Marni x H&M challenge

The Marni x H&M challenge complete!

Kassy's Outfit

(Blazer: Topshop. Shoes: Asos. Tank: Agent 99)

I was so excited to see these pants finally arrive on my doorstep after their looooooong flight from Berlin! I'm so lucky to have a sister on the other side of the world who understands what its like to have a fashion itch that needs to be scratched. When I visited mahaila in Berlin, I was so jealous to see she had easy access to some amazing stores...my favourites were the Acne store and All Saints store... not to mention the amazing boutiques we visited that were unlike anything in Australia. But it was even her accessibility to H&M that made me jealous. Sure, something from H&M may not be special to some people.... but the story behind these pants epitomizes what this blog is really about... sharing fashion inspirations from across the globe :)

Photos: Michael Dooney

Mahaila's Outfit

 

I wanted to send the Marni pants off to Kassy as quickly as possible so I challenged myself to make a top in an hour. I had this black lace type fabric which I purchased in Potsdam at the travelling Fabric market. I played around with the hem and shaped it to suit the style of the pants. It was quite the adventure walking with these pants on. The crotch sits at a strange position on me, so walking up stairs was quite difficult. I think that Michael found it quite amusing. 

Thanks to Kassy for the challenge. Consider the challenge of the Marni pants compete!   

Voodoo Market No. 7

voodoo market 7th

Saturday 14th of April

11am to 7pm

The Wye on skalitzerstr. 86

Since the Chez Jacki club closed it's doors last year, the Voodoo market was left without a home. After a short break they found a new location in Kreuzberg. It is definitely my favourite handmade market in Berlin and it has a great community atmosphere. The music, the wonderful handmade items, the people make it THE market to visit!

If you are in Berlin tomorrow come along to the Voodoo market and say hello! I will be down there with Fickle Sense totes and earrings!

mahaila made brocade jacket, shorts and top! Burda style!

It was a while ago now that this 'mahaila made' ensemble graced the front page of burdastyle.com. After all of the excitement, I forgot to post it on the blog, so here it is.

Looking back on this project, I can now see how it has shaped my recent sewing expeditions. Since tackling this tailored jacket head on and working through the pain (mainly due to the very poorly written instructions) I emerged with flying colours.... which on this occasion meant actually finishing the garment off properly. Attention to detail! 

Completing a garment off in a professional manner can be one of sewers most dreaded tasks. You can see the finish line, yet it is just so far away.I often find that I need to talk myself into spending that extra time on the piece. But it is all worth it in the end. A garment that you can be proud of (and you can show others without the embarrassment of tatty insides) and a longer lasting garment.    

mahaila made shorts, top and jacket

So what did I learn from these projects?

1. Create a draft garment/muslin.

It’s the way to go! It saves you heaps of time (honestly it does!) and you get a better product at the end. This is the time where you can make mistakes and alterations. It may feel like it is a long process, but the end garment makes it all worthwhile.

2. Create lasting garments, finish them properly.

I am definitely guilty of rushing through the finishings in an effort to wear the item for an anticipated event. Lately I have spent the time lining the garments, finishing off edges properly, and hand sewing the finishing details….before I wear the garment! This last point is important.

3. Don’t underestimate the power of hand sewing.

When I first started sewing, I hand sewed everything! I have recently revisited it in a big way! Hand sewing slows the process down and can allow you to achieve a better fit.

4. Treat yourself to good quality (even if it’s once in a blue moon).

Sewing can be an expensive hobby which means that a lot of us can’t afford fantastic quality fabrics. I have recently allowed myself to purchase a few items that I have had my eye on for awhile. It’s nice to reward your hard work with quality purchases :). Maybe save up all of those spur of the moment cheap fabric purchases and spend your well earned dough on something that you really want.

 P.S.
Oh and see the boned cuff detailing. I am fairly pleased with my decision to add them to this jacket and I think that I will be experimenting with them with future projects. Oh and I will be posting a tutorial regarding boned cuffs. So keep an eye out for it!

'One sewing pattern, One week' challenge complete!

tilly & the buttons

one week, one pattern challenge

7 days of fickle sense circle skirts!

Consider this challenge completed!

 

Tilly from Tilly and the buttons hosted a great a sewing challenge last week. It was a challenge which celebrated our most loved sewing patterns. She inspired fellow sewers to wear sewing projects from one single pattern for the entire week. I chose my fickle sense circle skirt pattern for the 7 day challenge. My week of circle skirt wearing was a fairly simple task as I have used my pattern many times (and I still have more!). I have recently moved away from the old circle skirt, so it was nice to revisit the items that I had previously sewn. It even inspired me to dust off a few items (e.g.the cream chiffon skirt) which I have not worn for a few months.

All in all it was a nice challenge and I was glad to have for filled the challenge requirements..... though it was not the only challenge that I conquered this week. Yes  I completed the Berlin Half Marathon today! It all went well until we hit the 19km mark.... ooohhhhhhh the pain! But we pushed through and finished with a good time:) I now looked forward to the next Half marathon!!! or perhaps triathlon or Avon Descent...:)

  

The story of the travelling red jacket

                                   Photos: Michael Dooney

I love wearing a red jacket in Germany. I feel loud and proud! I find that people here (understandably) look at little sad and depressed throughout the winter months. Greys and blacks dominate the outer wear. I DID follow this morbid trend until this jacket arrived in the post.... though a few months delayed:( 

Unfortunately this jacket ended up going on a tour of the world before it arrived in Berlin. Mum, dad and Kaye bought this jacket for me for Christmas (THANKS)... but it never arrived in time. So I waited and waited, only to find out that it had made it's way to Perth instead of Berlin. So after having both mum and kaye try it on (yeah sure, you just had to make sure that it fit:) ) it arrived in Berlin ....  though in the form of a letter from Customs. Yes they thought a jacket and a pair of shoes were suspicious. So on a cold wintery morning we made our way to the customs office to argue our way out of paying tax for a Christmas present. Luckily Michael's German arguing skills paid off and we finally emerged with the package from Aus! 

Thanks again to my fam for such a lovely Chrissy present:)

Congrats! Fickle Sense winner:)

Congrats to littlechrissy who has won the fickle sense giveaway! She chose a 'C' tote as well as mustard button earrings.

And of course a big thanks to everyone that entered!.... if you missed out  on the competition but still want a bag then head over to the fickle sense shop! 

Win your own personalised tote!

In celebration of the opening of the Fickle Sense shop we are having a giveaway!  For a chance to wear one of these personalised totes on your shoulder and don a pair of vintage Berlin button earrings just follow the three steps below!



1. Tell us your name (so that we can screen print a special initialed tote just for you!) or just tell us your favourite letter.
2. Tell us which are your favourite pair of earrings from the Fickle Sense shop
3. Follow Fickle Sense on Google or Bloglovin


The winner will be chosen randomly and will be announced on Tuesday the 13th of March 2012. 


Good luck and I am looking forward to screen printing a bag just for you:)


Fickle Sense SHOP!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ficklesense

Featured on Burdastyle! Woo hoo!

I was excited on Monday to see myself on the Burastyle homepage!
Fickle Sense on the front page

Fickle sense at the bottom of the front page

Fickle sense in the Burdastyle email.

Éxciting stuff!

Creative Friday: Creating your own prints

I have been screen printing for a few years now. I used to use stencils to print, but I now mostly use the emulsion method. I still use stencils from time to time so here is a tutorial where I share some of my printing tips.

Fickle Sense personalised screen printed totes

 MAKING UNIQUE TEXTILES THROUGH STENCILLING

materials + stencilling tips

X water proof paper If you want to use your stencil again, find some water proof paper. Go to your local art shop or design materials store and ask for water proof transperant paper. Drafting film and other transperant papers look similar to the water proof versions, so make sure that it is water proof. I have made that mistake before. It just means that the stencil will curl out of shape.

X scalpel there are numerous types of scalpels that you can use. If you intend on making a few stencils then perhaps invest in one that has interchangable blades. Check out the link to see what type of scalpels you can purchase. I have a good scalpel with a packet of interchangable blades on hand. A cutting mat is also a useful tool to have. If you don't have one, don't stress. I used to cut on top of a stack of junk mail:)

X textile paints I have used numerous textile paints. Without a doubt my favourite is Permaset. It is an Australian brand. I used to use it in Aus as it was the most common one.... but after coming to Europe and finding some other brands, I now realise how good permaset is. It is a screen printing paint so it is more thick compared to general textile paints. It is water soluable and environmentally friendly. I use it for the fickle sense products. But you can just go to your local art store and get the textile paint that they have. Here is a list of paints that I have previously used with some success. Just make sure that the paints are not too runny. Here are a few textile paint brands that I have tried. Permaset; Speedball( both for screen printing & painting); Javana Textil; Schjerning.  

Printing on dark fabrics
If you are using a dark fabric and you want a lighter print... make sure that you get a paint which can print on dark fabrics. Most manufactuers will state whether a paint can be printed on dark fabric. Permaset have named their dark fabric paint Super cover. In general, these paints will be more expensive compared to the regular paints. Keep in mind that there are some exciting textile paints out there. I love using metallics and they even have glow in the dark paints!

Stencilling mistakes
One thing which I find frustrating about stencilling is that it is quite easy to make mistakes. Pressing down the stencil whilst dabbing/rolling the paint on the textile can assist in minimising paint bleed. I also try not to  reuse the stencil too many times without washing it. If I think that there is a possibility that the paint has made it's way to the underside of the stencil, I go and wash the stencil straight away. You don't want to ruin all of you hard work.

DIY: Blue square striped top

You need: A paint brush or a small sponge or small roller; scalpel; ruler; water proof paper (or for one time use, you can use normal paper... just becareful as it soaks up the paint); an iron; textile paint; the textile; keep a sponge and some water close by.
1. CREATING THE STENCIL
Trace the stripes from your fabric onto your transperant paper with a pencil. Decide where you want to place the little squares and draw them in.



2. Use your scalpel to cut out your squares. Use a ruler (plastic or metal only) if you want to make sure that it is perfectly straight.


 3. VERY IMPORTANT. Make sure that you iron the fabric flat. No creases allowed! Next with a dabbing action paint over the desired areas. Make sure that you hold the stencil in place with you fingers to minimise the possibility of the stencil moving whilst dabbing.


4. Continue to apply colour to the desired squares. And presto! Your own unique textile.

If you want to add more colour, wash out your stencil. Wait for it to dry and apply the alternative colour.... and of course make sure that the blue paint has dried!

Creating your own textiles... primary colour style!

It's no secret that I am a major fan of colour! So I decided to add a little bit of colour to this verticle striped top. It really is easy to create your own unique textiles. All you need is a scalpel, some transperant paper, textile paint, a paint brush (or a roller or silk screen) and you are ready to go!

Within the coming weeks I will be posting some DIY textile printing tutorials. It's all pretty simple yet so very effective. Watch this space for the upcoming tutorials! 

An update on my sewing progress

It has been a while since my last outfit post. Things are really busy at the moment so it has been difficult trying to find the time to sit down in front of the sewing machine for a concentrated amount of time. BUT after spending a few nights and weekends slaving away I have some pieces to ....talk about. I still need to photograph them, so here is a sneak peak of a Burdastyle inspired ensemble.

1. A brocade jacket with a boned cuff.

2. A simple tank top with a floral pocket

3.Burgandy coloured high waisted shorts.   

The Fickle Sense Shop! .... is finally here

Fickle Sense Etsy Shop!here

Yay! I am elated to announce that we have finally opened the Fickle Sense shop on Etsy. Yes, we're in business! I apologise for my lack of posts in the recent months, I have just been flat out making the products and setting up the shop. All products are handmade by myself and environmentally friendly.

At the moment you can choose any letter from the alphabet for a handmade screen printed tote bag. You can also find some vintage DDR button earrings in various colours!

Come and visit! And watch this space for some celebratory give aways!

Creative Firday: Interview ACIDZIP

On this Creative Friday we are featuring the jewellery designer ACIDZIP. I really love the simplicity and the delicacy in her designs. I feel like I could team her jewellery with a heap of outfits or even create a garment around the jewellery. It sure was a treat to sit down and chat with her about her jewellery line, life in Berlin and creativity! I love the point that she makes about just going for it! Don't wait until the "right time". There is no "right time", just hurray up and do it. AGREED!

Ting from ACIDZIP                                 Photo: Michael Dooney

Where are you from?
I was born in China but spent the majority my time in Canada. I recently moved from Toronto to Berlin and am still trying to make myself feel at home here.


What is your art/craft and where can we find it?
I make jewelry that often feature porcupine quills. My items are currently available on my Etsy store (http://www.etsy.com/shop/acidzip) and in a boutique called Victoire located in Ottawa (so if you ever find yourself in Canada…) Berlin shops are on my to-do list so hopefully soon!

What are the positives in buying handmade items?
I love producing and purchasing handmade items because I know that there is a story behind every item. Each item has been made with care and I’m a total sucker for details.


Where do you find inspiration?
The Internet. To be more specific, the Internet and it’s endless source of beautiful images and the wonderful people who create them. I’m very visual so I often find myself sifting through blogs and tumblr for images that simply “click” with me.


What motivates you to create?
Jewelry making started out as an outlet for my pent up creativity but now it’s the feedback that keeps me going. There is nothing better than seeing people react to your pieces and hearing back from satisfied customers. 



What encouraging words/advice would you give to someone who is interested in sparking their creativity?
If you have an idea or vision, just go for it! I sat on the fence for years and now wish that I had started earlier. It will never seem like the "right time" and you will never feel like you have enough time but once you start it will be hard to ever give up.

Creative Friday: My knitting setting

Thanks to Michael I now own a very shiny circular needle knitting set. I just love having quality products like this. 
I am now on the look out for a new circular knitting challenge.

 

Last year I was challenged by Kaye to knit some shorts. If you have been following us for a while, you might remember that this project took me a while to complete. It was definitely one of my most difficult design challenges

mahaila knitted shorts

So at the moment I am thinking of warming up with a simple snood. 

I might then knit a jumper or another pair of shorts. Perhaps I will experiment with patterns, like this jumper from ASOS.

If you are looking for inspirational knit wear images, check out the The Dark knit blog. It is solely dedicated to fashion and knit wear and she designs her own pieces too.