While I was taking a moment to catch up on the latest in fashion blogs I came across this article in 'the age'. It is about the average size Australian woman, well more about the fact that she doesn't exist. Unless you have been living under a rock, you will know that this is a global problem. The problem being finding clothes that fit, not the fact that we all aren't a 'stock size' 8. I have been thinking about this quite a bit lately, and I am not sure why more people don't get their clothes made for them. I know it is a lot easier just to go the shop and buy something off the rack, but for specialty occasions or even some wardrobe staples why not get something made that should fit well? When I was growing up we had a good dressmaker in our area. Mum and I would buy some fabric and take it to her and she would make whatever I wanted. It was not expensive and I got exactly what I wanted. As I mentioned previously I have been doing some dressmaking, some for my sister, as she cannot find clothes to fit and some for people who have seen a picture in a magazine and want the same.
It is also a good idea for another reason, you know who has made it i.e. it has not come from a sweatshop in China. Though I am not sure where the fabric is made most of the time, but where the garment is made is a start!
The reason I have been thinking about this lately is that I have nearly finished reading an Australian book called 'The Dressmaker' by Rosalie Ham. It's giving me romantic notions of 'oridinary' people wearing high couture!

Dressmaking

As I said before, I have been busy dressmaking, so I thought I should provide some evidence!
This is a dress I made for someone I work with, she gave me a dress she liked and wanted a copy, with sleeves and a size bigger. Here is the finished product. It's made from nylon interlock and lined in similar. I have not done a lot of dressmaking lately, so am enjoying getting back into it and honing by skills.

Flinders Lane - Melbourne

Shopping in Melbourne on the weekend. Now that I have decided to launch myself into this designing and dressmaking business in a bigger way than I have before, I can call these 'business trips'. So it's all work! Went to Federation Square as there was a design exhibition on. I read in the paper there was to be a market with designers selling their wares in the carpark, but I could not find where this was. I did not really look too hard, it was so cold and the other I was with was not that keen. Nevermind, I did see some lovely jewellery and fashion photos inside the gallery.
We had lunch near Flinders Lane, which has become a very popular place for eateries. It is funny how a city changes, there never used to be a lot going on in the city on the weekends, now there are plenty of bars to go, places to eat and places to shop.
a pic of some street art near Flinders Lane.
a pic of where we had lunch.

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