Tag Archives: Fabulous Fabrics

Long n’ skinny scarf

10/05/2010 6:10 am \ 7 Comments \ Carolyn

Today is the first time I have showcased this scarf on the bloggeroonie.
I made this about two years ago when big woollen loopy scarves made a small splash on the fashion scene. I bought three balls of lovely soft black wool, cast on 23 stitches and simply K1 P1 rib stitch until all three balls had been finished. Sorry, can’t remember the brand of wool. I think it could have been Debbie Bliss. The result is a marvellously long affair that wraps easily three times around my neck, with plenty to spare for artistic looping and draping and for the ends to be left hanging loose (as here) or to make a loose knot if desired.
I’m also wearing in my new winter shoes. They actually only “sort of” new; I bought them last October in the post-winter sales, always the best time to buy good quality winter shoes. Since I’ve got very big feet I’m often lucky enough to find my size in the after season sales… well there’s got to be one advantage to having gigantic feet… This morning is the second time I’ve worn them this season, and my poor feet are now a little tender; ouch! Hate wearing-in new shoes; well I did fall in love with the witchy vibe of these little booties and plan to wear them a lot so this painful early stage has to be borne…
Has anyone got any tips for a non-painful wearing-in of new shoes?

Details:
Skirt; my own variations on Vogue 7303, lined, python print satin
Top; Morrison
Cardi; own design, snakeskin printed rubber coated jersey
Scarf; knitted by me, no pattern
Shoes; Django and Juliette, from Zomp shoes

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Calico and Ivy, cardigan, Fabulous fabrics, Knitted, own design, python, scarf, skirt, Spotlight, Vogue 7303

Knotty blue scarf

06/05/2010 6:56 am \ 8 Comments \ Carolyn

It’s been an embarrassingly long while since I did a re-fashion. My big bag of toss-out garments is still sitting there, taunting me. And this re-fashion is so … trite, it’s barely worth the label “re-fashion”. Still, in my defence, there was not a lot of fabric to play with in this one, meaning, not a lot of re-fashion options. But I like scarves. And, bonus, I’m making a start on incorporating some air force blue into my wardrobe for winter. Win!
So, starting with an old tank-top of my husband’s. This is actually the top half of a pair of summer jammies, from a men’s sleepwear range brought out by Ian Thorpe the Aussie Olympic swimmer, that I’m chopping up here. Sorry, Thorpie…

I simply cut off the top part of the tank-top at underarm level, and the bottom seam, for a raw edge. The side seams were cut out also to get the raw edge, and the front and back remaining rectangles cut into three roughly equal width pieces. (OK, very roughly…)

These were overlocked together, right sides facing. When overlocking I also cut out the remains of that logo…. I didn’t use matching overlocker thread, but it doesn’t matter as these seams are to be hidden by knots.

Where I’m knotting the sides are folded in slightly, just to hide the seam stitching, and simple knots positioned to hide the seams.

Et voila, a new air force blue scarf…

Details:
Skirt; Vogue 7303 lined, winter white wool crepe
Top; Metalicus
Cardi; Metalicus
Boots; Enrico Antinori
Scarf; refashioned from old tank-top
Bag; Gucci

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: accessories, Fabulous fabrics, own design, scarf, skirt, tutorial, Vogue 7303, Wardrobe Refashion

Denim, lace and burnt orange

04/05/2010 7:10 am \ 7 Comments \ Carolyn

Being a casual-ish, friendly sort of a day today I’m dressing to suit. I had to do some work in the office (groan) but managed to squeeze in a quick morning tea with some friends and also a lunch with some other friends. And the weather has been bliss. So a perfectly looooovely sort of a day!
Today I’m wearing a necklace cobbled together by my daughter from bits and pieces, which I’ve borrowed in the past. It includes a voodoo doll, given to her for Christmas present, a ballerina charm which I think we found somewhere, and her dog tags, from when we lived in the US. She was awarded these dog tags for participating (they weren’t given a choice, btw) in the DARE programme running at the school. DARE stands for Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education. I should mention she was ten years old at the time. Yeeah… I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions from that one…
We are into that slightly awkward time of the year when the mornings are briskly cold, meaning boots and a jacket or cardi of some sort are necessary, but so warm in the middle of the day one is roasting in the aforementioned boots and jacket. And this little orange skirt has been such a winner. It’s amazing how such a bright in-your-face sort of a colour can turn out to be such a good mix-n-match item.

Details:
Skirt; Vogue 7303, burnt orange silk hessian
Top; Morrison
Jacket; Ezibuy
Gold necklace; had since teenage years
other necklace; put together by my daughter
Boots; Enrico Antinori, from Zomp
Bag; Gucci

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Fabulous fabrics, skirt, Vogue 7303

Rosetta ball gown, yet another picture…

02/05/2010 4:13 am \ 5 Comments \ Carolyn

I found this picture, a partial view of the back of the dress. Thanks Lily for pointing that out! And I thought I’d covered all angles… Now I’m back in the laundry sewing room working on my stash. Top secret project in the pipeline…

We had a wonderful time at the ball. I’m a little sad it’s a whole year until the next one.

Details:

the same as in the post below…

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: ballgown, Butterick 4657, evening wear, Fabulous fabrics, own design, Simplicity 9775

“Rosetta” ball gown

01/05/2010 9:43 am \ 11 Comments \ Carolyn

I’m going to take time to mention the cause that we are supporting tonight as it is such an important one; the Amanda Young Foundation. This non-profit foundation is dedicated to raising awareness of meningococcal disease, to raising funds to research for a vaccine, and to educating people to recognise the symptoms and to be aware of the need for the immediate medical attention that it requires. If you don’t know much about meningococcal disease then please take a few minutes to view the Amanda Young Foundation site. Informing yourself as to the nature of this terribly swift and deadly disease could save the life of someone you know.

Now for the debut of my “Rosetta” dress, name thought up by my son…
(Sorry for multiple photos, but I’m trying to show all angles)

Details:
Dress; mostly my own design with some elements of Butterick 4657 and Simplicity 9775, red velvet, red shot silk taffeta and ivory/black printed polyester
Earrings; Sophie Kyron
Shoes; Nina, from David Jones

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: ballgown, Butterick 4657, evening wear, Fabulous fabrics, own design, Simplicity 9775

Dog Beach

29/04/2010 5:28 am \ 9 Comments \ Carolyn

We’re having a real indian summer in Perth so this morning I took Sienna to Dog Beach and it was. Just. Heaven. There was only a handful of people on the beach, being a weekday. So normally I don’t like to get all pose-y in my photos. Usually I just stand there feeling self conscious. But today I felt in such high spirits I just did it. Maybe I’m too old to be striking a pose like this but there was no one about to see me, so I thought what the hey!
After our long backpack-hauling slogs along the beaches on our trek I wasn’t sure I could ever again adore beach walking as much as I used to. But this morning the old love for the feel of soft warm sand between my toes and the cool salty splash of the sea over my feet was reignited. Bliss!

Details:
Top; Burda 8497, python print satin
Shorts; Burda 7723, white linen
Thongs (flipflops); Mountain Designs

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 7723, Burda 8497, Fabulous fabrics, python, shorts, Sienna, Spotlight, top

“Colonel Mustard” shirt

26/04/2010 3:01 am \ 10 Comments \ Carolyn

I made this shirt last summer as part of my autumn sewing plan to brighten up my wardrobe and add a bit more colour. The fabric isn’t very nice; it’s a sort of polycotton, the same as my turquoise skirt. I only bought it because of the great colour. Also being a crush-proof fabric, thought it would prove practical in my animal-centric lifestyle.
Digging it out recently, I’m kinda thrilled this will fit in with my autumn/winter plans to inject a military flavour into my daywear. When I had first finished it I felt a tad Star Trekky in it and tucked it away in my wardrobe with a slight shudder, thinking, hmm, will do for under jumpers and jackets as a nice spot of colour with the earthy tones of winter; but now I’m feeling more friendly towards it and actually am planning on wearing all exposed like, as here. Does anyone else do that, make something, take an immediate dislike to it and shove it away, only to rediscover it a few months down the track and realise it’s not so bad after all?

Details:
Shirt; Burda 8548, mustard polycotton, with short sleeves and two randomly placed added pockets (one on R front, other on L sleeve)
Skirt; Diesel
Shoes; Perrini, had these for donkey’s years

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 8548, Fabulous fabrics, top

Mauve and apricot

23/04/2010 8:02 am \ 6 Comments \ Carolyn

It’s wonderful when you go to the wardrobe and discover a dress that you had almost forgotten you had. And this is a new dress, it’s not that long since I made it, shame on me. Must be getting forgetful, first sign of old age…?
I love this colour combination of the purple-y mauve with soft apricot orange, whispers “autumn” to me so well. Later in the supermarket when I donated to the ANZAC’s and got this sticker, it happened to go so nicely with my outfit, fortuitous, no?
I met up with some friends for morning tea this morning, had a few errands afterwards and rounded up the day out with a revisit to Ricarda with my daughter so I could get a closer look at the clothes I saw in the parade the other night; up close I marvelled even more over the cut and construction of those lovely garments. Of course the prices made us gasp, but if they weren’t expensive then they wouldn’t be so exciting, right?