Last

When I go back to England, I'm going to visit the shop Last, in Brighton. It focuses on bespoke shoes and interesting designers who create individual and ecclectic shoes, hosiery and jewellery.It will satisfy so many feelings in me at once, I won't be able to cope.
My baggage allowance will be well over.And my bank account will be empty.But my feet will be happy.
My inner girly girl will be happy.
And really, isn't that all that matters?

(http://lastfootwear.com/index.php)

Pin me up

If I were a musician, I'd write a song called
"You turn my blue eyes green".
(http://www.cozyjosie.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/pin-up-002.bmp)

And then wail and wallow, wearing my red stockings with printed clouds on them, my high heels from Milan and a vintage dress... But where are they?(http://www.poster.net/ballantyne-joyce/ballantyne-joyce-pin-up-girl-with-cowboy-hat-1185818.jpg)

And then I'd surround myself with flowers like this:

(http://www.pointvista.com/WW2GliderPilots/Yank2July1944/Yank2July1944PinupGirl.jpg)

Following that, I'll fix a car:

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRGO0r8Y0YJIltDUscA26jRRbjBBRqdQJFy7vZu7EbIPnCxldCbzWw3B0StYtq_0Z3Jy5OM6UMele7wkM0xNtAs0LcaGx3hcbQERDlou9qm2P9xWFoyVJKS0DJMVlVz_L4AXAX2sJWG7Ni/)

But the Car still won't start, so I'll have to ride my bike:
(http://keenanevans.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/velorution-vintage-poster-pin-up-girl.jpg)

Finally, I'll arrive at my destination, where it's a tad windy:
(http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/5300000/Pin-Up-Girl-pin-up-girls-5378658-1024-768.jpg)

So I'll go home to do a few chores:
(http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/5300000/Pin-Up-Girl-pin-up-girls-5378658-1024-768.jpg)

Then I'll get ready for bed:(http://threedameswithaclue.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/1950s-pin-up-girl.jpg)

And snuggle in after a long day.(http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_430xN.77287630.jpg)

Look Closer

(http://designerplanet.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/kirkwood-alice-in-wonderland.jpg)

(http://www.hautfashion.com/files/media/lily-cole-solve-sundsbo-02.jpg)

(http://www.sassisamblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Chloe_HB_Russia_03.jpg)

(http://www.catwalkqueen.tv/alice.jpg)

(http://stardustandsequins.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/juliafullertonbatten1.png)

(http://www.shoppingblog.com/pics/dcp_flash_mob_alice_in_wonderland_0909.jpg)

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJi1diagInEOI6ZWBB9hBj6EAV5d7TqD93yjEIZKKEe-LQMQJ9Zek0IMT02E2lOzTPw_ba21JyO9XNi9bSE31eQ0os3H1qWXeseVe0zzCW-tIdbrF50nuu77_TOSQgCKFvblCxRkz3phmf/s400/alice.jpg)


http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00051/hardwick1_51338s.jpg

(http://www.ameliasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/house-of-blueeyes.jpg)

(http://kathleenandthedreadedopium.com/alicemagazine/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/il_430xN.124387847.gif)

(http://api.ning.com/files/K3xbeRDM*iITN0oOAiilHrTzufRnxPyA2Pfd1dCxNdD7KaJOmIOjnJmNFM1QqRbjyNegiMF1Alcvm49*kFf7QbS6zh5h2fp4/02.jpg)

Alba Varden

I feel like I am caught in some kind of cyclical universe where in the end, everything is linked and is trying to tell me something. Fate, for some unknown reason I plan on asking her about one day, is working in my favour. And Alice has something to do with it.
First, after finding Alice Through the Looking Glass sitting next to my computer and reading it, I decided it would make a fabulous theme for my impending graduate collection. All the warped riddles and tricks of the language intrigue and humour me in a very inspiring and back-to-front way.
Then I came across the Alice in Wonderland Art U Wear competition. Making the dress for that resulted in my realisation that costume design was meant for me.
Discussing this realisation with my professor made him consider me when approached by a director of a video clip, looking for someone to style the costumes.
Looking up this band, Alba Varden (which happens to be a German name, Germany being where I spent a large portion of last year living), I discovered their debut EP, from which the single I am costume designing for, Soul Digger, comes is called... Down The Rabbit Hole.

(http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alba-Varden/308775050469#!/photo.php?pid=5039267&id=308775050469)

IS THIS A COINCIDENCE??????
Or is the fact I am turning into a Mad Hatter causing me to try and link things that actually have nothing to do with each other?
Either way, I am mighty excited about it all.

Off we go. Down the rabbit hole.

(http://curiousnonsense.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/down_the_rabbit_hole4.jpg)

Floral Fantasy

Lust of the day: Emersonmade.

(In a world where picnics with ducklings is mandatory)

This woman inspires me to wear oversized flowers everywhere and to dress up and be just a bit girly more often.

(And shopping is a feast for the senses)

I would not be surprised if giant blooms made a strong feature in any designs I produce from now on for a bit.

(Where daily chores are glamorous)

And aren't her photos just divine?!

(A world where a duck and a book mark the perfect night in)

(And Elvis is far more prominent)

(http://emersonmade.com/)

Congratulations

Just a bit of self praise. And to prove to myself that there was a reason I spent my 2 week 'holiday' off uni locked in the house with my sewing machine.
Congratulations to Rhiannon Gray, and yours truly, as we have both been named finalists in the Art U Wear Alice in Wonderland competition!
Our designs look forward to seeing you all at the Brisbane Textile Arts exhibition in June.

Here is Rhiannon's gorgeous take on the Alice in Wonderland theme:

(http://globaltextilefusion.blogspot.com/)

Tea & Symathy

Entered another competition on Friday. Don't worry, I'd already made the garment for this one. In fact, it wasn't too hard for me to fulfil the criteria for it- the outfit had to be at least 50% recycled, and considering most of the materials I use are pre-loved, it was just a matter of which look to use.

I decided on the outfit I designed and constructed for my major work whilst studying abroad in Hannover, Germany. Our brief was to design and style a portrait shoot. Being a little nostalgic these days, I decided to create a vintage style world.

Sourcing fabrics where I was living was not an easy task. But I did enjoy frequenting the Flea Markets, so managed to pick up and old jaquard woven table cloth. Meanwhile, I had everyone I knew drinking tea so that I could use their tea bags...

I dyed the table cloth to try and resemble a used tea bag, with creases from the folding, and had tea bags drying on every flat surface in my apartment. I actually think the land lady totally freaked out and threatened to kick us out (a scary conversation when spoken in German) because she found them all up in the attic laid out to dry.

Every vintage lady (in my mind) has a gorgeous parasol to accompany her, and so I bought a cheap umbrella, ripped the fabric off, and made a new one from the tea bags. I sourced a crocheted lace scarf from an Op Shop in Stockholm (a worldly outfit), which fit perfectly.

"Oh, are we doing a little craft project"- my flat mate didn't quite understand the intricate workings of a wearable artists's mind, but the umbrella was a success in broadening my scope of design.

Despite the fact it doesn't fit amazingly well, and I broke my friend and photographer's camera half way through the shoot, I survived the land lady and I think the portraits turned out OK.

Tea & Sympathy.

(With the gorgeously talented, Spanish wunderkind, and photographer extraordinaire of all these images, Gabriel Seijo Leiro)

It's kind of like a patchwork of memories from my time in Europe.

But wearable.

Music to your sleeves?

Imagine wearing a fabric that can play music. Literally, the very essence of the fibre contains songs that, under the right circumstances, will sing and warble a mixed up version of what they were written as.
This idea excites me so much, I just want to run out and revolutionise the world with it.

Alyce Santoro has created what she describes as Sonic Fabric- woven from the tape from old cassettes. The way she developed the idea is beautiful- borrowing the idea of Buddhist prayer flags which print symbols representing sounds such as "Om" on them. She wanted to be able to do something similar with her favourite sounds- more along the lines of The Beatles and Beethoven. When knitting the tape created very large loops, she wove it on a loom instead.

From this Sonic Fabric, she discovered that through altering a simple cassette player, she was able to in fact play the fabric. While it doesn't sound anything like the original songs, I kind of like the distorted sound it instead produces.

Alyce has started to produce products from the Sonic Fabric, such as these ties combining 50% cassette tape with 50% fibre.
(http://supermarkethq.com/product/recycled-cassette-tape-thin-necktie-3)

get yer kit out

From my excessive listening of Triple J, I heard on the Doctor's show yesterday a bloke call up from RMIT University in Melbourne. Today, a group of people are all getting together to promote Fair Trade.
How are they doing it?By having as many people as possible walk down the main street wearing nothing but Fair Trade undies.

Autumn is into its swing, so this is one chilly movement, but good on them, I say.
If I were in Melbourne I'd be right along side them.

Pants to Poverty is an exercise by Etiko to provide ethical and sustainable underwear that doesn't compromise on spunkiness.

"The power is in your pants"
That's right. So go on. Show us your knickers.


http://www.etiko.com.au/www/626/1001127/displayproductcategory/1010639.html

Musings

I've got a muse. FINALLY!
I wanted someone who was feminine, beautiful but not conventional, and who experimented with how they dressed.
I discovered Lou Dillon. The daughter of Jane Birkin; a rebel, model, actress and someone who is not afraid to dress up and have a bit of fun.
There are many images to convey her image and style in accordance with being my muse, however a film collaboration between her and Vanessa Bruno is gorgeous in its mood.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGNDGLrfQbM)

Curiouser and curiouser

I am in the process of running some kind of circus. It's a one-woman show, but I bet it's entertaining. The story line?

Oh, only my slow demise into insanity.

For those of you unaware (which at the moment I am fairly sure includes no one that reads this), I am a final year fashion and textile design student.

By December, I will have (hopefully) a 6-piece collection fully made and walking down a catwalk.

And yet somehow I manage to think I need to take on more.
Never say No...yes?

Competitions. I love entering them, as they give me some kind of satisfaction. Having your work accepted by someone other than your family (well, my family are very open with their critiques, and will more often than not tell me when something doesn't work), and in some cases paraded in front of many people you don't know, makes me feel like I'm a part of a network. My competition is no longer just myself, but a whole gaggle of other frantic home sewers. And let's face it, in a world where consumerism pumps out thousands of garments a second, where else would wearable art creations manage a stage?

Searching the net 3 weeks ago, my friend and I came across a competition that looked like it had been designed purely for me. Alice in Wonderland themed, Art U Wear. Brilliant.

Not quite so brilliant was the due date, 3 weeks from when I came across the comp. No worries, I told myself, You can do it.

What followed was a two week insight into what the next 6 months of my life are going to be like.

Social Life? Nil.

Eye sight? Poor.

Ventures outside my house? Are you kidding? See this handcuff? Yeah it joins me and the sewing machine you're looking at.

And what an emotional roller coaster.

First, the colours didn't dye as I wanted.

Then, the design stopped working for me.

The skirt took days to stitch together. And then the small patchwork pieces would fray and come apart from each other.

My dog found it nice to sleep on.

And about 1.2km of thread were used up. A few more kilometres were covered every time I ran out of thread and had to run to the shops to buy more.

But somehow, I still don't know how, I came out the other end, a dress in hand looking nothing like I'd planned, but a dress all the same.

What I also came out with was a realisation...

I actually love doing this stuff.

I got an email today from a lady who edits a textile magazine. In it she asked me to enter another competition.

And you know what?

I think I will.

The show must go on.