usually I remember this very important step in washing my hand-knitted socks!  (Did I mention the twenty hour thing?  Not lately? Then let me just slip in that fact again, yes, twenty odd hours of knitting…you would think I’d be more careful)
 They now perfectly fit my daughter, who accepted them into her sock drawer and is modelling them here today.  Can you tell she did ballet as a littlie?  That pointed toe!
Today’s random picture below; little abandoned green jelly man, seen on my walk this morning

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Splitting up a suit

09/06/2010 4:44 am \ 4 Comments \

Challenging myself to wear everything in my wardrobe: I’m still coming across old winter skirts that have seen more fashionable days, but are still perfectly good.  Today’s is another one.  Do you remember this skirt?  I had got a lot of this grey cotton fabric for free from a local designer; free because the large-scale black floral screenprint on it was pretty scrappy in parts.  I just went over the scrappy bits with a felt tip pen (Sharpie) which fixed it up fine…  I had challenged myself to make a suit; thinking every woman needs a suit in her wardrobe “just in case”.  So I made a suit of a jacket with two matching skirts.  Of course in the three or four years since I made these I have had zero occasions for a suit.  Even my most corporate of office moments are still too casual for a suit.  Well, (shrug) it’s there if I need it.  I haven’t shown you the jacket yet, but I will…
This is natch the second skirt belonging to the suit.  I really struggled to find a way to wear this skirt this morning.  I’ve fallen out of the habit of wearing it.  And it’s that awkward length again.  Naturally I’ve fallen back on my beloved neutrals to try to coax it back into my heart…  I quite like the gentle neutrality of beige oyster and charcoal together; with the rich brown leather of the shoes.
Today’s random picture below; seen on my walk this morning

Details:
Skirt; New Look 6509, view A
Top; Metalicus
Cardigan (under); my own design, coffee and white net
Cardigan (over); MNG, found in a secondhand shop
Scarf; bought in Venice
Shoes; Betts & Betts Brazilian Collection, had these for about 20 years

 

 

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Bedroom curtains

08/06/2010 4:11 am \ 4 Comments \

Here are the curtains I made for our master bedroom.  Oh, I did warn you that most of my curtains were simply boring rectangles… so I hope expectations haven’t been raised too high… I expect my curtains to be simple and functional and easy to make.  Tick, tick and tick; these curtains fitted this criteria perfectly.
The one slightly ornamental detail on these curtains is that they have been cut about 1.5m too long, so they spill out on the floor in a kind of drapey pile of fabric, which I like the look of; suggests opulence and plenty in the manner of Marie Antoinette, no?  Well, I like it anyway…  If there is one room in the house where decadence and opulence and self-indulgence can run riot then the master bedroom can expect to be first in line.
Our bedroom faces the front yard and the street, so privacy is an essential, at the same time I simply must be able to have daylight in any room I’m in; this lace back-curtain does the trick beautifully.  When we first hung it up we spent a few minutes racing inside and out reassuring ourselves how invisible (or not) we are on the inside from the street, and I’m happy to report complete daytime screening is provided by these lace backdrops, as long as at night-time you don’t turn the light on and have the green chenille curtains open.  In that case you may as well be on-stage in a theatre…
The curtains are simply moss green chenille rectangles, width two and a half times the width of the curtain rod, with curtaining tape sewn to the top, then triple pleat hooks inserted in the appropriate casings on the tape.  The lace backdrop is simply threaded onto a white pole through a top casing; and the pole perched on top of the curtain brackets.  Easy peasy.
(OK, I did have to pull the bed out quite a way to get this full length picture of the curtains…! usually the bed obscures half of this view)
Today’s random picture below: seen on my walk this morning

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Pacific Blue shirt

07/06/2010 9:14 am \ 12 Comments \

Today is my youngest’s birthday!  And as his shirt collection is sparse and he has about as much enthusiasm for clothes shopping as many of us reserve for root canal treatment I decided to surprise him with a new addition to his wardrobe.  He does like clothes, just hates the whole choosing and purchasing process; a common condition amongst teenage boys…  I was a bit worried about making something that he would be sure to like; so checked out a few surf shops first and immediately noticed that Aussie teenage surf clothing is made out of the most unlikely and bizarre fabrics!! the kinds of fabrics most of us home fashion designers would leave behind in amazement and disgust!  So when I went fabric hunting I looked for something “unexpected”.  I think I found it in this very bright turquoise stripe, no?  Definitely not a print that traditionally whispers “teenage boy”, but in keeping with my research…  still I worried that it would be too bright and even trialled staining an off-cut with coffee.  I then asked his opinion (sneakily pretending I was making a blouse for myself) but he definitely preferred the bright version!  Luckily he loves his shirt and has been wearing it all day.
I made it using Burda 7767 again, tailored to fit his size based on other shirts in his wardrobe…  The modifications I made were: substituting press studs for buttons throughout, adding two shaped breast pockets with pocket flaps, shoulder tabs and sleeve tabs on the inside of the sleeves so he can roll his sleeves up.  I also shaped the hemline as he likes his shirt to be hanging out…

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Ambrosial hoodie

06/06/2010 11:23 am \ 10 Comments \

Today I am wearing my newest cardigan, knitted last September.  As is my usual bad habit I didn’t use a pattern but just made it up as I went along.  This one has two different sized knitted-in pockets on the front, and a hoodie at the back.  I went ahead with the hoodie because when the cardigan was completed I had so much leftover wool I thought why not?  And I like hoodies.  I feel more “with it” with my hoodie on.  Even if it is of the hand-knitted variety; not exactly upping ma street cred here, but meh.  Yo ready for dis!
The colour of this yarn is Ambrosia.  Don’t you just love that word?  I so prefer yarns to have named colour palettes, rather than a number.  The right name can set off my imagination; evoking a rich daydream of imagery to spark off enthusiasm for my project.  The name Ambrosia is perfect for this acidic blend of apple cider, lime and honeydew colours with small blobs of butter-yellow thrown in the mix.  This sort of a word can really get the creative juices flowing.  Far more so than picking up a yarn and noting the name of this colour is a technical and clinical “S102″… which may in itself be a particularly vibrant and gorgeous blend of colours worthy of some far more imaginative moniker.  Yes, Noro, I’m looking at you…! although they are not the only offenders by any means…  How about ditching the numbers and dreaming up something a bit more evocative for these woolly feasts for the eyes?
Has anyone else thought the same thought? or am I the only one pining for a bit of poetry in the wool aisle?
And on that note, below; a portrait of my parent’s neighbour’s lawn-mower…enjoy!

Details:
Cardigan; my own design, knitted from Jo Sharp Silk Road DK Tweed in Ambrosia
Top; Metalicus
Jeans; Little Big
Boots; Andrea and Joen, from Uggy’s in Dunsborough

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Bush jumpers

05/06/2010 10:37 am \ 5 Comments \

Today I have for you two bush jumpers…
(btw, the above title is supposed to be a play on words as here in Australia a “jumper” is what in the US is referred to as a “sweater”…  I’ve lived over there so I am aware of the lingo differences! could fill a book with funny anecdotes of these!)
Reminds me of the old joke from many years ago: What do you get when you cross a sheep with a kangaroo?
Answer: A woolly jumper
Sorry.  I know.  Not as hilarious as it was thirty years ago…
I do have a kind-of funny generation-gap story for today; today Mum and I had morning tea with some of her friends.  Visualise, if you will, mostly retired ladies sitting around a table in the country pub.  Newly arrived lady comes up to the table and says, with dramatic flourish and eyes shining with excitement: “Girls I have some very exciting new for you!!”  Queries of “Oooh, what, what?”  Pause for effect, then “Last night I heard a barking owl!!!”  Cue all-round cries of surprise and delight…  I was later informed that barking owls are endangered, thus the great importance of the announcement.
I expect in twenty years or so I might be very interested in barking owls too.
I knitted this jumper for myself about five years ago, just bought some wool and knitted to my own design. It’s been a while since I followed a proper knitting pattern actually.  A few years later and I feel it is best suitable for the country; warm but not very gorgeous.  I think I made it too wide across the shoulders.  It’s very loose and bulky and feels a bit like I’m wearing a man’s jumper.  Don’t expect any close-ups.

Details:
Jumper; my own design, knitted from Jo Sharp Silk Road Aran Tweed in ?Natural?
Jeans; Little Big
Boots: Andrea and Joen, from Uggy’s in Dunsborough

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