The Golden Age of Couture

'New Look ' collection jacket in silk shantung by Dior, 1947


Pink satin embroidered shoes by Roger Vivier for Dior, late 1950's


Evening dress in silk taffeta by Balenciaga, 1955

Bendigo Gallery have a gem of a show here, which has been organised by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

'This exhibition explores one of the most glamorous and remarkable decades in fashion history. It examines the world of couture, highlighting the work of Christian Dior, Cristobal Balenciaga, Hubert de Givenchy and Pierre Balmain in Paris and their London counterparts Norman Hartnell and Hardy Amies. Other successful designersof the time - such as Jacques Fath, Jacques Griffe, Victor Stiebel and Michael of London - feature in a broad survey of the decade.

More than 100 dresses are displayed including daywear, cocktail and evening dresses made for society and royalty. Of these, the vast majority have been sourced from the V &A's own collection, and captured in the spirit of the moment by Cecil Beaton and Richard Avedon.'

Everything was breathtaking and very comprehensive; vintage fabric swatches, embroidery samples, corsetry, teeny weeny bejewelled Vivier shoes that a 12 year old would have trouble fitting into, I wanted to get inside the cabinets and feel the fabric, and to see if anything actually fit me. Some of the fashion photography of the period was really gorgeous, showing both classic images, and others with references to Dada and Surrealism.

I was amazed to see a doll collection, tiny mannequins and scaled reproductions of clothing, underwear, accessories, even tiny shoes! These were made to show clients who couldn't visit the atelier, an easy to transport mini-model, she even has luggage to match.

It is a long drive ( or train ride) to Bendigo, but well worth the trek. This is the only venue to see this collection in Australia, and it closes on March 22nd, 2009.

Listening to: 'How to be lovely' - Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face

C'est fini

Just in time to take the tree down! It always makes me a little sad to see the tree standing with no presents underneath. Leo keeps asking if we have any more presents for him, hoping to stretch it out as long as he can. He's great at ripping the paper off, less skilled in hiding his disappointment at some of his gifts.

Listening to: My quiet neighbourhood

Crifiss Projects

(My boy calls Christmas 'Crifiss', and I have taken to this new word aswell.)
We have a pair of long-awaited Robot sandals on the go, I am incredibly alarmed at the range of (or lack thereof) boy's sandals out there at the moment, all horrible, plus he is a fuss pot and we never agree on what he is allowed to get from 'the shops'.

He does have a pair of hideous Croc-esque sandals that I turned a blind eye to on a purchasing mission lately, but I have decided that they have to go, and so hence the fabulous all leather, handmade with love, a little bit too big so they can be worn next summer Robot sandals.

I hope that I haven't made the uppers too complicated, I keep whispering the mantra 'keep it simple stupid', but sometimes more is more. We'll see how it goes when I get the pattern off the last. Expect to hear frustrated growls.

The beau has a belt that was worn by a soldier in WWII, it is losing its tail and there's not much left to buckle into. So this afternoon I whipped up a new one, no historic provenance but I can make up a suitable story, I hope this one lasts another 70-odd years. It's been shonkily wrapped and stashed under the tree - shhh!

OK, I'm outing myself here, I am still in the throes of a cross stitch addiction, wondering when it will stop, presumably when I get RSI and have to go cold turkey. This is another kit, I believe the finished design is of bells, holly, a trumpet and some jaunty musical notes. It comes with a cute red plastic frame and can be hung on one's tree - how apt.
I must say that the embroidery hoop makes such a difference when stitching, even when the supplied canvas doesn't quite reach the sides! I have tacked mine on and it is just dandy.

Listening to: Panthalassa - The music of Miles Davis remixed by Bill Laswell

On my bedside table

Folks kept whispering that my shoes were in the latest Frankie, and lo and behold, they are!
Also this fine page of cross stitching, I am a bit obsessed at the mo, and as you must already know, a double page spread of Pip and the Brown Owls posse - yay ladies!


'Scuse the fine print, indeed they are available to order, just email me if you're keen.

Listening to: The Imperial March - Darth Vader's Theme
(The small boy is singing this song around the house lately)

You cain't always get what you want

Well you can get what you want, if they are of the leather Xmas decoration category, at Meet me at Mike's and Craft Vic.

Michi was spruiking my wares in spirit, but sent out Monday's forecast on Tuesday aswell, hence my in-the-archives-but-not-seen-by-7000+ subscribers version.

Oh well, Michi have been good to me this year, may they all have some R&R over Xmas.

PS. The photo is taken at Craft Vic, not Mike's

Listening to: Aretha Franklin - Sparkle

Should I just get a life?

It is nigh on impossible for me to watch TV without doing something with my hands. Since capoeira has finished for the year, and there are so many great DVDs out there (Mad Men, Studio 60), in the evenings I have been furiously committed to cross stitching this Xmas ornament I picked up at Spotlight earlier this year.

Talk about labour intensive! It has given me some great ideas though........




Listening to: Beastie Boys - She's Crafty circa 1987

The cutest roll of string

Yes indeed, Lefflers have done it again with their selection of interesting 'things'. This week I've been making shoelaces out of leather, I've never done it before but I had an idea of the procedure.
First up you need some string, that's where the cutest roll ever comes into its own.
Secondly you need to cut a continuous strip approx 15ml wide from your leather of choice. Ideally the strip is from a large spiral which covers as much area as your hide has. This means that the strip has the same rate of curvature, and when it's all finished it's a straight long thing.

Glue the string along the centre of the leather strip, fold when tacky and lightly hammer down the edge containing no string.

Finally stitch a few ml from the folded edge, then trim the excess with sturdy scissors and Bob is your proverbial (or actual in my case) uncle.

By the way, my rain gauge has had 60 ml since Friday!!

Listening to: Bad Brains - Soul Craft

On My Desk

Bit belated with the ol' On My Desk-isms. Here's a recent view.

Drawing on the last to make a pattern. You cover it in masking tape and mark in what you want the upper to look like, then you peel it off and lay it on card to make the pattern pieces.

Here's the upper pattern, with seam and fold allowances added, ready to place onto leather, trace and cut.

Handmade insoles, these are so satisfying to make, wet-moulded specifically to the last I'm using. All leather, all lovely.

Lastly a view of the uppers all lasted, with a heel block attached, ready for a fitting. They look slightly weird at this stage, a frankenstein child, it's great to get the fitting done and finish them up all proper like.

Listening to: Sheila E and Tito Puente

The farmer's in the dell

I love my garden, especially when it gives me produce such as this.

Amazingly fresh carrots, grown in a big pot. I am letting one go to seed because the wavy tops look so lovely.


The blueberries have been ripening, every morning I go out and get a few for my cereal bowl. There is a huge huntsman spider living in the mulch under the bush, he was still sleeping this morning, very handsome indeed. (I quite like spiders, especially hunties, we have a few living in our garden and I always love to see them).

Hello garlic! The tops of these started to fall over and look a bit sad, I thought that they were meant to flower before you harvested them, but I lifted them any way and they are beauties! The smell is so pungent they are drying for a while in my outside laundry, will let you know how they taste. Also grown in pots.

Listening to: Mr Scruff - Come Alive

Visit Mike's

These beauties are playing sleep-overs at Meet me at Mike's, in the hope that they will be gazed at adoringly and purchased for a beloved friend/ partner/self for Xmas.

Numero uno is a slightly patent grey, featuring the native Yellow Tailed Thornbill.

Second is the very popular whimsical woodland theme, on full grain chocolate brown,


and finally my favourite, patent red with a mish mash of pink, blue and purple stamps. I was thinking of keeping this one, but I have too many already (8 and counting).

Listening to: Talking Heads- This must be the place