On doing my daily surf of different blogs, I came across this posting on Bits and Bobbins.
“burda, the german-based sewing pattern company is behind what i think is an extremely clever idea: FREE sewing patterns one can download off the web! open-source sewing!”
Tricia summed it up in that sentence. Being the cheapskate I am, I shall now have to have a browse of some FREE sewing patterns.
Oh dear, artwork seems to have consumed my life for the past week. Deadlines are looming, what can I say. But as I was covering a frame in newspaper for a silk painting I’d done, it got me thinking…
I’m sure it’s been done, but a newspaper print dress type thing. I mean, making a dress out of actual newspapers, would not be durable and would fall apart the minute you went anywhere in it (especially if it was raining), but there are fancy machines now which allow you to print different things on fabric so they look like what they’re meant to look like. So you could have a dress made out of normal fabric with a newspaper collage on it, so it appeared to be made out of newspapers. Maybe I just have an odd mind and dress sense, but I’d wear it (of course it’d depend on the style of the dress, but what I am imagining, I’d wear)
Photo from Google
I am alive, despite not blogging on here in about a week or something similar. What can I say, with so little time and money, my ability to shop has deteriorated. This in turn means any fashion material I have in my little brain cell, has vanished. Instead, it is being used to complete the 5 month late physics coursework, textiles, art and think about my future - what fun.
It actually makes me quite sad that I have lost the ability to shop (for clothes). Instead of going into a shop and thinking “Ooohhh! I want that, only £15″, I think “Hmm, that’s quite nice, how much is it, £15. No way, I could make that! What a rip off.” Of course, I will never actually get round to making it, which leaves me with a slight predicament.
What I have decided to do in the mean time, is to concentrate on actually making some things. I purchased a book called Stitch and Bitch on Friday (I already know how to knit) and it had a couple of nice things in it really. So on Saturday, when I went to town with Mary, I purchased about 2 carrier bags of wool (technically, it was acrylic not wool, but nonetheless, I call it all wool) from the market (came to under £10, I was very impressed).
Anyway, since I have come to a bit of a fashion stand-still currently, I thought there might be someone else who’d be interested in contributing to this blog on occasion (I will of course still be posting etc). I did ask around my friends and had one person who was interested, but it doesn’t hurt to see if anyone else is interested. So, if you enjoy fashion and are interested in possibly contributing, either leave a comment on this post or email me, leah@coralstars.com. Tell me a little about yourself and any ideas of what you may want to write about.
Now I am signing off to continue with this flaming coursework. In a bit kiddies.
Yesterday, I decided to have a read of one of the fashion design books I have. The ones that supposedly teach you how to draw in a design-y way. I seem to have aquired quite a few over the years from various family members. And whilst, I don’t ever put things they suggest into practice, it’s always good to learn how you are supposed to do it.
Since reading it though, I have had an overwhelming urge to design something and then ask my father to help me make it (he is WAY better than me on a sewing machine, from the many years of practice he has). It also makes me think I ought to start carrying a sketch book around (although if you start drawing on the bus, people start looking at it - they’re all nosy) to ‘capture ideas in a moment of inspiration’.
I am going to recreate the chain scarf featured on style bubble and pictured on the right. I simply do not have £25 to spare on buying one from United Colours of Benetton, so I may buy several balls of wool (provided it comes to less than £25, otherwise it would be completely pointless) and get knitting. I wonder whether I’ll actually ever finish it, if I do, I shall post the results on here.
Get crafting!
This is the first creation I have made this weekend. An embellished jumper.
I was inspired by the vintage jumpers I’d seen in the Topshop vintage section and by this jumper I saw in November’s Vogue.
The jumpers in Topshop were about £20-£30 and this one in Vogue is £895. I am not willing to pay either of those prices (especially the latter) so yes, I created my own from a jumper I purchased yesterday for £2.75
I spent a couple of hours sewing the pearls (beads from old pearl necklaces) onto the neckline. Of course it’s not a good as the ones in shops, nor is it particually fancy or difficult, but it’s a nice subtle touch I think.
I’m not sure whether I’ll sell it or keep it. I am veering towards keeping it at the moment though. I am also not sure whether I should add more pearls elsewhere on the jumper or whether I should leave it as it is. Any suggestions?
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Gather the required materials
This would be a big pile of old clothes and material which I have accumulated from my family, the charity shop fandango yesterday and purchased from places such as the rag market in town. Obviously, I am not going to be able to make this all into new things just today, but it’s good to have a large quantity to fulfil random moments I feel I wish to craft and particually for coral stars.
Now for all you lovely people out there, I would say if you don’t want to make a lot, look for a couple of pieces from charity shops or ask friends and family for any old clothes. Then you can recreate them into something fantastic and new. Alternatively if you want to start from scratch and you are comfortable with sewing, you could get a sewing pattern and some material. If you are a beginner, I would say, start with simpler things such as customising a t-shirt until you are more comfortable with making something harder. You don’t necessarily need a sewing machine (although it helps) and hacking things up with scissors always works (my first creation was an accident. I had cut a hole in the side of a t-shirt and it looked a bit daft so I cut some more holes and it looked ok)
I don’t know whether that is any use, but I tried. The next posts will be the monstrosities that have been made. Looking forward to it!
Be inspired.
I have decided to have a big ol’ crafting session this weekend (and possibly into the week) as it’s something I haven’t been able to do in a while. I have gotten a few ideas from craftster and the november issue of vogue as well as thinking myself.
Tomorrow, my friend and I are going to all the charity shops (thrift stores) in the near vacinity to pick up as much as physically possible (well I am) that can be reworked, revamped or re-something-ed.
Next installment will be tomorrow! (hopefully)
