January 12, 2012
December 31, 2011
bleach
bleach | the colour of an australian summer, the light faded and torn, colour disintegrated. The colour of faded memories of childhood holidays at the beach, revisited now as adults with our own children. A little holiday.
fade | the time as one year ends and another begins, as we look back, and look forward and we stand between two years. Stop and pause for those we have in our lives, and those who have left us.
May your new year be filled with joy, laughter, ideas, a ride or two on a carousel, friends and family. Thank you all for your beautiful comments, your beautiful emails, your friendship and your comfort of familiarity.
Come and join me and let's make 2012 a fabulous year!
December 08, 2011
tessellated lines
A process -
From simple lines marked out upon fabric, softly feathered lines of hand dyed linen subtlely changing colour across a natural background in rich intense hues, and a stark contrast of neatly ruled black printed lines forming a geometric pattern.
From simple lines of stacked fabrics and tea towels, a record of a weeks work and the final iteration of many, many sample ideas which didn't necessarily work. Now a range of christmas presents made, and a fabric printing swap completed - the recipients have only just begun to receive their pieces, so I wont show more so the surprise isn't spoilt.
To simple lines of packaging, stainless steel thread binding them together, and the rough off cuts of linen strips in a small pile.
December 02, 2011
touches
I never meant to have such a long break...
This year seems to have been a series of full on moments, one after another, and we've been swept along, enjoying the ride, and at times just managing to keep up, or stop and look around as we pass along...
One of us turned 5 in a rainbow coloured event, complete with rainbow cake. One of us turned 80 with a small family gathering to mark the occasion. There have been weekends away. And lots of visitors that have come to stay, talk, walk, eat, and laugh with. A new baby entered the family. Friends had babies as well! There are design commissions submitted, started, and focus now completely atuned to getting finished. There are more design submissions I need to submit. An article needs to be written. A school play was rehearsed, and performed. A fete was attended, an art show prepared for and attended. A large quilt, a very detailed large quilt, has been drafted and pieces have been cut and sewing has started on it. Christmas decorations have been started, waiting now for finishing touches and a special craft room lunch to give them away at. Christmas shopping has commenced, and is nearly done. Fabric has been dyed, and supplies for printing that fabric have been bought. Holidays have been booked. A major project has been done by an 8 year old for school and on Monday I get to see and hear him present it to other parents and students [he made a model lego Lancaster Bomber and it looks fabulous...interpretive...but fabulous]. We've attended more birthday parties than I care to acknowledge. We've taken day trips to Outpost and loved the artwork there, the installation pieces, and the atmosphere. And we've welcomed two new pets - stick insects reared in the preschool classroom - into our home. I've spent hours in the garden repotting, replanting, and trying to save bushes that looked like they were dying. I've rejoiced as those same bushes have sprung back to life, full of scented blooms or rich in new leaf growth. I've ordered new books, and got inspired all over again to make stuff...soon...if I get a moment. I've read - lots of books about all sorts of things and finally jumped on board the Kindle bandwagon and love the ease with which I can use it, take it with me, and have on demand books. I took part in a 10k run and while I could have done better, I was pleased to have done it and completed it. One child has done Kindergarten orintation, and a new school uniform has been purchased.
I'm sure there is more that we've done...and I'm sure the day to day stuff doesn't need to be said. I have two tired children coming to the end of a school year, and two adults in the house looking forward to a christmas break, holidays, and time away as a family together.
i | top image - decorations for a decoration swap
ii| bottom image - christmas wreath in progress - it needs a large bow of some sort to finish it
September 21, 2011
dip | ped
oooh I love it when an idea germinates, seeds itself in your head and you have to act
NOW!
To make it reality.
A roll of white linen, just sitting there, needing to be used, which was actually bought for dying. And an amount of white cotton - silky smooth cotton in purest white. Add to that mix some fabric dye, a frantic afternoon, and an even more frantic afternoon a few days later to sew in available time slots -
And a large crisp white linen and cotton duvet cover is created. I dip dyed along the selvedge edge of the linen, then sewed a centre seam up with the two selvedge edges, so the seam runs up the centre of the bed, and the dip dye haphazardness flows in and out along the fold. The white cotton lines the back of the cover, with a similar centre seam [undyed].The cover is secured with translucent buttons. Left over linen fabric was made into pillowcases to match.
And the flowing line is beautiful. Against the stark whiteness around it, it really is lovely. It is imperfect - there are some dribble marks, but the imperfection is what makes it so beautiful. I love dip dying fabrics - there's a wonderful chaos to the end result. One fabric can create a definate line, another a landscape of fading hills, and then other fabrics - like here - create spidery tendrils which eminate though dip folds. I love seeing the fabric as it soaks up the dye, and then as it changes as it dries as well.
I've now started planning a revamp of the bedroom based on this cover - the room needs repainting, and somewhere along the line I agreed to let the children have their own rooms, so my study/office/sewing room will cease to exist. And for that, I figure I should get to have a beautiful bedroom and alcove office space. In my head it is still and quiet, stark and white. In anticipation I bought this lamp, and now need a side table to go with it...along with a new desk....new blinds....new carpet....
etc
etc
etc
September 13, 2011
equipment
It's all about the right equipment.
The right equipment makes anything more enjoyable....and I do believe you 'make' better when you make with things of beauty, of technical precision, and use things that look beautiful to you, no matter if they are top of the range items, or simple utilitarian items which just make you smile.
Cases in point:
1 [] - Tajika herb shears to be used to snip thread ends while sewing - oh how long I have longed for a pair of these....! [super fast shipping from Miscellaneous Store as well!]
2 [] - Stickygram magnets - create magnets from your instagram photos - such a neat idea, and they are beautifully done, a lovely quiet matt sheen to them, and the images I've chosen are some of my iphone instagram favourites. These would make super lovely gifts...if you can part with them!
3 [] - A longed for Kitchenaid because I am positive, absolutely positive, my cooking will be changed forever with the ownership of one. It certainly made the making of black lime marshmallows a much, much better experience than any of my previous marshmallow efforts. These were a trial run for a cookbook I am putting together with another talented cook. And black lime powder....my new cooking obsession, such a wonderful taste.
September 02, 2011
rubble
In the cold of winter when the light is stark and naked trees drift in silhouettes across bricked walls and the air is crisp and brilliant with its chill...
What you really need is a wide thick sweater with high ribbed necklines to warm the neck, with plenty of room to swing your arms and hold hands, and pick up sticks and 'stuff' along the way...
What you need, is a quick easy pattern which knits up quickly, uses a fabulous wool, and will look fabulous no matter if you are wearing gumboots and jeans, or a light pink frilly tutu.
What you need, is rubble. More exactly, your daughter, your niece, your grand daughter etc, needs rubble. [You probably need it to. And yes, I am hearing your requests for an adult size.]
A new pattern, suitable for beginners to intermediates using Brooklyn Tweed Shelter wool.
August 17, 2011
floral
Embroidery. Sequins. Flowers. Gathers.
It was the spring-like weather of a few weeks ago, that's what did it. I will blame it all on the quickening of sun warmed skin, briefly, and the faint smell of jasmine in the air one afternoon.
It's all gone now - a cold snap bringing the thick scarves back against you and coats still firmly in place. And spring seems like a distant possibility as I crank the heating up.
Yet beside me hangs a simple, beautiful top - with a low scooped neckline [altered from the original pattern], gathered sleeves and an A-line body, and I want to wear it now but it's such a lightweight cotton voile it would be too cold and I don't have anything appropriate to wear underneath. The fabric - from Tessuti Fabrics - is just gorgeous, an impulse buy, but so worth it for the light breezy and colourful floral pattern in embroidery and sequins. You would have to be immensely happy wearing this, I am sure you couldn't not smile...The pattern is from this book, and is Pattern B with an altered neckline to scoop down a little more, and a little extra length.
I'm off to Sewjourn next week - and I will be going armed with new fabrics for similar tops...this is the summer of smock tops I'm afraid *
* and the summer of explaining to my daughter why she can't have one too
July 26, 2011
cyklon
A fold. A drape. A twist. A pattern in the company of some very talented designers, for a designer who I admire greatly.
A simple sleeveless top which twists in the body.
June 14, 2011
b i g
Quite often in Sydney people will tell you 'it never gets cold enough to wear thick woollen items - we have no need for them here'.
So every year I hesitate about making anything with a thicker wool.
And then an icy cold snap will come in off the mountains and I am reminded that we actually live right on the edge of the dividing range and there is generally snow around us in the hills and when the wind blows across that, and up from the south ... it can get very, very chilly. And while we do not have snow in Sydney, nor, frosts or ice, the wind chill factor can reduce eyes to watery messes, and noses and ears and hands and bodies can get cold very quickly.
And then I am grateful for having a few pieces at least which are thick and warm. When the wind blew cold last week I was extremely grateful for being able to wear this - wrapped around my neck in a cocoon of warmth and utter softness. I love this yarn, and this pattern. Any fears of just how bulky it is and how thick, dissolve when told by numerous people how beautiful and warm it looks.
And in the evening, in the cold, wrapped three times around my neck, it is like a little furnace.
Bliss.
