More history ...

OK - so this is nearly too funny to talk about - circa 1991 (thanks for your previous comments about my sewing past - seems to have sparked some of your memories too!) - final year Textiles Project (actually it was a Fashion subject - again, too funny)....

Inspired by a talk by Patricia Black ... (1. How did I remember that name??? and 2. Here is her website!!) - I took a piece of leather - not lovely soft handbag type leather but affordable CRAFT type leather -hmm OK - then I wet it and then moulded it around my torso and tied it tight with bandages - the idea being that it would mould to my shape as it dried. And I do actually have photos of that process somewhere ......  When it dried (many hours later) it was snipped to reveal a corsetty type of shape and I put holes up the back and tied it with leather thonging. The corset was also tanned.

The rest of the ensemble is dyed cheesecloth made into extreme harem pants (!!!!) with a matching wrap. Plus note the little leather anklets and wristlets.

Photographed in my backyard - my Dad was a plumber so we had an interesting back yard of just about everything .... not sure what the look was that I was actually after - experimental? viking? hippie? Probably a combination! Enjoy laughing at with me!!

A Step Back in Time

 Are you ready for a step back into my sewing past? I was reading Shannon's Blog recently and some fabric that she was using looked familiar ....hmmm ... I was prompted to dig around the old photo albums to look for the gold and silk fabric that I used on a collar for a little tie up top - the sleeves were sheer black and it was worn over a LBD - I think it was a Burda Pattern - I probably still have it ..... anyway, it may be nothing at all like Shannon's great little skirt - but the journey back into my photo albums was fun and I thought I'd record them here ... Anyway, the above photo was for my Graduation Dinner 1992 - I distinctly recall only finishing the outfit 5 minutes before we had to go - I did that quite a lot in those days...

Jayne's Wedding, Nana Glen, NSW I made the dress plus Shaun's shirt!!  1989

3rd Year Uni - I did a B.Ed (Home Economics) - I drafted & made this dress, made the hat, the gloves and the bag!! 1989

Mick & Ann's Wedding 1989 I think?? I made the dress.

I made this jumpsuit - woo hoo!! late 80s I guess

Looking like an old Grandma - 1994 - Leonie & Mick's Wedding - I remember I had tonsillitis that day - it shows!! I made the Jacket - tailoring at Uni and the dress - and the hat - I did Millinery after Uni at Newcastle TAFE - loved it!!

1990 - My Wedding Day - it rained and rained and rained - here is the driver holding an umbrella for me. I made my dress, the bridesmaids dresses, the flower girl's dress and the groomsman's bow ties and cummerbunds - I had heaps of time - Uni holidays - 3 months!!

 

Sewing my little heart out on Mum's old Singer.

 

The overskirt had lots of crystal organza bias strips sewn on in wavy patterns - I don't know how I did it without a bias maker!

 

Late 80's -I didn't make the top - but I made the pants - they have a leather yoke.

For Maree's wedding -I made the dress and jacket.

And for Alison & Rory's wedding I made this cute little number - lots of weddings in those days!

!st Year Uni - 1988 - Full Circle High Waisted Skirt and Stretch Knit Top - I loved that skirt!!

Same skirt with a blouse made at Uni.

This was 1990 - Shaun and I just announced our engagement - I made his seersucker shirt, my skirt and top and my sister Georgie's Jacket and Skirt - or did Mum make that?? Can't remember...

Geraldine's Wedding - same dress as before - different hairstyle - the French Roll!!

This was a 4th Year Textile's Project - I made a child's playmat - it's difficult to see the detail here - but it was a journey of experiential learning - and many many hours of work - not sure what happened to it - it went AWOL before my kids appeared on the scene.

So there you have it - funny hairstyles - thinner physique - I had a great time in those Uni days of sewing for my course - after that my life took a different direction - I taught Nutrition for many years, had children...... and then after many years, high school teaching brought my back  into Textiles - and here I am - glad to be back!!