new business cards

cut. stamped. typed. 

stubborn typewriter means a 

 tired right index finger. 

15 is enough

come at me, world.

pheasant blouse

Last summer, I found a curtain in an op shop in ashfield. 

Old, sun worn and faded it was beautiful.

atrocious mix of colours, yet intriguing composition of pheasant birds amongst roses.

i had to have it.

and for only $2, why wouldn't you!?

so it has sat in my parents house all year, waiting to be reborn into a pair of summer shorts or a sweet shift dress.

Last week, on my way home from work, i had a sudden burst of inspiration and got home and whipped up this little bitty. I had a 21st to go to that night (happy birthday yorky!!) so i quickly cut it out and sewed it up, so it is pretty poorly sewn to be honest, but it works! and the pheasant fabric is born again!! hurrah!!

Because I was sewing in such a rush, I cut out two fronts, and when I sewed the darts in the front, it became shorter so i decided i would go with it, so it is abit of a mullet top. 

i like it. its abit fun. 

then with the offcuts i wrapped up christmas presents for my sisters, 

who needs sticky tape after all?!

merry christmas friends 

xxx

Marimekko

This summer i got a job at finnish textile, fashion and homeware designer and makers Marimekko.

Best summer retail job I could ever ask for! 

As well as selling all their sweet clothes, cushions, kids wear and homewares we also sell their screenprinted fabrics by the metre all still printed by hand and designed in Finland!!

It was only a matter of time that I bought some and made a sweet top! so first up is Maija Isola's 1960 print!!

Just a simple shift top, with bias binding to finish the neckline and arm holes

I thought i might continue the curves in the design and do a curved hem. Which also helped with shaping...

Ze finished top! Something fun to wear to work now too!! hurrah! 

the arrival of the stamp

 The other day I registered my business name "the rag venture" eeeeee!!! how exciting!!!

so i ordered a rubber stamp :)

 and stamped my little heart out

these are some little laser cut badges I made with the excess felt from those boxes I made that time..

they are pretty sweet, one of those little bits could be yours for $10! bargain...

oh and I thought you might like to see a little bit of joy collected from a bike ride I went on with my dear friend Laura, flower picking on the bike path around Lake Burley Griffin, we stumbled upon some beautiful purple poppies! 

nature is a sweet sweet thing 

xxx

An apron I made for a friend in ceramics at art school, 

box pleat down the centre from the waist for sitting at the pottery wheel, 

velcro detachable towels x3 pairs

and a handy pocket for his tools!

won't be this colour for too much longer..!

assessment

Today was my final second year assessment for textiles

 my fabric swatch books

 Pyjama's with my print for my sisters for christmas, sneak preview sissy's!!

my first two colour print for the semester 

extra work- my scarves and other bits and pieces

 

DONE 

hurrah!

xxx

a leaf necklace for the rainy day

better out than in i always say

the stitched up box

remember that cardboard prototype a few weeks/months ago? 

well now it is an accomplished little felt box!

Designed by myself in design class 

Lasercut by Ponoko Manufacturers in New Zealand

Stitched up by meeeeeee

It arrived as these two sheets of felt.

they needed a good wash because the laster burnt the edges and they stunk of burnt hair, which was awful! So I got out my old toothbrush and gave each of their edges a good scrub! 

Which was mostly a good idea, cause now they don't smell...buttt the green felt shrunk a tiny little bit more than the grey felt, which has warped the shape of my box a little. oh well! thats materiality for you! I'm all for abit of spontaneity!

With this amount of felt, I was able to fit in two boxes and 9 sweet animal brooches

In the process of making those little sweet ones at the moment, so i'll show you all in a tick!

The sewing process begins! 

stitching with a strong cotton twine like string

The finished box!! 

with a handy little needle holder at the end 

yay!

caroline

This is my sweet Caroline.

sporting a delightful shibori pleated and hand dyed silk headband,

I made this one in my bio-mimicry idea development class, the pleats and colour graduation are my interpretation and translation of the veins and grains that are seen in seedpods, and nature in general.

Thanks arocay for being a mystical model

and to nature, for being such an intriguing source of inspiration

until next time

xxx

pine needle collar and banksia leaf epaulettes

some work i made for my idea development class

exploring the ideas of scale, carapace and armoury

thanks to the delightful kirby, and the sunny national botanic gardens

there were so many lizards out to play today! this one hung around for a few minutes to have his photo taken! what a stunner!