Crafty Creations: Cushion for Max

Cushions, Cushions, Cushions.... I'm cushion crazy again at the moment, I've got a great little production line of cushions happening and on my way to building a good sample stock pile. In amongst all this cushion craziness, I have been commissioned by my gorgeous and ever so supportive husband to make a special cushion for his work buddy's new bubs, Max or shall I say 'Pepsi Max' as he calls him. Not only did he put in a special request, he accompanied me to choose all the fabric and put his 2 bobs worth in on the design. I never imagined that I would ever get to collaborate on a creative project with my husband, but it appears life is full of surprises - even if it was just a teeny little project for a tiny little tot!

Ohh so traditional boyish, primary colours & flying machines

Scrappy Zip Up Pouch

Hallelujah, I have been sewing! For a while now I have been thinking about all the scrap bits of fabric I end up with, after cutting out my cushion creations. I have been saving them up, as they are just too lovely to throw away and I think I have come up with the perfect way to use them....
I messed about with my scraps and created a ruffely pleaty thing. A simple little zip up pouch tut, some plain cotton and felt and Wollah! Yes, looks like I still haven't shaken that thing I have for the delightful colour combo, a little black, white, grey and yolk yellow.

Twenty Elevens

BLINK, wow was that Twenty Ten?...
Well hello and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

These are my Twenty Eleven creative space do's, in no particular order:

1 Have a little rest before getting back into the full swing of things
2 Decide on a brand name for my crafty creations
3 Sew, Sew, Sew
4 Check in on my fav blogs
5 Get to more creative events
6 Create a logo & identity for my crafty creations
7 Expand the overall range of graphic design projects I undertake
8 Have some tags made
9 Host the Feast & Stitches first ever giveaway
10 Get into some serious sketching & pattern creations
11 Discover some new blog reads
12 Visit more markets
13 Design & style a cute little local market stall set up
14 Get more in touch with type
15 Transfer patterns onto MAC and practise the tricky step & repeat
16 Set up some sort of online shop
17 Sew, Sew, Sew
18 Source fabrics
19 Take a screen printing class
20 Enjoy the ride along the way!

I'm crossing off #1 tomorrow and heading off on a road trip that I have been hanging out for! I'm very much looking forward to spending some well overdue quality time with my camera, soaking up some of the outdoors and relax time, ohh and the wonderful man in my life! Upon my return, I'll be sure to post about any bits and bobs of inspiration or finds I fancy along the way!

All Stops

Well I've certainly pulled out all the stops this Christmas! You see my mother in law has been using bricks covered in wrapping paper as her door stops for years. She's knows I have always been creative and into making 'stuff' but it was usually limited to either design and print, drawing or cutting and pasting. Now that I have added sewing into the repertoire of things I do, my MIL made mention that some 'proper' door stops might be a good idea....
Well I say not a good idea, but a great idea as I loved making these 3 little guys (Sorry gals, but I think they should be guys as they remind me of little soldiers on guard the doorway!) After a flick around the big wide web world, a quick sketch of how I wanted my doorstops to look and some advice from my wonderful sewing teacher, I created my first ever pattern from scratch and my new project was underway. I am delighted with the finished product, they will be a great little Chirstmas gift for my MIL and I will definitely be making more of these. I think I may have to do a little more research into the filling as it needs to be something that is weighty and doesn't attract any weevils, mice etc. I've used wheat in this first batch as it was really cost effective and I know it's used in wheat bags that often lie around the house, so I think these will be my test dummies and fingers crossed they don't attract and furry or crittery friends!

Little matching loopy handles - my fav part!

In position and on guard

A Cushioning I Go!

Now that I have stopped procrastinating about zipper techniques, my cushion creations are starting to come along nicely. It's amazing how once you clear your mind and get focused, how much easier it is to move forward. My plan is to sew quite a few cushions in a range of fun and quirky fabric combos and test out the waters by trying to sell them at our local market where all things must be handmade. I've finally started to get stuck into some different fabrics which is exciting, I am playing with a mix of materials from linens to heavy textured cottons. I am a sucker for textured things and I'm discovering the beauty of working with different sorts of fabrics, not to mention the joy in seeing the finished product. I've got lot's of sewing to get done over the next couple of weeks as I am planning to gift quite a few cushions during the festive season, here's a peak of one of my latest creations....

Red polka with a splash of nautical on neutral

Egg Yolk Yellow & Cream

Did somebody say SIX? The cricket season has definitely begun as I was knocked for a massive six this week and wiped out by a nasty virus. After 3 bed ridden days of aches, shivers and my head spinning like I was riding the good old Graviton ride, I've finally returned to the land of the living, walking & talking - although I'm sure Azz enjoyed some of the me non talking part!
On Friday afternoon you couldn't imagine my delight when I received my long awaited parcel in the post, a Yolk & Cream Bholu cushion that I had ordered a few weeks back. Could you think of a better colour for a pick me up...... it was just the little ray of sunshine I needed and is even lovelier in real life, I love the imperfections in the felt and what do you know, the zipper has 2 visible seems!

Embroidery detail finished by hand

bholu /bohl-loo/adj 1.descriptive of naive and free artistic expression.

Nothing like adding a little black, white & grey to yolk!

I need to make a special mention about Bholu, I came across them on a give away The Design Files was doing a few weeks ago and after checking our their products and website I think the integrity and values that sit with in the Bholu brand are wonderful and definitely a great model to base a creative business off. The designs are hand crafted by women artisans from traditional desert communities in India and the philosophy behind Bholu is about creating products to love and live with, while benefiting people they work with along the way. By using their traditional skills, the women artisans gain an income, hence independence and opportunity. Part of the proceeds from the collection go back to the Bholu Anganwadi Project which builds pre schools in underprivileged communities and provides over 280 poor children with love, education and a nutritious meal. It's so wonderful to see another great example of art and craft giving back. I couldn't think of anything better to do than to be able to design and create beautiful wares and give back to a community at the same time - that one's up there on my list of do's and dreams!

Oh and by the way, I've mentioned in the past that I'm very much a colour of the week or month sort of gal and I would have to say that this Egg Yolk Yellow is doing it for me this month - is there anything taking your fancy?

BIG decisions...

After taking a week or so off from my cushion ventures, I'm back and feeling good about them. I took a little time out from my cushion creations to make some BIG decisions!
Which technique shall I use to insert the zippers?
After a bit of market research, including some close inspections of cushions on the market and in peoples homes, advice from some wonderful bloggers, a few friends and family - thank you, I have come to the realisation that people really aren't fussed and there isn't one 'proper way'. For now I'm going back to my original way with 2 visible stitch lines around the zip. In the scheme of the whole big wide world they are actually minuscule decisions, but never the less one I'm feeling better for! I got so enthused that I've cut out all my fabric that I intend to make into cooshy Christmas gifts, so I think it is very nearly time to sew!

Finally some different fabrics cut & ready to sew!

One Stitch Forward & A Whole Cotton Reel Back

I seem to have hit a wall with my cushions... This week I've spent a number of hours unpicking, re-sewing and unpicking cushions and leaving cotton crumbs everywhere! It drives me crazy when I spend time trying to be productive and it feels like hours wasted! I don't know if I'm being super pedantic or if I just need to try harder, I mentioned in one of my previous posts the first cushion I sewed from this tutorial seemed pretty easy and I was happy with the outcome. Since taking sewing lessons, I have been shown the 'proper' way to make cushions. Now I know I might be starting to sound like a broken record with the whole zipper technique thing, but I just don't know which way to move forward.

Do I:
1. Go back to sewing cushions the way I did in the first place with 2 visible stitch lines around the zip?
2. Persist and hope that I can master the single visible stitch technique with a super neat finish and no fabric bunching up at the end?

Or maybe the question I should be asking is, if I was to sell these down the track, so long as they are sewn together really well and super neat, would anyone even care if they had 1 or 2 visible stitches around the zipper and is there in fact a 'proper way'?

Zipper 1, Zipper 2 - what do I do?

Life is Full of Surprises!

Don't you just love it when life surprises you with good things! Yesterday I went along to a CWC event put together by Tess McCabe. CWC brings together women working in creative industries and establishing small businesses in order to share information, inspiration and ideas - a really great resource for creative gals!
A funny thing happened to me while I was there... I left my details on a mailing list and a few minutes later I got tapped on the shoulder by a stranger who turned out to be not such a stranger. It was the multi talented designer, illustrator and maker of things Renae Moore, aka VixenLily . We had been sitting right next to each other and she recognised my e-mail address from a giveaway I entered on her blog. We quickly worked out that we had crossed paths in blog land and she delivered the news that I was the lucky winner of one of her divine resin coated tiles. As if that wasn't enough of a surprise, we then discovered that we're headed down similar paths with our crafty creations and would you believe it, we live in the same suburb.
Gotta love how life is full of such surprises and WOW, what a seriously small world we live in!

Resin Coated Tile by Renae Moore - lucky me!

Feast for Your Eyes

There's some great markets on for fellow Melbournians to feast their eyes on this weekend....

#1. Magnolia Square
#2. Craft Victoria's - Hatch

Unfortunately I don't think I'm going to get to either of these, I'm spending a lot of my spare time these days researching, planning and creating things as I hope to be able to have my own little stall at these sorts of markets down the track. So it's to many things too do and too many things on at the same time! Thank god for the internet, I'm sure to be able to sneak a peak at what was on show somewhere in this big web world.

Practise Makes Perfect

Slowly but surely, with a few frustrating moments and naughty words along the way, I am getting the hang of sewing the perfect cushion cover! 

The first cushion I sewed seemed rather easy (check it out here), but since taking sewing lessons and discovering that a well made cushion should only have one visible seam over the zipper, the bar has been raised and things have gotten a little trickier. I have to say being the fuss pot I am, that I'm not over the moon with my latest cushion creations, I love the quirky fabric and overall look but there is still some room for improvement around the whole zipper seam area. They say practise makes perfect and I intend to keep sewing my little heart out until then....

Red & Pink - sometimes so wrong, this instance so right!

This one's a gift for a friends nursery - yes, she's having a girl.

I'll get this zipper technique mastered one day - hopefully soon!

Bibs, Booties, Lemon & Polka Dots

Just whipped up a design for some simple little invites for my sister in-laws Baby Shower, I'm really loving lemon & polka dots today! Thought I'd show a little snippet, I've chopped off the bottom half as it includes details that I probably shouldn't publish to the whole wide web world.

On a craftier note, I am happy to say I am closer mastering the art of cushion making, well a simple cushion with out any fancy piping and things. The wonderful Shirley has taught me a new zipper technique where you only see one seam, and she has also helped me with the little extra attention to detail bits. A few more to sew and I'll be sure to post some more pics of my latest cushion ventures.

Spoilt Rotten

It was my birthday this week and I was spoilt rotten with beautiful gifts from family and friends, a lovely dinner out with Azz and my in laws, a cake at work with the always embarrassing happy birthday sing along and a garden party enjoyed with the gals, devouring delicious homemade treats washed down with the very English PIMMS, at the fine establishment Madame Brussels. 

So, I'm another year older and a very lucky lady as one of the gifts I received from the #1 man in my life is a book I have had on my wish list and hanging out for; Prints Charming, by Cath Derksema and Kirsten Junor. It's full of fantastic sewing and hand printing projects for the home and family and I am very much looking forward to getting stuck into some of them right after I master the art of cushions!

The decor at Madame Brussels - perfect for a tea party

My very own copy!

I love the extra attention paid to the details on spreads

Colour My World

Ahh colour! I could definitely waste away hours of my day exploring the magical world of colour, just don't ask me to pick my favorite as I'm more of a colour of the week or month sort of gal. If your in need of some inspiration or help with colour palettes, a fabulous site to check out is Adobe's Kuler. Whether it be graphic design, interior design, art and craft or any other sort of project that requires a splash of colour, this site is sure to become your friend.

A couple of swatches taking my fancy at the moment