thornberry

Oh I do like being a pattern tester for Nicole Mallalieu Design!  The pattern for the Puff purse arrived in the mail on Wednesday - by Thursday night it was finished - I just couldn’t help myself.

The outer fabrics are from the ones that Ravenhill sent me.  I’m really enjoying using them; thanks again!  Other supplies, including the frame, interfacing and wadding, came from Nicole Mallalieu Design - oh, except the seed beads.  They were in the stash but I think they were originally from Spotlight.  The lining fabric was from my stash.

And guess what - there is a larger, hand-bag sized version of this pattern coming up soon as well - I managed a sneak peek today when I dropped in to Nikki’s studio to pick up some more frames and other supplies.  Fingers crossed that I get to test that pattern too!

I can see many more of these little purses in my future.  They fit into the palm of your hand, and are a terrific way to feature small pieces of fabric.  It took me about two and a half hours to make from start to finish, albeit in half-hour bursts fitted in around the kid’s activities.  I think that this pattern is about ready to roll off the presses, so keep an eye on Nikki’s blog or website if you would like one.

It has taken me a couple of months but I finally finished sewing up Simplicity 3786, in View D.

The fabric is a light cotton from Spotlight.  I like the style and the details such as the tucks on the front and the gathered sleeves.  I made my usual alterations to make the proportions better for my short figure, by folding out an inch or so through the body and from the sleeve length.  For once I included the gentle elasticated gathering at the back that gives the top a little more shape - I usually leave back ties and shaping out, since I don’t have much of a waist and don’t like my clothes to be tight around it.

I’ll make this pattern again, but probably in a less busy fabric - take another look at that first photo and the shocking job that I did of misaligning the design placement on the front.  I really should have cut each front piece individually.  I think that I’ll consider this top to be a wearable muslin (since I am actually wearing it today).  There are lots of nice design options in this pattern, and it is comfortable.  The finished top looks pretty much like the design photo on the front of the pattern envelope, which is always a good sign!

A little while ago I was lucky enough to be a test sewer for Craft Apple’s latest pattern - the Car Organiser.  Here is my effort, in the front passenger seat:

although it usually lives between the booster and infant seats in the back.

It has a flap pocket on one of the short ends which holds pens/pencils and a mobile phone, and a large pocket on one of the long sides.  On the other two sides I put a flap that closes around the seat belt, so the organiser won’t fly off the seat when you brake suddenly (great idea hubby).

The fabric is from the Nigella range by Amy Butler - sadly, I have now used it all up.  It’s a great pattern, especially in its final completed and tweaked form.  Linda has done a terrific job designing it!

The Timtex took a bit of wrestling, and I did manage to break one jeans needle, but overall it wasn’t really difficult to construct.  Thanks again Linda for letting me be part of the creative process!

At Brown Owls last night we took three hours to do by hand what would have taken half an hour by machine.  A completely hand-pieced patchwork pincushion!

Kirsty planned this lovely little project for us.  Despite my initial scepticism regarding hand-piecing, I have to admit that not only was it very satisfying to get something finished in just one evening (well, except for sewing on the buttons) but it was also strangely satisfying to piece by hand!  The fabrics on the front were some that I won from Ravenhill a little while ago.

The fabric on the back is from the Birdseed range by Alexander Henry.  Thanks again to Pip and Kirsty for a delightful evening.

Thanks also to everyone who left me such lovely birthday wishes - I got a real buzz from reading your messages!  My husband bought me this gorgeous clock by Betty Jo for my birthday - I’ve always wanted a cat, but hubby is allergic to them - so this is the closest that I will get to my own feline.

This satchel was finished late Sunday night, barely in time for Stella’s first day at her new childcare centre on Monday.

I used a highly modified verson of Nicole Mallalieu’s Large Tote and Satchel pattern.  Many thanks to Nikki for letting me pick her brain about how to alter and construct the bag with an interior divider!

The main fabric is dark blue cotton twill from Spotlight, left over from making Clare’s school pants. The front flap fabric is from Amitie’s Blog VIP mailout, and the fabric for the back pocket (below) is from Retro Mummy.

The interior lining fabric is a mixture of the Amitie and Retro Mummy fabrics, with some Heather Bailey for Free Spirit fabric thrown in for good measure!

The flap is covered with clear PVC, and bound in bias binding.  It closes with a magnetic snap, covering the zippered pocket that I inserted into the front of the bag.  The inside divider has fast-to-fuse in the centre to keep it stiff.  Interfacing probably would have been adequate though.

There are two drink bottle pockets on one side of the interior, and a simple patch pocket on the other.  There is a key leash, as per usual, and I didn’t forget to include a thornberry label!

I used the same technique to make the hard covered base as in the Beach Bag pattern.  It’s so straightforward and gives such a great result!  The bag feet and all other hardware, including the strap rings and slide adjuster, come from Nicole Mallalieu Design, as did all the interfacing and fusible wadding.  Almost all the fabric in this bag has been interfaced, and the outer fabric also has a layer of fusible wadding.  The single strap is adjustable in length and is fully topstitched.

I was very chuffed to be able to work out so many modifications and changes myself (with some suggestions from Nikki) and to construct the bag just as I wanted it.  Stella seems to like it!

Michelle thought that this week we all needed to have a look at the spaces in which we create.  Here are some photos of mine, which will be familiar to many - I’ve posted pictures of my sewing room before.  This is how it looked on Sunday night:

The ironing board in it’s permanently up position, waiting for me to actually do some of the ironing that is piled up beside the overlocker.  The dress on the mannequin (thanks Nikki for lending me Dolly) is waiting to have the waist seams let out.  I bought it to cut up for the fabric, but other than the waist it fits really well so I will eventually alter it.  You can just see the edge of my tiny old portable TV that I watch when ironing.  It’s right next to hubby’s old couch from his bachelor days (which badly needs recovering).

And here it is from another angle!  I was very lucky that when we renovated our house a bit over a year ago we included a nice large sewing/craft room.  It makes such a difference to have a dedicated space to leave all the works in progress (and the never-ending ironing piles).  It is relatively kid-friendly - Clare does lots of craft at the pine table, which my Dad made for me many years ago.  He’s a great wood-turner and has made most of the furniture in our house.  I also have a couple of boxes of toys for Stella, but she prefers to play with fabric scraps and tape measures.

The chair in the front of this photo was the first chair that Dad made; Mum did the upholstery.  And look, more piles of ironing (incidentally, the ironing piles are now double the size, still waiting to be done).  And there is (some of) the fabric stash in the cupboards at the back.

The other space in which I create is my lounge-room corner.  Crochet, hand-sewing, embroidery.

Thanks again to Michelle of Quilting Mick for this week’s great theme and to Angela of three buttons for hosting this meme!

I have a relatively free weekend ahead, so am hoping to start (and finish) some sewing.  Maybe if I put my plans in writing I might feel compelled to follow through!  These fabrics arrived this week from the Amitie blog VIP club.  How incredibly cute!

I plan on using the fabric with the numbers to make a childcare bag for Stella.  There is a lot of stuff that a one year old needs to take with her to childcare!  I’ll combine it with a similar print that I bought from Retro Mummy, and I’m still deciding what plain fabric to mix them with.  I’m planning on using the Large Tote & Satchel pattern from Nicole Mallalieu, with loads of extra internal pockets, and I may incorporate some clear PVC over the exterior of the bag to protect it.  The delicious little red riding hood print will possibly become the bodice of a summer dress for Stella (which won’t be made this weekend - it’s way too chilly here in Melbourne to be thinking about summer clothes now).

This top is still cut out, waiting to be sewn.  Maybe I’ll get to it this weekend.  Clare also needs a pair of school pants - once again, fabric and pattern are all ready to go, and I can whip them up fairly quickly with the overlocker.  I’ll be embarassed if I don’t get at least that project done!

Speaking of school clothes and chilly Melbourne winter, I finished Clare’s school scarf and beanie.

The scarf was done without a pattern - it is just US double crochet (Australian treble) using two balls of Patons Superwash 8 ply.  The beanie is a modification of a pattern I found somewhere on the internet, worked entirely in double crochet like the scarf.  Easy peasy.  Elsewhere on the crochet front I have almost completed the Mossy Cowl, and hope to start on a scarf using the Pear Tree yarn.  There is also the matter of two June CAL blocks to complete (but I’ve got the rest of the month to finish them off, surely).

My fat quarters are all ready to send for the Vintage Sheet Patchwork Swap.  I’m looking forward to seeing what patterns I receive in return - and thinking of what I will do with them all.  Elizabeth has promised to have some great suggestions on her blog next month.

And to finish off - another op shop dress pattern.  This one is from 1977.

Wow ladies, bad hair.  And I’m still cacking myself at this post by Jodie of Ric-Rac.  So beautifully put (or should that be sung)?

Somewhere over the past few weeks I slipped in a little bit of stitching time.  My Brown Owls tote bag embroidery is now complete!

It was lots of fun, and quite relaxing.  Embroidery takes a really long time though to cover a small area, doesn’t it!  I don’t think that I will become addicted - I’ll just do a little every now and then, when deemed necessary.  The tote bag will eventually get some fabric trim to match the rest of my “uniform” (an apron - still existing only in my head).

Nicole Mallalieu finally has a blog!  Yay Nikki!  Go over and have a look - it’s a great way to see what she is up to and she’d also love feedback.  I have SO MANY of her bags all planned in my head waiting patiently to come to fruition.

We were away in the country visiting my parents for the long weekend, and you know what that means - car crochet!  I’ve finished a few more 9 inch blocks, and a school beanie for Clare.  I’ll hopefully photograph them and blog them over the next couple of days.  Thanks also for the lovely comments about the cardigan - Clare wore it all weekend.

Rather than go to Magnolia Square on Thursday and look at things that I couldn’t afford to buy, I decided to go op-shopping.  And the op shop gods were smiling on me!

A vintage sheet to add to the fat quarters I’m sending off to the vintage sheet patchwork swap; some buttons; vintage hand-embroidered linens that will become part of clothing or a bag; a pillowcase that will become yet another pillowcase dress; extremely old knitting/crochet books; and a girls dress pattern that I’m sure I remember from my childhood.  Mum, did you make me a dress from this pattern?  The one with the short sleeves?  But the most exciting find of the day was this:

A complete set of Golden Hands craft magazines!  Oh joy oh rapture.  They are from the early seventies - Mum had a set when I was a child, and it went off to an op shop somewhere about ten years ago after I reassured Mum that “no, I won’t want these”.  Well, fast-forward ten years and yes, I do want these!  I had a look through a set at Brown Owls last week and realised what a fantastic resource they are.  I was absurdly excited to find them in op shop number three (of six for the morning) for the grand total of $12.

Clare was most excited with my other (unphotographed) op shop find - a pair of Barbie roller-skates for $5.  She has barely had them off her feet since.  I am also very proud of her - she wore her patch at school for two hours on Friday.  It is proving difficult to get enough hours of patch wearing done with only before and after school, so I suggested that she could take her patches to school and wear them there too if she wanted to - and she did.  What maturity for a five year old.  Thank you also for the lovely comments about Clare’s glasses and eye patch - they are all very touching and much appreciated.

As you can all tell, life has got in the way of sewing and craft in recent weeks.  I’m back in paid work two days per week, and between hubby’s new business, old business, and the kids, I’ve really only had time to dream about the things that I’d like to create.  Apologies also to all those people whose blogs I normally comment on but appear to be ignoring at the moment - I’m not really ignoring you, I’m still trying to keep up with your doings, but something has had to give and rather than it be my sanity (although some people would say that went a while ago) my internet time has become a little more limited.

But of course, I haven’t been able to resist doing a little bit of crafting!  I’ve had this little kit for “sweet treats” for a while, bought from eBay, and finally put it together.  It would have taken about an hour tops if I’d had uninterrupted time.  As it was, it took me three days.

These can now join the chenille chocolate cake and chenille cupcakes!  Hubby can’t understand why I’d want to make fabric food when I could be cooking real food that he could eat.  I did manage to fit in a couple of other crafty activities as well; another red crochet necklace as a gift for my cousin (no Freya, not you) and I cut out a few fat quarters for a vintage sheet patchwork swap.  And does ordering fabric count as craft?

 Nicole Mallalieu had a launch for her new Beach bag pattern on Sunday - what a brilliant morning, full of lovely nibbles, superb bag patterns, clever crafty people and generous giveaways.  It’s a good thing that you can never have too many bags - because each time I look at her range, I want to make more!  And last night was Brown Owls - yay!  I manage to get there once per month, and it is such a relaxing and friendly time.  This time the inimitable Aunty Pat was teaching us how to knit - except I was a rebel and continued with my crochet - I’m much better with the hook than with the pointy sticks!  I am rather excited that I am starting to build a new group of crafty friends through Brown Owls - thanks so much to Kirsty and Pip (& friends) for running it; I can’t quite get over their energy and generosity.

I have a huge list of things to do before I can go to bed this evening, so had better stop blogging and start ironing/hemming/folding/sorting/tidying/accounting.  Magnolia Square Market starts on Thursday; I’m considering a visit, but maybe I’d be better off saving my pennies for the Handknitters Guild mini wool expo at Brunswick Town Hall on Saturday 31st May (from 10.00am to 3.00pm).  Magnolia Square is a good place to get ideas, but the prices are way too steep for me to actually buy anything there.  But yarn, that could be another story …