winter clothing
winter wear: gaye abandon
Wednesday, August 19, 2009 | by Carolyn Price
Recycled Wool Necklace Scarves - left: Orange, Soft Green, Purple, Neutrals and right: Purples, Greys, Black, Light Blue, Neutrals (AUD $38ea) from Gaye Abandon's MadeIt store
Gaye Abandon makes the cutest & cleverest winter accessories - all from upcycled, felted jumpers. (No wonder they're warm!) We're long-time fans of the Gaye Abandon label - you might remember our "wallets & winteries" post from way back in May 2007... Designer Gaye Naismith is originally from New Zealand, and now calls Melbourne home. She loves thrift shopping and collecting vintage fabrics and patterns, old postcards and jumpers to transform into her handmade creations. The Necklace Scarves pictured above look like a string of woollen autumn leaves & they're available in just as many colours.
Tubeway Armies - left: Grey Rib and Red with Red Cross Stitch and right: Oatmail Rib with Handstitched Layered Circle (AUD $33 per pair) from Gaye Abandon's MadeIt store
The original Tubeway Armies are a signature style of the Body Parts range. Along with the Scarves and Midriff Warmers, the Body Parts woollen accessories are made in partnership with Gaye's stitching buddy Melanie Hill (of Textile Allsorts). I love the stitching & vintage button details which make each pair unique!
Recycled Wool Midriff Warmer Haramaki - Grey and Geometric (AUD $37) from Gaye Abandon's MadeIt store
The Midriff Warmers can only be described as brilliant... how did we ever live without them? In Japan, the haramaki (belly warmer) is a common item of clothing. It is traditionally worn next to the skin as an under layer, but the Body Parts pretties are designed to be worn as part of a layered look, peeping out from under your jumper or shirt.
I particularly like the geometric design pictured above. Not only does this four panel design swivel, allowing you to choose which panel faces the front, but the two patterned panels are cut with the finishing edge of the jumper at the top to form a fitted waist.
Upcycled Sweater Hot Water Bottle Covers - left: Grey, Red & Black and right: Orange, Red & Grey Stripes (AUD $45ea) from Gaye Abandon's MadeIt store
More brilliance! These "hot under the collar" hottie covers are little jumpers for your hot water bottle. They feature the cuttest button up neck with collar which turns up to cover the rubber neck when the hottie is in use. (Of course, the hottie jumper can be unbuttoned for easy removal and is fully washable.)
Tubeway Armies (AUD $33 per pair) from Gaye Abandon's MadeIt store
Find out more about Gaye and her clever creations at www.gayeabandon.com, www.madeit.com.au and www.gayeabandon.etsy.com.
Gaye Abandon will be exhibiting as part of Incubator at the Sydney Stitches and Craft Show which opens today (19-23 August 2009). She also has a stall at Rose Street Artists Market in Fitzroy every Saturday, and will be at Maribyrnong Makers Market on Saturday 29th August, 10am-3pm.
The Gaye Abandon & Body Parts ranges are also stocked at many boutiques around Australia:
VIC: The Cats Meow (Melbourne City), Claude the Bird (Armadale), Craft Victoria (Melbourne City), Flying Fishes (Lorne), House of Balaklava (East St Kilda), i dream a highway (Northcote), Petranilla (South Melbourne, Queen (Fitzroy), Sea of Love (Lancefield), Shiva Designs (Canterbury), Threads of Nature (Croydon), Tomorrow Never Knows (Fitzroy), Village Idiom (Yarraville)
ACT: The Hive Gallery (Braddon)
NSW: Cicero Clothing & Accessories (Leura), One Wise Owl (Pyree), Shady Fig (Nowra), woodpapersilk (Petersham)
SA: Storison (Hahndorf)
TAS: Cocoon (Launceston), Love & Clutter (Hobart)
WA: William Topp
winter wear: melpdesigns
Tuesday, August 11, 2009 | by Carolyn Price
Extra Long Ribbed Slouch Fingerless Mittens - Dusty Pink (left, USD $35) and Nozy Nose Warmer (right, USD $5) by melpdesigns crochet
These handmade accessories by melpdesigns crochet are almost too cute. For only USD $5 you can keep your nose toasty warm AND confuse your cat to no end! (Those kitties are easily confused!) Designer Mel Paton is a full-time school teacher and crochet designer from Perth. She loves the hobby which brings her so much "enjoyment and respite from the stresses of everyday life and my day job".
Feather Soft Chunky Beanie Hats - Pistacio with Gray Flower (left, USD $18) and Charcoal Gray with Flower (right, USD $18) by melpdesigns crochet
Sweet colour combos and details such as vintage buttons bring a warmth to Mel's designs as well as the people who wear them. These chunky beanie hats each have their own personalities. Mel is passionate about making, buying & selling handmade goods & believes that "buying ethically can really make a difference in the world". I'm sure we all agree with that!
Owl Beanie - Babies, Kids & Adult Sizes (left, USD $24) and Fingerless Mittens - Grey with Wrist Strap and Recycled Buttons (right, USD $23) by melpdesigns crochet
This wide-eyed Owl Beanie comes in both kids' and adults' sizes so all you need is to be young at heart... melpdesigns crochet is available from Mel's Etsy store, www.melpdesigns.etsy.com, and you can find her blog at www.melpdesigns.blogspot.com. By the way, Happy Birthday Mel!
winter wear: me and tex
Thursday, July 30, 2009 | by Carolyn Price
Pink Bobble Hat (left, USD $35, less 20% for Aust. buyers) and Grey Cable Wristwarmers (right, USD $30, less 20% for Aust. buyers) by Me and Tex
The pink bobbles around Me and Tex's winter hat (above) are the cutest! Designer Judith Macrae is a Sydney-based visual artist who loves painting & drawing, good design and is excited by the many different ways to express creativity - including knitting!
Blue Aviator Helmet (left, USD $40, less 20% for Aust. buyers) and Pink Bow Cotton Beanie (right USD $30, less 20% for Aust. buyers) by Me and Tex
Judith leant to knit as a child & remembers her first experience of creating something with her own hands. Her range of unique hand-knitted accessories reveal her love of different colours & textures - especially natural fibres like wool & mohair.
Skinny Red Stripy Scarf (left, USD $38, less 20% for Aust. buyers) and Black Glamour Headband (right, USD $18, less 20% for Aust. buyers) by Me and Tex
By carefully adding little details and playing with colour combinations, Judith weaves her personality into the Me and Tex range. Each piece is equally cute & cosy! You can find more of Judith's knits at www.meandtex.etsy.com.
winter wear: lyptis
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 | by Carolyn Price
Unbrushed Tunic Dress Short (left, USD $52) and Black Circle Dress A-Line (right, USD $62 sizes XS-XL, USD $64 plus sizes 1X, 2X & 3X) by Lyptis
A cute dress which is cosy, cosy, cosy! Quite a find... Melbourne designer Franziska Ringel named her label "Lyptis" after "euca-lyptus" because "they smell so nice and are always green". Originally from Germany, she used to do drawing, photography and worked as a sound technician at punk/hardcore concerts in Berlin. Last year, she started sewing, and loves being able to make something that she and her customers can wear and use everyday.
Winter Blossoms Top (left, USD $45) and Grey Circle Dress (right, USD $64 sizes XS-XL, USD $66 plus sizes 1X, 2X & 3X) by Lyptis
The garments pictured here are made from warm, soft fabrics such as double knits and unbrushed fleece. Many Lyptis designs are also available in plus sizes, so nobody need miss out. Franziska is happy to accept custom orders too! I think my favourite is the Grey Circle Dress. Which would you choose?
You can view many more Lyptis designs at www.lyptis.etsy.com and keep up-to-date through the Lyptis "The Rant" blog.
winter wear: heidi and seek
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 | by Carolyn Price
Upcycled fun green top - 'prarie' (left, was USD $55, now USD $41) and ethical cotton knit striped winter dress / jumper - 'tommy' (right, USD $80) from Heidi and Seek
I really love Heidi and Seek's motto, "Saving the world, one cute garment at a time". It speaks volumes about the passion Melbourne maker Hayley Lau stitches into her designs. The Heidi & Seek range is comprised of one-of-a-kind handmade garments which have been upcycled and reconstructed using quality second-hand items. They are wonderful combinations of colours, fabrics, styles and details. Hayley gives each piece a "unique sense of fun and colour".
"DIY" and "we are not sheep" badges (USD $7 each) from Heidi and Seek
Heidi & Seek aims to counter the disposable nature of today's fashion industry, which relies on exploited workers to bear the cost of the low prices offered to customers. She strives for fairness and eco-friendliness in every aspect of business. The Ethics page on her web site describes her views, and the problems with common production practices within the fashion industry.
In upcycling pre-loved garments, Hayley really mixes things up - creating combinations that might not have otherwise come about. In that sense, her philosophy also contributes to the design appeal of her garments, which are often surprising, and always super cute. I love the large collars on the tops featured here, and especially the sweet gathered short-sleeve + slender long-sleeve combo. For these pieces, comfy clothes have been dressed up by the detailing!
Ethical brown blue oversized collar winter sweater jumper - 'gabbie' (left, USD $75) and upcycled red brown bow pocket winter shirt - 'paper doll' (right, USD $55) from Heidi and Seek
I just had to include pics of her fabric-covered button badges too! How gorgeous are they? Especially the pink "we are not sheep". Love it.
Heidi and Seek can be found at:
the web site - www.heidiandseek.com
the blog - Heidi and Seek and Ethical Fashion
Heidi and Seek's Etsy Store heidiandseek.etsy.com
This lovely label is also stocked at the following retail stores:
VIC: Lulu (Balaclava), Rude Health (St Kilda) and Pink String (Woodend)
ONLINE: Leeloo
winter wear: sheeps clothing
Friday, July 17, 2009 | by Carolyn Price
Pure Wool Beanie with Detachable Flower (was USD $27, now USD $19 for a limited time) from Sheeps Clothing's Etsy store
Since I've spent the last couple of days shivering & freezing, I decided to put together a wish list of winter woolies and cosy clothing that I would like to wear right now, all at once! (As well as a bundle of knits for the whole family - like the sweetest little girl with the cream woollen beanie above.) I went 'virtual shopping' at Etsy and spied treasures from six different Australian sellers: Sheeps Clothing from Melbourne, Heidi and Seek from Melbourne, Me and Tex from Sydney, Lyptis from Melbourne, melpdesigns from Perth and Gaye Abandon from Melbourne (I love her motto, "Remember: belly warm = body warm").
Throughout the next week, I'll be posting my favourite winteries from these lovely labels, so make sure to stay tuned!
Vintage Button Scarflette in Pure Wool (left, USD $36) and Pure Wool Scarflette (right, USD $30) from Sheeps Clothing's Etsy store
Sheeps Clothing offers a gorgeous range of hand knitted accessories in colours and sizes to suit everybody. Each one is slightly different and made to order, specially for you. I really love the vintage button detail on the scarfette above left - and the design looks particularly warm too!
Every item in the Sheeps Clothing range of hats, scarves and hair accessories is lovingly created using 100% Australian pure wool. If you don't see the size or colour you are looking for, just contact them with a custom order...
Set of Two - Sweet Knitted Flower Hair Clips with Fabric Backing (left, USD $7) and Pure Hand Dyed Wool Beanie (right, USD $27) from Sheeps Clothing's Etsy store
When Stacey's boys were babies, she began searching for high quality, great looking knitwear for them, with little luck. Since she comes from a long line of knitters, she began knitting beanies and scarves herself, and experimented with different types & styles. The comments & compliments convinced Stacey to take the next step and launch her own label - and so, in 2007, Sheeps Clothing was born.
Since then the range has been expanded to include adult sizing and a beautiful new range of vintage button accessories. We're excited to hear that the label will be expanding and even exporting to the USA this year!
Pure Wool Open Knit Hat with Flower (left, adult size, was USD $29, now USD $20 for a limited time) and Pure Wool Beanie with Detachable Flower Feature (right, child/teen sizes, USD $27) from Sheeps Clothing's Etsy store
Stacey is passionate about teaching young people to knit and has a series of workshops planned for 2009 to hopefully introduce a lifelong love of the craft.
Find out more about Sheeps Clothing at:
the web site www.sheepsclothing.com.au
the blog www.sheepsclothingknits.blogspot.com
and of course, the store www.sheepsclothing.etsy.com
Sheeps Clothing is stocked in the following retail stores in Australia:
VIC: Kids in Berlin (North Melbourne), Little by Little (Black Rock & Hampton), Meet Me at Mikes (Fitzroy), My Poppet (Caulfield South), Noah's Aeroplane (South Yarra), The Owl and The Pussycat (Sandringham) and Scadoodle (Southgate & Melbourne)
SA: Bimbo (Adelaide)
WA: Red Feathers & A Hula Skirt (Melville)
ONLINE: Leeloo.
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