I've been busy being creative ...

The last two weeks have just flown by.  Last week I finally got back to my sewing machine and made really good progress on some new quilts including a beautiful 3D Mariners Compass quilt.  I have to say that making the quilt blocks using this technique was the most hassle free method I've ever used, and the result is so beautiful!

This week I took a break from the sewing, and decided I needed to get some class instructions written before our youngest child finishes school for the year on Friday!  He is a darling boy, but you need eyes in the back of your head when he is at home, so digitising a complex whole cloth quilt design is not something to be contemplated!  I have enjoyed sitting with the radio on working at the kitchen table, until I realised that I had shut down my computer last night without saving my design.  Thankfully the student notes are fine, but I've had to re-create a fair hunk of the quilt today.  It isn't as bad as it seems, because the design is really lovely and I'm enjoying working on it. 

This is the line drawing of the whole cloth quilt design.

I've borrowed inspiration from a couple of sources for this quilt. I have started by using Ricky Tims' Rhapsody design technique, and will use Sherry Rogers-Hamilton's Inklique technique when I finally finish it and get it stitched!  I'm planning on painting/inking it when it is done, with inspiration coming from this picture of Sherry's quilt ... I can hardly wait!

I've committed myself to teaching more classes next year than I have been able to mange for a couple of years now.  After two years of suffering from pain, and being misdiagnosed (and then given horrid medication I didn't need) I feel like a caterpillar that has turned into a butterfly, leaving the ugly chrysalis behind.  I developed Fibromyalgia somewhere along the way, and I am pleased to say that I am managing it well.

Years ago I taught some classes on colour, helping quilters to learn how to coordinate fabrics for a quilt.  The classes were always booked out, because quilters really need to know this stuff.

As you know I have not been teaching myself as much as I used to, but I did find this excellent video to show you all how to coordinate your quilt!

Click here to view the video.

My Kingdom for more time ...

I've got that horrible "rushed" kind of feeling, you know the sort.  It's the feeling you get when the shear volume of work is so overwhelming that you don't know quite where to start.

As a retailer (my darling man Jim and I own Michelle's Sewing Basket), we never really get down to unwinding and enjoying Christmas, simply because on the other side of the till, we are frantically trying to make sure everyone gets their Christmas shopping orders before our suppliers close down for the Christmas and New Year holidays here in Australia. Actually it is a double whammy because we also have our annual Summer shut down at the same time!

No wonder we feel like we are on the "fast spin" cycle!

Between now and February is quite possibly our busiest time of year.  After Christmas are the New Year sales, then I start teaching again almost immediately at the shop.  On the 18th January our brilliant shop hop, known as The Fabric Frolic starts.  I think you get the idea.

I had a whole load of lovely Santa Pales half sewn ready to finish for my gift giving this year, and they are still sitting unfinished.  But it isn't  total disaster as I did get some of my planned Christmas sewing done, and I am part way finished on two shop samples.

The shop is looking brilliant, with the new sewing machine pods that Jim designed and built giving us lots more room, and avoiding the need for us to shift to larger premises (although a neighbouring business owner is doing his best to drive us batty making a shift quite attractive).

If you have never lived in the Southern Hemisphere, I can guess that it would be difficult to imagine a Christmas with blistering heat.  The Australian Summer in Victoria where I live can be harsh indeed with temps soaring into the 40's Celsius.  We've already had some days like that, while we had 43 degrees my daughter living in London was enjoying a rather cooler -2 degrees.  (sorry no idea what that is in Fahrenheit).  The weather is a topic everyone in Melbourne talks about and no matter how long we have lived here it is still amazing how hot it gets.  Our Christmas celebrations are unique, and we will sit down to a meal of seafood and salads!

Thankfully our son Kevin (who has an intellectual disability) is off to learn to surf this weekend, which will give me some much needed sewing time. 

That is enough blogging from me for today, I must get on and do some more work.

If you are interested in the 2013 Fabric Frolic just go to the web site I created to learn more www.fabric-frolic.moonfruit.com.

Things that I hate ...

Hay fever.  Yep it is right at the top of the list because it is horrid. As a sufferer I often have bad hay fever for most of the year, but this year is the worst I can ever recall, and I think I need to speak to my doctor about some prescription medication since none of the over the counter stuff is working.

The worst thing about Hay fever isn't the constant drippy nose, sneezing or watering eyes it is the fatigue.  It really does wear me out ... and just when I have two whole days of time to sew!

I have some Christmas gifts to make, and some samples to get going with for my shop.  I'm longing to get into my sewing room, but instead am sitting beside a box of tissues (which just make it worse, but I'm all out of handkerchiefs).

 

More videos for those interesting tucks and pleats

I was searching for more detailed video's on those amazing tucks and pleats.

I found another three that looked really good.  Now I am thinking what I would make with these techniques.  Some projects that came to mind were cushion covers, bags, and used carefully as a feature on clothes.

I hope you enjoy them too.  
http://youtu.be/cTH5B41LNg0
http://youtu.be/xVBs76QXfJ0 
http://youtu.be/bICkb8lc87U

Hope you have been inspired!

Amazing Brazillian Pleats

If you saw my last post you would have seen the video I found on You Tube showing these amazing pleated patterns.

I've been searching for some videos showing how some of them were done and found this great video from Brazil.  No idea how to speak Brazillian, but the video seems quilte clear.

I have no idea what this cleaver person is saying, but I am so inspired by the "patterns" formed from some sort of pleating effect.

Take a look at this video and see what I mean:

Making Gifts for Christmas

Do you remember when you were young and it was impossible to think of what to buy for friends and family for Christmas?  I always found it especially hard to buy for people that could just buy what they wanted, and seemed to have everything!  I think I have reached that age myself, and so have a new appreciation of what to give to "those" people.

This year I have made a list of gifts that I can make myself.  It is always easier to do this for female friends and family, but I'm sure I can do similar for my male friends/family. 

My parents are coming for a visit (from NZ) this evening, so yesterday after work I quickly made the three coverd coathangers I want to give to my mum.  I love to use them myself in my closet, so I think that they will be a great gift.  I want to do some embroidered ones too for other friends/family, and am looking forward to getting back to the machine to do them also.
 
I have almost finished the aprons I'm making for my eldest child, Cara, who is a Steiner teacher and lives in London.  She brough some lovely table cloths when we were in Venice earlier this year, and so I know she will probably wear them at work.  They are a lovely vintage style and I've made them in lovely fabric.  I have only about 1/2 hrs work left on them, and then I can make up her Christmas parcel and get it in the post.

Something very different on a Long Arm machine ...

I was so inspired by this great video on You-Tube!

I'd love to have one of the Handi Quilters at my home, and while a frame is so tempting, I think I will settle for a Sweet 16.  It is a great option for space poor quilters, since it only takes up a 1 metre square, and can be folded up and stored away if necessary.

One of our renovation projects is to rearrange some bedrooms and shift Jim's home office. The result will mean I can relocate my sewing studio to the back of the house, and I have big plans to have it fitted out with some great storage, a design wall and lots more.  I will make sure that a new Sweet 16 can have a home in the room!
Meantime, enjoy this great video!

Too Busy to Blog!

The past month has simply flown by.  I came back from the Blessington Convention with such a huge list of things to do, and then added to that list while away with Cathy at the AMQF in Adelaide.

Since returning the shop has been taking up a lot of my time, particularly with the introduction of our lovely Coffee and Cake Tea Parties.  These events have proven to be such a hit, with both our customers and the demonstrators we have been able to invite!  I've been in the kitchen, cooking up a storm, so that every Tea Party has yummy goodies as well as the freshly brewed tea and coffee.

 



Today, after dropping into this mornings Tea Party, with Whoopie Pies and Lollipop Fudge Cakes, I came home and set about catching up with my computer work. 

I have so many things going on right now that I really feel I need to escape to my sewing space and just make something beautiful.  I've almost finished a lovely vintage style apron for my daughter's Christmas Present, and I have unearthed the pattern for the Heirloom Nightgown I want to make for a friend and a cousin for their gifts.  As it is a long weekend in Melbounre at the end of the week I'm sure I will be able to get everything done.

If you'd like the recipies for the Whoopie Cakes that I made for today you can find them here:  http://www.taste.com.au/search-recipes/?q=whoopie+cakes&x=49&y=27

Back from the Australiasian Machine Quilters Festival

It is a beautiful spring day, the kind that gives you energy and makes you glad to be alive. In our backyard we have a Kowhai tree, which is bursting with golden colour.

I was only home a day before I left again, this time to attend the biannual AMQF in Adelaide.
I love the city of Adelaide, it is much smaller than Melbourne, but has a lovely lot of old architecture that has survived from the early colonial days.  It is relatively flat in the city centre, and quite easy to get around, even for me on a walking stick.  The convention centre is located near to the train station and casino, and on the banks of a beautiful river.  Unfortunately there wasn't much time for sightseeing on this trip, which was really all about learning as much as possible in the four days of the festival.

Travelling with Cathy from the shop, we arrived on a beautiful warm spring day, and settled into our hotel.  The next day was Day 1, and a fantastic day long session with Ricky Tims.  He presented a wonderful class. Unfortunately I had to leave at lunch because with no reserved disabled seating I had been forced to climb up some unbelievable stairs, and that had triggered unbelievable pain. However I did get to see and hear about some of Ricky's techniques.  Cathy also found the steep stairs challenging and left after the afternoon tea break.

Thankfully the rest of the festival was held in meeting rooms, with no stairs, or lift access.  By far the class I enjoyed the most was with Sherry Rogers-Harrison, who was lecturing on her Inklique method.  I was so inspired!   My head was so full of ideas that I found it difficult to sleep that night.  Her samples were so inspiring.  I am so looking forward to adapting the technique and incorporating some digitizing into it.  More on that when I actually get through all the administration paperwork that is stacked high on my kitchen table, which doubles as my office.

I also had the privellaged to attend Susan Smith's classes on using Art and Stitch software.  It was terrific to learn the software that goes with Pro Stitcher, a system we sell at the shop.

Cathy spent her days "stalking" Myrna Ficken, who must have inspired her because her sketch journal was bursting with quilting design ideas!

So now I'm home, and once I am back ontop of the paperwork I look forward to getting on with some more samples and sewing.  Needless to say one of my first "new" projects will include the Inklique method!

Lot's Happening with Singer, Pfaff and Husqvarna Viking

Jim and I returned home at around 1am this morning from the Blessington Convention.  Blessington distributes Husqvarna Viking, Pfaff and Singer products here in Australia.

We had a wonderful time!  The flight was great (with Jetstar, which was not our first choice but turned out to be alright - except for the terrible seats), and the hotel was amazing.  What an inspiration! 

We stayed at the hotel called QI on the Gold Coast.  It is a cool, funky kind of place that just makes you smile.  I can't rave about this place enough!  Probably the best thing is to check out their website:  http://www.qtgoldcoast.com.au/?gclid=CNLaxO_B0rICFUhZpQodQzcA8w

After checking in (and our room was ready at 9am!), a delightful guy came and made us homemade lemonade! 

 

There were special touches everywhere, like the thongs in string bags hanging in our room.

Or the informal restaurant that looked like a deli!

The convention itself was fantastic, I was so blown away by the amount of new products. These will be arriving into the shop real soon, and include a range of Industrial Machines, new Singer ironing products, and loads of great new domestic sewing, embroidery and overlocking machines.
With tutors from here and abroad we had a full four days of classes, and my head is still swimming.  Lucky I took some videos and lots of pictures and notes, check out this one ...
http://youtu.be/rxVSgT15zqE

There was so much food that I'm sure I won't fit into any of my jeans.  The first night was a 1920's theme dinner held at Movie World on the Gold Coast.  Wow!  Absolutely the best way to begin a convention!  Jim look so great in his white dinner jacket, and my hurried last minute dress looked and felt lovely.

The next night was themed "Blessington's Got Talent", and I have it on good authority that Jim had a few more wines after I went to get some beauty sleep and then entertained everyone with his Kereoke singing!
The final dinner was formal and we had a special guest singing and dancing for us.  Guess who?  A look alike Michael Jackson!

Not Jim's thing, but wonderfully entertaining.

So now I'm back home for just 1 day before heading off to the Australiasian Machine Quilters Festival.  I'll blog about it when I get back.

A lady is allowed to change her mind.

After looking at the 1920's dress for three days I decided I didn't like the way it looked on me.  So today I have made an alternative dress, and it looks lovely. No time to bead it before we head off early Saturday morning, but I think it is more useful as a dress for my wardrobe to leave it plain.

Relief with two gowns finished!

Finally, a lovely quiet day at home, and I have finished up my two gowns.  Having said that I do think I could probably have beaded forever, but enough ... it is done.  I took a pic of the 1920's dress finished, but it does't really capture it.  There is a lace and silk under dress, with an irregular hem that shows under the draped top layer.  It looks cute on.

This weekend Jim and I are off to Queensland for the Blessington Convention.  This covers Singer, Husqvarna Viking and Pfaff brands and will be a lot of busy fun while we look at new machines, and do some hands on classes.  It is also a terrific time to catch up with dealers from all over Australia!

I will get back to Melbourne really late on Tuesday night, and somehow get young master Kevin from his brothers house, before I leave again on Thursday to go to the Australiasian Machine Quilters Festival in Adelaide.  I'm travelling with Cathy to this event, and really looking forward to four days of being creative, and being with other creative people. Cathy hasn't travelled by plane before and she is excited about her big trip, with no kids! 

The only down side to all the travel is the preparation, now that I have the wardrobe covered I need to cook some meals for Kevin, and get the washing up to date, and check out that I have everything he needs for his Holiday Respite Program, including money for the Royal Melbourne Show on Tuesday next week.

Now that I am all caught up I am looking forward to getting some more video tutorials done!  I think I need a list ...

A few more stitches here and there

I really wish I knew why I always seem to be in a last minute rush.  Weeks ago I started to make the two gowns I need for this coming weekend, and because I started with so much time, I wasted it!

Now I'm worried about getting them finished.  I think I will finish off the 1920's flapper dress tomorrow, but I am still beading the yoke/collar of the 1930's Formal dress!  Even worse I thought I was going to run out of beads, but a trip to my shop to teach today solved that problem ... phew.
Although the choice of fabric for this gown is a little outside the box, it is looking great.  The beading, however is taking so much time.

Back to the 1920's dress, I had about three changes of fabric, but I think I'm happy with the end result.  I just have a few seams to sew tomorrow, and it will be all done.  The dress has some draping that is clasped somewhere between the waist and the hip, and it does this on both the back and the front.  I needed to find two clasps of some kind.  While wandering through one of those "junk" jewellery shops I hit upon the idea of buying a pair of earings and deconstructing them to make them work.  It was a very inspired "budget" idea, and I think they look terrific.

There No Such Thing as Can't ..

.. It is just something you haven't done before.

I've been a bit quiet lately, and the reason is easy, I'm wrestling with the world of cyber space.

It has taught me so much about courage and persistence.  Courage to try something you've never done before, and persistence to figure it out even when you start to doubt you can ever get it done.

As I have hinted previously, I've been unwell for the past two years, and during that time have been on all sorts of meds, that combined with my un-wellness has meant my brain has been in a constant state of fog!  I have struggled to remember my name, let alone what I am supposed to be doing.  During this time I had to give up driving, and give up almost all of my work in the shop.  Needless to say it has been difficult for my family.

So now I'm off those meds, and have a new specialist who is working things out.  I'm functioning so much better, and believe that things are really on the improve.  So it is time to get back to all the things I have wanted to accomplish.  The first of those was to create a Smart Phone App for the shop. Frankly I was terrified when I began and looked to outsource it to an IT specializing in such technology.  Then I though heck, I can do this.  And I did, the app should be approved by Google's Android market in around 5 days.  It is cool and includes the ability to reserve a class, let the shop know that you won't attend a class etc.  You can also check on the status of your machines service.  There are coupons that are programmed to flash on for a defined amount of time and then vanish.  It is all way cool!

The next thing I wanted to do was to step up the use of social media, and the web for our annual shop hop, known as The Fabric Frolic.  And again I faced the self doubt.  But after a hard day working away at the computer I have it mostly figured out.  I have to say it was stressful, and the hardest thing was knowing what questions to ask, but now that I'm well underway I am amazed at what I am able to do.

I guess that is a good life lesson.  I've always taught my children that they are only limited by fear and self doubt, and now I have lived my own message.

Some sunny inspiration for you all ....

How many times to you just lack motivation?  I know I do! 

Over the past weeks I've been so busy setting up two new websites, and trying to finish the two gowns I need for next week, that I'm feeling a little drained.  

But today is a particularly glorious spring day.  The sky is a lovely blue with puffy white clouds floating around.  It is exactly the kind of day I love, so I'm bound to get quite a bit done.

Maybe it isn't a great day where you are and you're looking for some inspiration?  I went looking for something to give us all a smile and get me going.  Here it is ...

More on that Confetti Technique ...

After yesterday's video, I managed to find another great tutorial on this technique for making landscape and texture quilts.

Trying new things can be such fun.

A visitor ...

Our son, James shifted into his first home around a month ago. He is loving it and has lots of plans for fixing the old house up.

He didn't expect to find something else living there! He has a wombat that thinks he should live under the house, and James (with advice from wild life experts) has been encouraging him to move on.  The best technique seems to be playing his music to the wombat ... 

But every three days or so, Mr Wombat returns in the hope that James has vacated.  He seems too old to move too fast so James managed this picture of him late last night.

A fun way to waste time ...

I've finally finished the newsletter for the shop, and have made good progress on the two gowns I'm making.  I thought I'd do some work on finding vintage style tea cups, plates and so on for our new Coffee and Cake sessions (at the shop).

What fun I have had trawling through e-bay looking at all the lovely pre-owned crockery.  I think it will all look so lovely when we have our sessions, and am inspired to embroider some napkins and table cloths to finish the look.

The Coffee and Cake sessions will raise money for charity, since we are asking everyone who comes to make a gold coin donation.  We will do some lovely food, and nice fresh tea and coffee. Practically all our tutors have offered to do a demonstration for the sessions, which will add to the fun.

If you'd like to join us, we'd love to welcome you.  Just RSVP to the shop so we know you are coming (e-mail is easiest sales@michellessewingbasket.com.au).

Dates & Details:

Wednesday 3 October 2012, 10am-11.30am - Be amazed at how simple shaping lace can be with Heirloom Expert Jeni.

Wednesday 10 October 2012, 1pm - 2.30pm - Learn Cindy's secrets for planing and selecting fabrics for a quilt.

Thursday 11 October 2012, 10am-11.30am - Join Michelle for a short presentation on 5D Embroidery Software.

Thursday 25 October 2012, 10am-11.30am - Janna has a beautiful Christmas stitchery for you to make while you are at this session.  As a treat we will provide the kit for you!

Tuesday 30 October 2012, 10am-11.30am - See the magic of a sewing machine that will sew a cosmetic's purse including putting in the zipper, automatically!!!  This demonstration with Meg will really surprise you.

Friday 23 November 2012, 10am-11.30am - It is the finishing touches that make a garment look great.  Margaret will show you how to get that finish on hems today.

Spring has sprung

With the exception of hay fever I love everything about spring, the beautiful warm days, and the cool evenings included.

Today is my day for being a little more disciplined than usual.  I will do all my office work this morning and then work on my gowns this afternoon.

I had a brain wave about the long evening gown I have now drafted and am ready to cut out.  It features a beautiful yolk and I had intended to embroider this, but I would also like to bead it, and frankly beading through dense embroidery stitches is no fun.  It was then that my brain when *ta da*.  I'm going to digitize the pattern for beading in a running stitch and then embroider it to the yoke.  This will then become the pattern that I will bead through.  How good is that?

There are times I want to scream...

I work with technology all the time.  The machines I use (and sell) are very high tech, I use social media, I digitize and teach others how to digitize.  So I'm pretty good with the old Technical stuff, and that's why I'm so frustrated.  I worked hard to produce the shops newsletter only to have our current website server decide to stop hosting our emails and put the with gmail.  Now we can only send 50 emails before it blocks us for 24 hrs.  Imagine that only 50!  Hell we have thousands of customers waiting for the email!
Why oh why does "business" make it so hard to do business with them?

Thankfully I am nearly finished working with our amazing web guru on the new websites, and that should solve all our email problems.

Meantime, I did some sewing on the weekend.  The first dress I started for the convention is turning out ok, although the style would better suit someone with a size 10 figure.  I've had second thoughts on my fabric choice and are now embroidering some fabric for the dress.  Meantime I have made a test of the second long evening gown, and it looks lovely.  It too is taken from a vintage pattern (1930's) and boy they don't make them like this anymore.  It has a charming line to it, and made even me look elegant.

Looking forward to doing some sewing tomorrow ...

A Quiet Week at the Computer

I bet you wonder where I have been!  

I have spent this week either teaching at the shop or on the computer doing the final edit of our two new websites.  For someone like me it is boring work, simply because I have to go through screens and screens of stuff checking that all the fonts are the same, that the prices are correct etc.

And when I haven't been doing that I've been having medical tests.  Today it is a Full Body Bone Scan!  I'm sitting at home waiting to go back to the testing service having already been there for some scans this morning and being injected with radioactive dye.

I have also managed to finish the Spring 2012 Newsletter for Michelle's Sewing Basket which is quite a job.  The newsletter is 20 pages long and this one includes a Patchwork project, templates for Christmas projects and a project using 5D Embroidery Software.  Phew.

Tomorrow, my sewing room is going to be surprised to see me so that I can finish off the dress I began on the weekend.

1920's Dress Started

I was really excited to get my patterns on Friday, and printed everything off.  I had some time (and inspiration) so got started with the base of the 1920's flapper type dress yesterday.  So far it doesn't look very exciting as it is just a shell of breathable lining with a plain silk Georgette overlay.

I have draped and cut the other fabric, one side is a lovely fine lace, and the other is Silk Georgette, with a lovely floral print on a black background.  It looks lovely on the model, although I have a couple of things to resolve.  I hope to get back to the machine tomorrow.

I have discovered that using the clover fork pins with these delicate fabrics works really well.

Have a great weekend!

And so it is Friday, and after a busy week I feel totally exhausted.

I have managed to check a few things off my to do list. And I'm hopeful of getting stuck into the two gowns I need to make for the convention in a few weeks time.

Going through my stash I have, in my head at least, sorted out what I will make the flapper dress out of, and so I think I will start with this one.

I guess my biggest problem is that I can't decided on the other gown.  I brought three patterns because of my indecision, and I'm still procrastinating!

Have a happy weekend!

Fun in my sewing studio today ...

Today I enjoyed a spontaneous day in my sewing studio, making a beautiful smocked hanger.

If you haven't done smocking on an Embroidery Machine before there are a few tricks that you need to know.

I began the entire process by taking 2 1/2 meters of batiste, and cutting it in half down the length.  Setting aside one length to use for the lining and back piece, I took the remaining length and pressed it before rolling it onto my rod ready to be pleated.

It does take a while to load the pleater with thread.  I used Polyester construction thread today, because the batiste is such a light floaty fabric, but if you were using something heavier, I'd switch to waxed quilting thread.

I pleated the center of the entire length.  Here's a tip, tie a knot in the one end of the pleating threads to prevent the pleated fabric from pulling right off the threads.

Next I prepared the pleated fabric by straightening the pleats and spreading them evenly.  I find that a wide tooth hair comb can help when doing this.  If you are very picky you can pin a measuring tape to your iron board and actually count how many pleats are in every inch ... but I'm not that picky for something like this.

Iron a batiste interfacing to one side (the wrong side) of the pleated fabric.  This stabilizes the pleated fabric ready for machine embroidery.  Press really well in the section that will be smocked, and a little less heavily towards the edge that will be fluted to form the delicate trim to the hanger.

Choose an embroidery design, make one yourself, whatever.  I used a lovely design from Janny Primrose - Smocking Heirlooms #1 (we sell this at my shop), which required two hoopings.

Now go ahead and embroider the pleated fabric.  I don't use a topper when I do this, but naturally you will need a stabilizer in the hoop.  The reason I don't use a topper is that I want my thread to wrap around the pleated fabric.

Meantime I drafted a quick pattern off the shape of my pre-padded hanger.  Just a simple shape is fine.  You need one front (the smocked piece), one back, with a straight edge and two lining pieces with straight edges.

Hem the three straight edges with a tiny turn up hem and a zig zag set to say 1.5mm long and 1.5mm wide.

Join the front and back at the sides, and the same with the lining pieced.  Slip the lining piece and outer piece together and sew across the top leaving a small gap along the top edge for the hanger's hook.

The tricky part is deciding how to finish off the front piece.  I carefully pealed back the excess interfacing and trimmed it back to the embroidered stitches.  This released the fabric to fall into tiny pleats.  Then I carefully stitched a 5/8" wide edging lace to the bottom edge, first with a small zig zag stitch (1.5mm wide and long) and then with a wing needle and a pin stitch.

The finishing touch was to hand sew on some beads, which had the bonus of holding the layers together!

Spring is in the air, time to sew!

It is a beautiful sunny morning, the type of winter day that makes you think of the summer ahead.  

I have a whole stack of sewing to do for myself before the weather warms up properly, and am enjoying being in my studio and working on some new clothes.  I have a figure that is almost impossible to buy for, unless you are happy wearing tents or clothes out of stretchy fabric all the time.  Using the custom patterns from Fit To Me gives me the ideal, something I can make myself and be sure it will fit! 

My biggest vice is never quite finishing off one project before flitting off to another, so today I absolutely must cut out the lining for this jacket and finish it off.  

I noticed in the Target catalogue that Lace Jackets are all the go for spring, and since I have some of that in my stash I thought I'd make this same jacket in lace!  I love the shape of it, simple princess line, with an open front that can be finished so many different ways!

Enough blogging, time to fire up the Pfaff Sensation and get some sewing done!

Guess Who is Still Sewing ...

Whoever thought that sewing clothes was something no one did any more is in for a shock.  Not only do people still sew their own clothes, the choices in patterns is amazing.  Obviously you can go to one of those "big" shops and buy from a well known pattern brand, but have you thought about all the other possibilities?

Here is one site that I found out about, which specializes in Vintage clothes styles, including plus sizes!  http://www.craftsy.com/user/492955/pattern-store;jsessionid=724BF7BD5743C5BC1463951CE2B3F929.rush

It is just a few weeks until the Australian Convention for Husqvarna Viking, Pfaff and Singer (I am a dealer for all three brands), and one of the evenings has a themed dinner of 1920's Flapper!  Now I definately don't have a flat flappers body shape so making something that will flatter, will be quite a challenge.  I found a designer, Anna Depew from Mrsdepew on Etsy that has some great Vintage patterns from the 20's, 30's and 40's, but if you like 50's vintage the above ones are the ones for you.

I have a bolt or two of silk jersy knit lying around the place, and I think I'd like to use that for the gown.  Once my Etsy patterns arrive I'll post photo's of my gown as I make it.

Seeing stars (It's time to do some Paper Piecing)

It's Thursday here in Australia.  And our winter is trying to fade into spring, although I don't think it is looking particularly nice today with a gray sky that wants to rain.

I am suffering from a rare and aggressive form of arthritis, which has forced me to forego the teaching I love, and leave my retail shop in the hands of my darling husband Jim, and our very capable staff.  Every now and then I get it into my head that I must be all better and do something very dumb.  This week I decided that I would come off my pain killers (mainly because I'd like to be able to drive a car again), and after several days to terrible pain I regret it now.  

After another sleepless night, I am going to give myself a day off, and stitch the quilt I am making for my son James for Christmas.  My new supply of paper pieces came yesterday from our supplier, Sue and I am all set to do some basting.  At Michelle's Sewing Basket we stock lots of different papers and templates at the shop and can order in any that you are after.  When I'm working on a project I get in some bulk packs for myself.

Paper piecing is a very relaxing form of patchwork by hand.  If you have never tried it I really recommend it!

You need to start by buying a template for cutting your fabric, and of course the papers.  When I first started I recycled the papers about 8 times each one, but frankly they do get a big floppy by then, and for the stars I am doing now the points are really vital so I think just 3 or 4 times for this quilt.  The template makes it possible to fussy cut, and although I haven't done any for this quilt, you can get some fantastic results.  I am going to use a Jiny Beyer border in the quilt and may well make some stars from fussy cutting the print.

Meantime for the "ordinary blocks".  The first step, of course is to cut your fabric.

Next, take one of the papers and one of the fabric pieces.  Notice that the fabric is bigger than the paper, because it includes the seam allowance.

Now pin the wrong side of the fabric to the paper, centering it better than this photo!  You really do need to pin the fabric before you baste it to the papers otherwise it shifts all over the place.

Now take a needle and thread and baste the piece. I usually use waxed quilting thread for this part because it is less inclined to twist itself into a knot.  I also use a larger needle than usual, just something like a Sharp 10.  To do this turn over the seam allowance using your fingers, and sew with a running stitch going right through the fabric and the paper.

The pointed ends get a bit tricky, I start at the less acute angle on the side, and work to the point.  Then I scoop the pointed end over toward the center of the paper.   

You need to hold this tip while you fold down the first side of the seam allowance, forming  a miter of sorts.

Baste up to this miter and just before you get to the tip, fold down the second side.

Now you have a nice pointy end, with all the raw edges tucked safely away from the folded edge, which will become the seam when we join the pieces of the star together.

You will still need to be careful not to end up with a hole in the middle of your star when you join the six pieces together, but nice pointy ends to the diamonds certainly help.

I use a ladder stitch to join my pieces, although it is more traditional to use a whipping stitch.  I also switch to a Sharp 12 needle and use either YLI silk thread, or Mettler Extra Fine Cotton.

So I'm off to find some music to listen to, or a movie to listen to and baste more diamonds while I rest and try to feel more human again.

Times are changing everything ...

Isn't it interesting how much technology has changed the way we live.  All at once we seem to have managed to embrace the instant nature of technology, loving the way we have instant access to information, while at the same time valuing all things "Vintage".  If I had a dollar for every time I said "I'll Google That" in a day I'd be very rich indeed!  And yet the Australian Olympic Team looked so chic in their Vintage style uniform!  Our kitchen appliances might have the sleek finish of stainless steel, but the shapes are right out of the 50's.

Even this blog is a great example of how technology has changed our lives, imagine that 20 years ago we wouldn't have dreamed of having a relationship with someone via a blog!

Of course in my work I have to stay up with all that modern technology throws at me. I have to know the software and understand the principals of the hardware too.  It isn't enough to know the machine isn't sewing right, I have to be able to figure out why.  I must admit I love this part of the job as much as I love the creative and artistic side.  When my intermediate 5D Software students were having trouble stitching out their digitized designs I really loved the chance to figure out what was happening and find a solution to the problem.

Of course technology has also changed the way we shop.  Just yesterday I wanted to find inspiration for two outfits I need to make to wear at the Blessington (Husqvarna Viking, Pfaff and Singer) Convention and found the internet so valuable.

Today I discovered a great site that offers wonderful discounts at businesses in your local area.  Take a look at this site http://www.clickprintsave.com.au/

Sharing Your Success

"Welsh Diamonds" a MAD Strip Club quilt project!

How often do you make something really great, and have no one to share the moment with?  It actually happens to me quite a bit, and while Jim is always so supportive, I'm not sure he always gets it.

I found this site on the internet that is set up for people to share what they have made with others who have similar interests  http://pinterest.com/pin/32721534763127589/

What a great idea.

The Final Test Sew ....

After spending months digitizing, I finally completed what should be the final test sew of one of the blocks for the quilt I'm doing.  

The quilt is "Friends of Baltimore", but instead of making the applique blocks, a group of students and I are busy digitizing them.  It has been a real challenge for all of us, and I think everyone has learned so much!  

My usual thing is to just test sew some parts of a design.  My first tests were to establish how big my blocks were going to be.  The original design has blocks that are 16" square, but when embroidered I thought they looked to clumsy, so I experimented with shrinking them until I settled on the size you see.  I also decided to set the block among some fancy stitch work, and so created the framing you see and the cross hatching, and cross hatching with candlewick stitches.  I'm delighted with the result, and the only changes I needed to make was to change the order a couple of a couple of elements.

I'm so looking forward to stitching out the four blocks I've finished and get on with digitizing some new ones.  Before I can do this I need to decide on what colour I want for the background.  I think that the soft cream I used looks nice.

I've had a few customers ask me if I would create some DVD Tutorials so people could learn how to digitize a project like this, and the news I have is that I am indeed working on doing just that.  It will take me quite a while to do, but I'd hope that sometime before Christmas I will have something ready.

Shifting Day

It is shifting day.

The truck is loaded, and Jame's life as a home owner begins.  I'm feeling a bit teary eyed and sentimental today.  Our eldest child, Cara, is floating around Europe, while living and working as a Steiner teacher in London, and now James is flying the coop.

That will just leave us with young Kevin, rattling around the family home.  Sometimes I really do wonder where the years have gone, it seems like only yesterday that they were just youngsters roaming around the neighborhood playing and getting into mischief.  

Over my years teaching patchwork I've seen so many women go through this empty nest thing, but it is still a surprise when you find yourself here ...

   

Inspiration from the Garden

It has rained so much this winter, that our garden has become a jungle!

At this time of the year, we actually have a bit of colour in our front garden and I did notice that the daffodils have already bloomed! With the Cammelia's and Daphne still out it is looking really quite lovely, except for the fact that someone really needs to spend a day trimming and tidying the garden beds. 

When we were in Europe earlier this year I was fascinated by a display of Antoni Gaudi's sketches and planning.  He is the one who designed the Cassa Bello and the Sagrada Familia.  He used all sorts of shapes from nature to inspire his work and there was an annex at the Sagrada Familia that showed this.  Once I had seen his sketches I could easily see the trees in the columns that are a main feature of this spectacular church that has been under construction for 100 years and is still not finished. 

What do you think?
He also used bone shapes a lot, things like ribs and spines, and these were very easy to spot.

I've been mulling over a quilt that will be able to convey the idea of Antoni Gaudi's inspiration, but am still a way off getting something ready to sketch.

But what this taught me is that inspiration really is everywhere!  Not only are there structured shapes for traditional patchwork, but there are shapes and forms that can be interpreted in embroidery, clothes, jewelry and so much more.

I don't think my humble garden will ever inspire a world famous architect, but is does inspire me when I paint, draw, sew or embroider.