Out of my head...

...At last.

A few weeks ago this jumper on Ravelry prompted a few ideas to start kicking around in between my ears.  This afternoon I treated myself to a spot of half-scale fun, after a boring few days of computer spreadsheets.

 The jumper, although a clever idea, is not a shape that will work for me.   At my size, if I don't have sufficient body-reference in a garment, I risk looking like a crumpled pile of fabric sitting on the floor. 

But the whole thing has got me thinking.  Tying the concept in with the bits I know about subtraction cutting and draping, I think I can feel my brain a-popping.....

 I'm not sure when I'll get back to this and where it'll go, but today's little interlude was a welcome sanity-break from the computer. Hopefully, now the ideas have been explored a bit, my kicking and popping brain might be quiet for a while.

(Ms Myrtle&Eunice, avert your Graphic-Design-sensitive eyes NOW!)
The good news is that I've finished the new wholesale product listings and brochure.  

That was the job I had to do before I allowed myself to play dress-ups with my half-scale dummy.

And yes - twist-locks, plastic satchel fittings, brass o-rings, snap o-rings, magnetic catches, wire-formed d-rings and slide-adjusters are all now on the wholesale list. 
Start asking your favourite local or online stockist for them NOW!


PS.  ....and speaking of getting you to make me look popular... If you read this blog but don't officially "follow" it, please follow it.  If you're on Facebook and like what I do, please like my business page (not my personal one - that doesn't count).  If you live in the USA and want to see my book there, please check in here regularly, share the blog-love and Facebook-love with your friends etc.... We have to impress a few US publishing big-wigs here, and web statistics speak volumes.

PPS. Is that too cheeky...? (I mean, I'm not asking you to make stuff up.... just put your hand up if you're interested..... know what I mean?)

Coming soon to a store near YOU!

 We had a good weekend at the Australian Quilt Market.

The new-look patterns were received well.  Ordered for stores around Australia, New Zealand and online.

 This was my little patch... very stark and white in the world of quiltiness.

I didn't take many photos, but I managed this one of Saffron Craig and  Two Monkeys Fabrics. Fabulous stuff.

 And I captured a bit of this Melody Ross  fabric at Lloyd Curzon Textiles.  I thinks I'm in love.

Today I took the day off.  I was so exhausted I couldn't talk or think, so there seemed no point in going to work.  I spent most of the day mooching about at a snail's pace, lying on the couch and watching dvd's.  In the afternoon, I played with my knitting machine.

I'll keep you posted on where to buy my patterns, hardware and interfacing as we send out the wholesale orders.  Hopefully by then, I'll have experienced the return of my brain and the ability to construct sentences.

Right now, it's back to the couch....

My Local....

Fabric store, of course (...I can't remember the last time I was in a pub). I love GJ's Discount Fabrics in East Brunswick. And I think it's even better, now that all the patchwork fabrics are downstairs. The room is huge and light and full of colour. Gosh, there are even a few nice hat and bag samples.

GJ's were among the first stores to take on my patterns, way back in 2004, and have always supported me with lots of display space for samples.

They've always been good at keeping things fresh.... trying new things, turning over huge volumes of fabrics and always bringing in new ranges. (I love this Sherbet Pips range....it makes me want to make a quilt!!). They have great sales and bargain baskets (today I saw some Kaffe Fasset short ends for $8 per metre). Get on their mailing list!

And now they're the first to take on my first range of 'in store' bag hardware, to accompany the pattern range. So you can get all the bits to make the bag from the one place. No need to pay postage. We often talk about the great online craft community, but I love my local-real-life craft community, too. GJ's is a bit like the bar where everyone knows your name. A hub. I always bump into people I know, and the staff seem to know everyone. They focus on the real-life store and their customer service, and are constantly striving to improve both.

Even if this sounds like an infomercial/advertorial, it isn't. I just really love what they do and I appreciate their support.

Do you have a 'local'...? (And ...ummm...do you think they might like to try a bit of bag hardware..?).

PS. We've also begun wholesaling bulk quantities of hardware to makers of handcrafted bags and purses. If you'd like to order rings, frames etc in quantites of 50's and/or 100's, drop us a line and we can send you the relevant info. (Note: There are minimum order quantities).

Purse Frame Kits

Revised packaging, revised pattern prints, swishy cello bags.... and all ready for WHOLESALE!!!! You may soon be able to buy these from a store near you!!! (If not, perhaps you could suggest they get them in...??!!).

For now it's just the 75mm, 90mm and 150mm kits and spare frames... but we hope to expand the wholesale range.

I'm pretty excited.