a make a day keeps the doctor away

Or keeps me happy at least.

It started out like this, a regular guys shirt.


Then I took it in, made it smaller and gave it a more femenine shape, cut of the sleeves and attached them to the bottom to ruffle it up and make it into more of a dress. Oh and added my favourite detailing du jour, the rolling-up-sleeve-strap-button thing.


Accessorised of course, with one of my tie-belts. (I have no idea why the picture is so small)

The sleeves into ruffle worked out better that I had imagined, I think I'll be on the look out for a couple more mens shirts to make some more. Along with this, I've been working my way through my alterations to-do list, which means this pink dress and this blue dress now fit me and are no longer lying redundant in my wardrobe. (The blue one is also minus the marks by the way!)

Oh and yesterday I found this in a charity shop, for the princely sum of 50p.

You might wonder why I should want such a thing when I have a fully functioning, fabulous regular sewing machine. Well, I thought it would be useful for akward bits of sewing, where you can't quite get the piece to like flat or something like that, and for when I make things like my shu-boots. I haven't got the right batteries for it yet, so I hope it works! And lets not forget, this is as seen on tv! Err..in 1976 that is.

revamping

On Sunday I went to drop off the results of about a months work for reVamp. I posted about reVamp here a while ago, but to explain more about it, here's a quote from the press release:

"Cancer Research UK has joined forces with reVamp, the eco-couture designers, to launch an exclusive collection of clothing and accessories recycled from stock donated to Cancer Research UK shops.

reVamp’s collection, on sale in May, showcases the best in established and emerging design talent from across the UK. The collection will be available to buy at the Marylebone High Street Cancer Research UK shop in London, and online at the Cancer Research UK eBay store. "

So as I said in the previous post, Eric came and modelled the pieces I made, and here are some pics:
(I posted the "before" pics in this post)




We had to choose one piece to be shown at the launch, which is going to be on Thursday, so I've chosen the silver skirt with one of my tie-belts. I'm so excited for the launch, if it weren't raining and there wasn't studying to be done I'd be out skipping or dancing or some sort of celebratory bopping.

Tie-belts are something I started making about a year ago, to sell on my stall/etsy with my other recycled jewellery and accessories. As you can probably tell from this blog I'm quite the charity shop lurker, and I always used to see loads of ties in charity shops, so I dedided to make use of them. The cool part is that the way I make them, they can be fastened in different ways so that you can wear it around the waist, on the hip, in your hair...or anywhere else! So when I went to collect materials from Cancer Research I scooped up a stash of ties and here's what they look like now...





Now I just got to figure out that constant question, what to wear to the launch...

ReVamp

Last Summer I was invited to participate in a new social enterprise which was being created, ReVamp, which was being formed to promote aspiring designers and artists who provide a sustainable, ecological alternative to high street fashion. The aim was to build a designer collective to produce recyled, reconstructed and revamped items of clothing/accessories from pre-used materials donated to charity shops, which would then get sold in the charity shops. (Cancer Research UK charity shops). Obviously, this was a perfect opportunity for me and a very exciting one too. Aaaand, a few months down the line, things are taking off. A couple of days ago I went to rummage through a room of materials, a treasure hunt through unwanted garments in need of a facelift. It was so exciting really! From a quick glance at this blog, it's probably quite obvious I adore charity shops, for getting materials for making my recycled/reconstructed things and for getting bargain oufits. So indeed it's right up my street, and I'm very very excited to get started.
I got loads of ties to be transformed into tie-belts...

..a few shirts/dresses to be transformed into things which will be revealed here soon..

and some pair-less single earrings,buttons and brooches to adorn them..

So today I'm on a mass laundering/ironing mission getting everything ready to be re-made.

http://www.revampfashion.co.uk/

*EXCITED*

to-do list

Ok so this week is 'reading week' meaning a week off uni to read loads and study and do work etc etc. Uhhh yeah. I always get so excited before any break from uni, thinking I'm gonna do so much stuff, finally get time to make this, do this project etc etc, and then the time flies by and nothing gets done. This time I'm feeling kinda evil and thinking I should devote my time entirely to my makings rather than uni work...or rather cram everything I absolutely have to do into the sunday before I go back.
Who wins, you decide.

Anyways I've always got loads of mental and post-it lists of things I want to make but since I'm so forgetful and theres like 8 million other things to do aswell, I tend to forget them. So I decided to keep a list here and hopefully actually get some done. This is the week I'm making the costumes for eric's film so I'm not sure if I'll actually do any of these but it's so great to actually be making rather than studying. Here is a sneak-peak, the sleeve of the witch's costume.


First up, I've been meaning to make something out of this old jumper of my mum's for aaages.
Looks pretty dull huh. Well I wanna combine it with this pillow cover fabric (charity shop),

which I also used ages ago to cover my desk chair...I just noticed the saw on the floor on the left...lol...I'm not sure why thats there...can't remember what I was using it for..

Anyhow, I did plan to cut off the sleeves, take it in, use the sleeve fabric to make a collar, add the pillow fabric to the bottom to make it longer, and make it into a side opening jumper-dress with nice brown buttons. Since then I've been thinking to make into something a bit....simpler I guess...more vestatile..with a different shape. These bad scribbles kinda illustrate what I mean, ish.


Next, I wanna (get the marks out and then) take in this dress of my grandma's so it'll fit me. (Actually I got quite a few of my grandma's dresses I want to alter but this is top of the list for now)


I've also got an abundance of ties waiting to be made into tie-belts.

And I've still got the shirts and the dresses from Traid to alter.

Tights. I'm getting really excited and inspired with everyones tights experimentation here here and here and elsewhere which I can't think of right now. I particularly like the ones inspired by these and since I'm love with tights after suddenly getting over being uncomfortable wearing skirts, I so wanna get doodling on the tights. But I can't decide what!! Any thoughts anyone? I was thinking to ask my friend Jen to draw some of her designs on some for me which would look fab I reckon. But I also wana have a go myself...so heres thinking...


I really gotta burn a cd for my friend Shadi, I've been meaning to do it for aaages since the last one I made got lost in the post. Stupid post. Will deffo get around to this one tc.

Oh and I've been dreaming in a skirt resembling something like these. Massively. Yum yum yum. Want want want. So IF I get any time I think this'll be top of the list.


Lastly, I'd just like to share with you this insanely large dessert I ate today. I was getting lunch with my dad and bro, and they decided to have dessert so I thought I will too, and I thought, No, I won't get this dark and white chocolate truffle cheescake on a chocolate cookie base, no that will just be super rich and way too over indulgent. No, I'll get this Italian apple crumble, fruity and not so over the top right?
Uhhh wrong! It's the size of a frying pan!! Needless to say I didn't eat it all yet I'm still feeling super full. Groan.

return of the scissors

My scissors have escaped. This latest tie-belt sees a return to my obsessive scissor embroidery.

The scissors originally emerged on this jumper, possibly the most labour intensive and time consuming clothing revamp ever. It accompanied me on the tube for about 2 months. With over 80 scissors, and each taking 30 minutes each, that makes something like a week long all day all night mission...if you did it all at once.

exhausted

Tired but happy. Here are some pics of my stall today at the eco design fair. It was probably the best stall day I've had, in terms of selling, and in terms of how the stall appearance...it improves every time..still needs some work, i want it to be more coordinated somewhat. But having hardly slept or ate this week preparing for this and excess uni work I'm so exhausted but content :)





my latest creation, tie-belts were one of the most popular items...


Also I was next door to a lovely, lovely couple I know from previous fairs. They sell scarves made from Alpaca wool, and balls of wool to knit yourself. Alpaca is an animal somewhat similar to a llama, and their wool is super soft, much softer than sheep wool. Their product is really unique and I'd really recommend anyone who knits to check them out. Or anyone who likes knitwear! They are changing website, I'm not sure which one they're mainly using at the moment so I'll put both
www.butterflyalpaca.co.uk/idea.php
www.ermeling.co.uk/



Plus lots of other fab and exciting designers and creations, a good day all in all.