Aviation chic

07/07/2010 4:16 am \ 10 Comments \

My outfit today has a sort of aviator/biker appeal about it.  I really love the Burberry fall 2010 collection like below, but I watered it down to suit my suburban not-very-high-fashion neighbourhood with its elderly population. 
I’m not sure why the current interest in aviation style clothing, probably a spin-off from the immense current popularity of military-inspired fashion.  Most people getting on a plane in these modern times opt for a comfortable loose get-up involving tracksuit pants, sneakers and fleeces but say “aviator fashion” and the old fashioned images of, say, Amelia Earhart are what immediately springs to mind…  an iconic woman who was adventurous and independent, feminine but dressing with a strong masculine style.   Perhaps a shocking look in her time but considered very sexy and relevant for women of today.  I guess little wonder fashion is aiming to emulate her style.

Details:
Jeans; made by me, Burda 7863, black denim
Tops (underneath); both Metalicus
Cardigan; my own design, snakeskin printed “rubber-y” black jersey knit
Boots; Andrea and Joen, from Uggies

Photos below;  at left, Amelia Earhart, found uncredited on the net; at right from Burberry Prorsum Fall 2010 collection

 

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Embroidered chair cushion

06/07/2010 1:24 pm \ 4 Comments \

I embroidered and sewed up this chair cushion cover when my oldest two were tiny, using a pattern transfer given to me by my much loved granny.  Unfortunately as this is a cushion that has been used, and well used, it is looking a tad tatty now.  Quite a lot of the time a pussycat is stationed on top.  It’s a shame I didn’t get a photo of it looking at its best, but better late than never…
The white wicker chair it sits on is also one of the few mementos I have from my granny.  I used to have it sitting out on our front porch.  Then one day a friend asked if I wasn’t worried about it getting stolen.  Up until that point I hadn’t.  On that day I moved it inside to our bedroom where it now lives…  I don’t like to be too precious about household items; I like to use all my “good” things and not have them tucked away for special occasions, which really just means they will never to be looked at or ever used… at the same time I would be pretty devastated if this chair was to “disappear”.

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Undersea-garden crocheted scarf

03/07/2010 5:17 am \ 4 Comments \

Now, I am no crochet-er.  I struggle with each and every stitch.
I think it comes down to this, when I learnt to knit, my mother taught me.  I was taught.  Mum took the time and effort, it was a bonding exercise and fun, I was little, with a thirst for knowledge…
In the crochet department, I was self-taught.  And an adult.  And we all know the old saying about the difficulties of reconciliation when it comes to an old dog and new tricks…
I made this about six years ago.  I saw this scarf pattern in a friend’s knitting magazine (can’t remember any details, sorry) and instantly decided I had to have one.  Armed with a book from the library with the different crochet stitches illustrated in all their scary hand-contortionist detail, some lovely mohair wool (I know I know, mohair, huh?) and a copy of the intermediate level pattern, I set out on my first crochet project with determination but no idea of what I was doing.  Pretty stupid, yes?  It’s one of my failings, to just throw myself into a possibly difficult new project with not a clue of technique and no pre-conception of failure.  I say “failing”, but I guess it is a trait that has got me this far, so shouldn’t rail on myself… 
I did not enjoy making this scarf, mohair is a tricky enough yarn to play with, without trying to manipulate intricate stitches in it with a crochet hook.  I solemnly vowed it would be my last crochet project, but I do still love the look of this thing and I admit it, it would be impossible to achieve this lacy, oldfashioned look, which has an air vaguely reminiscent of “granny” squares about it, while still managing to look coolly distinct from the usual run-of-the-mill scarves around.
A hard earned success.

Details:
Scarf; crocheted by me, mohair yarn
Top; Metalicus
Jeans; made by me, Burda 7863, khaki stretch gabardine
on feet; cropped out, but I’m wearing my daggy old slippers and put on my biker boots to go out later!

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Old Gold socks

01/07/2010 11:39 pm \ 13 Comments \

I think these are my favourite “me-made” socks (so far)
I bought two balls of Grignasco Strong print yarn, 75% wool, made in Italy.  Totally love these colours here.  They make me think of an old Master oil painting, of velvet and tarnished brass.  It’s so appropriate to my mind that this is Italian yarn, as these shades sum up my impressions of the big Italian cities that I have visited; the aged sophistication and dark rich sumptuousness of Carnevale di Venezia, brocades and frescoes.
Oh I know, right, these are just socks we’re talking about here, but the colours of an item can often transport me off into fantasy land like so…
On a practical note, the lower wool content has meant these socks have never shrunk in the wash, and are still in perfect condition after a year of wear!

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Charcoal baggy beret

01/07/2010 2:49 am \ 6 Comments \

So I had a discussion with a few friends about the washing your-hair-on-every-third-day-instead-of-every-second experiment; and the general consensus is that you have to persist for at least six weeks in order for results to show (you can tell I’m a scientist, can’t you? yes I am always this analytical about my life…), so I’m going to keep it up.  In the meantime I wanted something to cover my slightly yucky day 3 hair in this awkward transition phase, so I’ve been knitting up a couple of slouchy berets…
This one is knitted using one ball of Patons Wilderness, knitted up to a tension of 14 stitches/10cm.

Cast on 70 stitches, rib 2K 2P for 10cm, increasing 1 st in the middle of the last rib row, then stocking stitch without shaping for a further 16cm, ending on a purl row.  Shape the crown as follows:
(on a knit row), K2 together, K4; repeat until end of row; P 1 row,
K2 together, K3; repeat this until end of row; P 1 row,
K2 together, K2; repeat this until end of row; P 1 row,
K2 together, K1; repeat this until end of row; P 1 row,
K2 together until end of row
Thread the remaining yarn through a wool needle, pass through the remaining stitches and pull up nice and tight.  Now sew the sides of the beret together down to the rim, and you’re finished!
A very simple project that took about two evenings in front of the World Cup…

Details:
Beret; made by me, Patons Wilderness, colour 0507
Jeans; Burda 7863, khaki stretch gabardine
Top(under); Ezibuy
Top; Metalicus
Cardigan; Country Road
Boots; Andrea and Joen, from Uggies in Dunsborough

 

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Evening outfit, inspired by Christian Lacroix

30/06/2010 2:05 am \ 10 Comments \

This is an outfit I made for evening wear a couple of years ago.  It’s been a wonderful one for when we have some winter function and the weather is really cold as I can pop on a thermal underneath if necessary, and my shoulders are covered.  I was completely inspired by the outfit at right from the Christian Lacroix Fall 2007 Couture collection.
The top is a bodysuit made out of thick stretch black jersey, and for a tiny dressy touch the shoulders were cut high and gathered tightly at the top for a little puff.  The decoration around the neckline is a tube of heavy ivory/cream raw silk that I folded randomly and artistically and hand-stitched down (see detail picture below).
While for the top I was aiming for slimline and body-hugging, I wanted for the skirt to be dramatically flared and with lots of “bits”, like the Lacroix design.  I eventually achieved this by making two skirts.  For the underskirt I started off with New Look 6509 as a basic 8-gore skirt but altered by tapering the gores to be much wider at the hemline.  I also added wide triangular inserts in between some of the gores for added volume.  The overskirt is pretty much a circle skirt, plus some extra at the front opening.  The inserts and the overskirt I hemmed in straight lines, forming points, for a gothicky, witchy look.
Oh, (afterthought!) I’m not sure what the composition of the skirt fabric actually is, but it is like a heavy and very stiff satin; with a slight sheen on one side and matte on the other.  Perfect for the look I wanted.

Details:
Bodysuit; drafted my own design, black stretch jersey knit with ivory silk decoration
Skirt; drafted my own design, starting with New Look 6509, black stiff fabric
Tights; Kolotex
Shoes; Nina, from David Jones

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Lounge room curtains, 2

29/06/2010 6:39 am \ Leave a Comment \

This is the second set of curtains in our lounge room, opposite the other pair here.  As this window faces the street I made these curtains first, the other set was made a little further down the track, er OK a lot further, maybe a year?!  I know, how lazy am I…!
So, observant readers will notice straight away; this set is of chocolate brown chenille, as opposed to the the other curtains which are crimson.  This is partly because I don’t like my rooms to be too matchy matchy; I’m partial to a mishmash of household items each with their own inherent story and beauty that doesn’t necessarily relate to the item alongside it, all in one room.  Our family has collected furniture and decorations over years, as sentiments, funds, whimsy and holiday souvenirs have dictated, so my decorating style reflects this; there is no perfectly co-ordinated “House & Garden” perfection around here.  But that’s how I like it.

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Caramel “loopy” scarf

28/06/2010 5:34 am \ 6 Comments \

I made this scarf a few years ago, not really sure now how many.  Originally I had done a class at Ivy and Maude, and was so inspired I went on to make dozens of these.  Well, maybe a few more than a dozen, anyhow!  I gave nearly all of them away as gifts.
The stitch is a very clever stitch where you wrap the wool around your thumb as you are knitting and then cast the wool over to “lock” the loop in, creating permanent loops.  A friend once told me she had seen the stitch in a very old knitting book, so it’s been around…  I thought for about a split second of trying to describe/draw how to do the stitch on this blog but abandoned that thought; its just too complex for my limited descriptive/illustrative skills…!
The beauty in these scarves is always in the wool you choose.  All the ones I made were out of Colinette Fandango; just bought one ball of this divine all-cotton yarn and knitted up the whole ball in this fashion; bingo, instant beautiful scarf.  The colour ranges available of this stuff are what “make” the scarf, imo.
This one has a mix of caramel, cream, fawn and grey and has long been a favourite (it’s got so thin!!)  I have also made ones for myself in red/pink and one in pastel blue/green/pink.  The other ones I made for friends were all of other colours, I never doubled up on shades.  Didn’t have to! every time I went into the shop there seemed to be so many new fabulous shades to choose from, my enthusiasm would be re-ignited all over again!

Details:
Scarf; made by me, Colinette Fandango yarn
Jeans; Burda 7863, black denim
Top; Ezibuy
Cardigan; Country Road
Handwarmers; Sportsgirl
Boots; Andrea and Joen, from Uggies in Dunsborough
Bag; Gucci
(New!!) Sunglasses; Ray Ban

News; I decided to join up to Wardrobe Refashion again, for another 4 months.  I may not do heaps of refashioning this time but I’ll be sewing my own (as usual), and staying away from shopping for readymade clothes…
Also I signed up for this: 

‘I, Carolyn (Handmade by Carolyn), sign up as a participant of Self-Stitched-September. I endeavour to wear handmade and refashioned items of clothing and/or accessories and jewellery every day for the duration of September 2010’.

Should be fun!

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