A Few Small Things

Last week I bought some fabric and gouache. Since then I've made myself a grey skirt (totally anticipating my return to Victoria!) and have painted a few little colour studies. Oh boy, the return to painting is difficult. I seem to have forgotten all the rules. Try, try again huh?

Deep Sea Adventure

Hola! Had a little fun with some vinyl and fabric scraps that I bought over (over the sea, on the plane) with me this week. Decided to go with a nautical theme, as I'm missing sea side fun. Haul anchor kids, and pin it to yer shirt. I've made some jellyfish, a whale and even a ship's wheel. Photos of those are coming, once I clean the camera out...

Lauren Williams Handmade

Look what was waiting in the letterbox for me this morning! Lauren Williams and I did a little swap, and I scored two beautiful brooches and a ring. Thanks Lauren! You can see more of her work on her blog and on her etsy shop.

Drip Dry

Thanks to Sam from AprilMay for the lovely blink designs tea towel. 'Tis awfully nice getting parcels in the post and even better when the contents are so good! Will I dry the dishes on it, or will I just hang it on the wall?

New Softies

Here they are, my new softies. This is Rabbit. Golly, I like this fabric. Unfortunately I only had enough to make a rabbit, dog and bird. Oh well.



Here's Rabbit in two sizes. Big Rabbit is dressed in Falling Leaves fabric and Small Rabbit is dressed in Sunny Day fabric.



Now this is Cat. Cat is turning out to be more troublesome than Rabbit to make. This version of Cat has a straight tail that I just didn't like once I'd stuffed the fellow.



This version of cat has a curly tail, which is much better. However, somehow Cat ended up with a big head and, when hanging out with Bird, Dog and Rabbit, it looked silly. So Cat's head is going to be a bit smaller.



Here they are, sleeping on the job.

I just bought it home. Can you guess what it is? I bet you can. It's pretty obvious. It's not as pretty as my other machines, but it goes. And it has buttonhole stitch! Although no buttonhole foot...I'd better go and give it a whirl.

A Beautiful Loaf Story

Is it really June 2ND? Cripes, how time flies. It's a drizzly day in KL, which is perfect for a day of pottering. A bit of housework, some crafty times, coffee and magazines.

We had our very first dinner guests last night! Thistler made his signature dish - Spaghetti Bolognaise. Oh boy, we haven't had that for a long while. It was home style cooking at it's best! Our guests surprised us with a 'beaut mango cheese cake for dessert. I wish I had taken a photograph of it before we tucked in. You know when you walk past a cake shop and they have achingly cute/sweet/funny cakes on display? This was one of those. When I opened the box I kinda squealed with delight. It was from a place called 'Loaf Story' (i.e Love Story) - this bakery is really popular in KL. It came in a great box and even had it's own knife! What is it about packaging that makes things extra special?

Half eaten cheese cake. I've just eaten another slice...

On Saturday we bought a sewing machine. Hurrah!! A second hand straight shooter. Straight stitch, zig zag, buttonhole. Very very affordable. I'll be picking it up later in the week. I can't wait to get that machine sewing!

p.s Despite the date at the top of this post, it really is June 2ND here. Promise.

Where Are All The Sewing Machines?

I've just come back from searching for a sewing machine.  We searched last night too, at the Mega Mall, scouring the department stores.  The one shop that had them wouldn't sell it to us!  It was the only one on the shelf, I think it was the demo model.  Cripes!!  Earlier that day Thistler had asked at an electronic store if they sold sewing machines and the friendly assistant said "Showing Machines?  Yee-ees, over here..." and took him to the TVs.  Step right up and see the wonderful showing machines, sixpence a view, wonders await!  Today I went into Bangsar and asked at the fabric store, but they didn't know where to buy a sewing machine.  I'm pretty sure this fabric store offers a tailoring service...  Oh well.  I'm about to do a comprehensive web search.  Maybe I can buy online.  For now I guess I'll stick to paper products and refine those hand stitching skills.

                                                      I wish...

Things I Have Recently Made

OK, so the images aren't fantastic, but at least it's documentation.  Proof that I'm doing more than swimming and asking myself 'which mall shall I go to today?'.  Actually, we have to tighten out belts here so I think I'll be making more things this week.  And 'teksi' rides can be expensive.  I'm a little shy about working out the public transport system on my own.  Maybe I'll make my own commuter 'softie' and feel more empowered.  

The following softies I made from patterns that came out of, funnily enough, "Softies".  I posted about that book last week.  I make my own softies (you can see some at made by maude) but this is the first time I've ever followed a real, proper pattern to make them.  It may well be the first time I've followed a pattern to make anything since high school! 

'Dorian the Dog' - original pattern by  Chika Mori.  I used different colours to those used in the book, but I learnt how to blanket stitch, daisy chain and make a french knot! Oh la la.  Dorian is tiny, about 5 x 8 cm, and I think he's pretty sweet.

This chappy here is 'Snow Bunny' - original pattern by Tamar Mogendorff.  My bunny is very different to the one in the book.  I've used completely different fabrics and didn't follow the instructions to the tee.  I really didn't think I liked where this one was going when I first assembled the body, but after I embroidered the face it got some personality and the whole softie came alive!

This is a particularly shoddy photo.  The whale looks far more interesting in real life.  This is called 'The Lookout' - original pattern by Michelle Valigura.  It's called 'The Lookout' because the original softie has a bird perched on top.  The bird used foam and feathers and a googly eye. The whale originally has a googly eye also, but I embroidered one for her instead.  I can't quite reconcile the fabric and plastic mix.  I'd feel strange popping a bead on something textile based I'd made.  A button though, no drama.  I wonder why that is?  I think I'll make the birdie and see how I feel after that.  I am impressed by the whales gloomy disposition though! 

In case you're new to links in text, you can click on the artists names above and visit their websites.  They're all wonderful and inspiring.  Highly recommended! 

Things I Have Recently Made

These are some cushions I made for friends who got married recently. It was a self indulgent gift really as I got to implement an idea I'd been toying with for a while (a sort of patchwork). I used some of my favourite vintage, recycled and new fabrics, and loved the process of making them.

the 'patchwork' front, that's dappled sunlight light not dodgy fabric...

the initialed back, awwww

Although they're made in my usual 'make it up as ya go along' way, I was fairly tickled pink with the end result. The initials are the married couples, obviously. Mmmm, text in textiles.