they may be scraps for some...

...but not for others!

I've been replenishing my scrap fabric collection lately.

Found these lovelies at the Bowerbird Bazaar market from Surface Art. The first thing that comes to mind is a skirt for moi.... I think one of pieces is large enough to do a front panel... oooh....could be a goer.

Then I was super dooper lucky to win these Maze and Vale handprinted pieces by the clever Leslie Keating over on her blog. Oh yeah, I was pretty chuffed. She seems to always add a little extra to the package, like this a few years ago. Last week she threw in the linen circle brooch. So sweet. Thanks Leslie!

Goodbye and adios to this collection of toys. They're heading off to a new retailer here in Adelaide. Will let you know more when they are in store :)

Wishing all the mums and grandmas a lovely day for tomorrow xx

I did make these 9 months ago

So you will have noticed that my irregular posts have morphed to almost non existent. Sorry about that. Sorry me. I really would love to be chatting here, reading what you have all been up to and generally keeping in touch with the world, but it just ain't happening. While attempting to finish Quinn's "first 6 months" memory book (you may get to see this one day), I found the following pics and realised that there are things that I have accomplished in the last 10 months (in addition to raising a beautiful happy baby girl) which I haven't managed to brag about, oops, share yet!



Bassinet and cot sheets made from thrifted sheets (except the middle image, which is an Anna Maria Horner fabric from the Folksy Flannel range, called Fortune in colour Marine)

in the mail....

You know I love parcels. Yesterday's mail was exciting.

Firstly I opened an envelope to find this stunning printed fabric so beautifully packaged from Belinda Kemp (aka gretchenmist). My desk is covered in all things blue and green at the moment so these fabrics continue the theme.

The other letter that came in the mail was from the school to say that Sachin is due to start his transition visits in 2 weeks. Awwwww... my little boy going to school! How did that come around so fast? I recall having a conversation a couple of months ago with another mum and saying that I really questioned whether he would be ready to go when he turned five. It's amazing how all of the sudden they develop emotionally and seem so much older in the last term of Kindergarten.

I remember exactly the same thing happening with Ruby before she started school. So young Sachin will be celebrating his 5th birthday in a few weeks and no surprises here, it's going to be a Lego party (remember the t-shirt). No complaints from me. I think it sounds like super fun and there are a stream of ideas running through my head! I've just ordered some of these for the party (favor) bags - aren't they great :)

big flowery brooch

I do try to make presents when I can. Sometimes it just doesn't happen, but last weekend it did!

This big orange brooch is for my friend Jac who loves orange. I know it's quite big but she has a super fantastic big personality to match. Happy birthday sweetie!

If you are in Adelaide and looking for something to do this weekend, you could see Jac (Jackie Yeo) performing as Janis Joplin at Woodstock Revisited 2011 on Sunday October 30th at Rymill Park. Get out your hippie gear and come along for a boogie!

KCWC 2011 | Unicorn Dress

I did it! Finished Ruby's dress thanks to DH for giving me this morning to spend in my sewing room, while he cooked a yummy hot breakfast. This beautiful fabric has been in my stash for a couple of years in which time 6 year old daughter has been eyeing it off. It was a set of vintage curtains - rubber backed and all! I had planned to use it for toys or cushions but that would have broken her heart. So here it is, in it's glory, re purposed and brought back to life as a pretty girly dress, using the "Dress with Ruffle Trim" pattern from the book Carefree Clothes for Girls.

This was the most technically challenging item of clothing I have made and it taught me a few new processes. I had never lined a dress before, never created ruffles and never cut my own binding. In the past I would have avoided a pattern with this amount of detail thinking I wouldn't have the patience to follow it through to the end. I'm discovering that working from a pattern can actually be fun.

Thanks Meg for organising the Kids Clothes Week Challenge again this year. I (and my kids) are ever so thankyou for your "kick up the bum" every six months to encourage sewing productivity in our house... love yer work :)

first quilt attempt

I've been admiring and bookmarking so many gorgeous quilt creations on the web for a long time now. Quilting is not something I have tried before - not through lack of interest - more the fact that it requires commitment and patience. Not my best attributes these days. Infact, I joked to DH last night that fussy, pedantic Fiona has morphed into slap dash Fiona! How did that happen? Oh yeah, life got busy.
The funny thing is how I happened to be making this here quilt. Not planned, just accidental and on a whim. Yeah baby, that's how it goes these days. Out on a Saturday morning with the kids sport, I left hubby and took baby Quinn for a walk. On our travels I found myself meandering through Tricia's Discount Fabrics and deciding that the collection of random fabrics I had in my hand would become a playmat. So here it is. Random. No technique. Making it up as I go along!

( old school ) library bag

There was no way I was heading to the school shop and buying one of those plastic library bags... no sirree... it had to be "old school" like my Mum made me. A little modern twist is fine but definitely gotta be home made.

Ruby announced last week that her new favourite colour is purple - thank goodness for that I muttered under my breath, as I am totally pinked out! Heading into my sewing room to check out the fabric stash this lovely old floral pillow case jumped out at me again. Purple requirement met.

The RUBY on the front is applied using an iron on transfer with a simple graphic I made in Photoshop, but you could use any software programme that enables you to make an image and print it. I had great success with these iron on transfers when I made Sachin's birthday t-shirt in December 2009, and after many many washes it is still going strong. I used this paper product which I found at my local Big W or Kmart - can't remember which one.

I fiddled with the drawstring a bit and created 4 button holes before hemming the top and threading the ribbon through. Time consuming yes (I hate doing button holes) but makes for a better finish that will last longer and won't fray. All made in under a couple of hours.

blue motorbikes are cool

I feel like I have started a tradition with the handmade backpack in our family. After making Ruby's Pinky Pegasus bag when she started pre-school I thought it was only fair that the young fella get the same special treatment on his first day at 4 year old Kindy. While Ruby's favourite descriptive word these days is "pretty" or "beautiful", everything to Sachin is "COOL". When quizzed what he'd like for his backpack, he decided he'd be pretty happy with a "cool blue motorbike". So this is what he got!

The fabrics used for both the kids bags were a gift from my sister (thanks Lorrin) a couple of years ago after living in Uganda, Africa. Other than the fact they fray like crazy (especially when you are stupid enough to cut holes in the wrong place after the bag has been sewn up) they are a great heavy weight fabric.

So off Sachin went to Kindergarten today for the first time. It sure has been an exciting week for the young members of this family!

KCWC | half way

I'm playing along again with Meg's Kids Clothes Week Challenge  - check out her Elsie Marley blog for the list of over 300 other players. You can also see pics of what people have been making here in Meg's Flickr group. The challenge is to sew for 1 hour each night for a week and make clothes for children. Earlier in the year I played and knocked out a few winter items and couldn't resist the challenge again.

Sewing each night is proving to be difficult at the moment so I made use of a child free day yesterday and finished 3 of the 4 pieces I was aiming for.

Both of these dresses use the Raglan Shift Dress pattern from Whole Grain Baby. The house fabric was a cheapie found at IKEA for $3 (Aus) a metre. Ruby just loves rabbits and was smitten when she first saw the dress with the appliqued bunny. She told me this morning that it was one of her favourite dresses but not her most ever favourite - that belongs to the $5 special Grandma picked up at Target..... oh well!! 

A boy can never have too many shorts in his wardrobe and I love long ones. Good for protecting knees with all the falls that inevitably happen (not so good for the size of my mending pile). These ones are made from a light weight corduroy and I used a really old pattern that belonged to Mum in the 1970's from Knitwit. Given the pattern was designed for use with stretch fabrics is suits Sachin's slim build which lends itself to a straight fit.

This morning Miss Ruby headed off to Kindergarten for the last time. Another little milestone in her journey. Of course it was deemed important that she wear her favourite (but not most ever favourite) dress to Kindy and style it up for the cold day that it is. I can't be sure..... but I think she may have been a tad excited about both the dress and the day ahead :)

handmade advent

I made a decision that I wanted to make an advent calendar this year - something with fabric (of course) - but what?

Unfortunately that question remained unanswered for quite some time until I hit Flickr for inspiration. So many clever people out there!! My palms get sweaty with excitement sometimes when I'm glued to the computer drooling at the wonders created by crafty folk all over the world. Seriously, if you ever feel like you've hit a creative brick wall, just head over the flickr.com and search the topic of whatever it is you're attempting to create and "voila"..... you'll be back in business!!

Here's my proof.

1. Lego City advent calendar 7724, 2. kids' drawings, vintage print, 3. advent calendar? christmas tree decoration? popcorn bags?, 4. Advent Mantle, 5. Day 1, 6. Advent calendar 2008, 7. Advent Calendar 2007, 8. Advent Calendar, 9. Sankt Nikolaus today

Aren't they just fabulous?

So reinvigorated I came up with these little xmas socks. When I say "little" I do mean this literally as in hind sight they are a tad too small for practical goodies. Oh well.... I'm sure size is overrated! They look cute.

We missed the first 2 days this year but I think my little ones will forgive me and be more than happy with 22 surprises. I've mixed them up with a few sweets (which were discovered by the sniffer dogs within the first hour - mental note - keep chocolate in the pantry until the day of opening), treasure hunts and special outings (christmas lights, museum, beach, bowling etc).

This year due to time constraints I've stuck the numbers on but next year I plan to come up with numbered buttons as a more permanent decoration. I think they'd also appreciate a little adornment with the odd ribbon or trim. Anyway, that's for next year.

Also this week I managed to bake these gingerbread christmas tree biscuits for the kindy fundraiser.

I had to hide them from the kids and then buy them one each at the party. Yes! Slightly odd things to do - you see I stuffed up the recipe (while talking to DH I added too much flour) then to totally finish it off I burnt them in the oven. Total disaster! So after a trip to the supermarket for extra eggs I finally managed to bake 14 cookies which was just enough. Oh yeah, and I was doingall of this on the day of the event..... typical Fiona style!

Are you feeling creative this Christmas? If not, check out what others are up to here and get your handmade jiggy on!

has anyone seen our spring?

We had a taste and teaser of spring weather and now it's gone again. I know it will come back and I should stop being so impatient but.... well.... I'm a little over winter now. Had enough. We want to play outside. Rain is good and thankyou but please come back next year.

With our thoughts on the coming warm weather we've been getting the summer wardrobes ready. Sorting the piles of out-grown winter clothes and making room for bigger new season versions.

I've been wanting to try this pillowslip summer dress idea for a while and yesterday was the day. It was as easy as I had imagined in my head. Cut the open flap end off the pillowslip then seam and run elastic through. Then cut open the bottom closed end and hem to the right length (I added a little ric rac for fun). I made the straps from the leftover fabric cut from the inside flap of the pillowslip.

See, quick and easy and it only cost about $1.50. The pillowslip was an Op-shop (Thirft Store) find for 50c as was the flower button (20c) plus the cost of elastic and cotton.

I think we may be making a few more of these before the summer is out!

my name is fiona and I'm....

a . f a b r i c . j u n k i e

OK OK so now it's out. Isn't that the first step to recovery?

...only, hang on.... I DON'T WANT TO RECOVER!

Oops. Sorry for yelling at you. I just wanted to make that point very clear.

So this is the thing. When I should be doing more productive, important things I often find myself standing in front of the fabric shelves admiring my collection like it is one of my babies. Sad but true. There is a rainbow of colours and textures, big prints and little prints, textiles of old and new and they all make me smile.

I've been selfishly enjoying them all to myself for long enough now. It's time to open my collection to the world! Well, how about to the few of you who would like to have a gander.

Today I have started to create a photo record of some of my fave vintage fabrics that have been found in op-shops (thrift stores). Absolutely my favourite way to buy them. You get both the thrill of discovery and an affordable price tag. What's not to love?

At some stage down the track I will post more of my collection. Don't know when - you know me - not the most disciplined or regular blogger, but I will do it, someday :)

lazy day

Yesterday was one of those days, grumpy Mum, grumpy child, not enough sleep on both of our behalves. I knew from the moment we stepped out of bed it was going to be a long one (which is, yes, a bad attitude to have at the start of the day).

Without a car to escape the four walls of the house (at the mechanics) we were going to have to find a way to entertain our snooty selves for the 12 hours that remained until Dad arrived home.

We stayed in our PJ's all day. Surprisingly we actually had a very productive day with painting, sticking & pasting, bubbles, hopscotch, water buckets, playroom games and so much more. It was a marathon play fest!!

After lunch I requested some quiet Mum time (which rarely happens) and even stranger I felt the need to sew something. I never sew when the kids are around as it turns into bedlam with scissors, pins, cottons etc all over the room. However, yesterday, it happened. I made this Lazy Days Skirt, using this pattern.


So simple and so pretty. The pattern calls for one width of fabric, but I didn't have enough so added the extra panels. The more colour the better as far as my rainbow daughter (other grumpy party) is concerned. Hanging on the door now it will be paraded & twirled with pride this Sunday at the Victor Harbor Rock'n'Roll Festival.

Confession time. In the midst of my sewing glory Ruby entered the room to ask me a question. Bare footed she stepped on my super sharp fabric scissors and seriously cut her toe. I had a moment of absolute terror that she had almost cut her toe off! Blood everywhere! !She is such a brave soul I needed to be brave too. Finally it stopped bleeding and I realised that it wasn't as bad as it first looked. Lets just say that this Mum will not be going there again! The scissors were on the floor because my work bench was too cluttered for cutting. Naughty naughty me. After multiple apologies, hugs and kisses I think she forgives me. Oh and a new pretty skirt helps :)

shirt cushion

Sometimes in life you meet people you feel somehow connected to - maybe a past life? Who knows. Anyway, for me, that person is a friend called Clara. We crossed paths when our first children were born in Melbourne and we joined the new local mothers group. While both living away from our families (Clara more removed than I with her home in Argentina) we found a similar void that needed to be filled. Our little families grew close and we subsequently had our second children around the same time too. Sadly for me, Clara returned to Argentina a couple of years ago to be with her family. I miss her dearly and will always remember fondly the special time in our lives we shared together.


Before she left Australia she gave me an old shirt (for fabric) which had been a favourite but had passed it's use by date. It has only taken me a couple of years but finally I have made this shirt into a cushion for her belated birthday present. Just 3 more buttons to sew and it will be on it's way to Buenos Aires.


The back of the cushion is the shirt front (button holes & pocket)

However, I've been deliberating whether of not to applique a little blue kangaroo onto the bottom of the front RH panel (as a reminder of her time here in Australia). Is this too tacky? Should I do it or not?

meet biddi

She's from an older generation and has stories to tell. She's looking for a new place to call home. Biddi is really quite charming with her long woollen legs and big cheeky smile. There's nothing she loves more than a good cup of tea and a midday movie. If you're looking for a little bit of vintage she's your girl!!