Spending $8 on clothes

Where do your clothes tend to come from? Large department stores? Smaller local boutiques? Thrift shops? Or do you make them yourself? I'm guessing that many crafty types would have a mix of all of these, as I do.

Lately I've been thinking a bit about the clothing industry and 'disposable fashion'. This was prompted by the recent tragic Bangladesh factory collapse. Prior to hearing about it I had been patting myself on the back for finding a pair of jeans that I loved in a large store for just $8 (they're the purple ones in my Me Made May pics). But then I heard the story and had to look on the tag to see where they were made... Bangladesh. And those cheap kids leggings? Bangladesh. Kids skivvies for school? Bangladesh. I know this is a complex topic, exploitation happens in many countries, and those countries need the source of income, it would just be a lot better if conditions were safe and fair. I'm no expert... but it did make me think that I'd like to be more mindful of where and how I acquire my clothing. Then I read this post that made me think, loved the ideas & pledge behind the Handmakers Factory and participated in Me Made May. All food for thought.


Jeans Flares from Sass & Bide. Fix broken back belt loop and wear as they are.
Skirt Gorgeous double layer voile in green and pink poppy print. Repurpose into top.
Dress Silk overlay and cotton voile under-dress. Repurpose into Wiksten tank.
T-shirt Monster print Mambo t-shirt. Repurpose into a Skinny Tee for my son.

The purple jeans were a bit of a rarity, I almost always buy my jeans second hand at my favourite thrift shop, which I've written about several times. They charge by weight, 1 kg is $8. So the other day, after I'd had to throw out a pair of threadbare jeans I dropped in to see if I could find a 'new' pair. And not only did I find a pair but also 3 other gems, and it came in at 1 kg. So again I spent $8 but this time I got 4 things! That's not always the case - sometimes I go and find nothing. But when I do I leave feeling good... now that feels like money well spent.

I'm not saying that I'll only buy second-hand or make my own clothes from now on but I think a mix of those with just the basics from stores (underwear, socks & shoes) should be achievable for me. I have already re-purposed that green skirt above. Show you later this week ;-)

Me Made May 2013 week 4+

Here's my final week (and a half) of Me Made May 2013. My apologies for not referencing each outfit, most are the same as previous weeks.  I've been struggling to get the time and patience to blog lately... technical issues, kid issues, family issues... you know, just normal stuff but stuff that keeps me from hobbies like this blog. Anyway, I digress. Back to MMM2013:


What I noticed in week 4+:

- Day 26  I forgot to take a pic so this shows the little wristlet that I take with me on my walks with my boy to drop off & pick up my girls from school - very useful.
- I had one more fully me-made day - Day 27. Made a mental note to make another pair of these trousers.
- Having a loose colour palette going seems to help me get dressed quickly and stress-free in the mornings. Mine seems to be cool toned neutrals with splashes of bright colour.

And what I noticed overall from MMM2013:

- I'm pleased that my wardrobe is generally hanging together (largely through colour but also Briars :-), and I now know where the gaps are: casual trousers & skirts and a few nicer pieces - I am working on one at the moment and hope to show you next week

- Taking a photo each day wasn't so hard in the end... I kept my camera in my study/sewing room, which is next to the laundry, and once each day when I passed I grabbed the camera (settings left permanently on self timer), propped it up in the same position on the BBQ, pushed the button and jumped in front of the fence... then each few days I plugged the camera in to the computer while sending emails.

- I feel inspired to keep going with my sewing. As my skills improve and the quality of my garments improve I get more enjoyment from it and love the fact that to a certain extent I can make what I dream of wearing rather than trudging the streets looking through shops for something that may suit me and may fit and may be affordable. Yay sewing!

- and as always I've loved being part of a community here online :-) Thank you so much to all those lovely people who have commented here and on Flickr - you give me confidence in my sewing and my style.

Coffee boy comes to life

This week I finally finished some pieces in my Coffee Boy design. The realisation of this new design has been a bit of a labour of love for me.

You may remember that this design started as a t-shirt for the Mr. Then I had ideas to extend the design that I just couldn't stop thinking about so I decided to just do it :-)

The Sweets Workshop Gocco exhibition has been the catalyst in forcing me to stopping tinkering and get on with it! The exhibition started yesterday and I'm so pleased to be part of it with the prints I did with Emma and John .


Window display showing Gocco machine




 Prints on card and framed print

A Coffee Boy tea towel and apron have gone to the handmade retail side of the Sweets Workshop and it's so great to see it all sitting together nicely as a family. A few pieces are also available in my Etsy and Madeit shops.

I love how each placement of the 'face' gives a slightly different expression. The tea towel and apron above appear to be looking at each other, hee hee!

I've put a lot of attention into the details and loved getting all the separate elements working together.

Now, off into the world you go, Coffee Boy! I have my next design in mind, nagging away at me to get on with it ;-)

Little felt purses for the fete

Amongst all of the sewing I've been doing for the school fete tomorrow (tote bags, zip purses, tissue holders), these little felt purses for girls have been my favourite to make.



They're a simple little design, totally ripped off from this great tutorial I found via Pinterest.



To each one I've added little flower embellishments with more felt, buttons, embroidery and a few little beads here and there.



Wool felt is so lovely to work with, it irons well, is easy to stitch and the thicker weight is quite sturdy.



I can't make up my mind if the purses are sweet or a bit twee and naff. But no matter, judging by my girls' reactions they will hopefully sell: "pleeease can you make me one mum, pleeease!"



And hopefully the pile below will sell too... wish me luck ;-)

Neighbourly neighbour gifts

Hi there, how are you? I always feel a bit disconnected from my blog on school holidays, I guess because I'm needed so much by the kids and also because we're out of routine (which I'm finding I like more as I get older - oh dear!). But it's really nice to be here today.

I thought I'd show you a couple of gifts I've been making for 2 separate very considerate neighbours. One has been letting me use her washing machine in our month without one (hopefully new one arriving this week!). I made her a little set of zip purse and tissue holder in a black & white Marimekko print for the outer and a coffee coloured linen for the inside.



The purse has turned out a weird shape (I love using metal zips but they can be stiff and a bit hard to use). I hope she can use it for something!



Neighbour no. 2 is an older lady who has been giving us jars of her homemade jam and Italian sweets. I made her a reversible shopping/book bag.



I found it harder to guess her taste in fabric design, so I figured if she doesn't like the Ikea contemporary floral print on one side she can turn it to the oatmeal coloured linen on the other.



I really love making gifts and hopefully the recipients will get some use out of them. But even so at least they'll know they're appreciated. Having good neighbours really is a valuable thing.

Hope you're enjoying your weekend.

Kids clothes and a twirly skirt

Kids clothes have been on my mind again lately as KCWC comes around again in a few weeks time (where have the last 6 months gone?!), and it made me think of this skirt that I made my big girl a while ago but hadn't blogged.



She and I attended a school concert one evening and her outfit made me cringe slightly. Not because it was mismatched, I'm over the embarrassment that it used to cause me. No, it was the very shabby state of her outfit and the fact that I knew she didn't have anything much better in her wardrobe - the perils of being first-born I guess - no nice hand-me-downs from a big sister. So... some sewing was in order.



She chose a lovely Prints Charming fabric from my stash and asked for a skirt. I hadn't wanted to make a particularly girly skirt but thought the fabric deserved a bit of flounce. I'd admired the lovely Insa skirt Fi had made her girl and thought this would suit, so made up a pattern with that as my inspiration, with the idea that the purple underskirt would anchor the busy overlay.



Then I added a pocket the same as on my dress, a style that was lots of fun to sew again.



I was happy with the skirt, and my girl loved it, which of course made me happy. It's very bright and girly, and it's hard to get her to not team it with a busy patterned top most times (maybe there's a little of that mismatch embarrassment still there afterall ;-).

Moving forward I'd like to try something a little more grown-up for her, in a simple way, if you know what I mean. I don't think we could go as far as a minimalist linen shift, mind you, just something in a different direction. Hmm, any ideas welcome!

My grand old lady

After my last post about my love of sewing I think my sewing machine must have decided she needs a rest! Because as I was sewing last night, all sorts of things started to go wrong which led me to drop her in to the repair shop for a service today. I guess she's entitled to have a rest now and then - she certainly works hard for me. She's way past her long service leave and still happily running with just a yearly check-up.



Of course the problem might have something to do with the rather ambitious project pictured above that I was working on: a new bag for myself made from quite thick fabric, and in some places many many layers thick. Probably a job for an industrial machine! Now, I know she's up to the job, but a little R&R is obviously what she's in need of before we continue (are you feeling sorry for her yet?) :-)



I'm not really into naming things, but if I did I guess my lovely old lady would be called Flossie after my grandmother who passed it down to me. From my research I think it's a 1950's model, which probably means that Flossie bought it soon after arriving in Australia from England. She gave it to me when I think I was in my late teens, and she would have been in her 70's. Looking back she must have had a bit of faith in me to give it to me - an impatient teenager!



Over the years I've loved and enjoyed her. Whenever I've tried other machines I've scoffed at their plastic frames and flimsy bodies, though secretly admiring their fancy stitches - at times I've wished I had just a couple of other stitches apart from straight stitch - zip zag would be nice, and perhaps a buttonhole function. But overall I'm happy to stick with her. I also have an overlocker that my mum bought me years ago from a friend of hers who was upgrading, and that finishes my edges.



I'm hoping one day to find out what all of these amazing looking feet pictured below are for, sitting in their original box. Look at the one in front - what could that possibly be for?? If anyone has any ideas please let me know.



If only Flossie (granma) was still around I could ask her about the feet and more importantly, talk to her about her sewing experiences... and I'd let her know how grateful I am for her gift that I've loved and cared for ever since.

So, my old pal Flossie, come back soon. I'm looking forward to tackling that bag with you. And I've got a few other jobs lined up for you too ;-)

Sewing makes me happy

... I guess that's obvious to you if you're a regular reader of my blog.

Last night after putting the littlies to bed I made this bag, repurposing an old baby sling for the outer (complete with elephant patch) and some grass green linen for the lining. I had bought both from thrift shops and this made it all the better - taking something unused and unwanted and turning it into (hopefully) something that will delight a littlie and be used to carry around all sorts of important treasures.



A while ago, when I was feeling tired, I think I'd been sick and I had been doing a lot of sewing, I realised I needed a break. So I decided not to sew for about 10 days. I thought it would be great, a proper rest each evening rather than my usual "right, which project shall I work on tonight" thought. I could catch up on things I'd been neglecting and just relax. But what I found was that I soon started to feel a bit lost, I missed the challenge, the problem solving, the overall enjoyment that it gave me - it made me happy.



I find satisfaction in my everyday life of caring for my family, but it can also be quite one dimensional. I think that's where sewing fits in for me personally - it fills a gap in some small way. It's a creative outlet, a challenge. And that feeling of making something useful is so satisfying.



So now I don't deny myself a bit of sewing when I feel it 'calling' me. Even if that means that something else gets left. Because I know I'll come away from it feeling happy. And a happy mama is a good mama, right? ;-)

Cloud print big boy sleep shorts

After having fun trying out my vegetable prints last week I ended up doing a completely different carved stamp print for my project. But a bit of back story first...

It was the Mr's birthday last week, and as often is the case, I was stumped as to what to give him. In the end I took a deep breath and decided to make him something. I sew for the kids, I sew a lot for myself, I've sewn for friends and for my mum in the fairly recent past, but there's something I find daunting about the thought of sewing for the big boy.



I pondered making him a t-shirt, or maybe a Negroni Shirt but settled on a pair of sleep shorts (less need for accuracy!). I cut a pattern from an existing pair, then made them up in a soft grey jersey. I tried for the first time an exposed elastic and it worked well. (I love how every single sewing project I do teaches me something!)

From the time I'd dreamed up this project in my head I'd always pictured them with a cloud print running around the base. I'm not sure where that came from, possibly all the rain we had last week! But then I started thinking maybe it was too kiddy, or feminine, or this, or that... So, as is often the case in creative matters, I went around and around and then came back to my initial idea. Just go with your gut instincts, I tell myself! And it will all be OK... or at least the recipient will love them because they're made with love ;-)



Plenty of creativity on display over here.

My creative space: Schoolhouse tunic

This is the dress that I mentioned on last week's creative space, I thought I'd show you how it turned out.



I finally tried the famous 'Schoolhouse Tunic' and enjoyed the experience. I set out to make a 'muslin' to test the size and save my precious black linen til I had it right, but then I ended up quite liking the muslin after I'd done all the little adjustments to it (see notes below if you're interested). I'd made it in a lightweight denim for my stash and had to use something else for the sleeves as the denim ran out, so it was a bit of a hotch potch to say the least.



To tidy it up I finished off the seams then decided to dye it (this beautiful dress being a big inspiration) and do some top stitching, all in an effort to bring it all together and also just as a fun experiment. There's a sense of freedom in working with something that's not precious, I'm sure you'll agree. Here it is above awaiting its dye bath.



The tie-dyeing was fun to do, and turned out reasonably subtle, which I liked. Obviously it would be much better to dye the fabric first and then cut it out to sew, but it's still OK. And the dye overall helped to tie the two different fabrics together.

As for the pattern, I liked it much more than I thought I would and would definitely make it again. I love how the sleeves sit, and they are in a voile type fabric, so I'm thinking a voile version for summer would be nice.



Some pattern notes:

• Size. I always find sizing tricky. I'd looked at lots of Schoolhouse Tunics in the Flickr group and decided I wanted it to be a little more fitted than I think it's intended to be so I cut the size down from the one suggested for my measurements, thinking I could narrow the seams if necessary. But the smaller size was perfect, what a stroke of luck.

• The pleats. The pattern calls for 2 in the front but I thought it looked too 'boxy' on me and tried one instead (and idea from someone in the Flickr group). Much much better. Love the pleat and how it comes off the front opening.

• The sleeves. Love them. Didn't think I would for some reason. I imagined chopping them off or changing them in some way but I found the elastic just adds a little softness to offset the general structured feel of the dress. Will try this on other garments.

And that's about it. The pattern's easy to follow, turns out well and it's an enjoyable sew.

More creative spaces to be seen here.

- - - - -

We've had lots of computer problems in the last couple of days. There's nothing like technical problems to make me feel crazy! I think I've typed this post about 3 times - arghh! Hopefully I will see you back here again in the not too distant future...

My creative space: dyeing

I have blue fingers again today - only slightly from the cold, mostly from the dye that I have been playing around with again today.



I've been getting hugely inspired by all the blog posts on dyeing I've seen lately. I came across the Make Something blog recently. Have you seen it? Karyn sews the most amazing things (check out her '13 dressses' - I want one of each!). She writes about natural dyeing and 'Shibori'. Inspiring stuff. Karyn also owns and runs a sewing shop where she teaches sewing (and sells sewing related stuff I think) and hires out sewing machines by the hour - how cool is that!! I just want to be Karyn ;-)

OK, off to be me... see you tomorrow for my blogiversary giveaway!! Yay, I've finally got it together (well, almost).


* I'll explain more later about the dresses I'm dyeing and my plans for them - lots of experiments going on.

More creative spaces to be seen here.

My creative space: boring dress

I'm not really selling it, am I, but that's what it is - a boring dress. So far though (a few hours into wearing it - time always tells!) I'm really enjoying it. My sewing fatigue is gone (yay! - more on that another time) and I made this dress over the last few days. I'm trying to pace myself and not rush through my sewing to avoid fatigue again too soon!



This is another Simplicity 3835, this time the top design but in the mini dress length. I used a very soft, lightweight denim from my stash - yay, one for the stash busting tally over on the right. I wasn't sure about the fabric and the idea seemed like a very boring one, but you know when you can just see something in your head and it won't let you rest until you've made it? Hopefully that's not just me ;-)



I wore it today with a colourful scarf which I think lifts it, and also a jersey cardigan, my new blue tights and my boots. For the pocket detail I used this tutorial, and loved doing the shirring, even though it didn't gather as much as I would have liked (fabric too thick maybe?). I didn't like the straight patch pocket design that comes with the pattern and I think they wouldn't have added anything to the dress, whereas hopefully these add a little softness. I think denim dresses have a chance of looking like a prison uniform, so hopefully I've stayed away from that here!



And just as an aside, the shot above, with the weird lighting, is much more the shade I wish the fabric was. Maybe I'll dye it or see if it fades a bit with washing, throw some bleach in a wash with it or something, hmm.

Pop on over here to see more creative spaces.