Spots of red

C and I did some fabric printing last week- inspired by last year's fabric printing swaps, but this time a little swap between crafters' kids. I have to admit the process had it's moments (protective clothing and sheets of paper not withstanding), but it was a great experience. It was wonderful to see C experiment, discover, learn and ultimately we got into a groove- me inking between each stamp, him placing carefully with regard to his previous marks, and then declaring it finished.


We have received some wonderful fabrics from Wil and Ali in return. One has already been sewn into something and the other will be very soon. Thanks Kirsten for organising this one!

My new love

Late last year, as I was putting the finishing touches to some (yet to be blogged about) gifts, my trusty old sewing machine went pop and hissed and fizzled and let out a puff of smoke and an acrid electrical burning smell. After 19 years of use and abuse it was letting me know it had had enough. So last week, after about year of thinking about it, and saving for it, I finally bought myself a new sewing machine. A Bernina 550QE sewing computer* to be precise.

With one project under my belt (our belts?) so far, I am completely and utterly in love with it. Far more than I expected.

It started with the fact that it fills the bobbin almost entirely by itself (and I have a few to be filled), and ended with the fact that this first project was so easy to sew with it.


It was a project that had been on the To-Do list for a long time- a hanging pocket organiser for holding shoes and sun hats inside our all-purpose storage cupboard. I probably could have managed to make it with my old machine, but I know it would have been a struggle.

There would have been broken needles and cursing and swearing and hand cranking as I wrangled multiple layers of fabric through the machine. It wouldn't have had the triple stitched top stitching that I chose to use (for extra strength and durability), and the top stitching wouldn't have been as neat because I wouldn't have had the clever presser foot that makes neat top stitching so easy.

All the necessary stopping and starting would have driven me batty, with all the needle up/down adjusting and presser foot lifting that becomes so much easier (unnecessary even) when you have touch button and knee lever controls. And having a big work surface to support a big project was brilliant too.

Really, I was amazed. I expected it to be a more robust and helpful machine but experiencing it really blew me away**. I am smitten and looking forward to spending many more evenings together with it.

*According to the manual it is a sewing computer, not a sewing machine. Although it does lack a Qwerty keyboard and touchscreen.
**Actually being able to set foot inside our all-purpose storage cupboard, now that all the shoes that used to take up the floor space in there are hanging up on the inside of the door, is pretty amazing too.

Away

Away from the city; playing with friends; spending time outside; harvesting plums, potatoes, rhubarb and blueberries; eating tasty food; enjoying the time away from internet and phone connections; just going with the changes in routine; watching the cows being milked and the calves being fed; reacquainting myself with caffeine; not getting enough sleep. Guess you can't have everything.
(The last photo is from our holiday there a couple of years ago. My, how they have grown...)

Wrapping up last year: The Lego Bag

I made this for C for Christmas, having seen this tutorial via Pinterest, and having chatted with S about the Lego bag he'd had as a child, the same as the one mentioned in the tutorial. Our Lego storage system was reaching capacity, and we wanted something quick and easy to unfurl or pack up, and easier to sort and rummage for pieces on.

I used a range of fabrics, all from the stash- mostly Ikea cotton and linens with some honeyed carrots too- and random pieced. The inside lining is a black and white cotton blend from Spotlight.

It worked really well, although I'm going to have to find some better eyelets as some have already pulled out. Despite my fears that I would like it more than C, he's pretty happy with it- more for what it enables him to do (ie play) rather than how it looks.

Wrapping up last year: The Handprinted swap

A project from last year that I loved immensely was Leslie's handprinted fabric swap.
I loved it so much, that after receiving handprinted fabrics from Sugarlemon, Kleas, Flower Press and Starashan (thanks again ladies!), I roped some other friends into another swap.
And it may not be my last.
It's a wonderful way to enhance the craft fabric stash.
This year's task list includes finding The Perfect Projects to put them to use.

by Starashan, Flower Press,  Sugarlemon and Kleas.

by Floating World, From Little Things, Assemblage and 6.5sts.