First things first; I thought I’d open on a note both lovely and interesting, my mother wearing a creation made by her. Mum knitted her top, the Jo Sharp sideways ribbed top using Jo Sharp Soho Summer DK Cotton in col. Pennant. The whole top is knitted, or actually I should say ribbed? in one piece. You cast on one sleeve end, rib the whole thing sideways all the way along to the end of the opposite sleeve. An interesting and effective design idea! Thank you so much Mum, for letting me share your gorgeous creation here.
Next; I have been invited by Yoshimi and Sara to join in the blog-writing blog hop. Thank you very much to Yoshimi and Sara!
1. Why do you write?
I have no idea! since I’m not very good at it. I got middling marks for writing at school. In spite of that I still enjoy writing, just quietly and for myself. I even wrote a novel once. Don’t worry, the world will never ever be subjected to that particular load of nonsense! It was a detective/murder mystery. A pretty bad one.
I started keeping a blog to document all my handmade things, when I realised at one point that I had sewn/knitted/whatever, tonnes of things that had been made, loved, worn with pride until they wore out and then got tossed, things that lived in my memory alone, never photographed. I felt a bit sad about that. I must have talked about it with my sister-in-law because she mentioned that she planned to give me a photo album for a birthday present, in which I could keep a visual record of my handmade things with a short description. She was searching for a suitable one, and in the meantime I commenced taking photos of the handmade things I still had. I can’t remember what happened next, I think she couldn’t find a good album, then I discovered a few daily outfit fashion blogs which I really enjoyed and decided to start something similar about my sewing and how it related to my personal style. It was just a quiet and playful thing for me, like a diary, and for ages I barely knew any other sewing blogs existed! I wrote about many silly trivial things that amused me at the time. Discovering and joining Wardrobe Refashion was a huge turning point. I signed up for three months, then six months, then For Life. That big BIG pledge to never buy ready to wear clothes, ever again. Hehe, I made that pledge so carefree-ly and lightly and it’s taken me a few years to realise how huge it was! Obviously I then became a lot more serious and intentional in my sewing.
Lately my writing mojo has dropped off a bit. My sewing mojo and knitting mojo is going as strong as ever but I am struggling to write posts. It’s silly, because I can write quite freely and easily if I know no one is going to read it. Sometimes I ask my husband and he says to just not write anything if I don’t want, and just have the pictures. I’ve got to admit, it’s tempting.
2. How is your blog different to others of the same genre
I think my blog is quite plain and ordinary, and I am perfectly comfortable with its plainness. It has nothing that makes it stand out at all. However maybe it is also unique, in the same sense that everyone’s blog is a unique expression of their own particular self? Stating the obvious, there.
I don’t know. I do my own thing and don’t really follow the pack.
Ok, I thought of something! Parentheses are almost non-existent in my blog. Because excessive and unnecessary use of parentheses is a secret pet hate.
O I know. Lame.
3. What are you working on right now
Usually I am pretty disciplined about only working on one thing at a time, in an organised manner, finishing and dutifully cleaning up before allowing myself to start on the next thing. Currently I happen to be working on two things, but one is knitting, one is sewing so that’s kind of OK in my mind. I pick up the knitting and churn out a couple rows in spare moments, whereas the sewing project is a bit more intensive and requires Proper Undivided Attention, ahem.
OK, so. The knitting project, that is very different and interesting, in my opinion, a patchwork design that I happened upon while knitting the boys’ Icelandic jumpers, fell in love, and I just had to get some wool and start on it. Even though summer is just around the corner. Hehe. Totally illogical!
In sewing, well I have recently finished a sundress to be photographed and blogged about very very soon, and am now partway through drafting and muslining a rather challenging and very interesting dress. When/if I finish it, then I Shall Reveal. *said with maximum drama* Of course it may well be so disastrous that I decide to not waste real fabric on it… in which case I will move onto any one of the next few things on my mental list, a pretty summer blouse, this year’s bathers, a big pfouffy skirt, or an Issey Miyake ensemble.
4. What is your writing process
Oh dear. Writing process? I just sit down and start, usually very awkwardly in some clumsy clunky opening sentence that later gets deleted in self-disgust. I write a bit more, then a bit more, then loosen up and manage to be slightly less clunky, freely associate, get on a bit of a writing roll. Writing a tonne of silly nonsense that all gets deleted later. Actually, upon reflection, I will usually delete and/or re-write maybe 80% of what I have written before hitting “publish”.
I proofread for spelling and grammar like a maniac and often will obsessively go back to correct things like a typo, an errant comma or an extra space; after publishing.
Primarily, I really try to be factual, informative and fair, and for my blog to be something that I would like to read.
Now I am passing the blog hop baton onto Sue, of fadanista, and to Megan of create with wild abandon, two other sewing bloggers also from Perth. I’m looking forward to reading their answers to the same questions!
Oh, one more thing! I just want to say, a big Thank You So Much to whoever nominated me for Burda’s 50 best blogs list, and also to everyone who voted for me.
Thank you thank you so very much! I was totally thrilled to be notified that my blog is on the list. I’m so happy that people like it, and am so very honoured to have received your votes of confidence! 🙂
Very interesting Carolyn! I wish I were as organized and disciplined as you to finish one project before starting another. Your mum's sweater is beautiful too!
Only seen a coup!e of your mums knitted tops, loved both.
How beautiful!
Please dont stop posting. Your blog is vy much one of a kind on my blogroll. And I laughed at the paretheses peeve.
Catdoesit, thank you so much 🙂
I enjoy your writing style very much. And I think some of the best blogs are the "plainest". It's all about the content. (Can't agree on the use of parentheses though. I love them because I think parenthetically!).
Mum's knit is gorgeous. I like your writing style, it's informative and sometimes self-deprecating. Although you must find my blog a tough read – I absolutely adore parentheses and use them all the time to add what I hope are witty asides….ah well, it would be a boring world, if we were all the same!
Philippa, haha, of course I love reading your blog! I just reckon parentheses are nearly always superfluous. A witty aside is still a witty aside, with or without any parentheses! 🙂
Your mom's sweater is lovely! She must be like you — making things that are lovely but also interesting:) I find your blog very inspirational — thanks for sharing.
Ooh, I've just done the blog hop as well. It's interesting to see how everyone approaches writing their posts – all quite different. I think everyone enjoys your blog. Thanks for posting a picture of your Mum's new jumper – it's stunning – on my list now 🙂 Jo Sharp always has fantastic designs and an Oz too. Must support our local talent.
That's a great top your mum made. Loved reading more about you. I really enjoy reading your blogs so please don't stop. Most of all I love looking at your beautifully styled pictures and gorgeously made clothes so if you don't feel like writing sometimes, please just post the pics like your husband said.
Well now, that's interesting because as a reader I find that your blog is quite unique from others that I read. I'm not sure whether that's due to what you make or whether it's your voice or both or something else. Good fun to read though and little wonder you got the votes! Rachel ☺
Nope, sorry, can't agree that you're bad at writing. I love reading what you have to say! I particularly enjoy your travel posts and what you made, packed and then wore – and I even used that as a packing guide for my recent trip to Europe. Sometimes teachers mean well, but they aren't always right!
Congratulations on the Burda award – it's *so* deserved! I really enjoy reading your posts/ seeing your sewn and knitted works…. As a relatively new sewer, it's so encouraging to see beautifully made, 'home-sewn' clothing. More than anything else, I appreciate your flexible approach to patterns and fabrics [tweaking, dyeing, re-interpreting etc.] — and look forward to building similar levels of creative confidence! I also enjoy seeing the repeated use of a tried-and-true pattern: it's such an antidote to those sites that are all about volume – truckloads of hastily made, poorly fitted, latest issue patterns.
I love your Mum's sweater. What a shame that Jo Sharp closed her shop in Cottesloe. Very well done indeed on the Burda award, such a great achievement and very well deserved. Finally, I loved your blog hop post, thank you for handing on the baton to me, and I hope that I can do it credit.
Your Mum's sweater is gorgeous! Congratulations on the award!
I really enjoy reading your blog, but I understand there are times when you just want to post photos. Your photos are excellent, very well styled and shot, and they really show off your garments. I loved when you did the drawings of what you wore each day. It was inspirational to see how you put things together. Congrats on the Burda blog list spot. Kudos!
What is it with husbands/partners and blogs? They usually give us the best advice, which they sneakily know is what we're thinking already but we give them points anyway. I enjoy your writing but of course this is Your Domain, you are Goddess.
Your mum's sweater is incredible! Absolutely beautiful. It's hard for me, a non-knitter, to even fathom pulling off something like that.
I enjoyed reading your answers and laughed about your obsessiveness about proofing. I often don't mind breaking rules in my blog because I get too many in my meat life, but if I find a mistake I missed unintentionally, gaaa!
Huge congratulations on your Top 50 listing!
Your blog is one of my most favorite! Your work is impeccable! You aren't afraid to try new things (like shoes!) and your style is unique. Love everything about it!
Ohh, thanks so much NurseBennett for your always lovely and supportive comments 🙂
Plain and ordinary!? Ha! (Not likely) – is that parentheses? I think you blog is very professional to look at and read. Great locations and you make very interesting garments.
Thanks so much Vicki 🙂 Your comments are always so sweet and supportive, thank you!
I love your mom's sweater–I may try to use this pattern with one of my stash yarns, as it looks very comfy and flattering . . . but I have to admit that parentheses (and ellipses, and dashes) are like my bread and butter–I hope we can still be friends!! 🙂
Your Mum's top is beautiful. So is your blog and I hope you never stop. Sincerely!!!!
thank you so much Judi! 🙂
Great post, Carolyn. You already know that I love your blog, but I can't stop repeatedly saying it. I need parentheses in this world though… I don't know how to tell the meanings that are between the lines without them! Thank you, I enjoyed your thoughts on writing so much. Your mum's top is beautiful and fits her so well.
I so loved this peek into your sewing mind, Carolyn! Your forays into the different aspects of creativity (shoes, fabric dyes, knitting) is crazy inspiring 🙂 Also, the puppy pics! Best dog photobombs EVER!
I enjoyed reading about your writing process, and I have always loved your blog and your style. Congratulations!
Well, that was value for money! Ordinary? With those clothes and style and photography – never. Thank you for all your blogging, I still go back to your archives for tutorials and tips.
Congratulations on the award.
Your Mum, and her knitting are gorgeous.
Your blog is unique, being full of original pieces and the creative and physical process of making them. I always enjoy it, and frequently learn from it. Thank you for writing.
So now I see where you got all of that awesome talent from! Your mother's top is spectacular! And congratulations on the award – well deserved.
Oh dear I'm a parentheses offender. I do edit them heavily though, especially in more formal writing. Are there any cases where you allow them? 🙂
Haha! I'll allow that they have their place… sometimes 😉
I quite like that your writing style seems like conversation, not contrived or affected. I tend to write in a flow of consciousness way that probably should get more editing, but then I can't always bother. Your mom's sweater is gorgeous and you absolutely deserved that Burda nomination, though I didn't know anything about this.
Congrats on the award! There is also a photo of one of your creations in the new Burdastyle magazine, not sure if it's out in Australia yet or if the content is exactly the same around the world? Just thought you'll like to know 🙂 Greetings from Germany
thanks Heldin! and for letting me know of the photo in Burdastyle, I had no idea. I would really like to know which issue it is so I can look out for it here; we generally get the magazine several months later than Europe. Thank you so much 🙂
It's in the november issue, in Germany it gets to the store in the second half of october. But I guess it makes sense, don't know how many australians feel like sewing wintercoats right now.
your mother is so beautiful! and I really liked that sweater.
it was great reading your blog hop, your are so simple, in the best best way. You are really an inspiration. thank you 🙂