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?

Bubbly Duck

Thought I'd squeeze in a quick post, before dashing out to dinner for a well overdue catch up with some of our old time friends. I'm very much looking forward to a glass of bubbly after a whirlwind week at work, not to mention the red duck curry with lychees Saam Saii has on their menu. Now don't screw your nose up, I know duck and lychees... but it is really good. By the way, I hadn't intended this blog to be about food but as it has "Feast" in the name and food ranks very highly as one of my loves and this is my blog, I figure why not!

So to my point, yes I have done it again. I have sewed my second cushion and there were definitely a few improvements this time round, particularly when it came to sewing in the zipper. I'm am still struggling a little when it comes to getting the seams in the correct places, to make sure my cushion is the right size for the insert. I figure this comes with practise and what better way to practise than with some help from a pro. I have booked into a local sewing class and my first lesson is next week. Apparently I get to make what ever I want, so I think project number one will be to master a cushion! If there's anyone reading this and your giving some thing new a go, drop me a line, I'd love to know!

Love these little guys - courtesy of Alexander Henry

Pretty happy with this zipper

Charcoals a nice contrast

Novice Conquers Cushion

First of all I have to say "Thankyou Melbourne for finally turning on some glorious weather", I was beginning to wonder if it was going to be a cold winter forever! This weekend has been busy and full of lots of things I love; a beautiful dinner enjoyed with my husband & friends at my fav Vietnamese restaurant Indochine, a day out with one of my besties exploring some great homewares & fabric shops and visit to a beautiful market. I will post more about my big day out later, but right now I have some very exciting news!

Yes exciting news alright, I have made my very first cushion. I know that to a seasoned sewer this is probably a very simple task, but to a novice like my self this is a serious feat. After one practise run, armed with some of my recently purchased fabric, my sewing machine and with the help of a great tutorial from Mildly Crafty (I could not have done it with out this tutorial), I have created my first ever home made cushion with a zipper. And the zipper is a big deal because until a few weeks ago I didn't even realise you had to use a special zipper foot let alone sew a cushion with a zipper. So it goes without saying that I have taken a couple of snaps to showcase my cushion masterpiece and I am one very happy and inspired sewer!