Kittys Drawings

Hi All
I’ve been pretty sucky at this blogging bizniss the past few weeks haven’t I? Seriously I’ve been SO busy!!! We’re off to WA for a friends wedding tomorrow morning and the past month I’ve been crazy busy getting prepared. I took on the task of making myself a dress as well as the backdrop for my friends photobooth. Add to that the late hours I do at work and getting home and doing home stuff. BLAH. AND having a social life. It’s all too much really. They don’t call it the silly season for nothing.

Thankfully I will have a break off work in the time between Christmas and New Years. I plan to take full advantage of these days off and do a lot of sewing and drawing and being fairly introverted since most people will be away doing family things. Yay!

So I wont be posting anything this weekend. I do have some sewing to show you though. That I will try to do next week. This post was just to pop in here and say I’m still alive. Also, since I had to take down the RiskCloud post until the launch of the product, your Reader might have stuffed up and you’d have had some broken links…Check it out HERE if you like as it’s back up again. Sorry bout the confusion.

Also, last weekend I was super busy – especially on Sunday….
My friend Sally Goodall is quite the up and coming photographer. We met when her and her now husband moved in next door to us when we lived in a studio apartment in Richmond. Sal needed help setting up her computer and Jonny was there to lend a hand. Sal was keen on becoming a photographer and was going through school at the time. Jonny lent her some of his gear and we went on a few shoots together and now Sal is working full time shooting mostly weddings and portraits. She’s come such a long way in a really short amount of time and it’s really great fun working with her. On Sunday we went out to do a vintage wedding shoot out in Inverleigh (near Geelong), on an amazing property. I borrowed a dress from the ever lovely Nicole @ Circa Vintage and we had another ‘bride’ and our model ‘husband’ (lucky boy – LOL). We were out frolicking in sunshine and long grass all day and I really can’t wait to see the pics when they’re done. I will definitely be posting them here for you to see.

ANYWAYS.

I better go finish packing, eat, clean, all that stuff.

To tide you over til my next post, here’s a picture of the BoofMonster, doing what he does best – nothing.

Ta ta for now!

Hi All!

As you can probably tell by the title of this post, it’s likely going to be about Halloween or dressing up Last week I was at a party, to celebrate Halloween – or more just to dress up, since the holiday isn’t a big deal in Australia really. I’ve only been to a couple of dress up parties and this one I think I put the most effort into, since I made my dress and bought special shoes for the occasion.

So let me tell you about the most awesome skirt in the world.

This is Advance 8064 from a few posts back. I thought it would be perfect for the party and all I had to do was track down some blue gingham. I got lucky at Spotlight in Brunswick and bought the last 2.8m of this. It’s seersucker too! It was only $13 or so. The buttons were $6 for about 8 from the antiques shop up the road.

On making this I realised my pattern was missing the piece for the back facing, and I had to draft it. It wasn’t too tricky to do – I used the back pieces as a guide.

Aren’t princess cuts so awesome? I just love how the way it’s cut gives control to the fall of the skirt. Super flattering.

There’s pockets too!

I didn’t wear this shirt to the party – I had a white vintage one on instead. This one however, is one I made myself. Two sewing projects shown in one hit!! Its Hollywood 1164. It came together quite easily. The hardest thing maybe setting the sleeves. I used a trick from one of my sewing books on how to reduce the ease in the sleeve, as patterns often come with too much and then you’ve got to stuff all this fabric into a small space.
The super easy trick is just this – fold the end of the sleeve cap down as if you were shortening any other part of the sleeve…but only take a little out. Mine was about 1cm total. Then smooth the edges when you’re cutting so you skip the jagged edge thats created from the folding. Hard to explain sorry! If anyone wants to SEE it, I can do a diagram. Just let me know!

Since I have no Toto, I decided to con Puss into being Toto. Here is me stuffing her in my bag
At first she didn’t like it, but then she was okay with it. Then she had enough. Teehee.

My only problem now with this skirt is that it’s SO Dorothy. Does anyone have any ideas on how I could wear this or alter it so I don’t look like Dorothy all the time? I was thinking of swapping out the buttons for some white ones. And not wearing the glitter shoes of course hehe. And maybe even dyeing it – either red to make purple….or maybe even yellow to make green. Ideas???

Now my next post will be ART related. Howzat!? I’m working on a freelance job for someone which has to be finished tonight so I better get back to it!

Ciao!

Hi!!

Weeeee so the dress is here and it fits awesome! Love it so much! I want so many of the Trashy Diva designs.

Also, this dress confirms that a few of the fabrics I have picked up at Savers are rayon or rayon blends as they feel very similar.

Upon close examination, this isn’t a dress that I could copy in a hurry. Lots of bits and pieces that are beyond my current skill level. Like all the tucks around the waist, the gathers and the collar that fit into that piece down the middle and the bustle.

What do you think of my photos? I dug up some Photoshop actions from the web that give a bit of a ‘vintage’ look. I ought to learn how to do this myself. Technically, I know how to do it….I just don’t know when to stop haha.

So this was meant to be a sewing post. But I might do that later….maybe some time during the week or something.

On the drawing front, I’m still pottering away on my big piece. I’ve started a bunch of practice exercises suggested in THIS post on Muddy Colors (cool drawing blog found via CA). They’re definitely not worthwhile posting here just yet but once they start looking okay I will show you.

(that’s Boof in the midst of a patting frenzy – he gets very excited when getting pats and runs around frantically in circles and occasionally throws himself down on the ground with a big “whump”, paws in the air)

Umm – that’s about it. I’m off to go see Harry Potter this evening. Yay!

Seeyas!

Hi Everyone

Another day, another sewing post. And more crappy lighting for photos. What’s with all these CLOUDS – anyone would think it was winter or summin’

The story behind this dress goes like this….You all remember when I got my Miss L Fire shoes and I was all in a scramble to find something that matched? One day I decided to just have a peek in the local Salvation Army. They usually don’t have a lot of fabric but I’ve been lucky on occasion finding that nice charcoal wool etc. Well, my luck was really working for me that day because not only did I find a piece of fabric that matched the green of my shoes exactly, it also happened to be wool crepe!! This one wasn’t hard to identify – you can’t mistake the smell when you steam it.
And steam it I did! Fortunately, I had the sense of mind to look it up on the web and one of the first hits on Google was about pre-treating your fabric (HERE is the handy link if you’re interested). So I pressed away and I think I did an okay job of pre-shrinking the wool.

There wasn’t all that much of it, but with a bit of juggling I managed to cut out Mccall 6573, one of the patterns I bought in a lot off eBay some months back.

As with many 40′s patterns, this one was deceptively complicated….for a beginner like me anyway! It took a little while to get my head around the treatment of the neckline. After that I just took my time and made sure I basted everything first and tried it on before doing any machine sewing.

Some notes:

• It has bound buttonholes. Which aren’t the tidiest but one of my better efforts.
• Wool crepe is awesome to sew – but it gets a bit bulky.
• I thought I did an okay job of setting the sleeves but since then I’ve washed it and I think the wool shrunk a bit more so they don’t look so tidy anymore.
• You’ll notice a reappearance of the glass buttons
• I used a piece of georgette for the tie which I bought from a little fabric shop on Sydney Rd, for $2 a metre!
• Despite all my best efforts, I tried to do a machine lapped side zipper and I botched it. It’s not too bad, maybe if I have the patience I’ll fix it one day.
• After all that basting, when I got to the waistline I forgot to check THAT for fit – so it’s about an inch too big.
• The blouse type back is kinda cool.
• The skirt is a very “interesting” shape. I’m not 100% convinced about it yet.

Overall, I’m kind of in love with 40′s patterns. They’re strangely flattering despite the features I’d usually avoid, like the pleats around my hips. This style would work with an even slinkier fabric in a solid colour. I had plans on making the belt to go with out of the georgette but I need the white belt to match the shoes.

Next up I have a top to show you and the 70′s halter dress I made for Fiji. I really hope I find a sunny day for that and more light!

I’ve also picked up the black denim(y) sheath dress again. It was threatening to become a UFO (Un-Finished Object) but I’m happy with it again. I’ve fixed the fit and it looks pretty awesome so far .

And guess what! I’ve signed up to this Craftsy lesson: The Perfect Fit Bombshell Dress brought to you by the wonderful Gertie. She actually listened to her readers and created a tutorial and pattern on how to make one of those amazing Alfred Shaheen style sarong dresses! The sarong dress has been an obsession of mine from before I started sewing. Getting your hands on one of those beauties can set you back well over $200. Patterns are also few and far between and they are incredibly expensive. Until now that is! Thanks to Gertie, I now have a pattern AND instructions on how to make myself one that fits perfectly. I’m so excited!! I’m not sure I’ll start this one straight away but now that I’ve bought the lessons, they are there forever and I can watch them whenever I want.
I haven’t been propositioned by anyone to mention this either – Its not advertising! Haha! I am just super stoked and had to share the news. If you’re any way interested in sewing at all, I highly suggest buying these lessons!

Anyways better go – seeyas then!

Hiiii!
So this is the outfit that I envisioned to go with my Miss L Fire shoes….and luck was on my side when I found the exact top I wanted in Savers some time ago. All I had to do then was make a black skirt.

I scored some heavy black cotton from one of those little fabric stores on Sydney Rd and set to work. These kinds of skirts don’t really need a pattern – just cut a rectangle and gather it into a waistband. I got a bit overzealous with the size of my rectangle and ended up with way too much fabric in there. It turned out rather puffy and I had to pleat it to fit it all in. Now it’s an absolute nightmare to iron and I also made the mistake of sitting on the couch to do my hand-sewing so it got covered in cat fur. Oh Boofy! It doesn’t wash out that well either – maybe a few more rounds in the machine and some vigorous application of the sticky paper fur remover thingy and it should be right. Haha.

Well the outfit turned out rather – crazy – don’t you think? Not sure if I’m quite game enough to wear the stripy top out and the skirt makes me feel all frivolous and cutesy.

I may have just enough fabric left to make a pencil skirt, albeit a shorter one than usual.

Now I really must get back to drawing – The portrait I’m doing needs to be finished TODAY. So glad it’s a long weekend so I have the time to finish it. Even though it means chaining myself to the computer. Saturday though was spent shopping for the required things for Fiji. The BF was surprised that I actually invested in practical shoes…..I can be practical when I need to be ;-P I just don’t want to look fugly at the same time. Is that too much to ask? ;-P

Must run then!

Hi!!

Yay a new post! It’s been fairly quiet around these parts here. On the blog anyways – cos I’ve been all over the place at home! The two drawings I’ve got going on are pottering away very slowly. Doing 30mins here and there which isn’t a lot of progress really. I don’t want to rush to finish because every time I do a little bit I keep seeing how much is left to do and I don’t want to leave any sections behind.
Last night I also started trialling the new Corel Painter 12 which was released just the other day. It’s pretty flash so far – looks quite different and is quite a bit more intuitive to use. However I did notice a couple of glitchy bits and I’m not sure if it’s because I still have the older version on my computer or I just need some more RAM. I really should take advantage of the potential 16GB I could fit into it (GEEK ALERT! I should have forewarned you ) Moar Powah!!

*ahem*

Moving along.

Sewing…

I’ve finished this totally cool wrap dress using Mccall’s 5585 – from the 50′s or early 60′s I’d say.

… ta daa (why so serious?)

It was very easy to make, but also quite time consuming because there is a lot of hand-sewing to do. The construction is quite simple and awfully clever- it just fits over your head and there are two buttons each on the front and back where you can attach it at the waist. You only button one side and then the waist tie passes through the other set of buttonholes to tie it up. The buttonholes are simply gaps you leave in the waist seam. Very very clever! So since there are no side seams that attach, there’s 4 sets of facings down each side. Hence all the hand-sewing. Don’t forget the hem – which is almost a full circle but split in two.

It’s absolutely one of my favourites so far and there’s actually nothing I’m unhappy about for a change! It gapes a little under the arms and there’s plenty of room in the bust which isn’t all that necessary but it makes for a very comfortable dress. THESE are my “track pants” (from now on….yes I do actually wear trackies – but they never see the outside of my house). I made this from a bed sheet too by the way – if you remember my stash post from a little while ago.
So perfect for Fiji! I think I could make a couple of these!

Check out Puss going for a wander. She doesn’t like to sit still very long.

And the back – it’s meant to be reversible but I don’t really like high, square necks so I’ll just stick to wearing it with the V in front. Because of this I’m also considering putting the two buttons that are meant to be on the inside, on the front and outside so I can attach the skirt without the ties. At the moment it has a bit of a habit of sliding back – and two buttons would look cute at the waist don’t you think?

Please excuse the terrible quality of the photos – winter in Melbourne leaves only the most measly skerrick of light to work with at the end of the working day. And it may still technically be autumn but it sure as hell don’t feel like it – Winter’s blown in with full force.
Also – my posing really sucks! I still need some major practice. Boo.

Umm – what else….
I’m about to go finish the hem for a black cotton skirt that will go with my Miss L Fire shoes. I found a really heavy cotton and thought that gathering/pleating almost 2 metres of fabric into my 63cm waist would be a good idea. It works fine, but the result is a rather puffy skirt which is kind of cool but a bit different to what I’m used to. The outfit I imagined in my head has turned out like Where’s Wally meets Alice in Wonderland. Interesting! Photos soon I promise!

AND – A very busy few weeks coming up ahead. Actually, I think I’ll be pretty flat out right til Fiji (which is tail end of June) – I’ll be in Tassie next weekend visiting the folks and friends down that way. I’ll be stuffing my face with lots of food (what’s new!) and trying not to freeze my ass off.  Then the following week I will be partaking in the Love Vintage Fashion Fair as a model for the lovely Nicole at Circa. Tomorrow I have my fitting so I’ll find out what I get to wear! Yay! I really ought to save some dosh for any treasures I might find there.
Somewhere amongst all that I need to get a haircut (see how long it is! hehe). BUSY! Argh!

I think that’s it for now! I better tidy up all these odds and ends because I’m feeling rather restless with all these half finished projects. Ciao!

Hi All

Yay I have a sewing post for you!

I am so behind. But this is the only thing I’ve been fairly pleased with since I made the charcoal version of this skirt.

I made some adjustments to the pattern, most of which were successful but I still have some things to learn!

Here is what I did:

• Moved the front darts in closer together.
• Shortened the final length by maybe an inch. I did this by folding the pattern in two places – one inch near the hip and one just above the kick-pleat.
• Narrowed the hips
• Gave it a tinier bit more of a ‘wiggle’ shape
• Lengthened the strip I used for the waistband so there is more of an overlap for securing the skirt. I used a largish snap fastener and a hook and eye designed for pants and skirts (so its quite a bit bigger than the tiny ones you get on dresses).

Puss squirming in my arms - look at those paws!

There’s a few things I think still need tweaking. Both to do with my sewing skills and with fitting:

• I went a bit crazy with narrowing the hip and I think that’s why the skirt bunches at my waist. It’s annoying how much the final fit changes once you put the waistband in!
• Instead of taking so much out of the hip, I should have taken that wiggle shape thing further and narrowed the bottom of the skirt more so it cuts in closer to my knees. I really want a wiggle skirt!
• I could still learn a bit about tidying up finishes around the closures. I’m getting better at the hand sewing and this one is fairly neat but could be neater.

That's Boofy mid meow "Mowowowoowwowwwww" he says

I really love this pattern – even though it’s only the bottom of a dress pattern. It’s so quick to make and looks pretty good. I like the length a lot – just at the knee. A fraction more flattering than just above the knee.
I find that skirts that hit above the knee tend to throw out the proportions of an outfit. With a blouse and high-waist skirt combo, the skirt needs to be proportionately longer than the blouse section. Roughly the Golden Mean It’s just more pleasing to the eye hehee.

I can't get over his expressions - always priceless!

Hmm – what else… ah yes, the fabric. This is an awesome, thick khaki cotton I found at the Salvos. There’s tons of it left and I shall one day hope to make a blazer for this one too. Or I will turn the remainder into a wiggle dress. Maybe I have enough for both (there’s heaps!).
I underlined it with some white sheet. The same as I used for the pastel striped dress. The zipper is brown and so is the hem tape I used. Not that you see that but it makes me feel a little calmer knowing the insides coordinate. It’s the same kind of happiness a girl gets from knowing she’s wearing some nice frillies under her dress

Oooh cheeky!

Haha.

ANYWAY – Time to wrap it up. I have so much more to say about sewing than about drawing! Art speaks for itself a little better ….

So I also have some fun stuff…
Tomorrow I will post another GIVEAWAY! Just a mini one! My blog is no way going to turn into an ad machine, but I received some skincare products to sample as part of a promo company I’ve signed up to. Cos I like free stuff. Who doesn’t like free stuff!? They gave me a whole bunch of decent sized samples with the encouragement to give them to friends. So why not share the lurrrve? More details to come

Ciao peeps and enjoy your weekend!