Cherry D.CW Skirt - It's a Re-re-Chic

This is A Re-re-Chic: 2005 to 2013

I made the original design of this skirt way back in 2005 when the sun was shining and the sky was blue.

The main body of the skirt is from a 1970’s vintage pair of jeans, so what’s new for 2013, well I have now inserted the new QP fabric panels at the sides which include extra denim godets and added more designs with fabric paint.  

I also went over my tag name I have used since I was in my teens: ‘Cherry D’ which is a play on my initials D.C before I was married, so now I have added the ‘W’ in the middle of the D, as that is the initial of my married surname now: Mrs D.C.W

I am really pleased with this Re-re- chic and now I get to wear this skirt out again – Yegh!

See Other QP Fabric projects below:

My First QP Cross Over Body Bag

QP Crazy Patchwork Textile Fabric Hearts Skirt

Quirky Peculiar Patchwork Hearts Re-Chic Pure Wool Coat

Craftcreatively! 

My Debrafide Bunting Wrap Skirt with the Union Jack and St Lucia Flag

I made this skirt last year to tie in with the Celebration year of 2012, that took place here in the UK.

Last year was the Queens Diamond Jubilee and The London 2012 Olympic Games, held in my home town Newham, London also I have always wanted to design a skirt that displayed my Cultural heritage.  

With the flags of the 

Union Jack and St Lucia .

I am so proud to of been born to St Lucian parents who came to the UK in the 1960's and despite all they went through at the time decided to stay in the UK and build a life and have a family, as equally I am proud to be born in the UK.   I have the Paradise beauty of St Lucia and the natural beauty of the UK. 

I remember when my husband first took me to the Lake District, where he has family roots, I could not believe how the rolling hills and the lake's reminded me so much of the lush greenness of St Lucia.

This skirt is a re-chic project – The original bunting was a pack of Jubilee Bunting, with  red, white and blue and the Union Jack flag.  The St Lucian Flag, I made myself using a blue triangle, fabric and fabric paint.  It is tipped up as the St Lucian flag is made up of triangles representing the St Lucian Pitons and I also wanted it to represent a gust of wind as St Lucia is part of the Windward Islands.

The white lace at the hem was my mum’s curtains, that she used in the house where I spent the first 20 years of my life in Forest Gate, Newham, East London.

The first time I wore this skirt was when I went along  Newham Mayor Show last year, where I entered the The Best in Show Bunting Competition (not with my skirt ;). The outcome was I actually came 1st Place for my bunting design.

You can see my entry here: The Newham Mayor's Show in East Ham, Newham, Best in Show Bunting Competition

Side note: I put this skirt away before I took photos and today thought I would give it some life again with a blog post.

StayCreative4ever

 thankyouwikipedia.org

The M54A5 Two Into One Vintage Maxi Skirt Re-chic

This maxi skirt was made using  two 1970s vintage  maxi skirts. I split the panels apart and arranged the fabric pieces in various combinations to see which pieces I wanted more prominent e.g more dark to light or vice versa.

The black skirt was bought a few years ago from The Antiques Centre in Shrewsbury and the white print skirt was bought from a vintage fashion shop in Birmingham when I visited earlier this year.  With the left over pieces of the other skirts I will be making a little kimono style short jacket or top.

I am really please with the result.

Re-chic creative

  

Purple Geo Maxi Strapless Dress Re-Chic

Tonight I went to The Hidden Kitchen, East Ham, E6, East London and I decided to make a new outfit, so during the day I set myself a mini Re-Chic project, I decided to turn my Nina Leonard dress below into a maxi strapless dress. 

Pics Left to Right Before and After

Although I really liked this dress in the original form and have a few dresses in the same cut.   I found the shade of this print did not work for me as a full dress with sleeves and decided that a break in design may be a good idea, at least that way I knew I could always wear a top underneath.  

The extras: of course my old favourite grey lace was used as trimming for the hem and the dress sleeves were made into a head scarf. 

RecycleUp-cycleRe-Chic

This was an easy enough Re-Chic and I am pleased with the result.

The Hidden Kitchen was great, I blog posted about it on ElizaDoesLots 

Sewhowyoulike

My BeesZzz Top/Tunic and Spring - Summer Sewing 2013

This is my BeesZzz top/tunic, it's covered in Bees. 

After the dark and cold UK winter, I say it's time for Spring Summer 2013 Sewing! 

I have to say I love an easy sew, I have come to realise I really enjoy simple lines and interesting fabrics although I do like constructed sewing.

I love tunics, maxi dresses, circle skirts and pencil skirts with variations on tops and layers as I like to let the fabric talk for itself.  

Recently I have got into draping my fabrics more and as you know I enjoy making the old – new, so my clothes get a re-chic from time to time, even my garments of clothing I made over 15 years ago. 

So for this Spring/Summer 2013, I have been looking/studying what styles, shapes and fashion  I personally really enjoy wearing.  I have also been taking notes from websites such as: Net-a-Porter.com and Yoox.com.

Side End Note: Deborah means Bee in Hebrew, Deborah was a prophetess in the Bible and appears in the Book of Judges.

Sewwhoyouare!

Quirky Peculiar Patchwork Hearts Re-Chic Pure Wool Coat

This is my Quirky Peculiar Patchwork Hearts Re-chic Pure Wool Coat. I have had this coat for over 15 years,  it was a plain cream pure wool coat that I bought when I worked for a wholesale fashion company.  

I felt it was screaming out to have the Debrafide Re-chic treatment with Quirky Peculiar Hearts.

I have also blanket and cross stitched details onto the coat and used glitter fabric paint as highlights.

I  ‘World Premiered' my QP coat, when I went along to The Big Bead Show at the beginning of this month, which you can see HERE on JewelLucia.

i-QP creative

Creating and Sewing for Debrafide

Ohhh....Ok.... it has been a while since I have written a blog post for Debrafide as for the last few months, I have been concentrating on Jewellery Making and Designing for my blog JewelLucia.

There are some new makes and re-chic's being created and coming along for Debrafide and once they are completed and photographed, updates will be processed.

Create&StayCreative! 

Silver Lurex Waistcoat

I made this silver lurex waistcoat yesterday as I have really been trying to keep myself to a sewing schedule and I  have not really been keeping it :( as for the past few day I have been re-organising the beads and jewellery making side of my craft room, it had to be done and what a job that was. 

So I thought a little sewing was in order.

The knitted fabric has a reversible look as one side is sparkly silver and the another is muted silver.   I zig-zag detailed stitched around the arm hole and the front opening and the muted side around the godet I inserted.



sewcreative

COI Collection Vol 2 - Design for Today [DVD]

This is a DVD collection of  films from the Central Office of Information (COI)  and were made from 1948-1985  are about British related design starting from post war Britain.

The first DVD is about the design and designers, covering interior, architecture and industry design.  The second DVD is about the history of fashion and it's design and influences.

If you love fashion and the historical side, then the film 'Sixty Years Of Fashion', is the one for you, it takes a look at fashions from the 1900's to the 1960's.  I first saw this film on Sky Arts last year,  hence why I decided to find out if it was on DVD.

I have a personal feeling that the film was made at different times although the film date says 1960, which I agree would be the later part of the film  the earlier half as well as been narrated by a man the second part by a woman, looks as if  it was filmed in the late 1950's then added to the rest of the film.

All in all this is one of my favourite films.  Then there are the films on Mary Quant, Tommy Nutter, Biba, Zandra Rhodes  and other fashion designers.  

For someone like me who loves the history of fashion and costume, this is a great flash back esp. the films from the 80’s, just for listening to some of the ideologies of the designers and people in the fashion business at the time.

This DVD is great, I feel inspired to design and create just by watching and you also get an informative booklet included in the case. 

A year ago I  wrote a blog post on short films, I found on the BBC Archive which I found really interesting viewing.  From the BBC Archive: What We Wore : A history of fashion from 1720 to 1982  Which has Doris Langley Moore  presenting who is credited for providing additional costumes in the 'Sixty Years of Fashion' film and who was also the founder of The Museum of Costume, now the The Fashion Museum in Bath.

creativeresearch

Have you heard about the Knook?

Hello again - just a quick post - do you know how to Knook?  

I have just recently found out about the craft of Knook, it seems to be a type of 'knitting/crochet' and I picked up a Knook kit when I was in Shrewsbury last weekend,  the instruction book looks really clear, so I guess it will be a new craft for me to try! I will blog post how I get on :) 


keepcreative

My First QP Cross Over Body Bag

This is my first 'QP' Bag that I have made and yes I am planing to make more.

'QP' Fabric Front

'QP' Black Back

These photos are of the reverse of the bag, a mini patchwork pocket and a floral fabric lining from my fabric stash that I purchased at the RDS retro market from last year.

Even though it can be a lot of work making the textile fabric,  I love the process of  the designing and creating using the pieces of fabric and establishments,  some of the pieces have special memories for me.

I have already used the textile fabric I have been creating in my: 

Crazy Patchwork Textile Fabric Hearts Skirt

and

Cushions & Red Door Studios, Christmas Arts and Craft Market, East Ham, East London, Newham

I have a few other ideas that I would like to try out, I also hope that one day I will be able to get a felting or embellisher 'sewing' machine, as I think this will be a great help, working with the technique I am currently carrying out at the moment and save my sewing machine any more stress ;).  

sewcreative! 

A Knitted Dress and A Knitted Suit

Sometimes I  like to take a look through my collection of knitting patterns, I just find them fascinating. 

The patterns below are for a dress and a suit, they look as if there are from the mid to late 1970's. One day I might actually knit a dress of my own. :)