My Fabric Cupboard

Every now and again all the mess and disarray finally gets to me and I just have to have a clean up.
When I find myself on a creative roll things seem to go everywhere and before long I have piles of fabric, pens, pencils, pieces of paper and threads scattered all around the house (I discover them in the most unlikely) places). I wonder at times how hubby puts up with me, but thankfully he never seems to mind and mutters every now and again with a cheeky smile"whatever make you happy!"
I was starting to think I had a bit of a problem.
Then a very special friend of mine invited me in to her creative space just recently.
We were at a barbecue together and the conversation turned to patchwork and quilting. Before long we were bouncing ideas off one another and discussing quilting projects. She beckoned me to walk across the road to her house so that she could share a quilt in the making. The visit from me was unexpected and before she opened the door she hesitated with a smile and laughed "don't mind the mess will you?"
As I entered I indeed smiled. Not at the mess but at the creativeness that was happening in every direction I looked. It was wonderful. There was half finished projects, bundles of fabric spilling over from every flat surface, pattern pages scattered, amazing books lining the book case and beyond, and in the middle of it all was her sewing machine.
I enjoyed every minute of being in her special space. And I am very thankful she shared it with me in the state it was in. It made me feel much more normal.
Which brings me to my fabric cupboard. I knew things were starting to get a little out of hand when I started to struggle closing the front door. It was also getting tricky to open. A bit like the dreaded Tupperware cupboard where things seem to topple out as if trying to escape.
And so I took matters in hand and spent some time folding stacking and folding some more until finally some sort of order was achieved.















































The challenge is to see how long it stays in this state for. My guess is not very long but at least I have these picture to prove it was tidy once upon a time!

I came across these yummy embroidery threads just recently and had to have them.
They are so beautiful that I am not sure how I am ever going to bring myself to you them.
They currently take pride of place in their little box on top of my cupboard.















Hope I have inspired you to sort out your own fabric stash.
It's not all that bad really.
It's a wonderful opportunity to rediscover fabrics you forgot you had.
Or is that just a problem I have?
Feel free to add a comment and let me know what state your fabrics are in.
Until next time.
Warmly Lenna

Project in Patchwork and Stitching Magazine

It's always wonderful when a new craft magazine lands in my mail box. But this month I was even more excited than usual to receive the latest copy of Patchwork and Stitching.

Robyn Ahern, the Editor of Patchwork and Stitching contacted me a few months back and kindly invited me to design a project for the Spring Special. I eagerly accepted her invitation and knew straight away that a project with some hand embroidered flowers was in order.

I started to think about some possible projects and then I got an idea.

Since moving house 12 months ago I have been unable to locate a jewelry warp that my mother bought for me years and years ago. I'm sure I have it somewhere, but for now it remains hidden. No doubt it is lurking in a suitcase or in a pocket of one of my traveling bags. But despite my best efforts I cannot put my hand on it. After looking endlessly I decided it was probably easier to make something similar myself. Hence the design for my very own Jewellery Wrap for Patchwork and Stitching emerged.

I dived into my fabric cupboard (always a pleasurable experience!) and resurfaced with some pretty floral fabrics just perfect for Spring. I also fond some beautiful timber buttons in a nearby shop which are engraved with little flowers. Before long a new Jewellery Wrap was created.

It includes pockets a bracelet holder and a zipped section for smaller items.
It rolls up and is secured with a ribbon.
Here's a picture for you:



















Seems Robyn must have been pleased with my design.
It features as part of the Editor's letter.




































I feel very privileged to be apart of this fabulous magazine and I now have a Jewellery wrap for when I next journey somewhere. It was a win win for me.

Look out for the magazine it contains lots of projects and great tips as well as an article about some beautiful gardens on show. I even found one in Tassie not far from me...goodie.
As the weather warms it's the perfect time to visit some inspirational gardens for some ideas.

Oh to have more hours in the day!

For more information about this magazine and how you can subscribe, simply click on the Patchwork and Stitching graphic included down the right hand side of my blog.

Or check out more of my embroidery patterns by clicking the link here

Until next time.
Happy stitching and happy gardening too!
Warmly Lenna

A Pleasant Surprise

Last week the phone rang and it was one of my lovely sewing friends with a hint of excitement in her voice. She began "I have a fabric proposal for you". Of course I begged her to continue!
The conversation continued to reveal that she had been invited to the home of a lifetime sewer who had recently moved into a retirement village. The lady's daughter was sorting through her stash of sewing belongings and had opened it up to fellow sewers in the hope that she could sell some of the excess fabrics and bits and pieces her mother had collected over the years.

You can image our excitement as we approached the house. Our minds a whirl of the possibilities of what lay inside.

We were greeted at the door by the daughter who welcomed us in and immediately put the kettle and tempted us with cake filled with yummy lemon butter. This day just kept getting better and better!

The room was filled with neatly folded piles of fabric an d boxes of lace and trims. We hardly knew where to start and as we filled our mouths with cake we surveyed the scene in front of us in ore.

Before long we were head down rummaging around uncovering treasures that only a fellow sewer could understand. The daughter (who did not have the same love of all things fabric and threads) was a bit amused at our squeals of delight. I think she felt almost embarrassed at the amount her mother had collected over the years and we were quick to reassure her that it was completely normal.

Two and a half hours later we waddled down the drive way giggling to ourselves and discussing the future projects and possibilities that lay waiting in our bags of fabric and trims.

Here's a few pictures of the unusual old trims I discovered.














































I also uncovered a pile of Cupie doll faces in the bottom of a dollmaking box.
Aren't they amazing?














Our little adventure was very memorable. I couldn't help but think about the time when someone has the huge job of sorting through my lifetime of collecting.

I hope our "sewing lady" is glad to think her stash lives on in the homes of fellow sewers. And hopefully that is how it will be with all my sewing treasures. My only hope is that I live to be 150 so that I can keep making all the hundreds of projects that live on it my mind. And even then I know my stash will not have diminished. Maybe I should be resided to the fact that I am safe keeping treasures for some other kindred spirit to discover many years from now.
Until next time happy collecting!
Warmly Lenna