Tasselmania!

The Brisbane chapter of Brown Owls made funky tassel bunting to hang high above the recent ECO Bazaar in the Queensland Museum's whale mall.

a tasseled silk cap that I made for a recent themed exhibition.

Tassels, the close relative of the trending pom-pom, are a wonderful way to add embellishment to hats, beanies, bags, cushions, clothing, curtains and so on, and SO easy to make.

I'm going to include here a tutorial about making tassels. Once you have mastered the basic technique you can apply it to all sorts of materials that you may have to hand (think streamers, plastic, string, braid...) and use the results to add something a little extra to any project you are undertaking - or have undertaken in the past. You can also add tassels to store-bought items such as cushions, tote bags, and so on, or to furniture or architecture. Easy peasy - sky's the limit!!

 Christmas crocheted baubles with tassels. 

 Using yarn in your choice of colour, wrap it repeatedly around a piece of card (this one measured about 12 cms.), a small book, or even your hand.

Once you've reached the desired thickness (experiment to get a feel for this - depends on the material you are using and the use to which you are putting the finished tassel), slip a separate length of yarn between the card and the body of the tassel and tie firmly.

Slip the yarn off the card, and cut through the body of the tassel at the opposite side from where its tied.

 

Hold the bundle of yarn to make a small ball where it is tied and use another length of yarn to tie off the tassel's 'head'.

Now give the tassel a hair cut - hold it firmly and cut off all the extra long bits, turning slightly to make sure you find them all.

To tidy up the tassel, use a wool needle to weave tie ends into the centre of the tassel. Take another length of yarn (vary colour as required) and wrap it around the neck tightly before using the yarn needle to weave the end of this length into the body of the tassel as well.

I use embroidery thread and a finer needle to attach the tassel to an object. If you like you can add some beads at this point - again tidy the finished tassel by sewing the end of the thread into the body of the tassel. 

Ta-da!

wimcee will be at the fabulous BrisStyle indie market in the city hall on Saturday 14th September, from 9 am until 3 pm,  so if you are local please feel free to drop by, have a chat, and see what new things I've been making!

Or visit me on Facebook 

Have great tassel-making days!

wimceexx 

To market, to market...

This Friday night I am setting up shop at the BrisStyle indie Twilight Market. This will be my first 'real' market all year and here it is almost the end of August.

Markets are rather special, especially when it's BrisStyle, which is hand-made only and the primary retail out-let for this not-for-profit collective of craftspeople. These twilight markets can be hugely successful, especially running up to Christmas, but it's also an opportunity to catch up with members of long standing and meet some of the newer recruits.

I've got some new work in the pipeline for Friday night, the nature of which has been in part dictated by physical limitations after surgery in July - my beloved sewing machine hates my back at the moment. So lots of crochet and some paper and glue and embroidery have been my most comfortable options.

I have crochet bags:

...fabric and crochet cushions....    

clothing for chickadees...

and some pixie houses that are actually pin cushions in disguise...

Plus plenty more.

If you are local, drop by King George Square from 5 p.m., browse the stalls, bop to the band, and grab a bite to eat at The Groove Train...look forward to seeing you and being back in the thick of a market once more!

August August

Love August!

My birthday comes along at this time of year and I still harbour that little-girl anticipation of celebrations, not to mention gift-getting, even though, if asked, I don't actually feel I need or want a lot of frivel...much prefer sourcing out the perfect present for other people in reality.

In Brisbane, August (also) = Exhibition: the mighty Ekka, the annual horticultural show, the RNA, a rose by any name...more echoes of childhood! A sun-shiny week when the Westerlies blow icy, all sorts of nasty flus abound, as the first summer fashion forces itself out on brave (very) young things.


For the young the Ekka was - still may be, although somehow I doubt it - a bit of a rite of passage: eventually you were deemed old enough to go alone and unsupervised in the company of friends to spend a day and an evening riding the big dipper and the octopus, feasting on dagwood dogs and get-your-cheerios, and collecting trophies from the sample bag pavilion. Young girls and young fellows strutted their stuff - too young perhaps for boyfriends and girlfriends, but old enough to be aware of display.

Pre-Dreamworld days, we loved the Ekka, with its something-for-everyone...baby animals for the kiddies, floral dioramas for the Mums, spivvy cars for the Dads, handicrafts for the Nannas, and traditional pit-stops like the wood-chop and the silhouette cutter's stand that were as predictable as night following day in a world otherwise full of flux and change.

August this year involves a number of wimcee ventures: a workshop, an exhibition entry, a market - more of these shortly or visit me on facebook to be kept up-to-date.

Have great weeks!

wimceexx

Hey Green Tamborine...

So what do garter-belts, wooden clogs, caravan-shaped tea-pots and sub-tropical rhubarb have in common?


Terrific Trev fancied some R&R over the Labour Day long week-end, so off we went to the fabulous Escarpment Retreat, which is next but one to St Bernard's Hotel on "Mount" Tamborine.

"Mount" because it's not really a mountain in the strictest sense, more of a small plateau-hillside settlement. But the vistas are extraordinary due to the plummeting cliffs of the Scenic Rim, and the flora is pure Gondwanise:- massive figs, thick tarzanesque strangler vines, ancient cycads, dappled sunlight, leaf canopy and all...beautiful! About 90 minutes from Brisbane, it's the perfect week-end get-away.

St Bernard's is a scene-stealer itself. This grand old hotel has been a local land-mark since 1898. In it's accommodation-based hay-day in the 20's it boasted a tennis court, a large swimming pool fed by a creek, walks to visit the five local waterfalls, and extensive gardens on the edge of the escarpment - all perched right on the cliffs with a view north-east to the Gold Coast and islands of Moreton Bay.

I remember family day trips up to Tamborine when I was a child, with St Bernard's the destination for lunch: a choice of roasts, with vanilla ice-cream and caramel sauce to follow... such were the heights of culinary sophistication in Queensland in the early 60's. But served up by maids in uniform on fine china, silver cutlery and starched white tablecloths.

The Gallery Walk on the Long Road is an eclectic mix of dress shops, galleries, craft and nick-nacks, with a variety of eateries, brewery, wine cellar, a cheese factory, and a couple of hum-dinger ethnicentric pit-stops including the (German) Cuckoo Clock Nest and the Dutch Bite Cafe and Clog Place. I love a genuine Black Forrest cuckoo clock and a bit deft china along with the best of them...Tamborine is a bit like that; all oblique if not downright obvious references to a vague Continental heritage. The Tamborine Mountain Teapot Shop features some pretty wild creations imported from England; the Polish Place serves up food, drink and objects d'art in the Polish tradition. When I was a student we used to drive up to savour coffee in a brass kettle and a potato and bacon hash at the long-gone Swedish Cafe, with it's blue and yellow flag painted roof, when IKEA was just a twinkle in someone's flat-packing eye.

We also shared out retreat in a general rather than specific sense with this year's garter-belt and gasoline convention - a colossal coming together of hot-rods through the ages, most in pristine nick, with rockabillia excelsis thrown in for good measure! Bands, balls, a massive show-ground festival - ladies of all ages done up from top-to-toe in 40's/50's fashions, and greased-back locks and sharp shoes for the blokes. Spectacular! Time for a quick visit to The Shop Time Forgot and Kitty's Vintage Kitsch, the mountain's retro mega mecca.


We wined, dined and did some gentle trekking to make up for it all - the non-leech-infested Sky Walk for one (someone mentioned the 'L' word to TT), and the Curtis Falls track for another, the latter setting off from one of the prettiest picnic grounds in s-e  Queensland.

All in all, a fabulous retreat...and just slightly la-la land enough to be great fun!

Have great weeks!

Head-dressing

Love hats! Rarely wear them - hate hat hair almost as much as I love hats - but love hats, head-dresses, wreaths, crowns, tiaras, head scarves, and wonderful Audrey-esque hair-do's.
 

Think that I must have got this from my Dad, who tends to grace the suburbs wearing a straw boater in summer and a large felt fedora in winter. He has an extensive collection: can at a moment's notice produce anything from a fez to a deer-stalker. And he and Mum have always loved a good dress-up event...my first exposure to the press came as a grubby faced babe-in-arms cradled by an Arts Ball bound bambi look-alike mother (why? still remember the feel of the foamie antlers of her costume but have never understood the reasoning.) Really doing a far better impersonation of a deer caught in the head-lights than my glamourous Mum I made it into the Sunday papers in the days when there wasn't a great deal going on in Brisbane, obviously. Maybe hence Dad's predilection for the deer-stalker? Moving right along...

Gail Davis as the original female super-hero

I was many things out of the dress-up cupboard, but my favourite alter-ego of all was Annie get-your-gun Oakley. I had the fringed vest, the cute skirt, the cowb'y hat, and the six-shooters, with holsters, to match, and stalked around the flower beds of our family home shooting imaginary baddies for hours at a time. How healthy is that! We're talking early 60's here, when the world was in love with the USA, Disney ruled the hearts and minds of Australia's young, and we could all sing the theme song of Davy, Davy Crocket, king of the wild frontier, without have any idea where the wild frontier was, or even what it was.










This early love affair with a happier period of American influence lead me to make a number of stylised wig-wams to sell at market, and from there, naturally, to papooses and feather head-dresses. And of course, best fun of all has been the feather head-dresses...they take a disproportionate amount of time, but are much, much fun to make.
Annie's put her side-arm to bed long ago, but then I always actually preferred the more colourful side playing Cowboys and Indians on the state school oval at lunch-time, and bows and arrows are so Robin Hood (with the Richard Greene American accent) after all

Wimcee will have a full compliment of feather head-dresses (plus lots more) at the Mathilda's Christmas Market tomorrow (19/11) at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane.

To market, to market...

Two months and one week and a bit since our break-in and I have my replacement camera...it's just neck-and-neck as to whether the a.w.o.l. vehicle comes home before the new laptop arrives. Much techno catch-up in store!

On Saturday morning (9th July) BrisStyle goes back to its Hamilton home with the first day-time indie designers market for the year, in the hall and grounds of St Augustine's church at Hamilton. This is a beautiful venue, especially in the Brissy winter sunshine, and there will be a host of hand-madees lined up to thrill with hand-crafted hotness. Check it out in detail here . 

I have stock with a few very select retailers around town now - Hanasho at West End, Bleeding Heart Gallery in the city, the Collective Store at Wynnum, and now at piece together studio in the antique precinct at Wooloongabba - so while I'm feeling a bit over-stretched at the same time the impetus is there to come up with new fun pieces to take to market. Having a ball with fabrics, putting together new aprons, new cushions, new bags, new children's clothing...!

On Sunday morning wimcee sets up in the white tents of Portside's Boutique Market , on the river, also at Hamilton - also a lovely place to be on a fine winter's day. I have been involved with this market since it's early days in the marquee at Everton Hills and seen it grow into filling a significant role in the market fabric of Brisbane.

So - back to the sewing machine in order to be ready for a busy week-end - hope to see some of your friendly faces at either or both market-places!

The Reincarnated Kimono Project plus Boutique to go-go!

Thursday night is the Artists' Night at Hanasho at Brisbane's West End, for the Reincarnated Kimono Project. The inspirational and exciting project of the lovely Melanie from Kimono Reincarnate, this has brought together a group of artists/crafters in a collaborative project that involves each in producing a special piece or pieces using they exquisite vintage Kimono fabric that Mel has provided.  Although the exhibition has been open to the public since Saturday I have yet to view it or see more than a few hints of what's been provided from the other participants - I am, to be quite frank, just a bit scared about how my work will stand up in such illustrious company. However, Thursday is V-day (for V-iewing by me) with no where to hide, and, now we're told, a speech to deliver!

Not sure about that one...I have much to say about working on this project - what really blew me away in dissecting the fabric was how totally universal colour and pattern really is, way beyond our fairly closed concept of  cultural, chronological and geographic differences. But whether I can stand up and talk about this remains to be seen...! The exhibition will run for all of April, so if you are local do drop by and have a look.

Then, on Sunday, my first big 'marquee-market' for the year, at Boutique Markets Portside, Hamilton. Being on a bag-roll so to speak, more bags ready to go at Portside, each embellished with charms and created from some really special fabrics; but also aprons, quilted jackets, birdie brooches, children's skirts, soft toys, woolly hats - the usual spread of chic unique from wimcee. Looking forward to being back amongst it, catching up with stall-holders and shoppers alike! And hoping for less cyclonic and more sunny autumnal conditions!

Tuesday twitters

Waltzing on to Mathilda's. I'm leaving the fabric collage to one side for a little while...would love to explore that more soon...and focusing now on Mathilda's Market, first round, Brisbane, Saturday 12th March at Eagle Farm Racecourse.

This is the first Mathilda's I've done for a while so can't wait! Plenty of new kiddie couture to present, all in the wimcee boho-chic style, with heaps of colour for Autumn, but some new styles like embellished and appliqued stretch tops with long sleeves, as well as the usual quilted jackets, skirts and trousers. Knitted goods too...just a little cooler weather would be conducive to more enthusiasm for working with wool!

Two new skirts with ruffles.

New camera is teaching me how it works too, added bonus...still early days! 

Have a great week.

Twinkle, twinkle, twilight fair (for Christmas)!

Lots of new creations from wimcee ready to finish the market year on a high tonight at the BrisStyle indie Twilight Market in King George Square, from 5 this afternoon. wimcee will be by the Christmas Tree so come and visit, but also check out our record number of participating etsy sellers' stalls all through the square and around into Burnett Lane. This is OUR Christmas Party - come and share the love at the hippest, hottest hand-made destination in town!

Sally sunshine sun dress (size 4)

Lots of little aprons for children!

Sensational benita boho sundress size 3

fabric covered journals, wimcee standards!

large journal with magical cover.

Twinkle, twinkle, twilight fair!

The brisStyle indie Twilight Market twinkles again this Friday night (19/11) in King George Square, Brisbane CBD, from 5 - 9 p.m. - the perfect venue for Christmas shopping with a big range of hand-made, everything from homewares to hats, bikinis to brooches, softies to scrunchies, and all the way back. wimcee will be there with some really cute new embellished aprons, Ava the Advent girl, embroidered felt glasses cases, fabric journals and altered skirts, as well as all the usual kiddie couture, high tea accessories and bags of bags.

BrisStyle indie Twilight Market

And the winner is....

Congratulations to Jill for being the randomly chosen winner of the 'flowers for frida' skirt, and a big thank-you to all those who entered their comments!

I so seldom have a photo of one of my little dresses actually being worn so I am sharing a totally unrelated image here of the lovely Indira in a wimcee original, sold at the recent BiDM.

A period of R&R ahead for the wimcee's, but lots of marketing to come in October/November/December, and a crafter/marketer itching to get back to work by then I'm sure!

The flowers that bloom at the Spring BiDM, tra-la...

...bring promise of market delights ahead as well as we hit the market season proper in Brisbane - not too cold, not yet too hot to be pleasant at midday. wimcee will be in the grounds at St Augustine's Anglican Church, Racecourse Road gate, from 9 am on Saturday, with lots of new stock that I've literally made with great affection...you have to love the fabrics, and they seem to get more and more exciting all the time.  This is a particular current favourite, a little dress for a 6-8 year old, with a matching happy bag - the main fabric is an exquisite print from Japan in a combination of mauve, aqua, orange, and a little mustard on a mid-tone neutral back-ground.

Some paper folding too - out of sewing commission for a week or two the family accused me of playing paper dolls at the kitchen table, and there certainly was a lot of inner child involved in choosing the 'outfits'...

There are also lots of father's day offerings from many of the stall-holders so drop by and say hi!