Archive for July 2011
July 31, 2011 | 
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Ahoy my dear readers, yep you guessed it, ‘Nautical’ the theme this week over at Sew Weekly is Nautical the cute red, white and blue numbers we all want or wanted. I got off easy this week which is lucky for me because I kinda feel like shit and I jarred my back trying my best to bowl a strike with my work buddies on Friday night so if I look a tad rigid in these photos it’s because I have ‘Ten Pin Bowlers Back’ nothing a good back flip cant fix though.
This dear little pattern I picked up at Sydney 50′s Fair (hi Lou & Tony) for $5 , I made this dress about four years ago and it’s still one of my favourites, although I haven’t thrown it over my head in a while I’m just not ready to part with this dress just yet. I’ve always wanted to make separates in navy blue, wide legged pants and a matching top, you know the look, I never got around to it and you know how your taste changes and you yearn for something different? I’m just chuffed it still fits.
My idea of purchasing these Jeffrey Campbell wedges with the notion to add different handmade shoe clips has paid off sevenfold, don’t they go well with this dress?
Back shots!! they’re so random, well only mine are, anyway you can see the detail on the collar here. The fabric is 100% polyester they call it Panama, I’m pretty sure I made everything out of this stuff four years ago, it was definitely the colour range I enjoyed most not so much the feel of the fabric. I made the bias binding which has unfortunately found it’s way out from the stitching there on my right shoulder, it must be due to all the shoulder swinging I do when I dance, yeeesss must fix that.
Yes I’m not one for spray tans so you can use my legs as a night light if you wish and I’ve been staring at my smile thinking you folk may think I have a missing tooth it’s really not so, I was offered braces as a child but declined because I had the added task of dealing with being a red head with a face full of beaming freckles that glowed even more when the sun hit them so why would you whack braces on top of that? Kids are mean you know.
…and what is a post without an animated gif? Happy sewing and happy reading. I’m happy to be resting today with a head full of music, possibly a good book and big cuddles from my babies but stay tuned I want to show you my little sewing den it’s nothing fancy really, I like to see other peoples creative spaces so I’ll show you mine if you show me yours… check back soon you wonderful person with fantastic taste in handmade clothes and sewing blogs *winks*
It’s Hitchcock madness over at Sew Weekly, everyone has stitched up there favourite Hitchcock dress from their favourite film and you should see their efforts!! pretty amazing. I chose Vertigo simply because of the old movie poster —I’m trying to combine the two things I love doing the most, Sewing and Graphic Design with this little blog and I think or hope that it all meshes together well. I’m enjoying myself which is the most important thing. So in saying that I’m a very visual person so when I spotted the movie poster I new exactly what fabric I wanted to use. I chose a quilting cotton and I know there has been some discussions going on about using this type of fabric as dress fabric; I seriously don’t care, I’ll sew anything as long as it sits well and doesn’t turn into a wrinkly nightmare. I think the graphic on this fabric sums up the movie just nicely crazy, erratic, insane, unhinged, lost your marbles, throw your self into the San Francisco Bay you know what I mean?
Madeleine does sport a black and white outfit but it really is something I’d never wear or want to make, I found the outfits in the first half of the movie rather boxy and should I say rather boring it was almost like they were hiding a pregnancy. I chose to use two sewing patterns, a simple 50′s blouse and a 50′s skirt and teamed them up to get the dress I wanted. I had a crap time with the collar I’m really not sure why, I’ve sewn a lot of collars, it may of had something to do with the zip I inserted in the back that may of thrown out the collar ever sitting nice. I plan to replace the back of the collar I’m just not happy with it, then I did another silly thing! I drank a big Ol glass of red wine and proceeded to sew the button holes where the buttons should of gone OOoOps. So I’ve started unpicking them, Luckily I didn’t cut the holes for the buttons to push through. Phew!!
In this picture Scotty’s going on about the collar and button holes and how the collar sits weird and I said you’d be sitting weird too if you drank a big ol glass of red and why are you following me everywhere? Yes, yes you saved me from drowning in the San Fran Bay, I know and I’m extremely thankful Scotty but you’re weirding me out.
I had another little dizzy spell out in the forest and kinda went a little loco, Scotty sorted me out with a big old school pash by the sea. Did I mention I rolled hemmed the bottom of the dress? How do you like to hem circle skirts? I always seem to opt for this method but it doesn’t always sit well it can sometimes look a tad Becky Home-ecky. Note to self! research hems.
Well that’s about it for me this week. I’m going to have a Amy Winehouse day today, another brilliant talent to join the 27 club. I think she’ll blend in well and might just give Janis Joplin a run for her money. R.I.P sweet Vale.
This week has been a real treat —sewing wise, I was asked to be a main contributor over at Sew weekly. Guess what the theme is? Record Covers! I know right how rad is that. Anyone who know’s me personally knows that I am very passionate about music a bit of an evangelist really, I have calmed down though only because people just don’t seem to share the same excitement or don’t bother listening to new music altogether.
I had so much choice flicking through this fantastic book and my own personal collection, I quickly realised how many record covers are from the waist up and half naked, arrr. I dwindled my choice down to The Cramps- Smell of Female, quickly knocking that on the head, who-am-I -kidding(!?) Just the name alone may of put people off and me in a red sequins body suit would of put a virus on your computer. I contemplated Bjorks Post album where she is dressed as an envelope, meh! not very exciting. I ended up settling on ‘The Likes’ debut album Release Me. I love the styling in this video. The dresses, hair, makeup, that whole 60′s feel. The albums not bad either, lots of hip swinging girly fun. You can view my post on Mena’s Sew Weekly blog here.. I also answered a couple of questions here. While you’re there check out the other contributors, they are so clever, it was such a fun challenge.
So this is the cover I chose and if you read my Sew Weekly post you can find out more on the Glastonbury gig we did. He he.
I think I fit in quite well hey?!
My hubby was horrified that I used the kids drum kit and not his and asked where the snare drum was?…perfectionist!
You should see the rust on these strings, my god I haven’t thrown that strap over my head in years. I belted out Red Chilli Peppers-Higher Ground then packed her back in her case. Goodnight.
What record cover would you choose?
