Jemima & I have been busy putting together our new classes for next term. This term has been great, we have met some lovely ladies & together we have championed most machines. Everyone has finished some lovely projects while learning all the basic sewing skills. If you would like to join us at either class or for the next social Sew-Along then drop Jemima an email at tied with a ribbon.
There have been some exciting things happening with my little venture lately which has had me finishing all those projects that I start but never finish. My fingers are sore , my brain aches but I am quietly happy with my achievements.
Homespun magazine has asked me to put together some designs that will be published later this year . . . you’ll have to go out & buy the December issue to see the projects in their entirety but here’s a little sneaky peak! I took a few chances with some of the fabrics I chose but there again this little venture is meant to be about what’s in my heart & not what I think everyone else would prefer – I hope you will all like what I have done.
One of the things I finally finished was my Red Riding Hood wall hanging which I made for Heidi. It sat with the binding left to hand sew for weeks & weeks but every time I picked it up it just wasn’t talking to me . . . so I unpicked it!!!. Unpicked the binding & unpicked all the machine quilting. . . sounds like a mammoth task but I hadn’t quilted it very heavily & it actually wasn’t too painful – even managed to get a bit of help from my ‘non-sewing’ friend. I added an extra border all around it & hand quilted it this time & it looks so much better. It is now proudly hanging on the wall above Heidi’s bed . . . she just needs a new quilt to go with it.
If you are in Perth this weekend come & check out the Perth Upmarket at UWA. I’ll be running a small workshop teaching some very cute little hand embroidered buttons – it’s free, so grab a coffee & come & join me for half an hour, rest your feet from all your shopping! I’ll also be helping my friend and Sew-Along partner Jemima from Tied with a Ribbon on her stall . . . I think she thinks it will stop me from a bit of shopping!
x x hope to see a few friendly faces there.
I have long been interested in paper art & specifically papercuts from the likes of the inspirational artist Rob Ryan {check him out at www.misterrob.co.uk}. So I recently took myself down to Fremantle to South Freo Momentos to see the simply stunning work of Magali Dincher & to check out the paper cuts by Annie Rawle. Mmmmmmmm . . . . very yummy & very inspiring.
So you remember this that I doodled a few weeks ago . . . .
. . . well it turned into this!
Apart from my really sore fingers by the end of it, the whole day was pure joy. I got to go & be inspired by two very talented ladies, I was set loose in the art shop in pursuit of scalpel blades & paper & to top it off the family got to go & indulge on mussles, Pipsqueak & the best chips in the entire world at Little Creatures Brewery {see you can have a life with 3 kids!!!!}
Now I just have to find a frame to fit it . . . lucky for me the Ikea sale started today!
x x
Last night was the last of our first Sew-Along Course . . .
I know that Jemima & I were there to teach & re-introduce the love of sewing to a group of people but there was quite a lot that I learnt too . . .
. . . I really really love sewing
. . . button holes are NEVER as hard as they seem
. . . although my sewing machine cost a squillion dollars, a 200 buck machine does the job beautifully.
. . . a cheeper sewing machine with only a 4 stitch length does however, make gathering a tad harder!
. . . I don’t want to do any more gathering for a while
. . . it is possible to make beautiful things in only two hours
. . . good fabric makes everyone look good
. . . not everyone likes Robert Pattinson
. . . being with a group of creative woman is good for the soul
. . . I truely hate working with a centimetre pattern on an inch cutting mat
. . . I need to buy another cutting mat
. . . the simple projects take the longest
. . . zips are confusing but will never beat us
. . . surprisingly pyjamas are quicker to make then a zipped purse
. . . working with Jemima makes me more efficient (just)
. . . I can’t wait for the next class & whole group of friendly faces
many thanks to Louise, Lindsey, Amanda, Lea, Merle, Claire, Nyree, Claire & of course Jemima x x
sneeky peek of what Sew-Along has coming next term
