Uncategorized Archives - Page 172 of 177

We will fight them in the sewing rooms…

20/11/2009 8:29 am \ 1 Comment \ Carolyn

When I saw this happy sunny cotton print at Fabulous fabrics last year I had to make something out of it immediately. I love the bright bright colours of this fabric and the sort of vaguely exotic ethnic print on it, a mix of paisleys, florals and medallions all overprinted and shadowed on each other. I made the skirt from Vogue 7880, view C, a pattern I’ve used quite a lot as I like all the random overlays. This is the longest version, the one my daughter complains about when she sees me making it up (“why do you always make skirts too long, Mum?!”) On this particular pattern I’ve usually finished the edges with a rolled hem on the overlocker, and it was making this skirt that I discovered a golden rule of overlocking; always use overlocking thread on the overlocker. For this project I was using a mix of leftover threads in various colours, some overlocker threads, some ordinary sewing machine thread, and boy, did my overlocker chuck a major hissy fit. I got so frustrated with it unthreading itself, thread breaking etc I was ready to heave it straight in the bin. However I managed to breathe deep and regain a zen-like calm (ha!) and eventually got it finished. And by “eventually”, I really mean “eventually”. Like hours later. Yes! I am master of my overlocker. This skirt is the spoils of a war with my overlocker that I WON and my overlocker now knows to submit to me. Yeah, right…
Had a very pleasant day today (except that I’m now facing office work); visited a nursery with my friend E, then spent some time with my sister-in-law, before running a few errands. Looking forward to the weekend!

Other details:
T-shirt; Country Road
Thongs (flipflops); Mountain Designs
Cardigan; Nine, bought at Labels
Pendant; bead from Gypsy Bead

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Fabulous fabrics, skirt, Vogue 7880

Tea Cosy, specimen 2

19/11/2009 3:22 am \ 3 Comments \ Carolyn

Here is my friend D’s tea cosy. Looking back I think it was the first Roly Poly one I made out of “Wild Tea Cosies” by Loani Prior, the first of many (future posts to feature subsequent examples) Her birthday was back close to Easter time, so it seemed fitting at the time that her tea cosy looked a bit like a little basket of Easter Eggs in pretty pastel colours. It was photographed on her outdoor table with her tablecloth and china (and we had a cup of tea after). Unfortunately I didn’t realise when taking the picture that the cosy’s mauve underskirt had rolled up underneath and so is not visible here.
Tea cosies seem to be such old-fashioned concept, that is experiencing an inexplicable resurgence in popularity and “coolness”. People are currently knitting the most funky and glorious tea cosies imaginable.
The wool for this tea cosy came from all various sources; the green from Calico and Ivy (I’m currently knitting a jumper from the same), the pink and mauve from the now sadly defunct Cottonfields, and the blue I bought in Paris from Anny Blatt, a truly adorable wool store. The grey is leftover from A’s tea cosy.

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Knitted, tea cosy, wild tea cosies

Romance in an everyday basic

18/11/2009 6:03 am \ Leave a Comment \ Carolyn

Today the sky is white white white, and the wind is swirling and billowing about in the trees every which way. So naturally I feel compelled to wear a white lacy top and to try to curl my hair. Seems a bit random? well I can see the connection anyhow. Just seemed fitting. Wuthering Heights, again? Although me curling my hair is asking for trouble. I could hardly brush it after. Serves me right for dreaming up yet another way of procrastinating on all the work I need to do… As it turned out the sun popped out from behind a cloud just long enough for me to get a sunny picture…
The top I’m wearing today is an oldie. It was made from quilting cotton with crocheted lace strips inserted in the front and back. I used this pattern New Look 6483, with a few variations obviously. In my usual fashion, once a basic pattern has proved itself in terms of fit I then feel compelled to improvise with each use. I was trying to copy a top seen in a Vogue magazine, for which I’ve just hunted unsuccessfully and I can’t remember the designer I’m afraid. My version has been a very useful top; reasonably pretty, loose enough for warm weather and very comfortable for casual days.
This New Look pattern is an excellent basic pattern with no frills. It is a simple matter to add interest with a few minor variations. In this case I squared the neckline, altered the sleeves by puffing them up, inserted horizontal and vertical crochet strips on front and back, added a few pin-tucks, made a front bottom panel longer and gathered it to fit, added border crochet strips… Well quite a few variations, but I was just playing with it at the time and the end result seems to be a keeper in my wardrobe as it has resisted every seasonal purge. Admittedly white/off-white lace is rarely tossed out by me as I’m strangely drawn to it. The whole aura of nostalgia and romance as represented in late Victorian era photographs and illustrations has such timeless appeal, no?

Other details:
Jeans, Development

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: New Look 6483, own design, Spotlight, top

“Not too crafty” It bag

17/11/2009 6:40 am \ 3 Comments \ Carolyn

Here is another knitted project, a bag that was knitted free-form with no pattern. After casting on I just randomly did a few cables and whatnot and literally knitted until the wool ran out. I popped a vinyl “bag” of the same size (made from padded table protector vinyl sold off a huge roll) inside for strength, and then lined with a blue and white print cotton on the inside of that. The gold chain is attached firmly to the vinyl inner bag so that the bag can take a reasonably heavy weight without sagging unattractively. Closure is by a magnetic snap, and the old diamante brooch is just pinned on the outside flap for looks. I’ve hardly ever used this bag, but after the lovely compliments I got today perhaps I should use it more often. Main problem; you can’t carry an awful lot in it just because of the small size. It’s really just an elegant day bag for a few essentials. (I forgot to put in a pen and had to borrow one; great secretary, huh?)

I wound up my secretarial duties today for the school Auxiliary and handed over my files and notes to next year’s secretary; as my daughter has finished school I will no longer be doing this job. The end of an era, still can’t really comprehend it, I guess it hasn’t really sunk in. I’ve made some great friends through that school so I’ll keep on seeing those friends I’ve made, hopefully. I can’t deny it was a relief to hand over the “secretary” bag, though! We had a lovely lunch after our meeting and I’m now sitting at my desk trying to recall what we discussed at the AGM for the minutes. Post champagne, this could be a problem…

Other details:
Diamante brooch; bought about 20 yrs ago from secondhand store at Fremantle Markets
Top; Tutte, from Mid 70’s, gift from my parents
Camisole; Country Road
Skirt; Rodney Clark; op shop
Sandals; Marco Santini, from Marie Claire

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: accessories, Knitted, own design, Spotlight

Pants the colour of bruised clouds

16/11/2009 5:38 am \ 3 Comments \ Carolyn

I just finished these pants recently and absolutely love this pattern, Burda 7944. They fit like a dream and went together quickly and easily. I love the wide legged “menswear” look in pants and these really fit the bill. Especially love the cuff at the bottom. I’m planning to make these up again this summer, so no need to draft that pattern from my favourite jeans again! The fabric from Fabulous Fabrics is sort of a gunmetal blue/grey linen, but in some lights it looks purple, sometimes almost brown. Love it.
Last Friday my daughter and I visited the op shop and the rest of my outfit is my finds on that day. The shoes I posted about last Saturday. Still can’t believe my good fortune in finding them. I washed the two tops over the weekend; I’m sure most people wash their clothes before sending off to the Good Sammy’s but can’t always be sure of that so I always launder them myself before wearing just in case.
My daughter expressed guilt that we were shopping there, and that we were “taking the best stuff”. The thing is; there is always so much stuff at the op shop. So much. I feel that even though we aren’t charity cases that any reduction in the amount of stock in the stores would be welcomed by the staff. Also, I donate quite a lot to Good Sammy’s as well as buying off them, so feel like I’m a pretty good customer.
I like the colour combination in my outfit today; makes me think of the colours of my bougainvillea seen against the heavy bruised clouds of a stormy sky, much like what I saw when I looked out the window this morning. I must be very susceptible to my surroundings as I so often take inspiration from them, when dressing myself as well as when planning my next creative output.
Saw my friends this morning and trying not to let myself get upset about something tactless one of them said, probably without ill intent. Visited Spotlight on the way home and by way of compensation I bought some beads to make myself a few new necklaces. Also arranged with D to visit her house and photograph her tea cosy this afternoon, after my office duties.

Other details:
Top; Aztec Rose, op shop
Cardigan; Saba, op shop
Shoes; Sandler, op shop
Necklace; souvenir from Egypt

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 7944, Fabulous fabrics, pants

Tea Cosy, specimen 1

15/11/2009 12:55 am \ 3 Comments \ Carolyn

Today I’m not wearing anything particularly exciting, so here instead is the tea cosy I gave my friend J yesterday for a belated birthday present. It is from Loani Prior’s excellent book “Wild Tea Cosies” which I saw in Calico and Ivy and bought for myself as a present. I made quite a few of these tea cosies in various designs and colours and gave them all away as gifts, so a new goal I’ve set for myself is to hunt them down and photograph them in their new natural surroundings for this blog. Be that my friends’ kitchens, or bottom drawers, wherever they now reside. As well as documenting my wardrobe.
Looking back over my blog I can see it’s turned into a bit of a daily outfit post, which wasn’t it’s original intention. Like the authors of books often complain that their lead character won’t behave as planned but develop a mind of their own, this blog is taking on it’s own character. Hmmm. Have to keep on top of this.
I’ve loved this tea cosy book; the only drawback is the abundance of designs that are purely for crochet, which I didn’t notice at first flip-through before whimsically purchasing. I. Don’t. Like. Crochet. I can tolerate it for very short stretches, but it’s really not my cup of tea (ha ha!)
J’s tea cosy here is the Roly Poly one from the book, which has small crocheted balls on the top, a manageable amount of crochet for me. The rest is knitted. It is actually lined! With a whole separate knitted lining! Perhaps to keep that teapot well and truly insulated.
The label (right) sewn inside the cosy is from a rubber stamp given to me by my Monday morning gals several years ago for a birthday gift, which gave me the name for this blog and which I now use for fun labels to attach to the things I make. The silver spoon in the picture above was made by my grandmother, and has my maiden name initials in relief on the handle.

Other details:
Silver spoon; made by my grandmother
China; all from op shops or secondhand shops

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Calico and Ivy, Knitted, Spotlight, tea cosy, wild tea cosies

Not to judge a book by its cover

14/11/2009 3:50 am \ Leave a Comment \ Carolyn

Today’s shirt pattern is familiar to those following this blog, I’m even getting a little embarrassed at how often it’s appeared here. It is Butterick 4985 again, this time with the addition of some little pockets on the front with lace flaps and the sleeves view B joined together at the top seam. I used baby blue nubbly self embroidered cotton for the blouse and topstitched the pockets and a few seams with double stitching in gunmetal dark blue. This was mostly to use up this particular colour in my thread stash. I also added an attached necktie in a bit of leftover border lace, again just to use it up. This can’t be seen very well in the picture because of the other scarf I’m wearing.
Today’s colour scheme is pastel-ly, with no white. I really like this soft combination of pale blue, yellow and pink, with the blue jeans. I have a confession to make: I realise how tragic this sounds, but I thought the cover of “The Elegance of the Hedgehog” to be such a beautiful balance of colours, and really inspired me to copy it in this outfit! Oh please, if I heard someone say that I would almost pity them, but it’s true! I suppose we are all find inspiration somewhere, and if you find it in the cover of a book then so be it. (I could expound the multiple merits of reading this book as it is superb and intelligent and full of pearls… but that is not the purpose of this blog)
I found my shoes yesterday in an op shop. They were $12, and hardly worn! I fell absolutely in love with them and had to wear them straight away. They are navy blue suede with elastic criss-cross straps over the top of the foot and a beautifully shaped heel. It’s often difficult to come across nice shoes in my size, even in commercial shoe stores as I have such big feet (size 10, or 41 in European), so this was an incredible find.
Today has been spent in pleasant industry and relaxation; I worked for several hours in the garden, did some grocery shopping and running a few errands, then met my friend J for afternoon tea.

Other details:
Jeans; Development
Scarf; unlabelled, bought in Labels (how’s that for an oxymoron!)
Earrings; selfmade
Shoes; Sandler, op shop

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: accessories, beading, Butterick 4985, Fabulous fabrics, own design, top

Favourite skirt, styled in 6 different ways

13/11/2009 2:34 am \ Leave a Comment \ Carolyn

Something different for today. After my office duties I am taking my daughter out for a special treat to lunch; Fashion Friday at the Globe, so I’m wearing this dress I’ve posted about before. Don’t want to post another picture of the same dress, so instead I’m delivering something I promised to do about a month ago, namely showing the versatility of my favourite skirt, first posted about here.
Its made of a slightly shimmery pale pink damask from my favourite skirt pattern Vogue 7303, with my own variation in the addition of three extra layers both front and back, joined onto the lining and separate from each other. So effectively it has eight different hems. And yes, it was extremely complex to make. But worth it.
For today’s post I’ve styled it to be worn as a casual skirt for summer and winter, as slightly more dressy (say if I’m meeting friends during the day) winter and summer, and finally as a semi-formal skirt again for both summer and winter. So you can see how versatile it’s been in my wardrobe!