Entries tagged with 'gray'


japanese dress class

Posted by Aprile on 2010.07.20:

So, finally... I took some pictures of my dress from the Japanese Dress Book class at the workroom! I kind of love it. I think I was the most beginner sewer there, but I picked the most complicated dress (pleating? buttons?!) which is a very Aprile thing to do. I am so glad I did though, because I learned some really important basics, and I have since even altered another dress I had but didn't fit me well.

I always assume I can do anything (and I'm rarely proved wrong, hehe) but I couldn't have done this awesome dress without Karyn's wonderful help. Also, the fabric I picked is so nice, it's Japanese (theme fitting) and has some little pinecone like things on it. I've decided this is my winter dress--it's a light cotton but it's long sleeves and length and the print make it a bit wintery.

(Some pretty details).

(Gathering at the neckline).

The dresses all of us made fit quite large, as they apparently wear them in Japan... Plenty of altering was needed to make it look less sack-like. Mine was perfect in the front, but I brought the back in with some shirring. Turned out well I think. I took a look at the dresses in my closet, and it turns out all of my shirt dresses pretty much have shirring. Who knew!

So now I think my sewing machine and I are a little more friendly, and hopefully I will have some ambition to make some more dresses. Or anything really. New hobby!

The best part is that I think I can do it again, and I can whole wardrobe of clones of these dresses if I really wanted. (I'm not going to do that). I actually already have the next pattern picked out and fabric purchased...

I found sort of randomly this 1940's floral print gray cotton in the TheresaMarieRose etsy shop, so beautiful. It's quite similar to the Japanese fabric I used (gray + floral print), but the print is much bigger and brighter, and it's quite summery. The gray is brighter as well. It was kind of a steal at $8 a yard! And the dress I am going to make with it is the one of the cover. Excited!

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when skies are gray

Posted by Aprile on 2009.11.24:

I love when collage is my homework, and I get to try new things all the time. These three collages are for my "art explores psychology" class, which is interesting in itself, (though a bit depressing). The theme was any psychological issue, so these collages have a tinge of sadness to them. It's pretty much about vulnerability to mental illness, and it's something that has surely affected my childhood. Other than the gloominess, I think they're pretty cool!

The photographs are by Bill Durgin, from corduroy magazine (issue five).

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Hi, my name is Aprile and I love 100 ideas , 1001 journals , alphabets , altered books , animals , anthropologie , antiques , architecture , art , art galleries , australia , autumn , beauty , bird nests , birds , books , bookstores , boots , bunnies , butterflies , buttons , calligraphy , cameras , cards , cats , ceramics , clothing , collaboration , collage , collecting , collections , confetti , contrast , craft shows , crafts , dada , decor8 , design , design for mankind , dictionaries , diy , doing anything but homework , drawing , dresses , dried flowers , editorial design , embroidery , ephemera , equestrian things , eric carle , etsy , events , experimentation , fall , fashion , fashion illustration , female vocalists , festivals , film , flickr , flowers , fortune cookies , french , fyodor , gardening , giveaways , gray , hand-lettering , handmade , handmade nation , happiness , hearts , henry darger , history , home sweet home , illustration , inner beauty , inspiration , interior design , interviews , japan , jenny lewis , jewellery , jill barber , jory , junk , kara walker , keri smith , korean style , kraft paper , leaves , lens flare , letterpress , life , linens , lists , london , love letters , lula , lykke li , magazines , maira kalman , making art , making books , making friends , making things , maps , milk , moustaches , museums , music , my apartment , my mom , Nana , nature , nice days , notepads , odds & ends , old architecture , our apartment , outsider art , owls , packaging , paint pens , paper , papercutting , paris , photo corners , photobooths , photography , picnics , pillows , pink , poppytalk , quotes , rain , relaxation , ribbons , royalty , scrapbooks , seasons , seattle , second-hand stores , sewing , shopping , shops , shows , simplicity , sleep , snow , softness , spring , starting fresh , stationery , style , subtlety , suitcases , sweden , textiles , thao nguyen , the 1970s , the industrial era , the internet , the language of flowers , the paper place , the past , the uk , the woods , the workroom , thesis , thesis cut&paste , toronto , travel , tumblr , twigs , twitter , typewriters , typography , uppercase , vacations , videos , vintage , vintage books , vintage catalogues , walks , wallpaper , wood , wooden spools , words , zakka , zines , & blogging.

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