Retro campers and kitschy kitchenesque

The little red caravan that could!

BrisStyle's craft caravan took the damp Brissy CBD by storm last Friday, with yarn-bombing, make-and-take, a Brown Owls meet-up, talks and demos all day, and BrisStylettes of all ages and shapes selling their hand-made goodness from cosy and colourful stalls. 


The caravan is a marvel - Helen, BrisStyle eventista extraordinaire, and beautiful Bel have done magic with their collection of retro lounges, beach brollies, and charming flamingoes!

I was also really tickled to see my own UFO's put to such good use at last by the Owls in their craftactive activities!

And I had a great time sharing a tent with the talented Anita from Mum's Cupboard (as in, what's in Mum's cupboard) for wimcee's first market outing for 2012.

Anita's Dr Mid-nite and Charlie the Owl glass stud earrings from her etsy shop
at http://www.etsy.com/listing/99280858/doctor-mid-nite-and-charlie-glass-stud

I've gone kitchenesque for the time being, which has been fun, in an effort to build up my stocks again after the hiatus. Had such a lovely time making five new aprons to take to market only to sell four of them before opening time...very happy for them to find good homes so quickly, but it threw my theme for the day just a little.

some new retro style aprons available from: http://www.madeit.com.au/detail.asp?id=554834

All we need now is some old-fasioned Brisbane winter sunshine to smile on the market season in full swing. Here's to blue skies, with no early Westerlies!

great snap of the yarn-bombed BrisStyle flamingo from Little Chrissy at
 http://little-chrissy.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/brisstyles-soggy-but-awesome-craft.html

Aprons: a journey!

Making aprons is where I started with wimcee in 2007. I used gingham and added ruffles and frills and deep pockets, with extra long, extra wide ties to make a big bow at the back, but the first aprons were already over-the-top, using a slightly mad combination of prints and a liberal application of pom-pom braid and rick-rack. Not a lot changes. My aprons are still much to the same formula; I've tried different techniques along the way to gather and attach frills and to secure the apron and improve the fit, but the look is much as it always has been...aprons with attitude. 

 




Why?



I grew up in a 50's/60's environment, at a time when there was a great deal of spoken and unspoken conflict about a woman's role in the world. My childhood was populated by some interesting, intelligent and gifted women who nonetheless subscribed to a view of society as male-dominated. This may have been confusing, but it was all certainly interesting - the dynamics were never dull!








My aprons are part retro reference, part social dialogue - no answers, just questions, with certainly some humour but also a great deal of affection thrown into the mix. Not everyone gets aprons, but if you do then I hope that mine will sing to you!

wimcee has aprons for sale, and all the usual accoutrements as well, online at etsy and madeit, as well as personally at not one but two lovely Heavenly Harvest markets at St Mary's, Kangaroo Point, in September and the Mamma's Market at Buderim later in the month, so watch this space for more details! 

Waltz on down...

Mathilda's Markets is on between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane tomorrow, and I'll be there with bells on - hadn't realised just how much sewing I've done in the last 3 or 4 weeks until I put it all together ready to pack up and take to market in the morning, including a string of new stretchy long-sleeved tops...

 ...some way over the top skirts...

... and  a lot of smart new padded jackets ready for winter...

Plus some new aprons and bags for Mums, aunties, and others!

Come and visit - I'm in The Tote, right down the corridor - and sign up for regular wimcee news while you are there to go in the April give-away draw...more about that soon.

Have a happy week-end!

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.

Deck the halls!

...and every spare inch of space at the moment - what a glorious time pre-Christmas-BiDM is! The sewing machine hums, the creative neurones spark, the scissors slice through cloth, colours bounce around the room like those 'visions of sugar plums',  and mama in her kerchief, or actually her jaja's, is unsettled and planning unfinished projects at 4 a.m. the day before market day! Come rain or shine the BrisStyle indie Designers Market will leap into action at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning and run all day, until 4 in the afternoon, in the grounds and hall at St Augustine's Anglican church, Racecourse Road, Hamilton, cheek by jowl with all the coffee shops, icreameries, and restaurants - the perfect market venue!

wimcee will be in a Grand Marquee in the grounds, and offering all the usual aprons with attitude and bespoke clothing, one-off accessories and lovesome softies, plus lots of smaller gift ideas, like hip jewellery rolls, funky peg aprons, diary and lappie cosies, and groovy embroidered glasses cases.

Jewellery roll

parisian patch cushion

lavender pillows

So don your wellies and join our rain dance tomorrow!