The Wanderer Returns!

 I can't believe that it's been such a long time since I've posted on here!

The last few years have been filled with ups and downs and have been rather busy creatively. Sadly so much so that I never really found the time to share any work on here.

Over the last few years I've worked as choreographer and costume designer for a troupe of dancers called Dionysus' Darlings. This was obviously a rather hectic schedule of devising routines and designing and making the group's costumes.

The majority of costumes were made from the wealth of vintage 1960s and 1970s dress patterns I have in my collection and several were actually made with vintage fabrics of the same eras. Having a vintage May 1960 produced Singer 185K and a 1975 Singer 367, I even sewed them using these vintage machines. The sense of satisfaction of making costumes from 1960s and 1970s sewing patterns using era specific fabrics and machines was incredible for me.

These are my two vintage Singer sewing machines.

I plan to get some photos of some of their costumes to share on my blog over the coming months. Unfortunately one of the dancers stored their costumes in her parents' shed and last Bomb Fire Night a stray firework burned it down! Over 300 costumes went up in flames! I was understandably devastated. But hey ho these things happen. Onwards and upwards!

As two of the dancers are currently pregnant the group is on an extended break. As much as I loved working with them it left me little time to do anything else creative. The group's current hiatus will give me the opportunity to realise a dressmaking challenge I've been planning for a while.

I'll explain more about this project soon, so watch this space!

Until next time,

Cheers Then!

Wow it's been a long time!

Wow I really can't believe I haven't updated my posts on here over the last 12 months. Oops! Obviously since the beginning of 2020 the world has been battling this horrific Covid19 pandemic.

This has had a severely detrimental effect on my mental health, as I have a mental health condition called Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder. However the horrifying situation we find ourselves in is affecting everyone's mental health.

Hopefully we will all come out the other end safely. I hope everyone is staying safe and voicing their support and respect for not only all the truly amazing health workers but also all the other brave and dedicated essential workers.

So I wish everyone my best wishes. Please adhere to whatever lockdown and social distancing advice you are being given wherever you are. If we adhere to these rules I'm sure we will end the spread of this terrible killer virus much sooner.

Love to you all.

Until next time,

Cheers Then!

Instagram

Hi everyone!

Just a quick reminder that I also have an Instagram account. Give it a look! You can find it here www.instagram.com/bananadiva1/

Anyway until next time,

Cheers Then!

Emilio Pucci Inspired Surface Design Range

I've been working on a surface pattern design range for fashion over the last few weeks so I thought I'd give you a special sneak preview. My primary inspiration has been fashion prints of the Mod era. I've taken particular inspiration from one of my all time heroes, Emilio Pucci. His fantastic designs, especially those from the 1960s and 1970s, have always been some of my favourites. I love the fluidity of them (which have always reminded me of the flowing lines of Art Nouveau) and have always been in awe of his wonderful colour palettes.

I love these particular samples from the collection of more than a dozen design layouts. The swim suit surface design is definitely one of my personal favourites of all the designs for fashion that I've produced. I think it looks amazing on this plus size model. I'm very keen to design for plus size women because as Supremes siren Florence Ballard once said ... 'Thin may be in, but fat's where it's at! Personally I couldn't agree more. I love the idea of designing for real woman ... and not just putting them in black to hide their 'so called' figure flaws! Anyone who thinks only size zero girls can look amazing really need to think again!

 Anyway I hope you like these designs. Feedback is always welcomed.

Until next time,

Cheers Then!

New Designs For Kitchen Ware

I've recently been working on some designs for kitchen ware. Here is just a small sample of some of the designs.

The first placemat and coaster set is inspired by the Op Art designs from the 1960s that I love. Inspiration came from work by such artists and designers as Barbara Brown, Bridget Riley, Richard Anuszkiewicz, Janet Taylor and Peter Hall.

The second placemat and coaster set was inspired by my love for Art Nouveau. I've always had a passion for the astonishingly beautiful work of such artists as Alphonse Mucha, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Louis Comfort Tiffany and Emile Galle. I was inspired by the beautiful fluidity of Art Nouveau architecture as well as illustrations. I was particularly inspired by the beautiful Metro Stations in Paris designed by Hector Guimard.

The final design is inspired by Celtic designs. It was originally conceived as a circular placemat and coaster set but now I'm leaning towards producing this design as ceramics and having plates, side plates and bowls created.

Anyway I hope you like these designs. Feedback is always welcomed.

Until next time,

Cheers Then!

Metropolis/Siobhan Fahey Inspired Catsuit Design

My original inspiration for this surface pattern design was strangely enough Brigitte Helm's character in the silent masterpiece Metropolis. This is because a reference point mentioned in the brief was science fiction. As the surface pattern design progressed and I decided upon a fashion based textile responce I was reminded of the fantastic costume Siobhan Fahey wore when I saw her perform. The theatrical monochrome catsuit really evoked the idea of the character of Maria in my mind and Siobhan seemed more like a sort of mechanical creature than a woman on stage. I could immediately see her wearing a catsuit with this surface design as she is well known for her fantastic edgy style. I think she'd look amazing in it.

This is the original catsuit worn by Siobhan on her 2010 tour which inspired me to use my surface pattern design on a catsuit.

This is how Siobhan would look if I was lucky enough to apply my surface design onto a catsuit which she wore.

I'm really pleased with how my Metropolis design would look. Although I would prefer my surface design added to a catsuit more like the original illustration.

I hope you like the design. As ever feedback is always welcomed.

Well until next time,

Cheers Then!

Baby Gifts

October brought a new arrival for my friend's daughter, her first baby Libby. I made a few hand made baby things as a gift for the new arrival. I've also made similiar gifts for my Nephew's latest arrival, Myla. My Niece in Australia will give birth to her first daughter in February so I'm curently making some gifts for her new arrival too.

Here are the gifts I made for Libby. I hope you like them.

By the way, Sorry the pictures aren't the best quality to my camera has been playing up so these were taken with my phone camera!

Until next time.

Cheers Then!

Better Late Than Never!

Sorry my posts have been thin on the ground of late. I had a period of ill health and I'm just starting to recover.

I'm currently busy working on 3 commissions. All 3 are to make baby gifts for expectant mothers. My nephew is due to become a father for the THIRD time and my niece is expecting her first child. The other commission is for the daughter of a very close family friend. I will post some of the gifts in the next few weeks.

But in the meantime I thought I'd share one of my favourite pieces of my artwork. This was created as a gift for a very close friend. She was actually responsible for unleashing my creative side and inspired me to embark on my creative courses. She is a phenomenally gifted artist. A talented stained glass maker, painter and surface designer, her talent knows no bounds.

This embroidered and beaded panel was inspired by imagery from several of her stained glass pieces. I worked on it over a considerable period of time while I was studying at university. The only problem with working on it in fits and starts was that I kept changing my mind about things I'd already completed.

For instance, I originally embroidered blonde hair to match the golden veins of the fairy wings. I later decided however that the hair needed to be much more of a contrast and unpicked it all and replaced it with the beautiful fiery red embroidery thread. The original embroidery on the skirt panel was also much different. I decided to change that too but later wished I hadn't. It worked out well in the end though as my friend absolutely loved it. I hope you do too!

Until next time,

Cheers Then!

Exciting New Design Commission

I was recently commissioned to design and make the girls costumes for a production of the musical Godspell. I couldn't be happier as not only is it a great design commission but I absolutely love the film version and the fantastic costumes.

I was given just a skeleton brief for this commission. All I was asked was to make the costumes as much as possible from recycled fabrics (perfect for me as they called me 'Recycle Michael' at college!) and that they be 'bright, wacky and fun.' I was also asked to keep the essence of the costume designs by the wonderful Susan Tsu for the original stage production (later adapted by Sherrie Sucher for the 1973 film version).

I decided to use the 1975 Wrap & Go Skirt pattern a friend found for me recently as the template for most of the girls skirts. Of course each will be very individual. I have however decided that as well as keeping consistency in the costumes on the basis of colour palette, each costume will also have a fabric or motif from another character's costume to make all the costume very coherent.

So far I've been working on the wrap skirt for the character portrayed in the 1973 film version of Godspell by the fantastic Gilmer McCormick Reinhardt. Embellishments on this skirt include embroidery stitches, individually hand-stitiched beadwork and hand-dyed crotched lace as well as hand-dyed cotton lace.

Below are some shots of what I've completed so far. I hope you like it. Look out for posts of the other costumes over the coming weeks. Feedback, as ever, would be greatly appreciated.

Until next time,

Cheers Then!

Keep Calm ... And Carrie On!

My sister and I are big horror fans and the 1976 shocker 'Carrie' is one of our favourites. Years ago a DJ did a dance song based around the classic line delivered by actress Piper Laurie ... 'They're all gonna laugh at you.' The song was called 'Carrie On House (They're All Gonna Laugh At You)' and it was truly terrible. (It's actually on YouTube if you want to hear it!) I can't remember whether it was my sister's idea or mine to use the 'Keep Calm & Carry On' tagline but it was my sister who asked me to design her something Carrie related for a screensaver. This is the result. It was designed ages ago, when I was still at university. Just thought I'd post it for fun! She absolutely loved it. I'm actually going to get it printed onto a t-shirt for her too.

So Far So Good ... Or Is That Tempting Fate?!

Well I'm really getting back into the swing of dress making again (thank god!) So far I've traced and cut all the individual patterns pieces for the dress. I've completed 4 of the 6 darts that are in the design. Having not done darts for while I was a bit dubious at how good they'd be. I expected the odd muck up. So far so good ... see for yourselves ...

Above is the bust dart in one of the front panels. A triumph if I do say so myself!

You may be able to make out the two long darts in the back panel. (The neck darts in these panels are currently only held in place by pins.)

Here is a closer shot of one of the darts in the back panel. I'm really rather impressed with them for my first darts in a LONG time!

Here is the front of the dress. Obviously when the dress is completed the open lower part of the dress will be stitched together and the top part will button up. That's why these style of dresses are usually referred to as 'step in' dresses.

So far the only part of the dress which is stitched are the darts. I have pinned all 4 panels together just to check everything is where it should be. At the moment there is a bit of an inconsistency in one of the shoulders. The front and back panel don't match as perfectly as the other side but I'm sure I can rectify that quite easily.

I'm quite happy with how it's coming along and I'm also very happy with how the dress making process is coming back to me. I'm one of those people who needs to keep doing things regularly to maintain the skill. Too much time away and I lose my confidence.

I have to say though that I had forgotten just how long a process tracing a pattern onto fabric can be. I felt like I'd never get it all traced off at one point. Then again I was being extra careful that I didn't miss transferring any important markings onto the fabric, so that added to the time it took I guess.

Oh and one other thing ... I know the fabric pattern won't be to everyone's taste. The dress is only being made as a toile and since I have currently run out of calico, I used this cotton curtain fabric more out of necessity than for its aesthetic qualities!

I hope you like the progress I've made so far and hopefully the completed dress will follow shortly. So watch this space!

Cheers Then!

Well That Didn't Take Long, Did It?!

Since by friend bought me all those wonderful vintage dress patterns last week I've been desperate to have a go at making one. It's taken me a week to make a decision on which one to make a toile of.

The decision was made a little bit harder due to the fact that Rose passed yet ANOTHER pattern to me the other day. Turns out there were 17 patterns not 16. One had fallen out of one of the plastic wallets and she found it in the bottom of her bag a few days later ... and here it is!

I decided to go with a 1967 Simplicity step-in dress pattern. The pattern can be made with either full length sleeves, short sleeves or completely sleeveless. I've gone for the sleeveless option. I've never been too fond of doing sleeves and this will be the first dress I've made in far too long. Hopefully I'll not make a pig's ear of it! Since I've run out of calico I decided to use some curtain fabric. I actually quite like the fabric. I think it's very retro!

Cheers Then!

Vintage Dress Patterns Galore!!

I have to say that I have some of the greatest friends! One of my friends recently picked up a few vintage dress patterns for me in a local second hand shop. I think she only thought she'd picked up 5 or 6. However it turns out that each plastic pouch contained multiple patterns ... 16 in total!

They range from 1952 to 1975. They're AMAZING and I absolutely LOVE them all. Don't know which one I want to make first. However since I haven't actually dress made since what feels like the dark ages I feel slightly rusty. Well with patterns this amazing there is definitely no way I'm going to stay rusty for long!!

Here are the wonderful patterns. I've tried to list them in what I think is their date order of creation!

Cheers Then!