My Creative Space - Fabric first

A friend of mine asked me to make her a dress. It was one of those requests where there are no firm guidelines about what she actually saw in her mind so I was at a bit of a loss as to what to do. It wasn't until I read Ingrid's wonderful post about Zandra Rhodes that I realised how I'd gone about it. [Don't get me wrong here, I'm NOT suggesting any comparable link between myself and the magnificent Zandra!] I just thought it was interesting how one approaches dress design; the process you develop for yourself... and I realised I start with the fabric, it's all about the fabric really.

So, I began by designing a fabric for my friend... pottering around with colour and pattern and placement until I'd put together a design that screamed her name to me...

... I added detail to draw it all together...

... then I threw it over the mannequin and just looked at it... I was looking at how the fabric draped and thinking about what kind of dress design would best suit it.

I started playing around with a few ideas, pinning the fabric into shape to see if it would work, and I think I've decided on the style on the right (below).

I'll just play with some details around the neckline and then I'll start cutting and sewing :)

What's in your creative space today? Visit Kirsty at Kootoyoo to see more.

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Times like these you think about the years that have gone by...

So much has happened but it really isn't that long when you think about it.

Count the years by haircuts, start blond but end black.

Thinking of growing my hair again...

What a funny thing it is to be getting older and yet be feeling so much younger at heart.

[Perhaps this is a middle-aged ramble!]

Happy Birthday to Me :)

My Creative Space - Following through

My Creative Space this week is about finishing projects and following through on ideas. Plan B dress is finished and my fabric-rolled silver now has threads and a selvedge (of sorts).

I've been toying with the idea of drilling lots of holes and using floss to do a simple cross-stitch pattern on it. Final decision was to leave this one as is (I do like it's simplicity) and do another one for the cross-stitch.

Find more creative spaces over at Kirsty's.

Fabric-ating Silver

Silversmithing update: I'm in the process of making one of my bits of fabric-rolled silver look more like fabric. I've been cutting out little squares on the edges to replicate that irregular thread weave of cloth. I know what my teacher will say... "If you can't file and polish it, then you shouldn't cut it"... but I'm having fun :) Is it a break-the-rules-babe and try-something-new day for you too?


p.s. just read my stars for the week from Mr Crazy Brezsny (his horoscopes are always good fun if you're into that kind of thing!) Anyway, I thought they were kind of fitting for this post too :)

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): 

If I were you, Pisces, I'd make interesting fun your meme of the week. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you will be fully justified in making that your modus operandi and your raison d'etre. For best results, you should put a priority on pursuing experiences that both amuse you and captivate your imagination. As you consider whether to accept any invitation or seize any opportunity, make sure it will teach you something you don't already know and also transport you into a positive emotional state that gets your endorphins flowing.

More Doodles

I've been having fun with my pens. I feel so much better + life is feeling a lot more doodley :) Thinking about how I can translate these ideas to fabric now. Happy Monday!

My Creative Space - Texture

It's Creative Space Day again - pop over to Kirsty's to see more spaces or to join in yourself.

An update on my silversmithing classes... I've been experimenting with texture. Working silver through two huge rollers with fine layers of muslim, I've been trying to make silver look like fabric... an irregular surface of delicious texture.

I had grand plans of folding the piece like a kind of origami...

... but my kind teacher suggested I start with something simple (he seems to be aware of my tendency to try and run before I can walk!) 

I was thinking of attaching a crochet square with rivets, but now that I look at it maybe some drill holes and thread-stitching would look best. I do like its simplicity and graphic lines. 

This is my brooch with a pin if you're wondering about size.

Hope it's a wonderfully creative day for everyone :)

Yellow

Doodling again. I found a piece of art paper with some washes on it that I must have done ages ago. So, I started doodling designs on it. I love the way the wash dictates the shapes, and yes, I feel the need for some happy yellow today. Hope it's a good day for everyone :)

My Creative Space - Plan B

It's Creative Space Day again. Visit Kirsty's at Kootoyoo to see more.

I've been a bit down in the chops lately. My lovely friends here do this wonderful thing where they ask me to make something for them... We've never actually discussed it - I'm not sure if they know that I know they're just trying to help me... but that's the point I guess... they are good eggs and it helps me get back on the sunny side up ;) 


It does usually work. 


It worked when I was block printing upside down bunny ears onto linen... It worked when I cut out and sewed row upon row of bias frills... 

... it even worked when I came to piece all the bits together, sewing in a side zip as I went...


But then I realised I'd cut the bodice too narrowly... there would be side-spillage factor 1000... my friend would never wear it.


I was going to call it Failure Dress, but after a quick discussion with this good egg I realised that there really is no such thing as Success Dress. 

I've shaken off the blues again. I'm going to re-do the bodice. 
AND, thanks to my silversmithing course last night where we did a detailed study of how to properly plan out jewellery pieces... It was fabulous and I really should, and am going to, use it with all my projects. So, here's to PLAN B :)

Sorry for the ramble this week... ON A HAPPIER NOTE: my gorgeous Big Girl is turning 14 tomorrow. I have that strange feeling of having known her forever and of how quickly time has sped by to get us to this point. I've just spent the last hour looking for a birthday coin for her... and finally found this humble 5 cent piece to incorporate into her card.

 

Hope it's a fabulously creative day for everyone :)

Just thinking...

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... about map themed bedrooms for children...

... with a shameless plug... ;)

Wouldn't Cath's new cushion be perfect? Find it here.

My Creative Space - New Dress

I'm playing along with Kirsty's My Creative Space meme today. Visit Kootoyoo to join in or see more spaces :)

There are a lot of things I should be doing... instead I found myself working away on this simple dress idea. I made up the pattern as I cut and adjusted as I went. It's fully lined and I had some fun with one of those chunky zips too. Somewhere along the way the pattern on the fabric (hugely discounted Orla Kiely bed linen!) wasn't center-balanced anymore so I think I'll make a brooch out of my bunny ears design too. Can you see my bunny tail? :)

Happy Creative Space day - hope it's a great day for everyone.

Inspiration: Stephanie Schneider

A fashion and textile designer by trade, Stephanie Schneider has branched out into jewellery design to make these exquisite pieces. Her collection is continually evolving with meticulously interwoven mediums of mohair, silk, linen and traditional silversmithing metals.

I've started back at my silversmithing course and collections like this remind me why I started in the first place... a slavish love of mixed media :) Visit Stephanie Schneider's website here. 

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2 Bunnies + a Bear

I thought of a way to use up the part of my 'bunny ears' design that I wasn't happy with... can't think where the inspiration came from to make bunnies ;) 

2 bunnies and a bear are now in the shop.

Collar winner

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: 

Result:

7Congratulations to Lynn from Hearted Girl! 

My Creative Space - Meterage

I'm playing along with Kirsty's My Creative Space meme today. Visit Kootoyoo to join in or to see other spaces.

Experimenting with meterage and wanting to try something simple and graphic; something suitable for lining perhaps. This is from a block I carved a couple of weeks ago now. 

Originally, I wanted it to go with my other block - something to make it a bit more interesting, less twee... but now I'm thinking it stands alone pretty well :) 

Of course, I couldn't resist trying it with that other block (I don't really like it I have to admit!). My Big Girl calls it the 'Bunny Ears' design. 

Hope it's a good day for everyone. Don't forget I'm having a collar giveaway!