Monjio

Featured Artist-

Efia Fair
 
Efia Fair is located in Southern California.   She began creating at a very young age.   Her first creations were picture books, collages, and little dolls.  As a teen she began making dresses for herself.  She just recently learned to knit last year, creating crocheted creations began as a child. 

As I visited her shop I could see various elements from numerous fashion eras within her shop.  It was amazingly interesting to me how she combines crochet and fabric, and crochet with lace.  Her designs are definitely unique!

She is drawn a variety of fashion periods:
"Definitely the Victorian Era, Baroque, Medieval and the like... I love the rich colors and fabrics, and the excuse to be frilly and fancy! More recently I love the fashions of the 30s and 50s. Feminine, structured, streamlined... and of course the circle skirts of the fifties I have always thought to be beautiful and flattering."

Petersons- Feb. 1877

Inspiration

Efie is mostly inspired by nature, she said:

"Nature - flowers and birds and landscapes.  Color is a huge inspiration for me, I have always LOVED the endless array of colors in this world, and as a designer I enjoy playing with color combinations until I see one that clicks for me. Also, I am inspired by my supplies! Yarns, fabrics, buttons and ribbons really get my imagination going."

Creative Process

Her inspiration continues in her creative process:

"I usually pick out my materials and go from there. Sometimes I have in mind exactly what I will create, and other times it is truly a process that surprises me, developing as I go along. A lot of times I find myself working on several projects at once."

A Stroll in Time:

 

Romantic Era 

The V-pointed bodice waistline was vastly prominent in the Romantic Era, it was a change from the round waistlines.  Short gloves were worn in the day to match one's dress, or attire.  Along with short , long gloves to reach ones sleeve were used for night attire.  At this time we began to see women's sleeves billowing out in huge gigot sleeves.

Bejeweled Thunder Luxe Mitts-EfiaFair

Mitts- 1830's Kyoto Archive

 

Victorian

The sewing machine arrived in 1860.  Along with synthetic dyes, and couture houses began.  The late-Victorian era brought the hour-glass figure, soon to be the S-bend shape soon to arrive in Edwardian corsetry. 

Mojito Necklet-EfiaFair

Ball gown- 1909

Mid-19th Century

Women were began to wear tailored jacket fashion.  The fullness of the skirt began to fall into pleats as the bustle was beginning to disappear.  In 1893, the bustle softened until only a small pad was left.

Femme Fetale Necklet-EfiaFair 
Day dress-Gustave Beer-1895
Etsy Shop:
Efia begain her shop last fall:
"A friend of mine (the person who taught me to knit, actually) told me about Etsy. Originally we were going to open a shop together, but it ended up being just me. I opened my shop because I wanted to give this (selling online) a try. I love making things and Etsy just seemed like the next logical step."
 
Make sure you take a look at The Sophiane Blouse! You will find variations of hand-knitted straps or sleeves.  Eachone is uniquely made.  
 

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