On the other hand it was a lovely sunny day today, a touch on the cooler side (22 degrees) and I'm of the firm opinion that a stiff G&T and very dark chocolate can do wonders for your outlook on life.
10 March, 2009
Rats
The fabric printing course this weekend I'd been looking forward to for so long was cancelled because not enough people signed up. So disappointed. I'm going to go out looking for the stuff I need to carve my own stamps and do stencils etc. though, I've got all this fabric that needs using up! I was really looking forward to having someone actually teach me how to do this, instead of muddling through it on my own. It's not that I can't figure it out, I'm sure I can, but someone showing you is just so much more efficient and by far the most natural way of learning. If the NZ dollar wasn't so shocking right now I'd be ordering up large from Dick Blick or similar, although it may be that when I pop into Gordon Harris they will have everything I need too. You never know here, sometimes it's a bit of a wasteland for crafting supplies, sometimes you are pleasantly surprised.
On the other hand it was a lovely sunny day today, a touch on the cooler side (22 degrees) and I'm of the firm opinion that a stiff G&T and very dark chocolate can do wonders for your outlook on life.
On the other hand it was a lovely sunny day today, a touch on the cooler side (22 degrees) and I'm of the firm opinion that a stiff G&T and very dark chocolate can do wonders for your outlook on life.
09 March, 2009
My favourite fabric
Getting the wee pouch from Terri reminded me to do this post and to get on to something I've been meaning to do for ages.
I bought a grab-bag of scraps from Purl Soho last September and when I got home to New Zealand I found a scrap of fabric about 20cm wide that I absolutely adored but no indication on the selvege as to what it was.
I searched the shop website, searched other fabric sites under ‘floral’ which is really like looking up Smith in the phone directory. then, vaguely dispirited I ended up at True Up to look at pretty fabrics that actually had a name. I spied the link to ‘Best Fabrics Ever’ and clicked. What was the first fabric on that post? MY fabric and now I know it’s Ume-Komachi ‘Blossom’.
From what I can gather it's no longer made and not available in this colour, although it is in others. I might try posting it over at Missing Fabrics although I don't hold out much hope. I think I'll have to resign myself to just this scrap and figure out a project that uses as much as possible and that I'll use lots and lots. The thing that really burns me is that it's used on an apron in 'Seams to Me' and I have to look at it and know that it's not destined to be mine!
One fabric that IS mine however, is this 'My Folklore' by Lecien, which I've been coveting for ages. Precioussss...
I asked Hazel if she'd like a blouse made out of it and she said "I've got lots of shirts mummy" and I said "oh, ok" in a disappointed way. Then she said "but I need more dresses" with a little tilt of her head and a winning smile. Baggage. Not enough for a dress though, or she might have got her way. :P
I bought a grab-bag of scraps from Purl Soho last September and when I got home to New Zealand I found a scrap of fabric about 20cm wide that I absolutely adored but no indication on the selvege as to what it was.
I searched the shop website, searched other fabric sites under ‘floral’ which is really like looking up Smith in the phone directory. then, vaguely dispirited I ended up at True Up to look at pretty fabrics that actually had a name. I spied the link to ‘Best Fabrics Ever’ and clicked. What was the first fabric on that post? MY fabric and now I know it’s Ume-Komachi ‘Blossom’.
From what I can gather it's no longer made and not available in this colour, although it is in others. I might try posting it over at Missing Fabrics although I don't hold out much hope. I think I'll have to resign myself to just this scrap and figure out a project that uses as much as possible and that I'll use lots and lots. The thing that really burns me is that it's used on an apron in 'Seams to Me' and I have to look at it and know that it's not destined to be mine!
One fabric that IS mine however, is this 'My Folklore' by Lecien, which I've been coveting for ages. Precioussss...
I asked Hazel if she'd like a blouse made out of it and she said "I've got lots of shirts mummy" and I said "oh, ok" in a disappointed way. Then she said "but I need more dresses" with a little tilt of her head and a winning smile. Baggage. Not enough for a dress though, or she might have got her way. :P
The Easter Bunny
I was lucky enough to get to test Hanies' pattern for an Easter Bunny toy/bag to put treats in and this is how mine turned out. It'll be available from her shop soon I believe :)
It was a fun pattern to do and I'm really looking forward to giving it to Hazel with some eggs in the back. What this will do to her understanding of how mammals reproduce I have no idea, but I figure a small amount of confusion will be worth the reaction! While I generally like the fabric I used (from a nightie that I never wore because I kept falling out the very low-cut front) I should have payed more attention to pattern placement because the flower over the mouth area is annoying. I probably need to change the embroidery thread colour but to be honest I doubt I'll bother :P The ribbon is definitely not right, I need something softer and floppier, but needs must when the sun is out and the child is at creche.
It was a fun pattern to do and I'm really looking forward to giving it to Hazel with some eggs in the back. What this will do to her understanding of how mammals reproduce I have no idea, but I figure a small amount of confusion will be worth the reaction! While I generally like the fabric I used (from a nightie that I never wore because I kept falling out the very low-cut front) I should have payed more attention to pattern placement because the flower over the mouth area is annoying. I probably need to change the embroidery thread colour but to be honest I doubt I'll bother :P The ribbon is definitely not right, I need something softer and floppier, but needs must when the sun is out and the child is at creche.
Swaps!
Yay, finally got to take photos of everything. Well not quite everything because I can't find one lot of buttons and I forgot to include some lovely ribbon that matches one of the fabrics. Also, I have a confession for my fellow swappists - I was carefully keeping all the fabric with the envelopes so I knew who sent what and could credit you but in a fit of excitement I showed everything to my mum and then realised I had no idea what went back with what. I do sincerely hope I thanked everyone for everything they sent but I have a sneaking suspicion that a set of buttons, some wool, and a button on burlap were not included in any thank-yous! It's been great getting to know some of you and I'm so looking forward to my next swap :)
I also got this lovely pouch from Terri, which is doing duty as protection for my phone (Hazel tried very hard to get it away I must say).
I think that one of the best things about swaps is that you end up with things you might not necessarily buy yourself and it stretches both your colour appreciation and your stash in new ways! So thank you to Catherine, Deb, Dione, Viv, Maren, Regan and Terri! I hope I got all the links in that I should have.
I also got this lovely pouch from Terri, which is doing duty as protection for my phone (Hazel tried very hard to get it away I must say).
I think that one of the best things about swaps is that you end up with things you might not necessarily buy yourself and it stretches both your colour appreciation and your stash in new ways! So thank you to Catherine, Deb, Dione, Viv, Maren, Regan and Terri! I hope I got all the links in that I should have.
06 March, 2009
ETA
Just further to the pincushion if anyone wants to make one (the ones in shops are so uninspiring, if functional) but doesn't want to buy a whole book for this pattern, there are also nice (free) patterns online, including the pin cushion caddy from Seams to Me which I also considered but it's more involved:
Heather Bailey's patchwork pincushion (just continue past their blandishments to the pincushion pattern on the next page along)
Another patchwork pincushion (probably the most similar to mine)
Stickin' it to the pincushion
Pin cushion caddy from Seams to Me
Wild flower pincushion
Bari J square pin cushion
Heather Bailey's patchwork pincushion (just continue past their blandishments to the pincushion pattern on the next page along)
Another patchwork pincushion (probably the most similar to mine)
Stickin' it to the pincushion
Pin cushion caddy from Seams to Me
Wild flower pincushion
Bari J square pin cushion
05 March, 2009
Playing catch up
Man, you leave the internets for a few days and suddenly you have 172 posts on Google Reader and about 15 photographs to post and some more to take. She's a hard task-mistress...
So my thesis is bound and looking fine, I've submitted it in pdf form to the University and tomorrow I'm taking the two bound copies in. My parents fly out for Canada in the afternoon after 6 months touring the country in a camper van and Mat is having a small surgical procedure tomorrow afternoon too. On Saturday I'll probably have a small mental break-down ;) I'm also scheduled to have a mole gone wrong taken off next week, it's an occupational hazard of living down here sadly, even growing up in Canada doesn't make me immune and I'm definitely noticing 15 years of accumulated sun damage on my face too. So all of this has, or will, interfere with this whole blog thing but I've been taking photos.
I finally finished baby Amy's little something, but that will wait until Jess gets it in a couple days. I'm pleased with how it turned out but let me just say that sewing Minky is the devil's work. 'Nuff said.
Usually my projects take hours and hours and progress can be slow and the whole thing is complex and takes brain power. I like it like that mostly, but I've just discovered the joy of the quickie. Get your mind out of the gutter! I made myself a pincushion :) My pin tin has been driving me mad, never in the right place, tips over and spills pins everwhere, gets lost under fabric, the lid gets lost etc. etc. There are so many lovely little pincushions around that I've been considering one even though I don't actually have a permanent sewing spot for it to live. I did the one out of Last Minute Patchwork+Quilted Gifts and it took way less than the 2 hours implied.
Picking out the fabrics probably took the longest time, and it really showed me where the gaps lie in my stash - no oranges or yellows or reds really, just pink, green and a couple blues.
The pattern itself is ok, although it may simply be a case of practice makes perfect. I couldn't get the threads pulled as tightly as the picture in the book because it made the fabrics pucker, so perhaps I need to stuff more firmly?
After I took the photos of the pincushion I piled it on top of a bunch of other stuff (tidy? me?) and then thought "hey, that looks pretty!" so I took a photo. If only all my messes were as photogenic. :)
Thanks to all the SMS fat quarter swappers who have sent me the neatest stuff - I know I said I'd photograph and post and haven't, but hopefully I've emailed all of you who included contact info to say thanks and will get everything into the same place to take pictures in the next day or so. I've really really enjoyed it and am looking forward to doing another!
So my thesis is bound and looking fine, I've submitted it in pdf form to the University and tomorrow I'm taking the two bound copies in. My parents fly out for Canada in the afternoon after 6 months touring the country in a camper van and Mat is having a small surgical procedure tomorrow afternoon too. On Saturday I'll probably have a small mental break-down ;) I'm also scheduled to have a mole gone wrong taken off next week, it's an occupational hazard of living down here sadly, even growing up in Canada doesn't make me immune and I'm definitely noticing 15 years of accumulated sun damage on my face too. So all of this has, or will, interfere with this whole blog thing but I've been taking photos.
I finally finished baby Amy's little something, but that will wait until Jess gets it in a couple days. I'm pleased with how it turned out but let me just say that sewing Minky is the devil's work. 'Nuff said.
Usually my projects take hours and hours and progress can be slow and the whole thing is complex and takes brain power. I like it like that mostly, but I've just discovered the joy of the quickie. Get your mind out of the gutter! I made myself a pincushion :) My pin tin has been driving me mad, never in the right place, tips over and spills pins everwhere, gets lost under fabric, the lid gets lost etc. etc. There are so many lovely little pincushions around that I've been considering one even though I don't actually have a permanent sewing spot for it to live. I did the one out of Last Minute Patchwork+Quilted Gifts and it took way less than the 2 hours implied.
Picking out the fabrics probably took the longest time, and it really showed me where the gaps lie in my stash - no oranges or yellows or reds really, just pink, green and a couple blues.
The pattern itself is ok, although it may simply be a case of practice makes perfect. I couldn't get the threads pulled as tightly as the picture in the book because it made the fabrics pucker, so perhaps I need to stuff more firmly?
After I took the photos of the pincushion I piled it on top of a bunch of other stuff (tidy? me?) and then thought "hey, that looks pretty!" so I took a photo. If only all my messes were as photogenic. :)
Thanks to all the SMS fat quarter swappers who have sent me the neatest stuff - I know I said I'd photograph and post and haven't, but hopefully I've emailed all of you who included contact info to say thanks and will get everything into the same place to take pictures in the next day or so. I've really really enjoyed it and am looking forward to doing another!
02 March, 2009
I hate computers
The struggle betwee me and my computer, Word, and printing to pdf continues, I think I'm winning but I won't know until this afternoon when I take the thesis to the printer. I'll have all my appendages crossed that the images come out properly - which is what the problem is at the moment although heck, there may be problems that I'm not even aware of yet! Did I mention I hate computers?
On the bright side however, I got some more fat quarters in the mail today and I need to get cracking on taking some nice photographs of the seriously lovely fabrics I've been getting. I'm so blown away by the generosity of the swappers, including buttons and pouches and ribbons on top of the fat quarters themselves. I feel my single anadorned quarters were a bit thin on it now, but at least I know for next time how fabulous it is to open up an envelope and find unexpected delights. I have something to aspire to now. :)
Speaking of buttons - Dione from Sew Funky sent some buttons along in the swap, and since Mat had his studio lights at home I took them out for a spin. All I can say is that it's a skill! My favourite button was a round creamy white and it has a fabulous solidity to it so I focused on that
and added in some crystal buttons I'd bought ages ago off Trade Me and have yet to find a use for (though I have some ideas).
I don't think I really got the hang of the lights, I can see that you'd have to practice a LOT to get reliable results. They did make me feel rather professional though :)
On the bright side however, I got some more fat quarters in the mail today and I need to get cracking on taking some nice photographs of the seriously lovely fabrics I've been getting. I'm so blown away by the generosity of the swappers, including buttons and pouches and ribbons on top of the fat quarters themselves. I feel my single anadorned quarters were a bit thin on it now, but at least I know for next time how fabulous it is to open up an envelope and find unexpected delights. I have something to aspire to now. :)
Speaking of buttons - Dione from Sew Funky sent some buttons along in the swap, and since Mat had his studio lights at home I took them out for a spin. All I can say is that it's a skill! My favourite button was a round creamy white and it has a fabulous solidity to it so I focused on that
and added in some crystal buttons I'd bought ages ago off Trade Me and have yet to find a use for (though I have some ideas).
I don't think I really got the hang of the lights, I can see that you'd have to practice a LOT to get reliable results. They did make me feel rather professional though :)
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