Forget leather leggings…

I'm bringing back leather handbags! 

I went to Dag Fields with my Nanna and Great Aunt the other day and we ventured into the leather shop. BAD. MOVE.

I saw two bags that I utterly adored and dragged my boyfriend back the next day… One was gone! I was so disheartened but not all hope was lost as I  bagged this bargain for £15, AND it was down from £75 (sorry for the pun.)

Jessica Elaine-Clare 

XOXO

Kirstin Ash

So guess what I've got in store for you beautiful people?

I have found a wonderful jewellery company designed by two siblings born in New Zealand they are now based in Sydney! 

Kirstin who is lead designer along side her brother Nick, who is also her business partner! 

Here's a link the their Full Story!!!

They make absolutely beautiful pieces of jewellery, with a vintage feel to them! I found them on my side bar on Facebook of all the places! I love statement jewellery and I think their rings are just that, with matching pendants and earrings! All of these are made from Resin and Enamel, I just don't know how to describe them so here are some piccies I got from their site to show you just how beautiful they are!

They have beautiful matching 'sets' as you might say, although all sold separately!

I love these, the feather has been designed in such cute colours!

How sweet is the pink flower featured on these?

Some beautiful vintage like pendant clusters!

These cute birdy earrings in pink and blue!
I want them both so I can mix and match them!

They have an array of charm bracelets and they are so cute!

They have five enamel and resin charms on a chain, and they would make the best present ever! 

I'm sorry the is rather small, but check them out on their website!
Trust me you won't be disappointed! 

There is a new range called 'KA Fines.'

This is an array of sweet little 'stacker' like rings, you can get all the designs in either gold or silver and I just love them.

I might just have to get a couple in gold and in silver!

I just love the little pineapples! 

So after this business of beautifully designed jewellery graced my life, I thought you should all check them out too and see all the magical pieces!!

WEBSITE

INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK

Let me know what you think!

Here's my faves from their current stock/collections!

Isn't the dandelion ring just amazing!
I can't get enough of it, it is definitely
on my christmas list!

As you can see there's a recurring theme, and I love blue!

But they are all so beautiful! It was difficult to choose favourites but these four all really stood out to me especially the dandelion ring as I said! 

XOXO

Call it a come back!

Okay, so I know I posted last week but I seriously want to get back into blogging and everything! I'm starting my degree in a week! How exciting, right? And I liked sharing my idea's and inspiration and I'm going to start outfit posts etc.
I'm going to make a proper go of this!!!


To kick off the party, guess what else I found in Top Shop?
A PVC/Vinyl, knee length, full skirt!
The only difference to the one in my collection is that mine was red with cut outs!

Top Shop

The back of mine! 

I personally think the black one is really gothic but I do like how shiny it is!

And look what I found on Boohoo...

This is my 'MUST HAVE!!!!'

Isn't it just beautiful!?!?!

Well look out for posts before I go back to college!

LET'S SHOW THE INTERNET WHAT I'VE GOT!!!!!!

XOXO

Oh no they didn't...

So I know this has been a really long wait but I'm going to try and get into blogging properly about all sorts of wonderful things.

I finished college just over a month ago and I was very excited, but that won't be the end of the era for another 3 years as I am taking the Foundation Degree at my college. I start September 9th and it has only just dawned on me that it's just over a month till I start! 

So the last thing I blogged about was my collection for my final college year. Well my cropped shirt that I showed you how to make is now on trend and showing on all the top high street sites and in-stores! 

I feel like I should be parading around like I started a trend but I can't believe everyone else is now wearing them and it's not just me! Haha! I am never happy! 

Here's some from top selling High Street stores...

MINE...

BOOHOO...

TOPSHOP...

RIVER ISLAND

MISS SELFRIDGE

Aren't they all real cute?! Especially the lilac spot one from Top Shop!
I feel like I started a trend although, none of these big leading brands would have ever seen my show!

Maybe one day, ey? Ha! Ha! 

I WISH I HAD...

It's just so beautiful, with the gorgeous embroidery detail and the pretty laser cut hem on the bottom and on the sleeves!
I'm in top love!

XOXO

Up close and personal!!!

Using CAD I created a close up view of my cut out skirt spec drawing!!!

I was really happy with this and I thought it looked really effective! 

Do you like?

XOXO

TIME TO SHINE!!!!!!!!!!

IT'S SHOW TIME!!!!!!!!!!

I've finished all my garments and they're ready to show!!!

OUTFIT ONE!!!

SHIRT!!!

I love my shirt and I can't explain how proud I was of it!

SKIRT!!!

    

Although this took me HOURS and HOURS and I resented it so much when I was sewing the cut outs I still loved it when it was finished! IT was worth all the time and effort and the stabbing of the pins ALL the time!!!

OUTFIT TWO!!!

CROP TOP!!!

This turned out better than I had imagined although the ribbon was a pain to sew and get right!

SHORTS!!!

My shorts actually turned out a lot better than the toile and the scallops really worked once I'd faced them and top stitched!

OUTFIT THREE!!!

DRESS!!!

I love my dress and I thought although it was simple it was effective and made my collection look 50's like I wanted it to.

Plus it fit me and I can't wait to wear it!!! YAY!!!

OUTFIT FOUR!!!

PLAYSUIT!!!

This was the biggest pain in the neck EVER!!!

I'm so glad it fit and looked fab on the catwalk as I stressed over it SO much!

I was really, really, really happy with my collection and I thought all my models looked great!

The collection really came together and I was SO proud! 

ALL MY HARD WORK PAID OFF!!!

XOXO

Sprucing it up a bit!

So for the catwalk show I thought I'd spruce up my collection by adding a few accessories.

I had a horrible bag covered in gold beads and I really dislike gold!

So I ripped them all off and trust me it wasn't easy!

My Mum bought me some cute ribbon and we sewed it on the bag in rows.

The ribbon matched the colours of the spots on my dress that you will see VERY soon!!!

You can't see it very well but the ribbons are blue, lilac and pink!

For my first two outfits I made 50's style bow headbands.

I created two leaf shapes one a centimetre smaller than the other and bagged them out!

I then placed two together and pinched them in the middle. I tacked them and tied them to the headbands with a piece of ribbon.

I did a blue and a red!
I used the same pattern for both so they matched!

What do you think?

Do you like?

XOXO

Letting you in on my secret!

So I've finished all my toiles and I'm all ready for my final fabrics! How exciting?!

I thought I'd let you in on how to make my favourite garment as I'm that chuffed for finishing my toiles!!!

MY SHIRT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ignore my friend Hanna!!!

Draw around blocks

Trace off sleeve and shorten to elbow length

Trace off front, pivot the block to eliminate top dart and draw new lines

Draw in new dart under the arm for shape

Do NOT draw in the bottom dart because I want it to be shapeless

Draw in button stand 1.5cm either side of the centre front

Add another 3cm and then another 3cm (BUTTONS WILL BE SMALL!!!)

Trace off back.

Draw box pleat on centre back (CB) by measuring the width (3cm) See diagram?

Take the top (back) dart out by taking it off the arm scye.

Just rub off the bottom dart so it is baggy/floaty/shapeless

Extend ALL hems by 6cm so I can turn it up by 3cm twice – BETTER FINISH- looks less cheap.

This is all my pattern pieces on top of the calico.

COLLAR (Draw upside down)

Measure front and back necklines (not button stand/box pleat)

Draw a line 8+11cm long

Create a 90 degree angle with 10cm. (insert diagram)

Draw curve up by 1cm (insert diagram)

Make top collar line parallel to the bottom. Curve all so it is all 10cm from the bottom line (insert diagram)

Extend top corner out to a point

Point is rather huge but I will sample it and make smaller when I fit it to the toile

(Shorten sleeve)

(Make sure my hems turn up properly)

Model on stand, take off seam allowance (SA, ) cut off point as it is too big. Make smaller and more square like.

Make amendments on my pattern

I cut out the original collar and it was a little too pointy.

... So I cut the corner off and made it more rectangular.

TOILING (cut out of calico)

Sew in front darts.

Sew button stand on front of shirt

Fold 3cm (at notches) and fold the same again

Sew VERY close to the edge, like a topstitch

Front darts and button stand.

Sewing the box pleat

Sew down the CB about 10cm and then fold the top of my box pleat, iron and sew the top down

Box pleat.

Sewing the sleeves in:

Pin the sleeve, pin the centre, shoulder, pin the two sides.

Fit the sleeve into the shoulder curve (even out and pin) Sew with the sleeve on top, making sure not to forget notches and folds

Re-sew the snapped threads

Pinning and evening out the bulk of the sleeve. 

Sew the back to the front on the shoulders, right side to right side

All sides sewn together and down the sleeve.

COLLAR

Bag out collar

Sew onto shirt, right to wrong sides

(It wasn’t quite right! I unpicked the collar.)

Bag out half of the button stand to clean up the edge

Pin one edge halfway (CF) and the other side

Pin CB shirt to the CB collar. Spread out the fabric (evenly) between the pins

Turn over and turn up the other side of the collar to cover the stitches

Sew TWO rows of stitching (slightly messy/uneven style) – this will be contrasting to my fabric and I will do all seams like this (all visible seams!)

Collar all sewn on, with two rows of stitching for added effect.

Mark where buttons go (only 6 buttons) 3cm apart

Side and the sleeve.

Back view.

Close up of the neck and the collar. 

COMPLETED!!!

What do you think?

Do we like?

Isn't HannaBanana beautiful? ;) 

XOXO