No words - just fabric

From Aunty Cookie.

Moving on...

from the last post as it makes me feel a bit negative. I've nicked this photo from Loz and Dinny of these quilts I made and forgot to photograph. They're pretty wonky (but don't tell Tavish and Arlo) and I discovered that even with a walking foot you have to be really careful when quilting flannel. There's a lot of puckering on the back. I've got some of the fabric left so Arj will be getting one too one of these days. The fabric is All Star by Riley Blake which you can get here. It's perfect for boys.

Stuff I love

Rainbow stripes and a combi. Really, what more could you ask for. I have bought this tapestry kit and am happily stitching away through the Tour de France. It's by Granny Knits.

Maybe this one will be next! From Clothkits.

This jacket reproduced from the original 70s Clothkits designs. I'm sure I remember this from my Mum's catalogues when I was little. This is underway for Arj. I'm hoping I'll get it done before the end of winter! Available here. So cute, it even has a tractor and three farm animal prints to make into softies that fit in the pockets.

Checking out fabric both vintage and new on True Up.

The new fabric line from American Jane. Love it. I always love American Jane fabrics. I really seem to be drawn to the clear bright mainly primary colours. Available here.

These Auntie Cookie papercut fabrics. A bargain!

Lino Forest and Find, Make, Do blogs.

More plans

On my project list are a couple of beanbags for the kids. I'll probably use this tutorial and Denyse Schmidt decorating weight fabrics maybe with some denim or plain cotton canvas to break it up a bit. Denyse Schmidt's designs would have to be my all time favourite fabrics. I've used quite a few in my kid's clothing in the past and whenever I see any around I'm hard pressed not to buy it.

One for the project list

What a very cool idea this is. I won't be bothering with the bag but a couple of dolls and a bunch of outfits - what fun! A great excuse to buy yet more fabric.

We're having a great summer. I hope you are too. We've spent a lot of time in the pool, made a lot of trips to the beach and the shack. Been to the NW coast, W coast and E coast and off to the Freycinet peninsula this weekend coming for a quick camping trip. Still not getting nearly enough sleep and not getting to do any work. I'm a bit frustrated cos the ideas are coming thick and fast, I just seem to be in this sort of semi-paralysed state where I can't seem to start anything. I think it's because I know I'll be interupted just as I get going - or is that just an excuse?

Maybe some summer photos soon.

Everytime I blog I feel inspired to keep it up and do it more regularly then I stop again!

P.S. The Maisy quilt was a huge hit!

Secret Maisy Business

A work in progress. I've been having fun with this and doing my first attempt at machine quilting. I only have the binding to go now and I think I'll get it done in time for Christmas. I'm hoping this will replace the quilt I carried on the back of my bike to the airport in Nice as Chloe's tv watching quilt of choice. Then, perhaps, I could use mine.

Just an aside. Does anyone else have glitter all over their house, themselves, their kids and even trailed into the garden?

Market finds

I'm copying Gemma and showing off some of my recent Esk Market finds. Chloe and I had some girl time last Sunday. We treated ourselves to pain au chocolats (somewhat perversely Chloe pulled out the chocolate and refused to eat it. Strange girl!) and cinos of choice and then went to the market. Chloe loves to go to the French Bakery stall where she can sample the bread and also to the balloon man. She usually gets him to make her a flower but branched out and went for a fish this time. I got enough bread for the week - they have the best olive bread - the three tiered tin above and the jug. The jug is Arabia from Finland and I love it. My mother-in-law has a couple with different animals. I got down to my last $2 and used it for a bumch of coriander.

The canisters were from a previous Esk market trip.

There is a very small amount of craftiness going on here (not for the shop yet Jen!) which mostly consists of buying stuff for new projects and maybe beginning them if I'm lucky before I move on to the next idea. I'm aiming to finish a few things before I buy anything else. The fabric in the photo above is the Wee Play range by American Jane chooped up ready for the beginnings of a quilt or maybe picnic blanket.

Shopping

Meet Seagull. He goes absolutely everywhere with us and has done since Arj's birth. He was always a firm favourite but now he's the one and only. He's a goose or some insist a duck but around here he is most definitely called Seagull. Now when we see white ducks Chloe calls them Seagull ducks. This photo was taken yesterday when he was fresh from a little visit to the Seagull salon in our laundry. He could do with another visit already.

I recently hunted down a reserve Seagull online just in case. Needless to say the reserve is so white and plump he doesn't even look like the same species.



Slightly optimistic fabric buy. Quite a few yards from Joel Dewberry's new range. Deer Valley I think it's called. I love them but may have been kidding myself thinking I had time to do anything with them. And this is not all! I'm still waiting for another plump package to arrive. Not to mention the lovely goodies I've been snapping up locally.


Some letters for Arj's door or maybe a shelf. I'm desperate to get started on his room. The poor little bub is surrounded by our framed prints that haven't yet been given a home, a beautiful old huon pine chest I bought years ago for Sam to store his (annoyingly cluttering) piles of maps in and a few other small furniture items that we're yet to decide where to put. I wanted to get started on painting the old built ins in his room this weekend but it wasn't to be.

Elephants

Elephant trim denim pants I've just finished for a little boy. I love how these turned out. I love, love, love the elephant fabric. It's a Japanese cotton and I only bought half a yard. Must get more - please don't buy it all or I'll regret leaving the link!

6x6

OK, I've been dragging the chain a bit on this. I was tagged for 6 x 6 by Jo from Rousabout and Kali from Poppy Lane. This means I have to show and tell the 6th photo from my 6th folder. Hmm, problem. My 6th folder only has two photos so how about the 2nd photo from the 6th folder.

This is a silk wall hanging I bought from an antique shop in New Norfolk. All I know about it is that it came from the collection of a woman who travelled a lot and brought home lots of goodies. I love the colours in it - which aren't great in this photo. In fact this proves that my camera skills have at least improved a bit. I bought it while I was pregnant with Chloe and the pathetic thing I have to admit is that I still haven't hung it up.

I'm not going to tag anyone because I'm so far behind with this I'm sure almost everyone has done it. If you feel like joining in though, please do, and let me know so I can check out your photos.

Dorothy & Evelyn

Dorothy & Evelyn in St Kilda are now stocking some Black Eyed Susie clothing and accessories including this one off vintage fabric dress. I'm desperate to get over to Melbourne to check out the shop. It's 158 Barkly St if anyone's passing by!

Warmth and Water

We're having some warm weather at last. Chloe has really been enjoying paddling. We are lucky to have a great, free, outdoor pool in our town. It's at Cataract Gorge and is next to a river surrounded by parkland and bushland. A lovely place to spend some time with the little one.

That is me pre-haircut. Thankfully it's much better now.

This is what we do on car free days. The pool is just a bit too far to walk to so we get the paddling pool out on the deck. And don't worry, we reuse all the water for our plants in the evening.

This is a belt I made for a friend. I'm really happy with how it turned out and luckily she likes it too. The fabric is from the American Jane Wee Play range and is one of my favourites.

I've been beavering away at the sewing machine with a bunch of orders today. It was very satisfying to get a big chunk of work done as I've been feeling pretty lethargic lately.

Parties and tsk tsk

With the slowness of my bloggin lately you'd be excused for thinking nothing is happening in our household or in Black Eyed Susie. You'd be close but not quite right!

We had the first of Chloe's good friends' second birthday party on the weekend and I got some of Kristen Doran's great Matyroshka print linen to make a present. The largest of the dolls has a zipper in the back and is a little purse for carrying the other dolls. This is a blatant copy of Kristen's idea but I'm sure she wouldn't mind. To be honest the birthday girls wasn't as impressed as her mum - but that's OK. Mum's need something too!


We popped into the local Wood Design Centre market in the morning before the party and met Gemma of Loz and Dinny. I'd been meaning to make Chloe a new dress but hadn't had the inspiration or the will and so this little dress from Loz and Dinny was just perfect. It got so many compliments at the party that I started to feel just a tiny bit envious that I hadn't made it. Not a great photo, Chloe has it pulled down a bit and you can't see the wide polka dot hem which looks great.



Needless to say I've had to soak it to get the beautiful homemade ice cream out.

The party was a great success and Chloe has been talking about it all week.

Last week I was totally flattered to see that one of my designs was featured by Tiel on tsk tsk along with a bunch of other great Australian handmade items. Tiel does amazing stuff - I'm totally in awe - if you haven't seen it go take a look here.

The ultimate car...

...for fabric lovers. A Toile de Jouy car spotted in a showroom on the Champs Elysee - I can't remember what make - shame on me. Notice the great seats.

Paris - Part 1

I'm still getting my blogging self together! Here's a start.


Carousels became a firm favourite very rapidly.

Negotiating sudden warm weather and the onset of severe jetlag.


In other news, I had vowed not to spend any unnecessary money but I had to buy three of these (scroll down a little) great Kristen Doran Matryoshka fabric panels. Can't wait for them to arrive. I have justified them as birthday presents (to be sewn up) for a few little girls I know.

This is....

my favourite fabric shop. Wafu Works at Kingston Beach. I don't have a photo or a website for you but if you click this link you can see the owner and some of her wares.

http://www.newsphotos.com.au/ImageDetail.asp?RefNum=96014400

This is my favourite place to rummage and I could spend hours - unfortunately I only ever get a few rushed minutes as the opening hours and our busy and infrequent visits to Kingston don't allow me anymore.

Other favourites are Reprodepot and Superbuzzy.

This weeks topic was chosen by Handmaiden and 'This is' is hosted by Three Buttons

I'm drawn to bird prints at the moment and have had this sitting in the pile for a while. With such a large complex print it needed to be made into something very simple and I've had this plan in my head for months.

I'm very pleased with the results and can't wait to see Chloe running around in the sun in it.

I may put some in the shop when we return.

New dress

This is a new dress that is available at Evie Lala now. I'll be listing it on Etsy soon. Soft, dark navy denim with Sierra by Anna Griffin fabric for the trim, pocket and lining.

Busy, busy, busy!

I've got the theme tune from Gordon the Garden Gnome (ABC Kids in the morning sometime) in my head almost constantly these days.

Busy, busy, busy. It's off to work we go, we've got to dig the garden and etc, etc, etc. So let's get mucky, put your puddlebusters on, with Gordon the Garden Gnome.

It's driving me somewhat bonkers.

But it's true. I am busy. I've been working on wholesale orders for a couple of weeks now. The only lull has been waiting for fabric to arrive (some new stuff - pictures soon). I'm getting through it and I must admit, I find it really satisfying to be busy.

Finally

I've been feeling frustrated because I haven't been able to get anything new made for Black Eyed Susie for a while. Finally I made this sweet dress. I love it. I love the contrast of the large dark blue and ivory daisy print with the smaller oval and rectangle red print. OK, some may say it's a bit busy but I just think it's oh so cute!



I want to get Chloe some red tights or leggings and a red polo neck now.



I'm finding photgraphing my clothes difficult now we are in winter. It's really way to cold to put Chloe in a dress (without the leggings etc) and I do want to show the dresses as they can look in summer as well as winter. Also, the spot in my house that I have always used to photgraph the clothes flat just doesn't get enough light even on the brightest day now. So whilst I love the dress, I'm disappointed in the pictures. I need to find some better options.