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!

Well, it HAS to be last-minute, really...

So I've no idea why I started a little girl's cardigan in sock yarn.  (It might have had something to do with the lovely bamboo sock yarn... I can't stop fondling it). 

 There's every chance the cardigan will be put aside for a birthday and a quick Fairytale Skirt from my book will be whipped up in its place, in time for Christmas.  (But I'm giving the cardi my best shot.)

Other likely lads around the tree this year are toiletry bags....

 And belts..... super easy and effective.  Highly wearable... and quick. (And right now, I'm liking the idea of quick.)

 Speaking of Le Book.... (was that a subtle enough segue..?)

If you're in the USA and would like to see my book over there, I might need your help.  It appears that I accidentally deleted all my Google Analytics stats for my blog, just in time for my agent's pitch to US distributors*. Oops. 

I need to show the distributors that you're interested.  I hate to sound like I'm desperate for support, but I need new statistics!  If you know any crafty people who might be interested, please feel free to spread the bloggy and Facebook love.  The more US visitors, followers and "likers" I have, the more chance of US distribution.

*It appears that my publishers have no US distributor, but the book should be distributed in the UK next year, all going well.

And do you think it's alright to take knitting to the bloke's work xmas do tonight...?

A bit famous again

Gosh - I'm feeling a bit like the golden child (being Homespun Magazine's "Favourite" and all).

...and I'm very, VERY busy (getting ready for the wholesale show on the weekend).  So that's it from me for now.

Seeya on the other side of Sunday!

Can't talk....

Busy packing for Canberra.

Just leaving you with a few Xmas present ideas from You Sew Girl,  le book....

for the kids and babies in your life or circle of aquaintance... (or any other excuse to make cute stuff)....

Things like baby hats...

 kids belts (with or without velcro, depending on the age of the kid)....

 and pre-school backpacks.

The cheapest way to get my book  overseas still appears to be through Fishpond.  They seem to have some sort of SUPER deal going at the moment.  It's listed at $26.99 AUD with free shipping within Australia.  International shipping rates are listed HERE.  (Perhaps the book could be a xmas present...?).

EDITED TO ADD: Not sure what's going on with Fishpond.  The price seems to flip between $26.99 and $69.99!

Of course, for more instant gratification and support to your local businesses, the book is also available at bookstores and fabric shops across the country. 

And if you'd like a signed copy, you can buy one from me (or go to Addicted to Fabric in Canberra this weekend!).  I'll be doing a "trunk show" on Friday night, so you can also see the real samples of the projects and patterns.

Seeya next week!

More....

More bustles and more shirring elastic.... More trapese-line top (from my book) variations. This time, a 2-metre piece of voile from Clear It ($5 per metre) was folded top and bottom to make a dress length diamond shape...and then the shirring elastic was put into action! So yes... more poncing about and more swishing of bustly bits. (Anyone would think that bustles didn't go out of fashion over 100 years ago).
Oh, and here's a large zipper rose (instructions are also in Le Book).
EDITED TO ADD: I just found a weekend where I can schedule a Pattern-Free Top Workshop - if you need a bit of help to get started with this method... or just want a fun sewing day. Details here.

A Rather Large Weekend

These days, my large weekends are filled with less darkened rooms and loud music and more with beautiful tiny cupcakes....The non-stop crafty action began on Thurday night, with a Bags for Beginners Class, followed by a bit of Slinky Malinky tail-and-ear-making for Book Week dress-up day on Friday.And yes... running short of time, photos were taken while teeth were cleaned on the way to the car.Friday was spent clearing the tables upstairs and downstairs (no mean feat...all the gear from the AQC was still dumped on the downstairs cutting tables) to create cutting space for a Pattern-Free Wrap Skirt class. Then it was off to dinner with a fab bunch of bloggy, crafty chicks (cue Cathie's cupcakes - Appearance #1).

Saturday was the skirt class.

We saw some great results, front and...

...back.

Embracing the theory of "There is no such thing as a fault in the fabric - only another opportunity for a design feature", Sheree made a fabulous Kaffe Fassett racing stripe on the back of her skirt.

Sunday morning saw me flapping about like a flock of headless poultry... and ummmm....running out of petrol in an unkown suburban street, without my phone...(ahem.... move on...), buying WAY TOO MUCH beer and wine and finally making it to a little gathering of nearests and dearests and fabulous bloggy friends, to break a metaphorical bottle of champagne over my book.

Cue cupcakes - Appearance #2.

Phew! I made it out the other side.

It kind-of makes me feel like putting my feet up to relax with a good book. And possibly another cupcake.
***

BTW- New Wrap Skirt Class is scheduled for 10th September.

Another BTW - Wee girl models a Twirly Skirt from my book (in a somewhat unladylike pose), made at Sewjourn last weekend.

Back to the beginning....and then an epilogue. (You already know the middle bit)

Long before the shirred top and long before the trapese line top in my book, I made the bustle skirt, based on a square of fabric. I then started thinking about a way to make one based on a quarter-circle skirt.
Somewhere during the process of playing with calico, I thought, "....Ooh, I could make top this way...". So was the beginning of the trapese line top... and a hiatus in the development of the bustle-skirt idea. It was also the start of the patternfree skirt section in the book.


I only got back to the original idea this week.... and it seems to work!
It's a variation on the panel skirt in my book (only I thought of it before I thought of the panel skirts...). The hemline of this skirt finishes in a point - basically, it hasn't been cut in a curve at the hemline (except a bit of last minute trimming before hemming, just so I don't trip and break my neck on the stairs). It has been shirred randomly across the back - with the shirring in a kind of wildly random cross-hatch on the bottom half. There was a bit of slam-pressing, too. The fabric was a printed linen remnant that I bought for $10 at the Shirt & Skirt Market a few years ago. It was a light "faded denim" colour with red and navy flowers. I dyed it indigo.
And I've been swanning about in it like bustle skirts are the height of fashion. (Yes, I watch too many costume dramas).

A little idea I've been toying with....

...Oooh, since before I made the Bustle Skirt.... I've carried it around in my head, imagining the effects and the possibilities, but until yesterday, I didn't get around to actually TRYING it....I made a cotton lawn/voile variation-weave version of my pattern-free trapese-line top (instructions in my book). Using myself as a tailor's dummy, I played around with where to decrease volume and increase texture. I then drew in a few lines between the widest points of the "decrease volume" area with a white marker pen. (You could use chalk if you wanted to wash the garment before wearing it - I wanted to be able to wear it straight away so opted for a disappearing marker pen).
Then I took the top off and neatened up the lines (and drew a few more) using the pen and a ruler.
I hand-wound a bobbin with black shirring elastic, putting a bit of tension on it (stretching it slightly) as I wound. Using a large straight stitch, I followed the white lines with the sewing machine... ...and marvelled at it's lovely bouncy scrunchiness.

And then I slam-pressed the bejeezus out of it. (Hot steamy iron, flat down onto it). I love the crunchy texture of slam-pressing (and the steam "disappears" the white marker pen).

When I put it on again, I thought, "Hmmmmm...." (as I'm apt to do). So I shirred it over the bust as well. More slam pressing. (And, if I'm honest, I must say there was a spot of unpicking and shirring again until it looked right). More slam-pressing.
And then I did that neck twist thing that I love (also in the book).....
I like. Very much. (Although I'll probably unpick that little bit of shirring poking up from the fold).
I'll be doing bit more of this... I'm thinking Sewjourn (in less that 2 weeks.... squeeeeeeee!) might be shirring-city for me!! I'm stocking up on georgette, linen gauze, voiles and jerseys. I reckon it'll work well in any of these.

I'm also looking at my practise-machine-knitting-lengths (read: the bits that self-cast-off) with fresh eyes.... Hmmmmmmmm.....

My creative Space ...on a Friday (with Wednesday's planned post thrown in)

...and an unfinished project idea still hanging 'round from Monday and another one from Tuesday. It's been that kind of week.

I finally remembered to get some shirring elastic in (some for the shop and some for Monday's project). Monday's project has now joined the long list of "future blog posts"....

Those of you who have my book may have read that I use shirring elastic to speed up the effect of gathering stitches (often in conjunction with my gathering foot). I'm impatient like that (and it works a treat). Anyway, I thought that you might like some too!

The other thing that I like so much that I've added it to the shop is the point cutter - absolutely fabulous for quickly snipping notches and cutting into corners that the rotary blade won't reach. This Olfa brand point cutter comes with three spare double-ended blades (cleverly hidden in the handle).
In other news, I was heartened to see that what goes around does indeed come around..... This week it was payback time for the sewing machine and it's battery-charger-fitting fitting. (Ahem.... anyone seen where I left my battery charger cord...?).

The man of the house was browsing second-hand bookshops on Wednesday and came home with these two for me. I think the sewing book is a really good resource for beginner's or sewing teachers. Highly recommend it. The knitting book looks really useful too... for people a little more advanced than I am. There's been a constant stream of book-signing.... thanks folks. Considering how many books have already sold, it seems a bit late to start thinking about a book-launch knees-up. (Apparently, I should have thought of it a bit earlier than this.... who'd a thunk it?). I'm at a bit of a loss as to a good location for a book launch and would appreciate feedback from local gals in the know. I don't go out. I don't know anything.

...And I couldn't organise the proverbial party in a brewery

Help.

One of the reasons things have not been done this week, is that I've been doing a lot of business research, development and brochure design. I'm working on the wholesale side of business and also looking into lowering delivery costs..... as of next week, we'll be using courier services wherever we can, instead of the postal service.

This is a huge step forward in our endeavours to flat-rate our postage charges and deliver larger parcels, with insurance, at a greatly reduced cost. Yippee.... (and just a bit more work for me to set it up before Monday...).

So... a pretty full week for me. And no sewing. Next week is another week, non?