Sweet Fabric:
craft

Last year I went to the Melbourne Museum of Printing excursion which these girls organised.

It was such a fabulous & informative day out & I've been busting to have a crack at some "homebrand hack" letterpress ever since.

This is what I'm printing. Of course I don't have the right ink & can't remember what I need...

Such a lovely way to end the weekend.

I couldn't bear to cut my single cover up so I used it whole.

Gemma was extremely well prepared (no surprises there) & I spent a relaxed afternoon chatting, drinking coffee, eating musk sticks & working away.

Miss Kitty's Emporium is super cute - jam packed with Cath Kidston.

Looking forward to the next kute event.

I'm no Chris Piascik. My hand lettering leaves a lot to be desired but the embroidery is coming along OK.

There's going to be lots of time for stitching & drinking pretty drinks & coffees this weekend. All three of the smalls are off to Tasmania for the weekend!

My nice list is a very long one.

We've got busy kids so that means there are lots of gym coach & swimming teacher types who need a little something.

This is what I'm gifting this year.

Morning Fresh Tissane
A beautiful blend of calico & soap. This tea bag is designed to be left steeping in the shower with the soap inside. Flavour & performance improves overtime. A joy for the eye & the senses this blend will invigorate & revitalise.

The best part about this tea bag is that it can be filled with all those otherwise useless endy bits of soap.

Product currently being tested by me.

This girl is trying something similar for her washing machine & I'm bursting to hear the results.

&
Giveaway.

with other crafty souls at the Mixtape event.

I didn't take photos of my accessory gift! I'm hoping that Cathy will...

I received this fabulous denim bag with mushroom lining & little tin full of buttons from Cathy.

Fi's pincushion project was speedy & fun.

Thanks Nichola & Justine for the challenge. I really enjoyed the new beginnings. I think I'm falling in love with the rings - it could be a long term relationship.

PS: Are you tracking me? Lots of lovely blogs I've been visiting on my clicketty trips.

Friday is the long run day which means I think a lot - probably too much.

Today I was thinking about craft & dating. This seems like a bit of a weird connection (stay with me).

One of my really good friends used to say that she was addicted to the beginnings of relationships. At the time it was true ... she had lots of love em & leave em boyfriends. Many of them had a fair bit of bastard about them too (which of course only made them more appealing). Brief affairs really, flirtations, experiments but satisfying nonetheless.

She's now happily married to a fine upstanding guy. Marriage, of course requires a deep commitment, compromise & the making of promises you really mean. You need to be patient & dedicated & determined. The rewards are plentiful both along the way & at the end. Something to be really, really proud of.

Then I started to think about me & the craft thing. I too love a new beginning. I like to think long & hard about the how. I flirt with ideas, experiment with techniques & then have a one night stand with the actual crafting. It's quick & it's usually dirty (with varied results) but satisfying nonetheless.

Crochet (I'm trying - really I am), knitting & quilting require a deep commitment, compromise & the making of promises you really mean. You need to be patient & dedicated & determined. The rewards are plentiful both along the way & at the end. Something to be really, really proud of.

I'm married to my bags & the music boxes but I'm one night standing with plenty of other stuff to get my new beginnings fix.

I'd be interested to know if you're married to your craft, married & cheating (like me) or all about the thrill of a one night stand.

I'm starting to think about Christmas...Yikes!

Early I know - but I really don't want to be making gifts on Christmas Eve this year!

I've made myself a little stamp. It's leather stitched (laced really) & then printed onto calico. I've printed 20 little "Tea" stamps.

I'll be working on the making up tomorrow.

Knicker Day was so utterly fantastic!

We learnt to make undies out of old t-shirts. I'm sure I don't need to tell you how totally up my alley this was!

Of course Gemma knew I'd love the tricky neat way to finish the FOE (fold over elastic) & she was right! Gem - I think I've got it!!!

The pattern Gem gave us was a vintage one & her instructions utterly brilliant. I've used old cotton/lycra t-shirts & have found that they make up perfectly to the measurements. If I was using a plain cotton T I would probably go up 2 sizes.

I'm getting a bit cocky now & I'm going to have a crack at some "own style" undies next.

Thanks Gem for a sensational day & a wonderful new skill.

with the big girl.

We've spent most of the day in the pool room together.

She drew up the design & then prepared her stamp & printed her t-shirt. She loves it!

We've pottered around cutting & gluing & scoring & sorting. It's been lovely.

For Jess...as part of the week of wonk.

I like my first one better.

I'm not sure what it is...maybe trying too hard. I need to stay loose & not overthink. I do like the patch up though & all the materials were "wonky". Ends of skeins/balls & otherwise "useless" bits & pieces.

The granny square was given to the small, slept with her a couple of nights, ended up in her pj pocket, went through the wash (where it unravelled a bit), then in the tumble dryer and was rescued from the laundry floor for this project.

The mushroom coloured silk embroidery thread was an absolute dream to stitch with.

on leather.

We were all on the same page with the chain vs leather.

I think I'm going to leave the longish tails on the leather. It looks kinda twiggy.

Thanks for your constructive feedback girls.