beetle bug softie detail

beetle bug softie detail
Originally uploaded by djbebe

Two blue beetle bug softies emerged from my studio today. Pattern from Softies book 1. I only just restrained myself from buying book 2 when I spotted it the other day, on the grounds that I've only made two softies from book one. But they're so cute and adorable! Sensible vs cute. My sensible side won, that day. But not today. I ignored the pile of dirty dishes and the floor that needs mopping - how cute are these bugs? My mum said "what's that, a fish?", I said "no it's got legs" but she still didn't get to beetle. I think maybe they should have six legs? That would be more of a clue...

macro 6 of 30: cuff links

cuff links detail
Originally uploaded by djbebe

Thanks to Ali's tips (she's having a giveaway too - go look!) I finished these cuffs off this afternoon - cuff links made from buttons and embroidery thread. I used a 3.5 size crochet hook which was ok but I think a smaller one would be better. I like the effect though: exactly what I was looking for - a bit of extra bling.

Just down from the cafe where we had breakfast yesterday was a camping store with 30-50% off so I snapped up a marquee - one step closer to doing the markets!

I'll be drawing the giveaway tonight so there's one last chance to get your name in - I'll announce the winner tomorrow. Hey this daily posting is quite handy!

macro 4 of 30: blue scarves

blue scarves detail
Originally uploaded by djbebe

More scarves! I finished these two today - and two more are half-done but we're going to a 60th birthday party shortly so I have to get ready, wash the dishes, wrap the present etc. The present can be viewed here at least in part. I helped my mum make it. I am like her private consultant and sewer of bits that are "too hard". The quilt itself is not really my style but I'm assured the recipient will love it!

grey scarves

grey scarves
Originally uploaded by djbebe

Well I have been a very bad blog-mother - I can't believe my last post was before Christmas... Let's not make excuses, and just move on, shall we? This is the first piece of "real" sewing I've done since last year - not counting taking up hems on HandyMan's work pants and sewing name-tapes on boarding school clothes for my cousin. These are some scarves I made (is it winter yet??) from some grey wool and some fabric samples I picked up at Reverse Garbage when I was visiting Ali in the big city last weekend. We cruised the second-hand stores of Newtown, breakfasted at Piermont, drank cocktails, and generally just hung out - it's nice to catch up with far-away friends but a weekend seems like only just long enough to get back into the groove. Wish they'd hurry up and invent that teleporter...

I like the grey, but my next batch of scarves is going to be hot pink. How can I have a favourite colour, when there are so many to choose from?

antique polyester

Or, adventures with a soldering iron. I finally made something for Whiplash - the fibre and mixed-media inspired jewellery is right up my alley.

A while ago I got a book out of the library called Stitch, Dissolve, Distort in Machine Embroidery - interesting effects, but since it required the acquisition of a soldering iron, I put that one on the backburner for a while. HandyMan handles all the power tools and HandyMan stuff in our house, and if I need a nail hammered or a jar opened I go to him - hence I wasn't sure I should be allowed near a soldering iron. But since I've been making brooches with raw edges, I've found there are some fabrics that just fray too much, even with top stitching and gentle handling - these seem to be the super synthetic polyesters. Also, somewhere in the FJ restoring process, HandyMan bought a soldering iron.

So, on the weekend I was feeling reckless enough to get out said soldering iron and have a go at melting some synthetic fibers. It's a bit scary to handle something that hot - I was worried I'd accidentally drop it and set something on fire, so I made sure HandyMan was standing by. I got the hang of it after a while and was able to cut through nylon like a hot knife through butter. It's hard to be precise though - straight lines are easy but circles are difficult, since the fabric moved around a bit, and I found Christmas tree shapes impossible. As for fabrics, nylon works the best; polyester works too but rayon just burns without melting.

And I teamed the results of this experimenting with my new love, vinyl - and whipped up a couple of brooches this afternoon.

I like how the edges look like old photographs. You can get that effect on paper with lemon juice and candles - or on synthetic fabric with a soldering iron. Just watch out for the fumes!

Go stop by the OCT/NOV whiplash thread to check out the other fabulous and unique entries!

adventures in vinyl

wasp bag and matching wristlet
Originally uploaded by djbebe

I got so many things crossed off my todo list this weekend that I didn't even have time to blog them. I got this wristlet made - loosely based on a Denyse Schmidt pattern - and possibly the beginning of a love affair between me and vinyl. So easy to sew with, once you have a teflon foot, and no need to worry about finishing edges. More experimentation required - but I can see brooches, cuffs, hair thingies, napkin rings - the possibilities are endless!

I also finished off a batch of cuffs - they've been waiting patiently for press-studs for oh a couple of months... Then I filed some stuff in our new filing cabinet - hopefully it will magically make all the piles of papers in our kitchen and everywhere else disappear. I'm still in denial re tax time, however.

Don't tell anyone, but I also vacuumed the house. Don't worry, I'm over it now.

reverse garbage + workplace agreement

I may have mentioned Reverse Garbage before - well they're having a pre-Christmas exhibition and some of my creations will be on display there. And if you're super observant, you may notice that one of my brooches is featured in the flier. If you're in the area, maybe I'll see you at the exhibition launch?

seascape brooch

seascape brooch
Originally uploaded by djbebe

I've had a fairly crappy couple of weeks and I don't want to talk about it any more. To cut a long story short I'm staying home from work this week to recover from surgery and attend a funeral. The only good news is that I get to spend some quality time in my craft room so have been churning out some new brooches. Check out my etsy and/or madeit store to see more. I'm quite partial to the minty polka dot one myself - I might just make another one. The one you see here is made from a recycled Ken Done (in case you're blissfully unaware of his work) silk scarf. I'm working on the theory that any fabric, no matter how hideous, can work in small amounts. My next challenge is a particularly hideous yellow not-quite-leopard-print rayon that I accepted in a moment of weakness when a friend (I won't embarrass her by linking from this to her neo-cool blog) was throwing it out. It has been on death row in my stash for a while now but it's going to get one more chance to become a brooch like this.

blue dandelion kimono vest

blue dandelion kimono vest
Originally uploaded by djbebe

I decided to have an internet-free weekend - amazing how much you can get done! So I made a list of all the things I should be doing - starting the baby quilt for my brother's impending second bub, sewing brooch backs on the mountain of denim-backed brooches I've churned out, etc etc. And I decided to do something completely different - namely, make a couple of new shirts for myself - we have 3 weddings coming up in the next month and I've got nothing to wear! I got this blue dandelion fabric from Gardams (I love that shop not only for all the gorgeous fabrics but because they wrap your purchases in brown paper and tie it with string) in Brisbane last year. It's cotton with a subtle herringbone weave which gives it a really soft texture. And, from the leftovers I made this darling little "vest" from a thrifted vintage pattern - thought I should start trying them out instead of just collecting them... Kim it was going to be for you but I really like it! Still deliberating! Not that I even have a bub, or would ever dress myself and bub in the same fabric...? Would I? Maybe I should just make another one.

And then I was on a roll with the vintage baby pattern thing so I churned out a couple of sets of bloomers with matching singlet tops. I even appliqued, though I skipped the part where you iron on interfacing to stop the stretching. But they didn't turn out too bad. Baby clothes use hardly any fabric - this still isn't helping thin out my stash much!

cover for a dvd player

cover for a dvd player
Originally uploaded by djbebe

I whipped up this cover for my little nephew's portable dvd player - he's almost 2 - that keeps him amused on long car trips. On their last trip up this way they said he was very concerned by the viewing - chewing his fingernails, frowning etc. I asked what he was watching, they said Chicken Little - now I remember seeing this at the movies and there were aliens and big spaceships and scary stuff - so I said they should stick to Tractor Tom for the moment.

Anyhow, they said the player was getting dusty in the car so I said I would make them a cover for it. I just hope I've put the holes for the cords in the right places. You know when you measure something and then when it's not in front of you any more you're can't be absolutely sure that you wrote it down right? Well they're back coming back tomorrow so we'll see.