Small Projects completed, large ones to come...

I have been sewing so much! Having no day job has freed me up to focus on projects of all scales. I don't have photos yet of the big ones, but I can tell you that last night when my major costume commission hit the stage, the general incredulity and delight from people who didn't realise I had made it was very satisfying!

On a much smaller scale, it is my job to make the winners' sashes for DIY Burleskiwi held in Wellington on 6 June, and DIY Burleskoala held in September in Sydney.  As last year I completely forgot about 'koala until 2 weeks before, it was a scary rush to make and dispatch to Aus at an eye watering cost of $85.

I wanted to make the rosette, but there was so little time, Debbie made it and put 2026 on it by accident, so THIS year, I made the 2025 rosette. If that makes sense? but when I sent her a photo she said I should remake the 2026 one to match my new 2025 one...so anyway I made two. These rosettes are for the second place getters. And Debbie makes the 'kiwi one so no wonder she put 26 on the 'koala one! 

Two koala rosettes for 2025 and 2026

I made both sashes back to back, kiwi first. A NZ company called Nutex does a wonderful range of Kiwiana and Australiana fabrics, and we've fallen into the practice of using these prints as the base. The Aus one has different animals in floral circlets tossed across it. The NZ one is ferns. My primary requirement having learned the hard way, is to find a fairly low constrast fabric so the lettering pops.

I then use wool mix felt and steamaseam to make and attach the lettering, going over them with free motion machine stitching to ensure they never come away. 

After that I dive into my enormous collection of rhinestones and bling them up. 

Two sashes for 2026, 'koala and 'kiwi respectively.

Below are short videos of each sash that capture the sparkle better. Please excuse the footage of my dinner that night, it was sweet and sour sausages on rice, for the curious, one of MrC's specialties. :)

I made a tutorial about making bunting and adding felt lettering back in October 2013, and the other little project I completed lately was a string of bunting with a baby's name on it. Except I bought the bunting from the "no longer my" shop, which I had made back in 2014!! That was fun! I made a big pile of baby bunting back then but rather overdid it. Nine apple green letters spelled out her name. I won't post a pic as I am big on baby anonymity. Result!! 

The only change is I can't work out how to flip the lettering so I traced through the printout with a sharpie to make the reverse templates.

Let me know if you give it a go?  

 

On Starry Nights and Washi Tape

Washi Tape was a contentious issue in the shop days. Penny suggested we get some in, and I did. Felix came as close to pitching a fit as I've ever seen him, over it. These are two adults I adore and who flat together. But oooh blimey, they have different attitudes to washi tape.

Felix's position was that it wasn't a proper craft supply. I agreed. But, its beautiful, coloured, matchy rolls in a set was so intoxicating to the stationery lover in me! So, I decided to make something crafty out of it, as much to prove a point to Felix.

I decided to make a lampshade with a delicious set of Starry Night, Van Gogh washi tape. Even though it is sticky, I didn't trust it to be strong enough to hold a shade together, and making the rings sticky (as you do) held them onto the styrene.

I started off setting a diagonal, with the big diva tape.

Building those rows, one at a time. Ever so carefully not leaving even a sliver of white between the strips.

All filled up now, the ends roughly trimmed and tucked in.

I gently tucked the tape around the rings, nice and tidy!

And finally, here we are. It's silly, but I like it. I think it's still in the shop. Felix hated it! heehee!

 It's been at least two years since I made a lampshade and I miss it. Once, fabrics were divided into ones that would make a good lampshade, and the rest! 

I still have a few lampshades in me. I'll get there...

The Midas Touch...

Upcycling doesn't always have to be about clothes. I really enjoy overhauling old bits of furniture picked up because it is somehow not deemed sexy enough to be pricey. I have a chair bought off TradeMe (NZ's eBay alternative) that is super pretty but was painted by some dumb ass, thus reducing its value considerably, as stripping it back would be an excruciating process.
This is where Rub'n'Buff comes in. Rub'n'Buff is a permanent paint that is a bit like shoe polish for solid surfaces like wood. It comes in a little tube, has the consistency of toothpaste,and you just squeeze it out and rub it in with a cloth. Then you buff it, it gets shinier, and it dries like paint, no rubbing off. Hence the name! And it means that instead of stripping the chair back, I can apply the gold to the bad paint job and transform it.

Here's my pretty chair. With ugly brown paint and ugly weird upholstery. I've left this on for now, to protect what is underneath from the Rub'n'Buff.

Here's one leg done and one leg to go. It is so easy, just squeeze some of the creamy stuff onto an old cloth, and rub it on. I feel like Midas!

Here's the back all done - showing how it has a nice old looking patina and leaving the grooves in the design still dark. I like that.

Stage one complete!

 The whole chair only took one little bitty tube. The one on the right, in case you were wondering! The colour I used is European Gold.

Midas' rubber gloves and cloth in the aftermath.

Next step - a jolly good buffing to bring up the shine, and a reupholstering. This chair is not for us so I shall consult with the intended owner on fabric.

How easy is this! I've got my eye on some lampshades and other bits and pieces, with the other tube. I've also got my eye on the composite gold leaf in the shop. This gilding business is quite addictive...

This is also about trying out the products we sell. I remember Rub'n'Buff from the 1970s so it is not a new discovery, but nothing has replaced it in simplicity, affordability and effectiveness. Yes, I am a fan!

From Table cloth to Table Lamp

It's my sister's birthday next week, and I promised her a pair of bedside table lampshades. I wanted to use the opportunity to try something new - not just a groovy fabric but some extra stuff too. Sister Jo is pretty artsy in her own right and appreciates a bit of bling
So, after rootling around in my stash of stuff, I unearthed an old tablecloth bought at the Sallies and popped off to Global-that-was to pick up some light green silk, and this is what I did:

 Making the lampshade using the pale green silk. Goes with my nails ;-)

The tablecloth. I think I paid $4 at the Sallies in Kilbirnie. 

Cutting a strip of the cloth slightly wider than the barrel of the shade.

A liberal coating of adhesive spray. I loathe the stinky stuff, I much prefer Mod Podge, but working with silk it gets tricky as white glues can mark it so easily.

 Erk, the sticky keeps sticking to itself...

 ...finally in business. I'm wrapping it around the green shade

keeping it nice and taut, and lapping the finished edge from the corner of the tablecloth over the cut edge.

After stretching and sticking it all down, I cut around the pattern as much as I could on the cut side, and left the 15mm extra needed for roll under where I couldn't do that. The other side I deliberately let under and overlap the edge.

 Rinse and repeat...

This what they look like with light coming through. "I have to be honest with you, I loves it. Tidy*".

*Blame reruns of Gavin and Stacey, Ness is my hero! Even more than Miranda!

Lampshading

Can Lampshading be a word, like planking? As in, the art of making a lampshade. Not like planking really then, cos that's just pretending to be a plank.
If it is a word, I've been Lampshading. We recently got in a stock of lampshade hoops so people can make their own lampshades, and I wanted to give it a go.

Here are my two first attempts. The one on the left is covered in a Villa Nova fabric made in England (Yay!!!) and you can see why I had to have it. Fitting all three ladies onto it meant going quite tall.
The one on the right is for my living room eventually. It is hard core Mr and MrsC style! It is wider than the other, and as a result I was a scant 2 inches short of fabric, so I had to add a strip up the back. This is not good lampshade making, but I know for next time.
I've been using Pi times the diameter to calculate the fabric needed, but this isn't exact. The fabric gets stuck to the styrene which is then wrapped around the hoops. Somewhere in that process you gain about 2 inches, which is weird.
Anyway, as I haven't found a source of adhesive styrene in NZ, I've been using spray adhesive instead. It is pretty stinky so MrC set a trestle up on the pavement outside for me to work on. Anyone who has been to Wellington knows it's not called WINDY Wellington for nothing, and I ended up with adhesive spray all through my hair and clothes. Yuk! And such a waste of spray too, as so much of it blows away. We may have to do this in the hallway instead. If we did it in the studio, I'd never get rid of the smell!

A camera, some cushions and a shirt walked into a bar...

Finally, a camera again! Just a little one, but it IS red. So it takes photos faster ;-)

Sorry peops but it is so hot here, I cannot be arsed bothered getting all prettied up in my new makes for you. In the meantime, by means of apology, here are the other things going down:

 Out in the Square is on 19 January - last year, I sold some cushions made of hunks and heroes fabrics, and could have sold twice as many. SO this year, I've MADE twice as many. In this higgledy piggeldey pile are 19 cushions. featuring cowboys, firemen, Hawaiian maidens, Frida Kahlo and many more. Lots of fun. And if they don't all sell, I will unstuff the remainder and pack them away for next year.

Aren't they a riot of colour!

Next up is the sensory experience of MrC's going-to-be-shirt. We found the green, ochre and black fabric in my fat quarter box, a perfect contrast. It looks a bit tooo black in this photo, but in real life, it does an excellent job of balancing this busy pattern and adding a touch of the masculine to it.

A longer shot taking in the pattern.
Seeing - thick lines, one size only, seam allowance marked in, takes me straight back to the first years of my sewing - WELL before this pattern was ever printed. Opening up this pattern and spreading it out was such a thrill!
Hearing - the instruction papers are so crisp, they make a wondrous rustle. The tissue rustles too, in a much deeper, more mature way than the young new patterns being born these days.

Smelling - Oh the smell! The dry, cuminy spicy scent of old patterns is one of my favourite smells. It smells of possibilities, like books do. things on paper are so exciting because they are only the beginning of the experience to come - the pattern yet to be made is like the story yet to be read.

Touch - the tissue is thicker, the paper thinner than new patterns. It is far easier to handle as it settles quickly, not floating all over the place like modern tissue. 

Taste - Aha! I am not nibbling on it to find out! Instead I will refer to taste in the sense of style, not flavour. This pattern is ornery, and yet it has the prettiest rose embroider transfer that I may have to try somewhere some time. With piping in the dark as well as cuff and collar linings, I think it will rock any party.

And now, to the cutting table! AKA the kitchen bench!! :)

Looking back, then forward

 I am enjoying reading all of the end of year wrap ups and looking forward to this year posts on others' blogs, so I feel I should have a go too.
Looking Back
2012 has been the most profoundly life changing year of my whole life. It is the year I got a grip on what matters to me, and jumped in. Starting on 29 December 2011 when I went to buy 5 zips, and bought the whole shop. Well, it was at least the beginning of the process which on 1 April had us take over the keys.

 Our first artwork, starring Oobop's scissors!

So, what has this meant? It means working in partnership with David, MrC, which we love to do and which works really well. He is SO happy now, and that makes me happy too.
It means that every day magic happens. Yesterday, a young lady came in asking for a safety pin to stop her blouse gaping. We were not too busy so I offered her a kimono and a chair, and fixed it for her instead. While I reinforced her buttonhole, she told Madame O (who was visiting) and me about herself - she is an opera singer! We had a wonderful 20 minutes of sharing dreams and laughter, and made a new friend. This kind of thing happens every day, and I never tire of it :)
It means that I have only one day off, a Tuesday, and so I miss out on all kinds of social activities on the weekend. My friends have been amazingly supportive of this and have incorporated the shop into their regular visiting routines but it isn't the same and getting some time back for the people I care about is on my 2013 resolutions list.
 It is the year I got invited to do a TV segment. This was a huge extra workload on top of a very busy Christmas rush, but so worth it. It was lots of fun too, and has inspired me on all kinds of creative levels.
And what have I made?  Well, mostly crafty stuff for shop samples. However, lately I've been getting in some wardrobe makes - nothing like having to appear on national television to speed up the wardrobe replenishment process! :) (in fact, just now I put the netbook down and finished a top. Score one to FO ing UFOs!) I shall blog about these soon, promise!
Another big thing that happened was the Craft and Textile Lovers' Guide to Wellington. This was a major project and I have never blogged about it, sorry! I had the idea that maybe all of the groovy independent shops in Wellington could get together a map - and a quick ring around confirmed that there were takers. In three weeks, we went from an idea to 20,000 copies, just in time for the World of Wearable Arts show that brings thousands of textile fans into the area. It was great because now we all have a closer relationship than ever, and there is a healthy and happy attitude of co-opposition. And customers love it too. :)

Looking Forward
So far, I am finding 2013 really creative. We are overhauling the shop - new fittings, paint etc, while still trading which is great actually as people enjoy seeing it happen and pitch in ideas. This means we are finally putting our own stamp on it - and this I find inspiring. 
I am making new products and working on patterns, so finally some of our own product. Mostly this involves needle cases, pin cushions, knitting needle rolls and cases - that kind of thing. People want to buy them but noone supplies really nice ones so why not.
I am looking into other lines as well - it was always our intention to create our own products, but 2012 was too focussed on Keeping Calm and Carrying On. Now I have some headspace, and it feels wonderful. 
I may have more TV to make, and now I have tasted it, I have a few ideas in that direction. More as this unfolds. It also broke the vlog ice for me and I want to look into more of that.
E-commerce is also on the cards. Oooh!
This all sounds like it's shop related, but we two are inseparable. It is an expression of myself and  so it is the lynch pin for most of what I am doing in life. I hope that's OK!
Writing this reminds me how stingy I've been about sharing my makes and breakthroughs. Of course the paradox of blogging is that when there is plenty to blog about, there is less time to do so!
So, my resolutions for 2013 include:

• Make more stuff for me. Clothes, quilts - things I want to make for myself and others, including MrC, for whom I have ordered two delicious shirt lengths of fabric!
• Post about these makes. Catch up on the 2012 ones and keep up in 2013.
• Learn more about my camera. Its complexity defeat me so far. And/or, buy a simpler one. And use it to capture more moments.

 

Shirt fabrics for MrC

 If you've kept reading this far, thank you for indulging me! And Happy New Year!

Christmas Day

Well, it finally came, and happened. It was 30 degrees Celcius (86 Farhenheit) today, blazing sun and generally about as unsuited to a big meal as you can imagine!

This was our table back in 2009, but the lovely cloth is in service on our Christmas table in the shop, and we wanted to get the children involved. So, this year:

My nieces making crackers in hot pink, lime and orange, and cutting snowflakes out of wrapping paper. They are all getting so grown up, I can't call them children any more (Jess who is 18 next year took exception to me saying it, but they are growing up so fast!)

Some of the output of their labours

The table coming together. White paper table cloth - what a wonderful product it is! It also covered the buffet, and we have plenty left over. The Embroidenator made the cute glittery Christmas trees.

Dinner begins. I popped out of the kitchen to take this photo - only about half way through dishing up such a big group at this stage. My littlest nephew Peter has a keen eye for a camera!

And after all the food is eaten, the crackers pulled and the eaters dispersed, all that is left is carnage. The Embroidenator contemplating it all, and probably feeling the heat!

Jess made a gingerbread house. It is so beautiful, noone could bear to eat it!
The bunting was a great hit too. And I got a couple of very special presents I will share in another post.

Merry Christmas to you all, with much love from me.

My Bunting Factory

Several people have come into the shop asking if we sell bunting, because we have bunting over our front door. So, I figured I'd make some to help out with the last minute panic present buying.
Then on the way to work yesterday I had a brainwave. I could make bunting for all my nieces and nephews. And if anyone wanted to buy a string of it then they could and I'd just replace it.
So that's what happened. I did sell some too!

Here they are - eight strings of bunting, each one personalised to the recipient's tastes. It was the best fun making it!

All folded up ready to wrap. I used a herring bone trim for the tops. It comes in a range of colours and I think it really adds something to the look. A brass curtain ring at each end for hanging and that's it!

All wrapped and labelled. 

Just SOME of the resulting mess...

The herringbone trim, and a few unsewn flags. I made three extras for tomorrow.
I have so much to do before Tuesday, but I really wanted to give all the children a little something and this was a nice way to do it. And what's the point of owning metric tonnes of fabric scraps if you can't make fun things out of them!
I hope your Christmas making is going well, whatever it involves :)

So, after all that,

My Play Date with Destiny

Guess how I spent my Saturday? No word of a lie dear readers, I spent it playing with my destiny.
You see, I can now reveal my BIG NEWS!! The news that had me scrubbing the bathroom floor, resigning my day job and spending my Saturday on a play date.
MrC and I are taking over a business. It is a ....drumroll.....CRAFT & SEWING SUPPLIES SHOP!!!! I shall pause now while the natural envy you are experiencing settles down......................can I keep going now? Good (teehee!!!)
Today I went and helped Les the current owner as he was by himself and had SO MUCH FUN!! Cake decorating supplies for a fantasy 21st cake, ribbon and flowers for a bridal favour, spiral steel boning for a corset remake, wool and needles to knit a snood, and so many more. Wonderful people who came out in a STORM to get their creative needs met, so many folk happy to hear that the shop wasn't closing when Les and Dianne retire but carrying on. It was exhilarating. For me to get this taste of my future, and to hand over paper bag after paper bag of possibilities.
So, Dear Readers, Goldings Handcrafts in Marion St, Wellington is closing on 23 March and on 1 April, Made Marion will open for business. Two classrooms - one enclosed and one open to the shop with studio space, a couch or two to sit and knit or handsew, tea, coffee and laughter, and every fabulous item known to womankind for sale too. Seven days a week.
It's my destiny. We dated, we fell in love. :)

More Apron Happiness!

Just spent a weekend on a quilting retreat, but the closest thing to quilting I did was make these little Christmas stockings, because they have a bit of batting in them:

Dupion silk and Christmas fabric offcuts, all kinds of pretty sparkly trims, brought together to make these cuties. They now have choccies in them and are all bagged up for market!

No childish giggling please about this photo! It is Lesley (female) making her very own stocking. The stocking bug spread around our table, and quite a few more went home than arrived!

And there was a hat and some bags in a bag, but the best fun I had (besides the wonderful company!) was making two Christmas "posh pinnies." I can't stop myself, so many aprons in my soul that need to be made real.  

My beautiful soul sister* Sandra modelling #1: olive green and dark red cotton with a red/green shot organza frill, contrast fabric top cadged from Lesley (who has the most amazing array of Christmas fabrics I've ever seen!!) and an organza rose corsage.

Sandra having a look at the bottom of apron #2. Red/gold cotton with a gorgeous sleigh motif border fabric, cadged from Sandra, with organza trim, and a holly corsage.
The corsages have brooch pins on the back so they can come off for laundering, although because of this clever touch on the one the Embroidenator made me a few years back, I lost it! But she lost the one off hers too so we are even.
They need a bit of work - sewing the red jewel buttons on properly, putting brooch backs on labels etc.
*Sandra and I are constantly discovering how much we have in common. Our stashes are about 60% the same with a strong red bias, and this weekend we both like rieslings and gewurtztraminers over sauv blanc. I am convinced she is really my (slightly) older sister who was swapped at birth and am going to have to speak firmly to the Embroidenator about this... 

Countdown to Christmas

In a week it is the opening of the White Room Christmas shop. In two weeks it is the annual DCM fundraiser Christmas market. And then there's the Big Day Itself.
I have to date prepared:
9 Christmas cakes - ranging in size from 4 inches to 10 inches round.
5 full sized Christmas puddings and 43 miniatures. About 3 large and another 8 dozen littlies to go
2 bags in a bag - I have a pile cut out and need to get my head down.
10 Christmas stockings
6 dozen non slip hangers - over half of which are already sold!
All kinds of other stuff.
And I haven't solved the what to mount the "fabulous but really quite worthless from a collector's point of view" 1970's Christmas postage stamps on so they can become earrings. I don't fancy noxious epxoy resin fumes and things. Anyone got any ideas?
This is my favourite time of year - making stuff that is just plain fun, making a bit of pocket money to spend on more stuff to make stuff out of, helping to raise a bit of money for a good cause, looking forward to the break.
I love it. Do you?

I'm totally and utterly Fabricated!

Totally and UTTERLY. What a huge day. Today was the culmination of 11 months' planning. Nearly 800sqm (8000sqft) of textile arts and crafts activity - exhibitions, vendors, clubs, demonstrations, classes, and a really top notch cafe. 36 stalls in all plus the extra things. We set up the tables, frames etc last night, and started again at 7am this morning, helping vendors and other clubs to unpack their cars and get set up so everything was ready by 10am. (To be perfectly honest and in a spirit of complete disclosure, I was useless and got sent home early the night before, as this coldy fluey thing is exhausting and I was just in the way!)
At 10am, there was a queue at the door! People poured in and it was like that most of the day. I taught classes in how to make a yoyo brooch (will do a blog on this, it's fun!) and there was felt bead making, needle felting, making a scarf using washaway, demos of every kind from embroidery, lacemaking, helping to put a quilt together, spinning, various knitting techniques, antique and vintage textiles; and supplies for every textile art and craft imaginable for sale. Except dressmaking stuff, not so much of that.
It was a busy, fun, amazing celebration of textile love. And we are already plotting how to make it bigger and better next time! And did I remember to take the camera? ARGH!!! So you will just have to believe me and hopefully someone else had more common sense :)
Update: Turns out of course lots of other people did! Including Jenny of Romany quilting.

Teacosy giveaway :)

Well, remember how Adele won the teacosy in my giveaway a few weeks back? Well, here it is. I had enough Horrid's (you know who I mean - Knightsbridge, posh etc) teatowel left to make a pair of potmits:

I couldn't resist these teatowels and bought a few. Adele LOVES teatowels, and so it seemed like the perfect material to use.

But when you are 4, like Angus, a teacosy means one thing only! It even comes with shields! ;-)