a package

Im a very lucky girl. A few months back I recieved the biggest box of vintage goodies from my friend Cherrie of WillyWagtail. I was flat out at the time as it was school holidays

so never ended up doing this post.

You know those boxes at the post office? well this was the biggest size you can get full to the brim.

Its going to take me a while to get through to using these on my makings.

I loved everything she sent me but this one here has a funny story attached now as when I was moving my fabrics the other day, because of the unusual randomness of the embroidery placement on this one, I squealed and threw it across the room thinking there was a big spider on it, of course laughing to myself once I realised my mistake.

Thanks a bunch Cherrie!

kids clothes week

Heres my selection of fabrics. Well, its a start.

Im busy painting furniture til this evening. Ill sew my hours worth then. Im on a mission to get the studio ready for production. Ill have some before and after shots for you as soon as the paint dries! Check out the players over at Elsie Marley and what theyve made here on Flickr.

Scroll down to enter my giveaway. Probably should provide a button in my side bar...

today im working on

Some boys pants for etsy custom orders.

I love these faux barkcloth weaves I found at Amitie for pocket details.

They remind me of the Jetsons.

And the bicycle print is a Moda fabric also at Amitie.

kids clothes week - day 1

 

 

Today is the official start of Kids Clothes Week over at Elsie Marleys.
I allowed myself to start early because monday is our weekend due to Brens work commitments. So officially my days are all over the place.
But Elsie did kindly let us all off the hook to grab inspiration wherever we could find it. ie. finish something we'd started ages ago, or even things cut out but never started... was mending mentioned?
 I like to think so.
Heres where im at....
After making up some of the vests I cut out with Eleesa the other day I was ready for my next challenge so I got some fabric out for some girls winter tunics ive been meaning to make since last year. 

 I made the patterns way back here ready to go and then did nothing, but theyve been on my mind.

                                    I couldnt limit myself with one colour palette for these tunics

 

 

 

Ive still got the hems to dress with some lace or binding (now done here), im not sure yet and will have a play tomorrow.

 But the vintage buttons are added (I have an aversion to sewing them on so this is a good place to get to).

My overlocker has decided to choose now to run out of thread so the purple and blue arent gonna happen tonight and it has been a bit of a battle (way too much washing and my sewing studio is my laundry as well) to get to this point but ill go to bed happy.

Normally weekend sewing is so hard to get around to doing with all of the extra things that get in the way.

How about you. What did you do this weekend?

Anything crafty or old projects youd started a while back?

Mending or patchworking? Something new perhaps?

A few people seem to be going through their cupboards.

Its going to be interesting to see what people get up to over Winter.

a surprise weekend away

We got a late phone call on Thursday night inviting us away for the weekend. The cabin had been booked and all we had to do was get in the car with a change of clothes and a bit of bedding and go.

I wasnt feeling that great but of course I was going!

Cuddles with my grand-daughter for 2 days. Heavenly. 

My daughter and I got dropped off by our lovely

 (but very keen to get out on the boat) hubbies at a random country town in Vic while they went fishing.

It was raining so we had reservations about leaving the warmth of the car, especially with baby, in the rain.

We were on the hunt for op-shops but werent holding our breath.

I told her not to worry and if all else failed at least we could have lunch at the pub.

To the girl running barefoot full pelt down the street in your evening dress,

sorry, but you were funny.

I wanted to capture everything we passed because if the fishing was bad our visit might be shortlived.

The gorgeous colours and architecture, (why does everything look better when its raining?)

typography of another era,

kooky mosaics of yet another era

looking up to see aging forms of shop fronts,

even if I was slowing down the hunt.

I knew there had to be one at least, there always is isnt there?

Thats her in the background waiting patiently.

We didnt have to worry about baby after all,

what, with all that colour and fabric to feel and touch.

A nice big bag of goodies, (the bottom of the pram was chockas as well).

This shop was closed....

 luckily...

 cos those two unusual side tables were just a little bit too swedish and very tempting to try to squeeze into the car. Im famous for buy now, think later. Even when im overseas.

We stopped for a chai and berry pancakes at a friendly, old-fashioned-service cafe that I now wish id written the name of for here. 

Then we found our second op-shop.

Yay! more goodies.

We split everything down the middle, Zja and I.

Thats pancakes,

and fabrics we find.

 We go home (our cabin for the night) and get the scissors out

(freshly purchased at the local IGA as I forgot mine, plus Zja needed a haircut)

and slice most of our stuff in half.

Its a buzz when we get back together down the track to see what weve individually done with our halves.

I might line a hood where she may make a whole dress.

Packing the car to go home wasnt so fun.

Fishing hooks and vintage fabrics are not a good mix.

So...

What did you end up doing this weekend?

my creative space

Im able to join in the creative spaces over at Kootoyoo this week. Im finally sewing again after way too long. I have orders from one of my favourite customers and a deadline.

I had to tidy up first just to be able to 'feel' my way around the new room. I still havent painted the table as I cant seem to decide on a colour choice. I have a raw piece of MDF on top of it to 'make' it larger.

Massive achievement, ladies. Ive never used this cabinet before for my fabrics

 and was glad most things fit.

Etsy custom orders are good for me. They keep me on track and force me to face my insecurities head on.

Ill be ignoring this massive pile of unfinished quilts that sits at one end of the table including the one I started 6 years ago (bottom),

the one for Mali that has to be finished before winter (3rd from bottom),

I dont even like pink and theres a pink one in there. What? Why? Who knows. Maybe im pregnant. Pink is for nurturing after all.

Loving the green one though, which only needs to be edged.

 If only....Yeh right.

One silly diagonal brown and red number I started after watching way too many shows of 'Simply Quilts' on Foxtel (while laughing of course, they take themselves way too seriously) I do admit I learned a couple of things though.

The order was for blue and purple but I just couldnt get past the blues.

After I found this embroidery in my stash I knew I had my jumping off point and the rest was easy.

Even for the boys pants. The circle helped me decide the shape of the pockets.

 So a top for a little girl,

and pants for a little boy.

The first things made in my new sewing room.