Posts categorized "fabric & sewing"

Ribbons Galore is offering 20% off Janea's World ribbons

Ribbons Galore Janea's World ribbon sale

These beautiful German ribbons are currently on sale at Ribbons Galore. They have been reduced by 20%, and if you purchase 25 metres or more of one design, you will receive 30% off. No coupon is needed, discounts will be automatically deducted during checkout. You can find the full range by clicking HERE.

Hope you can find something to finish off your latest crafty project.

Cheers

Fiona


a dress for phoebe

Every now and again I remind my girls that I can sew. I have actually been sewing for a very long time. I made many of their little dresses and clothes when they were younger, have made the concert costumes for their pre-school and school concerts and musicals, and even further back... made my clothes before these two girls were even born! These days I tend to sew "things" rather than clothes.

So, when my girls talk about buying a dress... describing the style... I say, you could make that (they both know how to sew themselves) or I can make that for you... my comments usually fall on deaf ears (accompanied with a roll of the eyes).

When Phoebe recently chatted about a simple dress she liked AND actually mentioned that I maybe could make it for her... I jumped at the chance. Then it dawned on me that it had probably been 10 years or more since I'd made her a dress (concert costumes not included).

The pressure was on... mess this up, and I'd probably not be asked again :)

She picked the dress pattern and the fabric. I made the dress and, thankfully, she's happy with it!

Here is the dress with Phoebe on their first outing.

Living on the crafty side of life blog

The fabric she picked was a lovely cotton quilting fabric, Suzani by Michelle Marvig for Charles Parsons

Living on the crafty side of life blog

The checked bias binding was used to edge the neckline and sleeves. 

Living on the crafty side of life blog

The pattern we used was a Very Easy Vogue Pattern #V8805.

Living on the crafty side of life blog

I'll leave you with one last shot of the new dress and it's owner. And yes, there has been an indication that I might be allowed to make another dress.

Living on the crafty side of life blog

Thanks for visiting.

Cheers

Fiona


 


easter

Easter is just around the corner, well about a month away, so thought I'd list some of my favourite Easter ideas I've made over the last few years.

I've also been adding lots of Easter ideas to my Easter board at Pinterest, if you'd like to see more gorgeous ideas.

Follow Me on Pinterest

Anyway, here's some old favourites.....

Pom pom chicks: (with tutorial) 

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Bubble corduroy easter bags (with tutorial):

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Little felt easter bags (with tutorial):

Fceggbag

EASTER SOFTIES TO MAKE:

eggIE softie: (with pattern and tutorial)

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Colourful bunnies:

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Soft bunny:

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Easter bunny packaging:

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Decorating easter eggs:

Fceastereggs

I'd like to thank the EveryEtsy blog for featuring my pom pom chicks above in their 101 Handmade Easter Craft ideas post. As the name suggests there's 101 crafty ideas for Easter project, well worth taking a look at all the lovely ideas listed.

 

Thanks for visiting. Happy crafting.

Cheers

Fiona


Better Homes and Gardens LIVE Melbourne ticket giveaway

The BHG LIVE show is coming to Melbourne! It's on 24-26 February 2012 at the Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton.

The three day event will host four stages, with live demonstrations from the Better Homes and Gardens TV experts, plus there'll be over 300 companies exhibiting at the event. You can read all about the show on the Better Homes and Gardens LIVE website.

To my Melbourne readers, start planning your day, cause I have 10 double passes (a total of 20 complimentary tickets) each valued at $40.00 to give away.

If you live in Melbourne or will be in Melbourne town on the weekend of the show and would like a couple of tickets, please send me an email.

Enjoy the show :)

Cheers

Fiona

 

 


homespun magazine

Ribbons Galore had some ribbons featured in the Window Shopping pages of the latest Homespun Magazine (July 2011). The whole section featured products with cute reindeer designs, many of them being of the Rudolf variety, for a Christmas in July special.

Ribbons Galore Rudolf ribbons
 
The ribbons featured are the very cute Ruldolf the Red Nosed Reindeer ribbons.

Ribbons galore blue reindeer ribbon 1 
Ribbons galore pink reindeer ribbon 1

They are beautiful quality ribbons, perfect for all your Christmas sewing (even in July). I made a little carry bag/gift bag with the pink Rudolf ribbon last Christmas.

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RG-rudolf-bag-1

Cheers

Fiona


sewing for Samaritan's Purse

Last week Emily and I visited Samaritan's Purse's office here in Sydney. Emily had sewn skirts and draw-string bags for Samaritan's Purse as her service component of her Duke of Edinburgh, which she had to deliver. These skirts and bags will hopefully be included in some Christmas Child shoe boxes for this year.

EFC sewing

She sewed very cute elastic waited skirts, some with rick rack trim along the hems....

EFC sewing skirt

EFC sewing skirts

While we were out there I collected six empty Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes. My aim is to make something, skirts, bags or toys to fill these boxes ready to send out later in the year. Hopefully my girls will help me a little with this project through the year :) Looking forward to a year of sewing!

Thanks for visiting.

Cheers

Fiona


welcome 2011

Happy New Year!

We've just returned from a short break in the Hunter Valley which was very relaxing. Now our thoughts are turning to back to school and work over the next couple of weeks... where have the holidays have gone? This afternoon I've raised the hems on a couple of new school uniform dresses and ironed on name labels onto several new uniform pieces. We have one excited 12 year heading off to high school very soon. Covering the text books is one of the next jobs on our list.

As I organise our new uniforms, I've also been sorting out the old ones, the uniforms that have been worn (and filled my laundry) for the past decade. Most have paint stains on them, a sign, I hope, of a little creativity that has been enjoyed by my two gorgeous girls at some time over the last 10 years...

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I have some exciting Ribbons Galore news which I really should have shared at the end of 2010 (but due to circumstances beyond my control, last year didn't end as I planned).

Earlier last year I was contacted by the lovely Toni Coward of Make It Perfect. She was interested in using some ribbons for her new project, a new book called "Make it Perfect". A couple of weeks ago I finally bought the book while I was in th city at Kinokuniya (I also bought the latest Cotton Time, I just couldn't resist!). Toni's book is gorgeous. The projects are fun, bright and happy with a mixture of projects/clothes for kids and adults. The patterns are full sized (no need to enlarge) and multi sized.

Make-it-perfect-cover

Here's a couple of pictures of the book...

Make-it-perfect-2 

Make-it-perfect-1

My first project will be an apron from the book. Just trying to pick the right fabric.

Ribbons Galore was also featured in Donna Hay magazine (Dec 2010/Jan 2011 edition).

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This time of year is normally a time for relaxation, with many families enjoying the school holidays. Unfortunately this is not the case for many, many people across Australia at the moment, not such a happy new year for everyone.

Toni Coward and her sister Carli are co-ordinating fund raising auctions/raffles for those affected by the Queensland floods. I'll be joining in the fund raising effort with a raffle for some Ribbons Galore ribbons. I'll be posting more details in the next couple of days. In the meantime, please visit Toni's blog to read more about this fund raising effort and current auctions. 

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Cheers

Fiona


christmas ideas [day 5] : fabric yo-yos christmas tree ornaments

Just sharing some little ornaments I've made over the weekend for our tree.

Little fabric yo-yos Christmas trees.

Fiona-carter-yo-yo-trees-1

These are made from three fabric yo-yos of graduating sizes....

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... and lots of buttons....

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...all threaded together.

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I've just fabric from my Michael Miller collection. Love the bright colours of these fabrics.
  
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Thanks for visiting.

Cheers

Fiona x


christmas ideas [day 3] : christmas bunting, banners and garlands

The Christmas idea I'm sharing today is an almost no sew Christmas bunting. I say it's almost no sew as the flag parts of the bunting have no sewing whatsoever, and the only sewing involved in this project is stitching the flags to the ribbons.Fiona's-xmas-bunting

To create each flag, choose two fabrics, one for the front and one for the back. Cut the fabrics slightly larger that the finished triangle. Fuse both pieces together with fusible webbing (the stuff used for applique work). Now cut the triangle flag shape from this double sided fabric. For something a little different, I used my pinking shears to cut the edges.

Fiona's-xmas-bunting-3 
Fiona's-xmas-bunting-2

Once you have your desired number of flags made, pin them in place along a length of ribbon. I've used plain grosgrain from Ribbons Galore. I added a thinner ribbon to the middle of the first ribbon for some detail. I then stitched another piece of ribbon to the back of these front ribbons to hide the raw edges of the bunting flags.Fiona's-xmas-bunting-4 
Fiona's-xmas-bunting-6

The fabrics I've used are from Michael Miller Fabrics, from the Christmas range including red, lime and green holiday ditzy, lime joyful damask and pink joy.
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And here is it's final position for the festive season. Over our over-sided doorway at the end of our hallway. And I have to agree with Mel now, bunting is one of the hardest things to photograph.

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Now please make sure you visit Mel's blog to see her gorgeous circular bunting that she has made, so very cute.

Here are a few favourite ideas for banners, garlands and buntings.

Mel has already mentioned this Christmas tree bunting in her post, but it was on my list of favourites, so I'm popping it on my blog too. This is from sadieandland blog. She has included a tutorial on her blog.

C1

Shelley has shared a couple of gorgeous ideas for banners... the first one made from party plates...

Banner 1

... and the second one, made from page protectors...

Dec banner 2

This list at Whipup.net contains several clever garland and buntings which I won't repeat, just head over there and click through the list for lots of interesting ideas.

That's about all from me for now. Thanks for popping by.

Cheers

Fiona x