Big pictures and little pictures, woods and trees.

This little corner of a table in my studio is indicative of the whole, big, chaotic picture, right now.



I haven't wasted much time lately, with tidying.

It's been all about bringing a book manuscript into being, which means working between computer, sewing machine, cutting table, ironing board and photography table, balacing bits of foamcore board on everything and staying up late, sifting through and cataloging hundreds of images....  And writing.  Writing and re-writing.  Drawing diagrams and writing some more.  It's coming along.

The trip to the USA, Quilt Market and possibly teaching some classes while I'm in that neck of the woods, is another work-in-progress.  (If you're interested in doing a class with me while I'm in the North-West in May 2013, please email me at info@nicolemdesign.com.au and we'll keep you in the loop).

I'd like to say that everything has been running smoothly, but between bursts of efficiency, there has been a fair bit of unpicking, re-cutting, starting over, everyday life issues getting in the way.... and all the while, I've been riding waves of inconsolable, crippling grief, as my mother's awful illness is stealing the last of her reflexes and dignity.

I hear my mother's voice, "You just can't see the woods for the trees". (She said that to me a lot, when I was a kid.... I wonder why?)  But I know now that she showed me how to see both the woods and the trees - how to see the bigger picture and how to find my way through, tree by tree.  To throw in another cliche' or two - she also showed me how to stop to smell the roses, and taught me to count my blessings.

And so, I've been enjoying the process of seeing new ideas become reality.  I'm thanking my lucky stars for new opportunities and for the talented community of designers and crafters around me.

It's been great to work with wonderful fabrics like this one above, by CurlyPops and below, by Kristen Doran.

I appear to be fitting in a bit of theraputic garment-sewing and going out with friends, too.  Here I am in a  new pencil-skirt on High St Northcote on Saturday evening.  (Spy-photo by my friend Tracy).

I've been seen about town, wearing cowl-neck slip dresses of various shape and with various configurations of safety pins and drapery.  They're all toiles (muslins), as I try to recreate something I once did quite accidentally ...and unfortunately, pattern-free.  It's getting close to what it's supposed to be. Nearly there. No safety pins in this one.

This green is the best colour... but it's a cotton rib knit, so not too drapey and a bit clumpy on the old hemline.  Regardless, I've been swanning about in it like I'm on the set of Mad Men or something, pretending it's all glamour and couture.  I just love the green.

And I still haven't made a pattern for it.  Little Miss Freehand-Cutting is going to have fun recreating it in 'proper' fabric, huh?

 



Today I dropped in on an old friend, and some old work. 

When the wee girl was a wee baby, I was - as usual - trying to juggle too many things: one of them being freelance patternmaking for accessories companies like Haul.

 

My very small part in the work of getting these laptop sleeves to market was done at a time when I was trying to fit everything in around a highly-mobile baby who wouldn't sleep, and when I was trying to get my own fledgling business off the ground.  Haul was going through a period of growth and change then, too.  To see that these products have stood the test of time is somewhat satisfying.  It's reassuring to know that it's worth the effort to keep working through even the toughest of times, and to find one's way out of the woods.

 

In the ten years I've known Scott, I've seen him work tirelessly on building this fantastic business, which is based around functional, fashionable accessories made from recycled upcycled urban waste (billboards, number plates, print blankets, truck inner tubes...).   He's won awards and gone from strength to strength (and did I mention, worked really, really hard..?).  Last week, he announced that he's moving on to other things, and closing Haul.  I feel a bit sad, but at the same time, I see the bigger picture and the opportunities that lie ahead, and wish Scott every success.

 

(BTW - there's currently a 35%-off sale.  Last chance to get yourself a bit of Haul).



 

I must get back to the business of working my way through these woods... again.  If I don't manage another blog post before Xmas, please have a happy and safe one!

Living and crafting and ... ahem... blogging.

It appears that I need a few extra hours in each day if I'm to return to the routine of regular blogging. Lately, it seems that thematically coherent posts (with occasional deep ponderings) remain in my head.  By the time I get around to blogging, it's all lightning tours and photo overloads, covering a month's worth of everything-in-my-life-but-not-much-detail. 

 

I do hope to remedy this soon, because I'm very glad to have the resource of my blog as a record of not just my work, but the life that goes on around it.  I don't want to lose that.

 

 

...but for now, here's the latest overview and photo-overload.  There is no coherent theme.

 

Please meet the new addition to the family (above).  Dolly, as she's fondly known, continues to scare the livin' bejaysus out of me as I catch her in my peripheral vision, lurking in my studio.  I think we may eventually get used to each other.

 

As much as I love my little half-scale dummy, it's nice to work on projects that don't need scaling up. 

 

 

The ongoing couch re-upholstering project continues (and looks a little more advanced in the photo below than it actually is), but that's a coherent, single-themed blog post for another day.

 

Today's story is about a fleeting spot of impromptu late-night quilting and cushion-making, which were a part of an Easter-weekend lounge-room craft binge.  Along with major upholstery works, the rag rug came out again and saw a bit of action, too.  The cushions were an afterthought.  I think I was eating too much chocolate.

 

Like the quilt, the quilted cushion covers are all made with Australian-designed fabrics.

 

 

Having recently finished a long-haul knitting project (a garment currently being blocked and yet to be photographed), I felt the need for a quick-fix.  I crocheted a Boteh Scarf for my sister in chunky cotton yarn... ahem*... over the Easter weekend.   

 

*Definitely too much chocolate.

 

I've also been playing a bit more with some new Pattern-free garment ideas. 

 

My late-night attempt to take a selfie with the iPad (with rag-rug-in-progress in the background) tells me that I need to set up a tripod and camera one bright sunshiney day, and take some photos that can show neckline draping and shoulder detail. 

 

Behold, a good photo of my boots....

  

 

There is a segue here, relating to pattern-free and photos, but it is completely unintentional and I don't want to use it as a literary (blogary?) device.  It's just another example of how everything lately brings me back to the recent passing of one of the very special people in my life. 

 

Denise Nestor, who's photographic work graces the cover of many Australian music albums and CD's, made my work rock in my book YOU SEW GIRL. Since then she became a much-loved friend and a shining light of positivity.  

 

 

My grieving process has included much contemplation of all Denise taught me. What keeps coming back is that even when we're faced with what might seem insurmountable, there are still things to make us feel happy and still reasons to hope.  Above all that, I've been thinking of the effect that we have on the lives of other people.... that we never know how far-reaching the effects of our words or actions might be, so it's best if we stick to spreading the good stuff.  Denise spread the good stuff, and I will miss our long chats over hot chocolates or pots of tea.

 

So, I guess if there's a theme to be had here, its that these are the things that have brought small joys or had some meaning to me over the last month.  These snapshots show the little moments... an overview of the good bits.  I hope that in sharing them, I'm spreading a bit of crafty goodness.

 

And I'll be back (at some point) with more on the teaching work I've been doing lately, and possibly a bit of other news.

All manner of newness.

Things have been a little quiet here on the blog front, and it's not because things have been dull... There have been lots of photos taken and blog posts planned, just none written.Another trip to GJ's Discount Fabrics for yet another load of cheap knit fabric resulted in some gems from the $2 Fat Quarter table (can you spot the fabrics chosen by my wee girl and those chosen by me?) and a major haul of razzle-dazzle from the $2 per metre remnants.... (guess who chose that?)
There was a lovely bundle of skirt-length fabrics from Quilt Home...

and we had some new bits of shiny arrive.... 50mm D-rings, now in stock. We also have some new colours in the 48mm plastic grommets. This matt black....
And "copper" (for which we don't have an option on the colour-picker in the shop, so when you want to order theses, call them "antique brass").

NOTE: The silver grommets are temporarily out of stock, so if you order a Fan Bag, you can choose black or copper for your grommet colour. On the family front, we've had a bit of bullet-dodging going on lately. We're all appreciating the fragility of life a bit more and counting lucky stars. We're taking time to smell the roses ...and read under the shade of the lemon tree... ...sometimes with friends... ;)None of this has thus-far been blogged because I've been very busy with pre-school craft projects, the construction of razzle-dazzle dress-ups, hospital visits and a slight obsession with a little idea I've had....It's all happening.

...and...B-R-E-A-T-H-E......

Right now I feel like I've just got off a long haul flight.

I still have to find my baggage and catch a cab home. But first, I think I'll sit in the airport and have a cup of tea (and an early night).

No words left for now. Normal programming will resume at some point soon.

Incoherent

Another week has passed and I have a selection of photos with absolutley no thematic link to tie them all together. 

I've been itching to cut into my new Saffron Craig fabrics but haven't managed to squeeze it in.

It's been a week of multi-tasking between interruptions, more heartbreaking news (on two separate fronts), upheaval, misunderstandings and frought emotions. The planetary alignment appears to be embracing the wonk.

My fancy-schmantzy sewing machine, in for what looked like a minor repair, appears to be having an extended break while a part is sent from Sydney and installed.  Reverting to working between an industrial straight-stitcher and a simple domestic machine has been frustrating and unrewarding. There has been more cutting done than sewing.

 There have been productive meetings, a return to the trapese-line top project from my book, a rekindling of a fond alliance and much fondling of lovely Japanese printed jerseys.

And a new appreciation of the humble safety pin...

There was no cleaning of mirrors.

Other things happened.  There was kindness, good friends, funny stories, and a major haul of knit fabric. There was also mundane school-lunch making and nit-patrol.  There was theraputic knitting and a much-needed haircut. There were classes.

While I've been holding out for some super-duper heart-singingly good news, there have been little glimmers of hope and opportunity to soothe the pain. Amid the turmoil and angst, there has been an appreciation of the rugs that will always remain firmly underfoot.  In between, I've been cutting and sewing.

Good news for those of you who live outside Australia - Pattern Review has listed the full range of my patterns, including the Purse Frame projects - in their shop.

The Design Market that was Not a Design Market..

I only took one photo today - the wee girl eating a sausage in the "birdcage" at the (not a) design market today. A gloriously sunny (if a little chilly) Melbourne winter's day meant that there was a somewhat festive air in the outdoor area.

I'm afraid all the eye-candy in this post will have to be via links to the designers' individual websites (I don't like borrowing images without asking!).

The market included some of Melbourne's most talented designers - established and emerging. I bought a bangle for myself and a card for my mother. The wee girl only got a sausage - it was a bit of a change from the usual market scenario as far as purchases go.

It was lovely to meet Bronwyn and Mark who worked together on the fabulous bangles. I also caught up with Karen from The Cat's Meeow (and my studio building) who was squeezed into a corner while crowds slapped the racks of her gorgeous clothes and tried things on.

I really really liked Melissa Cameron's work. Amazing stuff... cut out of tin lids and bowls and things. Soooo intricate and clever.

It was lovely to see my old friend Scott from Haul - who makes great bags, laptop sleeves and things from recycled urban materials. We worked together on developing some of his bags and laptop sleeves a few years ago, and it's wonderful to see how his brand and business has grown. He's looking to expand his empire into the city, and is looking for space.... and running a competition to speed things up. Any Melbournians who know of quirky up-a-laneway type spaces (that's SO Melbourne!), contact Scott NOW!

All in all a grand day out. They plan to have a few more of these markets - so if you're a local and into design, keep your eye out for news of it!

Ahem.... where was I...?

It appears that I've had better things to do than keep up a blog about the things I've been doing....  This hasn't been the case.  I've just done a bit more driving about the countryside (and collapsing - exhausted -  in a heap at the end of the day) than usual.

Last weekend, the wee girl and I made the trip out to beautiful Ballarat to see Annie at the quilt show and catch up with Jodie, Rachel and Kathryn there.  

We spent a good part of the day being led on several wild-goose-GPS-chases around the city before finding the old Mining Exchange building and the fabulous quilts it held.  I was so excited about eventually getting there (!!) and seeing the girls, the only time I thought to take the camera out was while waiting for the girls to get their cups of tea and join us at the table.

On Wednesday, there was my trunk show at The Blanket Box in Geelong - a first-outing for these newest Shell Purses.

Thanks to the lovely people who came to say hello, try on skirts and dresses and peek inside bags.

I love this Pippijoe Waterhen print.  I had a tiny scrap left over and had to use it, so teamed it with the tiny scrap left of the Portuguese linen that Meri sent to me years ago.  Fabric gold....I couldn't waste any of it.

 And there was more hacking into the GJ's haul.  I have a Shell Purse workshop and a trunk show coming up at Bargain Box Fabrics in Mornington on 28th March, so I'm making up lots of new little samples for that and thinking through all the new tricks I can show people who come to the class.

There was a fair splash of Saffron Craig fabric about the place this week, too. I'm preparing for a workshop for the International Federation for Home Economics Congress, which is to be held in Melbourne this year. I wanted to infuse an Aussie flavour into the class, so chose Saffron's cheerful prints for the job.

Precious scraps of Ink&Spindle and Yardage prints were also put to use this week. 

I'd started this patchwork bit for a workshop last year (at the Technology Teachers Association conference) and finally put it all together on Friday. 

 I made a bag (the piecing above appears on the back of the bag). 

 And I'll admit to a bit of blog-finishery here..... so that's as far as le tour de bag goes.

Oh look... there's a bag-making class....

 Yesterday was filled with the finer points of bag bases and straps and zippered gussets.... a Customised Bag in a Day workshop.  We focused on the details that make a super-special handmade bag even more special.

 (And yes, Patternmaking gals from Thursday's class... perhaps your toiles could be used as scrap tub covers after all.... the current Yoplait models could do with an update!).

There were some very satisfied bag-makers at the end of the class, and quite justifyably so.  Love ya work, girls!

So... it was a bit of a busy one and I didn't have the brainspace left to blog at the end of each day. 
But I still love you.....

Projects and classes and other goings-on

How is it nearly the end of February? The weeks are whizzing by and news that I have a project in Australian Homespun Magazine's February edition is starting to sound a bit late....  But here you have it.  It's a Toddler Trilby - made to fit a headsize of 50-53cm.

 

 

I made this one in pinwale corduroy, but it would work equally well in denim or any décor weight cotton and would also work in wool flannel. 

 

It's a bit like my Fedora pattern (remarkably like it, if I'm completely honest), but with a shallower crown, wider top and an obvious headsize difference.

 

The holidays passed and we all went back to work and school. 

 

On the way to my first day back at work (with my bike panniers and basket completely loaded with books, fabric and resources) this is what happened.... 

 

 

I tried not to think of bad omens (and then I started looking for a tram).

 

No bad omen.  All that preparation I'd done for teaching the new (to me) theory subjects didn't go to waste.  So far, all is going well.  I've realised how much of this stuff I haven't forgotten and how much of it has become habit and intuition over the years. 



Being a complete textiles nerd helps, too. (For starters, all these books just happen to be from my own personal bookshelf.  There is no end of resources to share with my students).

 

I have also begun teaching classes on weekends in various places.  A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of teaching in Kimono House's new space.  And when I say "space", I mean it - it really is spacious and light and wonderful.

 

I always love working with Kimono House.  Not only am I surrounded by drool-worthy fabrics and Japanese design, but I get to work in the Nicholas Building.  I love coming in to work through this entrance! 

 

If you haven't visited Kimono House or the Nicholas Building, I think you should put it on your "Things to do in Melbourne" list. Another of my favourite shops in the city is on the same floor - the completely lush L'Uccello.

 

Another reason that I love teaching in Kimono House is that I get to meet up with lovely people I have taught before, and see what they've been up to.  I was absolutely thrilled to see that one of the "beginners" I taught in the 3-day Masterclass last year had been working her way through my book.  She is now making quite advanced bags (like this well-worn-and-loved Seoul Handbag) and confidently modifying them with all the interchangeable techniques that she's learned. 

 

If you're interested in getting started with bag-making, or simply want a fun day where you can sew in an uninterrupted fashion, there's a "Bag in a Day" class scheduled for 13th June at Kimono House.  Watch this space for its listing, or simply contact the gals at Kimono House to book in.

 

--------------

 

There have been many reasons to be cheerful lately, and lots of much-needed validation of all the work I've put in over the years. Chickens are coming home to roost, and they have been of the friendly and exciting variety.

 

Even on the day that began with that bicycle puncture, there was a little reminder that what I put out in the world, continues.

 

Having had a hectic first day at work, a public-transport-trip too many, a rushed and stress-filled car pick-up and school pick-up, and then the contemplation of driving back through peak-hour traffic to pick up the injured bike (that was tethered in a street where parking is a problem), we stopped in to the local pub to have an early dinner. 

 

Time out to regroup and recharge.   Ahhh..... 

 

And at the bar, a woman stood with a HAUL bag that was made from a pattern that I made back in 2003-4.  Things like that mean a lot some days.

Hopefully I'll be able to talk a bit more about those exciting developments soon.  But right now, I have to get back to work!