Burdastyle Vintage Dress 05/2012

I finally got around to getting a friend to take some sneaky piccies for me.

   

This is as the title suggest, is burdastyles Vintage Dress 05/2012 pattern.

Ever since they released it i knew i would have to make it. Originally i was hoping to draft a different dress for the wedding, as i wrote about many posts ago. Unfortunately, that was a bit ambitious and so this dress was choose.

 

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The fabric is poly crepe and was $3.50 a metre from emgreenfields. Woo! Fully lined with silk also bought from there. I originally bought 6m of the crepe as i planned to drape the dress. Lots of left overs now....

 

I made the dress completely at my grandmothers house, and if i wasnt over seas i would put up some pretty pictures of her house and awesome sewing machine. For a later date i guess.

 

I made this in the two days leading up to the wedding (that i made the wedding dress for) and was pretty much finishing it as i was going there haha. I really wasnt feeling overly sewy before the wedding, seeing as id spent months making the wedding dress. I also made a matching fascinator as well, which i decided i didnt really like and then made a new headpiece to wear with the dress te next time i wore it. (my original one can be found now here on etsy ;-)

 

I made a toile for this dress, and didnt make too many changes. Should have bought up the bust darts i realised when i finished the final one, but oh well, i think thats something only i will ever notice. I used my own skirt block for the skirt, as it takes too many bum alterations to make a fitted skirt fit. I also should have moved the shoulder seam back about 3cm, but once again oh well, its not a end of the world thing.

 

Didnt really enjoy the instructions on the pattern....no pictures, and so much of it made ver little sense to me. I mean to be honest it was pretty straight forward, however i didnt find one seam that didnt match up on the pattern at all, and that was the side seams for the bodice? what the hell!! i thought i had cut it incorrectly but i went back to the pattern and was like right..... anywho, there is very much a chance that somehow that was my error somewhere along the line....but id like to think maybe not :p

 

I really like this dress in the end, and i think i will make it again at somepoint. The only thing is, it very much does need little clips to hold it to the bra, otherwise it slips off the shoulders, but i guess thats to be expected.

 

Pictures of the wedding dress will come along eventually, but at the moment i dont really want to post my amateur ones, as im still waiting on the professional ones, and id really like to use those instead of my shitty ones!!

 

photographer and travell companion

 

Anywho, im totally in sinagpore atm!! wooo, go to tokyo in 2 days!! will post with some pictures of all the prettiness that is seen over there.

 

Until then, i hope everyone is enjoying the festive season!

Kinetic Fashion Parade - dissonance

Saturday was the Canberra Institute of Technology's Graduating Fashion Parade.

All photos are Copyright of D'eye Photography

I modeled for a girl called Netti Clarke, and her label 'Dissonance'

Her collection was inspired by a piece of music (sorry I am not sure which one), and it was about creating anxiety for the audience. Each look was inspired by a section of the music and the mood that it created, and then translated into her clothings through shapes, fabric, and space.

All photos are Copyright of D'eye Photography

All photos are Copyright of D'eye Photography

All photos are Copyright of D'eye Photography

The look I wore included a magenta leather jacket/neckpiece which was made using techniques in Takomo Nakamichi's pattern magic, as well as the top which was based around 'wearing a circle'. The pants were tight fitting and were made from upholstry fabric, so had the plastic like backing on the inside.

We were the first group to start off the parade, and I came out second. SCRAY!

All 6 looks from the collection as we came out together are shown above

All photos are Copyright of D'eye Photography

We had makeup from 8:30am, hair at 2pm, inbetween promoting the parade, and from 4pm makeup touch ups and rehersals, and the parade opening at 7:30pm! Oh and then the afterparty of course...wooo! One long day!

Below is the collection from a girls collection called 'Reading Clare'

She used canvas, reflective light film and carbon fibre in her collection.

I assisted her in machining, fitting her models, and did the pattern making for the shoulder piece on the 3rd model. It was a lot of fun, and I am really glad that I got to assist her and was able to play with some materials and techniques I had not used before.

I will upload pictures shortly of the construction methods and a better close up.

All photos are Copyright of D'eye Photography

Mitch Thompson created a collection for his label 'Perpetually Five' it was a really fun collection playing with mens wear and using childrens drawings as inspiration and for the print of his fabrics. It would have been a lot of fun modelling for him, if he wanted a tom boy model I would have been all over that! 

All photos are Copyright of D'eye Photography

Jade Sargent with her label SOVATA, a girl who I was studying Millinery with all this year created the above collection. She created a zero waste pattern making method where she wraped strips of fabric around 3D patterns she made. Her final millinery pieces were amazing and I couldn't stop looking at them. They were really incredible and her collection was meant to be a unique racewear collection.

All photos are Copyright of D'eye Photography

Above is a picture of the finale were we all walked out.

Hope you enjoyed some of these pictures! It was a truley fun day and it's always a pleasure to see what they come up with. Seriously the best bit about mdoeling and also being a seamstress, I get to see everything up close and find out how they made everything.

The best!!

Design friends and how to get them to get you places!

Last week I had my interview at the South Australia College of the Arts, for a Diploma in Costume for Performance.

A friend of my who is an architect offered to help me re-do my portfolio, real design student style

Cover of my portfolio, laser cut heading and all bound and then stiched with a baseball stitch

 

After explain to him I currently had a larger than A2 portfolio, he offered to assist me in redoing it on the computer using illustrator and photoshop.

 

It took a while (well not as long as it take to glue and make an A2 one look pretty). And the end results were pretty awesome.

It also meant I got to learn about some programms I haven't ever used before

We had to include some mood boards in our portfolios (kinda strange I thoguht), these two are my 'Embellishment & Craftsmanship' and 'Fantasy & Costume' boards.

 

What I had never really though about before when it came to my portfolio was that, did it ever say in the criteria you had to have all your design process documented as well? No....I did just assume you needed to put that in there. Which is annoying.

 

But this portfolio is just images of the completed projects. Which I actually really like. I mean I clearly made them, and if I am showing you my portfolio I am going to explain to you how and why.

The Flower Maiden

 

He helped set up templates for the project pages, and for the mood board pages, so everything in the portfolio flows seemlessly and is totally awesomely formatted.

I had my interview with two ladies, and it was the most relaxed interview for a course I have ever been too. I have done 3 fashion interviews and an interview for a textiles course, and they were all kinda horrific experiences. This one was so great they told me to come back next year and they wanted to keep my portfolio to show!

So here's a couple of pages, my favorite ones. Me thinks everyone should hook themselves up with a computer based design friend. They prove oh so handy!

Lolita Inspired

Oh and the best bit, because he teaches at the uni here, we went to the workroom and used the printing, and laser cutter. My friend who studies there says she has to pay $2 min for laser cutting....
hehehe

Turning Japanese, Akihabara Majokko Princess and Misato Katsuragi

 

My Ruffles Logo Laser cut into the back cover :)

So in conclusion, next year I will be moving to RADELAIDE! yay!! I go to Melbourne to leave for Japan next friday, and in the mean time I'm working EVERY day. So it's kinda making packing, both boxes, and bags, a little difficult! Still have to find a removalist....eeeep!!

Hope all your holiday plans are coming along dandy =^__^=

Pencil Skirt Project & First Outfit Post!

SO JAPAN RIGHT

I have been planning a my winter wardrobe for my adventure over to Japan over the holiday period.

I have decided knits are the way to go, small, comfy, can be stylish, and mainly, dont need ironing!!!

So this is my first piece that I have made. First fitted skirt I have ever made myself.

I found a skirt in Witchery I quite liked...however it was just a very heavy stretch fabric and literally a tube (or 'knit pencil skirt' as they liked to call it). I know for a fact that something with no shape around the backside will not fit my sway back at all. I sometimes wish I had never learnt about fitting, so I could wear clothes and be completely nieve to the fact they dont fit where they should....

Witchery Skirt $49.95

I was determined to make one myself because even though it was then reduced by a further 20%....i still didnt want to pay that much... haha im stingy!

I made my skirt from a red pointe....not sure the fabric content...It was a remanent, so only cost me $7.30 for the meter!! Then $2.50 for the elastic. Thank you $10 skirt!!! I was a bit hesitant about the bright red at first....but there is always room for red in my wardrobe to be honest.

I made the skirt by drafting up something prettty simple with my measurements which I was at my grandma's house in Radelaide. After that I cut it out, ended up adding a seam down the centre back, which the Witchery one actually had as well. Although I dont understand why, because there was no shaping at all, and that's why I added one in mine.

I then literally just sewed it on my gandmas machine until it fit well, then top stitched the three edges and did the elastic and hem.

 

Now that I have this I will be able to make many more and use this skirt as a template. Think Ill make another soon.

 

This skirt makes me happy because it goes so well with my Dita Cardi, which, until now I have really had nothing bomshell worthy enough to wear it with and so have considered selling it on ebay....

NOT ANYMORE! Wooo

 I actually tried on another skirt in Witchery, which unfortunately I can't find a photo for which was a jersey skirt which I think I will try and drape....it won't be hard, but finding the time might be!

 

I'm not going to lie, it's taken me a while to do any outfit posts for 2 reasons.

1: too self concious, feel like a nob proclaiming i have great dress sense

2: no one to take nice enough photo's to warrant bothering

 

 

Outfit Summary

Top: Wheels and Dollbaby Dita Von Tease Cardi

Skirt: Made by me

Belt: Op shop find!

Shoes: Gorman

Socks: Cute little sock shop in the city

 

Pretty in Packaging (Bodyline order)

So...yes been very absent lately...Sorry!!

Thought i'd just share something small, but totally made my day (although the last two days have already been super good!)

Just got back from Adelaide where yesterday I had an interview with the Adelaide College of the Arts for their Diploma of Costume for performance....More about that later ;-) but lets just say it went really REALLY well!!

I came home and I had a package from Japan, a Bodyline order which included a pretty dress (quite pink tho....might have to do something about that) and a pretty cutsew top :)

pretty or what?!?!?!

Last time i was in adelaide....which I also need to post about, a girl i meet working at a second hand lolita store told me to join the Adelaide lolita facebook group....and so i did. I cannot wait to dress up and meet new people ^__^ i also bought a $29 bodyline skirt from there which is very cute and then jumped on there website! The two pieces i got including postage ($10) were $90 in total! How good is that? and both fit!!!! And both are decent fabric too!!


anywho! check it out for pretty things....i will post again soon ^__^!!

a super quick sneaky peak

Ahhh....soooo busy. I'm down in Radelaide at the moment, and the wedding is tomorrow....i've been slaving away getting a few things done.

Last night I made up a toile for my dress. Not much to change there thankfully! Yay! That is thanks to me using my own skirt block for the bottom half instead of the one from the pattern and altering it.

The picture of the front was so bad i didnt even want to upload it, so here's a pic of the back!

super bad quality....thats what happens when grandparents use your camera...hehe

The rest of today i have spent scrap booking, im making sam a book with all the pictures i took at her fittings, and of just the general process. The other thing i have been doing is working on my fascinator for tomorrows wedding. Here are pics of the finished thing! I really needed just a short break before I start sewing my actual dress....so why not do a blog post!

Hope you like it! I will be adding a whole bunnnnch of pictures and blog posts very soon!!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend....and if you can watch the adelaide Christmas parade on tv!

*peace out*

The 'Wedding Experience'

No....not yet the wedding I will be attending for the lovely lady I made a wedding dress for...ANOTHER ONE. 

Well not a real one. A fake one. One where I paid $55 and went with a gay friend from work to eat a 3 course meal with wines.

Before I tell you about the event, lets talk about what I wore! Because apparently it is note worthy!

I wore a dress I made 2 years ago for my portfolio, a vintage head piece with velvet flowers (drool), and Alannah Hill Cardigan, bag from Saba, white stockings (as always) and of course Melissa shoes!

There were also two other pictures of me and my friend in other publications around town. We really did manage to do a good job on the publicity front that afternoon!

The hotel we work at instead of doing a traditional kind of wedding fair, did something a bit different this year, and hosted like a mock wedding where everyone was there as a mock guest. Models for the bride and groom, a room set with 4 different seasonal themes, 3 fashion parades from local store in Canberra, and most importantly amazing foooood.We even got up and started a dance floor...haha thats what a few drinks will do to us. 

 

 The male models were pretty good looking. Turns out we have the same taste in men. 

Oh and did I mention I CAUGHT THE BOUQUET?!?! My male friend also caught the garter...however there was only one other man in the running! As the host pointed out....'Why would there be single men at a wedding fair?'

I gave the wedding dress to the bride tonight. I am so happy! 9 days until (our) big day!!

 Lets get started on my dress and hat now!!

Oh and the fedora I'm making my friend for Melbourne Cup...

Thank god I have next week as annual leave!!

Can't wait for Christmas

Normally, for some reason, I am quite the hater of Christmas. Maybe not hate, thats perhaps a bit too strong. I mean how can you compeltely hate a day where you get gifts and eat all day?


Light displays set up in Tokyo at Christmas

I don't know! But somehow I have grown a strong disliking to Christmas, or at the least Christmas at home with the family. I think this is pretty evident by the fact that I have volunteered to work Christmas day the last two years at the Hyatt Hotel Canberra. I would say though, if you were to work Christmas then my job was the best you could do! On bell at the hotel, you stand there and greet people for 8 hours and take photos and bounce around being generally joyfull!

Oh and you know, you also get paid like triple time, so that makes it a very generous Christmas Day!

This year I won't be working though....this year on the 13th of December I will be jumping on a plane and running away to Singapore and then TOKYO for Christmas and New Year's!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let me here you say WOOHOO!!! Could Japan be the best place in the world to celebrate Christmas? All pretty but with no real meaning behind it? Perhaps for me!



Tokyo Disney Land at Christmas!

For some reason I find Christmas very stressful. My parents usually go nuts, especially if for any reason we are having people at our house. And I know it sounds ridiculously selfish, but my mother always manages to miss with the present mark by huge margin....I never really ask for much, but I do always tell her the few things I would like, but somehow they never make it to the Santa pack and then there's all these random things which I will never use, and I think she would like more than me....
However I do have to give her credit, last year she did get me a huge amount of costume books, but then forgot the one tiny thing I asked her for :p

This year my parents will also be going overseas, leaving on Chirtmas day. My Dad won a huge amount of frequent flyers randomly through AMEX and so he's taking her on a surprise trip to Europe (none of us actually know where they are going for a month)

OK OK so enough of that. Tokyo at Christmas. From what i've been reading, is all about 3 things.

Lighting displays, KFC and Strawberry shortcake. 



hehe I'll tell him what id like for Christmas!

Sound like something I could get used too. Christmas period is meant to be the equivelant of the best Valentines day a couple could think of, and people pre order KFC for Christmas eve! Apparently there are the longest lines, and they dress up the Kernal as Santa haha! I guess he has the looks for it!

Oh and who am I going with you might ask? My ex boyfriend! He now lives in another city but we think we will make an ace travelling team. He is super knowledgable about EVERYTHING because he did a history and politicts degree...and then I am really good at organising things and doing itineries and budgets and such things. I am also pretty stingy so im good at finding things cheap hehe.

 
We will be staying in 3 Hyatt's while we are overseas, using the free nights I've accumulated while working.

Also he just started his own blog! Quite different to mine clearly, head over and have a read of his first post!



Otakufest 2012!

Impact Comics in Canberra had their Annual OTAKUFEST celebration on Friday.

My friend and I went along wearing cosplay costumes that I had made us earlier this year for our 'Turning Japanese' themed 21st. 

The last two years we have gone I have made us costumes, but this year because of the whole working full time thing, as well as making the wedding dress, no such time was avaliable. 

Below are our cosplays!

My friend was Misato Katsuragi, from Neon Genesis Evangellion, and I went as Kirsten Dunst as Akihabara Majokko Princess!

   WATCH THIS VIDEO!! ITS AWESOME! haha well it had us in it, and its pretty well made too! We are just after the 2minute mark ^__^

Our friend went as Hei from Darker than Black

Free things I won for my costume!...wooo!

getting our dance on in da clubz!