Smoke and Mirrors... and duckbill scissors.

In the past, taking photos has involved more of my multi-dextrous and contortionist skills than my ability to use a battered Kodak Easyshare.... There are often reflector boards (usually Peltex or Vilene S520) held with one hand (or foot ...or teeth) while the other does the camera-work.

After a brief hiatus (while I manned the office so Ann Marie and Leah could attend sick kids for a few days), today I got back to the business of finishing a magazine article that needed photos. But first I built something amazing...... out of foam-core board and balsa wood.

I held it to the benchtop with the clamp from an Ikea lamp ...and made hinges out of strapping tape. All super high-tech.

It reflects the afternoon light in my studio perfectly.


...so I can get on with the business of sewing and snapping those necessary step-by-step shots. I can move the sewing machine and tilt the "wings" to soften shadows without having to look like I'm playing a game of Twister.

Sorry - can't show you what I'm sewing. Instead, I'll show you what came in today (along with fresh supplies of button kits!).

Duckbill scissors!! - AVAILABLE HERE!

Apparently they're not as easy to find in Spotlight or Lincraft as I thought.... so it's high time I stopped teasing people with mine and offered them for sale in my shop.

Edited to add - Don't know what duckbill scissors are?.... You can see them in action here.
I also use mine for everything that needs sharp pointy scissors (thread trimming, snipping holes for magnetic snaps...) because they have super-sharp points and have ergonomically designed handles that make them comfortable and easy to use. I love them so much I have TWO pairs (so I can always lay my hands on them without having to go looking!!)

Buttoned up

This Hobo bag has been one of those projects that has been made in fits and starts over the last month or two (it has a sister - cut at the same time but still in construction). The fabric is a Martha Negley and the o-rings are 52mm Square Edge rings (a personal favourite of mine).

Mostly I was waiting for more self-cover button kits to arrive so I could finish the Kanzashi flowers on the front.

The crafty kid is still a bit obsessed with making buttons, but we've had to limit her access to them because we're now selling them in the shop.

There's no sewing involved with these kits - the two-part setting tool wraps the fabric around and the back of the button snaps into place. There are 8 buttons per pack and we have them in 12mm and 23mm - both at the same price ($5.05).

Now I'm going to be very busy sewing all the wee girl's buttons onto hair-ties for her. She now has a hair tie to match every outfit I've ever made for her, and we're fast moving on to having a hair-tie to match every bag I've ever made......

My Creative Space

Is a tad cooler today.....

Some would say that a portable air conditioner in a room the size of my studio on an exceptionally hot day is a bit like that saying about adding a small quantity of liquid to a river.... But I can tell you, it made the difference between managable warmth and suffocating fan-forced oven.

I often refer to my "sewing cave", meaning my hideaway retreat where I can be a alone and do what feeds my soul...where I contemplate life and clip seams. In hot weather it takes on a whole new meaning - those huge windows are draped with heavy curtains and I have no decent light in which to photograph anything!

My desk is covered in paperwork, printed-out pattern tests and endless cups of tea. Although the pile of little gifts (including an as-yet-unblogged swiney from Gina from early winter - which still makes me smile) is close by - a little patch of happiness that I've meant to photograph for ages.


The wee girl's creative space was all about making a family of pet turtles for her calico dolls using embossed mock-croc paper for the shells.

Personally, I got very little done - what with all the air-con purchasing and installation, and then getting ready for my patternmaking class tonight. Oh... and all that wilting and whinging about the weather.... However, I managed to photograph (in the cave) the 3 little dresses I finished last night - cut out over a week ago.

Gotta love a quick kid's dress pattern for instant gratification (the 3 of them took me an hour and a half all up). And this cow print is just a bit too cute for words.

To take a peek into other creative spaces, mosey on over to Kirsty's....

I digress....

Apologies to those awaiting the completion of the bag pattern I started earlier this year.... or for the 200mm version of the Poppet. Samples have been lurking around the studio - teasing visitors and workshop participants.... but alas, no instructions have been forthcoming.

I'm afraid I don't have a team of elves who can write about the finer points of bag and hat-making. Shame about that.... I could use them at times like this.

I've been obsessed with an idea - a kind of diversion. I need to get it out of my head before I can go back - refreshed - to finish the tedious end of developing bag patterns. I love a good puzzle (I think that's why I love patternmaking) and a challenge is necessary from time to time.

There's lots of tapping back into old skills, and learning new and geeky things I can do with patternmaking software. Developing a design and my skills base is like a good dose of Berocca at this end of a long, tiring year.

...And so...

I was inspired to venture further, and stop just saying "I've always wanted to learn felting". A gift voucher for Amazon was spent on this book, and plans are being made for a messy Christmas holidays... (we're talking the fibre, soap and water variety here, not the too-many-champagne-cocktails kind of messy).

I know NOTHING about felting and would love to hear of any good leads on supplies and resources. What am I looking for and where...?

...And I'll see you next year with that bag pattern... graded in CAD to seventeen different sizes with instructions full of cute little CAD-drawn diagrams and samples covered in felt embellishments.... and perhaps even a champagne cocktail recipe.

A silk purse from a sow's ear...

Or just a sow's ear. I'm not sure.

It serves me right for trying to cheat. I thought it'd be quicker to buy a pattern than make my own. New Look 6866 looked easy, fluid and flattering on the packet....

...and like a potato sack when it was made up.

I made the size small (Australian sizes 8-10, which is right where I'm at) but it fitted like a shapeless size 12.

It was so unflattering I didn't take any "before" photos - just the results of about three rounds of tweaking.

The neckline was dropped an inch or so at centre-front and a great big chunk was taken out of the back... too much in fact. (There's now a dodgey tight bit on the bottom of the V where I clipped it before I checked it, and then couldn't let it out again).

I then had to re-shape the armholes so I could move in it after I made it too tight and I had to put a bit of shape into the waist so it... ummm... had a bit of shape in the waist.

My sow's ear is quite a comfy summer frock now. Not perfect, but I'll wear it - wonky seams, dodgey pattern placement (wish I'd thought of that one, too..) and all.

If you're bigger than I am (that'd be MOST of you!) this pattern may be for you. I'd say the size small would fit a tall or fuller-figured size 10-12.

If you're five foot one-and-a-half and a slightly curvy size 8-10, I'd suggest that you mock up a calico toile and tweak it before hacking into your favourite fabric. Or if you have, say, PATTERNMAKING SKILLS (!!?)..... perhaps don't be so lazy. Start from scratch to make something designed for your figure.

The fabric is from the Loft 1800 range by Moda - one of my all-time favourites.

PS. This time I enlisted my assistant to take the photo of the back view. It has been cropped to (mostly) remove the great shot of the wheelie bins (originally with me on the side of the photo).

Party dress

Lots of twirling and whirling....
..and a bottom button not done up (there are actually three of them). Ho hum.... and possibly the last photo opportunity for the dress...

A big family reunion co-incided with her birthday celebration.... She had a great day.

And now the dress is a crumpled sunscreen-cake-olive-oil-and-dust covered blob in the washing basket.

The pattern is a variation on a theme I'm working on at the moment..... the fabric is some Donna Dewberry bargain fabric from Quilt Home.

Happy birthday, my little petal. xxx

Flickr Favourites Friday

I love this photo.

"The other Nikki" (as the wee girl calls her) made up my kids hat pattern for her toddling twins. You can read more about it here.



Sooz made one for herself out of the Adults hat pattern.


EDITED TO ADD THIS ONE... because it's so darn cute! Carmel made this for her gorgeous boy.


Have you made up one of my hat patterns? If you'd like to share your creations you can join the Flickr group or leave a comment with a link to your blog.

I never tire of seeing what happens to my little 'ol pattern designs after they leave home...