dyeing and printing and sewing

I have been doing a bit of all these things this week. I dyed some tee's that I had made up with the new dyes I bought last week. They came out a lot darker than I anticipated; which is good because that means I can be a little more frugal with my dyes. I also made up a jumper for my niece. I made it from a block I had from college which I think has too much of a boxy shape about it - kinda 80's style - which is making a comeback, so that could have been a good thing after all. Anyway, that is what I will tell her! She is only 5, but very style concious, like a lot of young kids are now. As you can see I tye dyed a heart shape in the middle. I think I might have some kind of weird tye dye addiction, I have to refrain myself from tying up everything I throw in the dye pot. Maybe I will just do a heap one day and that may get it out of my system.

5trillion update

I am in the midst of doing a big update on my online shop at 5trillion.com. Please take a look and also read the musings blog there for info re these new items and a link to my photos on flickr (just click on one of the thumbnails on the musings blog or go to flickr link and type in 5trillion in tag search).
I have also been trying to update my etsy shop but it has been so slow in loading I have had to give up.

nude & lace top

Today I made a new top and also finished off 1 brooch to go with the denim bolero. The top is made from nude coloured chiffon with a piece of lace sewn down the front. I bought a bag of lace from the local bargain box fabric store and also another from e-bay (both off-cuts). I am not sure where this one came from. I also made a camisole to go under the chiffon top, as of course it was transparent.
I plan to put both on 5trillion and make some more brooches for the denim bolero so people can choose which one, or two, they would like when making a purchase.

new stuff on Etsy

Here is a picture of my workroom. This is a denim bolero that I am making, with an embroidered brooch acting as the closure. When doing machine embroidery I get my cottons out to see which colours would look best, then for this one I got out my pencils in the same colours to sketch some designs.

I have added some clothing to my Etsy store.
I have not updated 5trillion as yet, but hope to do so soon.

I have been getting into a bit of screen printing lately which I am quite enjoying. I made up some tops, which are on Etsy, and have some more in the pipeline. I have made up one style, but now I have finished it I am not sure that I like it, so I may just pull it apart and change it a bit.
I have also been chatting a bit on the Etsy forums and found some interesting work done by others in Melbourne (I am not in Melbourne, but v close by) and all around the world. Such as these 2: annalaura and a. t. whim.
There are so many wonderful things for sale on Etsy I am not sure why you would shop anywhere else! (In my humble, if not slightly biased opinion).

Having said that I found a great little shop just off Greville St. in Prahran that sells clothing made by people who live in or around Melbourne. Very cute stuff.

I went to the last trading day for the fabric shop mentioned in the previous post. I bought 1 roll of white cotton interlock and 1 roll of rugby weight cotton knit. As you can see by the label it has come from New Zealand and was bought from local clothing manufacturer Ojay. Today I have ordered some dyes from kraftkolour here in Melbourne, so I intend to make lots of garments that I will dye and screenprint.
Stayed tuned.