My first Pinterest listing!

Look - my patchwork cushions - they got Pinterested! I'm very proud of these cushions, they're so vibrant and cheerful to look at. Everytime I make one, I smile to see it.

Yay and thank you Tania. I love the collection she's put together.

My Creative Space

It's been a while since I had the chance to play along with My Creative Space.... and it's nice to be back.

I wondered how much sewing I'd get done here in Bahrain. The first week, I didn't even get my beloved Bernina out of its box because I was too busy (and jetlagged). The second week, I unpacked and began to think about what I could start working on in my spare time.

This week - the third week - I've made the better part of a quilt top, four patchwork cushions, two drawstring bags, a table runner, and I've got two Hoots, three sets of napkins and another table runner on the go. Isn't it amazing how stress can motivate you! Thank god I brought my machine - it's how I decompress, after all.

I couldn't fit all of that stuff in the photo though - I'd need a wide-angle lens. (Hm, maybe that's something I should speak to My One True Love about, CHristmas is coming up after all.....) So I chose a few things that went nicely together.

This is a patchwork cushion made from a charm pack of Nicey Jane I've had for ages. Sorry the light is so bad, but my porno flat doesn't get any direct sunlight, so I had to squeeze these in under the window to catch even the smallest chink of light.

The drawstring bags are made of Patty Young's Flora and Fauna, with the top feature strip in Summer Soiree by Paula Prass for Michael Miller. I especially love the fuschia cord I've used as the drawstring, which I picked up just last night in the Manama souq (I found a great notions shop and immediately made friends with the nice man behind the counter as he collated a little pile of cords, ribbons and zippers forme. Plus the buttons - oh the buttons! - but I will save that for another time.)

It feels so good to be making things again, and there's a special kind of pleasure that comes with not having to do them to a market timetable. Of course, I don't need to keep any of these things myself, I'm just making them for fun - so I can feel an Etsy update coming on .....

Hop on over to Kootoyoo and see what everyone else is working on today.

When in doubt, sew

I'm missing home a lot today, after a long day that has drained me of practically all energy and motivation, following a night of bad dreams that woke me up at 3.49am. I'd hardly have the strength to write this if it weren't for the fact that every time I look out the window at RAMEE SUITES-2, I get a little burst of chuckly bubbles fizzing up inside me. Oddly, that sign is becoming my friend. Strange, huh?

In an effort to assuage my mood, I'm putting together two new patchwork cushions covers. I brought a small pile of 4 inch squares with me to Bahrain, knowing I would need something familiar and comforting to do in the evenings, and tonight these are proving just the ticket.

 Here they are, laid out on my tiled floor. Isn't it funny ... no matter how melancholy I get, the simple act of putting together little squares of coloured fabric in a pleasing arrangement always manages to lift my spirits.

My Creative Space

My creative space today is all about finishing up a range of custom orders, so that I can fly away to India on Saturday with a clear conscience, knowing that my customers are happy and my duties have been discharged.

It's a plethora of patchwork - I've been spending every spare moment (when not compulsively checking my email) cutting out and sewing together tiny 4 inch x 4 inch squares. That's a lot of cutting. And a lot of seams.

Interestingly, both orders came to me after my first Craft Hatch market down at the Flinders Lane library. I hadn't done the market before and I was wondering what it would be like - and it was great, of course, because I got these fantastic orders.


First of all, I had to make two massive 65cm square patchwork cushions (see image above) - one in orange tones, one blue - for a lovely customer.

Then, I sold a smaller rectangle patchwork cushion to another customer.

Who subsequently proceeded to order two more with different corduroy backing colours.......

...... PLUS the sunburst babushka cushion.......

.....  PLUS three of my vintage brand "Attention All Shoppers" cushions! Wonderful! I gave her a 10% discount for being my favourite customer right now.

And finally, I've made up a new Follow The White Rabbit cushion and posted it off to Norway. I think that is the farthest distance one of my products has ever travelled.

And with that, I'm footloose and fancy free and ready to head off to India..... to buy more fabric, of course. Wheeeeee!

Back in the sewing saddle

Finally, after six weeks apart from each other, my sewing machine and I have been reunited. I missed its needley goodness! I missed its oily little insides! I missed its whirring cogs and wheels, oh yes I did.

We spent some true quality time together over the weekend. I made four cushions, seven new Owl Babies (they're half the size of my usual Hoots), and started a brand new product line of Scarflets. How good is that?

Sewing for the first time in six weeks felt like I was letting out my breath at last, after holding it and holding it and holding it. I nearly went blue with the effort. 

Ahhhhhhh .... insert sigh of contented happiness here. And expect more crafty goodness in the next few weeks, as I madly try to make up for lost time AND stock up for the five markets I have in the next five weeks. Hm, some things change, but some things stay the same, don't they?

The photos here are two of the cushions I made, modelled on my Snugglebaby Cot Quilt style of colourful piecing work - oh, and an Owl Baby. All three are accompanying me tonight to the Carlton Craft Market at Borders bookstore in Lygon St. Come and have a closer look, if you feel like dropping in to say hi and inspecting my new-found tan........