Scarf → Kaftan

I had a very nice white cotton scarf with gold tassels in my altering pile...it was there because it was a summer scarf, but it seemed way too wide and so was a bit hot to wear when it was warm. But I hadn't got around to making it narrower. And with a sunny holiday looming, I needed a kaftan for lobbing over my swimsuit and so I made a different plan...

  

First I folded the scarf in half. To make side seams, I sewed two lines about 20cm in from each outside edge. I left a space of about 30cm at the top to put my arms through.

Then I measured across the top fold to find the middle. I slowly and carefully trimmed a hole to put my head through. Just a slight curve for the back neckline and a not-too-deep V at the front.

 

Then I stitched some gold bias binding on to the wrong side of the neck opening, stitching in the fold as I opened it out. Purchased bias binding makes the process very quick and easy. Before getting back to the start, I stitched the two pieces of bias binding right sides together, so that when I turned it to the front, there would be a neat seam. 

                           So I folded the bias binding over to the front and top-stitched it in place.   

 

And that was it: ready now for some beach weather and holiday fun!

  

                                

                                       From this...

...to this!

  

   

A Madonna costume...

The John-Paul Gaultier cone corsets would have to be one of the most iconic costumes that Madonna has worn. So with a group of us going to the concert and the call out to wear something suitably "Madonna-esque" I decided to take on the challenge.

I didn't start till just a few days before so I spent a fair bit of time thinking about how I'd tackle it. Purchasing the fabric and other bits and pieces didn't take long - it was just a rush of two nights sewing at the end!

But when I went to start, I couldn't get my head around what shape to cut for the "cup" part, so I sacrificed an old bra to get an idea for that. Then I marked circles and with two layers of calico and a layer of the thin wadding between, I stitched like a mad thing around all the circles.

 

Then I had to close up where the V opening was (to make a dart) and bob's your uncle: two cones.

 

I'd bought a super-cheap e-bay corset thingy because I'd originally thought I might sew the parts to it but that idea went by the wayside. What it did give me was an idea of the shapes to cut out. Which I stitched fast and furious to get that quilted look.

  

Then I finished the edges with bias binding and put in a zip to do it up the front. Some heavy ribbon for straps, smaller ribbon and suspender clips, and a few little bows finished it off.

      

The full costume had suit trousers and a jacket for modesty (with a couple of slashes - ha!).

 

And the concert was a blast!

     

Ladybird pin

Scarf - felted, woollen and upcyled!

I love old jumpers: real jumpers made with real wool and perfect for recycling!  I've found that they can take a bit of hunting for, but with a number piling up, I started on my scarf project...

 

Bag: re-using a woollen blanket

I love the old check woollen blankets, and I have been stashing a few. Last week, I discovered that my every-day bag was disintegrating, and new ones that I looked at were so expensive! So I got to, and decided to put one of my old blankets to good use (this one I'd picked up for $2 at an Op Shop in the doggy blanket section).

Photo by Sarah Ryan

So I made a template from my old bag, and cut out two on the bias (diagonally), and two from a contrast fabric for the lining. Then I added an extra piece to make an inside pocket. 

Knee high socks

Can you get away with knee high socks if you're not a schoolgirl? I hope so, as I think they're great!

                                                                             Photo by Sarah Ryan

Take a look at the recent summer 2015 Prada runway shows where they look fantastic with just-to-the-knee length skirts (and the most amazing shoes).

Appliqué scarf

Appliqué:  [Pronunciation: ap-li-kay]   (n.) ornamentation, as a cutout design, that is sewn on to or otherwise applied to a piece of material (Source: OED online. Oxford University Press, March 2015. Web. 17 April 2015)

Now I am a bit of a scarf fan...so making another scarf was inevitable really...

 

 Photo by Sarah Ryan

So....I just happened to buy 50cm of cheesecloth, and 20cm of a white lace fabric.

Metallic magic

I was quite excited about metallics there for a bit, but now there's just a nice warm hum about the highlight and interest they provide in all sorts of different situations.....like...
...in boots...

                                             Photo by Sarah Ryan                                                    Photo by Sarah Ryan

...or to add an accent to an outfit...

                                             Photo by Sarah Ryan                                    Photo by Sarah Ryan

 I love these light fittings...

 

Photo by Sarah Ryan