Flashmob

This flashmob "Do Re Me" at Antwerp Train Station came via a friend on Livejournal. So uplifting and such a happy start to the day watching it. Technically it isn't flashmob as they actually re-hearsed it, but wouldn't it be wonderful to watch it and know that they won't repeat their performance. Or be involved in something like that! What fun!



I wonder if there is such a thing as Flashmob for people that crochet or do craft? Is there an International Day of Craft or something similar? There has to be an opportunity somewhere to do a mass "Granny Square" sit in at Flinders Street station ...

Many years ago, my husband and I took part in a Spencer Tunick Photo in Melbourne as part of the Fringe Festival. Up at 4am and headed down to the entertainment presinct, we then stripped off and lay naked on the oh-s0-very-cold Tram tracks. There were three poses throughout the very cold morning. It was such a terrifying and also satisfying event to be involved in. It certainly took both of us out of our comfort zone.

Edit:
International Day of Crochet is on the 12th of September according to Jimbo. Not sure how legit, but it sounds good enough for me!

Passion for Fabric

I have a passion for fabric. I get excited by the texture, the colours and the way that it hangs in my hand. I love taking an idea from concept through to product with the aid of beautiful fabrics.

via Ink Productions

For a while I have been secretly lusting after the opportunity to do some screen printing. I have played around with a Gocco, but it is nothing compared to what other talented ladies.

On Saturday Beky and I went off to take a peak at the Ink & Spindle studio in Kensington. What can I say, it took my breath away. The large workbench, the screens, the designs. I would love to have the opportunity to print my own fabric by hand. There is something very primal about printing the fabric and then using it.

Another Aussie fabric producer is Thea & Sami. Thea recently sent me a lovely email to say that she was reading my blog and she had signed up as a follower. I spent *ages* on her site taking a look at all the lovely fabrics that she has screen printed. I look foward to purchasing some via her store.

via Thea & Sami

I know that the CAE in Melbourne do some screen printing workshops and also the Olive Grove on Sydney Road. Do you know of any other place that does workshops?

Amitie, otherwise known as quilters heaven

I joined the Amitie VIP Blog list.

If you haven't been to Amitie, you need to visit them in Bentleigh. The.most.gorgeous.fabrics! Worth the experience to trek over that side of town. I always spend too much when I go there.

But I thought I would join up not just because it will generate traffic for my blog and hopefully business, but because I get little presents in the mail every quarter. The best kind of presents ... random fabric presents. It costs $30 a year and you get 10% off when you spend money at either their physical shop or online.

I might have to have a few trips out to Bentleigh after work. So if you have a blog, check it out.

What do you enjoy reading on Kaos?

While catching up on the 100's of posts that I missed while sick I noticed that Tall Poppy has a post about a Blog planner and calendar that she stumbled upon in her travels. The idea is to keep track of your posts and the topics to make sure that you have a well rounded blog. For those people who like to plan then post, this tool looks like a good one ... thank-you Tall Poppy for another great link!

via Algebra Learning Network

Personally I don't have the time to micro-manage my blog to that extent. I tend to spontaneously blog and post, but lately I have been trying to space out my posts using the scheduled function of Blogger. What this means is that you won't get four posts from me all at once. I might space them out over the days when I know I will be working hard and I might not have the time to blog.

Since I am in such a reflective mood, goals for my blog for the rest of the year:
1. More consistent posts at least one every day.
2. Contributing content to the blogsphere, thoughts and ideas. I don't want to contribute waffle!
3. Build up loyal readers and understand what they want me to write about.

So then I ask you all ... what do you want me to write about, or what do you enjoy reading?

Library Bags

A new range of library bags have hit the Kaos Shop.

Firstly the traditional Black with red Kaos star ...

Then I had some black gingham that was feeling lonely ...

Then a library bag inspired by my daughters help in the kitchen (I couldn't find an image of her splattering food down the front of the cupboards).

I hope you like them! If so I will make more ...

A little bit of sickness

We have indeed been suffering a bit of the flu here in Melbourne, Australia, and whilst it isn't swine flu, it has knocked us around a bit in the Konstant Kaos household. Three days in bed isn't my idea of fun, especially when there are so many crafty adventures to be had. The only person not affected so far is Tori!

For a while there we were hoping it was Swine Flu as the government sends you free food if you get it ...

A friend in Germany sent me this image. So I apologize if I don't appropriately acknowledge the original creator of it. Enjoy!

What's a Dirndl?

A friend of the family was in Germany earlier on this year. He bought for his grandsons some toddler lederhosen and for Tori he bought her a traditional german dress (Dirndl).

If you haven't realised already, my hubby is German! So we were very excited about Tori having her own Dirndl! Here is a picture of Tori's Godmother with her Dirndl on (and a very young Tori).

If you want to buy one there are plenty of shops online like Ernst Licht that have them for purchase (make sure you have sound on when accessing this site!). If you are itching to make one for yourself Burda Style have a pattern you can download for $4. Also, Weekend designer has a pattern breakdown of a Valentino Dirndl that hit the catwalks in 2008. Ageless Patterns have another pattern one for $14.95 USD

But if you don't want to pay for pattern and you want to make a Dirndl for your toddler, you could could alter the following Toddler Dress pattern to have a fuller skirt and a deeper neckline. Make an apron to match and voila! If you didn't want to embroider flowers on, dimensional paint or iron on flowers could work really well.

Go on, you know you want a Dirndl!

Distractions from Sewing

Something new and shiny ...

We played around with something new for the Sonny and Coco market .. using the skills that we learnt doing the larger pendants and my already established jewelry skills we made these little charms that can go around your neck or attached to a charm bracelet.

What do you think?

Sonny and Coco autopsy

When you apply for a stall at a new market, you take your chances. Many of the established markets around the circuit have a specific focus. Vintage, Handmade, Trash and Treasure. Sonny and Coco still have to work out what their focus was. for me the first half of the day was very busy with many out-of-towners coming to visit and buy things as they had seen the editorial in the local paper.

But the afternoon was very quiet and the congestion of too many stalls in one place was starting to get on my nerves. As with most markets, many mums come along with pushers. The layout of the market has to allow for the pushers, wheel chairs and other pushable objects.

I tried a few new things in terms of layout of my table. I borrowed Mum's multi-hanger to hang my bags and baby swaddles on. It worked well as emergency hardware, but I have to get something more professional and sturdy. I have to re-think the shoe layout. I didn't like the box... I need to get more vertical to allow space for other things to be spread out.

Since the market chose one of my pendants as it's picture we made a real push to get as many pendants ready on time.

In addition to the simple pendants I made a few charm pendants from some of our resin experiments, charms and some beads. I thought they looked nice! I'll be popping what's left of those up on etsy shortly.

Not sure if I will do the next Sonny and Coco, depends on where I am financially and what other markets I am doing. At the moment I am just getting a feel for which markets work well with my products. I'd love to do Yarraville or Rose Street to see how they go with my bits and pieces!

Next Market is the Sisters one on 1st August and I am looking foward to the rest before that market!

Tori's Technicolour Granny

My blanket for my daughter is coming along quite well, but I do have to get more wool as I want it to be big enough for both of us to snuggle under while watching such classics as "Monsters Inc." and "Bear in the Big Blue House" (in german of course!).

... but then I discovered that I might have to make it a little bigger as both the cats seem to have taken a liking to it (Anastasia snuggled under the blanket and Natasha on the right trying to attack her and become Top Cat).

I am averaging about 2 squares a day when I drive to work. Stationary at the lights is when I do my crochet, oh and when I am stuck in peak hour traffic on Punt Road.

I also have another scarf to crochet for moi and another beanie that Tori can wear to childcare. Everything gets wrecked that goes to childcare and I don't want her lovely one that Oma and I made to be covered with paint or even worse ... lost!

What is on your crochet to-do list?