MakeOver Monday - A Pant to Frock Challenge

'MakeOver Monday' 
... sharing how I cut up & REinvent items from my wardrobe 
in the hope you'll pick up scissors & start cutting up yours!

You know how it goes...

three people in a room swapping life stories 

when one mentions how important it is to challenge yourself

and someone else jumps in suggesting a 

Pants to Frock REinventing Challenge would be a good idea

and before you know it

everyone's getting excited about having a breakfast catch-up in a months time 

to check out each others creations.

It took me a little while to wrap my head around how best to tackle the challenge 
however with a new found love for linen 

I armed myself with two op shop sourced linen pillowcases

a pair of linen pants

and a scrap of vintage floral cotton [an after thought]

and created a Pearl Frock

complete with pockets

which I wore with pride
to catch-up with Alex & Denise at our breaky rendevous
for show & tell

where Denise shared her once stretchy floral paisley printed as new op shop sourced jeans
 transformed into a sexy sleeveless shift complete with pocket

and Alex had stitched her embroidered linen pants into a combined top/bolero attached to a billowing cotton skirt for a very bohemian look.

It was so much fun 
 we're already talking next time.

ps. joining in with Not Dead Yet and Not Dressed as Lamb.

Full Circle - Childrens Creative Sewing Classes

 Feels like I've come full circle...

from the girl who hated sewing as a child [too many rules]

to the 20-something who decided to study it [wasn't going to be a barmaid or gulf cook for ever!]

learning that you need to know the rules 

before you can break them
who for the past 15 or so years has shared her version of sewing with others via workshops/talks/blog posts

all the time developing her craft 

to this point 

creative sewing classes for children 
with a focus on REinventing

because these are the sewing classes I wish I could've done as a child

and now as an adult

knowing the truth about sewing

[you create with your head, hands & heart]

that through the art of stitch you discover 

mindfulness 

slowing down, answering your own questions, listening to & relying on your intuition

respect

 there's a ripple effect when you realise your ideas & thoughts are worthy

resilience

failures, mistakes & errors are the best excuse to do better next time

all attributes that some most struggle with in this 

fast paced technology driven in your face take a number at times soulless world 

because it's hard to find a soft place to fall 

and I'd like to offer that
somewhere that screens are turned off & imaginations turned on
where being connected is about being the best version of yourself
and taking time out to create is cool
cos you get to make stuff!

click on image for more details

There's more info on the website [link above] however please don't hesitate to contact me if you would like more details. 

MakeOver Monday - Tops as T-shirts

'MakeOver Monday' 
... sharing how I cut up & REinvent items from my wardrobe 
in the hope you'll pick up scissors & start cutting up yours!

As a stand alone garment

I don't wear T-shirts 

and haven't since I've been old enough to buy my own clothes

 I'm pretty sure the initial aversion to them was due entirely to having the body shape of a boy [no shape] which has continued over the years as I've morphed into a beached whale

so when out & about on rescue missions

and I see simple frock styles made from gorgeous fabrics

just like this fabulous original 60's frock 

it doesn't matter that she's not wide enough to get my left leg into

I know I can make her fit...  

a cardy for every occassion

the tricky part can be deciding

 which of the REinventing options on file to choose from

each choice would've created entirely different looks

meaning different uses

and with summer on the way I opted for 

the least invasive & obtrusive 

by cutting a wedge from the ribbon detail on the tablecloth

rather than going full floral

with lovely deep in-seam pockets being retro-fitted

as a matter of course

because who knew pockets could be so handy

and with early morning dog walking

& beach combing expeditions to maintain

having a Top I can chuck on and walk out the door in

means Tops are my T-shirts. 

  

~~~oo0oo~~~

click on image for details

Create Before Christmas!

For those who'd like to create before Christmas

I've squeezed in a couple more workshops... 

click on the image for details.

MakeOver Monday - The Exhibition Ensemble

'MakeOver Monday' 
... sharing how I cut up & REmake items from my wardrobe 
in the hope you'll pick up scissors & start cutting up yours!

I knew back in July 

I was going to my friend Reginas [aka The Mad Queen] 
first solo exhibition in Fitzroy

Some of Reginas Tapestry & Tin Tea Frocks - over a third of her exhibits sold on the night!

because

when you have someone in your life

who's a diamond

you book your flight 3mths ahead of time 

to fly to the other side of the country 

leaving your children to fend for themselves 

what I hadn't counted on

was that two days before I was due to fly out

I'd change my mind about the outfit I was preparing to wear on the big night

so armed with the understanding 

I do my best work under pressure

and an extensive REinventing resource which sometimes doubles as my wardrobe

I grabbed two items 

a fisherman frock made years ago  from a sheer metallic fabric
featuring mens ties for shoulder straps

and an op shop sourced heavily hand embroidered silk skirt 
that had been filed for years

just waiting for this moment....

the top of the frock and the bottom of the skirt

[with retro-fitted inseam pockets]

 were attached to each other

which took a couple of goes 

and the opinion of the eldest 

to get the depth of the bodice right

and being I was heading to  Melbourne 
she needed a Cardet
which I REfashioned from a too-small woolen knitted cardy/jacket
by manipulating the fastenings

and for those essential items

[keys, lippy, cash]

a Fragment Bag was neccessary

to complete the

'Exhibition Ensemble'

I was lucky enough to come home with my absolute favourite piece from the exhibition

and 4days worth of wonderful memories!

Steve McQueen, Owls & Jumpers REinvented

You might not ever want to cut the back off a t-shirt 

and replace it with one from the back of a mens shirt

restitch the neckline with the front tab from a woolly green cardigan

and machine embroider a bouquet of appliquéd crocus and waratah into
Steve McQueens hand

or discover how to

turn fabric owls from a rescued frock
into Fripperys

or
transform unwearable knitwear into

 

wearable wraps

that Fripperys always look good on 

but just in case you do
there's new workshop dates up on the website.

MakeOver Monday - A Swock REinvent

'MakeOver Monday' 
... sharing how I cut up & REmake items from my wardrobe 
in the hope you'll pick up scissors & start cutting up yours!

When you're on a roll it's hard to stop

and in the case of Swock Sewing

it seems everything hanging in my wardrobe

is a potential Swock in the waiting

the latest has the count at 5

and she was created from a green cardy 

attached to what had orignally in life been steel grey cotton pants

 and a locally designed/manufactured skirt

both were op-shop sourced 

and both were transformed into a skirt a few years ago 

with the addition of a mens tie around the hemline

If you like to keep your sewing simple 

and your wardrobe wearable

I'm pretty sure you'll love Swock Sewing as much as me.

For a bit of fun and to share the love I'm joining in here this week.

Tightrope Walking in a Trapeze Swock while making Obi Belts from Mens Ties

'MakeOver Monday' 
... sharing how I cut up & REmake items from my wardrobe 
in the hope you'll pick up scissors & start cutting up yours!

I like my new job description
 nearly as much as I love my new
Trapeze Swock
named in part because the sleeves came from a Cirque de Soleil t-shirt top

and the full circle skirt I attached to the other t-shirt top

is as big as a tent

my clothes are my tools of trade
and where some items from my wardrobe are best suited to lounging on the couch

this particular Swock was perfect for the 'tightrope walking' I did last week

when I conducted a REinventing workshop 
with a group of Yr11 ATAR Fashion students

and had the opportunity to share my REinventing story

while showcasing some of my REinventions
explaining the techniques I use

before the girls launched themselves into transforming 
mens ties into Obi Belts 

and considering they'd never machine embroidered before
and I'd never conducted a REinventing fashion talk exclusively to teens before
we all came away richer for the experience
and I for one am looking forward to doing it again.

Joining in the Linky fun over here.

Create - It's What We Do

Sorry no MakeOver Monday today

instead I wanted to share what's been going on downstairs in the Studio 

I'm a little embarrassed & sad 

that with all the creating that goes on here

 I'm unable to share anywhere near the amount of photos I used to

totally due to the temporary [we wont be renting forever!] lack of good light 

and any decent spots where the girls can do their super model thing

for anyone who's been before I'm pretty sure you'll get a sense of the familiar

and for those that haven't

here's a glimpse of how it works and what goes on...

they came 

not only for the homemade deliciousness

or the candid chats about kids, blokes & crafty stuff 

as always it was to slow down 

leaving the world outside the door

in order to do what we do best

create

and bond

Leonie, Jenny, Marie

Kate, Rennae, Inge & Alex

Meg & Sue

to focus on what's important in that moment

and to lift each other up

so that at the end of the day 

we get to feel as good as we look!

Kate & Alex at lunch 

It's always bittersweet at the end of a workshop 

when everyones packed up & headed back out into the big wide world

some I know will return while others will stay in touch 

and I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity to share time & space with every single one...

if you'd like to join us for the next Workshop

 new dates are up on the website.

Only 1 spot left!