My Weblog

Taking a step back (not backwards)

Last time I posted I was pretty sick and run-down ,so I've been trying to take a step back from the frenetic madness that has been the past few months. I've taken a break from markets for a few weeks so that I can have rest from weekly production deadlines and have been using that time to create at a more sane pace and to be reflective on the creative process itself. What a relief! Something which has helped to make the process more enjoyable by leaps and bound is my new/old sewing machine. Fed up with my plastic-electronic Brother machine that had kiniptions whenever I tried to sew more than two layers of fabric, I found myself a lovely, sturdy, metal, mechanical 1970s Bernina on Ebay. I just LOVE it! It's super-heavy so it doesn't jump around when I pick up speed, the stich quaility is beautifully consistent and it even has a hands-free knee lever to lift the presser foot (and a cute red case to boot!) Here are some pics of my new pride and joy!

   

My place has also been recently populated by a brood of minature owls courtesy of my mum

 

I have also, (unsuprisingly) been on a few op-shop jaunts around the Western burbs. These are my more recent finds - a gorgeous patterned bowl and square, red buttons.

 

Out in the garden, thanks to much needed rain and my parters green thumb, the broccoli and snow peas are coming along nicely

 

Whilst our scavenged electrical reels add a welcome slash of colour on dreary winter days. This lot were spotted next to a dumpster at Highpont shopping centre when Ed and I mistakenly headed out there on Good Friday forgetting that it was one of THOSE public holiday. We spotted the electrial coils but there was a security guy cruising aroung the carpark, so I pretended to be teaching Ed to park (he had recently got his L plates) nearby the dumpster til the security guy  past us on one of his circuits, then we went for it! 

 

But the funnest thing I've done of late was take part in one of Mim's feltmaking workshops. Mim is a fellow member of the Olive Grove collective and makes a variety of unique items including felted pieces. When I heard she was teaching workshops I was pretty keen to take part - and I loved it! Felt-making is so wonderfully tactile and physical - from handling the raw wool to scrubbing to rolling to beating! So much fun , and Mim was such a calm, patient teacher (even when I cut chunks from pieces of tuel and cutaining intented for use in the felting process NOT as decorative features - WOOPS! - sorry MIm:()Here is my first scarf attempt. This could be a new obsession -dear me!

 

New to old, old to new

I don't do sick well. After a day convinced that I clearly MUST have Swine flu, I resigned myself to the fact that I just had a  nasty version of your garden variety cold. "Just rest", my partner implored me, but me being me, I was convinced I could work my way through sickness. I was wrong...again. So I made myself sicker and wound up having to spend a fair chunk of ther past few days in bed. I have to say that despite feeling cruddy, I did enjoy my enforced break wich gave me a chance to get stuck into the new Christos Tsiolakas novel, "The Slap" which is super engrossing. The utter realness of the characters and the amazing naturalness of the dialogue reminds me of Elliot Perlmans' writing, which I also love. I always feel torn when I am in the midst of the reading something I am really enjoying - I want to gobble it up and race to end to see what happens, but at the same time I want to draw it out and make it last because I feel so sure that I will never enjoy another book as much ever again! (I do tend towards extremes!) As I was feeling a little better in Sunday arvo, I set about finishing off some jack tunics which needed some finishing touches. It was at this time that my sewing mchine decided to start playing up again. After quite a few hours of adjusting thread tensions, removing and replacing the bobin case, unpicking great chunks of tangled thread and cursing at the machine I banished my 2006 Brother to the hallway and pulled out my old Werthheim machine (which I'm pretty sure must be at least a decade older than me). It is very slow, has no threader, thread cutter or measurement plate but is reassuringly heavy (due to having all metal parts), makes no infuriating electronic error beeping noises, and most importantly, it just goes and does without drama. I am happily embracing the cliche when I say that "they don't make things like they used to". Anyway, I did manage to finish the tunics off today. Here's some pics .

Savers Love!

To say that I'm a regular at Savers is a pretty gross understatement, so I get pretty excited about their 50% off days! Here's what some of what my most recent haul has become - a new batch of suit jacket neck pieces (most of the binding was made from XL men's shirts. This lot are now in store at Olive Grove.

 

More jacket surgery

Continuing on with my jacket reconstructions I have been making tunic-style tops with slightly jutting necklines. To make them I:

•  cut the men's blazers along the side seams

• removed part of the underarm area

•  bound the open edges with self-made bias binding

• crossed the front pieces of the jacket over eachother

• fastened neckline and added decorative button details

• added back ties 

      

Chop, chop!

I've been having fun chopping up men's sports jackets to create neck pieces and over-skirt panels. Men's jackets are so beautifully made (inside and out) that it is pleasure to work with them. I've also learned to love bias-binding. It's always been something I've tried to avoid using, but making your own and hand-sewing it on gives a result which I am so happy with I don't mind the messing-about involved. So much nicer than the store-bought stuff!

                  

like a doona you can take with you

I decided to make a small range of the quilted cowl neck pieces I had been working on last week. The wadding in them makes them nice and cosy (they are essentially mini quilts for your neck!) as well as giving them structure and a good sculptural quality, I think. There is no "right" way to wear them. It's just a matter of having a bit of a play.

                     

Still playing

I've been continuing to experiment with neck pieces. Still works in progress.

 

Another cape/shawl/collar-like thing

Still playing about with neck/shoulder thingies. This one on the more successful ones I think (sometimes experiments fail - amd I've made some shockers of late!) But I'm pretty happy with this one.

 

Returning home

 Seems I can't keep away from patchworking. I've been focussing on other things of late -like my collar scarves, kimono vests and triangle bags which have been more about form than surface, but I do miss the pleasure I get from creating new surfaces through the simple act of cutting and joining remant pieces. Patchworking feels like returning home for me - it just feels right when I'm doing it - watching a composition unfold with minimal planning and the option of just cutting and reconfiguring if I don't like whats going on. Another motivating factor for my return to patchworking is the fact that I was absolutely DROWNING in fabric scraps in my studio/spare room - it was getting totally out of control! These patchwork wall panels are the result of my attempt to keep my head above water! I'm yet to add the lengths of dowel to each end to help tem hang better against a wall, but you get the picture.

     

I'm also keen to experiment with making neck/shoulder wearable pieces. This is my first attempt at a little cape.

 

The very first Substation Market

There's a new market on the block - and it's happening in the West! It's really fantastic that Creatives in the Western suburbs at getting more opportunities to present their work to the public, and the substation building itself is just awesome. As the name suggests, the building was an electrical substaion in its previous life, and it has been lovingly and sympathetically restored to funcion as a multi-purpose arts space. The exposed interior brickwork and the expansive windows which extend from the ground to the third floor make for a gorgeous light-filled space and a really lovely market-going experience. You can find pics and info about the Substation here.

Here are some pics of my stall

    

The market will be taking place on the first Saturday of each month. It's right next to Newport train station, there's a cafe round the corner that makes a pretty decent coffee, A Vinnies (for you Op-shopping folk) and Sammy's Bakehouse makes a fine Borak. So no excuses for not seeing you there on Saturday May 2nd!