California dreaming

Woo hoo!

After what feels like months of planning, a holiday is almost here for us.

We're hopping on a plane and taking off to explore the great big United States of America for a whole month.

I've been cheekily referring to this trip as my long service leave!

I'm pretty organised, there is a little bit of feeling in limbo this week, but I know next week there'll be a flurry of last minute things to be done.

I will be missing my Ray and Tiger. 

Ray will be so well looked after in the luxury of a friend's welcoming home he might just choose to stay on, and our elderly cat will be happy and warm in a sunny cattery nearby.

And because I've decided that next Tuesday will be my last day for a trip to the post office for any orders, I'll be closing the online shop at the end of this Saturday until we get back on deck on July 18.

Bon voyage to us!

Finished and beginning

And then it was done.

I got most of the binding hand stitched sitting in the sunshine at my last Melbourne market a couple of weeks ago. A little bit to finish off at home, and there it is. All done.

I had a feeling that this quilt might be just a teeny little bit small for our bed, but actually it's perfect.

It's cold at night here on the coast at this time of year, and we'd been sleeping with a cotton blanket on top of our doona since we moved here.

I never realised how heavy that blanket actually was until I swapped it for the quilt, which is featherlight, and soft, and warm as toast.

We love it. I love it!

I'm going to do it all again!

In the meantime a new dress design has finally hatched.

. 

This has been on the drawing board of my imagination for quite some time.

I do like a frock.

And I do love the little shirts that have been so popular with everyone too.

And I love to combine pattern and colour.

And so I guess this was a logical progression, and I love them too!

Including pockets allowed me to add a third fabric into the mix. Which seems to mean that I am managing to make a patchwork out of everything I'm doing lately.

There are just three of these new dresses in the shop, and I'll be making them as one or two of a kind, depending on how much fabric I have, and what combinations take my fancy, so pop over and take a look!

Still quilting and a bit more

Things are coming along with the quilt here.

A trip to Melbourne and the wonderful Amitie Textiles for some advice, some batting, some binding fabric, and a lovely cotton to hand quilt with had me ready for the next step.

There was more crawling around on the floor getting all the bits together.

Smoothing it all out and getting it square, then putting in big safety pins to hold it all together was another test for my knees. My quilting friend wisely said that this would be the tedious bit, and she wasn't wrong!

But the reward is the hand stitching. 

We've had friends visit, and there was nothing nicer than to sit and stitch while chatting at our table.

I am loving watching the stitches form, starting to make the quilt look quilted.

Judy from Amitie suggested this duck egg blue coloured thread, and I love the way it's hue changes according the colour of each fabric. On the darker ones it's silvery, and then moves back to duck egg on the pale fabrics. Bliss!

I haven't completely stopped on other things though!

Scarf season has begun, and nice parcels of these have gone to Follow Store, House of Balaklava, and Poppi & Pippa.

You can find them in my online shop too.

I had the pleasure of a couple of shirt orders as well this week.

This one here is off to Spain for a holiday.

Lucky girl!

Shirts in the shop!

For the first time in ages, I seem to have enough stock in hand to actually list some shirts in the shop!

Enough said!

Here they are.

Extra luscious

And just a little quickie to say that I've been busy making up some more of these favourite soft and silky bamboo and organic cotton tees. 

Isn't that grass green just the best? And that Liberty print is in all the colours that are perfect for Summer.

I've been able to grab some in a larger size, so if you're curvy like me, or just like to wear your tees on the loose side, then you can grab one of these in an extra luscious from the shop!

Spring clean

It might be a bit of procrastination, or it might be the longer and brighter days, but I took to my workroom cupboards yesterday morning in a bit of a 'I must sort this stuff out' frenzy.

And sort it out I did.

There's always a few odds and ends left over when I move from one thing to another.

And, I'd dearly love for these last few things to go off to good homes, so I've listed them in the shop.

There's very limited stock, and some things not in every size, but I've slashed and burned the prices, so here's a chance to snaffle a bargain!

Go for it by following this link right here!

Scarf weather

Well, yes, hello, it's still Winter!

Not much we can do about that is there?

The evenings are getting just a little bit longer.

And we had some lovely sunshine here yesterday.

It was nice to sit outside a cafe in the street and have a coffee in the sun, and dream of Spring.

But, while we're waiting, there's some new scarves in the shop to keep you warm and snug!

Sunshine in a bag

There's nothing like some colourful linens to brighten up my day.

I've been meaning to get around to a couple of tea towel bags for a while - nothing like a long deadline to turn me into a total procrastinator!

The beautiful Western Australia bag sums up the perfection of a souvenir tea towel - it's all there, the Swan River (with swans!), the Perth city skyline, and a selection of wildflowers. 

I'm delighted that my beloved Aunt will be taking this with her to the West as a gift for a dear friend of hers.

While I was at it, I couldn't go past this beauty from my stash.

It's Spring in a bag!

If you need your own dose of sunshine, then it's in the shop this morning.

I'm a little teapot cosy!

Oh, I'm feeling pretty excited about this!

For several months this little tea cosy kit has been in development.

There's been test knitting, and pattern drafting, and sourcing the packaging, and designing the labelling.

I've so much enjoyed working with my clever (and patient) friend Anne, whose design company Ennis & Perry came up with the perfect solutions to all my needs.

And putting the first kits together this week made me want to do a little jig around the house!

They'll be making their debut on my market table this weekend down here at Apollo Bay, but I've just listed some in the shop as well.

Now, time to put the kettle on.

A birthday, a bag, and more tea towels

In the heat of yesterday afternoon, it was a pleasure to go downstairs to my cool workroom and get to work sewing some more tea towel bags.

This bag was actually destined to be a birthday present for one of my local gal pals. Sal's a total sweetie, a maker of some lovely resin jewellry and bowls, and a market/coffee/drinks buddy, who along with another girl, has really helped a city girl transplanted to the coast to settle in to life down here.

After some texting and being vain enough to read the reply without my reading glasses, I ended up making a bag with the wrong year on it! Ooops.

Ah well, it was kind of funny at the time, and I'm on a promise to make another with the right year on it (1974).

Who needs a friend like me who can add a year to a girl's age so carelessly?

Everything has a happy ending today with this bag and 2 others newly listed in the shop this afternoon.

I'm sure it'll find a good home!

A present for you

Loving this Santa, aren't you?

I'm overcome with Christmas jollies I think.

With one more road trip before I can call it quits on the travelling for this year, I'm looking forward to Christmas day and the January beyond.

I know I still have a bit of shopping to do, and if you do too, then I've got an early present for you, but you'll need to be quick!

Until midnight tomorrow if you fancy something from the Frankie & Ray online shop, then use the code ONEDAY (yes, in capitals) at the checkout, and I'll be happy to take 20% off everything, and I promise to post it to you in plenty of time for gift giving too.

Or, maybe you just need a treat for yourself....

As promised!

I've had fun with these!

The best part of making these tea towel bags is the choosing of which ones to use. 

I've made five new ones, and they are all in the shop today.

Quick sticks, these are all one-offs!

Shop girl

I'm coming down to earth after a really wonderful weekend.

I so much look forward to every Magnolia Square, and not just because it's a beautiful environment to spend a few days, but also because I get to spend more time than usual with some of my market friends. It's such a luxury to have time to catch up for more than a few hours.

Add to that staying with my St Kilda hostess with the mostest, her bloke and their greyhound, dinner out at En Izakaya, and I'm a happy shop girl.

Big sellers this weekend were the new dresses - St Kilda is all frocked up!

Also, these lovely soft and silky new green tees.

I've taken the opportunity of a couple of slow down days to load some more Frankie & Ray goodies into the shop, so pop on over and have a browse!

Opening the doors today!

I'm often asked the question 'do you sell online' when I meet people at the markets.

Well, the answer is yes! 

Frankie & Ray goodies have long been available over at the thoroughly marvellous GeorgieLove, and you can still pop over there to buy a number of things.

But now, there's somewhere new to go as well. 

For a while, I've wanted to be able to offer a few things that you can't buy anywhere else (other than the markets that is), and now, here they are. Over at the brand spanking new Frankie & Ray shop.

Hooray!