Thursday 13 November 2014

The Handcrafted Shop



I'm very excited to announce I now have my online store set up on

So if you're looking for great gift ideas,
especially for Christmas, check out 
Embroidered Towels
Luxury Personalised Baby Towels
Pompom Toweling Shorts
Monster Truck Embroidered T-shirts for Boys
pop along and check it out.
 






Tuesday 21 October 2014

Australian Sewing Guild - Scenic Sewers Beaudesert OPEN DAY


Photos from the Beaudesert Show

My goodness, so much has happened since the Show
at the beginning of September.
There's been sickness, and holidays, and lots of work, and one daughter in Year 12 (meaning formal dress and Uni Open Days) and one son training for State Athletic Championships = lots of driving around.
So a little on the late side, here are some pics from the Beaudesert Show.


Wednesday 16 July 2014

Beaudesert Show

The Show is only just around the corner so make sure you've got a couple of entries in this year.
Remember there is no show without entries.
Schedule is here
Entries close Friday August 29
If you have trouble getting your entries in please contact me to arrange a drop off
Mobile 0402 309 047

Looking forward to seeing some wonderful
entries from all of you this year. 

Casual Vacancy

A vacancy in my casual sewing classes
has become available
fortnightly on a Thursday
9.30 - 2.30
$45
Work on your own projects in my Studio -
Maybe you need a little extra help for that special project, or you just need to dedicate time to sewing...
Give me a call 0402 309 047 or

Backpack Class


This gorgeous Backpack class will be held on

Wednesday July 30
9.30 - 2.30

$65 includes Tuition and some supplies
You will also need fabric, lining, zips, threads etc

Limited vacancy - BOOK NOW

Friday 27 June 2014

Vogue Sewing

Mark found this Vogue Sewing book for me at the second
hand book shop at Jimboomba.
I love reading through it.
Some of the photos are a bit dated, but the techniques are always useful.
Have you noticed that often patterns tell you to do something,
but don't actually tell you HOW to do it?
That's why you need a fantastic reference book like this.
( Or you come to class and I'll show you how of course)
The latest version is quite expensive, so keep your eyes out for old versions at second hand shops. I also have a McCalls and Simplicity version too.
The picture of the sewing machine features is quite basic, but those important features haven't really changed.

Wednesday 25 June 2014

Custom Embroidery

A few special embroideries this week.

The giraffe is a raffle prize at

My cousin was 7 on the weekend and had a fairy party,
complete with Kate the face painting fairy,
and James the Magician.
I couldn't be there, so unfortunately I don't have other photos.

Filthy Beast badges for saddle cloths.

And Tia is being baptised next month.

for all your embroidery needs.

Tuesday 24 June 2014

Wedding and Pre-Wedding Embroidery

Robes for the Bridal Party, or Bride & Groom

Hens Party fun - tees and singlets

Something fun for the Bride & Groom -
knickers and boxers

Supper cloths for the cake cutting table
Also perfect for Anniversary celebrations.

Or use you imagination...


Embroidered Towels

I carry a supply of good quality towels in a range of popular colours.
You can also supply your own towels.
Choose from a  variety of fonts, designs and colours.
Coming soon ... luxurious towel range.
Stay tuned...

Embroidery ideas

Caps (min 10)
Badges (for items that can't be embroidered directly)
Wedding or Memory Quilts
Sleeping Bags
Quilt Labels
Lunch Bags
Christmas Stockings
Hankies
Horse  Rugs
Sport Jerseys for Presentations
Sports Bags
Badges for Saddles Clothes

If I can fit it in a hoop safely, it can probably be embroidered.
What would you like done?

A few finished projects in June


Natalie made a starry diary cover featuring pintuck waves

Ellen finished her Weekender Bag this week

Juanita appliqued initials onto a library bag for her grandson

Sue is making the scalloped borders for her daughter's quilt

Saturday 21 June 2014

Learn to Sew Classes coming soon ...


Small Class size - maximum of 4 students

Friday evenings 6.30 - 9.00 (6 lessons)

Saturdays 9.00 - 1.30 (4 lessons)

 
This  course enables beginner or refresher students to start
reference samples & sew a pair of pyjamas featuring
a collared shirt and elastic waist boxer shorts. 
 
Students will also learn about the use and care of your machine, the importance of quality, needles, threads, fabric choices, selecting the correct pattern size, anatomy of patterns, and basic pattern adjustments.
 
 Techniques covered may include hems, seams, zips, gathering, buttons and buttonholes, corners and curves, basic stitches, collars,
pockets, sleeves, elastic casing, & patch pockets.
During class, students will also learn to use an overlocker for basic overcasting.
 
Students will need to bring their own sewing machine and supplies.
Details available upon registration.
Students must be able to attend all classes.
Due to the format of the course catchup classes can not be offered.
 
I am taking expressions of interest, before confirming start dates.
Minimum numbers are required for classes to proceed. 

 

Friday 20 June 2014

Recent Classes


Sue is working on a SweetNSassy quilt for her daughter in shabby chic pretties
Ellen made a cupcake apron for her cousin's birthday
Juanita made 2 pair of shorts for her grandchildren in New York
Marg made a spidery vest for her son's stage performance

There's always variety in casual sewing classes
What would you like to sew?

Thursday 19 June 2014

Bags in class

Ellen's Roomy Denim Bag

Juanita's giant library bag
Ellen finished her Roomy Denim Bag today.
The lining fabric is just divine. She pattern matched the inside pocket
with the postcard on the print.

Juanita has finished another library bag, this time for her daughter.
She also added a giant zippered pocket on the outside because when
is a bag used for just one purpose?

Tuesday 17 June 2014

Coin Purses

Last month's Bag Class - 90mm Coin Purses

Saturday 14 June 2014

ASG June Meeting

For our June meeting, Gay had us in stitches.
If you know me you'll know I'm not a fan of hand stitching, but it was fun to have all of us sitting and stitching together.
Next month we are making Mug Rugs for Meals on Wheels, or
working on our own projects.

We meet on the first Wednesday of each month to
"share and further the art of sewing"

There is a new Group in Boonah called Common Threads who
meet on the first Tuesday of each month.

New members are always welcome
Check out the website



Teddy Bears in Progress

Teddy Bear Classes are going to continue on a fortnightly basis.
You can join at any time and make your own furry teddy.
All requirements are supplied for your first bear.
Mob 0402 309 047

My Roomy Denim Bag

I came up with this bag design while sitting at soccer one night
waiting for a message on my phone.
I didn't want to be holding my phone waiting for the message,
but couldn't see it when it was in my handbag. So I made external
zippered pockets from mesh. Problem solved.
It also has an internal mesh pocket and is big enough to hold all the sporting essentials - diary, phone, wallet, notebook, novel, pens, lip balm, sunglasses, reading glasses, scarf, light jumper, car keys, camera ...

CLASS - Wednesday June 18
9.30 - 2.30


Friday 13 June 2014

Australian Sewing Guild

As a Group, the Scenic Sewers Beaudesert do some projects for charity.
Recently we made placemats for Meals on Wheels.
Meals sell them for $10 each which pays for 1 meal for someone in need during times of disaster such as the Bundaberg floods.

Margi & Pauline made 17 placemats between them.
They are pictured here with the post-op mastectomy bags made earlier in the year. These are donated to the Gold Coast Hospital as on ongoing project. The Hospital needs 100 of these bags each year.




Wednesday 30 April 2014

Star Wars

I LOVE the fabrics from http://www.makeithobbyncraft.com.au/

This is one of a few fabrics I bought at Supanova and
the Stitches and Craft show recently. 
The shirt (for my son) was inspired by one on display at Supanova.

The pattern is Burda 9524.
I widened the shoulders, and added about 10cm to the length.
I also reduced the seam allowances to 6mm as I had just made
a Kwik Sew shirt and found them much easier to work with
especially around the collar and stand. Try it sometime.

I used 1m of each fabric. The collar and pocket are
fussy cut to show off the print.

I love using Steam a Seam - to position the pocket
so it won't move while sewing around it, and also
on the front hems (because they are narrow and edge to edge).
If the collar gave me any grief, I was planning 
on using it there too, but didn't need to.
Very pleased with the results.

Tuesday 29 April 2014

3 Fat Quarters and a Skirt



At the Boonah Guides Quilt & Craft Show recently,
I bought 3 fat quarters from http://www.apatchyquilting.com.au/ 
and set myself the challenge of making a skirt from them.

I kept it simple - a 6 gore straight self drafted skirt.
The right front and back panels are contrast to the other 4 panels.
I made sure I planned the pattern layout carefully before cutting out, because I wanted the right front & right back panels to be yellow.
Remember to measure twice and cut once.
 
Sigh, vanity makes you unpick.
The master pattern was drafted a couple of years ago, and
it seems a centimetre or two as well. The skirt was a bit snug with
15mm seams so I restitched them using a 4-thread overlock
and unpicked the machine stitching. Much better.
Of course then the facings didn't fit, so I lined the skirt
without a facing and under stitched it at the waistline.
I love under stitching - it's the perfect finish for linings and facings.

I pressed the seams away from the centre panels and
topstitched using a yellow/gold rayon embroidery thread
and my ditch stitch foot.

Hems are so easy on straight skirts.
I overlocked the raw edges and turned up a 1" hem, and also tucked
under the overlocking (just because I felt like it) making it a 3/4" finished hem.
If you are going to finish the hem this way (no visible raw edges) it is not necessary to overlock first. It was a last minute decision.
The easiest way to measure a straight hem is to place the
skirt wrong sides up over the end of the ironing board.
Then measure 2" (twice the finished hem width) from the
overlocked/raw edge and poke a pin into the ironing board.
Fold the raw edge up to the pin, move the pin to secure hem,
and press before sewing.

I used an invisible zipper in the side seam.

The sewing up was relatively quick and easy. It just takes a little
time to plan something not straight out of the box.

A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Friday 4 April 2014

Soap & Candle Making

Making candles and Goat's milk soap in class
Easy to make, just needs lots of stirring
The top row of photos are paraffin wax candles in silicon moulds
The pot that looks like pumpkin soup is actually soap in the making.
It's still curing so no photos yet.

Tuesday 1 April 2014

Minions and Purple People Eater Cushions


Australian Sewing Guild - Scenic Sewers meeting today

For today's meeting we had Louise Sparrow as our guest tutor.
Louise gave an excellent workshop on dealing with sheer fabrics.
She talked about fabrics, seams, hems, bindings and finishes.
I'll be making a formal dress this year so it was very interesting.
Pauline was busy working on her Happiness quilt which has
lovely fresh colours and combinations.
Can't wait to see it finished.
As of our next meeting (May 7)we will meet on the
first Wednesday of each month.
We will be working on our own projects.

Sunday 23 March 2014

Boonah Guides Quilt Show & Australian Sewing Guild

Last weekend I attended the Boonah Quilt Show which is held every second year by the Girl Guides in Boonah. I haven't been able to make it to the last couple, so it was great to be able to catch up with some sewing friends, as well as doing a little shopping including shoes (on special - bonus) from Maynards.
Robyn Christoffel is my very good friend from a life time ago,
and is a very talented textile artist.
Teresa and Patricia had a stall for Close to My Heart Scrapbooking and I caught Teresa cutting out on the floor behind her stand.
Making the most of her available time.

Part of my role as Regional Coordinator with the Australian Sewing Guild
is to encourage new members and start new Groups.
Well there is a new Group called Common Threads starting very soon.
There will be a general interest meeting on Tuesday April 29 at 9.30 followed by their first Group Meeting on Tuesday May 6.
If you'd like to come along just give me a call on 0402 309 047.
We'd love to have you.

Zippered Clutch



I have made 3 versions of the Clutch featured in Threads mag 169 Nov13
Designed by Don Morin of
The red version is silk lined with a zany cotton print, using light weight fusible interfacing & Vliesofix. I felt this was too light and floppy so I tried
An embroidered heavy cotton lined with a bias printed cotton, using a stiff interfacing & 2 layers of Vliesofix.
The gerbera cotton print uses a bag wadding from Ingrid's with Vliesofix.
The second and third versions definitely have more body suited to a clutch, but are not as neat to sew.

Stitches and Craft Show in Brisbane


Daywear Category

Evening wear category
Spent 2 great days at the Stitches and Craft Show.
On Thursday I was modelling in the Australian Sewing Guild fashion parade which was enormous fun. The parade changed each day, featuring various members modelling their own clothes to "share and further the art of sewing", which is the Guild's motto.
We also modeled some creative knit wear by 

There was time to go shopping and catch up with friends.

On Saturday I was back again, this time Kate was modeling
some wearable art by Kirri Toose
Esther and Eliza modeled too.





You've got to check out Make it Hobby and Craft in Boondall
They have some amazingly cool fabric.
The range they take to Supanova is even bigger.


Pink panther - dress for Kate
Big Bang Theory and Glow in the dark Star Wars
for boxer shorts for Kate & James
Planets - shirt for Mark, because he is into astronomy

Sunday 9 March 2014

Childrens Classes


 Natalie has made a stuffed toy for her baby neighbour
Georgia chose a vintage print fabric for an elastic waist
  skirt with contrasting pockets

Tahlia has just started learning to sew and has made an
 appliqued star cushion cover,
a lined pencil case, and has cut out a pair of boxer shorts.

Friday 7 March 2014

Vintage Pattern becomes Modern Dress


Ellen loves a touch of vintage
She has used a vintage Butterick pattern and made some very simple adjustments.
By leaving off the sleeves and yoke, folding over a casing and adding a tie, she now has a modern summer maxi dress.

Ellen has also been making some overalls for her nephews.
Cute hey!

Tuesday 4 March 2014

February Classes


 There is always an interesting variety of projects 
on the go in general sewing classes ...
Baby Bonnets
Linen Shorts
Library bags
Scrap Hexagons





Donna has finished her first sewing project and quilt.
Such gorgeous autumn colours
Now she is drafting her own lined straight skirt.

Sunday 2 March 2014

Inspired by books



It's always interesting to see where students get their inspiration for sewing

Kate is making herself an Aline skirt from 
The Essential A-Line book

Sally has made a pair of reversible bubble pants for her baby niece from the Growing Up Sew Liberated book

Friday 28 February 2014

A variety of embroidery

Embroidery on a quilt for a wedding present

Team shirts + School shorts + Badges + Towels