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-the home of Simple, Speedy Sewing.

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Show your work!

Started reading Austin Kleon’s book “Show Your Work”. He champions the work of amateurs, after all they’re in it for the love of their great passion, not the money. So in that spirit, here is my latest amateurish effort - not perfect by any means, but I really enjoyed making it.

Bag for my yoga mat, complete with little change purse attached…

Even managed to incorporate an old necklace as a drawstring for the bag

Things to Do in Lockdown

When 2020 began, I don’t think anyone would have believed so many countries would be staying home in lockdown due to a worldwide virus. It does however, give us time to do things we’ve neglected for decades. Had a lovely note from Estelle who hasn’t sewn since childhood. Here’s her Mary Q dress in a sweet Scottie dog print. Who doesn’t love the satisfaction of making a 3D garment from a rectangle of fabric!

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Goin' to the chapel and we're gonna get married...

So... my friend Lee is getting married next year and sends me this picture of the sort of dress she'd like me to make...

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There are just a couple of teeny tiny hitches though.  Not to be unkind, but Lee does not have the figure of this girl.  As she is approaching a good six decades in age, I think we'll settle for the idea of a white dress and a black lace coat with a train and go from there!

I made my own wedding dress, heavily supervised by my college instructor, but aside from that I've never tackled a wedding dress before.  I enlist the help of sewing superstars Susan Khalje and Alison Smith.  You can too, by buying their Craftsy courses. 

While it will cost you thousands of dollars to be in the right location and take personal classes with these lovely ladies, for a mere $53 AUD, I've purchased about 20 hours of online tuition.  (Keep an eye on Craftsy for their many sales, especially around American events like Black Friday sales in late November).

These fascinating courses cover the dark arts of couture sewing and handling lace and I'm enjoying them immensely.

Will  see how we go!

Birthday Gift Dilemmas

Do your friends regard the opening of birthday gifts as a party activity in it's own right? Some of mine do.  It's fun to ooh and aah over pressies as the birthday girl opens them, but gifts can sometimes look a bit Scottish!  At a recent birthday present unveiling I was seeing Royal Doulton among the brand names and calculating price tags as anything up to $100.  Sorry, my piggy bank doesn't hold that much!

Let's see...fabric $12, D rings $3, 2 hours labour at $60 per hour, that adds up to quite a pricey gift!

Let's see...fabric $12, D rings $3, 2 hours labour at $60 per hour, that adds up to quite a pricey gift!

Hunted high and low for a bee print for my bee-keeper buddy!

Hunted high and low for a bee print for my bee-keeper buddy!

Fortunately, if you're a bit crafty, you can still get some oohs and aahs with far less cash and just a little time and effort.  These aprons were made by using my husband's very ratty BBQ apron as a template. The cash register may not have registered very much in buying the materials, but when you take into account the love that went into making them, their value transcends mere money!

 

Last minute Christmas gifts to sew!

Looking for last minute Christmas gifts to sew?  If you're looking for heirlooms that took months to create, better look elsewhere.  All these projects can be knocked over in a single crafternoon!

 

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Made from thrift shop twill fabric, vintage button and vintage lace using the Swinging 60s Shift pattern

 

Leather hairbands sew up in a jiffy.  Try Megan Nielsens free Boab hairband pattern

Go Italian, with faux pasta using felt or scraps of material.  Serve up in empty spaghetti sauce jars with toy kitchenware.  Try here for a selection of pasta party ideas.

Go Italian, with faux pasta using felt or scraps of material.  Serve up in empty spaghetti sauce jars with toy kitchenware.  Try here for a selection of pasta party ideas.

Books for kids serve double duty by improving reading skills.  Package your offerings in handmade book bags.  I made mine extra cute with contrasting casings and tabs on the ends of the drawstrings.  I measured books and made my own b…

Books for kids serve double duty by improving reading skills.  Package your offerings in handmade book bags.  I made mine extra cute with contrasting casings and tabs on the ends of the drawstrings.  I measured books and made my own bags, but  these instructions look quite similar!

Aussies with their "trust everyone!" way of life need a safe place for their passports when travelling.  A lot of the shop-bought passport holders are very ugly.  Sew up your own for travelling friends.  I kind of made it up as I sewe…

Aussies with their "trust everyone!" way of life need a safe place for their passports when travelling.  A lot of the shop-bought passport holders are very ugly.  Sew up your own for travelling friends.  I kind of made it up as I sewed, but here's a tutorial for something similar.

To market, to market...

Trying a market stall at Paxtons Night Market here in Mackay this Friday 5:30 to 8:30.  Will bring a bit of everything -  some children's wear, toys and toy bag/mats to collect them up in, simple sewing  projects (ie luggage tags, peg bag) to buy or try, plus clothing patterns to sew up yourself.  Come and say hello if you're a local and love to buy local!

Elke Dress - just a couple of these for sale, but you can always sew your own from our downloadable pattern available at our Etsy store - Clothesline Emporium.

Elke Dress - just a couple of these for sale, but you can always sew your own from our downloadable pattern available at our Etsy store - Clothesline Emporium.

Will have a small range of  hard copies of Clothesline patterns to save you some downloading from the internet, cutting and pasting. They come in a nice sturdy string envelope too!

Will have a small range of  hard copies of Clothesline patterns to save you some downloading from the internet, cutting and pasting. They come in a nice sturdy string envelope too!

Perfect gift to stash away for a newborn baby!  The Archie Playsuit was designed by my step-daughter Anna especially for hot weather and ease of dressing.  Yes, instead of pushing unco-operative limbs through the garment, this playsuit ope…

Perfect gift to stash away for a newborn baby!  The Archie Playsuit was designed by my step-daughter Anna especially for hot weather and ease of dressing.  Yes, instead of pushing unco-operative limbs through the garment, this playsuit opens out  flat and clips on around baby. It's reversible too!  Pattern coming soon, but I have a few prototypes for sale...

What's a market without quirky trinkets like cloth farfalle, tea bags and ravioli?  Make your own, it's fun! Links to tutorials to start you off can be found at our new  Pinterest board. 

What's a market without quirky trinkets like cloth farfalle, tea bags and ravioli?  Make your own, it's fun! Links to tutorials to start you off can be found at our new  Pinterest board. 

Will also bring some samples of dresses made using Clothesline patterns so you can see how simple they are to sew!

Will also bring some samples of dresses made using Clothesline patterns so you can see how simple they are to sew!

Depression Lace Embroidery

I love finding second hand aprons and tablecloths embroidered in cross-stitch on gingham. I didn't realise their origins date back as far as the depression.   In those tough times, ladies wanted something pretty and lacy, so embellished plain check fabric with easy cross-stitched designs.  By using the coloured squares judiciously, a lovely result occurs with minimal effort.

Here's the beginning of my efforts using a great tutorial from Riley Blake Designs.

Cross stitch and ric-rac on checkered fabric produced this lovely lacy effect on a thrift store apron.

Cross stitch and ric-rac on checkered fabric produced this lovely lacy effect on a thrift store apron.

 

O Caftan, My Caftan

Caftans have had some bad publicity!  In Australia, they are inextricably linked with schmaltzy singer Kamahl. The ABC network in Canberra has instigated Caftan Friday, as a joke to poke fun at this classic 70s clothing item.

 

 
Rachel Zoe, stylist to...well, just about anyone and everyone... loves her vintage Pucci and Missoni caftans.

Rachel Zoe, stylist to...well, just about anyone and everyone... loves her vintage Pucci and Missoni caftans.

Kamahl, simultaneously resplendent and terrifying in a black and gold lame caftan

Kamahl, simultaneously resplendent and terrifying in a black and gold lame caftan

But stylist Rachel Zoe swears by her beautiful vintage caftans. We know they're comfy but can you wear one if you're not going to the beach? 

 
Here's a poolside caftan that you could wear anywhere from US retailer Tuckernuck.

Here's a poolside caftan that you could wear anywhere from US retailer Tuckernuck.

Made this caftan in thrift shop finds - a sky blue silk and a white seersucker fabric.

Made this caftan in thrift shop finds - a sky blue silk and a white seersucker fabric.

Caftan from Michael Kors.  Christian Dior 2012 resort collection showed a very similar caftan as well.

Caftan from Michael Kors.  Christian Dior 2012 resort collection showed a very similar caftan as well.

Thought I'd try sewing a less voluminous, practical caftan to wear even after you've left the pool.  After a few trials, I trimmed back the draping sleeves (to prevent caftan wearers from becoming a fireball at a barbeque) and shortened the hem (to avoid tripping up stairs).

Inspired by a lovely Michael Kors caftan, I made my own version. Photo instructions are here. Downloadable pattern coming soon so you can make your own Seventies caftan! 

 
 

Fathers Day wrap up

Fathers Day was yesterday.  Here's what Mollie the dog gave my husband - a handmade pencil roll (recycled from a teatowel and scrap fabric) to take his gear to school in.  What a clever animal!

Okay, I did help her make this as she doesn't have opposable thumbs.

Okay, I did help her make this as she doesn't have opposable thumbs.