Shorts

I had a great weekend, I hope you did too.  It was lovely weather in Sydney and we went to a nearby Fete yesterday which was fun, we bought some 2nd hand books and toys and had a wander around.  There was a Craft stall run by a lovely lady Yvonne that I met at the park with the kids the other day.  They had some cute little things there for kids. 

I've made another pair of shorts... well two, but one pair is in my son's room where he's asleep so I can't show a photo yet.  I made another pair yesterday with the pocket & cuff playing around with the length of the cuff - the pattern is Make it Perfect.  Today I whipped up these cute ones.  I'm playing around with the pattern, lengths etc to see what works best, then I'll make lots!  That's the plan....   I'm going to applique a T-shirt to go with these too.

I'm really enjoying making these and I hope to make a lot more!!!  And sell some!  I'm finally going to try to make some money from all my sewing... I spend so much on lovely fabrics that I really need it start using it!  And hopefully make a little money to spend more on fabrics, and so the wheel of life goes!   :)   Fingers crossed anyway...

Ideas coming alive...

Well I've been busy turning some of my ideas into realities... one is bags for young girls with Dolls appliqued on.  Here are the first two that I've done... early days!!!  They haven't had their faces stitched on yet, but they will, and then they'll be made into bags with bright coloured lining.  I think my pattern is a bit lop-sided and I need to play around with the applique stitching, but I'm pretty happy with my first attempt.   What do you think?

I also stayed up late last night making a pair of shorts for my little boy.  I've had the pattern for a while and have been meaning to try it out.  I struggled to get a photo of him this morning - he's still got his pyjama top on, sorry!  They're action shots?!  Again, not bad for my first attempt I think.  I'm looking forward to making another pair, hopefully tomorrow.   I'm really happy with the fabric, from Kelani, it's a lovely light weight denim that's lovely and soft. 

My dream will one day become a reality!  :)

Sam x

A name... what's in a name???

I stumbled across a great website last week - Ribbons Galore - they have the cutest ribbons and I couldn't resist buying some. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them yet, but I just had to have them! :) The 2nd lot (I couldn't decide which photo showed them best) came from Matatabi. I'm not sure which is my favourite, but I do love the Little Red Riding Hood at the top in pink & blue and also the washing from Matatabi.

I also bought a little stash of cute fabrics:

After seeing all the talent at the Stitches & Craft Show I'm determined to start doing something and get a little label off the ground for myself... I've got so many ideas in my head and I really want to see if people like them and if they sell. My stash of fabric is getting out of control and I need to use it! I've been trying to come up with a name for my label. I was going to use Samantha Jane but I've decided that it's too long and I want something shorter & catchier... it's very hard to come up with something that's not already on etsy. Any suggestions would be appreciated!!

Sam x

Stitches & Craft Show

I ventured out to Rosehill today to the Stitches & Craft Show, even though I'd read a post on a blog that put me off it.. I still went, mainly because I knew Amitie were there... I wish I could open an Amitie in Sydney! :)

Anyway, I started on the ground floor and was so disappointed... not in the stalls but in the layout, it was so confusing, with no clear path to follow. I then left my son with my Mum and went upstairs where the lovely girls from Prints Charming pointed me in the direction of the level above - where all the "bloggers" were! Thank you Kirsten! I forgot to buy a scarf kit for my Mum, she loved them when she saw them somewhere earlier... doh!

It was just wonderful to see the talent up there.. I loved it! I met some lovely girls... Nanette from Rummage who does such gorgeous free hand stitching on beautiful pillows and other wonderful things, they're so unique, I love them.

Dear fifi who I bought a pattern from and had a little chat to... and so inspired me. Your little creations are so cute!!

The girls at Ink & Spindle where I bought some lovely fabric.. I wanted to buy one of each! I love their work!

Kristen Doran - I have long adored her work... I finally bought something! Hopefully my son will love these as much as I do?

I really enjoyed being surrounded by such creative people and such beautiful things... ahhh!!! Thank God for Mum downstairs minding Johnny!

I finally found Amitie and bought these. I just love Amitie, you are so talented Jenny, I bought two quilt patterns as well as these fabrics, and I never buy patterns!

I couldn't decide on the colour I liked best with these so I just bought all three! :)

This is sooooo cool.... Not sure what I'll do with it yet, but I just had to have some. Jenny had a gorgeous quilt with some of this in it...

I left with a full bag and an empty wallet... and oh so happy. I am so glad I ventured out and I recommend going, just take the good with the bad. But isn't that life? :)

Oh, and I can't remember where I bought these from... but I love them too!

Sam x

Quilts and dresses...

I've finished the back for my Mendocino cot quilt... I'm now wondering if I should have done the front pink instead of white?! Oh well... maybe on the next one? I have enough fabric to do the same quilt which I'm very pleased about because I really like it.

And here's some fabulous fabric I bought to make a Summer dress with. It's Florence Broadhurst. I'm going to make either one of the patterns below... not sure which one to do.... I might sit on it for a little bit longer and keep quilting! :)

I've got a few other fabrics for some Summer clothes... I went to The Fabric Store in Surry Hills and they were having a sale... 30% off!! I got enough for 4 dresses and 2 tops... my Summer wardrobe done! :) Now I just have to make them!

Exciting deliveries

WOW, two posts in one day... not like me at all!

But, I forgot to mention that Kate from One Flew Over sent me a little package of fabric with a cute little card - thank you again Kate, it was very sweet of you and I love them! Especially the helicopters! :)

Also, I checked my mail box this morning and my labels have arrived!!!! Rita from Red Pepper Quilts told me about the etsy shop Lilla Lotta and so I had to buy some. I am so excited about using them!!! Thank you Rita.

So, there we go... my 2nd post in one day.... now I'm off to do some sewing!

x

Sewing frenzy...

I have been so busy sewing! I started a sewing course to make an a-line skirt. I have made many over the years but thought I'd learn a few things along the way from the wonderfully talented teacher. After the first night at the course I was so inpsired to sew that I've since made a dress (that I don't have any photos of yet...) and two a-line skirts! I went to Material Obsession last week and the lovely Kathy had a gorgeous skirt on that she'd made from some funky Echino fabric so I bought some and whipped it up! It's from the Amy Butler Barcelona skirt pattern that I've had for a while but haven't made yet... It was so easy to make and I'm really happy with the result. Originally it was about 3 inches longer but I didn't like the length on me so I shortened it. I also copied Kathy's idea with the rick rack on the bottom - fun! :)

Then I went to Remnant Warehouse and bought some more fabric and made another skirt yesterday! I love it - it's so comfortable and I just love the fabric!!! (I've bought it in the blue & white too, shhh!) :)

And I've also finished piecing the top of a quilt - here's a sneak peek.

My photography leaves a lot to be desired, sorry!

Well I'm off to the park with my son... then hoping to piece the back of this quilt top while he sleeps later....

x

Postman delivery...

Oh how happy a fabric purchase (or 2) makes me! :) It's absolutely ridiculous... the endless ideas I have of what to do with it... and the desire to just keep it and never cut it... crazy!?!!? Anyway, here is what my lovely postman delivered today - how utterly fabulous! I just had to get some of the Kerchief Girl fabric when I heard Amitie had it. The next lot are Japanese etsy purchases, the little flower one is really cute, the photo doesn't do it justice. And the next lot is mainly the Amy Butler Coriander print which I just decided I needed to have a big stash of as it's not available anymore and I love it, with some Kaffe Fassett prints that I liked. I've been very bad!

And here are some more Liberty prints I bought a couple of weeks ago... I hope I have a daughter one day so I can sew her some lovely things...

And here's a sneak peek of the back of my Drawing Room quilt... Please excuse the photo, it's spread out in my lounge room with the furniture around it. I was looking for plain charcoal fabric for the border but I found this lovely Lecien print which I think matches fabulously. I'm really happy with it. I can't wait to see it basted and ready for me to quilt.

Quilts...

I haven't written for a while... we've had a lot going on with our house reno and life but I've also been busy sewing!

It was my birthday too. My husband totally surprised me with a Kitchen Aid mixer!!! I've been wanting one for years but I certainly wasn't expecting it this year. I just love it! I am embarrassed to admit that the first thing I made with it was a packet cake mix! Terrible huh? Anyway, I made these lovely little cupcakes that I got the idea from retro mummy - thank you, they are very yummy. I swear next time I'll make my own vanilla cake mix though... I then made yummy little individual chocolate pudding deserts which were delicious!! The mixer is every bit as fabulous as I thought it would be, I love it! :)

I've finished hand quilting my baby boy cot quilt for a pregnant friend (if she has a boy)... My 20 month old son loves it - he keeps saying "woof woof" and "broom broom" and pointing at the dogs and cars... even a couple of "nays" to the bigger dogs! :)

And I've also finished the queen size quilt I've been piecing for my husband & I. I now just need to piece the back and then it's off to be basted. I think I've decided to hand quilt it, the biggest quilting job I've taken on - who knows when it will be finished!? Hopefully by next Winter!

I have other projects on the go already too.... I just love this quilt I came across on flick - it's just beautiful. And I have some Mendicino fabric stashed away so I'm going to make a quilt similar to this in the colours I have... I'm looking forward to that. It's simple but so lovely. And I bought some cute little panels - pink flower & blue car - from Prints Charming that I'm going to put in the centre of quilts. I wish I had more time to do all of the projects in my head! It makes my head spin sometimes... and my fabric stash is getting out of control!!!! I found out from the lovely Rita at Red Pepper Quilts that Amitie had the Kerchief Girl fabric in every colour so I just had to buy some!!! I can't wait for it to arrive. I'm so jealous of the Melbourne girls for that shop!