New toys... for girls and boys.

More zipper pulls for the boys in the shop NOW.

Magnetic seam guides (in lieu of Post-it notes for keeping seam allowances straight and even) are also in the shop.

EDITED TO ADD: Can anyone tell me anything about using these on computerised machines? My computerised machine has its own sliding plastic seam guide, but I use the magnetic seam guide on the mechanical (industrial) machine.

And a new Clover needle-felting tool is in the hands of a gung-ho four-year old.... (!!!)

Safety guards, retractable needles and neurotic helicopter-parenting will hopefully make the difference between creative prodigy and (heaven forbid) perforated child.

Great Excitement!!

All button-covering addicts will be happy to hear that the BULK quantities of our self-cover buttons have now come in!!

12mm bulk packs are available HERE

19mm packs are HERE

and 23mm packs are HERE.

The tools are sold separately. Remember to add one to your order if you don't already have one from a previous kit.

And do you remember those fabulous zipper pulls that we used to love and sell....?

They really add that certain-something to a bag or garment, and they make zips a lot easier to grip, open and close.

I'm VERY excited, because we now have the full range BACK IN STOCK! Still $1.45 each. Check them out HERE!

We still have the tutorial here in case you need to see how (easy it is) to attach them.


And of course, there is still great excitement about the TULIP DRESS being nearly finished, and about my GIVEAWAY.

All Dressed Up

I've been making new bag samples to take to the Stitches and Craft Show in (eek!) March.

The Dress Bag is a particular favourite of mine. It's called the Dress Bag because it's the right size to take out with you when you're dressed up! Think lipstick, phone, keys, money... all you need dangling from your wrist when you're looking gorgeous at a party or the races. It's simple to make, needs very little fabric and can indeed be dressed up for any occasion.... it's very versatile, and I like a pattern that's versatile.

Here's some detail of the rose on the front. It's a bagged-out bias strip that is hand-stitched into place.

It appears that I'm on a bit of a detachable strap bender.... (Swivel hooks are a marvellous thing!!). The purse can be a wristlet or a clutch purse. It can also have a zippered gusset closure (with a plastic rectangle zipper pull).

This one - in Flutter-By and Full-Moon Forest (both by Moda) has been around since last November, but it fits in here because it shows the flap....

...and an alternative closure - magnetic catches (snaps). It also shows the optional inside zip pocket (and a little patch pocket on the other side that I added just for fun).

And here it is all ready for a spring garden party in a gorgeous Sandi Henderson print... I put the yo-yo maker to work and included a flat o-ring in the strap. I think that's all the decoration it needs.
...Oh.. and there's a zipper pull on the zipper.

We still have these plastic zipper pulls, some oval ones and a few of the brass teardrop ones left (finite resources!). We're on the lookout for more supplies of the discontinued flowers and hearts.

Watch this space for more of my new Stitches and Craft samples.... and hopefully a new pattern before too long!

Last days for Zipper Pulls

Zipper pulls are great. They make it easy to open or close a zipper. The come in cute shapes, are easy to attach and add a really nice finishing touch to a bag - all for $1.45 (Aussie dollars, which add up to PEANUTS in most other currencies!!).

And our supplier has DISCONTINUED them!!! I'm a bit annoyed about it.

We've taken all they have left in stock of the heart, flower and teardrop zipper pulls - about 20 or 30 of each. Once they're gone, that's it. No more. It's a case of first in, best dressed. There will be a few of the oval and oblong plastic zipper pulls (pictured above) for a bit longer, and then they'll be all gone, too.

They've also discontinued the lovely silver buckle we used for the Mod bag (cover picture!), and have no more. I'm trying to source something similar from elsewhere. Very annoyed about that one.

On a brighter note.... the winners of the door prizes from my launch should find their prizes in their mailboxes today!! Thanks to all the fabulous sponsors and to those of you who participated in the draw.

It's the little things....

We've had a delivery of long-awaited supplies - including the CLOVER Seam Ripper!!! Since Lara put me onto it last year ("You wouldn't think one seam ripper would be any different from another.... but this one is REALLY GOOD") I've been using it and waxing lyrical about it in any class I've taught. So has anyone who has used mine or bought one on my recommendation.

And so it goes.... like that old ad (am I showing my age?) for Remington shavers ("I was so impressed I bought the company")... I'm now selling them. Unfortunately I couldn't afford to buy the whole Clover company.

And AT LAST - the new Heart shaped zipper pulls have arrived!!!! We'd sold out and were waiting for what seems like ages for new stock to arrive. I get excited about things like that.

Oh - and in case anyone missed it - don't forget my pattern giveaway....

Back on the Air!

Oh, those lovely folks, the web hosties... whipped me back onto the WWW, and it's as if I'd never been gone!!

Now I can access it, I'll be tweaking the website to put up some exciting new products (and whittling down the amount of downloads available from the site... sorry). I'll get started just as soon as I finish this post ...and the hot Irish whiskey I'm drinking. (I have a cold and it's the cure. Really. Go to Ireland and ask anyone what you should take for a cold!).

Watch this blog as more HOT TIPS FOR BAG-MAKING tutorials are transferred over here!!!

Not a lot of crafting done today. Not a lot of work done either. I was sick, and feeling very sorry for myself. My back still hurts and I have a rotten cold AND.... my poor wee girl had her first accident involving BLOOD (lots of it). She'll probably have a triangular corner-of-a-sewing-table sized scar on her forehead for life. Apart from that, she's ok. I'm still a little traumatised. She'd never seen blood before, and I'm not sure if I've ever seen QUITE SO MUCH blood before - especially coming out of MY BABY!!!

We were in a wholesale sewing supplies showroom, and luckily we were BOTH looked after by a team of experienced mothers who knew how to calm, apply pressure to wounds and make cups of tea for crying, shaking mothers of injured children. All's well that ends with a banana smoothie at Northland (shopping centre).... we survived.

By the time we got to the studio today it was afternoon, and all I wanted to do was curl up in a corner somewhere and sleep. Instead I did a bit of prep for my purse frame class tomorrow and a little bit of sewing. Thanks goodness Leah is still fighting fit, and kept the wheels of industry turning for us today.

Nothing to show for the sewing I did today, so instead I'll show you ANOTHER Day Bag - finished in dribs and drabs over the last month or so... 'tis the way it goes.

More "happy" floral print... with silver grommet detail (done during a Sharper Edge Class when I was looking for something to demonstrate grommet-setting....!!). There's medium-heavy interfacing and medium wadding in the bag to give it stand-up structure, and the internal base stiffening is Fast2Fuse. The O-rings are Medium-Light.And OF COURSE I put a ZIPPER PULL on it!!!

Zipper Pull Tutorial

Now, did I mention something about being excited by zipper pulls...?

If anyone tries to look at them on my website tonight, they'll see a BIG FAT ZERO.... quite literally. My web hosts have pulled me off the air (again) for blowing out my bandwith allowance (the amount of viewing/downloads people can do). Seems that my tips and tutorials are SOOOOO popular that even doubling my allowance (and therefore cost!!) isn't helping to keep bandwidth under control.

Hmmm... seems like a few tutorials have to go, and it looks like the blog will have to be "home of the tutorial" from now on.

Here's the first one -

How to Attach A Zipper Pull.



1. Take a bag with a normal zip.


2. Use the cutting blades on pliers to cut off the top of the existing zipper pull. Gently ease out the remaining piece that's caught under the loop in the zipper head.




3. Take the new zipper pull and SQUEEZE the hook side of the loop (as hard as you can with your thumb) until it unhooks.



4. Open up the loop and hook it through the zipper head. (Perhaps you might consider a having a manicure first if you plan to photograph yourself doing this...).

6. Snap the hook closed again, and marvel at the miraculous transformation of your bag.


Re: the website being off the air - I've sent the hosties a big "HEEEELP!" email, so it will hopefully be sorted by the morning.