Sweet Fabric [Search results for in progress] 

MP3 music boxes in progress.

I'm really happy with the way they are coming together now & actually feel immensely proud of each & every one. Normally not one for "bulk" of anything but these are different somehow.

A mixture of vintage & new (local) fabrics. Featured in this batch are Aunty Cookie & Lara Cameron.

Keeping a watchful eye over everything is Mark (2). He's firm friends with this little girl in progress & is going on a long journey with a stop over at Craft Hope.

Oh & a couple of crochet hooks for good measure.

Last week's favourite "myspace" is in the sidebar (from Friday each week) OR just click here.

Pop in & add your link if you're playing along this week.

PS: I've gone back to blogger comments as it seems JS kit wasn't emailing the responses to everyone. If they fix it up I'll go back to them. I loved the chatty nature of it.

Did you know that I'm part of the Down Under Doll Quilt Swap? It was organised an embarrassingly long time ago by the gorgeous Kate.

In true kootoyoo style I've left it & left it & left it some more. Don't get me wrong...there's been plenty of think time & in my head the finished quilt is really, really beautiful. In reality I have one (yep 1) block pieced and another cut out. Not a fabulous start eh?

No more new anythings until this piece is finished so I'm going to share my in progress shots. If you catch me wandering off course do you reckon you'd prompt me with a comment like "Hey Kirst, haven't seen much on the white quilt front...what's up with that?".

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In other news...
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I've been included in Kidspots Top 50 Bloggers which is hugely flattering. Considering this is a "just for fun" gig for me & there are heaps of professional writer types included I'm quite chuffed. Thanks a bunch Kidspot.

There's the opportunity there to win a holiday to Dunk Island which is pretty cool so maybe check out the list, see if you're favourites are there. If so - click to vote.

I've got to say that I think that the craft blog community is pretty under represented on the list. So many beautiful, thoughtful, productive, positive, creative women I love who haven't been represented.

A big hearty thanks to those of you who have voted for me & saved me from left-on-the-shelf embarrassment. Muchly appreciated. x

I'm craving a bit of routine.

I really loved on my desk in 08. It kept me motivated & kept things neat (OK neatish) around the ranch. The management got in the way of the fun but I think I've found the answer.

This year I'm playing my creative space which allows for the roving workspace so many of us enjoy. Details of this weeks offering here.

Each Thursday I'm going to post an image of what's in progress either on my desk, in my spot, on the sofa, desktop, at the kitchen table...whatever. If you'd like to play along & find some new blogs along the way then you just need to post & then pop into my creative space post for the day & paste your post URL into the auto link widget - it will do all the work for us (I hope). What it really means is that all the obligation is taken away... it's an easy game to play & if you're in one week & out the next that's absolutely fine. Everyone will know exactly who has played each week. Sounds simple enough? Keep everything crossed OK.

I'll test to make sure it's working in a second. I've tested & would you believe it - it works. Yip to the pee!

Here's a button if you're into that sort of thing...

& the code too...

<a href=" http://kootoyoo.blogspot.com/"><img src="//farm4.static.flickr.com/3542/3524211463_7a76c33326.jpg?v=1242113746"/></a>

House stuff
Since I posted the plans things have gone a bit off the rails. I'm not getting ahead of myself. Just focusing on breathing in & out when there is mention of the house.

Small stuff
Fabwic stitching in progress.
A note which reads: Mum tell me where my camera is.

Beautiful stuff
My print from Geninne arrived yesterday from sunny Mexico - even the stamps are beautiful!
I'm nearly beside myself over Geninne's Bird. I love it so much.

A little ACEO I bought from here also arrived in the mail. It's gorgeous. I'm on the hunt for Brown ACEOs if anyone has any tips.

We've picked up some new players this week. Stop in & say Hi. You can find them on the player list here. That's also the place to post a comment if you'd like to join in. I'll be updating the list regularly.

On my desk... Wednesday has a Flickr too if you'd like to send pics this is the group.

Finally if you would like an On my desk... button for your blog this is the code:

<a href=" http://kootoyoo.blogspot.com/"><img src="//farm4.static.flickr.com/3141/2607211450_e50e1fc40b.jpg?v=0"/></a>

Just copy & paste the above code into your sidebar & if you don't want to...that's fine too.
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More USB pincushions in progress. The process has been refined & I'm much happier with the way they are working out.

I'm aware that alot of the things I make involve circles...interesting. I'm hoping they don't go the way of the granny squares & end up in a pile in the linen press.

I do have a fancy "olfa" circle cutter which I love but Christie's got one which she doesn't rate. If you've got a bit of a circle thing you might want to visit this post. Circling without gadgetry...I like it.

The school holidays are treating me well. The kids & are having a lovely time (which means I've neglected the blog & visiting a bit...sorry). We're going for a bike ride today & having lunch in the park.

Visit last week's favourite space here.

Don't forget to pop in & add your link if you're playing along this week.

This is hosted by Angela. Theme from Debbie Hill.

If you've clicked through to kootoyoo... you'll notice I've done a bit of housekeeping. I'm still working on it & I plan to update my pitter patter & my rainbow lists regularly. Like most of my cleaning it'll take me a while to get everything just right - very much a work in progress.

Part of the cleanup involved setting up a "reader". Smart guy & a couple of other lovely folk have suggested google reader but he's the guy I dumped so harshly a few weeks back.

I'm dating the Flock feed. It's working for me at the moment but it's early days & I still haven't added everyone I need to...we'll see how we go.

I've spent a little bit of time in the space this week trying to get a little bit organised. I'm starting to get a little bit panicked about the move. I think that it will take as long to move the stuff from the craft space as it will to move the rest of the house!

So, in the space this week:

-I actually got the iron out & pressed & sorted some fabric.
-Flowers picked and arranged by the smallest.
-My weaving in progress.
-Vintage coasters for another crafty little plan I'm hatching.

It turns out the problem with the link widget last week was a new server. Let's hope it all goes to plan this week.

Pop in and add your link if you're playing along this week.

is on the floor in the family room.

Sorry I'm late today - it's a bit average when you turn up to a party & the doors are locked isn't it? Even worse when the hostess arrives late!

Looking forward to finishing off a few music boxes tonight with a pretty drink in hand.

Do I look a bit out of control? I feel it!

What I've got going on...

finished & packaged music boxes
"in progress" tops & bottoms
weights
offcuts
glue
power tools
& just a jumble of mess

Pop in & add your link if you're playing along this week.

Yesterday was the hottest day on record in Melbourne.

The girls & I did go out a few times & when we did the smell was overpowering. The big girl looked at me with wide eyes & said "Mum, it smells like Bright" (2003 bushfires). It did.

While I was opening the blinds just enough to take trivial shots of my work in progress. My Suburban sky looked like this...

because much of Victoria was on fire. People have lost their homes, livestock & their lives.

Just as the cool change hit our place, a once beautiful town with a special place in my heart (& not too far from home) was completely engulfed.

is buried under 5m x 3m of redwork & so am I!

I may or may not be able to dig myself out to get around to say g'day this week I hope that when you see the quilt either live or via photos on the blog you'll forgive me.

Those of you who were interested in last week's space & my music boxes in progress might want to take a look here.

You can visit my favourite space from last week right here.

Don't forget to pop in & add your link if you're playing along this week.

... I'm high on the hill
Looking over the bridge
To the M.C.G.
And way up on high
The clock on the silo
Says eleven degrees
Paul Kelly

A list of blogs I visit in my home town:

13 mimosa
62 cherry
acoustitch
anna laura
aprons and hammers
arthur's circus
assemblage
aunty cookie
boobook sausauge dogs
brown owls
bug and pop
cloq
craft city melbourne
curlypops
daydream lily
dear fii
drewzel
earl & cookie
h & b
handmade romance
hokey
hollabee
hoppo bumpo
jelly baby blog
jimmy trickle
kirinote
kitty's kaboodle
kaotic kraft kuties
leni & rose
lino forest
loobylu
meet me at mikes
mixtapezine
mobble gobble
nikki shell
one red robin
onegirl
pigeon pair
sheeps clothing
soozs
sugar lemon
teacups on treetops
teddy bears wednesday
the lark
thornberry
three buttons
totally innocent
whizzme
wishthimble
you SEW girl

This list is a work in progress & will be updated regularly.

You might also like to check out my:
craft blog list ... australia
craft blog list ... world wide

1/4 of an inch
3 red buttons
62 cherry
a little bird told me
air: work in progress
Allsorts
Anna-Lisa
Aprons & Hammers
Art with a Soul
August Street
Beaded Lady
Betty in the Kitchen
Big Cats Emporium
Boobook Sausage Dogs
Bowerbirdz
Bridget's Flame
Bug and Pop
Cassandra Allen
Celestina Carmen
Cloud Cakes
Collective Elements
Cooking my Life
Cool.According.To.Kylie
Crafty Doodads
crafty remix: djbebe
Creating Nunde
Curly Pops
Daily dose of inspiration
Daisy Chain
Daydream Lily
Dear Fii
Design for Mankind
details homegoods
domoshar
doobleh-vay
Dragonflies eat Mosquitoes
Earl & Cookie
Edward & Lilly
fancypicnic
florcita
flutterby patch
etc etc
Glorydaze
going green
Growing Together
G.R.Y.B at home
Handmaiden
Hanies
Hanna's Life is Cool
her heart my hands
Hokey
Honi Design
Hop Skip Jump
if only i had chocolate
iSew
janene renee
Jelly Baby Blog
Jogirl's Journey
Journalette
Judy's Notebook
kerri's provincial patch
Kiddio
Kimberly Michelle
Kittys Kaboodle
Knit Owl
konnykards
Last Stop Muse
Laugh Out Loud Dolls
Lauren Williams Handmade
Leni and Rose
Lilli Boo
little letters
Loobylu
Made by Molly
Mainichi Design
maya*made
Meet me at Mikes
Miss Muggins
mon petit lapin
monda loves
musings from the fish bowl
No life without wife
no pod
One Girl
One Red Robin
Owlet
Peapods
Pigeon Pair
pink licorice life
Pint's Palette
planet treasures
Pot aux roses
Precarious Tomato
Project Incomplete
puddle wonderful
Recuperation of Nathalie Brault
Roots and Leaves
September Bird
Sew What
Shabby Chicken
Silly Gilly
Slip cover Diva
Starashan
Strawberry Kisses
Strawberry Season
Studio Window
Super Monkey
Swirlyarts
Taccolina
Teacups on Treetops
Teddy Bears Wednesday
Textilosophy Oz
turtle club queen
The Crafty Librarian
The Essess
Twenty Cent Mixture
Two Cheese Please
The acorn collective
The Bird Bath
The Lark
The Monday Project
The Natchbox
Thimbly Things
Thousand Threads
Three Buttons
tis rhubarb
Tissue papers
TreeFall Design
truth be told
tsk tsk
unbecominglily
vanilla pixie
whosies
wide eyed wonderfuls
you SEW girl
your cover's blown

On my desk... is posted on a Wednesday. It's just a shot of your desk & maybe a bit of banter. Let us know what you're working on or what interesting bits & pieces have crossed your desk during the week.

There is a wonderful blog here - sharing the desks & creative spaces of really clever creative folk. I only found out about this blog after the Wednesday thing began...

Our Wednesday gig is just a bit of fun.

Comment on this post if you decide to play along & I'll add you to the link list.

This list will be updated frequently so feel free to join at any time.

There is no obligation at all - post when you feel like it. Just super casual & a bit of fun.

Button Code if you'd like it:

<a href=" http://kootoyoo.blogspot.com/"><img src="//farm4.static.flickr.com/3141/2607211450_e50e1fc40b.jpg?v=0"/></a>

The very important project that was on my desk last week is in progress. It's pieced & I'm working on the finishing touches.

This week:

I picked up a copy of Paton's Woolcraft as per Aunty Pat's recommendation at our Brown Owls knitting night. It is fabulous & I paid 30 cents!

a ball of Alpine Woolcraft yarn which was Aunty Pat's very own label & shop! Such a thrill to find it in an Op Shop.

a storybook wallet from my favourite shop. Just the right size for crochet hooks.

and just a peek of the terms & conditions for a competition I worked hard at & now haven't entered... more on that tomorrow.

I'm a roller!

When I learnt to embroider from my highly skilled neighbour she was most emphatic...

"embroidery works in progress should always be rolled"

I'm all about the kit, I have kits for every craft project. So, before I could begin stitching up my quilt project design I had to make up a special quilt project kit.

I thought I'd share with you the step by step.

I think these would make a great (& almost free) gift for any stitchers in your life.

So no more scrunching or folding people...it's all about the roll.

PDF how to available here.

How To Fabric Covered BoxView more presentations from kootoyoo.

This bag was made as a long overdue birthday gift for a very special friend. She's been waiting patiently & I'm finally ready to gift it.

You might remember the fabric. Selvedge notes: Robert Kaufman(?) Screen Print 3855 Boomerang Beat. One of my best op shop finds ever!

All components of this bag were purchased from various op shops. The embroidery floss came from my stash.

I know I've banged on before about how much pleasure this sort of crafting gives me, but honestly it's true.

I really want to keep this for myself - she's going to have a fight on her hands.

PS: Yesterday's post was supposed to say that my gorgeous sister made an entire pillowcase wardrobe for her sweet as anything little girl. I was also going to say how proud I was of her & how thrilled I was to have given her a hand...

Sorry about the total abandonment of the post...sometimes the heart wins.

Edited to add:

A few people asked about the how. I'm really sorry but I'm not ready to share my process. It's very much a work in progress & a pretty organic sort of construction. There's no pattern cut. I just get all the materials together & go for it. Maybe one day, but not yet. I hope that's OK.

The original was inspired by a bag made entirely of leather strapping by Danny Seo (which I've tried to find via Google & can't), as well as these tooled leather bags which my mum had in the 70s.

I will leave you with a quote from my hero found via his interview with Victoria Everman.

"The simple truth is that I think of what I want, then use what I've got on hand to make it".
Justin "Scrappers" Morrison

I've thought about this daily since I read the interview.

Elsie found the Danny Seo bag. Thank you Elsie.

I've been to cities that never close down,
from New York to Rio and old London town,
but no matter how far or how wide I roam,
I still call Australia home.
Peter Allen

A list of blogs I visit around Australia:

a spoonful of sugar
bespoke press
craftapalooza
edward and lilly
ethel loves fred
flossy p
girl ferment
hey bubbles
hop skip jump
hyena in petticoats
lottielulu
potty mouth mama
retro mummy
ric rac
rummage
sadie & lance
tsk tsk
two little banshees
two pink possums
whipup

This list is a work in progress & will be updated regularly.

You may also like to check out my:
craft blog list ... melbourne my absolute favourites!
craft blog list ... world wide

for some hand piecing.

I know I've blathered on before about how I like to have kits for new projects. Each "in progress" is carefully kitted up in it's own bag/box/basket waiting patiently for the mood to strike.

I've been plotting & planning the hand piecing for a few weeks & now I have my pin ring I'm ready to begin.

You can make a pin ring too...Kellie will show you how.

Oops...I missed it.

This is what was on my desk yesterday.

- Op Shopped seersucker
- Op Shopped books. Some of those colouring book pages will make great embroidery.
- Op Shopped apple salt & pepper shakers. I think that they look a bit halloweenish actually.
- Combi van in progress. The big girl is making it for her book report on "The Floods".

On my desk...the players
On my desk...fresh updates

in progress.

I found that my cheat sheet wasn't that helpful. I've re-written now & the making is getting faster.

Loving this fabric made up as a music box.

...So kiss me & smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
cause I'm leavin on a jet plane
don't know when I'll be back again.
John Denver

A list of blogs I visit from places faraway.

allsorts
angry chicken
area thrifty one
belladia
black.white.bliss
bluebird baby
bricolagelife
chris piascik
crafting a green world
daily danny
decor8
design for mankind
dudecraft
elsie marley
frecklewonder
freshly found
geninne's art blog
how about orange
ink caravan
matte stephens
mayamade
odette ny
pia jane bijkerk
pintame el dia
please sir
poppytalk
sfgirlbybay
simple lovely
simple sparrow
soulemama
swiss miss
the purl bee
treefall design
twelve 22
wee wonderfuls

This list is a work in progress & will be updated regularly.

You might also like to check out my:
craft blog list ... melbourne my absolute favourites!
craft blog list ... australia