Sew long since blogging, but I have done a little sewing

Oh do find you blog in dribs & drabs sometimes??

Thats me - I tend to blog regularly then stop all together, until I feel terribly slack & start over again.

I don't have much of an excuse - we have been away, but that only took about a week.

I have being sewing quite a lot & teaching a friend to sew too. Unfortunately I forget to photograph our finished products before she takes them home. I am really enjoying it though - not only the good company, but sharing a passion with someone who is so eager to learn & who understands my love of fabric. She agrees that she could spend a whole afternoon just looking & touching lovely fabric. Ahh a girl after my own heart there!

These however are a few items I have finished recently.

The 2 skirts are based around a pattern from a Japanese sewing book my lovley sister in law Noriko brought back from Japan for me. The pattern is quite simple, but oh so pretty - I will certainly make more of these.

The 3 bags are ones I just whipped up because I was in the mood. The blue one I am certainly keeping - it was made from a vintage tablecloth which I loved - I have lined it with some vintage cotton sheet fabric. The other 2 are made from vintage fabrics also.

Shorts, shorts & more shorts....

Em has decided to be my model - only with bribing - some easter eggs - honestly I would have thought she'd have had enough. I have made all these in 2 smaller sizes too so I have a cupboard full of shorts which I must list on madeit......

All created with recycled vintage fabrics, most aquired from op shops

I am sure Liam however will want to claim a few pairs when he sees them.

Sewing again at last

I feel as though I have done no sewing of late, nor have I felt like it....I was getting a little worried. But over the last few days I have managed to finish a few things.

This is a very very quick set I whipped up on Friday night when i found out we were going to visit a new bubby. It was just an extra to put in with a few other gifts I already had.

The bag & skirt are orders from a lady - her daughter wanted the sesame street fabric for the bag & I wasn't sure how it would go - but it turned out better than expected. Both the skirt & the sesame street bag are made from vintage recycled fabrics. Sorry about the pics - as I have mentioned before Photography is not my forte & I haven't ironed the orders yet either - they are just some quick snapshops.

More Vintage Favourites....

I apologise - photography is not my forte, at least the pictures aren't blurred I suppose... Here are some more of my favourite non fabric vintage items....these actually are used on a regular basis - my daughters favourite puzzles at present.

I just love the pictures. I am unsure as to how old they are - most likely not too much older than me (so hopefully not that vintage), but the illustrations are beautiful. And their little boxes are so cute - so easy to store. They are made in England, and yes like the majority of my vintage bits n pieces I found them at the thrift store...25c a pop!!

What are your favourite Vintage bits 'n' pieces??

Apart from fabric that is!!

I have so many so I thought I would share some with you over the next little while.

I think I love these vintage WILLOW tins because they remind me of my Grandma - I am sure she had some just like this. And of course because they are just beautiful & hopefully soon home to my buttons & other sewing treasures.

I was very lucky & picked them up from a garage sale for only $2 for the set!!

I also have the large rectangle in the same print - I think it was the bread box, but it is currently hiding from the camera under a pile of fabric!

Chenille pants...

It is funny - I thought earlier this year that I hadn't made many chenille pants for a while & was even contemplating downsizing my chenille stash, but of late they have been popular. These are 3 pairs I have just finished for an order. I was rather happy with them & Liam has already tried to claim them all, so will be making a few more I think for him.

Peeka..

BOO!

This is a little rabbit created from thrifted fur & vintage fabric body. No pattern, I was just in the mood to make a softie & Em claimed it straight away. I liked how it turned out - just a few tweaks needed, but I cut out 2 more last night so I will see if I get it perfected with them.

Beaming....

Because I finally got myself a SUNBEAM Mix Master. A vintage one mind you not a new one, but I think that is almost better! And the best bit is that it only set me back... wait for it....$5. And it works. And it has the large & small bowl still. I hadn't given it a clean up so I will hopefully have it sparkling & back to its former glory in no time!

Vintage Sheet Quilt Top...

Finally I have made at least the quilt top with some of my vintage sheet stash. it is a simple 8" sqaure style with randomly placed pieces, but I am happy still with the way it has turned out. Now to get my act into gear & finsih it off - this is the bit I am hopeless at. I will no doubt back it with a vintage sheet. So hopefully I will get it done by christmas.

Pyrex....

Well although it is obvious I LOVE my vintage fabric, I also have a secret love of vintage pyrex & my stash of that is almost as big as my fabric one - well not really, but it is decent. The difference is though that I use my pyrex ALL the time - I love it. Here are 2 I picked up the other day to add to my collection. The rectangular one was perfect for a yummy potato bake which I made the night I got it. I must get pictures of the rest of my collection. Are there any other vintage pyrex lovers out there?????

Another thrifty find...

I really did not have any need for bookends, but when I saw these beautiful deer ones at only $3 for the pair how could I resist??? I am sure I can find some books which need proping up somewhere...

Some recent thrifty finds...

I find wonderful things in the opshops or at markets & so often forget to post pics of my finds.

These are a couple of lovely vintage sheets I found the other week.......

Upcycle

I think that is what one calls it when you take a skirt which is not your style, but made with quite nice linen fabric & in a moment of madness freestyle cut & recreate it into this bag with a little vintage fabric added for extra touch.
Despite the fact that I just madly cut without a pattern or even drawing a rough outline, the shape turned out better than I expected.

A little sewing to order....

The only sewing I have managed to do of late has been orders, but I am hopefully going to rectify that this weekend - I have a few bags & dresses I want to whip up so I will see how I go.

These are just a few pics of some requests I have made up.....

I made a larger order of these Sesame Street flares, but forgot to take a pic of them before I sent them off - but they were pretty much the same - just had Cookie Monster milking a cow instead - kinda cute really.

The chenille pants have really taken off again of late - i have made quite a few for people, it is funny really as I had not made any for so long & was thinking of destashing my chenille - I am glad I didn't now as it has been well used.

BAGS - To sell or not to sell??

I have finally made some bags..it has been so long & I really love playing around with different styles & fabrics. These are just a few that I have finished - made out of new, vintage & recycled fabrics. Not too outrageous, but it was a start.

I have been thinking of selling them, but I am unsure of the best place to sell them - markets or online??

What do you think ?
Sorry, I don't think I am cut out to be a bag model :)

Button Haul....

Obviously the title has given away what this photo is of, but I had an amazing button haul recently. Either a collector got rid of some of their stash (highly unlikely I am sure) or some dear old lady donated her sewing things to the local thrift & I was the benefactor of this lot & I even left some behind!!

I can't quite figure which are my favourites...

I am rather partial to the greens , but oh they are all so lovely. Now to be brave & use some

It is such a shame for others not to see them

They are ever so pretty....

Almost like pieces of treasure!

Which are your favourites???

Oh yes & I got some fabulous vintage buckles too...It really was my lucky day!