It was the school concert last week, and it was a “Sixties Happening”. What to wear? At least we had this hat for Stella!
Firstly, thanks to Handmaiden for such a useful “this is” theme! I’m really looking forward to expanding my fabric shop knowledge. Although I already have a few favourites of my own! I’ll start off with my locals:
For bag supplies, interfacings and patterns, it has to be Nicole Mallalieu Design. Nikki is a font of knowledge and such an incredible help with all things bag related; Leah administers everything beautifully and knows the products inside out.
For great value dress fabrics and terrific trims, with staff who actually know what they are talking about, definitely Darn Cheap Fabrics. I love this shop! They stock dress fabrics of all types, and have a nice line in quilting fabrics as well. Whenever I go in here I end up walking out with not only what I was looking for (often a rarity with Lincraft and Spotlight who never seem to have the colour or length zip that I want) but some other lovely bits and pieces as well. They’ve got three brick and mortar shops around Melbourne.
Let’s not forget GJ’s Discount Fabrics! They’re at 443 Lygon Street, East Brunswick. No website. As well as a fantastic selection of quilting and craft fabrics, they have special occasion/dance fabrics, loads of dress fabrics, and pre-cut remnants. Oh, lots and lots of stretch fabrics as well.
Then there is Amitie, of course. They are so well known that I am probably preaching to the converted. The range is superb and the staff very helpful.
Ballarat Patchwork and Quilt Fabric Delights are Australian retailers that sell their fabrics online and have an excellent range. Retro Mummy (also Australian) specialises in Japanese cute fabrics and craft books, and stocks fabrics from independent Australian designers.
And online from the US? I buy fabric from Z & S fabrics, Sew, Mama, Sew!, Pink Chalk Fabrics and Reprodepot.
And let’s not forget the local op shop! Often an excellent source of unusual fabrics at great prices (although the fibre content can be a mystery) and a great spot to get pillowcases for yet more pillowcase dresses! I made this one last week:
Did that seem like a string of advertisements? It’s not meant to be – but I do love all these retailers!
The last two days have been lovely. I’m not sure if it is because the sun has been shining and I can tell that spring is almost here, or because the planets have finally aligned nicely for me! Yesterday morning after school drop-off I was able to stand and chat with some of the other mums for a while because I didn’t have anywhere that I had to dash off to. It was so nice not to be rushing! Then I had a look at the primary school art show, full of artwork done by the students. I was astounded at the creativity and quality of their work. What a treasure of an art teacher we have! I wish that I’d taken photos. All types of media were used, including textiles, with a variety of themes to their work. I felt so proud of the school! Afterwards Stella and I headed over to Nicole Mallalieu Design to pick up some more bag-making supplies, and lucky me, Nikki had just arrived and we were able to have a long overdue chat and catch up. Our daughters played beautifully together while we had a coffee and talked all things bags and textiles. Pretty impressive, because Nikki’s little one has a bit of an aversion to Miss Stella (who tends to suck on her toys and scatter them all about).
Stella fell asleep in the car going home, and transferred inside beautifully into her cot. While she slept I finished off the ironing and whipped up a skirt for Clare from these instructions. It is about as simple as they come, and I’ve made plenty of skirt without patterns before, but it took seeing this one in the blogosphere to get me inspired and sewing!
After school we invited ourselves to a friend’s house for a play, and ended up staying for dinner as well. The kids played beautifully, the adults drank glasses of wine while the sun set, and we were all home with kids in bed by 7.00pm. I did some more crochet, read part of a novel, and went to bed. All very, very pleasant!
And today has been lovely too. Miss Clare had a check-up at the optometrist this morning, and the patch is doing its job and her eyes are equalising. Another six weeks of intensive patch-wearing, then we can begin to taper it off. Clare and I had brunch together at a local cafe before her Bollywood dancing class – during which I read more of my novel while sitting in the sunshine – and this afternoon we’ve been at a birthday party for a special two-year-old.
And now? The kids are in bed, somewhere during the day I managed to tidy the house and hang out and bring in and fold washing, so it looks as though this evening I can crochet and read some more.
Bliss!
More neck warmers, from the same pattern as before. I do have a couple more crochet projects that are a little more complex in the works – but it will be a while before they are finished. This one is in Patons Inca (a left-over ball that was in the stash).
It’s a little narrower than the others because I ran out of yarn! However, it is still wide enough to be functional. The next one is in Cleckheaton Vintage Hues (also left-over from stash):
These brooches are from felt flowers I bought at a craft fair at the beginning of the year. The buttons are from stash, of course!
I’m trying to take the opportunity to fit in small gift type projects in around my other sewing, in order to build up a bit of a store of hand-made gifts. My other works in progress are these purses:
I had a cutting out frenzy on the weekend. There are nine ready to go, all interfaced and fused to wadding. Now for time to sew!
Sally’s 40th birthday was in late June. Hmmm. It is now late August. So it’s a good thing that her 40th Birthday Bag is now finished!
The pattern is the Hobo bag from Nicole Mallalieu Design, with the body lengthened a couple of inches to give it a bit more depth (Sally has three young boys, so she has to fit a lot into her bags).
There is an internal base made of fast-to-fuse and heavyweight fusible vilene, and I added purse feet. All the supplies came from Nicole as well. I didn’t want to put a hard structured base on this bag, as the overall shape is a little softer, but still needed it to have plenty of support. I think that this worked well. The outer fabric is interfaced and has a layer of fusible wadding.
The single strap is adjustable and passes through oblong o-rings. The crocheted flower is on a brooch back and is crocheted in Patons Jet from this pattern.
The top has a zippered gusset closure, which was incredibly hard to photograph!
And the interior has a zippered pocket on one side and a patch pocket with mobile phone pocket on the other. There is a key leash as well.
I am VERY happy with this bag! Luckily for me I have plenty more of the fabrics left. They’re from a range call Utopia by Free Spirit (bought at one of Z&S Fabric’s excellent sales last year). The yellow ric-rac trim came from Spencer & Rutherford’s sale. I love the finished result – I’m almost having trouble giving it away.
Lucky me, I was a winner in Audrey and Maude’s recent pattern giveaway, and received these two sweet softie patterns.
I saw these in real life at the Quilt and Craft fair recently. They’re now added to my to-make list! Which first … I think maybe one of the robots. Thanks so much to Louise and Cathy for their generosity (and their talent – I love these softies)!
In today’s mail was the latest blog VIP swatch mailout from Amitie.
These are all from Anna Maria Horner’s Garden Party line. What beautiful saturated colours and swirling lines. Will I need some more pieces I wonder? I’ve done a little more work on the loopy loops too.
They’re all now edged, thanks to Sarah’s excellent instructions. They’ll probably be a scarf for a little while – at least until I crochet some more loopy loops to join together into a blanket. This length is made up of 105 loops. The edging yarn is also scrap stash yarn – hence the change of colour half way through.
Not everything that I crochet is for myself or for my girls! Sometimes hubby benefits. I finally made him a beanie to replace the one that was too small for him (but fitted me).
The pattern is from the Patons Learn to Crochet book, and is about as basic as they come. The yarn is Patons Jet (surprise surprise). The simple stitch pattern lets the yarn shine through. Michelle has been making gorgeous neck warmers lately, so since I still had plenty of yarn I thought I’d give it a shot too.
Same yarn, one hour, two buttons, neck warmer done! The pattern is from here. I see many more of these in my future (and the future of almost everyone I know who likes to keep their neck warm). And what does hubby think?
Other than thinking that they make him resemble Sir Douglas Mawson, he wore them all day! I must have done something right.
Did I just set a record in speed crocheting? I should have entered the Ravelympics! On Sunday this was a work in progress; by Wednesday night it was complete!
The pattern is a freebie from LionBrand called Giovanna’s Cardi. It took less than 3 balls of Patons Jet (wool/alpaca blend) to make the smallest size, crocheted with my size J/6.00mm Clover Softouch hook (which are my favourite hooks).
It is worked seamlessly from the bottom up. When you get to the armholes, chains are added on for the sleeves and then the yoke begins.
The pattern photo has the neckline worn open. I made the smallest size (six to eight) but after a few rows decided to pull it out and start again with the back 4 stitches smaller. This gave me a couple of challenges when I got to the decreases in the back yoke, but I still had some residual maths skills from school and managed to figure it out. The other modification I made was to add a row of single crochet around the entire outer edge, rather than just slip stitching the front and neck edges.
Clare chose the felt flowers for the brooch closure, as well as the vintage button which was one of my mum’s. Clare really likes to participate when I am making anything for her.
And what does Clare think of the finished result? I think that this photo says it all!
Last Christmas I decided to make EVERYONE’s gift. I think that I managed it – but honestly, what WAS I thinking? I nearly went insane with the pressure. I’ve learned my lesson (which is, don’t set yourself ridiculous targets with ridiculous deadlines) and this year I plan on doing a lot of Christmas shopping online via etsy. But before I purchase gifts for friends, I decided to get a few little things for myself from some of my online friends!
This lovely little parcel came all the way from Japan from Melanie at Kimono Reincarnate. How cute is that little ribbon it’s all tied up with!
Melanie even included a few extra pieces of fabric for me and some lovely hairclips. Thanks so much!
From the always hilarious Jodie over at Ric Rac, this fantastic little birdcage kit. I can’t wait to make it up – maybe even today!
This gorgeous sunnyboy pouch and needlebooks are from the multi-talented Michelle, also known as Quiltingmick. Beautifully constructed, in great fabrics. And a girl needs a needlebook with every crochet project-in-progress, doesn’t she?
Clever Stacey from Sheep’s Clothing made these precious hairclips from vintage buttons. One set is destined for Clare, and the others have gone into my present stash. They are extremely well made, and look so pretty!
Thanks so much these talented craftsters! And to any relatives who may be reading – guess where your pressies will come from this year? I’m outsourcing to etsy!
A little while ago a friend asked me to make a bag for her sister’s birthday. Finally, about a month after said birthday, the bag is done!
The pattern is the Large Tote & Satchel, by Nicole Mallalieu Design. My friend provided the fabric. The plain maroon fabric didn’t work as well as I would have liked, unfortunately – it was a little too crisp and despite the addition of interfacing and fusible wadding it didn’t have the heft that I prefer to work with. I was a bit disappointed in the finished result.
I modified the pattern slightly by using Nikki’s excellent instructions for making a hard structured base, and included purse feet.
The strap is adjustable – I really like making straps this way. A layer of fusible wadding, topstitching, a bit of bag hardware, and ta-da, a comfy bag strap!
There are two inside pockets, one zippered, and the flap closes with a magnetic catch. There is a layer of clear PVC over the flap, and I bound the flap together with bias binding. I hope that Terri likes it!
Edited to add: The PVC covering the flap is from the tablecloth area at Spotlight – make sure that you get the thinnest clear PVC for sewing. The zip, D-rings, slide adjuster, purse feet, interfacing and wadding all come from Nicole Mallalieu Design.
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