shorts Archives - Page 4 of 5 - Handmade by Carolyn

Chain and tassel necklace; a tutorial

18/10/2010 4:53 am \ 13 Comments \ Carolyn

As soon as I saw it I loved this chain and tassel accessory made by the enormously creative and beautiful Maegan, who in turn was inspired by a Blugirl original, and I wanted to have a go at making my own… Maegan made hers as a lariat, which would be a much more versatile accessory; but I made mine as a fixed necklace. This is because I knew in my lifestyle a lariat would probably end up either tripping me up, strangling me, or slipping off entirely without my noticing…
so I bought 2 packs of 1m (40 inches) of gold chain and two black upholstery tassels, medium size. I already had some 10mm jump rings and a necklace hook and loop. If you are at all into making your own accessories like this it is very handy to also have some pliers and a wire cutter small enough to work with these little fiddly bits.

The chains I bought conveniently had jumps rings attached to each end already, so I just used one of these to join them together to make one long 2m (80inches) chain.

Arrange the chain to your satisfaction. I went with three loops around the neck and left the ends hanging down in uneven lengths.

At the back of the neck, find the three links that are as close to centre back as possible and string a bit of scrap yarn through them all. Tie this in a loose knot.

Laying the chain down on a flat surface, cut through these three centre back links using wire cutters.

Loop the two jump rings through all three chains, and add the hook and loop closure.

Prise open the last ring on each chain end and thread onto it the top loop of the tassel, close the ring securely.

Use a wool needle to pull the top loop of the tassel back through the “top-knot” and out into the middle of the fringe-y bits, to hide it inside.

It can be worn with the ends hanging down loose or loosely tied up which is less swing-ey and sway-ey when you walk about as briskly as I do. But I think I like it hanging loose better. What do you think?

Details:
Top; Tempt
Shorts; Burda 7723, with slight modifications
Beaded thongs (flipflops); some little shop in South Africa

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: accessories, Burda 7723, DIY, shorts, tutorial

Father’s Day on the beach

05/09/2010 5:21 am \ 7 Comments \ Carolyn

Self Stitched September day 5:
The weather has been absolutely glorious, so after the obligatory Father’s Day breakfast in bed, packed up the dog and the husband (not necessarily in that order!) and headed to the beach for a stroll. I’ve mentioned before how the dog morphs into a frolicsome puppy when faced with sand and surf and after this morning we had a very tired, happy and sandy dog to hose down, ahhh, a delightful morning!
Today I’m wearing my top drafted from the Pattern Magic book (by Nakamichi Tomoko, really should get onto some more designs from that book!), made out of charcoal jersey knit. When I first assessed my wardrobe for this Self-Stitched September I was worried I wouldn’t have enough warm garments, but if the weather continues this way I may not end up even wearing some of the warmer winter options I have in there…! which will be nice!
My shorts are made from Burda 7723, these have an old-fashioned snugly wide waistband sitting high at the natural waistline and I modified the pattern by making the legs about 5cm longer and flaring them a little more to get even more of an old-fashioned forties look to them; these are made from a thick charcoal gabardine that used to be a puff-skirt my daughter bought in Paris about three years ago (to see it go here)

Details:
Top; from Pattern Magic, by Nakamichi Tomoko, charcoal jersey knit
Shorts; Burda 7723, charcoal gabardine
Thongs (flipflops); Mountain Design
Sunnies; RayBan

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 7723, Pattern Magic, shorts, Sienna, SSS10, top

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

Canal Rocks II

22/03/2010 2:13 pm \ 3 Comments \ Carolyn

These deceptively calm photos belie the fact that this afternoon we have endured the most massive storm, stronger and more ferocious than I’ve seen in years!! Hard to believe a day ago we had balmy summer heat and relentless blue skies, the last ten hours has seen torrential rain (a welcome component, the first rain we’ve seen here in three months!) and hail (not so welcome, we’ve lost two windows…), thunder, lightning and flooded roads… my son’s car came to a slow standstill in the middle of a puddle, (I admit to a little giggle at that one!), luckily he was just metres from home and managed to glide to the side of the road and just had to make a soggy sprint the rest of the way home, in his words dodging flying tree branches and struggling against buffeting winds. My other children sought refuge in a kebab shop to escape hailstones “the size of golfballs” and made me a panicked phone call to “please pick them up”, of course I was stuck in the most horrendous traffic jam and wondering if my car was going to come out of the storm pockmarked like a golfball itself from the fierce hail rat-a-tatting on my roof….
Finished mopping up and all safe and sound now and only just had power restored in the last few minutes so I’m sharing with you some more photos of a last few rays of sunshine over the ocean; the calm before the storm…
The above photo is my outfit for today; I know I wore these shorts only a few days ago, a wardrobe repeat that is the result of criminally bad packing for a weekend away, but these photos my husband took have such magnificent colours, no?

Details:
Shorts; Burda 7723 slightly modified, charcoal gabardine refashioned from old skirt
Camisole and cardigan; Country Road
Thongs (flipflops); Mountain Designs

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 7723, shorts, Wardrobe Refashion

Dogged loyalty

20/03/2010 4:51 am \ 12 Comments \ Carolyn

Today I’m wearing my charcoal gabardine shorts made from Burda 7723, which were my first Wardrobe Refashion project. I love these high-waisted shorts, and I prefer this flared leg silhouette I incorporated into these ones after making up my first version in white linen to the pattern. I’ve worn these charcoal shorts a few times in these early balmy days of autumn and the heavy fabric is perfect for the ever so slightly cooler days… Paired with a bright raspberry cardigan to cheer them up my husband referred to me this morning as a raspberry chocolate treat ( yes, he is slightly colourblind, but I appreciated the compliment nonetheless!!) Admittedly the shorts do take on a chocolate hue in the shadows, that’s the beauty of old fabric in that it fades and wears to a subtly complex and varied patina.
We are beachwalking today, and have a three hour hike planned for this arvo, but took a moment out for me to get my outfit shot, and I have to put here the below photos to show you what a faithful sweet dog we have; even though she is emphatically NOT one of those dogs who bound joyfully into the surf and voluntarily dunk themselves in (she’s a bit of a woose, actually), she braved the ocean to swim out to join me on my rock here… she’s such a sweetheart…

Details:
Shorts; Burda 7723, refashioned from old puff-skirt
Camisole; Country Road
Cardigan; Metalicus
Nail varnish; thongs (flip-flops) Mountain Design

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 7723, shorts, Sienna, Wardrobe Refashion

Leda and the Swan

24/02/2010 3:09 am \ 6 Comments \ Carolyn

What to wear when the forecast is for 38C, and your daughter requests that you both ride your bikes into the city to take photos of buildings for an architectural assignment?
Precisely. After a hot exhausting bike ride you’re probably not going to look glamorous for your photo opportunity. See below exhibit A, and please excuse the crumpled and bedraggled state of the model.
I know, I know, white lace again, but I needed something cool, loose and comfortable and this fitted the bill perfectly.
I’ll keep this shirt until it falls apart, I think. Even then I’ll be inventing ways of patching it up so I can still wear it… It was just made out of quilting cotton, about 3 years ago, as a kind of experiment, and it has been such a winner. It’s so comfy, and I like to think it looks kinda nice, too… I used New Look 6483 as a basic T-shirt, but added plenty of my own design variations. I experimented with pintucking, puffy sleeves, and inserting panels of crotcheted lace for a Victorian-inspired look.
And my little white shorts, from Burda 7723, a great easy pattern. I’ve made up this pattern once more and flared and lengthened the legs a little and I preferred that look. These have been indispensable in my summer wardrobe.

Details:
Top; my own design, based on NewLook 6483, cream cotton and crotched lace inserts
Shorts; Burda 7723, white linen
Bag; made by my Mum

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 7723, Fabulous fabrics, New Look 6483, shorts, Spotlight, top

Australia Day

26/01/2010 5:00 am \ 5 Comments \ Carolyn

Today is Australia Day, and everyone here has their own personal ideal way to spend this day, depending on their age and general level of wildness.
How am I celebrating Australia Day? Well, first thing this morning my husband and I went out for a paddle on the river. It was just divinely peaceful; river almost deserted and flat like a millpond with the sun sparkling on the surface, pelicans and black swans gliding by majestically. We pulled in at a tiny deserted beach and had strawberries and a thermos of tea while watching the waves lapping at our feet. We didn’t see any dolphins this time, but often we do. Then we paddled home to another swim and a late breakfast of more tea and Vegemite on toast; yes, like lots of Aussies I am hopelessly addicted to Vegemite on toast and can’t imagine a more tasty breakfast … Later on we will fire up the barbecue for some lamb chops, and at nightfall walk down to watch the fireworks over the river; all in all a very leisurely Australia Day.
Our children, on the other hand, will be whooping it up around their friend’s pools and generally creating lots of noise and mess; I’m just thankful it won’t be our pool that cops it this year…
I’m still feeling pretty hot after our paddle so I’m dressed very casually and for maximum coolness.

Below is a picture I took of another true blue Aussie I found outside, this little darling has a body as big as my fingernail!

Details:
Top; NewLook 6252, white seersucker
Shorts; Burda 7723, white linen
Hat; Country Road

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 7723, Fabulous fabrics, New Look 6252, shorts, top

Wardrobe Refashion, project 2

15/01/2010 3:30 am \ 23 Comments \ Carolyn

For my second Wardrobe Refashion project I took the scissors to some three quarter pants that I’ve had for about two or three years. They’ve been good pants and I loved them when I first bought them, but over time the fabric had pilled a bit, “knees” developed pretty soon after putting them on, and the folded waistband, which has no zip, used to pop open in a very unattractive way without warning. However the fabric is a nice textured charcoal linen/cotton blend which I still liked.
I envisaged a simple Japanese style top, something like the beautiful designs I saw in the Yohji Yamamoto exhibition at the Perth Art Gallery a year ago. That was such a gorgeous exhibition, sigh, the awesomeness as a whole left me quite spellbound and deeply inspired. I have not even close to 1% of his talent, but I thought I might be capable of a simple top, something symmetrical, but with just a few elements of asymmetry thrown in, as practiced in traditional Japanese architecture.
I’m very happy with this result although putting it together ended up a bit more complicated than I first thought – again, just like the deceptive simplicity of Yohji Yamamoto (I have one Yohji Yamamoto top that I was lucky enough to come across in a second hand shop, and it’s quite unlike any other top I’ve seen) The difficult bit on which I spent the most time was in the inserts I put in under the arm which are to avoid inadvertent “flashing” when arm-lifting; and you can’t even really see this part of the shirt! Even though you can’t see them, let me describe them; they are scooped and edged with scraps of self binding…
I kept the waistband of the original pants to use as a belt and my whole family agrees the top looks better with it.
I really like the up-and-down effect of the hem; longest in front, shorter at the sides and shortest at the back. The hems here are the original hems of the pants.
I slashed the neckline of the top off-centre to insert a button closure and used a small amount of lightweight black fabric from my stash to face the neckline. This button closure is functional but not really needed as it can be just slipped over my head anyway… I love this old button I inherited in my grandmother’s haberdashery; it’s texture is a bit like rough stone.
Pretty much all of the fabric of the original pants was used in making this top; I had only the tiniest of scraps left!