lost luggage + reunion with sewing machine = a simple summer skirt

On our way back to Aus from Berlin we were stuck (like many others) in the snow and ended up spending some unwanted time in hotels and airports. Eventually we arrived in Aus.....minus my luggage. Though on a positive note I was reunited with my sewing machine! and my large stash of fabric. YAY! So, whilst I waited and waited and waited for my luggage to arrive I whipped up a simple skirt.

The skirt is made from an old sheet I purchased in an Op shop. I chose yellow! for sunny Australia! The shape of the skirt is formed by making box pleats at the waist, then joining them 10 cm below. I think it is like honeycomb smocking??? I often enjoy making garments like this as it's just about working on my dressmaking doll with a tape measure. I find it quite relaxing. I then attached some lace for the waist band and hemmed the bottom with some decorative stitches (yes I was excited about using my Brother Innov-is 400 sewing machine!).

Whilst in Australia we spent some time in the south west of WA. We were lucky to be travelling past the Busselton jetty just as the sun was setting and decided to take some photos. I have many great memories of this jetty; fishing with my dad, walking up and down the 2km jetty with friends and family, swimming under the jetty, playing cricket on the beach... and the list goes on. I always love visiting different parts of our state... it just makes you feel lucky to be an Australian.      


Photography: Michael Dooney

Sass & Beach

(Dress: Sass & Bide. Necklace: The Chains of Love)

I absolutely love this dress. Robert bought it for me a little while ago. The bone print running down the front is beautifully creepy, the thin spaghetti straps are sleek and delicate, the low back is kind of sexy, the lightweight material makes it swoosh around my legs (don't you feel extra special when a dress does that?), and the small train at the back adds a certain sense of drama.  

The only problem is that it's a little difficult to wear because it is very sheer, and with the low back, layering is not an option. Also, I can't wear it during the day because the sun manages to catch it and show my chicken fillets. So I decided to wear it to my 22nd birthday which was at a bar in the city. Needless to say, some dickhead stepped on the train and the back of it ripped. NOOOOOOOOO!

But don't worry, I took it to a seamstress and it is all mended. PHEW!

Kaye xx

Photography: Michael Dooney

Fitting sleeves: The bane of my sewing existence

The dreaded sleeve. Looking through many of my recent garments I came to realise that I was subconsciously (or perhaps consciously) avoiding making a garment with sleeves. A long sleeved garment is perfect for European wintery days, so I decided to tackle my fears head on. I drafted a bell shaped sleeve, a Peter Pan type collar and cuffs. I am fairly pleased with how the dress turned out... though I am still having problems with fitting sleeves. 

Once again we visited the many parks in and around Berlin to take these photos in the snow.  I was very thankful for the long sleeves as it was pretty damn cold. So it looks like I will continue to have a love hate relationship with the dreaded sleeves ....though I will conquer you one day!

Photos: michael dooney

power house

(Dress: Plastic Island. Shoes: Sam Edelman. Headband: Sportsgirl. Rings: Sportsgirl, Fashionology, eBay.)

A very sad event occurred last Saturday night. At 5:30am (so I guess that makes it Sunday morning) a very inebriated girl (her name may start with K and end in E), left her favourite black velvet Sportsgirl turban headband in the back of a taxi after a night out in Fremantle. OK that girl may have been me.

At about 10am on Sunday morning, operation "Find Kaye's Headband" began. I asked everywhere....   

1) If I had dropped it, friends may have picked it up 

2) Someone may have left it on their head after asking to try it on (this headband tends to attract such attention)

3) It may have been left at McDonalds after I had my 4am double quarter pounder meal 

4) It could have been left at the club after I had tried to re-adjust it in the bathroom

No such luck. 

After exhausting all possible locations of its whereabouts, there was only one other option.... the taxi. That bloody taxi driver has my headband. I hope he enjoys it's incredible ability to funk up an outfit as much as I did. 

So alas, these photos are all I have left of my beloved headband.... luckily, thanks to our second challenge on Fickle Sense, I can make a replacement :)

Photographer: Michael Dooney

Kaye xx

all things knitted

Man, am I excited about those knitted shorts that mahaila posted below. When the Stolen Girlfriends Club knitted shorts first came about, I emailed mahaila:

Kaye: If you knit me these, I will wear them. (photo attached)
Mahaila: you are crazy!!

I wasn't sure if she was actually going to do it, especially because of her reaction, but I was stoked when I received this email:

Mahaila: I've started your shorts and its definitely going to be a challenge.....

I started sending mahaila photos of knitted shorts. I was sending photos of different colours (like this one) and, as months went on, the ways that other bloggers had styled them.

Kaye: I found a girl wearing my knitted shorts. Robert thinks it looks like a nappy. 


And so naturally, as I got more and more excited I was saving pictures of knitted shorts while I waited for my own special pair knitted by mahaila...............

Source: unknown, oracle fox, opinion slave, unknown, uknown, uknown, stockholm streetstyle, Chloe Resort 2011, closet obsessions, oracle fox, asos, need supply

When mahaila was in Australia, she was frantically knitting away to get my shorts done in time for Christmas. On Christmas day, I unwrapped the legs of a pair shorts with the knitting needles attached. This only heightened my excitement and I put them on so that mahaila could see if they were the right size. Perfect fit.

That is the last I have seen of my knitted shorts............ let me tell you I am so bloody excited for when those things arrive on my doorstep from Germany. In the mean time, I will excite you with some more knitted goodness. I've posted about Sandra Backlund's work previously. Her stuff is ah-mazing. These are some of my favourite images from all of her previous collections.

Source: Sandra Buckland

Mahaila will be the one to tell you guys just how much of a challenge this has been for her. Hopefully soon I'll have those woolly little shorts around my bum and I can take some shots of my outfit. Not sure how I'm going to style them yet.... so many possibilities!!

Kaye xx