The Wardrobe

My Creative Space: Its in the mail

2012-02-16T12:56:00.000+13:00

How is everyone going with there scrap swap?

I'm working on a tutorial for an envelope clutch which looks like, well an envelope. I had hopes to post it today but I've had a stoopid virus and have been feeling yucky for over a week.

As my own boss I have given myself the week off work, but I still need to keep my hands busy in the brief moments between unconsciousness and coughing fits. I might get it finished this afternoon, but maybe tomorrow.

Meantime, I got my scrap bag in the post today. And huzzah! I received my own parcel of scraps yesterday. Thanks to Kerry-Anne.

I sat on the sofa last night and cut some little birds - the link is up there under Scrap Bag Tutorials. Addictive wee things that they are :)

I think I'm going to make some hexies with some more of these scraps. I have a guest tutorial coming up from the lovely Lost Seamstress involving hexagons - can't wait!!

Linkin' up with more creatives here

Red Strippy Quilt - part two

2012-02-15T07:00:00.000+13:00

Do you remember seeing this quilt on my blog last week? Today Roz shares in part two how to make the top:

This is my No Fuss Quilt as you Row Technique, mentioned in last weeks Red Strippy Quilt Post, which enables machine quilting of smaller, more manageable pieces, before they are finally joined together to complete a quilt of any size. As a bonus left over pieces of batting and scraps of fabric, lace and ric-rac can be used.

The below instructions are to make a quilt like my Red Strippy one of size 90cm by 115cm, however feel free to adjust any of the measurements to your liking.

METHOD:

Rotary cut strips of scraps anything from 1½ to 3 inches wide

Rotary Cut five strips each of batting and calico 8 inches wide by 45 inches long

Use the underside of your cutting board for cutting batting to prevent fluff build up

Layer batting onto calico to create a foundation row and place first fabric strip to the top of foundation

Stitch second fabric strip along one edge of first strip through all layers (stitch length 3 and using a walking foot)

Fold strip out and press seam open (either with iron or the edge of your thumb nail)

Continue adding strips to foundation rows until they are covered – do not worry if edges become untidy

Trim the 'unruly edges' of the five foundation rows with a rotary cutter

Machine stitch trimmed foundation rows together using a wide serpentine (or zig-zag) stitch and a walking foot.

The edges do not overlap they simply sit alongside each other. I find I can easily hold them together as I feed them through the walking foot (pinning does not work).

Strips of iron on interfacing ironed along the join to the wrong side of the foundation strips will hold the raw edges together if you prefer to add this step before serpentine stitching.

Next week I will explain how to add the frill and cover the joins to complete your quilt!

Flex Frame Purse Tutorial

2012-02-14T07:00:00.000+13:00

Hi, I'm Juliet and its an honour to be visiting from Tartankiwi. Firstly can I say a huge thank you to Nin, for inviting me to share this tutorial on her blog. I'm fairly new to writing sewing tutorials, so if anything is unclear please do not hesitate to ask.

A few wee notes before we get started:

Several people have asked me where I bought my flex frames. These came from an Etsy store. Just search for flex frames in the "supplies" section and you will find lots of stores that sell them.

This tutorial is for the basic purse, I have not included instructions on how to appliqué the bird outline, but I have included the template with the pattern if you wish to use it.

Unless otherwise stated, all seams in this tutorial are 1/4 inch.

To make a Flex Frame Purse, you will need:

to download this pattern
a 3.5 inch flex frame (complete with pin for closure)
two pieces of 2 x 4 inch fabric to cover the exterior of the flex frame
two pieces of 2 x 3.75 inch fusible fleece/batting
two pieces of 2 x 3.75 inch fabric to cover the interior of the flex frame (it doesn't matter what this fabric is as it will not be seen!)

*Note: These dimensions leave a very snug channel for the flex frame. If you prefer more wiggle room, you can make the short side of the rectangle 2.5 inch instead of 2 inch. I used quilting cotton, if you are going to use bulkier fabrics, I suggest you increase the width of the flex frame sleeve.
For the body of the purse you will need.

2 pieces of exterior fabric cut using the body templates
2 pieces of interior fabric cut using the body templates
2 pieces of fusible fleece/batting cut using the body templates

Lets get started!

Start by cutting all your fabric.

Take the small rectangles which will form the sleeve for the flex frame.
Fuse the fleece to the lining fabric.
Place the inner and outer fabrics right sides together.
Sew along one of the short ends.

Ensure that all the short ends are lined up and sew the other end.

Turn it right side out. Press. You should notice that the seams lie nicely hidden on the inner side.

Repeat for the other leg of the flex frame cover.

Now take the fusible fleece and the outer fabric for the body of the purse. Press to fuse them together. If you want to appliqué a design onto the purse, this is when I do it.

Fold the sleeve for the flex frame lengthways and centre on the straight edge of the body against the right side of the outer fabric. There should be 1/4 inch on either side of the sleeve. Try to be as exact as you can at this stage and work as precisely as you can, it is really worth the effort!

Using a 1/8 seam allowance, sew the flex frame sleeve to the body of the purse.

Lay your lining fabric right side down on top of the flex frame sleeve and the outer fabric (which is right side up). Sew along this edge.

Repeat these steps for the back of your purse.

Flip your purse open and you should see the completed flex frame sleeve. At this stage, check that you can wiggle the flex frame into its sleeve. It will be tight, but it should fit! If it doesn't fit, now is your chance to unpick!

Once you're sure that everything fits, remove the flex frame. Open the fabric up and lay the front and back piece right sides together. Line up the edges and pin.

Sew around the edges starting at the bottom of the lining piece. Be careful that you sew next to the flex frame sleeve and do not sew it into the edge seams. Also make sure that you remember to leave a gap at the bottom of the lining.

Carefully notch the curved edges ensuring that you don't cut through your seams.

Turn the purse the right way out.

Sew the gap in the lining closed

Insert the flex frame

Insert the pin in the flex frame.

Using pliers bend the ends of the frame so that the pin stays in place

Give it a final press and then stand back and admire your handiwork!
These are such fun to make and once you get the hang of it, you can have lots of make all sorts of variations. Here are a couple of other ones that I have made!

Easy-peasy appliqué - cute keyring tutorial

2012-02-10T07:00:00.000+13:00

I guess this could be a favourite way of using up scraps - making 'pictures' with fabrics or using the cute motifs for quick and easy gifts.

Gran taught me the 'old skool' turned appliqué technique which is beautiful but requires patience and lots of precise little hand stitches. It still has its place, but I'm going to show you how quick and easy it is with fusible web. The products I use are Visoflex (preferred) or Steam-a-seam lite (slightly heavier/more ridged end result).

You don't need to be a hand sewing whiz. And if you have pre-school kids, there is a spin off project - my three year old gets the offcuts to arrange into pretty collages, which I then iron down for her. Paint, glitter, beads, lace, pasta, sand and other textures can be added over the top.

This little key ring project is just a taste of what you might do - other things I've appliquéd:
Aprons, tea towels, towels, bibs, tees, bags of all kinds, diary/journal covers, cushions....really the list is endless.

My Creative Space: Scr(h)appy Easter nest tutorial

2012-02-09T07:00:00.001+13:00

This project combines three of my loves - fabric, crochet and using up every last scrap! The eggs are real - just painted with food colouring - for Easter I'm planning to serve up boiled eggs for brekkie to temper all that chocolate!

If you have some experience of crochet - this could be whipped up in an afternoon, depending on how big you want to make your basket. If you want to try with crochet this could be a good starting project, but you will need to search out a couple of online tutorials (you tube is good) for the stitches mentioned. I've used European rather than US terms.

To start - take a bunch of stripes - these were cut from the edge of fat quarters. You want about 50 strips each 50cm long (or the equivalent from whatever lengths you have)

I used a quilters ruler and rotary cutter and cut each strip 1/2 inch wide (1.25 cm wide). You can vary the width, but you will need to consider using a thicker gauge crochet hook when you get to the hookin' part.

Next take your stripes and knot them together at each end to form your 'yarn'. I used a reef knot (all you former Girl Guides out there will remember right over left and left over right, no?) as its quite a flat knot. You could sew the ends together - but considering the width of the 'yarn' I decided that would be far to fiddly and time consuming. The end result I'm going for is scrapy and freeform and textural, so I'm cool with a few ends showing on the inside of the nest - but as you wish.

Now you have some yarn its time to crochet!

Key

sc = Single crochet

You need a 6mm hook

Create a slip knot and chain 4, join with a slip stich to form a ring. This is your foundation.

Round 1 sc 6 around the ring. Attach a safety pin to the last sc to mark the beginning of the round.

Round 2 work 2 sc into each sc in the round – you should have 12 sc

Round 3 sc in the first sc, 2 sc in the second sc; repeat this sequence until the end of the round – you should have 18 sc.

Round 4 sc in the following 2 sc, then make 2 sc in the third sc; repeat this sequence until the end of the round – you should have 24 sc.

Round 5 sc in the following 3 sc, then make 2 sc in the fourth sc; repeat this sequence until the end of the round – you should have 30 sc.

Round 6 sc in the following 4 sc, then make 2 sc in the fifth sc; repeat this sequence until the end of the round – you should have 36 sc.

Round 7 sc into each sc
Round 8 sc first two sc, skip third sc, *sc into the next four sc, skip one sc - repeat from * until the end of the round.
Rounds 9-12 Work four round of sc

At round 8, you can see the sides starting to take shape

To finish – work a slip stitch under each sc. Tie off and weave ends. Your slip stitches should put in the edge of the nest slightly. I used a smaller hook to pull all the loose ends to the inside of the basket, you could sew them down if you want a completely smooth finished look.

The little bird is a great free pattern from Spool. The instructions are to handsew, but I whipped several up on the machine and just handsewed them shut once stuffed. Also I beaded a couple of eyes and I'm thinking about doing a couple of little wings - but as they are, so quick and such a good use of scraps and they might even help keep my freshy boiled eggs warm!

Red Strippy Quilt - Part one

2012-02-08T07:00:00.000+13:00

Well, kicking of a month long series of tutorials on just what to do with all your fabric scraps it is my pleasure to introduce you to Roz of Squiltz.

I first met Roz around 18 months ago at Stitch (craft store I used to work at). She is an incredible stitcher and her blog is beautiful. She invents new ways of doing things to achieve what she wants to do and I love that.

So this talented lady who sells her original designs as patterns (you can get them from here) and teaches in lots of places including Stitch* has promised to share some free tutorials with you starting with how to make this Strippy Quilt.

I just fell in love with this one at her house the other day - the vintage frill binding is so sweet!

*seriously if you can afford to get along to one of Roz's classes its money well spent - she is such a great teacher patient, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and funny

I have heaps of fabric scraps to sort and lots of projects on the go. This is one that I've recently completed.

Some of my favourite novelty strips (various widths) were selected to use in a strippy quilt. Red fabrics were selected too but to ensure they did not dominate in an unruly way, I specifically used one red strip after every three novelty strips. When the rows were joined I staggered the reds.

The strips were joined using my Quilt as U Row method. It is sooo easy to do and enables you to use up off cuts of batting as well as fabric scraps.

Over the next couple of weeks I will give you the instructions for making this quilt.

Instead of the usual binding I added a frill all around the quilt.

I hope you have as much fun using up your scraps as I am having!

Long weekend craft-scapades

2012-02-07T08:39:00.001+13:00

What a shame the weather hasn't been more obliging over the long weekend huh? In the absence of proper summer weather, I was left wondering what to do with an active 3 year old?

Rather randomly, I picked up some bisque hearts with magnets already glued to the back at the local primary school fair. I'm sure you could do something similar with air harding clay or that coloured stuff you stick in the oven to harden..Fimo?

Lala enjoyed painting them with Acrylics. Once dry we coated them with PVA and pretty tissue paper, and more PVA. I finished off by running a black calligraphy pen around the edge.

Ta-da - some pretty Valentine's magnets. How was you're weekend?

My creative space: Just because

2012-02-02T12:08:00.001+13:00

....I can't seem to watch TV without something to do with my hands.

Now my bulletin board is extra pretty

Have nothing in your house that

you do not know to be useful, or

believe to be beautiful,

William Morris

A couple of extras for the present cupboard

The 'fabric stickers' (a stoopid name cos they are made of paper) came from Aroha Vintage.
I asked Mr Google about tutorials for these and most suggest you use Modge Podge to seal them - I didn't have that, but improvised with a couple of coats of PVA, slightly watered. That did the trick.

By the way - sign up for the Scrap Bag Swap 2012 closes tomorrow - see the button over there on the right or along the menu bar at the top.

From next week I've planned a bunch of tutorials around scraps - big projects and small for the whole month of February. I'm really excited to have three fellow bloggers guesting in this space and sharing their expertise and creativity with you. Even if you're not keen for the swap, feel free to check in here or check out the flickr group.

Linking up with more creative spaces here

February's resolve

2012-02-01T07:00:00.000+13:00

What in the world is this?

You'll see (it has something to do with the Scrap Bag Swap I'm organising).

I know last month I made a resolution (only the one) to try and live life s-l-o-w-l-y to retain that holiday feeling for as long as possible. Yup, thats all gone by the wayside now.

The next three months are looking packed with exciting stuff - family stuff, bloggy stuff and business stuff......I find myself at the sharp end of the 'just say no' wedge. I'm one of these people who finds 'no' so hard to say, without feeling as though I have to provide excuses. Maybe you're the same. How do you say no without feeling bad?

At the end of last year I purchased this all singing, all dancing diary (nope no flash smart phone in my handbag, mores the pity) as part of my resolution to reduce the pressure and stress from taking on too much. I think this diary is puka. Turns out I'm actually doing more nice life balancing things (like painting my toenails and reading for pleasure). I suppose I should be laughing or crying [at myself] that I need a diary to make this stuff happen, but it does make it easy with a column in each day for personal, family/community/church; and business.

One of the suggestions in the front of the diary was to spend some time at the end of the day noting down all the stuff I did that wasn't on the 'official' to do list as well as planning for the next day. Once I see it all written down - all the unglamorous Mummy stuff along with the planned stuff, I've realised how hard I can be on myself because I can never seem to conquer my daily task list.

Although January hasn't been as s-l-o-w as I might have wished for, and that holiday feeling is but a memory there has been way more of a balance between personal pleasures, family commitments and business plans. It's helped me realise how busy I've become before it all turns pear shaped (you can read that as up till 3am several nights in a row finishing stuff).... so I guess my resolve for February is to work out how to be OK about 'no' (oh and not to stay up till 3am finishing stuff). How are your resolutions going?

A perfect summer's day

2012-01-30T07:00:00.000+13:00

What made your weekend special? For me it was sunshine and swimming and....

Buskers in the park

A little stitchery on the go

Discovering friendly sculptures to perch on

Dinosaurs 'with no skin on'

Ski-doooooooooo!

My creative space: Irons in the fire

2012-01-26T10:53:00.001+13:00

I'm the sort of person who likes to have a few things on the go at any one time.

Are you like that or does it drive you crazy having more than one or two projects on the go? If you anything like me, you get to a saturation point - and I think I have reached that. I need to finish some stuff before I bring forth more projects rolling around in my head, and there are always those.

By day I'm sewing more Brief Encounter dresses. All the pink are ready for pressing, navy on the machine today.

By evening I'm:

tinkering with blocks for the Modern Block Bee (still no hard and fast decisions on that one).

working on another tutorial for my Scrap Bag Swap - February is going to be awash with tutorials I tell you.

and recovering my sofa in the yummiest fabric, although it was a remnant, so when I say 'recover' I mean just squabs and when I say squabs....well there might be alternate fabrics on the back and grey piping.

My husband and I have had disagreements over the state of the sofa. They are good quality ones handed down from my aunty. They have great proportions and are super comfy but desperately in need of reupholstering. The cost to do two sofas professionally, with good quality fabric is more than a new suite from the likes of Freedom, with crappy foam and hideous polyester covers.

I think buying inferior quality new is a waste of money.....so this is my interim measure and Huz seems happy enough with colours (yah!).

Linking up with more creative spaces here

Where is the wardrobe?

2012-01-25T11:38:00.001+13:00

Its over here. Some of the buttons I created for this weekly link up point here, but actually its over at Sailor Spy. Gah!

I may be a bit quiet this week - I have weeks where I have lots to say (last week) and weeks where I have lots of sewing on. I'm putting together more tutorials for the Scrap Bag Swap - go click the button on the right and sign up if you like (I promise that one works!)

Maybe I'll give you a little glimpse tomorrow.

Ki Ora

I'm Loving: organic inspiration

2012-01-20T12:32:00.001+13:00

My sewing machine sits next to the window looking out onto the garden.

While sewing away at my label my mind gets to wander.....to quilt blocks.

Inspired by busy bees and a woven stool....

The results of such organic inspiration amuse me.....Tetris anyone?

Linking in with Paisley Jade

My Creative Space - A Scrap Bag tutorial

2012-01-19T13:28:00.003+13:00

Are you signed up for the Scrap Bag Swap yet? It should be lots of fun playing with someone else's scraps and seeing what new combos you can come up with using your own stash.

Here's an idea for what you might like to package your scraps in, but really this type of bag has a zillion uses* and in truth there are probably a zillion tutorials on how to make one.

This is my take, and true to my style - I wanted to use up a scrap of contrast fabric around the top - I think that looks really sweet. Also like it when the inside is finished just as neatly as the outside, so this won't be the easiest tutorial ever - I'm assuming your reasonably confident on your machine! If you haven't ever tried french seams they aren't as tricky as you might think and they look super professional.

I've mentioned the specific measurements for this bag, but really you can scale this up and down as you need.

So I started with a fat quarter, washed and pressed in half (so that I could have this border print fabric running around the bottom) - you probably won't be using a boarder print, so it doesn't matter which way you fold it. I decided the bag looked a bit tall and narrow for what I needed here - its just a proportion thing, I eyed it up and decided to cut off 7 1/2' (19cm) off the top edge. I also neatened up the slightly frayed edges with my rotary cutter and quilter's ruler. The contrast fabric is the same length as the top of the bag and around 21/4' (5.7cm) wide - that was what I had so that's what it ended up being. You could vary that if you wanted (make it wider or narrower depending on the width of your drawstring) or just add this width measurement to the total height of the bag, so instead of having a contrast panel on the inside you fold over the main fabric and stitch it down. Follow me?

Now you're ready to sew: Start with the bag folded, right sides out and sew a 5mm seam. Stop 6cm before the top edge. Press the seam, turn inside out and press again. Now sew a 1cm seam, encasing the raw edges from the first seam you sewed. Again stop 6cm before you get to the top.

Now sew on the contrast band using a 5mm seam, right sides together. Point the seams toward the contrast band and edge-stitch them down (as you can see in the photo below).

See where the pencil is pointing? This is the french seam you've just made, you'll need to clip the seam allowance here and fold it out (its folded out in the picture)

Here is another view of the clipped area. Press the french seam to one side (either side is fine), the allowance above the french seam should be 1.5 cm. Also press down a 5mm seam allowance along the contrast band (you can see that in the top of the picture). Now, because you have a decent 1.5 seam allowance you should be able to fold 5-7mm of the allowance under and sew from the top edge of the contrast band down to the point where you clipped the seam. Keep the needle down, lift your foot and pivot your work so you can sew up the other side, turning under 5-7mm of the seam as you go.

When your done it will look like this:

Note: my first picture didn't turn out, so I've rephotographed the completed bag - you won't have the ribbon in or the channel made for the ribbon just yet.

Again - you can just see what the stitching should look like on the outside of the bag.

Home stretch - pin and sew the contrast band really close to the edge. Then get your ribbon and decide how big to make the channel. A good rule of thumb is to make it twice the width of the ribbon. You could draw yourself a guideline with removable marker or chalk, but I just free-styled it using the marking on my machine's footplate to help.

Pop the ribbon in with the aid of a safety pin and you're done.

Happily linking with more Creative Spaces here

*WIP/project bag, laundry bag, toys - think blocks and lego and little bits. Small hands can easily work the drawstring. Swim bag (add a waterproof lining), gift bag for a special person's special gift, lingerie bag, super simple toilet bag - done in oilcloth perhaps, shoe bag, library......there are but a few ideas, but I'm sure you could come up with more.

Chat and Bikkies

2012-01-18T12:16:00.000+13:00

Are you searching for Wardrobe Wednesday? Its over here on my fashion blog.

I've had a lovely morning with Kirsty of Sew Pretty. She came over to interview me for her blog and take pictures of my workspace (gah - mad tidying and vacuming up threads this am). I had such a good time, chatting, laughing and eating warm chocolate bikkies!!

Thank you Kirsty for your thoughtful gifts, and so beautifully wrapped! If you have ever bought anything from her you'll appreciate how warm and friendly she is and how her attention to detail really shows with everything she does.

Still warm and slightly gooey on the inside ummmmmmm

And some fat quarters she knows I had my eye on before Christmas for Cat's Modern Sampler Bee. The pale blue and pink one is perfect for a certain person's quilt block.

The Bee is a wee project I've been doing in my spare time [insert maniacal laughter right here]. I have yet to replace our yucky duvet cover with a nice quilt, despite all the fabric I have bought for that purpose. (cringe)

Part of my problem with the non-quilt is I can't seem to decide on a block, so doing a bee is a chance for me to get going and make our bedroom all pretty.

The idea is to do one block each for six people using their colour choices in my fabrics - this is what I've pulled from my stash for that purpose.

The first trial block - I love it for my ultra contemporary colour combo, so I'm keeping it to incorporate in my quilt, but feel its probably not trying hard enough for everyone else, so....

I did some strip piecing and did an hourglass block from that, which was OK, but I decided I could do better - something a little more contemporary, so I've unpicked it and halved the pieces - now I'm thinking along the lines of this

Do you have any favourite contemporary blocks to suggest? I want to end up with 9 for my quilt - so that gives me a chance to sample 4 and then I'll receive 5 from everyone else. I've decided to stop looking on line - the trouble with too much choice is, well, too much choice! Still - all suggestions gratefully received :)

Wanna Swap?

2012-01-17T07:30:00.000+13:00

So how about it? I've been thinking for a while that I'd like to host a swap. The sort of swap that is all about getting your creativity going not your stress levels. One where all you need to do is sort out some cool offcuts from your stash to pop in a cute little handmade bag and post it off. Then, when your bag arrives be inspired by fresh new fabrics, do some small stash sewing and share your results on flickr.

I guess its no secret that I love playing with fabric and colour, and I love using a fabric all up, its so satisfying getting your money's worth. The trouble is sometimes you've used a fabric in two or three projects and you still have leftovers - if you're anything like me you just get creatively stuck.

Maybe you want to extend outside your comfort zone of colours and prints you normally go for, or you just want to try something new - like appliqué or crochet with fabric scraps and really the cost of buying even 3 Fat quarters these days just to have a play makes you stop and think twice.

I have a whole bunch of ideas for tutorials and I've managed to rope in a couple of friends and fellow bloggers to do 'guest' ones as well, so once sign up has closed I'll be running a little series of tutorials to whet your creative appetite.

The Gist

You'll be sending one little bag of fabric scraps and offcuts to a swap buddy and receiving one from another. It's meant to be a surprise parcel, so please don't spoil the fun and contact your person/blog about them until you're sure your goodies have arrived.

How many scraps? I was thinking that we could each fill a C4 NZ Post Bag (the $5 prepaid ones)

So - what is a scrap? I've hummed and harred about what constitutes a scrap - and really something as small as a postage stamp can be used but you're options are limited. For the recipient to have plenty of options (and fun) with your package, could your scraps be varied (rather than a whole bag of the same fabric) and most at least the size of a greeting card envelope or bigger - a mix of sizes is good.

What about the bag? I mentioned a handmade bag. I shall post a couple of ideas in a day or two - but something along the lines of a simple drawstring bag, or any bag design you could come up with/would prefer. Just have fun with it!

Postage? I will make this Antipodean swap (NZ and Australia), but please let me know on signup if you don't want to post across the ditch and I'll sort you out with a local.

Other Important Info

I don't want to come over all Gestapo on you, but I would just ask nicely that you approach this swap with grace and integrity:

Send off a nice bunch of scraps that you would like to receive (but for the fact that you're sending stuff you have used heaps and want a change). This is not an opportunity to off-load old fashion, moth eaten fabrics or teensy tiny pieces of fabric that are no good to anybody.

Can we just stick to quilting and crafting weight cottons and maybe some linen, wool felt or similar? You will see I've asked questions on the signup form about what sorts of things you have and what you would like so I can match you with someone suitable. Some of us like making little softies and bags and heavier weight cottons, linen and felt are great for that. Retro fabrics are also awesome - as long as the weighs are suitable for crafting and they are in good condition. Again, I've asked for your preferences in the sign up form - so don't worry if Retro isn't your thing - I'll line you up with more modern scraps.

Sign Up

Simply pop over here (form is now all fixed) and give me all your details on the signup form. Then be sure to sign up to the Flickr pool so you can share your photos, be inspired by others and refer back to tutorial picks.

I'll leave this open until Friday 3rd of February and get back to on or around Monday 6th February with the details of your swap person.

Key Dates
Final day for Signup Friday 3rd February
Final Day for Posting your scrap bag Friday 2nd March

I hope you can join me in this - lets inspire each other to make something amazing from little pieces of not much at all!

Here's a button if you'd like to spread the word on your own blog.

Lala land

2012-01-16T08:00:00.000+13:00

Its not often Lala's room is super tidy and presentable, but I did a little spring clean in there today so I thought I would share some of my favourite corners.

I bought the print from Milou (where I sell Sailor Spy). Its a limited edition print by a London artist (I shall have to find out her name) each is super whimsical and sweet - think bunting and hot air balloons.

The sleepy mascot was another of the projects I finished between Christmas and New Year.

The 'what she wore' installation is a work in progress.....

I still have 1 element to add, but meantime its lovely to have a reminder of just how tiny she was. I made the button through skirt and the frame was a $10 score at a local market.

Is you life set on 45 or 78rpm

2012-01-10T12:47:00.000+13:00

The holidays are nearly over.
The Grandparents return to Scotland this afternoon.
Lala started preschool today..... Time to dip my toe into the New Year.

Resolutions? Nah - my wish is to retain the 45rpm setting on daily life for as long as possible. Use my diary to keep busy-ness in check and use it to write down what I did achieve at the end of the day as a process of celebration and reflection, not just record what I want to achieve for the next day [and feel bummed out that not all the little boxes got a tick.]

(if I've lost you go read Dee's take on this - she writes so eloquently)

Speaking of achievements, I promised you a look at some of the holiday projects I finished during The Big Wet recently:

You can find the tutorial here

I used some frames I found in my stash which were a lot thinner than the ones in the tutorial, so I chose to use fine 2 ply baby yarn and once steamed and blocked they look quite good. Lala wants a picture of a horse in one and a rabbit in the other, but to be honest they will probably sit on the wall as is for a wee while before I get 'round to that.

See the dangly bits on the red frame - I stuffed up with my counting. Twice. In the end I made some chains and I'm on the hunt for a good crochet heart tutorial - I think it will look quite sweet with little hearts sort of referencing the pink heart shaped one.

Hope all is well in your world.

Oh p.s. - don't forget we are Wardrobe Wednesday-ing over at Sailor Spy tomorrow. Might see you there.

How are your days?

2012-01-05T13:39:00.000+13:00

I'm loving the return of the sun and berry season and fruit crumbles.......nommmmmm

Red nose, red chin, red forearms, ankles, feet - BLESS!

I've been thinking over this business of Wardrobe Wednesday.... so here, next Wednesday and the theme for January is putting the New in your Year.....and there's a prize :) Are you in?

The trouble with expectations

2012-01-05T08:30:00.000+13:00

We had booked a bach for a few days in Golden Bay just after Christmas. In case you haven't been there, this is one of the most pristine, untouched and awe inspiring environments in New Zealand.

After this year's stress and a week leading up to Christmas which read like the plot line in a South American soap opera I grabbed on to this hope that I would be wadding through clear water and sun filled days. If I can just make it through Boxing Day I said to myself. Expectations.

And then we got there. Oh the irony!!

All year I've had to explaining to my beach loving three year old that we can't swim at our beaches because there are poo-poos in the sea. I raved to her about what fun we would have at the beach. She and Dad went for a paddle, but stormy seas had stirred up the pollution and bought it all back onshore. Expectations. So there was some of this:

and I managed to finish all three magazines and every single craft project I took with me (first time ever! - will post the results separately). And I got to laugh at myself - me who usually packs a raincoat, sensible shoes and woollens which never make it out of the suitcase decided to travel light this time. Expectations.

And on our final evening our 'looking on the bright side' was rewarded with this

a clamber over cockle beds and interesting discoveries as darkness closed in

And just one more photo - the most intriguing painter's studio perched in a cleft in the rocks and looking out to sea - what bliss it must be to work here

In brief

2011-12-24T11:27:00.002+13:00

Just a quick note to let you know that we in Christchurch are OK.

Not too much to clean up in my house - broken stuff - meh, but I feel for Gill - who is swamped with silt and water again.

Lala just lost it yesterday (the straw that broke the camels back? - she has been amazingly calm throughout the last years turmoil) - I wasn't with her when the first earthquake struck and that was very very hard. The cell phone networks overloaded immediately and I drove home from a crowed mall with a terrified Scottish mother-in-law like a women possessed (and why is it at these moments you get stuck behind a person determined to drive 40km - asthma attack anyone?, why yes I think I will...) anyho

The chill out music is on loud and earthquakes or no I am determined to get that holiday feeling. After all, tomorrow is a celebration no matter what you believe. Grab you're family and hug 'em close.

Hope all is well in you're world. Truly.
Notchka

What I wore

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000+13:00

To husband's Christmas work dinner, billed as semi formal

(I had better get used to pictures of myself if I'm going to be spearheading the return of Wardrobe Wednesday's in 2012)

Jacket- Max outlet

Chiffon tunic (tucked in) -Seratonin (my old label) SS08/09 collection

Skirt thrifted

Clutch Sailor Spy

Shoes - can't remember but had for ages.

Thinking...

2011-12-12T08:00:00.000+13:00

I've had an epiphany of sorts. I'm sick of talking about my myself. Sick of it.

These posts this year have pretty much revolved around what I've made with a smattering of Lala being gorgeous (and she is a constant source of smiles).

But truly there has been so much else going on behind the scenes. Crafting has been a wonderful coping mechanism for me, but I've lost my creativity and it feels like I'm going through the motions, so I'm taking a break from recording it.

I might post some pictures of Christmas gifts and such, but I might not.

I will be spending some quality time at a whole bunch of favourite blogs I feel I've lost touch with.

I will be spending more time with my family, and being still and quiet and observing the world around me, because that's where my creative flow lies.

I will be thinking about more tutorials I can write up and share with you.

I have a couple of ideas for things to do in the New Year - so feedback please:

What about a scrap bag swap?

This is the tip of my scrapbag iceberg, believe me. What I was thinking was we could all make a cute drawstring bag - maybe restrict the size to an A4 track and trace bag to make it an affordable little swap and stuff it with cute offcuts and send it to someone?

I could think up a couple of tutorials around what to do with the scraps as well, and maybe you could think of some too - a pincushion for your wrist? That sort of thing.

Wardrobe Wednesday.....at The Wardrobe or at Sailor Spy?

I really like Clare's intentions for Wardrobe Wednesday - to give each of us inspiration and encouragement to 'take a bit more time on our outfits to feel good about ourselves as busy mums'. I've asked Clare and she is agreeable to letting me take this on.

I'm always inspired by what other people wear and how they put their outfits together. I'm personally very keen to take up the slow fashion movement banner in New Zealand - that is to approach fashion in a more sustainable manner and for a bit of fun, maybe we could work in a theme here and there. Although I want it to be easy and inclusive for everyone (not work) - maybe each week you could make a suggestion as to theme and I'll use random.org to pick one. These could be quite general e.g. yellow or specific e.g. underwear as outerwear (but please don't suggest that).

I guess the idea with a theme is to shake things up and bit and encourage me to use my whole wardrobe, rather than just reaching for the same 20% that gets 80% of the wear. You could do the theme or not, up to you.

What do you think? Scrap bag swap? Wardrobe Wednesday's here? To start late January??

Meantime Merry Christmas to you all. Thanks for reading, thanks for sharing, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the comments, and if I didn't reply - I am sorry.

I'll be back around mid January all refreshed and revived and ready to share and inspire.

Hope all is well in your world.
Notchka x

I'm loving

2011-12-11T09:06:00.021+13:00

....my dear old Dad - who has bought me flowers pretty much every week this year.

I love peonies - they seem so poetic to me. These are in my bedroom on my little desk I use for writing, drawing, planning and packaging up sales.

Don't those ones in the bottom right look like fireworks? I think they are a type of protea, am I right? Do you know?

Yes, I am spoilt and I know it.

More 'I'm loving" here

My creative space: Pride before the Fall

2011-12-05T07:00:00.000+13:00

I was trundling along last weekend feeling exceeding pleased with myself at how on top of things I was - yes lots to do, but deadlines being hit and tasks being knocked off as quick as look at you....when really I should have been pondering the phrase pride before the fall (benefit of hindsight eh?)

I got crook.

I think I have flu - which is just classic me - just days before my Husband's work do* and my last market of the year and I crash and burn.

Still I am determined to let the Christmas spirit shine on in our house with this garland. One was my gift to Marie for the New Zealand Handmade Christmas ornament swap.

I really love how this one turned out - perhaps its my most favourite project this year. Especially cool is this kind of embroidery - no following charts or endless colour changes. Big, bold and a little wobbliness adds to the character. It comes from Scandinavian Needlecraft if you're interested - fab book and I'm totally in love with the white/blue/green traditional colour scheme in many of the projects.

The girl and me have been card making too...on the days when Mummy was too sick to venture outside or play forts or run really fast around the coffee table, just for the joy of running.

Load and loads of creative cool here

*thats dinner. In a real restaurant. With waiters and such.