Glamping

Just some pics, no words needed.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year peeps. New Year brings new projects, fresh starts and clean-ups. This weekend after having abit of a tidy-up in my sewing room where I had been just dumping stuff (including some more lovely braids from mum), I started on some new childen's clothes using a pretty pink cheesecloth and a gorgeous floral jersey knit. I bought the fabric super cheap months ago at Spotlight when they had an extra 50% off their sale prices. I used my favourite Sabine Pollehn pattern for the top (from the book 'Sewing Clothes Kids Love') which never fails to leave me satisfied. For the bottoms I wanted to use a pattern for bloomer type pants I used many times when Maggie was a baby but I'm buggered if I could find the damm thing now so I had to adapt another pattern.

This is where the problem lies. Damm stupid pattern sizing. Does anyone else have problems with pattern sizes? I intended to make size 18 months and I thought they looked abit on the large size when I started to cut, but I'm trying to train myself to do as I am told and follow patterns and instructions properly. Well flippin heck, I should have trusted my judgement as now that they are finished I would say they'd be size 4-5!

I always seem to have this problem with patterns! They are always larger than they say. I even checked the measurement charts and seam allowances and still everything I make is larger than it says it should be. It's so silly billy.

Maybe this year I should not do as I'm told and trust my judgement more. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out though despite the size issue and it's nice to use the trimming I bought from a garage sale in Marrawah. Marrawah of all places, a remote surfy village on the rugged wild west coast of Tasmania where we spend most of our weekends in the summer. It's a gorgeous place, abit like a second home for us. I'll have to remember to show you some pics from our New Years trip.

I hope you all had a jolly Christmas and are full of New Year enthusiasm. What new projects are on your table?

Memories from Home - Good Sensible Shoes

My dad had this little ritual when me and my brother were young when it came to time for new shoes. My dad is abit of (well actually a lot of ) a 'Made in England' man. He would only ever drive Triumph cars, wear Marks and Spencers clothes (when they were still made in blighty) and wear Clarks shoes. Clarks Shoes is and always has been based in Somerset England, although the shoes are now manufactured elsewhere. Famed for designing the iconic desert boot and the wallabee. Their shoes have always had a reputation for quality and good ergonomic design. And this is what my dad liked about them. He considered them to be 'good sensible shoes'.

Clarks Desert Boots

Clarks Wallabees

Although these are now considered pretty darn cool, at the time they certainly were not. Fashion did not sit high on my dads list of priorities when it came to selecting 'good sensible shoes'. I remember sitting with my legs crossed in assembly trying to hide my shoes underneath my skirt so that the cool kids with their cool shoes didn't take the mickey. These are often what we would come home with, called playdecks.

Clarks Playdecks

I remember the sales assistants seemed very stern and important as they approached with their special machine to measure every contour of the foot which was a pretty scary prospect to a seven year old who has ridiculously ticklish feet. Although dad always saw the funny side of my nervous giggles. After buying the shoes we'd go and buy a pasty for lunch which we'd eat out of the bag and then he'd take us to the swimming baths in Street. It became abit of a ritual for us so when dad said that he wanted to take Maggie to buy her a 'good sensible pair of shoes' whilst we were visiting home this year, I felt an overwhelming love for him and the little ritual that we enjoyed together.

It was just as I remembered it, although this lady was very friendly. Thank you Clarks.

Fair Isle

So back to the Isabel Green wardrobe and a Fair Isle tank top to wear over the 1940's dresses. Fair Isle is one of the small islands off Scotland that make up the Shetlands and is where the 'Fair Isle' knitting technique originated. Yes that's right, not only are they responsible for the very cute little ponies, but also the gorgeous geometric knitting pattern. Imagine what a quaint little place it must be, everyone running around in cosy cardies on miniature ponies!

 

I sense that there has been abit of a Fair Isle comeback in the fashion stakes (we often miss these in Tasmania) and I have to say I want to jump right on that band wagon. I'm really loving the whole 1940's wartime look thanks to the Nanny McPhee inspiration.

 

So when Mum said that she wanted to knit something, I was just a little bit thrilled about the prospect of picking my very own Fair Isle cardy or tank top pattern and then she found this amazing website called The Vintage Knitting Lady where you can buy copies of old knitting patterns in pdf format. Mum currently has one on the go for Maggie (the 1st picture) and I can't wait for my turn.

Mum also joked that maybe Kim would like one too. But that really would be way too Sullivans!!!!

Beautiful Braids

My mum (aka Dora the explorer) travels the world and is very interested in textiles, art and design and from time to time brings me back some amazing little gifts. She has recently arrived in Tasmania to spend Christmas with us after travelling around Borneo, the Phillipines, Vietnam and Malaysia. In Vietnam she bought some beautiful braiding which I think is my favourite gift yet. They were bought from a woman in a mountain village in Northern Vietnam. Mum explained how the ladies wore beautifully embroidered bright couloured clothes and would sit at the roadside stitching away passing time. Mum bought me two lengths of just under a metre each. They are actually very old ones which would have been cut off old clothes to sell. Gosh I really treasure things like this. And is it me, or are they abit 'gypsy'?

When she gave them to me I had so many uses in mind; curtain edging, embellishment on a peasant style dress, stick onto the edge of a table which I'm planning to decoupage, but I decided to put them on Maggie's Christmas stocking as I hope this will see out many years. As Christmas decorations often do, only being enjoyed once a year.

I bought the purple velvet a while ago. It was a boring little a-line skirt I bought in Vinnie's but it was the fabric that caught my eye, such a lush purple velvet. And just enough for a stocking. The braid on the top was from Rajasthan in India (where she went last year) and is made from sequins and little beads sewn on to create the little flowers.

It's all been getting abit jolly in the Gale household. Last weekend we scrumped our Christmas tree which is now standing tall, proud and rather tastefully decorated in our lounge. And when I say tall I mean TALL, it's just a squeeny bit over three metres! I also managed to get hold of some of those lovely tacky consatina style metallic decorations that every home in the 1970's adorned over the festive period. I'm finding them quite nostalgic actually.

I've also been really trying hard to embrace Australian Christmas traditions instead of trying to recreate an English Christmas which just never works here and leaves me feeling so disappointed. So I enjoyed making some kiss biscuits and was very happy indeed with my first ever batch. Sorry I can't share them with you but I'm afraid they've all gone already as we mostly gave them away as little gifts for friends.

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas. Happy preparations peeps xxx

An Update on the Isabel Green Dress

I must apoligise for keeping you in suspenders for so long over the Isabel Green dress but to be honest I can still only just bare to bring myself to talk about it. Abit like the cowboys I got myself into a pickle with a couple of weeks ago, but that's a whole other story! For those new to my blog, I'll briefly fill you in. After watching Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang and getting very excited indeed about the costumes and sets, I decided to set myself the impossible task of creating an Isabel Green wardrobe  (she's the main character). Eventhough I accepted that it would be a stupidly difficult task as the costume designer was also responsible for Atonement and Pride and Prejudice.

Anyway, my gorgeous 'hopefully sister-in-law to be' found the perfect Vogue pattern for the dress so I made it my mission to devote an entire 'Stitch n Bitch weekender' to making the dress. I had been warned that Vogue patterns were ridiculously difficult and the pattern had 14 pieces!! But it really was very nice and the closest to the 1940's style that I had seen.

Making the dress was a massive learning experience for me which I have to say I gained a lot from and enjoyed the challenge, but unfortunately when I finished it I realised that the dress was way too big for me. So whilst I was pretty happy with the fact that I had managed to make a really complicated and detailed dress, I could not wear it!

Not to be defeated, I decided to just whip up another one! I did the obligitory half thumb adjustments and was pretty pleased with how easy the second dress was to make. However, I could not believe it when I tried it on and it was still too big! How can this be? I had even measured myself and checked the guide on the pattern. I was so frustrated so out of desperation I just took it to the overlocker and whizzed it in another inch each side, tried to put it on and woops, I couldn't even get it on. It was too small!!!! Ok so I give up, it isn't meant to be.

The Isabel Green wardrobe project has been abit of a 'I don't want to talk about it' subject around here ever since. Until last week that is when I decided it was time to try another pattern. I have had real difficulty finding 1940's style patterns but I liked the look of the little blue and white dress with the collar and gathered sleeves so I thought I'd give it a go and I'm really pleased with the way it's turned out so I took some photos of me wearing it today. The chartreuse coloured fabric with the little white flowers isn't really 1940's style either but I love it. I bought it in the Retro Shop in Bangalow during our road trip and saved it for a dress. I may have gone off on a bit of a tangent with this dress but never mind, it's certainly been inspired by Isabel Green.

But if you can help me out on where to find 1940's patterns, I'd love to hear from you.

More Gypsy Love

Oh my giddy aunt, have you ever seen anything more cute than this? It's a sewing box and is made by Cath Kidston, you can find them here.

I reckon on average I must type gypsy caravan into google at least once a week for a regular fix of all things gypsy and hopefully inspire Mr Gale to build us our very own, but I have never stumbled upon this little beauty before. It's certainly got me thinking, maybe something new for my gypsy range?

I'm even more perplexed though that I didn't find myself with one tucked into a shopping bag on leaving the shop as I did in fact visit the Cath Kidston Marylebone High Street shop during my recent visit to the UK. It was quite a treat as I hadn't gone in search for it. I was there hunting out posh charity shops. Incidentally, I found many posh charity shops and bought the most awesome pair of Zara jeans.

Pssst! Just for the record, Cath Kidston to me is very much like that record that you loved until it was played to death on the radio and you become very bored of it indeed. I guess that makes me a mainstream snob does it? Having said that, I wouldn't be dissappointed if Father Christmas decided to stuff one in my stocking! After all, I have been a good girl:)

Memories from Home - Montecute House

Promise you won't laugh? I know you will though, I would if I were you, but I get this funny feeling when I'm in old country homes. Yes I am about to absorb myself in dillisions of grandeur, so if you want to just look at the gorgeous pictures and ignore the dribble, I fully understand.

 

My mum has always said that I have "ideas above my station" and this just proves it. My friend Delia puts it down to some spiritual sensation suggesting that "maybe in a past life you were an aristocrat or something". I don't know, whatever it is, I just feel comfortable. I can spend hours wandering around the rooms, admiring the antiques, fabrics, furniture and art. The smells of old just make everything so real and strangely familiar. I can really imagine how life would have been back then. I can feel the history, imagine the family sagas and personalities that would have existed there.

I guess we can all dream and maybe that's just it, maybe I have an overactive imagination and have read too many historical romances.

On our visit to the National Trust property Montecute House it was such a beautiful day that we decided not to pay the entrance fee and just hang out in the gardens instead. We spent the whole afternoon strolling around the gardens, looking at the beautiful flowers, playing chase, watching the fish in the pond, waiting just waiting for Mr Darcy. See that's another thing, being a complete romantic means that I really do believe in knights in shinning armour who whisk woman away to a happy fullfilled life.

Mr Darcy didn't arrive that day but I am pleased that Mr Darcy has since revved into Delia's life, albeit on a bright shiny motorbike.

My Creative Space

Do you ever get sewers block? I usually get it when I'm a little bit under pressure to perform, rendering me not entirely unable to sew, but just unmotivated to sew what I should be getting into, wishing instead to work on one of the other many projects I have on the go. You see time is ticking by and I want to make some chrismassy things for our forthcoming market, but I'm just not in the mood yet for christmas. So instead I made these lovely bright needlecases. I've been meaning to make these for a while to go with my pin cushions. A lovely little gift together don't you think.

But what I should really be making is some cute little birds but they just aren't turning out how I hoped. Still more design work needed. Hopefully I'll manage to sort it out over the next couple of weeks. How about you, got any lovely christmas projects on the go.

On a more positive note, last week I managed to make two loose covers for the gorgeous old armchairs I bought in Vinnies last year. It ended up being one of those projects which you think would take ages but in fact was relatively quick and painless. Don't we just love it when that happens. Hope your projects are going swimmingly.

To Market To Market

Sarah, Michelle and Me - Trashy housewife theme market

It's been so long since I mentioned our little market the 'Made With Love Bazaar' and I actually have a very big reason to mention it now as we will celebrating our first year of success at our next market in November. It can't believe it's been one year since we decided to stop talking about it and do it!

rockMYroll

rockMYroll

Crooked Stitch

I first met Michelle when we were at an antenatal group. We were the 'naughty' ones who got the giggles during the birthing video, talked about sewing when we should have been discussing birth plans and left the group feeling pleased we'd met each other but not really knowing much about what we were about to experience in child birth!

Adore U

Angie Freeman Mosiacs

Baby Boudoir

Baby Boudoir

Baby Boudoir

During the months that followed it wasn't just our babies that were born but a plan to start some kind of co-op/market to sell locally handmade products. Michelle was heavily involved with the local art scene and therefore had many contacts, a suitable venue and was ultimately the one that was brave enough to run with it.

Baby Boudoir

Buttercup Cakes

We were also eagerly encouraged by the other 'stitch n bitch' girls who were excited about becoming involved in a community based handmade market. And thank goodness for Sarah, who managed to organise all our chaos. So it was with nervous anticipation that we all set up for our first market, hoping and praying that enough people would come along to make it a success.

Clever Zebra Designs

Grace of Autumn

Grace of Autumn

Having a Hoot

Lisaloo

The community has really embraced our market and we are so appreciative of them, especially our 'regulars'. We have also been blown away by the amount of talented artisans on the North West coast of Tasmania wanting to become involved, it is just amazing it really is.

Pure Sense

Turning Trixie

Sweet Mia

Last week I saw a friend in town, a friend that is very supportive of local artisans and has been supportive of our market and she said "you know you guys should be so proud of yourselves and what you've achieved, everyone talks about the market and how brilliant it is". Thanks Alison, we are and it was lovely of you to remind us. Thanks also to everyone that is or has been involved; shoppers, stall holders, Naomi our photographer, the Advocate Newspaper, SeaFM radio, buskers you've all been awesome and we couldn't have done it without each other. Cheers all and here's to another year of fun and dress-ups. Come along and experience the LOVE: Artscape Building, 45 Jackson Street, Wynyard, Tasmania every second Saturday of the month between 9am - 1pm.

Third Vine