Another thing in progress

Some embroidery! I used to do a lot of this when I was little. Its like riding a bike, you don't forget. Besides, its very easy. I bought a fading marker that said it would fade in 2-8 days, but after about 12 hours I can hardly see my design anymore! Have to retrace that tomorrow in the daylight, in the afternoon so its strong enough marking to work on in the evening.

The design is from Andrea Zuill here.

Pieces of Person

I haven't really shown any of my creative processes because I tend to work at night, limiting nice photo opportunities.

I am working on a pattern for a little doll, based upon a few different existing patterns, taking a bit of this and a bit of that, have had to try doing the head myself, I kind of fear that it might turn out too big for relatively small looking arms and legs, but am going to give it a go.

Stay tuned for the finished product.

Too Little

Another day, another sewing experiment. This time a little Japanese influence, but I drew it up too small so it was fiddly to sew and even more fiddly to turn and stuff, so he turned out kind of lumpy and misshapen. I kind of like him though, like a garden elf.

Feeling Folky

Today was raining a lot. Not a cheery softy making kind of day, and besides I have to do some considerations about what to do with my new fabrics. I feel an attraction to folk art so just sat down and sketched up this little bird and made him up with some felt and embroidery thread. I think I am going to look into developing some products along a european folk artsy theme in the future.

Clever Owl

Based on my last two softy making exercises I now think that I know it all... I sketched up this owl, my talented other half popped it into the computer and aligned it all into a pattern including seam allowances where necessary and I printed it out and made him. Just like that!

I did go astray with the pattern for the wings, but no matter because it worked out OK in the end. I am not sure I like his cutesy look, I think I like my owls to be more serious. To compensate I staged him atop Tolstoy's 'War and Peace' in Russian and against something seriously brainy by Dostoevsky (I think The Brothers Karamazov, but thats testing my language skills).

Funky Fabrix and the Asthma Foundation

Today I ventured out to Funky Fabrix. I have been wanting to do this for a long time but have saved it up for a time when I have no child haning off me and I can totally enjoy the experience in peace. Glad I did that because the shop was beautiful, and of course I bought a few pieces of lovely fabric, just starting small, I will see what I do with them after some thinking time (music please...).

On exiting the shop a mum with two kids was trying to get in and shouting at them various instructions about behaviour etc. etc. - glad that wasn't me. Time to enjoy is just as important as having the time to visit.

Over the road from FF I spied a thrift shop for the Asthma Foundation. Amongst their fabric remnants there was a lovely 3m piece of deep pink/red floral flannel, lovely and soft, and a substantial piece of mid-blue corduroy. I went home very happy.

Weekend Softy Two

I bought "Miss Allsorts" from a stall at the Brisbane Stitches and Craft show some months back. She's produced by Angela who runs Sew Your Own.

I started to make her and then had tension issues with my sewing machine so unpicked what I had done and got the machine serviced. So finally I got back into action on the weekend and stayed up late sewing into my Saturday evening, and finished her off in a bit of spare time the next day. The instructions were clear and the result is fabulous. I am keeping this one for myself.

Weekend Softy One

I am loving the world of softies right now, and have asked my friends to join me for a few little sewing sessions to make Softies for Mirabel (but more on that later). Seeing as I have to put my money where my mouth is in these sewing sessions and be able to help my friends through their chosen softy projects I thought I had better have a practice.

Attempt number one was a "summer traveler" from Whosies. I followed the tutorial OK, but did get into a few tangles, the main one was happily making two legs facing the same way, instead of flipping over the pattern. I had to return to the drawing board to construct another leg, so now I have a spare little leg on my sewing table, will have to find a use for it... My little traveler worked out pretty neatly in the end!

Weekend Bounty

On Saturday morning I dragged the family down to the BrisStyle Markets. Well, I didn't really drag as we stopped for a spot of breakfast before hand at a local cafe, then I got my itchy little feet over to the market itself. I was very impressed by both the turn out and the stalls packed with all their individual loveliness.

I purchased a blue domino pendant with little white flowers from Emma at Up In Annie's Room and wore blue tops all weekend just so I could wear the pendant (totally LOVE it). And bought myself a subscription to Peppermint Magazine and a copy of Mixtape zine. Got home, popped the little one into bed and sat down with coffee and two great reads. What a great day.

Chicken Legs

An "upsized" birdie with additional long legs. Getting those legs sewn in was a challenge, not sure if I would repeat that action. I thought I had finished with a faceless chicken, but then a week or so later decided that a pair of eyes and wings would be much cuter. Out came the felt scraps...