Archive for October 2011
October 31, 2011 | 
Author 
You know what? I get super excited when I can have a day to myself. Just me, myself and I and my camera of course, this to me is my idea of a perfect day. Hoboken Cafe, Oh yes! they sell Seven Seeds Coffee, you bet I took long, slow sips.
Hosier Lane. The ever evolving lane of art. I love Melbourne, and that my friend, is exactly what my hubby says to me. Ha!
…and it’s good to see you here reading all about my perfect day.
Today I made it my mission to pop into Tessuti Fabrics to check out their very slick store. Look at that sign! Perfection.
The staff are super friendly and the fabrics, oh the fabrics are divine, I ran my fingers slowly over everything I couldn’t help it, it’s an illness. I’m seeing my therapist tomorrow.
No long queues here, it’s dreamy and they have a fantastic range of Japanese pattern books too. I picked up Pattern Magic 3, I do love those books.
Speaking of queues, (for the Australian readers) let me tell you a little secret shhhh!! Spotlight; you’ll queue for days right? Did you know the Sparty’s section will cut fabric? shhhh.
Next stop; the Paper City exhibit. This exhibition explores the rich stories of Melbourne city, yep communications through letterhead design. I love love typography.
Over to Fitzroy! Soy Latte and Falafel wrap and a good hour spent buried within the pages of my book at the >>>>>Vegie Bar <<<< seriously click on the link… vegan bliss.
Kleins Perfumery is just heavenly, I needed to stock up on one of my favourite fragrances EVER, Tokyomilk-Dark; Tainted Love and Bulletproof are also lush. I managed to start my christmas shopping too, yep it’s that time of the year again.
A Perfect Day, just the way I like it, minus the silly parking ticket though. Damn!
I am a little bit excited about this dress, she’s called —as you can see, The Devil-May-Care dress because she is unconventional and I consider myself to be a tad unconventional. As you know it’s Halloween, no costumes for me though. I’m enjoying the fact that I can use my favourite colour, B L A C K into this weeks post. I love black, I also love oddly shaped clothes, especially the ones that you spot in obscure boutiques, the ones that look distorted on the hanger, confusing to the eye, a puzzle, raw edges, skewed necklines, the garments that twist around the body and end up looking a million dollars on once you’ve worked out how to wear it, you know the ones with the hefty price tag? This is what I wanted to achieve with this dress.
Now to try and explain how I got to this point will be tricky because I literally spent at least two hours moulding this gorgeous fabric (Hub Crushed Taffeta approx $12 a metre) around my dressmakers form trying to find a pleasing shape, pinning, darting, draping, you should of seen me I looked like I knew what I was doing. It took less time to sew it, If I spied someone wearing this in the street I would rip it from their back and run for the hills. Not your cup of tea? Yeah I know, that’s okay, the world would be a boring place if we all dressed the same.
I used the raw edge of the fabric for the neckline sewing pleats into place to add form, the silhouette of the dress is the same as a tank top but I exaggerated the arm holes extending them out then cutting on a diagonal, I then sewed up each side at least eight inches in from the seam line leaving room for the pockets, skewing the other side by lifting the piece up at least four inches and sewing it down leaving the bottom elevated on a diagonal and the top with a gape that I’d sewn together adding a tie long enough to go around the body of the dress and some, am I confusing you? I’m confusing myself.
See the fabric that I inserted on the diagonal along the base line there? I purchased this small piece, I certainly did not sew those thin strategic lines into place, I am not that kind of c r a z y, yuk to that hey?
Have you noticed how many different ways this dress can be manipulated? I know right! she’s a winner for me, hey just add a belt! voilà! The texture of the fabric has this unique wrinkled pattern very similar to the tops of my prematurely ageing 80 year old looking hands, they blend in well with the dress. Score.
Faux fur was 30% off last week in Spotlight so I purchased a slither of that too and made this minnie shrug, stole thingy, I’m wearing it backwards in the photo above. With the leftovers, I’ve made a range of elasticated beards for my son he’s got one for everyday of the week now. Looking very dapper in his beard and bowtie combo’s. So, if I have to place this dress under a Halloweenish title I’d say it’s Mad Max crossed with Edward Scissorhands, I’m really not going for a gothic look, I’m going for unconventional with a smidgeon of unique, this challenge really was an excuse for me to sew something that had all the qualities of what I like to look at in a designer garment that I could never or rather would never spend the dollars on.. This is right up my alley being black and all. Happy happy happy.
Yep! I thought this deserved a little animation, lets see if I exceed my monthly bandwidth arrr. Have a peek at the Sew Weekly gals, they’re stopping traffic over there. So clever.
Happy Sewing, Happy days.
Why hello there! why don’t you snuggle into that big pink velvet covered couch just over there under the dimly lit lampshade with the tassels hanging from the trim, here is your cup of peppermint tea to sip on while I tell you all about these cute little pyjamas I made for this weeks Sew Weekly theme appropriately titled, ‘loungewear’.
These cute little Pj’s were cut and sewn from Simplicity pattern 6278 using a gorgeous cotton candy pink fabric with a printed chain of hearts pattern running throughout, perfect bedtime print don’t you think? she has a peter pan collar which ties up with a cute little black bow and a row of tiny matte black buttons down the front. The bloomers have an elastic waist and thinner elastic around the bottoms which of course forms a gathered frill for added sleepytime cuteness. They’re perfect for lounging about in I’d even answer to the complete stranger knocking at my front door asking for a charity donation in them as long as I was wearing my heels and a full face of makeup of course. I’d even put on a voice and all… Oh Daaarrrling of cooourrssse I can help your cause…
Loungewear? that’s a funny name for it, loungewear! for lounging about in. Who has time to lounge about anymore? I can’t even sit and watch a movie without thinking I’m wasting precious time, I’m always thinking I could be doing something a lot more interesting with my time, but in saying that I’m wearing them now so I guess I’m ‘lounging’.Woohoo!
For this challenge I did contemplate on making a slinky silky slip which I’d find very comfortable and wearable, yes! but, I just couldn’t answer the front door in it, too revealing, and you know how I like to be generous with my charity donations and all, the last thing I want is for the person to drop the donation tin, that would be just too awkward, me having to fumble about helping pick up the coins and all, tragic. So you see, I was thinking of everyone involved before I settled on making this cute bedtime ensemble. Aren’t you lucky?
Yes there have been countless nights where I’ve woken up in my heels but that was when I was young and dangerous darlings. *coughs* now my heels are all packed neatly in boxes awaiting their perfectly sewn outfit.
That cute little book up there is the perfect bedtime companion or for just ‘lounging’, I’m a sucker for watercolours and illustrations ‘Tucked in’ by Meredith Gaston will have you lounging in no time.
Happy Sewing! have a great week and I’ll hopefully see your well rested self here next week.
