2018 Oversew Fashion Awards

I think it is about time I had another go at the Oversew Fashion Awards. So I have decided to track my progress here. With a June 2018 deadline, I am hoping that I can pace myself and not be too rushed :) I have started a Pinterest Board and done some rough sketches, so hopefully inspiration will flow...

Next year is shaping up to be a bit less hectic than this one - I am no longer running a Diploma course for youth workers, which entailed travelling to Wellington a few times a term. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, but am keen to focus more on upcycling, sustainability and my local community (moved from New Brighton nearly 2 years ago). I am involved with our local Opportunity Shop - Revival Clothing. We have run upcycling workshops in the local school and the commumnity, had 2 recycled fashion shows, hosted a local wedding gown display complete with high tea, had stalls at the local Pumpkin Fest, and supported the school production with upcycled costumes - as well as lots of other stuff. Money raised goes back to the community. We are also running a food/care parcel system for locals in need, and have started up a sewing circle in Birdlings Flat, just down the road.

So all of that is keeping me pretty busy. I have decided to give Youth Work a little bit of a break next year - which will feel a little odd. But I think it is for the best. So it should be an interesting year. Will keep updating my (hopeful) progress on an upcycled outfit for Oversew...

Oh and we inherited a border collie cross from friends. Pip is lovely, and she has settled into life in the country well. She was rehomed off a farm after an accident with a bull. Love having her by my side :)

Oversew Fashion Awards Show 2015

The long and the short of it is that i had my entry accepted - only 50 were accepted out of 120 submitted...so even though my design didn't quite meet the brief (in that it looked more like leather and tartan as opposed to leather and lace!) it made it down the runway. I was lucky enough thanks to the lovely Denise from NZ Eco fashion week to be given a ride to Carterton to watch the event. So much fun!!!! Met some awesome people too. One day i would love to put a mini collection into the NZ Eco Fashion Week. Also had a chance to mull over my dream to run a community wardrobe - like a creative space for people to learn and sell stuff and rent clothes for good occasions etc...

So anyway here is my favourite photo from the show - my model linda, a local accounts manager is very funky and rocked my outfit - she was the perfect choice!

A great experience! Next years theme is Fire and Ice...

Oversew update

Its almost finished! Can't quite believe i actually got to this point - only about 5hrs ish of construction to go, then off in the post and fingers crossed... Here is a peak at the jacket thus far

I have added the final details to the trousers (buckle closure above the zip and leather detail on the pocket to tie it into the vest) - as well as taking the leg in, as i figure the grungey look needs to be reasonably slim fitting. Happy with them, however i think the knee pads are slightly too high? Not sure where exactly they are supposed to be, but when i wear them, they are slightly above my knee. Hoping the outfit reflects leather and lace - the tartan is pretty bold, so not sure if i have reflected the theme as well as i could have. Great learning process though! And actually really enjoyed working with leather, so i am keen to have another go at this sometime this year. :)

oversew update - tartan trews

After 3 late nights the tartan trews (trousers) have taken shape. All that's needed now is hemming - however i am laid up after a wee bit of surgery to remove a dodgy mole on my arm. As i one handed type this, i am hoping that said arm is all better shortly, as i have also got the fifties frock for the Timaru fashion show to finish and post by next tues. Fingers crossed! :) Anyhow - the trousers had to take a creative turn when i realised i didnt have enough length in the skirt to cut the pattern. So they have morphed - padded knees and a join in the back, to make it look like they are meant to be like that - I reckon it adds to the grunge/biker look i am going for though. Nothing like a little upcycling to practice a bit of design innovation. I have used the original skirt yoke for the trouser yoke, and added an inseam pocket for cards and cellphones to fit into. There is an chunky exposed side zipper to add to the grunge look. Really happy with how they turned out! As to the leather vest, the lace has finally arrived, so i have managed to get a bit further along with it. Still a way to go, and certainly pretty tricky! Will update once i am back sewing.

2015 fashion show fun!

It's 2015. And already I have managed to enter 2 fashion shows. The inagural Timaru Sewing Centre Fashion Show is on the 25th of March, and i have entered the eveningwear section, with a race day type outfit. This is actually a dress i adapted from the craftsy couture dressmaking tutorial i did last year. Only have the hem and exposed zip to go then finished the dress. (Sorry about the lack of photo progress for this project). I am thinking of making a fascinator to match. Next comes the Oversew Fashion Awards, in May 2015, in Carterton. I think this is their third or fourth show, and i am entering the Luxurious Leather and Lace section. Following are some of my original garments i will be upcycling for this challenge. Loving the hideous padded shouldered leather jacket - $3 at the opshop. (Actually i worked out the shoulder pads are brilliant to pad out my mannequin, so susie has gone up a few cup sizes and become more hourglass at the hips!) Thetartan skirt is one i made with my mum when i was about 15. The theme is old to new so i am looking at current trends, and have gone with the gothic/punk trend emerging. Perfect for tartan and leather. At the moment i am working on a vest with an asymmetrical zip with the leather jacket, and some fitted tartan trousers with the tartan skirt...Here is my rather bizzare looking toile (sample) as i was finding it really hard to pin the leather to fit it properly The armhole is proving to be tricky, as it is so big! Maybe inserts will be needed. Incorporating the lace is challenging me too. I have found my old button cross i made for a jacket when i was at Fashion School, and decided to trim that with lace and add it to the back of the vest. Looks pretty good. How to attach it will be the next challenge, as it is quite heavy! I am looking at making short petal style sleeves for the vest out of lace too. So thats the progress so far - will have a pic of the race day dress in my next ramble...

O for awesome in Oamaru

Having started feeling reasonably ambivilant to going down to Oamaru Heritage Week for the long weekend, I finished our getaway with fresh inspiration and a head somewhat distracted by design possibilities. Work/home/life in general has had more than its fair share of stress lately, so going away seemed like just another thing to get through. However leaving Christchurch gave me the opportunity to leave my worries behind as well. And just enjoy myself - have some much needed family time and fun. Andy was in the demonstration team for Bike Polo (which came about in the late Victorian era by the way) - who would have thought?!?!? Except back then they played on rather unforgiving bikes on grass. Its a bit more technical these days. Anyhow, I have taken some pics of my experience of some of the Victorian themed Heritage week. Interspursed are some rather exciting Steampunk costumes - Oamaru being the Steampunk Capital of NZ - that celebration happens in June each year, so that will definetly be on the cards for a visit!

Day two of shock frock to rock frock!

I got to use my new sewing shears for the first time today - i am still mourning the loss of my old Toledo shears - they were cruely butchered by a person who was supposed to be sharpening them!
However here is the progress from day 2:

the upcycling begins

I tried the collar look, but it immediately gave an Elvis look, so ditched that idea for now.  Have cut the pleated skirt and soaking it to get the pleats out, which will give me more fabric to play with.  I am currently searching through my stash to find some floaty fabric that goes with it, to experiment with a flowing skirt look.  

Stay tuned for the next installment of  my frock stars upcycling project!

a creative space in the making

In my last few weeks of fashion school, i have come to realise that I am starting to walk off the map....My very focused and known journey will soon become unknown.  So where to from here? What does the new year ahead hold?  What adventures and challenges lie ahead, as I step out into new and unknown territory. Hopefully this space will help me in my quest to answer some of those questions.  Or at least provide a welcome distraction of crafty creativeness with a sprinkling of upcycled fashion, along with some learning gleaned from my time at fashion school.

So feel free to come along for the ride...who knows where it will lead?

J 

the road along the kaikoura coastline