Bendigo – The Golden Age of Couture

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Bendigo Post Office

On Saturday Amelia, Mum, our friend Eryn and I took  a day trip to Bendigo to see “The Golden Age of Couture: Paris & London 1947-57″ at the Bendigo Art Gallery.  It was Fabulous.  Because it was the last weekend, it was also packed with people.  Luckily Mum had the foresight to book tickets online, so we avoided the 2 hour queue.

Sadly there were no programs left to be purchased, and there was definitely no photography allowed, but here is a photo that was on the Art Gallery website until yesterday (I guess they took it down because the exhibit is finished).  I grabbed this image off the link I had posted yesterday on my Facebook profile – I don’t usually use images that I have not taken myself, but I am bending my own rules for this beauty, one of my favourites in the exhibition.

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The collection was put together by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.  The Bendigo Art Gallery did very well to get permission to host it exclusively here.

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In the afternoon we stopped by the Sacred Heart Cathedral.  This magnificent Cathedral is where my Grandparents were married, can you imagine walking down the aisle in such a large venue?

Overall we had a lovely girly day, and it was well worth the day trip.

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Here is a little photo which sums up my Sunday, which in comparison was pretty quiet.  Inspired by Rachel, I made a lovely Buttercup bag.  The Buttercup bag is a free pattern from “Made By Rae”, cleverly designed to use 2 fat quarters.

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It is a pretty small bag for me, but perfect for the walk up to collect the kids from school – I only really need to take my keys, wallet and phone.  Oh, and the green coat was a new purchase from yesterday, (a super-bargain).  The coat is also perfect for the walk to school, now that it is starting to get a little cooler – autumn is on the way.

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Here is a better look at the bag on its own.  For those considering making this bag, I made a couple of minor changes to the construction.  I added a layer of pellon inside the bag to pad it slightly (I ironed the pellon to the lining) and I added the handles (which also contained a layer of pellon) before joining the lining and outside together, so that the handles are sandwiched between the layers.

One of the strengths of this design (IMHO) is that the proportions are balanced so well.  I may make it again, at a larger scale, which would of course require more than fat quarters, but hold more of the stuff I usually lug around.

Why don’t you make one?

5 thoughts on “Bendigo – The Golden Age of Couture

  1. Sounds like you had a great weekend. That pink dress is simply beautiful. Your buttercup bag looks great! I did the same thing with the handles, but positioned the magnetic snap a bit too high up, so I couldn’t fit in the topstitching round the edge! Next time I’ll know.
    PS. I was trying to find you on facebook but couldn’t tell which Claire was you! If you want to find me I’m pretty sure I’m the only one!
    🙂

  2. History Boy went to the V&A while he was in London last year, and loved it.

    Your bag is lovely!
    I’m going to have to have a go of it.
    I made myself an Amy Butler bag a couple of weeks ago… and got talked into entering it at the local show. “Handcrafts – other”. I came 2nd! 😀

    The Katies trench is gorgeous too 🙂

  3. Wasn’t the exhibition wonderful! I went about three weeks ago, and was very glad we went early in the morning, as when we left the queue was around half a km long. Apparently the book of the exhibition is available in other places, even though the gallery had run out. I’m hoping for it for my birthday 🙂

  4. Thanks for that photo of the dress – it reminds me very much of my own wedding dress! I still love that bustlely design at the back and the many covered buttons. Your bag also caught my eye – one of my alltime favourite fabrics is lining your bag.

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