My Creative Space

It's better late than never today.

There was a mad rush to get an apron made for my cousin to use tomorrow (as we're off to have some secret squirrel fun).

She's just a young whippersnapper from the 80's..... and this was the one and only 1986 teatowel from the stash.

I teamed it with some glorious vintage fabric from Lynsey that came all the way from the UK. Quite fitting considering she's just moved here from chilly Scotland.

More creative spaces

Crazy like a Golf Ball

I promise that I did actually iron it... even though it doesn't look like it.

This secret little project has been in the pipeline for a little while now...

Jess's Dad is approaching a milestone birthday this year. She wanted to organise a totally custom and totally unique pressie for him, and so she hatched a little plan.

We were both on the lookout for the perfect vintage teatowel. If either of us could find one with a golf theme, then we knew that we'd hit Op Shop GOLD!

Unfortunately, I'd had zero time available for decent op shopping, but luckily Jess found this absolute gem. Vintage 100% Irish Linen.

The next part of the mission belonged to me..... just what sort of fabric would you team with a Golf themed tea towel?

Huh? What was your answer? Why, it's crazy golf balls of course!

Surprisingly, there wasn't much time spent trawling the internet before I chanced upon this one.
Those cheeky quilters - they have a fabric for every single theme you could ever dream of!

But seriously folks. What would you make with golf ball fabric? I still have some offcuts left so I'd love to know!

Back on Duty

It's been a while since since good old Frances has had to work on any blog modelling assignments.

She's been patiently waiting in the corner, draped in all sorts of random junk that makes it's way into my office.

But today is her lucky day.... the random junk is now piled on top of the heater, and she's bathing in dappled sunlight.

I haven't made a teatowel apron for the longest time! This one is for a male friend of Bec's who has Scottish heritage (hence the lack of floral fabric).

Now if I could just find my metal snaps and snap setter to finish the adjustable neck strap......

A Flute and a Hoot

Amanda finally received her swap apron in the mail this week, so now I can do the big reveal.

I had to be careful not to chop off the poor pussycat's ears when I chopped into the tea towel, so I added a fabric section at the top to lengthen the apron.

After the dilemma I was having about finding some co-ordinating fabric in the stash for the binding, I actually decided to sort through the huge plastic container full of fabric strips that I've previously pre-cut.

Where I managed to find the perfect complemetary coloured binding strips.

You see, there are some advantages to living in a house that is overflowing with fabric....

My Creative Space

In todays creative space: I have a little swap pressie* that I need to finish up for Amanda.... I just have to find the precisely perfect fabric in the stash to make the binding and straps.

Sometimes the perfect fabric can be a little elusive, but when I spot the one, I'll just know.

The other task for today is to sort through the scrap bin to take along to the Northern Craft Bonanaza tonight, because one persons scraps are another persons treasures.... hmmmm there seems to be a proliferation of pink here!

I've also finished the custom camera bag from last weeks space, so stay tuned for some photos tomorrow.


*I'm purposely only showing a snippet of the very cute tea towel that Amanda sent me to transform. I want to keep the rest of it a surprise until she receives it back


The home of My Creative Space

Greetings from Tinaroo

Where??? Tinaroo

It's Tinniegirl's birthday today, so I whipped her up a brand new tea towel apron. She picked this tea towel from the stash months ago, and it's been sitting in my to do pile ever since.  It's quite apt that it just happens to be from Tinaroo!

I'm guessing that it's probably a 70's vintage from the colouring, but it matches perfect with this modern Joel Dewberry print.

I enlisted some help from Ms L for the next pressie..... (by the way, it's a paintbrush roll).

Ms L had to do some studio snooping and measuring to work out what size to make it. As you can see from the angle on that pocket - it was handmade with wonky love!

Both of the Ink and Spindle fabrics for the outer and inner were originally from Tinniegirl's stash. If that's not a sure sign that she was going to love the fabric that I  picked, then I don't know what else would be!

I didn't have anything that matched to make the binding, so I took it along to the Stitches and Craft show to colour match and pick a small print.

I also tried to incorporate the printed selvedge into the finished piece where I could.... sort of like a makers mark of sorts.

Tinniegirl is celebrating with a day of painting in her studio, so do pop on over and wish her a happy birthday!

The Dirty Thirties...

It's my little brothers 30th birthday today!

You may ask - what on earth do you make a blokey bloke for his 30th birthday (I was asking myself that same exact question)?

Luckily the tea towel stash came to the rescue. I had ONE 1980 tea towel in the pile, and amazingly it wasn't covered in Australian Wildflowers like 99% of the other calendar tea towels.

There's not much choice when it comes to blokey fabrics, so I went with a camo print for the sides and brown and white gingham for the trim.

Now he's all set for tonights birthday barbecue!

Cute and Cuddly

What's the most appropriate use for a vintage Koala Tea Towel?

A Koala Tea Towel Apron of course....

This one is heading overseas very very soon!

In the tropics

I haven't made a tea towel apron for a very very long time, so it was a nice change when I had the request to make one as a christmas gift.

I'm sure we all wish that we were in Cairns on holiday at the moment.....

A bit of pink and blue

One of my favourite tea towels found a new home this week.

I originally received this one from Selina at Selina's Vintage in April.

I teamed it up with some pretty pink and blue florals, and my favourite pink polkadots for the trim and straps.

After languishing in the freezing cold state of Victoria for the entire length of Winter (plus some), it has now headed back north to whence it came.......... for a new life with Lisa in the Cute as Buttons household.

I'm hoping that it's thawed out by now!

Sewjourn Show and Tell

Today I have a little show and tell of projects made on the weekend at Sewjourn. This is not a fully inclusive list - I was far too busy eating and sewing to take many photos, and of the photos that I did take, half are blurry!

Liesl finished off this lovely coat for her mum, and I finished off my Day Bag for me. I'll take some photos of all of the extra features that I included later in the week.

I whipped up this Seekers apron for Ms L. She bought the tea towel at the Seekers Concert a few years ago. I bought the black fabric with stars from the local patchwork shop in Lancefield. It wasn't exactly the print that I was looking for, but it works perfectly with a tea towel for a musical act.

I also whipped up a little drawstring bag from a scrap of zoo fabric. I forgot to take drawstring cord with me, but luckily Liesl had some on hand to finish it off.

Cathy whipped up a sweet little pink Burrito... he just needs a bit of stuffing

Bev finished off her quilt top (sorry about the blurry photo) - the applique is beautiful when it's not blurry.

Bec made this quilt top from scratch using her favourite chenille (or channeeeeeeeal in an aussie twang)

She even thought she deserved a halo after finishing off this little zippered purse...

Annabel whipped up this quilt top from scratch in lovely soothing blue and greens

The one thing that we forgot to do, was to tape our ad for Janome - once we'd all unpacked our machines Friday night, we realised that there were 6 Janome sewing machines and 2 Janome overlockers on the table.
Serena arrived on Saturday with an Elna which was obviously upset with the balance of the universe in the room, as it proceeded to break down..... poor little Elna!

A birthday commission

I whipped up a couple of pressies in a hurry on Friday night...

These were for my sisters husbands fathers girlfriend, or my sisters father-in-laws girlfriend, or my brother-in-laws fathers girlfriend..... anyhow, hopefully you get what I mean.

My sister found this tea towel in an oppy in Ballarat - it's perfect because the birthday girl has a black labrador.

My sister also bought her some goodies from the Lark stall at the Daylesford Makers Market - a pocket mirror and an 'I love tea' badge.

I hope she likes all her goodies!

Wingin' it

With any type of crafting that I do, I really like to just 'wing it' and have a go. Things don't always go to plan, and the end result is not always what I was visualising in my head.

Case in point above: This is a pressie for a sweet little girl who likes to do some baking with her mum. I was trying to make a chefs hat like the one that I made earlier, but once I'd gathered the piece of fabric for the top of the hat, I realised that it was far too small for a chefs hat.
So now it's a bakers hat!

I found a really small teatowel from the stash to transform into an apron - it nearly reaches her ankles at the moment.... but at least her clothes will stay clean.

So that's what I call 'Wingin' it 101'

As a thankyou, I received some beautiful creations - this one is a scary monster

Then this one is a footprint, and an alien....

....and this one is me! I even have fingernails and a bellybutton

Co-incidence

Do you remember the Disneyland tea towel that Selina sent me a couple of weeks ago?

It's now become an apron for Katy

.... and as a happy co-incidence today, check out this post over at Lucy Bowler

A special delivery

Do you remember this gorgeous 1992 tea towel that Amanda from Krafty Panda sent me?

I received a message from Beck about it, requesting an apron for her daughters birthday (who was born in 1992.... sheesh that makes me feel really old)!

As Beck was having a stall at the Daylesford Makers Market last weekend, I couldn't resist changing my plans and heading to Daylesford to deliver it in person.

Happy Birthday Charlotte!

The Sew Mama Sew Winner

I think I'm a little early, but it's a bit confusing trying to work out the different time zones.



So with 268 comments registered for the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway, I'm using Random.org to pick the winner.

....and the winner is number 137 - Michele from Carolina Ribbons

Congratulations Michele - I will send you an email to let you know. Thanks so much to every person who entered.

Even if you're not the lucky winner, there are a still a couple of aprons along with some other lovely crafty bits and bobs in my shop!