A bag of sunshine

The glorious weather of the last week had me thinking about Spring rather than Autumn... I felt like getting all Northern-Hemispherical, frolicking in fields of daisies with a gathering basket on my arm, skipping around in swishy romantic clothing, and sitting down to a picnic high-tea. None of which I did, obviously, except for fleetingly, in my head, during a particularly dire episode of Postman Pat.

So instead, I riffled through my fabric cupboard and spied some very Spring-y vintage pillowcases and sheeting, which I proceeded to butcher thusly:

Of course, I started butchering well prior to knowing what I wanted to make with it. I just knew that I wanted to do some patchwork, because, well, it's becoming an obsession, and surely it is the favoured indoors pursuit of breezy, romantic Spring girls?

OK, it's true, I have been gazing far too frequently at THIS picture:

(front cover of Daily Patchwork Goods, a Japanese crafting book I obtained from here)

Now I realised after cutting out and sewing back together a bunch of 4-inch squares that I should have been working in hexagons, because what I really really wanted to make myself was that very basket, the one on the cover, the frolicking-in-fields, dressed-in-flouncy-frock, flower-gathering-basket (perhaps not the actual title, but who knows? It's Japanese, and I wouldn't put it past them!)

So I went ahead anyway, and here's my interpretation:

The instructions for making the bag were all in Japanese, but were fairly easy to interpret visually. Given that I'm usually rather too impatient with patterns anyway, it is my cup of tea to just 'catch the drift' and see what happens. And it happened, and apart from a mostly-salvaged handle diasaster, I'm pretty chuffed with the outcome.

Serendipitously, when I was looking for something sturdy to line the bag with, I came across a denim skirt in my refashioning/mending pile. It had been cast there by my neighbour a year ago, for the unforgiveable sins of being both a daggy length and impossibly small at the waist. But Lo, when I inverted the skirt, the waistband matched the circumference of the bag base perfectly, and then flared out at the same width as the outer bag. So all I had to do was turn the skirt upside-down, lop it off at the appropriate height, add a base, and voila, I had a bag lining! I even left the side-zipper in and turned the bag back through it to right-side-out once I'd finished sewing it together. Ahhhh... slack short-cutting disguised as refashioning. Perfect.

Now I'm using my lovely bag of sunshine to go a-gathering... picking up the scraps of fabric in my house which seem to be multiplying at an alarming rate. Oh well, I guess it's breeding season right, being Spring and all?

2009 retrospective: blog posts that have made me think.

image here

I have a few more posts in me before I sign off for a couple of weeks over the Christmas-New Year period. There hasn't been much crafty show-and-tell on this here blog recently, but that's ok. The things I have been making, I can't really show you until after the birthday, Christmas and wedding celebrations have passed!

Meanwhile, it's been on my mind a while to mention some of the blog posts which I've found the most striking this past year. The majority of blogs I read fall firmly into the craft/art category. I love to see the creative things people are getting up to, gather inspiration, celebrate achievements, admire techniques or drool over fabrics and notions. But I also love to read a blog post with a bit of meat now and then; a discussion, a reflection, an out-there opinion or personal confession. Such posts often inspire or challenge me in some way, and more than once I've been moved to act or change something.

Here are a few of the posts I've found most thought-provoking in 2009:

M*: 21st century dad
Melanie's wise reflections on being the breadwinner and having a stay-at-home husband gave me great insights into something completely beyond my experience... and reminded me that communication is EVERYTHING.

Raglan Guld: About me
Leonie's honesty in this post (delivered in her usual casual, off-the-cuff humourous style) started a few back and forth emails between us about various issues including PND and alcohol addiction. It was a bit of a wake-up call for me and our conversations prompted me to cut my alcohol consumption to almost zero, which has been a good thing for me and my family. 

Thornberry: Market groupie
Lara's post about craft markets, quality, and why people do or don't make to sell, was a timely one. The post and some of the replies helped me to clarify a few of my own thoughts on the matter... bottom line is, I won't be leaping in to sell craft any time soon!

Consumption Rebellion: What is 'joyful consumption'?
OK, so most of Eilleen's post present food for thought or a challenge of some type. And this is actually a post from 2008 but I read it after starting my blog. It prompted some soul-searching and made me think about how I could challenge my own consumption habits by thinking about what I could gain rather than what I was giving up. My decision to take the Wardrobe Refashion pledge is an example of something that came out of this soul searching...

Foxs Lane: My nest
Kate's candid thoughts about her head-vs-heart struggle in deciding not to have more babies, and the challenges it was presenting to her identity beyond 'mothering', were insightful and challenging for me, particularly as one who does not yet feel that my family is 'complete' (but wonders how I'll ever make that decision, if it's mine to make!)

Are there particular posts that have got you thinking this year? Do share!

Beyond refashioning... a new clothing pledge

My six months of being on the Wardrobe Refashion pledge is drawing to a close. Time to do a summary post about what I've learned during this time, and also to have a think about where I'm going to from here.

Here are some of the great things that have come from being involved with WR:

1. I've tried my had at new creative/sewing skills: I've felted and refashioned jumpers; I've made lots of different aprons; I've made kids' pants that have actually been wearable, and I've made skirts from a tablecloth, a men's shirt and even from a pattern!

2. I've become a decent op-shopper: I've learned to look at items of clothing from a different perspective. Instead of just rifling through racks to try to find something in a style I like that also fits (a tough ask!), I scan entire sections for textures, colours and patterns that catch my eye. Some items have fit me or fit my friends, others have been refashioned or joined the 'stash'.

3. I've started to find a style that suits my own tastes and shape: A year ago, I lived permanently in jeans and baggy tops. Now I'm barely out of skirts and dresses, and I often throw in a scarf or brooch for a bit of flair. I'm clearer about what suits my figure. A great benefit of this is that I've become far more content with my body. This is in spite of the fact that I am significantly heavier than I have been before. Dressing the body as it is with respect and acceptance does wonders for the self-esteem!

4. I've thought a lot about where clothing comes from: I had no idea just what a big impact our cultural appetite for 'disposable fashion' was having on the environment. We buy cheap stuff, made in sweatshops, then toss it and let it go to landfill. I feel ashamed about my part in this to date.

So... now what?

I really want to carry on developing my skills, style and new attitude towards clothing. I was trying to figure out whether to take the WR pledge again on behalf of my whole family, when I came across a new-to-me blog Isismade, and THIS:

T H E E T H I C A L C L O T H I N G P L E D G E

I pledge to only wear clothing that is one or more of the following:

1. Pre-loved

2. Handmade (preferably by me)

3.Reconstructed

4. Made with ethical / environmentally friendly materials

5. Made by a company with strong ethical policy & workers' rights

Isis adds: "Companies with environmentally friendly practices (such as cutting down on waste/energy/water) get brownie points. If I get one little inkling of sweatshop labour, I'm outta there! Above all though, I think the most important thing is reducing the amount of things we use in the first place. Not purchasing ANOTHER piece of clothing just for the sake of it is the biggest statement we can make."

I heartily agree. So with permission from Isis, I'm joining her pledge. My aim is to clothe my family primarily from the first three sources, and the latter two where necessary. For specialty items (like shoes and underwear) I'll do my darnedest to find things that fit with the pledge but, failing that, we will buy things to LAST.

If you've been thinking about the same things and want to join in the pledge too, you're welcome to copy the button for your blog, from here or from Isismade.

Bringing back the Fashion Smock!

After the girl talk that's been going on around here recently I was feeling the need for less chat more craft, before you all ran away.

So last night I pulled out some garments and started hacking away. After completely ruining a beautifully-felted charcoal jumper (why can I only make these things look good for other people?), I decided to do some damage to a linen-blend singlet top I thrifted the other day:

Beautifully modelled by Mrs Doubtfire there.

I really don't know why I picked this one up. It's not exactly my style of top - more what I can see myself wearing in 20 years! Totally boxy and unflattering at this stage. But the feel of the material was pleasing, and looked like it had potential.

After prancing around wearing the thing in front of the mirror for a little while, I started thinking 'apron'. Those who've been hanging around here a while may have noticed that I do love a bit of apron action. Not so much your 1950s housewife aprons - I'm more and more drawn to the loose, flowy Japanese-style smock garments, like this one here, or the one Amy Karol made here.

So anyway, long story short, there was a seam up the middle of the back and I cut that open, then bound the raw edges (and made ties with) some grosgrain ribbon in my stash.

Then it was all done but looking a bit bland-tastic, so I did this:

A bit o trusty free machine embroidery. I've got a serious taste for that since participating in the Quilt Project. I'm telling you, you MUST try it out. This took me about 20 minutes from thinking up the idea to drawing the idea on with a chako to finishing it. It's done with regular thread on an old basic sewing machine with a regular foot.

All smocked up and ready to go this morning. I wore it in public and didn't get asked to do the washing once.

Loz and Dinny to the rescue...

Well howdy, pardners.

When my old mama received this bit o' yeller trim from Loz and Dinny, she knew straight away what she was gunna use it for.

You see, I'd been kickin' around in these baggy girly jeans with pink embroidery on the bottom. Mama found'em at the op shop for one buck and made me wear'em, and I was lookin' just a bit too purdy. So after takin' the legs in to add a bit of cowboy flare, she whacked on the trim:

I don't think mama'll be winnin' herself any prizes, but I sure am happy that I've stopped lookin' like a big girl's blouse, ya know what I'm sayin'?

Oh la la????

As per yesterday's creative space, I've spent a bit of time today tweaking my shirt-skirt refashion.

So that's the back view, with the shirt buttons down the back. (Sorry, the photos are terrible! DIY mirror shots of my butt are not my strong suit). I'm pretty happy - I'll add a hook and eye or a tie, but I think that's it.

As for the front... well I've had some issues. It looks like a high-waisted skirt, but given that my bosoms have taken up residence where my 'true waist' should be, I won't be wearing it as one! It sits pretty happily at mid-waist. However, I do get THIS unattractive little problem:

Now all of youse proper seamstresses can probably tell me WHY this occurs. Is it the thin cotton fabric? Is it too tight around the hips - doesn't feel it - or not tight/shaped enough around the waist?

Anyhoo - it doesn't matter. Because I'm taking the quick-fix option:

Yep, Woolworths and Paris, together at last. It's all a bit French Maid, don't you think?

I've had this doiley in my stash for a while waiting for the perfect project. A little 'frilly apron' to smooth over the lumps and bumps. You may notice that the daggy shirt tag (Woolworths XL) is still sitting there on the yoke... I'm thinking about leaving it there as a little tribute to its roots. It makes me laugh.

I guess the final question is, to tuck or not to tuck?

My creative space...

I feel like there has been a bit of a creative lull at clutterpunk central, but yesterday whilst wandering around in the spring sunshine with my boys, a refashioning puzzle popped into my head. So when I got home I made a start on transforming THIS:

Into THIS:

I bought it at the op-shop for my husband but it's too big, so mine to play with! So far I have cut the arms and collar off, sewn up the arm holes and folded the top down to make a kind of yoke. I thought I'd keep the buttons down the front but it seems to sit nicely back-to-front like this.

All this was done with the boys rampaging so there was no measuring or pinning, I just sewed along existing lines and did the eyeball-measuring thing. Here's how I was repaid for my inattention:

Well... at least they like books :-)

I plan to let a similar attrocity occur later today so that I can keep working on the skirt. I have to finish the waistband and sideseams 'properly'. Then I'm thinking about some red rick-rack trim, maybe some pockets made from the sleeves... oh, the possibilities.

More creative spaces at Kirsty's.

My creative space...

My mind is abuzz with ideas at the moment, but they're fragmented and a little incoherent. I almost feel as though I'm working on a creative Rubik's cube in my mind, and as I go about the mundane tasks of home life I'm puzzling over myriad materials and techniques and colours and pictures and trying to get them to click together. The picture above may give you a taste of what's going on in there... and if you can fit the items together, let me know!

Meanwhile, back in the land of productivity, I have managed to make progress on THIS creative space of a few weeks back:

I mulled over all of the advice offered - thank you, contributors! I even received gorgeous material from Leonie of Raglan Guld, most of which I decided in the end was too nice for this crummy skirt, and is destined for greater things (saved for another creative space!!).

So I decided to do two things to the skirt:

1. I made a panel from vintage floral material and sewed it onto the skirt, which covers up the ugly front seem and warped hemline.

That panel makes a surprising amount of difference to the look, so I'm happy with this for a summer skirt. But I also wanted to add a bit of weight and warmth and funk for winter, so:

2. I made a DETACHABLE overskirt from some of the material Leonie sent, a lovely brown flocked fabric:

I didn't really know what I was doing but I wanted a bit of an off-kilter look. So I sewed together two panels of slightly different lengths, and did some pleating on one side. It connects with hook-and-eye and I guess it can really be worn any which way over the skirt, but I'm yet to experiment. I think it needs a tie-up closure, maybe some embellishment...

Yes, it's supposed to be uneven, looks better in reality...

Anyway, enough of the refashions. What are you still doing reading this post?! Get a move on and head over to Kootoyoo to see who else is a Spacer this week.

More hack refashioning

Why yes, I AM trying to lure you into reading this post with a gorgeous but irrelevant close-up of my beautiful new Curlypops Brooch!

Since the warm reception of my recent felted jumper refashioning experiment (still blushing from all the nice comments... shucks!) I've been really enjoying the synergy of the virtual craft room. Nikki and Tania have flattered me, and gazumped me, with triumphant refashions of their own, and I've been inspired anew with possibilities.

After failing to find any decent woollen tops ripe for felting in my local thrift stores last week, I decided to branch out and try refashioning a thrifted men's cotton knit top, pictured below:

I love the peppery look, and the warm, draped feel. Very much the kind of jumper you'd borrow from your man-friend to snuggle in when feeling vulnerable. Not, however, the height of fashion to which I have grown accustomed (ha!):

Anyway, I decided to go for the old 'hack the arms off and add some reverse darts' refashioning trick again, but this time in a different way. So I:

1. Hacked the arms off

2. Turned inside out for that deconstructed look

3. Went for some horizontal reverse darts, in one long spiral around the bottom a few times, to bring the length up. Interesting effect. This caused the stretchy material to flare out a a little more.

4. Did another horizontal line at what I hoped would be my true waste, but ended up being across my bust... oops, not so attractive.

5. Gave a bit of shaping with some vertical darts to emphasise waste and detract from the nipple-crease I'd created!

The upshot:

Sorry about the chest thrust, don't quite know how to do the clothing pose yet! Oh, ok, I'm just so very proud of the nipple-crease...

I'm not 100% sure that I'm finished this one yet. It feels lovely to wear - it still has that baggy cuddly feeling but now has some shape. However, given my *ahem* buxom state, perhaps I should lower and widen the neckline to reduce boxiness? That would, however, require slightly less of a hack sewing job, and thus it will probably never happen...

Your feedback is welcome. And if you're getting into this top refashioning thing, don't be shy, show the world... I for one would like to see it!

My creative space... advice sought

Thursday again (wow, it's like it happens every week!) and I'm off to join in Kootoyoo's Creative Spaces. I'm hoping that other 'spacers' this week might be willing to put their creative thoughts into mine...

Today I'm hanging out in my bedroom with Mrs D, my DIY mannequin. Together we're putting our heads (?) together over how to refashion a thrifted cotton drill skirt, with minimum effort and technical skills.

The yoke and side-zip already fit me well at the waist (better than Mrs D actually - boy she should really lose some weight!) so I want to keep those elements of the skirt.

Things that I'd like to work on are:

1. the weight of the material - I think some heavier material or added layers would help add structure and get rid of some of the flare and ripple that occurs around the hem line. Plus make it wearable for cooler weather.
2. The icky details - seams down front, back and two sides (which add to the kind of warped hem look) and big pockets on either side (which emphasise Mrs D's saddlebags!)
3. The colour/texture - a good base colour but a bit bland and pale for me.

My thoughts so far have revolved around some type of semi-attached overskirt or apron which might help skim over the shape, cover most of the details and add some weight and colour/texture.

Maybe attached to one side, then tied up over the zipper?

Or attached at the back, and tied at the front?

Do you have comments or suggestions? A completely different idea, or some advice on the idea I have?

I've asked Mrs D's opinion, but - between you and me - she's a bit of a dummy.

Satisfying refashion moment

See that there outfit - the fingerless gloves and vest? They used to be a horrid men's turtleneck jumper. Some maltreatment in the washing machine, and a bit of impromptu slashing, sewing and tweaking later, and we now have a quirky little ensemble.

OK, before I go any further, I must acknowledge that this refashion was greatly inspired by the (far funkier) work of Mim, a talented and original textile artist who is part of the Olive Grove Studios retail co-op in Brunswick, VIC. Check out THIS gorgeous piece. Miriam, I do hope you're flattered by my 'MIMic'.

So anyway, back to the turtleneck. It was a thrifted top, and I'd bought it to experiment with 'fulling' and refashioning. After putting it through the wash a few times, I realised it had shrunk beyond usefulness for a person of my voluptuousness. So I hauled in my teeny, tiny friend and neighbour Sonia (I call her 'pocket Sonia') to be a part of my refashioning experiment.

Here's a short description of what went on:
Arms hacked off, taken in and converted to fingerless gloves (complete with the 'L' and 'R' scrabble tile brooches for the directionally challenged):

Body converted into a collared vest by making an off-centre cut from top to bottom. Front completed with a spare piece of felt concealing a hook-and-eye closure.

The back needed to be narrowed and shaped a fair bit, so during the ad-breaks of Masterchef on Sunday night I sewed a series of reverse darts/tucks (no idea of technical name here!) at random. I liked the asymmetrical vibe (and the lack of measuring and precision required). I just kept going, fitting to Sonia occasionally, until it narrowed enough and draped nicely. It still needed a bit of shape so another piece of spare felt was attached to cinch in the waist.

I'm really happy. It's all new territory. I'd love to be wearing it myself... but I'm happy that a good friend can enjoy it for me.

I put the man into Mannequin!

Meet Mrs Doubtfire. She's my new sewing stunt-double. She's here to help me along on the dangerous road to becoming a Refashionista. I'm hoping her presence will help me to actually accomplish a few things in the dress-making department.

Over the last week, I've avoided the sewing machine. I think I'm experiencing a bit of craft-depression. A combination of too many UFOs piling up, too many new ideas and directions catching my eye, a sense that I lack real purpose or direction, frustration at my amateur abilities.

Oh, and the 5-ish hours of broken sleep a night aren't helping.

But I wanted to finish the weekend having accomplished something creative, or at least precursory to creativity.

Enter the DIY dressmaker's dummy. I have a pile of garments that need a bit of tweaking if they're going to be wearable in the near future, and I feel that a mannequin to hang them on will make playing around with reshaping and fitting so much easier. But I don't have the bucks to fork over for one of the adjustable mannequins, plus I'm really trying to be a DIYing, upcycling, clutter-punker!! So I checked out the tutorial on Threadbanger (thanks Kylekin3!) and decided to go for it (with modified materials).

And now for the public shaming: Mannequin progress shots...

Donned an oversized old t-shirt. Asked the Beloved (in breathy voice) to wrap me in packing-tape. He was less interested when he realised it was a craft-related project, but by then he was committed.

Why yes, I do feel highly attractive, thanks for asking. And no, I don't know where my waist went, either, but if you see it, tell it to come home...

Stuffed Mrs Doubtfire (and all her devastatingly exposed lumps and bumps) with fabric scraps and an old pillow, trying to replicate my own figure and resisting the urge to just pinch the waist in a few inches, or flatten out those abs...

We made the mount out of a coat hanger and an old extendable duster handle, and inserted it into the base of a freestanding fan.

Decided to preserve Mrs D's modesty somewhat with a singlet. Oh, and her waist needed cinching in a bit, hence the belt.

I do hope Mrs D will be helpful in my refashioning endeavours, and get me over some of those procrastination hurdles. Meanwhile, she makes a fine coat stand. Personally, I'm just chuffed to have put my money where my mouth is, and made something new and useful out of some of the junk already cluttering up my home.

My creative space...

Sitting outside next to Hudson our Christiania bike, waiting for the little Pudding to wake from his nap, looking at this pattern and wondering where on earth to start. In line with my Wardrobe Refashion pledge, and inspired by the efforts of Jenaveve of August Street and Bek of Red Chocolate, I'm going to make me a skirt from scratch. Using a pattern, even. Well, we'll see how far I get with that...

Other creative spaces via kootoyoo.

PS if you're interested in winning yourself a little something, pop down here and enter my no-strings-attached, just-for-the-heck-of-it Wintry Giveaway. There's a scarf and two Swineys up for grabs...