Thursday, November 4, 2010

My older creative space.

So do you think I look older??
Well I am!
A whole year older than last time I posted.

Last I night I lay in bed wondering whatever happened to the magic that surrounds your birthday when you are little? What ever happened to counting down the days in anticipation and excitement? To not being able to sleep the night before? To hinting at gifts and planning your party? And to bouncing out of bed on the day to see how much you'd grown?

This birthday edition of my creative space may not have me taller or smarter but it does have me spoiled rotten with giant cards, poems, a craft book, the promise of a macro lens, lots of phone calls, a blog post and so many renditions of 'Happy birthday to you' sung by my family and accompanied on guitar by Indi.

I have no idea why I wasn't excited about this day because so far its pretty amazing.

This dress is a little something I am working on at the moment. Don't look at the fabric, I know it's not me, but that makes it perfect for an experiment because its not too precious to play around with.

After cutting a pattern off a dress that fits me well, I tried to add shape with shirring.

And when it still looked like a tent I did some shirring in the back too. Next time I'll shir higher because let's face it, it's not very flattering where it is. Looking at these photos I can also see that it's not really working on the underarm bit, better work on that too.

This is one of those put it on and have a look, take it off and cut some off, put it on and have a look, take it off and shir some more....projects.

I think I've learnt all I can from this one and am ready to start a new one, still in not quite right fabric, but one step closer to what I want.

This is definitely a long term project.

Maybe I'll wear the final version to my birthday party next year.

Have a great day on my birthday y'all.
See ya. X

83 comments:

  1. good luck with your experimental dress. Looks tricky!
    & happy Birthday!

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  2. I think it looks cute, can't wait to see the good one. That fabric would make great bikinis, hehehe sorry got bikinis on the brain... better get back to sewing :-)

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  3. Happy Birthday Kate!!!!!!

    I love this shift dress style top - it looks V good to me!!
    Hope you have a fab birthday - sounds good so far!x

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  4. Happy Happy Birthday Kate! Glad it has been fabulous so far, just like a birthday should be. The dress looks great and I am sure the final version will be fantastic too!

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  5. happy birthday Kate! Have fun experimenting...

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  6. happy birthday to you miss kate. i wish you relaxation, indulgence, sewing, knitting, hooking, happy travelling,coffee and cake, cuddles, love,happiness and above all peace and tranquility in your new year

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  7. Happy Birthday Kate!!! You share your birthday with my little guy. I hope it's a truly wonderful day, enjoy! Your dress is great (the fabric is me, I love it!) & I adore shirring, you look terrific!

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  8. Love the way you create and make...so totally get it...because it's the way i tend to do things.
    Have fun with your dress. Can't wait to see the finished version.

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  9. Happy Birthday Kate, Knowing you, you'll have the new dress perfect by tomorrow, I think it looks fab now!

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  10. I hope you have a fantastic birthday Kate!

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  11. HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATE!!! Hope you have a wonderful day - it does indeed sound like you already are :) We have birth-weeks around here because it's always a school/work day and the birthday never seems to last long enough! Here's wishing you a fabulous birthweek :)
    I am always a cut it and sew it and re-cut it and change this or that kind of sewer - it's what I love about sewing, the experimentation. Great dress but yes, higher at the back a good idea ;) Can you sew down the gathers from the shirring into pleats? or would that make it worse? Have fun experimenting!
    Kx

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  12. Big sloppy birthday kisses to you!!!!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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  13. A happiest birthday to you!
    I hope your day is wonderful & that your year to come holds lots of love, adventure & crafting.
    Big birthday hug from me.
    Kitty x

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  14. Have a great day today Kate, it's nice to be spoilt by the fam on your birthday, and the dress looks like it will be fun WIP to keep working on.

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  15. Happy Birthday old girl! Hope its fantastic! x

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  16. Happy Birthday!!! So glad to hear it's been a great one...The project looks fun and I bet the finished result will be totally awesome :)

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  17. Happy Birthday! I think that dress might need more shirring the the back!

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  18. That farmdoc has made me cry!

    Happy birthday my friend :-)
    Hope you get spoilt for a long while yet. Love the dress - I like that dark blue on you!

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  19. Hi Kate
    Hope you have a very Happy Birthday today!!!
    May you continue to be spoilt all day and relax and do what you want to do.
    Take Care
    Merrilyn

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  20. Happy birthday Kate. In spite of its faults, you are so creative to have gotten that far with a self-designed dress. I like the safety of a pattern ;)

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  21. Happy Birthday Kate! Hope your day continues to be wonderful and exciting and playful just like the old days and i hope you eat a big fat piece of delicious cake. love manda xox

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  22. Happy happy birthday!!! May you have an amazing day:)
    And as for your next dress I am sure it is going to look great!!

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  23. Happy Birthday Kate, I hope you get a little of this magic you were talking about.
    xx

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  24. Happy birthday, you're the first Novemberian I've read about so far! A great month to be born in! Hope you have a great day.

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  25. Wishing you the happiest of birthdays, Kate!

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  26. Happy Birthday Kate! Just imagine if you had made this for yourself when you were a kid - would it have been pink with bows???

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  27. Hope you have a wonderful birthday Kate.

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  28. HAPPY Birthday to you Kate!!! I hope you have the MOST WONDERFUL day possible. big love xo

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  29. Well happy birthday, sweet Kate! Is it a 'significant' one? I love the fabric - where did you find it? I really like the front but agree with you about starting the shirring higher on the back. Well done on creating as well. J x

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  30. Happy Birthday Kate!! I've been reading your blog for a while now and find it really inspiring so couldn't miss this chance to wish you lots and lots of happiness on this special day and always. Have a wonderful day!

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  31. Happy Birthday Kate, from one Scorpio to another (and just quietly, I do believe that Scorpios rock, don't you ?)I must admit I felt a bit the same about my birthday the other day, wondering where all the magic had gone, but I think it sounds like your day has started rather nicely :)

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  32. Happy Birthday Kate, from one Scorpio to another (and just quietly, I do believe that Scorpios rock, don't you ?)I must admit I felt a bit the same about my birthday the other day, wondering where all the magic had gone, but I think it sounds like your day has started rather nicely :)

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  33. Oops sorry, I felt so strongly about that comment, I thought I'd post it twice *doh*.

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  34. Happy Birthday Kate! Hope your day continues to be amazing. I like the dress, the front neckline especially apeals to me. But you know that if you are wearing a large pair of sunnies you can look glamourous in anything - thats fashion baby!

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  35. Happy Birthday, Kate!

    What a great project, to create your own dress pattern. I buy many items hoping for just what I'm "hoping" it will be, only to be so-so about it. I like how you've taken charge with a d-i-y attitude!

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  36. Happy birthday! Maye the sun and moon and stars shine upon you today and the rest of the year!!

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  37. Happy Birthday Kate !
    At 33 I still get as excited as you described - still a big kid I guess.
    Your dad's post made me cry too...
    Have a great day, Dee

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  38. Have a wonderful day and a great year ahead. Love the experimental dressmaking(call it "draping", dahhhhrlink!).

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  39. oh my goodness!! I woke up this morning & thought about you, no jokes, I was trying to figure out when your birthday was as I knew it was coming up.
    arghhh!!
    Happy birthday gorgeous girl, hope your day is full of big squishy hugs & of course those sloppy kisses ♥

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  40. Happy Birthday Kate,I hope you are spoilt rotten today and that the specialiness that you are wondering about is just about to surface. You certainly deserve it!

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  41. Happy birthday to you! You don't look a day over how old you were last time I saw your photo, swear.

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  42. Happy Birthday and I love the dress! Hope you get spoilt with love and kisses.

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  43. Happy birthday!! I think the dress looks great...I wish I was halfway as clever as you!! xxx

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  44. I definitely think you look taller and your boobs are bigger!
    Happy birthday Katchka!

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  45. Happy Birthday Gorgeous!

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  46. Happy birthday to you!! I don't really look forward to b'day (for me) any more - I am not liking the getting older..but can't be helped - I'd better embrace it i think! Hope you have a nice day being spoilt!!

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  47. Happy Birthday Kate-Enjoy!
    Happy playing with your dress.. can't wait to see what you come up with.

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  48. *clears throat*

    Happy Birthday TO YOU
    Happy Birthday TO YOU
    I wish not-Arnold could share your birthday,
    But anytime before next will DO!

    Mwahahahaha...

    Oh I'm so funny.

    No.

    Really.

    Have a grand one gorgeous Kate, I know I've still got a few hours... but don't hold your breath... you'll need it to blow out candles... ;)

    xo

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  49. I like the fabric, Kate and the design and shape as well. Great job for a birthday dress. I can't help myself, I still get overly excited when my birthday comes around. It's just the best day of the year for sure.

    Happy birthday to you!! x

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  50. wishing you all the very best on your birthday & always Kate xx

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  51. Happy Birthday Kate:)

    LOL at the thoughts on feeling older - at what point do we lose that feeling??? Amelia counted down from Jan 26th this year till her birthday in September. She knew that Grandma and Pa were coming for her 5th birthday. I recall her saying to me "Grandma and Pa are coming back for my birthday - but they aren't coming for yours!"

    Hope that you continue to have a fab day with your family.

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  52. Happy Birthday! I know what you mean. It does get harder to get excited about your own birthday as you get older. But I find I get quite excited about Cohen's birthdays now and will try and make an extra effort to throw a party or do something special so that he grows up with lots of lovely birthday memories for when he is older and not so fussed by them. :)

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  53. Happy Birthday dear Kate !!!!!
    We almost share the same birth date... mine's tomorrow ! :-) hehe...
    Have a great one dear.

    Hugs,
    Grace

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  54. happy birthday kate!! still disappointed we didn't get to meet when i was on my road trip but don't forget us if you ever get over to tassie.

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  55. Happy birthday, Kate!

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  56. Happy birthday Kate. And I love your dress in progress.
    x

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  57. Happy Birthday Kate! Hope you've had a super fabulous day.
    Your dress is a fab work in progress. I'd love to freeform make something like that, but I need to get myself a proper dressmakers dummy first. I'm too lazy to do all the putting on/taking off!

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  58. I agree with Curlypops. Its such an exhausting way to sew with the trying on and taking off thing. Much like a changeroom experience but with the benefit of being able to cut the bits off you dont like!

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  59. Well happy birthday!! Your dress looks very nice! When you are done maybe I can wear it to my birthday at the end of the month!! Hehe..

    xo Steph

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  60. Hip Hip Hooooooorrraaay to you....no you don't look older you look FANTASTIC!! xx

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  61. Happy happy birthday to you Kate! Hope it's been wonderful.

    x

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  62. Happy Birthday Kate, hope you had a fab day!! I still love having a birthday even if I don't get the sleepless excitement beforehand....it is nice to be spoilt by the family. Are all your girls librans?? We are so well balanced :-) (Either up or down, very rarely in the middle!)

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  63. Many happies Kate. I admire your tenacity on trying to get a great fit. I would thoroughly recommend getting a dressmaker's mannequin, then you can have eyes in the back of your head, haha!
    Jak x

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  64. Happy Birthday all the way from South Africa! You might not like the print so much, but I think it's beautiful and looks great on you! Really so pretty. Have a great day and look forward to seeing the 'final' new dress..

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  65. Yay!
    It's my birthday too.
    Hip Hip Hooray to both of us!

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  66. a very happy birthday to you Kate, I know what you mean about losing the thrill of one's birthday it's quite a sad thing really even though we still can have a great day, yours sounds pretty lovely and I like the fabric on you!!!!!

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  67. Happy Birthday Kate- love your post about creating your dress.
    Thanks for visiting me.
    I x

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  68. Happy Birthday!
    Make sure you make the most of getting spoiled rotten and fussed over for a day - enjoy, x

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  69. Happy birthday!
    I'm sure the dress will turn out great after you fiddle with it for a while.
    Question: do you have any simple patterns for crocheted hats? I'm a complete beginner, and I want to have something easy which will actually resemble a hat when I'm done.
    Thanks!

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  70. Happy birthday!!

    I hope everything, not just the rhododendrons, are in bloom for you. xx

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  71. Happy Birthday for yesterday!
    We had a great day on your birthday, but a busy one - we had sports day at school. the boys got a third each in the running races and were very proud of themselves :)
    I love the beginnings of your dress - I love that you just keep working away at ideas and that it is a work in progress.
    l
    x

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  72. so glad you had a lovely day. It is one of the most important all year, after all! And good idea with the practice material! I think it will be perfectly charming once you're done fiddling!

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  73. Happy Birthday! And i don't mind that fabric at all! :) Nice work too, it's looking like coming together for a flattering top. Good on you for hanging in there - mine would be in the bin or the 'work-in-progress-but-will-never-be-touched-again' pile.

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  74. Happy Birthday Kate!!! The dress in progress is looking promising.

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  75. Hope your day was super dooper gorgeous, Kate! (like YOU!) xx

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  76. Happy Birthday!
    ... geez can you tell I'm always late to the party?
    Hope you're still basking in birthday glory.
    Your project looks great... but yes definitely do the shirring higher at the back on the next versison and even a tad wider too. Looking great though :)

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  77. glad you had an ace birthday! and that you got thoroughly spoiled too :D

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  78. Sheesh - popular post!

    Happy Birthday blessings my fellow scorpio.

    Loving the tunic top ... and you know it's always the one you do in the fabric you don't love, that ends up being a keeper!

    Rachel xo

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Thanks so much for stopping by...

I do read every single comment you leave and appreciate it very much, but I should let you know that I can be a wee bit on the useless side when replying to comments, that's just me, everyday life sometimes gets in the way....so I'll apologise now, just in case.

Kate XX

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