Sew Good!

Had a blissful drive down the side of Loch Eck to get some supplies. I tell you, it might rain here a lot but my god it makes for some breathtaking sights. It was very misty and with snow still capping the hills and the loch glassine, I was glad I'd commandeered the camera.
In not so picturesque Dunoon, my favourite shop on the whole of the Cowal Peninsula has moved! And not any old move-the Sewing Bee has relocated several shops up the same street and now shares premises with Argyll Vintners - sewing, craft supplies and alcohol all in the same shop-GENIUS! They have also expanded their range of gorgeous fabrics and have some v-e-r-y pretty pink and aqua fabrics very similar to the 'Amy Butler' range, slightly less expensive but still great quality cotton.
Anyway, had to get some batting and fabric to make up a blanket that's been commissioned. The front of the blanket will be vintage Beatrix Potter fabric, so I thought the blue stars would be a nice contrast on the back. Also took the opportunity to have lunch with my Mother (the best stew in the world, ta mammy!) and have a shufty through the Charity shops. Then home! So, back to the sewing tomorrow-blanket first, more hottie, bags and so on later. Fingers crossed for a bit more of a productive day, though the misty drive and the delicious lunch were worth losing a few hours of work for!

2009! Here We Go!!

Blimey-been a while since my last blog! So I'm going to do it in two parts -
here goes.....

Part 1
2008 was a busy year-the 'rainbow effect' range expanded to include vintage inspired and trimmed blankets, hats, onesies, tee-shirts, bibs and bags! I used a couple of different methods-firstly, transfers, heat-pressed on to garments, using a variety of different, vintage images-Dick and Dora, vintage Russian children's illustrations, 50's sci-fi. Secondly, I rediscovered my passion, dormant for a few years, for vintage fabrics and clothing and began to stockpile some fab vintage fabrics to applique on to garments or trim blankets with!

I was lucky enough to be gifted a sewing machine from my Mother-in-law, old, but trustworthy and in great working order. Now, not having sewed since Domestic Science (remember that?) at school it took me a few days of poking at it, plugging it in and generally being a big wuss, before I bit the bullet and actually tried sewing something. Hurrah! It all came flooding back and I went 'sewing crazy'. You can see some of the results at http://www.therainboweffect.etsy.com.


And so some of my ideas came to fruition and I was very pleased with the results!

In October 2008 I was delighted to be accepted as a member of the Glasgow Craft Mafia-a fine and upstanding organisation promoting contemporary crafting in and around the fair and funky city of Glasgow. They have a great site, with lots of fab crafters/makers/artists on show, well worth a visit - http://www.glasgowcraftmafia.com. Additionally, I joined the Creative Entrepreneurs Club at the Lighthouse in Glasgow and did some groovy indie markets there in October and December.

A busy 2008 - so what's coming up for 2009? Well, I just go and have a cuppa and get back to you (very) shortly with Part 2! Until then......