Sweet Fabric:
made by me

I've banged on before about how I've lived my life on Map 46. I was born on the map, grew up on the map & married a boy from the map. Both our siblings live close by & we spend a lot of time with our families.

It was a tearful farewell when my sister & her husband made the move to Darwin 5 years ago. We've visited often & they came back each Christmas. I thought they'd never come "home".

The decision to move back was made swiftly and definitely.

They've moved into a gorgeous house (just a stone's throw from us) & I've been helping to get them settled in. She's done a sensational job of decorating on-a-shoestring. I finished off the family room with half a dozen cushions made from Warwick Fabric samples which serendipitously pull everything together.

It feels like she never left. I'm so grateful that she's made it home.

I've eased myself in slowly.

The style was was limited by my fabric choice (just one flour sack).

The bag is lined for strength. I had a bit of fun with the raw edges and the stray threads & an Op Shopped suede belt was hacked into & fashioned into a bag strap.

Slouchy & casual & fun.

Remember last years stolen decorations?

They are officially a tradition now. I've gone nuts with the transparent thread & have been suspending little reminders of 2010 for my lovely mates.

I've gifted a few already & there are a few still to post.

You should totally steal this tradition for yourself...it's a really good goosebumpy one.

The wedding on Saturday was a real group effort.

Friends of the bride & groom shared their talents and helped out with cake decorating, invitations, photography & personalised chocolates as place settings!

I had a hand in the centrepieces for the tables. They looked beautiful and created a lovely romantic ambient glow. These are just perfect if you're planning a DIY wedding because they can be made well ahead of time.

The glasses were picked up for 50 cents a piece at local op shops. We chose to wrap in bamboo which had a lovely sheen & looked very pretty in the daylight.

wrapped tea lightView more presentations from kootoyoo.

Obviously these can be used and reused for different events & as either tealights or vases.

Perfect for your holiday table too.

Christmas stars or festive flowers ... totally up to you.

The beauty of this speedy project is that the flowers can be enjoyed all year round. You could make a garland or use them to adorn gifts.

Another 5 minute craft. I'm all about the speed at the moment. Maybe you've made something similar out of strips of card separated to make a bauble?

no sew star flower decorations
View more presentations from kootoyoo.

Other decos I've seen around & loved...

Meg's dove
Blair's doily tree
Maya's countdown

Enjoy & have a great weekend.

This time with bamboo & as a neck piece.

I've got a mate who is a lover of green having a birthday this month. I wonder if maybe it's a little big though? Dunno...maybe I need to think about this one a bit more.

Eeeek...look what arrived in the mail today!

When I was in Canberra we went to the Canberra Glassworks. Firstly just to have a look & then we went back the next day to DIY. It was an AMAZING experience.

Obviously there is MUCH hand holding ... it's a dangerous business.

It was just sensational to be part of it all in the Hot Shop.

Look at Nan shaping her paper weight. Pretty cool huh?

Nan gifted me this utterly gorgeous "Turf" paperweight. The collection just got a whole lot posher with the addition my own & the really truly artist one too.

I highly recommend the experience if you happen to be in Canberra.

just saying.

I do not fold my tea towels vertically, I fold horizontally.

I've got a crick in my neck from admiring my growing collection of bloggy tea towel souvenirs ... so I've fashioned my own.

I wasn't quite ready to pack away the remaining pony fabric.

Words scrawled by me & then embroidered using two strands of floss. Stem & chain stitches...play to your strengths I say.

I've never upholstered anything in my life so it's absolutely the have a crack make it up as you go along type of thing & really more for decoration than feet which is a bit daft...

Made for someone very special who occasionally needs a little reminder. xx

A bracelet.

It was far too fiddly really but I am chuffed with the result.

If you're a die hard you might remember I was trying to fashion myself a bracelet like this. It's been on the backburner for a good long time but certainly not forgotten.

OK so I may not have quite hit the mark but I am quite pleased with my crafty take on the theme.

I just crocheted chains of embroidery floss into chains & then attached all the separate chains to a very nifty bit of hardware I purchased at a beading supply shop.

As an aside...
If you are a die hard. Thanks a million...for putting up with the drivel & offering support & encouragement when I have a "win". You're tops.

It's actually the party skirt from Pip's book.

I'm calling it my beach skirt. I plan to flog it over summer. I'll sling it on over bathers when we are down the beach or at the pool.

The skirt is a really pretty shape & suits my little waist/big bum shape nicely. I did make a few modifications ... I've added press studs (snaps) instead of the tie up waistband. Perhaps that's what has taken it from party to beach...but I'm pretty chuffed with it regardless.

Absolutely everything used in the making of the pony skirt came from the op shop. Feeling pretty good about that!

It's just one of the many beautifully presented quick & easy projects in Sew La Tea Do.

The kid will play netball (& she might enjoy it).

I figured I might as well help the cause & I've made Harriet a coaching aid mobile.

This is exactly the kind of thing you might find on Regretsy or What not to crochet but I'm semi-confident that the netballing freak mother of the child will like it.

birthday that is!

It's become a bit of a tradition to make her something & I really couldn't justify another bag.

So I've fashioned this little bracelet from some 4 ply bamboo.

It's just a double crochet corkscrew with a pretty silver closure stitched into place.

I hope she likes it.

Since my disastrous ebay chaise purchase I've been on the hunt for a little sofa/settee/love seat for the space under the window in the family room.

Most of our furniture has been handed down, rescued, opped or picked up on the side of the road. This was not. It was purchased from 20th Century Scandinavia, 79 Lygon Street in Brunswick (9387 2664). That place is like heaven on earth. I was spoilt for choice!

I'm very pleased with the way everything has come together. I whipped up the cushions yesterday from a Warwick Fabric sample.

Read Lucy's post on 20th Century Scandinavia here.

feet
& fowler
& friend
(& for fraught too).

I had a LOT of issues with this little footstool. In the end I think I overcame them but not without fairly liberal use of that F word I can tell you.

The fabric was crocheted by me in 8ply on a 3mm hook and then cross stitched using organic cotton.

This started as an experiment in hyperbolic crochet & when I liked the beginnings I decided to keep on keeping on an make a ball for a freshly hatched little girl.

The sphere creation was incredibly slow going. There is absolutely no way you can get up any pace with the hook when everything is curling in on itself!

I used two balls of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino & then just doubled & doubled & doubled & doubled my doubles...you get the picture.

It's kind of weirdly fascinating & just the kind of thing that would have held my attention for hours as a kid. I reckon it's a bit like those linking rings - the "how" really becomes the focus.

OK so this is really more about my homework than the making of bunting. The chips just needed to be glued to a piece of paper but there's no fun in that is there? So I made two...one for the homework & one for the smallest.

I think the bunting's super cute & will be making more. The robot is of course by Jodie.

Happy weekend folks.

The lino cut printed onto a felt covered notebook. A gentle reminder to myself ... don't be afraid to fail.

I need to work on the ink/paint/fabric medium thing. I'm not sure about the consistency of the paint. The first few were OK & then I wonder if the paint started to dry out too much? Any tips on lino printing onto fabric would be greatly appreciated.

A few people have asked about the lino. I used lino from the art supply shop to carve my block. I think that if you're having a crack for the first time then it might be better to start with the easy carve blocks. Easy carve blocks are basically a large eraser. They are easier to cut into & easier to manage/print with after the carving is done.

Mucho excitement. We will be the most organised house in Melbourne next year...ahem.

The piece I stitched (which now resides with Rita in mini-quilt form) is on the cover of the Notebook diary for 2011.

The floral spray was taken from a vintage pillow case & then stitched by me (under the influence of Ike Rosen).

I will be gifting these for Christmas...mothers, sisters, aunties...look out.

PS: A big giant thank you to all the lovely folk who left me gorgeous comments on the calendar post. I had such a great time making it & utterly thrilled that so many of you enjoyed it too. x

Liberty pin cuff.

I did get excited about these & made more than one & less than a few. They are in the shop now if this kind of thing is up your alley. There's a "steak knife" sweetener too you know...matching pins & free postage in Australia.

In other balancing act type activity ... I am preparing for the smaller two people to finish up school on Friday. We've got a pretty full couple of weeks planned. The September holidays are my favourite. Everyone really needs the break & we're all excited about a less rigid timetable for a couple of weeks.