the week that was

Tuesday morning made some lavender squares out of doilies. Filled them Wednesday night.

Didn’t make anything on Wednesday, Thursday but on Friday went to see the Yinka Shonibare MBE exhibition at the MCA. In the spiel it says “Shonibare explores ideas about contemporary African identity, the legacy of colonialism, class structures and social justice”. Well I don’t know about that but the fabrics were deelish.

Today I made a bag for Stephanie from a Japanese book. I started at about 9.30 this morning and finished at 2pm. It was a protoptype for one I intend to make for myself …oneday.

Some left over d’olie edging fron Tuesdays efforts adds a touch of whimsy to this otherwise plain pocket.

Here is the mess I now have to clean up.

little bit of this little bit of that

I took Stephanie my babe garage saleing and treasure hunting today. I don’t usually take her as she starts to get fidgety by the second shop or stop but she is good company. She ended up with an impressive haul of goodies for her dollhouse and I came away with a deer and an old quilt (pictures to come soon). This is actually for my sister. We were in Adelaide a few weeks back and she noticed one of these in a chi chi Modern Danish shop priced as only Modern Danish chi chi shops can. In the right atmosphere, it looks outstanding , in my house this holds no ground, which despairs me a little as I would like a chi chi home. Just a tiny pinch of despair.

Have been doing a little bit of stitching which does not despair me. Quite satisfying and non stressful.

We, meaning the family, are going out for Lebanese food tonight. I don’t cook on Saturdays nights. It used to be that we had takeaway ( but I would have to go and get it to eat at home, still like cooking to me) but now we actually go out to eat which feels very civilised.

5 brown owls

Today in hot and sunny downtown Gladesville was the inaugural Sydney Brown Owls meet at Material Obsession. It was nice to sit around and chat and all be familiar with what everyone was talking about. Cass did a wonderful job at organising it all. I’m happy to have found some more blogs to add to Google reader and come away with a few little treats, thanks Jess.

balls

Pincushion

With little cat and dog pins made from shrinky plastic and applique pins. Cute. They serve no use for anything but sometimes things have to be done without purpose, in my world. Plus I seem to have to have only ten minutes at a time before I am called for something so things have to be quick and little. A point in case - just as I typing this enthralling piece about wee pins ..” mum, can we get the ball off the roof ?” I have just blasphemed (to myself in my head), breathed out and ’spose I best get the ladder.

try

I’ve been making a few things. I am going to try and sell some at the local markets this month. Don’t know how well they will fare, but I will give it a go. Instead of spending money there I will try and make some.

Speaking of the markets this is what I got there last month. I got all hyper blinded when I bought it - but upon better inspection once at home I fear that I have purchased one of those quilts that is made in India and usually sold through such establishments as Home…I can barely say it…art.
I will justify keeping it by saying I am recycling.

up for air

I’ve almost forgotten how to do this caper.
Have been buried up to the proverbial with reading and essay writing. Interesting but sometimes I stopped and thought to myself, what a load of old bollocks.

I have had this on my list to do for about 2 years and finally got around to doing last night. These are two pillow cases made into one bag - obviously. No pattern, just squares and rectangles sewn together.

Now I’m off to read about Baroque or some such thing. I will hopefully be back soon.

before, no after

This quilt has been hanging around my sewing table like a bad smell for many months now.
I lost interest in it when I decided, when I got to this stage, that the pattern was all wrong and it was too restricting to my mind, in that it was very repetitive ,and I really couldn’t be frigged to think about it. I really must try crazy quilting one day - no rules.
Over the long weekend just gone, enough was enough. I got stuck into it.
So the smell has nearly diminished now as I have now completed the piecing. I just have to paste it all together.
I have holidays in a couple of weeks so I will finish it then I hope. More edit - crap pics when they come to hand.

giveth and recieveth

Ill give this another go, very frustrated with this new blog. Anyway…
On receiving. I got this in a giveaway here. Its you beaut.

On giving. I have this book to giveaway. Its secondhand. Its a 1983 edition (first published in 1975), quite good condition by Pamela Parkes.

Cute softies, dolls and teddies to make. Very 70’s.

Leave a comment if anyone is interested and on Sunday I’ll draw a name.

cross stitch

Went to the markets, not much to report. Nice venue, but very small. Took a walk up the street into the city to Kinokuniya.
Purchased a book on darning. Sublime.
Picture below.

zips,boats and needles

Good times at the OS this week.
I have been a bit obsessed of late finding boat fabric and here it is. I knew it would be found eventually but I really didn’t want fifty years of dirt and I think nicotine embedded in it. A piece of old smelly fabric. Not every girl would be thrilled but its my thang.

And zips. I love zips with rings on the end. I hate sewing the mongrel things though. I don’t know why more people don’t buy zips from the op-shop, they range from only 20-50 cents in my area as compared to two dollars onwards in the not secondhand shops.

Needlepunch toolset. Still unopened. Hmmph. I’ll give it a try. Hope it’s not dodgy. If I do something really good I’ll put it on the blog, if it doesn’t go well it will still go on the blog.