Monday, December 30, 2013

New in the shop!











There's a new cushion cover in my etsy store :) One of a kind, screenprinted and hand 
embroidered in my original Golden Penda design. 

So glad to have finished it in time! If ever there was a project that has spanned a good 
part of a year, then for me, this is it. It started as an experiment in layering different 
screenprinting designs and then my rediscovered love for embroidery was added into 
the mix.

Anyway, it's finished and it's in my shop :)

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

New work!

Hello! Yes, it's been ages. The silly season has taken over here. There are many new 
projects on the go, but as yet none have been finished. Just so you know I am still on the job 
I thought I'd post a new work – still very much a work in progress – called Urban Planning.



This is a very personal project for me. I started with some painting and over-printing, playing 
with making marks. Then I over-printed a map of where we used to live in London and began 
sewing a random hexagon grid pattern as the next layer.



From there the layers of fabric, silk and lace have been steadily building up. I'm trying not to 
plan this part too slavishly... I want it to be the chaotic growth of a city that happens no matter 
how assiduously one plans its grid ;)



Anyway, still a work in progress. Here's to one day actually finishing! ;)




Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Handmade Christmas Giveaway









If you'd like to have a handmade Christmas this year, there's a fabulous giveaway over 
at Christina's ... 13 handmade goodies from 13 different Australian crafty types (including 
me). I've crocheted a shopping bag in brilliant green, making up my own pattern this time, 
and it's part of the prize! 

Pop over the the Handmade Christmas Giveaway and leave a comment. 
The prize is drawn 1st December, so hurry! (sorry... only open to residents of Australia)

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Design Crush: Kirsten Johnston + Zaishu collab

Artist collaborations are always so exciting - seeing the melding of design aesthetics, 
particularly when combining opposites. The hard with the soft etc... and all that 'sum being 
greater than the parts' business ;) 

My latest design crush: Zaishu ply seat/tables with surface artwork of the fabulous Kirsten 
Johnston's knitted creations...



Pieces in process...



Trial panels...



And a little peak at how the final construction comes together...



Don't you just love it? Such a fabulous collaboration :)

Here are a couple of other designs I rather liked too!

‘Banksia’ by Nicola Cerini
‘Indigo Weave’ by Matthew Butler

If you'd like to see more of their work, you can find Kirsten's blog here and Zaishu here.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Made by Hand: Zpagetti bag

I found some sumptuously chunky wool in my stash the other day, and while I should have 
been doing a million other things I couldn't resist hooking up ;) Utilising some leftover denim 
zpagetti as well, I decided I definitely needed a big chunky (stylish) shopper in my life...







The denim is looking decidedly more grey than it actually is in these photos, but using the 
zpagetti is actually a fantastic happy coincidence because it's so strong!

And, just in case you're wondering about the size, when I said 'big' I really meant 'huge'...
it's gigantic :)





Wondering if I should do up a pattern for my Etsy store (which is so dull these days I'm 
considering dropping it all together actually). Anyway, patterns seem to be the way to go
lately with all the changes going on at Etsy... what do you think?


p.s. I'm playing along with Christina's Made by Hand meme today - pop over to see more 
handmade goodies.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

The Embroiderer

I've been working on this one at the same time as the others... it started as a bit of fun. 
I wanted it to be full of mistakes and pricked fingers... my antidote to trying to make the 
others so perfect. 



Loose threads and stitches that go nowhere...





Using the canvas paper was great for showing mistakes. Once you make that hole, 
there's no making it disappear again as there is with fabric.





It wasn't meant to be a piece for sale, but then it just sort of came together.





So, I've put it in my big cartel shop :)

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Made by Hand: More Stitchery









I've been steadily working on another stitchery piece for my Big Cartel shop. It's been listed 
and has sold - yah! I am working on more pieces (in a different style this time) but it is very 
time-consuming work and my Etsy shop has been sadly neglected. Too many apples in this 
basket ;) I think I need to refine my scope or something...

Hope you've had a creative week? Playing along with Christina's Made by Hand meme
pop over to see more handmade goodness :)

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Oasis Skirt

So, this is the skirt I made for my friend....





Hand block printed in my Oasis design, red ink on red linen.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Made by Hand: Red on Red

I have a birthday present to make - always a good motivation for getting on with things and 
finishing them. This is going to be a wrap-around skirt... my Oasis block print in red on red 
linen. Funny how the red ink makes the linen look pink ;)









Nothing like a deadline to make one get to it. Reminds me of the Ray Bradbury quote:
Sometimes you just have to jump out the window and grow wings on the way down :)

Playing along with Christina's Made by Hand meme today - pop over to see more.


Monday, October 21, 2013

Been busy (and a bit naughty)

Busy times here, so not a lot of making has been happening. There is one project, however,
that has been started... I've screen printed a quilt cover for my youngest daughter (yah!). 

It is a bit naughty, though... it's not my design. Earlier in the year a prominent Australian 
fashion & homewares label released this design in quilt covers and they sold out so quickly 
I only managed to nab a pillow cover... so, I told the little one I would make her the quilt.



I'm hoping it's okay - I mean, they cannot be purchased anymore and this is for personal 
use only.






A simple design, but deceptively tricky lining up all those crosses. So glad that's over!
Now, I just need to heat seal and sew it up to honour my promise :)

Have you ever made a naughty copy for personal use? I feel awful because of all the
piracy problems independent designers suffer... but where's the line here? Is it okay 
because they are a big company? Is something being 'just for personal use' a legitimate 
excuse? What do you think?



Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Been away

I've been away... part work trip, part fun. My favourite kind of travelling... observing the small 
things while wandering around big places :) Mostly, I couldn't help snapping patterning...

Interiors



Exteriors



Train stations



Patterns in nature



Simple pavements



And complex tiling



Vertiginous patterns



Random fruitery



and geometric steelery ;)



Fabulous moss



Vanishing point brickwork



and devotional seating.



We had a great time :)



Hope you've had happy times too... I'll be around catching up with blogs very soon :)