Dresses and quilts, a sewing year in review

My favourite makes for  2016

 Kerah's quilt 
I have just finished this quilt for my little Granddaughter, she's five, in fact it's under the tree. I used a lovely pattern by Carina Gardner I found on Pinterest.

Granddaughter dresses, an array of makes over the year.

 I'm a detail person and love 'sewing small' it's my term for petite projects...my post about it here.

How come I am just finding out the joy of making Zipper pouches.

What sewer can ever have enough Pincushions, fun makes with a story behind it.

Crib quilts, mini's and wall hangings.

The highlights of my year have been a Blog hop, Nanacompany swap and my first feature in the Homespun magazine.
Books that have inspired me are 
'Sew Illustrated' by Minky Kim and Kristen Esser
'Sweetly stitched handmades' by Amy Sinibaldi
Gorgeous fabric from designers Sedef Imer and Elea Lutz and my favourite of all Instagram

Ali of Arabesque Scissors is doing a TGIFF thats 'Thank goodness its finish Friday' 2016 project roundup 
and
do check out Saylittlehen as well to join in the 2016 creative review.

Glenis

Kiwi Christmas.. setting the scene

A Kiwi Christmas, sunshine and tradition

I guess its quite different to enjoy a Southern hemisphere Christmas, we tend to do things differently here in NZ.  Its a lot less indoors and a lot more outdoors....putting most sewing aside to enjoy what summer has to offer.  Grandchildren have six weeks of school holidays and so swimming, BBQs, actually eating outside is what we love to do.  Hydrangeas and Agapanthus are flowering in the hot sun and the beach is calling.

Well I have had a lovely year sewing wise, I've bought gorgeous fabric, inspirational books and patterns, taught classes and delighted in every stitch. 

Happy Christmas and happy sewing

Glenis

Sewing Small.

Small Projects to delight or distract...

Love sewing small

Love new fabric

Love a new project
Love books that inspire

Well so do I

I am greatly inspired by what I see on social media, I love it..
BUT     I have to question my motives at times... mug mats that are too precious to use, gorgeous bibs with food catching frills and more pincushions than any woman could ever want.
This is the the realm of small projects, please don't get me wrong I enjoy making them immensely after all I am Gee's Projects.
BUT    in this era of on-line stimulation its easy to be caught up in a frenzy of must makes, new lines of fabric just begging to be sewn, new books with gorgeous little projects and stunningly staged images absolutely everywhere.

I wanted to write about this to see what others thought but I was also hesitant because it's our industry, patterns, books and tutorials, mine included...so what do you think?   do comment.
This last year I have been very prolific in 'sewing small' I think to the detriment of some larger projects that need finishing.

Well in the past I had always been so practical... my sewing ninety percent of the time had been clothes...for clients, for myself and my family.
All cushions, drapes etc were made by me and there really was no time for just the pleasure of a        Small beautifully crafted little project.

Well I've made my point...so what am I saying... maybe just balance.
I've promised myself to finish three large projects, practical, washable and useful before I allow myself   the sweet treat of  'Sewing Small'.

My inspiration for the bibs is from a lovely book 'Sweetly Stitched Handmades' by Amy Sinibaldi, I changed the shape slightly to suit my own style.
The rabbit quilt I made using my own embroidery pattern 'Ollie's Washing Day'  and a few tiny patchwork squares, really simple.
The pencil case and bookmark inspired by Minki Kim .

Happy sewing

Glenis

Mug Mats, sewing illustrated

Mug mats... Coffee table pleasure

These are another of the small projects from Sew Illustrated  that lovely book from Minki and Kristin

In my world I would call them coasters, would I use them... probably not, but tied together they are coffee table candy. 

So if we are going to chat over coffee I will tell you why I started this blog, very simple really to share. 
 I don't know any crafts people who do not like to show what they have done, have pride in creating beautiful works and I've decided it's because it is a solitary business, the business of sewing, quilting, writing etc.
We do it alone.
Well this is my show place.. my share place.

These are fun to make and with practise reasonably quick, I truly love how the Dessert mat turned out, I kept it low key and I have used it!!

Happy Sewing

Glenis

Mini Quilt

Mini Quilt an introduction to pieced patchwork

I don't mind admitting I'm not a natural born quilt maker... but I'm ever so pleased with this my first complicated patchwork quilt.

This sweet Mini is made using a new line of fabric 'Sweet Orchard' from Australian designer/supercrafter Sedef Imer do check her out her work is truly lovely.

The Mini Quilt pattern is call PICKING PETALS and is deigned by my friend Taunja from 'Carried Away Quilting'

A great pattern for a beginner, all step by step easy to follow colour coordinated instructions.

I wanted to machine quilt it myself.. also no one in my city does professional quilting and I was too impatient to send it away.

Although I had practiced stippling on a mock front with reasonable success I was just too nervous to do it on the real thing.

Straight line quilting in a diamond pattern seemed to fit the bill and although I did a bit of unpicking I am very pleased with it.

The next step was to choose the binding fabric red or green

I chose red in the end although the green would have been probably better the red would look better on my wall.

Pale blue spot on the back and hand sewing saw it all finished, not sure where in my Making room it will go as I'm still in the process of converting it from functional dressmaking room to sweet craft space.

Happy sewing

Glenis

A sewing Story

Such a story of sewing and friendship

 &

 an inspired gift

Out of the blue I received a little card from an old friend, a friend whose friendship I had let lapse...I hadn't seen her for about ten years and our only contact was a yearly Christmas card.

The little card read as follows

Dear Glenis,

I have been thinking about you today and wanted to drop a line to tell you how very special you are to me.

The time we spent together will always be a precious memory even though I must have been a right royal pain at times.

The influence you had on my life was HUGE, your sage advice and getting me going in crafts really set me up. I'm off to buy my second Over-locker today... plumb wore the old one out! 

Hope this finds you well and content, you will always be my first and very loved friend.

xxxxx

 Well I don't ever think anyone has written a letter so lovely to me, I was tearful and so taken back. Memories of a simpler time came flooding back, a time of stay-at-home mums, babysitting kids, school gala's, rushing home to cook dinner and sewing up a storm.

She was a very young mum with four little kiddies, living on the farm and not a lot of money to spend. 

I taught her to sew, but she was a natural and became an amazing dressmaker... clothing her family beautifully.

Yes we were friends and I had forgotten!!!
This is a lesson to us all about the power of handmade, the joy of sharing your talents, of how a common love of making brings together women of all backgrounds.
I really can never get over the pleasure I get from using my hands to create beauty, there really is power in it.
So rare these days to pen a letter but I have done that and made a sweet gift to go with it.

Yes it really is a sewing story.

I adore this lovely fabric from the Sweet Orchard Range by Sedef Imer, the soft warm pink spot and the cheater print show off my hand embroidered little mouse clutching his gifts.

This is the back sweet orchard really is just that, so sweet.

The little mouse with his tokens of love.

I have added this to a link up 2016 Q4 FAL
Happy sewing
Glenis

Pincushions... drawing with thread

Mini Pincushions... free-motion applique, drawing with thread 

I really must start this post by saying that my latest passion, drawing with thread has been inspired by a lovely book 'Sew Illustrated' by Minky Kim and Kirstin Esser. I had seen wonderful work by Minky on Pinterest and had greatly admired it, I love the sketched look to it all, the combination of the fabric and the thread drawing is really so appealing to me.

So I bought the book and started a few small projects from it and was soon slightly obsessed with it all.

The pincushions are adorable and quick to make I have added my own slant to them making them slightly bigger and adding a band of fabric to the bottom. I do all my work free-motion so I sew with the feed dogs down, you need a firm hand and you move the work around rather than the machine pushing it through for you.

My illustrations are not perfect but I personally like that sketched look, a little bit quirky.

You can see I have added a little tape tag to one side and backed them with different fabric.

Anything goes really and a 4'' square of fabric uses all ones scraps.

The little sewing machine pattern is from the book but as you may notice I have a left handed sewing machine... silly of me forgot to mirror image it. The other patterns are my own, the cats are my favourite but the little potted plants are sweet too. 

Fun and simple to make and I have a garden fete coming up in the summer, its a fundraiser for the children's hospital... these will go well on my little stall.

Happy sewing

Glenis

The DOLLY SISTERS.. soft toy for Homespun Magazine

The Dolly Sisters

Some great opportunities have come my way this year but to have a pattern published is such an honor.

Almost a year ago I was contacted by Susan the editor of 'Homespun Magazine' to see if I would like to design a Doll for them.... this was so exciting for me.

Much thought was needed to design something reasonably simple but still appealing.

These are the 'Dolly Sisters', sweet simple little dolls with bright button eyes.

I loved designing this doll, putting in sweet features that bring the face alive.

The little headscarf with it's flowered trim, freckles anyone....just French knots, buttons for eyes and simple stitching gives her just the right look.

The little skirt has a inserted border just to add interest, frilled sleeves and a petite collar just finishes her off.

Homespun is a great Australian craft magazine with a pull out section containing all the patterns, it has a global feel with talented crafts people from around the world contributing to it's success.

 I do feel privileged to be part of this and I was truly ever so grateful to be asked.

I do believe you can order it online from Zinio.

Happy sewing

Glenis