Patchwork diversions

At this time of year things start to slow down from the hectic pace of Summer, and my thoughts turn to patchwork.

It informs almost all of my work, and it's like play to fiddle about with different colours and patterns in all those little bits of fabric I accumulate.

My love affair with Instagram has introduced me to some amazing fabric designers and quilters.

What a community it is.

Karen is the woman behind Blueberry Park making beautiful fabrics and quilts. She's been such an inspiration for me, and gave me the little push I needed to try my hand at some patchwok a little more complicated than what I've tried before.

This quilt top is all sewn together and just awaiting a little time to get it together with some backing and wadding before I can settle in for a Winter of hand quilting.

If you look closely you find plenty of fabrics from Melbourne based fabric designer and screen printer Maze & Vale. They've been perfect for this quilt!

Of course, I couldn't resist the siren call of the half square triangle, and I'm loving this versatile little patchwork block.

Resisting the urge to turn this into the beginnings of another quilt, I've turned it into a cushion instead.

And keep an eye out for some in the shop soon, perfect to add a bit of patchwork goodness to your home!

Not quilting

I've been stashing all those odd little offcuts of my favourite Liberty cottons for ages.

I did make a start on a quilt.

But then, as often happens when I'm busy, a little idea started to niggle in the back of my mind.

How about a patchwork scarf?

All cotton front and back.

So, I've been dipping into that quilt scrap bag this week. 

And feeling quite guilty about it too!

And here are three from the first lot.

I made it up as I went along, but they resolved themselves into colourways all by themselves!

Thank goodness I had a market to get to yesterday morning, otherwise I'd still be at the machine.

They're addictive to make.

And pretty!

Laying low

Hello!

December already?

I can't possibly bang on again about how time is flying at this business end of the year.

It feels like much longer ago than a week that I was at two fabulous markets in Melbourne and Geelong.

These shirts have truly come into their own now that Summer seems to be here.

I really love it when people love something as much as I do.

So, I've been busy working away with my favourite Liberty cotton lawns turning out more.

I'm working hard on getting my stocks up for my last Melbourne market of the year in a couple of weeks time, and then for the busy January in my home town.

Seriously, how good is that celadon green?

There might be one of those making it's way into my wardrobe....

.....to add to the three others that I haven't been able to resist already!

Sunny outlook

It's a sunny Monday morning, and a trip to Melbourne via Fyansford via Lorne on the weekend did me good.

Lovely weather, the company of friends, a visit to Flying Fishes with a stock top up, a little party at A Piece of Cloth studio, and a day out at Shirt & Skirt has put me in a sunny frame of mind today.

Jen's new studio and shop space is an absolute gem hidden away in an historic bluestone building in Fyansford, Geelong.

Make the effort to follow the map and find her.

There's a great write up on the Oh! Hello Geelong blog.

I was lucky enough to join in the studio warming on Saturday - also Jen's birthday.

Of course I came away with some special vintage fabric too!

And another little handstitched sweet lavender smelling fox heatpack as a gift for my Melbourne hostess from the lovely Rachel Hine. Rachel has her studio tucked away in the A Piece of Cloth space. A match made in heaven.

I'm such a fan of her beautiful work.

And then on Sunday I had a hoot at Shirt & Skirt with my pal Fiona from Squirtbaby.

More lovely weather and a fair bit of frivolity.

I'm ready for the week!

Doing it justice

It's always such a delight to be receiving a parcel of hand printed beautiful fabric from the girls at Ink & Spindle.

I'd been contemplating this one for a while.

And when it arrived, all my preconceived plans for it went out the window.

It's perhaps the touch and feel. This is a blend of hemp and yak fibre. Yes, yak.

And the feel of it is amazing. It's soft, yet robust. Like a beautiful woven wool, but softer.

A lovely mid-weight.

So, I've tried to do justice to this lovely fabric.

I've done a little subtle hand stitching with some red silk, and made a scarf.

There might be a few more....

Patchwork, quilting, and tees

Inspiration popped into my head this week.

It's always an interesting thing, demanding to be acted on, and sometimes I'm not sure where it's arrived from.

Not this time!

My brain has been full of quilting and patchworking for a while now.

I've been studying pictures of beautiful combinations of fabrics and colours.

My favourite place to do this is over at Maggie & Sparrow. If you haven't been over for a look, go and visit! Make yourself a cuppa, you could be a while.

If only I could run my hands over the pictures and feel the fabrics I couldn't be happier.

Then, of course, I've been mucking about with my own little bits of fabric making a start on a quilt for us.

Somewhere in all of that, and the arrival of some beautiful new blue organic cotton and bamboo tees, here's a new tee for the coming season.

I might just call it the Quilter's tee.

This and that and a few new tricks

I'm feeling like an old dog with new tricks this week!

A friend generously came over this morning with her photo tips and tricks, oh, and a few lights as well.

We looked properly at my little camera, and discovered a few settings I didn't realise I had.

Did I tell you I was a bit lazy when it comes to all things techie?

Hmmm. Lesson learnt? Do take a bit of time to look at your instruction manual....

And, I'm feeling a bit empowered this afternoon!

My other project on the go goes all the way back to here.

I've always admired a good quilt, and I had dinner with another good friend and fantastic quilter on the weekend. 

She inspired me to get going on making a start on my own quilt.

It'll be made from lots and lots of scraps of lovely Liberty of London tana lawn that have been collecting in a special tub in my stash cupboard.

I just needed to start.

And, I figured that the way to start was to decide that each 'block' would be 20cm x 20cm. Any combination goes, and I'll work out how they go together when I get all 144 of them done!

Colour and pattern

I'm loving my Liberty cottons.

I finish one little shirt, and I'm onto another.

So far, they've all been one of a kind.

(Although, depending on how much of each fabric I have, I can do a repeat or two.)

Guaranteed to keep me interested, and itching to find that next combination of fabric colour and pattern!

The long and the short of it

One gorgeous Liberty fabric, two ways!

Trying to pick a favourite is impossible!

But, I have always been a bit partial to a polka dot.

A shirt a day

Ah, Liberty!

My favourite, I am so having one of these for my wardrobe.

Just a quick one today. I'm off to the city for a flying visit (but no market)!

But, I'm working on getting some more of these ready for my next Melbourne market on June 30.

Keep warm!

Rainy day

It's chucking it down here this morning. Wet, wet, wet!

I'm having a bit of a nostalgia trip back to those dark and gloomy, rainy Winter days of my childhood, when it seemed very special to be stuck inside with all the lights in the house on, the old oil heater burning, and nothing much to do but perhaps drag out a jigsaw puzzle or a board game.

Hot chocolate anyone?

I'm feeling happy to be housebound today.

A fantastic pile of much awaited Liberty of London lawn arrived in the mail while I was away last week.

There it is, just waiting for me to decide which one to use first!

I love how sometimes the one you think you'll like the least is actually the best surprise of all. For me it's that blue and limey yellow floral up there on the left hand corner....

I had a marvellous city break last weekend, I can't believe it's that long ago already!

And, seriously, if you haven't been along to see the Grace Kelly exhibition in the beautiful old city of Bendigo, get yourself along quick smart.

Grace and Jimmy in Rear Window. 

I'd heard stories about there not being a sense of the woman in the dresses on exhibit, but I couldn't disagree more. Nearly every dress was displayed with a photo of it being worn, and there was so much biographical information, I really came away feeling I'd learnt a bit more about this woman's extraordinary life.

And, I'm off on a hunt for my own copy of Rear Window - my personal favourite film of Grace Kelly's, although then there's a need to see To Catch a Thief again....and chase down High Society too.

Happy Friday!

Making a start

It's a little bit limbo land here at the moment.

Even though the calendar says we still have a whole month of Summer to enjoy, my thoughts are slowly turning towards those cooler days that'll be here soon enough.

Thankfully, it's never a chore to have a play around with some new fabrics!

And so, I'm making a start.

And that was January

Phew. January's been busy.

It's gone fast and slow if that makes sense.

And I've loved every visitor, every swim, and every market Saturday.

There's a funny end of Summer feeling about town this week.

It seems everyone's thoughts have turned to kids going back to school, and all the beginning of the working year things that need to get done.

The carnival's packed up and gone from the foreshore, there was nobody on the beach walking this morning, and getting a park in the main street is a case of choose your spot for the first time in a month!

It's a little bit melancholy.

But I know soon enough we'll have the February travellers here to enjoy what's usually the nicest weather of the year on the coast. 

To lift my spirits today, two big fat parcels of new fabric arrived in my post office box.

Beautiful soft corduroy, in gorgeous Autumny colours.....skirts!

Dressland

I've refreshed my frock fabrics in the last week, and there's nothing better than having some lovely new patterns and colours to work with.

In fact, a new fabric is like a red rag to a bull to me, I just have to get straight into it with the scissors and thread.

I'm still living in the world of dresses. 'Dressland' according to my friend Pia! I'm loving making them, and seeing how the fabric translates into the garment. Satisfaction guaranteed!

Sadly, there was only enough of this one for just one solitary frock. I opted to make it up in a size medium, so perhaps it'll be like that glass slipper waiting for the right girl to slip it on.

Find it, and some others, and all the rest of my goodies at the last market in my big run of weekly events this Saturday at the most fabulous Maribyrnong Makers Market.

Floral

You might remember this lovely piece of vintage fabric from a while ago.

Because I find it impossible to throw anything away, I've been hoarding the offcuts for some time.

And, because it's Spring, and the garden is looking so pretty....

...and the sun is out, and it's warm for the second whole day in a row....I dug those pieces out and, hurrah!, there's enough for some pockets.

Hot cold

Whatever this crazy Spring weather is doing, I think Summer might have arrived in my workroom.

Waiting for this new fabric was an exercise in patience, but now it's here and I've been putting it to use on the most lovely of t-shirts I've had for a while.

Perhaps the colour might just have something to do with it? But, also they are made from a blend of organic cotton and bamboo. Truly, I can't make the photograph do justice to how soft, light and silky these are, so you'll just have to come and find them at the market.

And, because I can't seem to help myself...

...there are more new dresses rolling off the machine as well!

Skirt nostalgia

Loving this skirt, from Tilly.

The Frankie & Ray skirt-a-thon continues, so perhaps I've got skirts on the brain this week.

I was just taking a little afternoon tea break from the sewing, and taking a little wander around when I came across this heavenly summery skirt.

It's taken me straight back to my high school needlework class, and the planning for that essential wardrobe item for a teenage girl - the knee length wrap skirt, preferably in a print just like this one. Or maybe with a palm tree or two. Or a hibiscus flower. Oh, the choices, the colours, the possibilites!

I can remember all that delicious anticipation of just how fabulous the finished garment was going to be. 

I'm feeling quite young again, or maybe a bit old!

Right back into it

Well, hello!

I've been away from here for a bit, and that's because 2 lovely markets in perfect weather on the weekend left me raring to get back to the workroom. Properly. After fluffing about in a bit of a post holiday daze.

The new season always seems to arrive with a bang, and I'm catching up after coming home with only 2 skirts left to my name. 

I can never tell what's going to be the big seller.

I'm pleased to also be a bit short on dresses too. It's always makes me a little nervous putting something new out for people to either like, or not!

I'm also eagerly awaiting the arrival of some of this gorgeous new fabric.

Aren't those colours just the best?

I've decided to not go to the post office today just in case it's not here yet. I'm so itchy to get my hands on it, I couldn't stand the disappointment if it hasn't arrived! 

What are my plans for it? Maybe you'll have to wait with me too!

Sewing for me

I spent yesterday afternoon working on a new frock just for me.What a luxury!

We're heading off soon to somewhere hot for a little break, lucky us, and I decided I might just need something new to take with me.

After I bought this floral cotton voile I worried that I could end up with something that looked a little bit too much like a nice nightie. Hmm. Not quite what I had in mind.

So I added a little bit of op shop found aqua bias binding to the neck, and a big chambray pocket to the front.

I reckon it's come out ok, and it has me dreaming of Summer, cool loose cottons, and maybe some more frocks for the warmer weather!

Easily distracted

This new fabric arrived in the mail yesterday....

...and this wasn't on my list of things to do today!