Tag Archives: Own Design

Rescued from the clothing graveyard

15/10/2009 4:03 am \ 3 Comments \ Carolyn

Thursday, 15th October 2009

I made this one about 4 or 5 years ago, and it was a favourite for a whole summer. Then the weather turned cold, I got tired of it, and it was relegated to a plastic bag on the top shelf of the wardrobe. There it sat for a few years, coming out on rare occasions. In the biannual clean-out it was contemplated but always managed to stay, given that it was the first really creative thing I had attempted. It was made freehand, by just throwing together a mishmash of matching fabrics in a wild and crazy pattern with no real planning or forethought, although I was inspired by a very expensive Didier Parakian design I saw in a boutique. A zip was inserted, and the top was darted to fit around the waist. I attached a long white cheesecloth underskirt, for stability at the waist.

I love its hippy-dippy feel and always get compliments about it. So I guess it is here to stay. A good casual skirt for a coolish summer day, “coolish” as the aforementioned underskirt makes it quite warm.

Other details:

T-shirt; Country Road

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: own design, skirt, Spotlight

Favourite skirt!!

13/10/2009 6:54 am \ Leave a Comment \ Carolyn

Tuesday, 13th October 2009

Today I am wearing my favourite skirt, from my favourite skirt pattern ever, Vogue 7303. I’ve made this up countless times and its so versatile. Unfortunately I seem to have inadvertently thrown away the skirt front piece, so I always have to compromise by using the skirt overlay piece folded along the centre front, and guestimating the rest. Also the skirt back piece has a few holes and sections missing, as well as being held together in places with sticky tape. This is a result of the pattern fluttering in a slight breeze on my table one day, whereupon it was pounced on by a cat who then went into full hind-foot-kicking attack mode. Gaaaa! Little sweetie, not. I’ve still managed to use it on numerous occasions since. Where there’s a will there’s a way (gritted teeth).

I did my usual variation of moving the rear central zip to the left side, and using an invisible zip. Also, in this incarnation, I tried to put in welt pockets, thus elevating it from a fantastic skirt to a perfect skirt. However being a closefitting number the pockets gaped most unattractively, so I ended up sewing them shut and cutting away the now useless pocket bags inside. Sigh.

However, the final result has still been the most useful skirt of all time. Its made out of pale pink, slightly shimmery damask print, with (my added detail) layers that were so complicated please don’t ask me to ever explain how I did them. Not repeatable. It goes with all neutrals and lights, and I have worn it in any situation all the way from very casual through to formal in all weathers. Its not a ball dress however. Damn, an excuse to make a ball dress. That’s all I need.

Today I wore it in summer shopping mode, as I was doing my grocery shopping. Over the next few weeks I’ll included some other photos to illustrate just how versatile this little number has been in my life. I’ve worn all of these looks in the last few months, and they’ve worked every time.

Other details:

Tshirt, cardigan; Country Road

Belt; had forever, Country Road

Sandals; Vicenza, from Soletta

Bag; Gucci

To wear for a winter lunchtime date:

Black top; SexyWoman, secondhand shop

Biker boots; Sunday, bought from Uggy’s in

Dunsborough

Bag; Gucci

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: own design, skirt, Vogue 7303

Day 2 of new blog

11/10/2009 5:30 am \ Leave a Comment \ Carolyn

Sunday 11th October 2009

I know, I’ll get more creative with titles as time goes on, I’m sure.

Today will be a quiet Sunday, what with hubby working, oldest at Uni, middle studying for exams and youngest on camp. So I just took Sienna for a long walk and will be spending the rest of the day sewing, houseworking and trying to understand more about this blog thing.

My picture today is of my typical dogwalking gear, my blouse and cardi were made about a year ago. The blouse is Butterick 4985, view A sleeves and view B collar. Its been a favourite pattern, but even though I’m a size 10 by the envelope it swims on me, so I always take it in by about two inches each side tapering to normal measurements by the hip (I’m pear-shaped). I made it out of cream broderie anglaise cheesecloth, and randomly sewed on leftover bits of cotton lace from another project around the bodice for interest. I also added cotton crochet border lace around the front openings, and sewed on a waist tie of the same stuff to pull it in at the waist at front. The buttons were a rather lovely find; brassy type with like a blue jewel inset, rather like grandmother’s engagement ring. I didn’t hem at all, just topstitched the raw edges with pale blue stitching about 1cm in. I like this look more with each wash as it has frayed and rolled gently, sort of shabby bohemian.

The cardi was originally going to be something else clever out of crinkled polyester net. Ahem, unless you buy the stuff already crinkled no amount of boiling, scrunching or generally attacking is going to crinkle polyester net! There must be some special chemical process by which they achieve this! I eventually had to settle for an uncrinkled look, and finally traced out the pattern from a favourite Marilyn Seyb cardi I had bought in New Zealand and wore to DEATH (but can’t bring myself to ever part with). My version is two layered, the inner layer white net and the outer coffee, sewn together on the serger. The front opening is stabilised with white grosgrain ribbon, simply zigzagged stitched around up one front, around the back neck and down the other front. A single brass rimmed small white button forms closure. This cardi pattern I have used elsewhere and I love the simple open shape of it.

Other details:

Cargo pants: Ezibuy

Camisole: Country Road

Thongs(flipflops): Mountain Designs

Thanks to Tim for taking photo; note to self, must find out how to use camera auto timer…

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Butterick 4985, cardigan, own design, Sienna, top

First post ever!

10/10/2009 3:30 pm \ 4 Comments \ Carolyn

Saturday, 10th October 2009

Hey, this is my first post ever. Scary! I’m new at this whole blogger thing, so we’ll just see how it all goes. My motive in producing this blog is to keep a record of all my sewing and knitting efforts. I’ve made myself so many garments over the years, most of which have gone the way of the “hamper in the sky” (ie. Good Sammys bin) and I have no record of those hours and hours of planning, pinning, cutting, basting sewing… Ok, Ok, unpicking too. I’m not young or trendy, well a little trendy I hope, but I’m still working on my own personal style. Speaking of Good Sammys, I also love to shop there too!

My first picture I’m posting is of a cocktail dress I made about two years ago, using New Look pattern 6699. The only adjustments I made were to reshape the back bodice to be a “proper” one piece bodice as opposed to the rather sundressy two piece back bodice in the pattern with adjustable straps. The dress is made of coffee/black lace over cream silk, from Fabulous fabrics. I’ve loved it and worn it quite a lot. The necklace is my own design and also selfmade, from a beading fad I went through.

Thanks to my son Sam for taking the photo, next on my list is to work out how to use the timer on our camera, big challenge for a technophobe like me.

Other details:

Shoes, Micam by Joanne Mercer, bought at Hobbs