Are you in love with Aviary Too?!

This gorgeous bundle of textured goodness arrived at my doorstep this morning and I have been fondling it ever since!

It is of course Aviary 2 by Joel Dewberry, and is destined to become two handbags… one for a friend and one for moi! I just need to decide on a pattern, but will most likely go with the Swing Bag by Amy Butler – it’s such a great pattern for showcasing a feature fabric!

I am in the midst of writing patterns at the moment. Nothing to show for a while yet but lots going on behind the scenes! I’ve also been re-organising my sewing space and making my new desk look pretty. I’ll show your the before and after once I’ve completed the ‘after’… but in the meantime here is a little vignette…

Until next time – I hope your days are filled with much happiness and stitching!

Hugs! Vikki xx

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A parcel of happiness and quilting inspiration

Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun? I have been busy with family commitments these past couple of weeks but have still managed some time to get some sewing in… it’s like a little bakers shop at my desk! But more on that later!

I received a wonderful parcel last week from the gorgeous Cyndi over at Bluebird’s Wing! Have you visited Cyndi? She is such a lovely, lovely lady and full of inspiration – if you know her already I’m sure you would agree! She’s sweet and kind and makes the most amazing handbags that always have me drooling. Well, Cyndi also has some amazing giveaways on her blog and I was lucky enough to win one of them!

Look at these sweet little charm squares, I’ve never seen fabric packaged so cute!

The line is called Buttercup by Joanna Figueroa, Fig Tree & Co for Moda. I wonder what I shall make with them? Any suggestions? I also love the card Cyndi gave me, illustrated by one of my favourite artists, Mary Engelbreit.

Cyndi also included some sweet stationery and some chocolate – thank you SO much Cyndi!!!

I am busting at the seams to make a handbag… I have a design in my head ready to be put on paper. I always do most of my designing in my head before the pencils come out, fine-tuning and nutting out the –how to’s! I guess that’s because most of my designs do not involve drawings as such – although stitchery is definitely an area I want to explore more of. Anyhow… I’ve been wanting to get into more traditional patchwork too, and spent some time on Mothers’ Day watching this dvd…

“Make a lone star quilt” with Michelle Marvig. The dvd came with this month’s issue of Australian Homespun magazine. It’s excellent! Michelle is so clear and easy to listen to, I’d imagine her classes would be lots of fun and you’d learn so much. If the dvd is anything to go by, she’s a great teacher. so this is another project added to my ever increasing to-do list! My friend, Vicki, made a lone star quilt and I was fortunate enough to see it in progress – I’ve been keen to make one ever since and now at last I feel more confident to give it a go… okay, ALMOST confident to give it a go!!

Okay – back to the baking! Ha ha! I’ll show you soon!

Hugs!! Vikki xx

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Happy Easter & some finishes!

HAPPY EASTER MY FRIENDS!!

I hope that you are enjoying this beautiful weekend?!

This morning saw the awakening of young Rosie along with the dawn… it took a while for these bleary eyes to focus on the shiny wrappers of the Easter eggs that the Easter Bunny had very kindly left hidden inside the house.

The sun is shining and I am sat here listening to my family enjoy the fresh air outside in the garden. I’ve left them to it so that I could pop inside and say Hello!

Hi!

I have some finishes to share with you! Do you remember the ceramics that Rosie and I painted last week? This is what they looked like before they were fired:

And after…

I also completed painting the little crib that I picked up for Rosie at the op shop. It went from this:

To this…

I made a little mattress first, then a sheet, and a double-sided blanket, topped with a teeny weeny pieced quilt using fabrics designed by Lynette Anderson.

It has been a very busy week in the SUDs household. We had an old friend from Blighty stay with us for a couple of days and I can’t tell you how good it was to hear a London accent! Love it! The lovely thing about having guests from overseas is showing them the local sights. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t great but we frequented some of my favourite ‘burbs’ up in the Dandenong Ranges.

I also went to the AQC last Saturday which was as inspirational as always! I didn’t take any photos, there were quite a few signs up at the stands requesting no photography. But I had a lovely time with my ‘painting buddies’ Anne and Karen. (They’re busy gals – but I might get them blogging one of these days!!!)

I was thrilled to bits to meet Lizzie from A House in the Country. We got time for a hug, and will hopefully meet up at the next show! Lizzie is just as I imagined her – as vibrant and gorgeous in ‘real life’ as she is in her written word! Lizzie was with the wonderful Jodie and Annie. I have to tell you that Jodie was sporting the most amazing red polkadot-with pom-pom trolley that I drooled all over (Sorry Jod if it got wet… thank goodness you made it from oilcloth!!!)

I was very refrained – unlike me I know! But I did buy these fabrics from my favourite stall, Thread and Ginger.

These are Tilda fabrics. I also picked up these romantic fabrics by Quilt Gate, it’s the Mary Rose Collection.

I have been stealing a few moments in between kids play dates and general holiday-activities, to write a new pattern too… burning the midnight oil as it’s the only time of the day where there is complete peace and quiet! Aaaahhhh the serenity!!!!

I’d just like to take this opportunity my friends, to apologize for not responding to my comments of late – time has just run away with me and it really prays on my mind that I haven’t replied even just to say “thanks for dropping by!” I really appreciate you taking the time to stop and leave me a note – so please forgive me and know that I sincerely enjoy reading your messages. I shall give myself a wrap over the knuckles on your behalf!

Lots of love to you all and HAPPY EASTER!

Hugs! Vikki xo

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A special ‘shabby’ apron, sneak peek and other goings on!

I thought you might like to see a (relatively) recent finish?

Before I left the branches of the Gum Trees, us girls had arranged an apron swap for Christmas. You can see the bright and cheery (and very ‘me’) apron that Vicki made for me, here.

My swap partner was Fee – and she really is a shabby girl at heart! She’s always repurposing furniture and finding vintage goodies at flea markets… and she’s no stranger to a pot of white furniture paint!!

This is the gorgeous shabby chic apron I made for her!

I designed the actual apron with long wide ties and a flower-pot-shaped-pocket - but the standout is obviously the painting design!

I can not take credit for this (although I wish I could!) as the design is the amalgamation of two painting patterns by the talented Kerryanne English of Woodberry Designs! The Victorian boot design is my all-time-favourite and it is Christmas themed, but I wanted to use the same design with roses so that Fee could use the apron all year-round. The roses were the second design of Kerryanne’s, featured in Handmade magazine a year or two ago. Mine look nothing like the original – try as I might! LOL!

Here’s a close-up. Although it’s difficult to see, I used a bit of crystalina sparkle on the finished roses… and the buttons are sewn on, not painted.

I think it’s the prettiest project I’ve ever made, although Rosie’s nappy stacker came close! :-)

I’m working on a new design at the moment – fancy a sneak peek?

Mysterious? This project has been designed for a special friend, I hope to finish it next week, while I also work on some special sewing kits for THIS good cause…

The Gum Tree Designers are collecting sewing kits to give to those affected by the flood disasters in Queensland and NSW. Just click on the button above to see if you’d like to help – you don’t have to be a sewer – there are other ways of donating – whether it be purchasing needles and threads, or donating money for postage costs.

I am going to make up a few kits and was going to use fabric already in my stash, until I headed to my local craft store yesterday and picked up this fabric at half the usual price…

It is called ‘Stitches’ by Lynette Anderson Designs for Henry Glass Fabrics. I thought it was PURRfect (sorry couldn’t resist!) for making up sewing kits… will show you more as I progress!

On the subject of Flood Relief – I have put a list of favourite auctions and raffles in my side bars and will no doubt keep adding… the more exposure the better!

If you haven’t done so already – I am raffling my recently published travel caddy, and also auctioning a complete set of the ‘Springtime’ BOM designed by the Gum Tree Designers… I think it retails for around $160… so you never know your luck – you could grab a real bargain! Details at the top of my right-hand side bar – or just head here and here!

*Please feel free to use the pictures/blog buttons of my auction/raffle to post on your blog*

Until next time – enjoy the sweet fragrance of those shabby roses!

Hugs! Vikki xo :-)

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Christmas show and tell!

Have you been following along with ‘Simply Christmas’?

Kerryanne, over at Shabby Art Boutique has been spoiling us with ideas, tutorials, guest posts and giveaways… and in addition I have welcomed the motivation and gentle prompts to get my Christmas planning organised!

My ‘wrapping station’ is set and ready to go! I have wrapping paper, tags, ribbons and bubble wrap enclosed – the baubles are just for eye-candy at this stage, reminding me of my colour palette for this year’s decorating!

I picked up the basket really cheaply at IKEA, and have a separate box (pictured lower left) to store cellotape, pens and bows – all the things my daughter would love to get her crafty little hands on, if they were on visual display! Ha ha! There are methods to my madness! :-)

I purchased these fabrics a few months ago – again, in the blue and red colour palette – to create some table decorations in the form of napkins, runners, bon bons etc. I should have bought some plain fabrics too – but will visit my local patchwork store to match up the hues.

The range is called 12 Days of Christmas, by Kate Spain for Moda. But I’m sure if you are a fabric junkie like me, then you would already have recognised it!

Would you like to see a Christmas finish?!!! I’m absolutely rapt with this one!

The stitchery on this cute little cushion was designed by the gorgeous, enthusiastic, and talented lady known as Cyndi of Stitch Stitch Stitch Bee Tree Designs. Isn’t it gorgeous? I love Cyndi’s work! Always, there is humour!

The stitchery is just one of 16 snowman-themed blocks forming a delightful quilt aptly named, Snowballs. I am a very lucky girl because Cyndi gifted me a few of her patterns after winning my giveaway back in May. She won the giveaway – and then was gifting me! But that is the type of generous gal she is – always giving. She has some delightful downloads on her blog and is always thinking up new ideas and sharing…

Thank you Cyndi! Although this year I hadn’t the time to make the full quilt – I couldn’t resist stitching this married snow couple in memory of my marriage to Mr SUDs this year – so I added the date and made it in to a little cushion to put on our bed! x

But – there is more!

I put the embroidery needle aside for a few days and took up my paint brushes.

What started as this…

(can you guess how many times I dipped the paint brush into my tea to clean its bristles?! LOL)

Evolved in to this…

Yep – it’s the Christmas Planner designed by the lovely, aforementioned Kerryanne English. I’m taking her online class (which you can view at the top of my right hand side bar) and it’s FANTASTIC!

This isn’t the finished piece, still lots to do, but do you notice how miffed the penguins look? Me-wonders if maybe Rudolph ate all the cookies before they found the empty plate?!! (Or maybe they would just like their beaks? – Ed) A quick email to Kerry to ask, “How do you get your penguins eyes so cute?” and a few brush strokes later (plucking the offending eyebrows!) and I am much happier with the result…

Not finished by a long shot – but getting there! Do you notice how Santa’s hat is shaded and highlighted, compared to the last photograph, for example? It all comes together.

How are you doing with your Christmas planning?

Till next time – hugs to all!

Vikki x :-)

PS: I dipped my paint brush into my tea twice.

PPS: Picked up my daughter from kinder with a big green stripe down one side of my face! Ha ha!

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Homespun – The Kid’s Issue!

I expect there were a few mum’s in Victoria rubbing their eyes this morning as they embarked on the first school run of this new school term! With an hour’s less sleep due to the clock’s moving forward with Daylight Savings, I sure know I found it difficult to function!

I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve opened the microwave in order to get the milk out of the refrigerator!! And I really shouldn’t keep the dry dog food on top of the washing machine – it has been scooped and poured in to the washing powder dispenser of my machine one too many times! I prefer my clothes to smell like ‘spring meadows’ – call me old fashioned – but ‘beef & liver’ just isn’t my thing!

So while DS went back to High School, Little Miss Chatterbox (oops – I mean DD!) and I enjoyed the morning sunshine out in the garden. My little Miss was much more energetic than I, jumping up and down on her trampoline, but I must admit that once I’d picked up a copy of Australian Homespun magazine from my mailbox, I too joined in with her bouncy celebrations!!

For within the pages of this annual Kid’s Issue…

Is my ‘Rosie’s nappy stacker’ project!

The magazines really do style the projects so beautifully. I’d love to be a fly on the wall when the stylists go out on location, gathering their nick-nacks and visiting gorgeous homes!

As with my previous Homespun project, this one was designed for my daughter (yep – the chatty one!) for her nursery some five-plus years ago. If you’re interested I posted about her room when I first started blogging – just pop over here for a tour.

If you live overseas but would like to purchase Homespun, please refer here for a list of stockists in your Country. (Una darling – I’ll purchase an extra copy of this current issue to send to you!!)

Homespun never disappoints and this issue is cram-packed-full of stunning projects! But my favourite is this delightful wall-hanging designed by Natalie Lymer of Cinderberry Stitches. I plan to make it for a dear friend of mine in England who recently had her first baby.

Oh – and yesterday I purchased some fabric to make Little Miss Chatterbox this top from my recently purchased book (see last post).

I just need to get hold of some more spaghetti bias now and I’m thinking of making my own as it will be cheaper than buying from the US (because I need a vast quantity!!). I can’t find a stockist in Australia – so if anyone knows where to buy the cotton gingham spaghetti bias within Australasia (or economically, overseas), I’d really appreciate the heads-up!

Rightio – I’m off to cook some dinner! Speak to you soon!

Hugs! Vikki :-)

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Quilt reveal and a recent finish!

It’s finished! Bound, washed and full of wrinkly goodness!

“Eloisa’s Tree of Life”

This project has seen a lot of ‘firsts’ for me and I have thoroughly enjoyed every step in the process! It is my first quilt design*, first needle-turn appliqué; first quilting and first pieced binding. And the first time I have put a creation in the washing machine! I know that sounds silly, but I did have some anxiety about it even though the fabrics were pre-washed!

* I have designed one other quilt but it was just squares sewn together so that doesn’t count does it?!! :-)

This quilt is intended for my friend’s first baby, Eloisa. The little sweetheart is visiting relatives in the UK at the moment, and I know her mum will be too busy to read my blog – so I couldn’t resist sharing!

I based my design around the feature fabric – Par Avion - by Paula Prass for Michael Miller fabrics. I had one fat quarter of the fabric so was very liberal with it and fussy-cut to make use of all the bird and dragonfly shapes.

The colours blend beautifully with Eloisa’s nursery, and I thoroughly enjoyed choosing the fabrics from all different ranges because matching them up was such a challenge.

Here is the quilt photographed outside. Mr SUDs is holding it up just after it had been washed – it’s all wrinkly and you can see the quilting better in this pic.

On the home-front, I whipped-up a pillow cover for my DS. He wanted a curved pillow with a soft covering, so I chose these:

Minkie on one side for total softness, and cotton on the other for when it gets too warm to snuggle during the summer months.

I didn’t have enough fabric for the back of the pillow so made it up with a panel of white cotton fabric.

My DD has now requested one in pinks! I’ve got some sewing to do for her Kinder first though. There’s no rest for the wicked eh?!!!

Until next time – Hugs! Vikki x

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A book review, new magazine and sneak peek!

As the summer months approach I am feeling more and more excited about the prospect of making some sweet clothes for my young DD. A friend of mine put me on to this wonderful book, and I thought I would share it with you. It’s called Making Children’s Clothes, by Emma Hardy.

There are 25 fantastic projects in this book for both girls and boys aged between 0-5 years old. The great thing? Full size patterns included – gotta love that!!

Gorgeous designs hey? I think I’ll be using some of my fabric stash for a few of these projects including these…

This range is called Mendocino by Heather Ross for Free Spirit.

Although I haven’t actually made any of the patterns from this book as yet, I am thoroughly impressed with the quality of the projects, the easy-to-understand diagrams and the full-size pattern sheets. Most projects look really simple to make, with just a few steps involved, but the use of gorgeous fabrics and embellishments really make them stand out from the crowd. On this basis – I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to make some bespoke clothing for the children in their lives. I’ll be sure to show you when I begin sewing the projects myself! (I purchased my copy from here.)

On the same topic of children’s clothing, I bought this magazine recently and have been bubbling with excitement ever since!

Sew Beautiful, issue no131, 2010. Don’t you just love the detail on the front cover? It is a close-up of this gorgeous little top designed by Kari Mecca… and all I can say is WOW!

I wish this picture was clearer… it is taken from the magazine. The article pictures Kari’s latest designs as published in her new book “More sewing with Whimsy”. I have ordered my copy!!! Here is another page from the magazine…

My dress-making history has seen me make two pairs of baby pyjamas, and two tops for myself – neither of which I have actually finished! BUT! I am inspired… SEW inspired!!! :-)

Do you have any favourite dressmaking books you’d like to share?

On the sewing front, I have been a stitching machine! Tuesday is my deadline for getting projects to Creating Country Threads for my profile piece in January, where I will also have a project published. Here’s a sneak peek!

Until next time – have a lovely weekend! Hugs! Vikki xx

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