Sewing, thrifting and the like...


Tuesday 23 September 2014

A hop, skip and a jump to me

Hi, me again :)

My dear dear friend Kirsty from Top Notch nominated me for this blog hop that is going around and around and around the world and in and out of all sorts of amazing sewing/crafting blogs. So thanks to Kirsty! I freely admit to stalking her blog and emailing her and FORCING her to meet me because she is just so damn rad. I absolutely adore her style, out of all the blogs in all the sewing world that I read, hers is the blog that I covet all, yes ALL, the goodness! She is totally modest about her skills but her clothes are as amazing in real life as they are in the photos. She is also the sweetest and luckily for me, my real life friend now too... OK girl crush gushy stuff over....


So....here are the answers...i won't bore you too much, not sure anyone is really that interested!!
 


Why do you write?
I write a blog because well why not. I write it because I didn't write one and I felt like I was missing out on being part of this wonderful online sewing community. I write a blog because I am learning to sew, from literally nothing I have learnt so much in the last year and a half, and this learning has given me a desperate thirst for more skills, more sewing knowledge (more fabric), and more of a connection to those who feel the same.

I am a full-time mum to five little kids and they are my world, I love them and being with them dearly. But they are growing up and I am feeling the itch to do something for me, to explore what I can be. I have always had this creative bent in me but I have never been good at anything creative! I would have loved to be an artist, a designer, an author, a dancer, a musician etc but I have absolutely zero talent in these things! In fact i haven't ever been particularly good at anything, let alone gifted. Then i started to sew, and believe me when I say I ain't good or gifted at this either, BUT it fulfills my creative urge and I am passionate about it. I also feel that with time I will get to the stage when I am happy enough with my garments to actually wear them and be proud of them. So I am writing this blog to encourage me.



What are you working on?

I am always working on zillions of things at once, and when i am not working on them i am thinking about them. I dream designs, and looks, and about fabric. It feels like my head is always working on things, even if my body is too damn knackered to follow through! Anyone else the same??

At CIT I am studying clothing production, and this semester I am doing two courses, pattern making and clothing production 2. So I am working on skirt designs in pattern making (that shiz is seriously cool but seriously difficult on the old grey matter) and about a billion and one samples for zip types, collars, cuffs, etc for clothing production.

At home I have another Grainline moss cut for spring, I am sewing up the By Hand London Holly, and I am altering/up-cycling a shirt dress, but ask me tomorrow and there will probably be something different again that needs doing!


 
How does it differ from others of it’s genre?
Differ? Well there is probably far more yellow on this blog than is strictly necessary, and probably far too many grammatical errors, and too much cussing (bad me) and crappy sewing. But ya know, I am working on it, well the sewing at least - sorry grandma :) There are so very many very cool and amazing sewing blogs out there with squillions of groupies. They are far more experienced than me in writing and in sewing. I have learnt so much from these ladies (why do we have so few gent sewists/bloggers hey??) but I don't plan to emulate them as such because I think its important to be yourself.

I love texture and fabric and shape and the thought that clothing is wearable art. I don't follow fashion as such and have sadly no real knowledge of the industry. Obviously the clothes I buy and the patterns I make are influenced by the fashion of the day but I just go with what i like, not what I think I should like. So i am probably totally un-cool/un-hip and un-stylish!! But given my status as nearly middle-aged, I am pretty happy with who I am regardless! As I develop my sewing skills I would like to explore this love of texture, fabric and shape more to produce garments that showcase these. This is definitely a sewing blog genre I would like to get into, but I am not sure my skills will ever be good enough!! I think Oona has pretty well ruined it for any that follow as she is just so damn amazing!

As I get older my friends think I am turning into a tree-hugging hippy :) . I feel passionate about the world we live in, the people that live in it and the natural world around us. Sustainable fashion is an expanding market and a topic of real interest to me. I think the home-made movement can fit nicely within this genre. I love up-cycling and refashioning old or thrift shop clothes, clothes swaps and finding fabric and notions in garage sales and charity shops. I love the idea that the fabric, clothes and patterns have a history, and that I can give them a new lease of life. Both So Zo and Charity Shop Chic blogs cover these areas marvelously and I would certainly love to blog more about these things too.

So basically, I don't offer much in blogland at the moment that isn't already done a zillion times over, and in a far better way. But in time I hope to explore some of these areas of interest to me, and I hope people like to read it, and maybe just maybe they will learn from me down the track :) A girls gotta dream right?!


How does your writing process work? 
Well as you can see from the content of my blogs, words come out like verbal diarrhea. I write like i think. I am not a writer but then two years ago i didn't sew either, so who knows! Ha! It is certainly an area to work on. Really, I want the garments that I am making to do the talking, so first I need to work on my photography skills, then there can be more pretty pictures and less of me talking rubbish! Currently there is no process, other than to snatch a second or two where I can, and often it flows better with a glass of wine or a beer in one hand and some music pumping....which is the way I like to sew too ;)



So that's your lot. I am going to pass the blog on to two other ladies, who I am sure, with their talent and experience in sewing and blogging, will be far more interesting than me!

Firstly to Rachel who blogs at My Messings, a new sewing friend, also from England but living in Australia. A funny, vivacious, smart and talented lady. It was great getting to know her at Frocktails and I look forward to getting to know her better! So pop over to her blog next week and see her wonderful makes and her blog hop answers!

Last but by no means least, to the delightful Michelle from Buttontreelane. I love this lady. She is fabulous. She wears prints and colours like no other and always looks amazing. She quilts like a crazy woman, and wins national level awards for her work, she crochets (and probably does a zillion other things) and she sews awesome garments. She is a dear dear friend who is part of my sewing circle, and yes support and friendship circle here in Canberra. Over to you rockstar....

xx






6 comments:

  1. I loved reading this and not just all the gush to me! You are so innately creative that it's crazy and I'm so glad that you started a blog so that when I don't see you in real life I can read all about your artistic endeavours. Love x

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    1. Thanks sweets! Artistic/creative...hmmm not sure about that....i would settle for being able to sew a straight line some days ;) Hope to see you soon?? Have a lovely hols. We must meet up with kids/men when you get back xx

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  2. I mainly blog for the "social" aspect of it too...can never have enough sewing peeps I say! And yay to Yellow.

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    1. Yes totally agree, i came back from frocktails so inspired, and reading everyone's posts and seeing everyone's instagram photos is really energising! Can't wait to meet up with you all soon. Weren't you talking about coming to visit us here?? x

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  3. What a lovely post! I love reading about why other people write. Thanks for tagging me - off to have a think about my answers, and find a couple of peeps to be tagged!

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    1. Go forth and hop dear friend!! Look forward to seeing you sat xxxxxx

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Hey, would love to hear from you, comment away my fine feathered friends....x jen