More Button Fun

I couldn't even part with left over threads. They are just so pretty, and had to be transformed into something. What better than to handmake buttons again. mmnnghhh!!! Winter 07.

Love Heart Pom Pom Broach

Using left over silk yarns; the love heart pom pom broach I made mostly for friends. I still make them ocassionaly, especially for birthday presents.

Mad Moments

I first made these hand embroidered covered felt buttons and broaches for cardi's for my W05 collection, and have since then had a few requests for replacements from some who still have the cardigans, but have lost a button; or have mistakenly shrunk the cardigan, kept the buttons, and needed another cardigan for the buttons. Lucky I had a few spare to replace, as I believe that little phase of making mania has momentarily passed.

A Portrait

I had the rare honour of a photoshoot of a collection (Winter 2003) by Artist Rod McNicol. Rare because Rod does not do commissions, or any commercial photography, least of all.... fashion shoots. He agreed to this one occasion - because he like the colours and textures of the clothes; and I was not to intervene in any of the art direction whatsoever!. His hypnotic portrait photographs are housed in permanent collections at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra, and he is also the recipient of the Australian Photographic Portrait Award in 2004, which, I suppose is like the Archibald for Photographers. Rod is a rare soul, and his work is truly his life. And he is such a funny and interesting man, you just need to see his portraits to see all this in the person; from the 1960's to present.

WallFlower

I had made a pact to use up all my waste from production haste; hand dyed silks from previous collections all in natural dyes of madder, rose, pomegrante, indigo, chamomile, cochineal. So I've wound them in 50g balls and labelled each with the date dyed, and written a step by step pattern on how to knit this WallFlower. It's actually really simple; as it's a mix of a leaf, small petal, large petal, a bud, and a pom pom. You can make a few and create a broach, or a few more and make a scarf, or many like above and hang on the wall. The patterns and silk yarns are available at AprilMay in North Fitzroy, Melbourne, and are also available via email request.

Jersey Jones

I've often had to rely on the good fortune of having talented friends to help me create something special. Such collaborations are memorable, as was this one in particular. Violet Cooper is an illustrator, and maker of many things too; her wit and quirk transform ordinary things into wonderful stories. See her website www.violetcooper.com. This postcard was printed for the launch of one my knitwear labels 'Jersey Jones' in 2006, and is an ink illustration by Anthony Chiappin (visual artist, graphic designer & my darling), and Violet built up the 3D collage effect around it. And she also handmade those hundreds of broaches from vintage fabric finds for each cardigan.

For the Love of It...

Working with the true master, Aurelio Costarella is no easy feat. The development of this latest piece took days handknitting that lace, and many scribbles on the drawing board writing that pattern. Also very sore fingers, there was a lot of ouch manipulating that leather cord into lace (on the collar); But there is joy at the end .......... and relief that it worked.