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!

the long weekend

Perth had a long weekend last week, so Robert and I headed down to Busselton to recharge our batteries and do some fun country activities. In Western Australia, we are so lucky to have such an amazing wine region right at our doorstep (we have over 150 wineries!). Robert and I love doing the wine tastings and then grabbing a delicious meal while looking out over the countryside. This time, we also went to one of the nearby beaches to frolick, all tipsy and happy. Yes. Frolick.

On the last day, I strongly insisted that we go to one of the local animal farms. When we rocked up and robert saw that the sign read "WONKY WINDMILL ANIMAL FARM", he was hesitant and made note that we would be the oldest people there. I knew that. But what better way to forget about patients, business paperwork, reports, emails and the general daily grind than to pat a pony and cuddle a rabbit.

Perth Royal Show 2011

(Top, jacket and boots: Asos <---- previously worn a while ago here. Shorts: Sportsgirl. Sunglasses: River Island. Necklaces: Gift from mum and Etsy.)

I have never liked The Royal Show, even as a kid. My parents took us once and it was a bit of a flop. My show bag was sold out (I was only allowed one), I hated the jolt of the bumper cars, the crowds freaked me out and I lost my favourite denim glittered hat. I also got a sense that my parents just hated spending money on novelty crap. Maybe it rubbed off on me because I seem to be the only adult I know who doesn't enjoy paying money to play an impossible (rigged?) game to win an oversized stuffed animal.

This year however, Robert lives so close to the Royal Show, that his neighbours are standing out the front of their houses with parking signs reading "$15". Might as well head over and see if I enjoy it more as an adult, right?  So while I avoided overloading my vestibular system on those blasted rides (how do people enjoy them?), I thought I would get into the festival spirit and eat my very first Dagwood Dog. OK, done. Now off to some wine tastings!! YUM!

With no show bags, no games, and no rides I really enjoyed the afternoon. Next time I should just go out to the Swan Valley.....

Kaye xx

pretending

(Dress: Gordon Smith. Blazer: Topshop. Crop knit: Fremont. Shoes: Acne. Sunglasses: Came free with a six pack of Strongbow)

I am not normally one for clothing/accessories that convert. I don't like the idea that something can be worn a number of different ways - it means that the item in question is always pretending to be something it's not. (If you have been following fickle sense for a little while now, you may know that I give my clothes personalities and make up little stories about them in my head). But, I have been making some exceptions to this "rule of fraud" as I like to call it (obvs I just made that up then....). It started with the handbag/backpack, and now I love this crop knit. By day, its a jumper, by night... it's a scarf! Thats right, I wrap it around my neck and nobody knows the difference!

Kaye xx

seeing red

(Jeans: Topshop via eBay. Shoes: Asos. Top: Asos. Jacket: Asos.)

Looking at the outfit references above, I should really widen my shopping horizons. Yes I am a fan of Asos and Topshop. I find that if I shop retail, I end up buying a heap of shit that I don't wear. Whereas if a product is online, I mull over it for days deciding if I want to buy it. These days, I usually decide that I don't want need the product in question. My wardrobe (and my wallet) thanks me for this system. 

Now, about the red jeans. I wasn't a huge fan of the coloured skinny jean trend at first.... it reminded me of when I was in high school and the pages of Cosmopolitan were ridden with images of celebrities wearing bright, candy coloured bottoms.... yuk. However, I couldn't resist the combination of bright red and nude. I am stoked with how easily these jeans brighten up a dull winter's day. 

Kaye xx

This winter......

I wouldn't mind drowning myself in this thing all winter.

Here

believe it or not....there are actually four seasons in a year!

2010 was a year full of new experiences and opportunities. Family and friends had babies, got engaged, married, bought houses, worked in new jobs....actually it feels like everyone is starting to do some very grown up things. We moved to Berlin and I can certainly say that it was a very colourful year. Nearly everything (good and bad) was new..... including the seasons.... yes there are 4 seasons in the year, it's not a myth (lets not forget that I am a Perthoid, where only 2 seasons occur).


In winter my legs were all the colours of the rainbow (and I am not referring to my obsession with colourful stockings) as I was constantly falling on the icy streets. In Spring the flowers started to bloom EVERYWHERE! and the strawberry huts popped up selling their juicy strawberries. In summer we melted on the S-bahn, attended MANY grills and saw WAY too many naked old men in the parks sun baking. In Autumn the leaves actually changed colour and it was pretty bloody awesome. Everyday riding my bike amongst the autumn leaves was amazing. So we decided to venture to Treptower Park to take some photos amongst the beauty. 


This jacket was one of my lucky finds. I used to go to Op shops regularly in Perth particularly in the Victoria Park area. On this occasion I went to the Salvation Army shop on Albany Hwy and spotted this diamond in the ruff. I got it for a AUD$4.50. Bargain! It has a nice 60's feel as it flares out from the bodice. It is definitely one of my luckiest finds!

over the knee

(Trench coat: Lovely Girl. Dress: Unknown. Necklace: Fashionology and Chains of Love. Boots: Lila Verne. Bag: Jim Thompson)

For this outfit, I had the pleasure of being shot by mahaila for the first time! Shooting together was a breeze and heaps of fun. What do you guys think of the results? :)

Robert bought these boots for my 21st birthday over a year ago. I chose them back when OTK boots were difficult to find (especially in lil ol' Perth) so they are even more special.  Not the most comfortable shoes in the world, but I wanted a timeless style so that I could wear them forever... so that meant no platforms :( and comfort was inevitably sacrificed. 

Kaye xx

BBBbrrrrrrr...it's cold out there

 

 

 

  

Palaces, fancy dresses, elaborately decorated rooms, beautiful gardens and .... the cold. The last stop on our Spain/Vienna trip was Schoenbrunn Palace. After being herded through the palace like cattle we took a stroll through the colourful gardens. This was the first weekend of Autumn and my first experience of a true European Autumn. Being an Australian I did not realise how different each season is here. I just really love all the colours. I also like Michael's last shot. I feel like Mary Poppins. hee hee.

The old 1940's folding camera which is featured in these shots was purchased at the Vienna markets by Michael. He is looking forward to experimenting with his find.

OUTFIT: Again I apologise for the very creased garment. Travelling and staying in hostels with minimal facilities means that there are no irons. When I saw this fabric I just knew that this pattern from vogue was perfect, the only problem was that it was polka dotted. I am not a fan of the old polka dots (though I am slowly beginning to turn) so I used the under side of the fabric. I used the polka dots as a feature at the hem and the back section. The jacket is from the same pattern set. 

Photography: Michael Dooney