One of the goals I’d set mself for this year was to tackle so many of the outstanding personal projects sitting around neglected in my studio. Things like yesterday’s jeans had been on the waiting list since Septemeber!  So far, I appear to be off to a cracking start even if that does mean hand stitching by lamp light feeling rather Dickensian as my vision slowly fades….  Which is why I was quite thrilled to be featured in the January issue of UK magazine SEW!

Here is what it says…

-What do you write about and what inspires you to blog?

Super Kawaii Mama is primarily fashion and style related. It is all about choosing to live your most glamorous life, regardless of your income level or parental status!  Rather than focusing on the latest catwalk looks or fashion that needs to be constantly updated, I am passionate about vintage, recycled, cottage industry and alternative fashion.  It is all about creating a style that is unique to yourself and finding a sense of joy through what you wear everyday.

Amazingly, I never seem to run out of things to blog, in fact I have a hard time keeping up with my brain and sometimes have some very sleepless nights as it won’t shut off!  I don’t find much inspiration in current fashion trends but rather in things I come across in daily life that, when looked at from a certain perspective, open up a whole new world of possibilities. It could be a certain colour, a great old movie, or even a wheat field seen from the window of the car that inspires me to start thinking about Little House on the Prairie type fashion!
Everything is fair game and is interpreted through the lens of my own sense of style then served up on the blog ready for consumption.

-How does blogging aid you in the creative process?

Blogging has been the biggest boon in terms of aiding my creative process. It is a brilliant way to connect to like minded individuals as well as people that see things very differently to myself and thus open my eyes to the new.  It forces me to make sense of many otherwise unformed thoughts which means that so many projects that would never have made it out of my head, have been able to become a reality.
Blogging is also a great validation. When your life is so busy being a parent, wife and everything that goes with that; it is often difficult to justify the time we want to spend on projects for ourselves. Especially those that are simply frivolous fun!  So if I feel like making a fancy Cinderella gown that I may only ever wear once, I can justify it to myself when I share the process with others… Well at least that is what I tell my husband!

-What are your favorite things to make?

Wow, my studio is testament to my favourite things to make as it is full of supplies for projects I haven’t even started but have very good intentions to! I have a large collection of vintage patterns from the 1930’s – late 1950’s as well as reams of vintage fabric. I love making reproduction vintage pieces as it means that I can have the garments I really want in just the right size, as finding an authentic piece that is just what you want isn’t always possible.  I try to use all the original techniques and materials were possible when I’m doing these.  There is such a sense of triumph involved in getting some of these pieces right as the tailoring is critical, especially when the fabrics have no stretch and some that have no closures, just a complex construction.

If I don’t have the time to devote to such a big project, the other favourite is things that can be knocked over in a short space of time. Usually taking something old and altering and customizing it to become something entirely different.

-What are your plans for the future of Super Kawaii Mama?

There is some much in the works for Super Kawaii Mama in the new year.  The site is being redesigned for more depth and better navigation of archives.  I also get hundreds of requests for help and tutorials each month so I’m trying to find a better way to give readers what they need.  I have a number of creative collaborations in the works that will see the pages open up to a whole new audience and give you more choices in how you choose to interact with me. In short, I guess I never stop making things and never stop coming up with more and more outlandish ideas!

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What about you?

Do you sew, do you want to sew or do you fear even the mere thought of reattaching a button?

You’ll remember me slaving away over a new creation here right? Well, here is the final product!

It was the perfect outfit for a summer’s evening dinner with friends.

As I was making the dress I was imagining all the combinations and different ways of wearing it, but one of the problems that always happens here in Melbourne with our unpredictable weather is deciding on short or long sleeves.  Thank goodness for Friends of Couture ;and their brilliant range of cardigans that came to my rescue.  This little darling is called “Daughters of Pleasure” and has the most delightful cotton lace detailing as well as cut amber coloured buttons. They come in a few different colours including greens and pinks, and if you’re quick you can still get your hands on them while they are on sale – reduced to $39.99!

Outfit Details

Dress: Made by me to a vintage pattern in a cotton sateen fabric

Cardigan: “Daughters of Pleasure” by Friends of Couture

Shoes: Grey patent leather bow shoes from Shoo Biz

Earrings: Vintage 1960’s clips on beaded earrings in  sea green shades. (Divine!)

I love this dress pattern so much, and I’m feeling so inspired at the moment that I’ve bought a whole new selection of fabrics to make some different varieties!

Let’s see how it translates into a whole range of looks!

Yes, it isn’t an elaborate creation behind the scenes to rival Project Runway, but it is my suburban sweatshop. Lots of you have asked me to post more about all my projects and design endeavours.  Most of what I create I create only for myself and my family.  But don’t be fooled into thinking that this was just some natural talent I was born with, oh no. It has taken many years of trial, effort, failure, study and stabbed fingers to get where I am now.  It is infinatley reqarding though, as it seems that more often than not I don’t really want what I find in the stores and must resort to my own skills if I want the pictures in my head to come to life.

Sometimes I work from patterns, some times I just make it up as I go along, and then occassionaly I combine the two and alter basic patterns to make them do what I want.

I do have a cutting table, but more often than not is just isn’t big enough for the scale of the projects.  I tend to spread right out on the lounge room floor, shoo the puppy away and try not to cut the tassles off the rug!

I am very lucky to have a dedicated studio space that serves both for blogging as well as all my other creations.  It isn’t the tidiest but then, I can always find what I need and I fit an astonishing amount of stuff in there!

But just what am I making….?

Stay tuned to see this week’s creation in the next Daily Outfit!

I’ve been in project mode again. When I get a bee in my bonnet about something and just have to have it, there is nothing more satisfying than being able to make it myself. So it was with this great 1959 dress.  I had an idea in mind for some sort of wiggle dress, but in a less than predictable LBD style.  There are a few vintage pattern sites I favour, but this one I found on eBay.  Comparatively the prices are very reasonable, that is unless it is a popular pattern in a popular size, so I often find bargains for around $10.00 that otherwise retail on some vintage sites for closer to $35.00  Keep in mind if you are buying patterns from eBay, to always ask their condition – whether they are complete, cut, torn and still have their instruction sheet.

I love the versatility of this pattern and have in mind several variations making something for both summer and winter, so you may see this pattern again.  This time I bought the fabric before I’d even found an appropriate pattern.   I have a habit, as most of you crafty sorts do, of always keeping one eye out for the unusual and the appealing.  So it was that I came across this satin fabric at the bottom of the bargain bin for the grand total of $7.00 a meter.   When it came to making up this dress, there were a few modern habits I did without.

Firstly, I chose not to overlock any of the edges, rather opting to stabilize each edge with a row of straight stitches before sewing it together.  Also, instead of using a fusible interfacing – which is the quick and easy route – I chose to sew it in instead to avoid any puckering or bubbling where it attached.  To get the fit right, given the tailoring and the absence of stretch in the fabric (how quickly we’ve gotten used to that), I fine tuned all the darts and tacked things as I went.

And here is the finished product getting its first outing on the town.  After all your lovely comments on this dress, I am inspired to try my hand at some more complex projects soon.  Knowing that there are many of your that either enjoy sewing or just reading about it, I’ve decided to add a MAKING section to the blog.  It is where you’ll find all the details of things I’ve made, customised and DIY tips and tricks.  Once again I’ve started by accessing some archived posts, but I’ll be adding lots more in the coming weeks. If you have any questions about this or any of my other projects, feel free to drop me a line or leave a comment.  This girl is always up for a chat.