Monday, December 31, 2012

2012 - The Highlights


I wasn't going to write a 2012 round up post (mainly because I was just being lazy), but on second thoughts, a LOT has happened in the last twelve months, so why not?


January

Makes

Highlights



February

Makes
Highlights

March

Makes


Highlights


April

Makes

Highlights
  • Photoshop Course

May

Makes


Highlights 



June

Makes


Highlights


July

 Highlights

 
 
August

Makes




Highlights







September

Makes


Highlights



October

Makes


Highlights


November

Makes


Highlights
 
December

Makes
Highlights

 Well done if you actually made it to the end. Phew!

That's just the stuff that I've actually managed to blog about.

 I only have one wish for 2013... hope you receive what you wish for too.

Apologies for the weird spacing - I tried to fix it to no avail!
Posted by CurlyPops at 4:33 PM 16 comments
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Sunday, December 30, 2012

Summer Lovin'

I love this strange time between Christmas and New Year where it feels like the world just stops, sighs, and takes a little break.

I should be having a nice relaxing holiday down on the beautiful Victorian Surf Coast. Instead, I'm at home, catching up on sleep, and using the little break to do some Summer sewing for myself.


For a while I've had a picture in my head of the perfect, no fuss, comfy summer dress. I haven't been able to find anything that suits, so I decided to go ahead and create my own.


I began with a Vintage Simplicity 5007 top pattern. I made a toile, tried it on, marked it with pen, and chopped and sewed until I ended up with a bodice that fitted my shoulders and bust nicely.

Then I rifled through all of my dress and skirt patterns, to find one that was sort-of the shape that I was looking for (Lisette Passport Dress). I made up the separate pattern pieces, omitted the pleats, and altered the shape and size to match up with my bodice. I also added in-seam side pockets.

Please excuse the stack of towels and the random dog tail hiding behind me. Just keeping it real.

I sewed everything together using the standard method - shoulder seams, side seams, match bodice to skirt.... and then came the invisible zip!


I invested in an invisible zip foot ages ago, and ever since, I've managed to crunch each and every invisible zip that I've tried to sew. But, a couple of moths ago, I went over to Anna'a studio and had a little invisible zip lesson.

Using the standard zip foot, I managed to sew this one without any swearing, unpicking or crunching. I'm taking that as a big win! I even managed to very nearly match up my seams perfectly.

I have hoards of op-shopped bias binding in the stash so that's what I used for the neckline, arm holes, and hem. Simple yet effective.


 Ta-daa... one finished Summer dress!


After finishing the dress, I was on a roll. I had a piece of beautiful Lisette Cotton Lawn which had been sitting on my cutting table, silently mocking me for two months.

I decided to make another Wiksten Tank, but this time I completely ignored the instructions and just sewed and overlocked the seams, and bound all the openings and hem with some more op-shopped bias binding.


I made the XL size again (as that was the size that I'd originally traced off), but I added an extra half inch to each of the side seam allowances to make it a litte bit tighter.

It's a really quick and easy, no fuss top to make, and really comfy to wear. 

Now I just need to decide which one to wear today!
Posted by CurlyPops at 11:26 AM 6 comments
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Friday, December 28, 2012

Life Flashes and the Fat Mum Slim Photo-a-Day Challenge

 
'Make your wish count. Discover, decide and discuss organ and tissue donation'.


A few weeks ago, I posted about the Life Flashes photography competition that is being run throughout December and January by The Heart Lung Transplant Trust (Vic) as part of DonateLife Week 2013.

I know that everyone was really busy with the lead up to Christmas, and lots of people asked me to post a reminder once all of that was over and done with.... so here 'tis




I'm calling out to all of my creative friends today to join up for a fun photographic competition.

I'm a member of the Heart and Lung Transplant Trust (Vic). It's an organisation that assists pre and post heart and lung transplant recipients at the Alfred Hospital.

The HLTTV is running an online photographic competition named 'Life Flashes' through December and January to celebrate DonateLife Week (24th February - 3rd March 2013) and promote organ and tissue donation.

DonateLife Week is organised by the Organ and Tissue Authority and held every year to promote organ and tissue donation. The theme of DonateLife Week 2013 is 'Make your wish count. Discover, decide and discuss organ and tissue donation'.


How the competiton works:


  • Take / create a photo for DonateLife Week in line with the 'Make your wish count. Discover, decide and discuss organ and tissue donation'.
  •  Write a  50-100 word essay to accompany your photo to explain how it relates to the theme and promotes organ and tissue donation.
  •  All photographs will be published on the HLTTV Facebook page, and shortlisted photographs will be blown up and printed on large canvasses and displayed at The Alfred Hospital during DonateLife Week 2013. They'll be seen by thousands of visitors and staff.
  •  There will also be a small launch event at the start of DonateLife week where prizes will be awarded to the winners.




In other exciting news, Chantelle from Fat Mum Slim has chosen the Heart Lung Transplant Trust (Vic) as her charity for the month of January 2013.

From Fat Mum Slim:

♥ I get a lot of requests for charities to be involved in the photo a day challenges, and I’ve had trouble figuring how I could make it work. I thought that in 2013 we could donate a prompt to a charity and bring some awareness.

For January I wanted to share the charity: The heart and lung transplant trust. So prompt number 3 is for them. They’re holding a photographic competition over this month to bring awareness in the lead up to Donate Life Week 2013 {24th February – 3rd March 2013}. You can read more about it here. The photo competition is titled Life Flashes, so feel free to add the hashtag #LifeFlashes to your heart photo.

All the details on how to play along are on Chantelle's blog. On the third of January, I'm hoping to see lots and lots of hearts with the #LifeFlashes hashtag. 

If you're posting them on Instagram, make sure to include the hashtag so that I can find them all and include them in an instagram poster for our DonateLife Week Life Flashes Photograpy Exhibition at the Alfred Hospital!

Any questions - please email me!

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Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Christmas



Merry Christmas to one and all

May all your wishes come true

 
Posted by CurlyPops at 7:13 AM 9 comments
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Monday, December 24, 2012

Christmas Sticks

Please excuse the night time iPhone snaps!

I had grand plans for making a Christmas Tree this year, and as commonly happens, I was too busy and just never got around to it.

Lastnight I'd finally gotten to the point where all of my orders had been completed, and I'd cleaned up the hovel house.... so I thought, why not get everything out and make a huge mess again!



I grabbed some sticks from the garden, some scrappy fabric strips from the stash, and made some watered down PVA.

Thank goodness I had enough sense to lay down a huge plastic sheet... this was M.E.S.S.Y.

But, I absolutely love how it turned out.... I only wish that I'd had a few more sticks

 

It's going to make a fantastic table centrepiece.

Merry Kitschmas!
Posted by CurlyPops at 9:24 AM 12 comments
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Sunday, December 23, 2012

Sunday Snippets


Circling Cushion
 
Beautiful gift in the mail from Selina


A vision for next years Christmas dress


Finishing off Santa Sacks for the nephews


The final Intragam for the year


Pressies are wrapped


Final Pulmonary Rehab session of the year


Totes


Final order of the year... more bibs!

Sunday Snippets with Tinniegirl
Posted by CurlyPops at 10:49 AM 3 comments
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Friday, December 21, 2012

Lovely things that others have made


I was sorting through my photo folders earlier this week when I realised that there were a few things that I hadn't blogged yet.

The first one is this lovely dress that Jennie made for me as part of a swap. The pattern is Simplicity 2925. It's unhemmed in this photo, so it's a little longer than the actual finished product. Jennie made lovely capped sleeves for me, and added side in-seam pockets!



This next one is a happy accident (happy for me anyway).

Bec made herself this lovely Grainline Tank but it was a bit too tight around the shoulders...



...so now it's mine!
Posted by CurlyPops at 9:32 AM 5 comments
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Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Last Minute Santa Sacks


So this year I promised to be more organised for Christmas....


But, it never even crossed my mind to offer my Custom Santa Sack service, until a lovely customer who purchased one a few years ago actually requested another one.


So these were a little bit last minute!


Photographed in fading early evening light, and now packed up and heading to the post office for a very important mission.

Next year I promise to be more organised (ahem... cough)
Posted by CurlyPops at 8:22 AM 4 comments
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Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Little Steps

Fencespotting - Version 1

It's no secret that I'm totally madly passionate about fabric design. I lose hours and hours sitting in front of the computer... drawing, designing, colouring, tweaking. Sometimes the sun goes down and I don't even realise until I'm sitting in darkness, with a rumbly stomach,  reminding me that I should probably cook some dinner.

Little by little, I'm edging closer towards my dream. Not sure if I can say it out loud because it sounds so preposterous. But, I've learned so much this year through the design courses that I've taken, and through trial and error. I've even managed to teach myself how to use Illustrator.

Fencespotting - Version 2


Anyway, I'm very excited about an upcoming Gleaners Inc Exhibition, where I'm going to put my fabric design skills to the test.

The exhibition titled A Piece Of Cloth is running as part of the Loreal Melbourne Fashion Festival from March 18-24 2013.


From the LMFF website


Gleaners Inc. has invited 30 local designers and craftspeople to be a part of an exhibition entitled "A Piece of Cloth" at their retail space/gallery in Brunswick. 

The show will coincide with LMFF throughout March 2013.

A square or scrap of cloth will be distributed to each person participating and as part of the brief, designers must respond to this fabric, ie; the pattern, the texture or the colour palette, by creating a finished piece incorporating or referencing their scrap.

Finished work in the exhibition will incorporate fashion and clothing, textiles, jewellery and accessories, work on paper or sculptural pieces. Completed projects in the exhibition will be unique interpretations of the objective, each linked by a common thread…or in this case, threads.


I wish I could show you what I'm working on, but I'm keeping it as a surprise just for now!


Posted by CurlyPops at 9:32 AM 7 comments
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Monday, December 17, 2012

Running a little behind


I seem to be so far behind on blogging little bits and pieces lately.

I like to make sure that I blog everything as it's a great record of everything I've made over the years, and it shows a bit of an evolution of my sewing skills as they've improved.

This little zip pouch was a special request from my eldest nephew for his birthday. It has a belt loop that runs along at the back, so it can be removed if necessary.


Luckily, I had one lonely satchel clasp left in the stash!

Now, when I modelled this on Frances for the photoshoot, I assumed that it was to be worn around the waist..... but when I gave it to him, he put it over his shoulder, because apparently, that's the way the teens wear them these days?

I'm sooooo old!
Posted by CurlyPops at 8:29 AM 5 comments
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Sunday, December 16, 2012

Sunday Snippets




Hi Deb!










Posted by CurlyPops at 6:01 PM 3 comments
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