Home Made

Over the last few years i have become quite the collector of fabric.

All those tempting sales where you reason that $2 a metre is a steal, saying"its basically a $4 dress!!" to yourself and buying it. taking it home with a smile on your dile, But only to have it sit in your box of "to do's" for the following years.



So i have made my goal to finally do all those nasty 'to do's' and get my moneys worth -finally. I want to share with you the process and final peice's i come up with.

Do share your ideas if you have any :)





First off- #1 fabric-

Its a ivory and gold fabric, soft but structured. The design's colour's are reversed on each side.

I played around with the idea of making a top out of it, but decided that there wasn't enough fabric as i had cut chunks off it at an earlier time.

I have been contemplating different hem lines and how shapes may enhance ones legs, maybe?? (who doesn't want that?!) so i decided a plain skirt, fitted, with CB zip would be possible. The hem Line is to be scalloped edged.

BUt golly me, having it unevenly scolloped, i could not handle. So measured it out. Marked it up and began.

It was pretty fiddly going around the edges but it looks good and sits flat. Hi5 to me.

This is the finished product:

I'm really happy with the finish hem, the overall look and how it sits.

My only problem.... i made it sample size 12, which i don't fit into anymore.... :(

Gown concepts

i'm already thinking about next years ball season... just a little..

The following dresses give me amazing ideas but don't take them as they are; the first would make any normal woman look huge and pregnant, and the second a slag. But if you break them down into concepts and structural pieces, i really like them.

This gown has ALOT of fabric in it. so thats not very fun for anyone paying for it. But the ideas of layers in different shades and Panels blending the shades make my head explode. I would probably go for a more vibrant colour palet but keep the general idea.

Now this Versace gown is a wee bit on the slut side but take the bodice design of a star; the idea of creating a shape with the dart and seam details can give the dress a story, a focus, (or if you prefer-) something pretty to look at :)

i also like that the design is angled so that it shapes under the bust to create curves and blend with the shape of the wearers body.

Detail in the back

This dress inspires me with the structure of the bodice and back detail.

although the fabric may need to be supported more across the back as it is flapping a little to the sides, i like the idea of showing a little bit of skin.


I would probably just make it knee length instead of floor length.

Merino dress

Over this past winter i searched for merino i could make a dress out of under $30 a metre. but aurther toye had it for$30- $40 per m and spotlight i'm not even going to start.
Finally Fabric warehouse had a 40% off everything sale which roped me in to have a look see, AND turns out their merino was $15 -$18 per m originally but i got it cheaper !! stoked.

So i;m now trying to find a funky design for a merino dress so i don't screw it up.
I know i am wanting long sleeves, short skirt and a hood but am still unsure of the dart detail and design.. hmmm ?This dress is pretty much what i had in mind but a tad longer. I like it with the long scarf.. maybe i could make it with one attatched. and maybe pockets...

Anyways i'll have a think.. xxoo

Things of interest..

Flicking through the web i found these gems.
Super neat necklace (which i am going to try make) and these dresses.

Not really a sequin fan but the sleeves and edges are uber cool.

This dress is way neat! the back detial i love!!! i'm totally going to have a play around we back straps and different shapes :)

Ball 2009

With a sigh of relief and little moment for a high-five, another ball season has passed.

This year I made the gowns for 3 girls all of which i coach at hockey.

Right: Shelley McIllvride, Sophie Olliver and Miranda Harle pose elegantly.

Sophie's gown was a tie-dye Chiffon with an edge of watermelon-red. Very full skirt with braids and plaits wrapping around the waist.























Shelleys gown was a Deluxe Silky Satin with Silver embroided braid with crystals scattered along it. It took a fair bit of playing with the strapping to get it to sit correctly but in the end it stayed on :)
Mirandas gown was a thin Deluxe silky satin with a lace braid wrappping around the bust and waist. I loved the fabric and how it draped. I am stoked with how it turned out.

It was fun to make these gowns this year, I learnt alot from it again.

LOVE xx

Zuhair Murad

Now, I'm not one to like things all glitz and glam and embelished. It's like a 3 year old finding some glue and going to town with glitter. But there seems to be a fine line where it can look less costume/kids craft and more elegant and structured in the right hands.

These photos below are some of the stand out gowns from Zuhair Murad's Haute Couture Fall/Winter 09-10 collection shown in Paris.

BUT.. what i loved most about Zuhair, was the embracing and accentuating of curves!! THANK GOD! Waists and butts are back. Those bag lady and baby doll styles did nothing for the average figure.

-Keep in mind that these photos aren't doing justice to the garments. Seeing the gowns move and drape, to see each bead and crystal and detail of each dress makes them so much more impressive.

These were my favourite. Left: This back Fabric is amazing! It reminds me of a tiger fish or the like. The back was the feature - you can see half of it but it was a zig-zag crystal strap - Way cool!

Right: This fabric looked like it was one weave chiffon and the other metalic thread. With the wash of colour over the fabric it emphasised the detailing of the dress and made the band of crystal and beads under the bust, a subtle but effective belt.

Left: If this dress had sleeves and was a little longer, the siloutte and details would be 1- amazing and 2- less slutty. ...Still, Very Pretty.

Right: These gold bands draw the eye up the body, lenghtening the legs and highlighting the bust and waist.

Left: The effective angles and draping of the skirt gathers, Creates volume over the hips and makes her figure look more shapely than it is. (all you sticks out there, take note: Simple on the waist and keep details at the hips and or bust.)

Right: This gown looks so much better in 3D but anyways.. The subtle draping across the hips was REAL purdy! again giving the illusion of curves.

OOOOooo Keep an eye on this designer :)

Design Concept -Sophie 09

My cousin Sophie found this dress online and is in LOVE with this fabric. I am making her a very similar dress for her ball on august 15th.
She is a petite little thing with a shapely waist so this dress will look amazing on her.

We have found a similar chiffon fabric from spotlight. It is just a little tamer then fluro orange, with tie dyed tones blending in and out of white and orange. One edge next to the selvage is a watermelon red.

The detailing under the bust will be a combination of red and white braided ropes, plaits, bands and ribbons.

They have used jems and beads for the details pictured, which suits this dress as it have high lights and low lights with the varing shades of colour. The fabric we have chosen, is a flat base shade so does not suit shiney things at all.

I am excited about making this dress - its going to be hippie Glam! We have had the first fitting - 5 weeks to go.

Lets get cracking..

Jen's Wedding

My oldest sister Jennifer got engaged to Joe earlier this year! They are the cutiest couple.

Next March she will walk down the aisle, lead by 3 bridesmaids- myself, middle sister Heather and one of her best friend, Jennie Stenhouse.
She has asked if I will make each of these dresses for her special day.

The ceremony will be held at the Botanical Gardens and Reception at Mac Brewery on the water front. WAY EXCITING :)

So I've looking around at ideas, and neat little things as i get into wedding mode :)

She wants a flower in her hair and or on the neck/shoulder of her dress.

Still undecided of the siloutte, length and style of the gown, we are looking for inspiration anywhere and everywhere.

Bill Hammond

Bill Hammond I find Mysterious. I love the technique used in background and drips coming from the branches and sky line.

These bird like warriors stand in a gloomy and questionable surrounding.
The dripping skies and shades of background prompting the thought of an untouched world, make me uncomfortably interested.

There is something about the Dripping and blended background that catches my eye. I've played with these techniques before but wonder if it could be done on fabric?

I'd love to play with techniques of dying fabric and dripping colours down from a neckline of a dress or up from a hemline.

The blending of colours and water-wash looking tones would be easily done, it's weather or not fabric could manage clean, straight drips. -Because there would be a weave or grain, it might go all over the place.

Patchwork inspiration.. ?

My mum has been a huge influence in my life. She has always done crafting things. Sewing, being the obvious influence, but she has also done spinning and knitting, crochet, cross stitch, long stitch, tatting and patchwork.

I've learnt (or at least tried to) and join in most of these crafts but Patchwork I never really took it up -throwing in my two cents when mum was stuck for ideas.

But this one time, as I watch in awe as 100's of tiny pieces of fabric magically fit together and make a huge quilt, it occurs to me, why couldn't I do this on a smaller scale on a front of a dress or top?
Sure, I'll make it a lot simpler for my newbee patchwork mind, but either way I think I am a genius!

Sure, I'm not the first person to think of this but shhh..

SO i want to make a type of plait detail that wraps around some part of the body.

I also like the idea of putting it in the lining or pockets of a jacket.

Either way i actually need to figure out what i want to make and then design it from there.

McQueen is a KING

Oh My GOllY GOSH! These prints are amazing.
I adore them.

Below are pictures from the actually show but (right) these pics are to show off how intricate the prints are.
Are they symmetrical?
How did he do it?

It is as if he's tie-dyed the fabric and then painted over it some more.

The prints curve around the body and flatter the waist like this black dress does, whereas the pink one draws the eye up the face with the triangular seam detail.

By far my favourite show this season xx

Remember the crazies..

Alexander McQueen's latest collection could be discribed as patterned, Stain glass, Ink blot, Paint spinning, Tie dye, geometric dresses which is why i think i like them so much... What is it?

These are some of my final pieces for my Yr 13 Art Porfolio. I had completely forgotten about it until I saw Alexander McQueens S/S 09 Collection Prints.

I had used the same base for my project but had gotten the idea from the videoclip for Knarls Barkly, "Crazy".

Everytime i see the dresses my brain wants to try make fimiliar structures and forms with the shapes, where in my art I forced these blobs and shapes to resemble something we all recognise.

Karl Lagerfeld - Hair Pieces

! I am in LOVE with these accessories. I can imagine a vintage bride wearing this hair piece!! I'd be that bride if I wasn't so freaked out by marriage, but I can dream..
How beautiful is the arm detail also!! It reminds me of henna paint or a tattoo. It's very impactical but.. who really cares.

Below, some honorable mentions from the Karl Lagerfeld S/S 09 collection.

My dream clothes..

During my daily blobbing in front of the tv, I came across this AMAZING designer on fashiontv- Espaco Fashion. It's not very often that an entire collection actually grabs my attention and inspires me.

This Collection for Winter 09 has things from rope belts and plaited bust lines, to folded draped skirts and knitted dresses.

AND I'd be stupid if i didn't note the fabric and Shades of this collection; They are intense and blend beautifully from one to the next. The Collection went through shades of black-to gray (with a touch of pink)- to white.

Many of these designs have fullness from the waist upwards and have resonable shape around the wasit and hips. For me I LOVE this silloutte because it helps out my proportions and gives me the illusion of a bigger bust. Two thumbs up!

The roping belts and Corded-necklace-things are way neat. I've been playing around with knot tying and how it hangs and drapes. It'd be an interesting look to do it with every day hoodies, replacing the inner hood cord with a thin rope.

The top right photo shows folded fabric, draped to make the details on the front of this dress. I'd love to play with this technique. It'd be amazing if it was used for a train of a wedding dress or fullness in a knee length cocktail dress.

The knitted top (left) and Dress (bottom right)are done in a way that makes it balloon and bounce as she walks. Its really quite a neat take on knitting and blends of wool but, I'd never wear it as that shape. I'd look like i've got dangle fat, drooping everywhere. BUT I still appreciate the idea.

Everytime I watch this show, i find new, bizarre little things they have done with the fabric. Its mind blowing.

I strongly suggest taking a look at there site, www.espacofashionbrasil.com.br/

Be Inspired xx