My Stuff VI

T-Shirts

Just in time for Christmas!

I've just posted t-shirts for sale on my etsy shop.
3 designs: Monkey Love, Cameo and Doll. I hand cut all of the stencils and hand screen-printed each t-shirt. All t-shirts are 100% cotton.


Monkey Love


Monkey Love


Cameo


Doll

If you are within Australia and are interested in purchasing a t-shirt, please email me for prices in Australian dollars and postage details.

michael_morell@hotmail.com

Pinboard Scheme IV

Stuart Highway

In 2000 Lee, Macy and I drove up the middle of Australia in our Kombi. The Stuart Highway is an amazing place. Not only for the landscape and colours, but also the variety of people (both locals and fellow travellers) and the crazy adventures that you're destined to be subject to.



This photo encapsulates the sense of freedom with the highway stretching ahead to the unbroken horizon, bound on each side by limitless expanses of desert scrub. It was one of those moments where everything falls into perspective. You're a miniscule part of something of infinite size.

1) The front layer of drapes is an ochre coloured acetate. The lazer-cut organic patterns remind me of Aboriginal motives.

2) The back layer of drapes is a pale blue wool sateen. Wool drapes fantastically and is lovely and soft.

3) Two huge loose-cover sofas upholstered in this casual but smart khaki linen, piped in the lighter natural colour.

4) Big scatter cushions in this fabric that has an amazing optical spiralling pattern reminiscent of Aboriginal dot paintings.

5) Long scatter cushions in this wool stripe. I had to include this fabric because it is called 'Highway'.

6) A chunky ottoman centres the room upholstered in this luscious cut velvet/epingle.

7) A couple of timber, art deco armchairs upholstered in this deconstructed pinstripe. This fabric pulls the scheme together consisting of colours drawn from all the other fabrics in the room.

Inspiring Fabric/Finishes IV

Amazonas

This weave is from Nina Campbell's collection of the same name. The base is a natural, almost hessian-like linen. The simplicity of the base allows the beauty of the pattern to shine and jump off the cloth. All of the colourways sing with an irridescent quality as they gradiate across the pattern. The pattern itself is a large scale trailing floral design. Grand in its scale, yet exquisite in the detail of the design and construction.


A quirky and fantastical promo shot.


This colourway gradiates from red through orange...


... to an almost flourescent yellow.

Fully Stoked

I have just entered my Alpha Damask design in fullystoked's T-Shirt Design competition. Please vote for me. I want to win!

www.fullystoked.com/designs/design.cfm

My Stuff V

Alpha Damask

Meterage of my first textile design.


You can't take your camera out without Macy insisting on being in the photo.

How very exciting! I have been working on this project for a while. You may remember a previous post from April 2008, My Stuff III. It's satisfying seeing it come into fruition and actually hold the product in my hands.

The fabric is a chalk coloured sateen with quite a heavy, but soft handle. The contrasting black print is very striking and makes for a glamorous and sleek design.

You can purchase it by-the-metre through me or at my etsy shop. I'm also looking at producing cushions and canvases with this batch. Ultimately, it would make for amazing drapes. I have plans for producing other colourways and an upholstery version.

The Chair Whisperer

Pimp My Armchair

I was going through old emails at work and found these pics. They're of an armchair that I bought from a junk shop in Footscray for $40. I sent them to myself so I could show my upholsterer, so he could quote me on recovering.

I have since had it recovered and it looks fantastic. Everyone loves a makeover, so here you go...

Before





When I bought it, the chair was covered in grotty, sack-like fabric with water stains and divots in the seat. The structure was pretty solid except for a slight movement in the back.

After







The fabric I re-covered it in is a large scale charcoal ombre stripe. My upholsterer braced the frame to fix the movement. He removed the old wadding and replaced it with new wadding. He stripped back the timber legs. He pattern matched the stripe so it runs front to back, and also across the arms and seat. He even upholstered the dark part of the stripe at the front of the arms where I'd rest my hands and placed upholstered panels on the front of the arms.

First Market Stall

Mindil Beach Markets - Darwin
Thursday September 4 2008

Last week I travelled to Darwin to stay with my friends, Louise and Pete and their two kids, Davy and Becky. I also got to spend time with my Mum and her partner Hully, as they were in Darwin playing in a squash tournament. I thought I'd take the opportunity to spruik my wares at a market for the first time. And what better place than Australia's best (in my opinion) open-air markets, the infamous Mindil Beach Markets.




My stall was very humble compared to all the others. But I had to be resourceful as I couldn't bring anything with me on the plane. I borrowed Louise and Pete's camping table, chair and water cooler. I covered the table with one of Louise's sarongs and whipped up a sign with my note pad and biro.



My stall may have been small, but it had the best view. I also had a great neighbour, a Thai lady selling mangoes from her own trees. Yum!



At dusk, everyone walks down on to the beach with their food and wine to watch the sun set.

At times it was slow but I ended up making a profit. I came away feeling more confident in my product and I definitely learnt a lot from the experience.