Sunburst Babushka cushion

 I love it when the pussins help me out.

They are very helpful creatures. They really, really like to help me with fabric. They are especially good at lying on it to hold it down, usually when I'm trying to cut something out. Isn't that helpful?

Here is Podae helping me to take some artistic photos of my new Sunburst Babushka cushion. And believe me, these are the best of them - you should have seen some of the other poses!

 I think he was magnetically drawn to that amazing vintage yellow corduroy - and who can blame him?

Oops, I accidentally made five coin purses

Well, I just couldn't help myself.

Everyone said "Avoid zippered purses, flickettysplits. Avoid them like the plague. There are already Too Many Out There".

But I didn't listen, did I?

I finished these little babies just in time for the final Northcote Winter Artisans Market tomorrow morning. 

So maybe they won't sell, but that's ok - I had fun just making them. Hm, do you recognise that hippo fabric from something else??

(I'm going to heed the advice though, and draw the line at five ......)

My Creative Space

So here's a cute little task I executed last night, in preparation for my first My Creative Space in weeks.

It's not original - there are plenty of this sort of thing out there - but I think my hippopotamus fabric is pretty unique.I love this material, it's so bright and cheerful. And who could resist all those tiny hippopotami with their mouths open? It looks like a game of hippo Pacman.

It took me a few tries to get it stretched properly through the hoops, and then I had the issue of what to do with the unfinished ends on the other side. You can't hem them, because then the material is too thick to clamp properly. And you can't leave them sticking out, because that just looks untidy.

What do you do with your loose ends?

I'm going to hop on over to Kootoyoo to see if anyone can help .... come along for the ride and see what other people are up to in their own creative spaces.

New ideas required

Is it just me, or do other people sometimes get so used to all the stuff you make that you can't stand looking at it anymore?

I've had a similar "product line" - if you can call it that; usually I just sew what I like and if someone else likes it enough to buy it, then that's a bonus - for about a year now. And all of a sudden, I'm desperate for fresh, new ideas.

I have a few things in mind. I've never made coin purses before, or other wallet-y type things. I know lots of other people out there make them too, but I'm quite happy to add my line to the competition.

I also think I'm going to start making more of my beautiful baby cot quilts ... usually I only do these on special request, or as a present. I think though, that they're one of my favourite items, and I should make them more regularly. I really enjoy playing with all the colours and patterns and putting together a vibrant, colourful quilt top. That's the fun part - the actual construction is less fun, and usually involves a bit of muttering under my breath, but the end result is always wonderful.

I've thought about starting to make clothes, but that's something I really only do for myself; and I'd rather not take the joy out of it by making it a product line.

What do you think? What particular item have you always wanted, but never been able to find?