Dec 5, 2010 | Accessories & Fascinators
Hair Clips.
Even though feathers are natural and completely biodegradable they aren’t always ethical. Some birds, like the peacock are sometimes bred just for their feathers and in some places plucked alive. Chickens/cockerel or game feathers tends to be a side product of the meat industry. Which is not very ethical either, but still a waste product. So always worth taking into consideration where your feathers come from. Check out Feathered Fantasy for example. Stylish and sustainably sourced.
This beautiful old feather duster made from cockerel feathers came my way through Shabitat. All the feathers were hand threaded one by one and then rolled around a wooden stick to create the duster.
I unraveled the feather thread and cut off small lengths, glued them onto alligator clips and added vintage buttons. Simple yet effective.
Dec 5, 2010 | Accessories & Fascinators
Magpie Recycling ends up with a load of old woollen jumpers that people either shrink in the wash or can’t be bothered/ don’t know how to repair. Natural wool is such a high quality material compare to acrylic yarns that are made synthetically, I can’t bare putting them in the textile recycling for rags. They have so much more to offer!
If they have passed the stage of being a jumper, this is one way of re-purposing them.The wrist warmers are made from the sleeves obviously. The snood is made from the body part of the jumper and lined with a soft jersey so the inside is nice and soft against your skin. Snug.
Oct 21, 2010 | Dresses & Jumpsuits
We all know that bleach isn’t very environmentally friendly. But if you can update a garment that you weren’t wearing with it, I’m pretty sure it’s more eco than buying new. Also, you don’t need much of it so it gets the go ahead from me.
This is how to;
You will need a dark coloured jersey/cotton piece of clothing.
- Blend 1:1 bleach and water (1 cup water+1 cup bleach is plenty for 2 garments)
- Put in spray bottle
- Crinkle or twist the garment and spray away.
- As soon as the colour start to change, put the garment in a bucket of water to stop the bleach from developing further.
- Wash with detergent to get rid of any bleachy smell.
Goodbye boring black clothes! Hello tiger stripes!
Aug 7, 2010 | Dresses & Jumpsuits
Making someones wedding dress is always a little nerve wrecking. The pressure to get it right and everything else that goes with it.
But I loved the challenge of making this dress for my very stylish friend Chani.
We chose a 1940’s Vogue pattern and used the reverse matt side of this amazing (but very slippery) silk fabric.
She looked stunning!
Jan 12, 2010 | Accessories & Fascinators
Ready for the Races.
I love a good fascinator. But I see nothing fun in those beige and boring “mother of the bride” numbers. If I was going to make them they had to be made from found trinkets, lost toys and records of course.
The 7″ vinyl makes a perfect base to embellish. First, I put them in the oven on a low heat so they go a bit soft. This makes them easier to shape.
This batch was made with netting, buttons and feathers and the occasional frog, rat or cat!
Available made to order or sometimes in my Etsy Shop
