Beautiful Sprout Design Wall Art for Children

These are just the most cutest of critters, giant caterpillars and bright red tortoises. Also availabe as wall art are the elephants and giraffes. All available in my store now. Now that im back full time as blog writer and store owner, I shall be adding lots more lovely pics of these as i make them.

Wall art has become a very popular way of adding colour to rooms, without too much expense, and can change a way the room looks with just a few pics and scatter cushions.

The fabric is available also by the 1/4 metre, so if you feel creative enough, have a go.

More soon...

Oilcloth Easy to Sew

Oilcloth is very easy cloth to sew, less hems are required and if you are like me and want it finished in a hurry, this is the ideal fabric to use. Above are some pictures of some quick items to sew. A doorstop, 1 fat quarter if plenty for this oilcloth doorstop. The childrens apron uses a fat quater too, with some lovely grossgrain ribbons for ties, great just to wipe clean after a cake making session.
The gift tags well, they are from offcuts of oilcloth, too lovely to throw away, so i made these up with a card backing and sticking the oilcloth with some pva glue and a grossgrain tie to finish off.

Happy sewing

Oilcloth pvc ~ What it is ~ Tips on Sewing Oilcloth

Oilcloth pvc ~ what is it?
Oilcoth is a specially treated fabric which has been waterproofed. Originally, oilcloth was made from oil impregnated canvas, leading to the name OILCLOTH, now it is in fact used in the modern sense to refer to cotton backed with a vinyl material which is waterproof and can easily be wiped clean.

The origin for Oilcloth can be found in sail making, as the original oilcloth was made from canvas and used by fishermen and sailors. the canvas material could be coated in oils, waxes and clays to make it waterproof and then used to wrap valuable materials for long sea journeys making them weather resistant. The colours would have been very limited back in those days as it was designed for function and not beauty.

Today, however Oilcloth comes in a variety of thickness and wonderful colours, with many more uses, Oilcoth can be used today in many ways including coverings for tables, chairs and pantry shelves, as well as outdoor cushions, covers for outdoor furniture, bags, totes, doorstops, and aprons, bunting decorations and much more.

Tips on How to sew Oilcloth Fabric ~
Oilcloth is relatively easy to sew, a teflon foot can be used in your sewing maching, making the friction less and the fabric will glide easily.

I personally use Silcon spray, i lightly spray the foot plate of the sewing machine and the pvc side of the oilcloth, eliminating any friction, thats all there is to it. It slides beautifully.
Have a practise first, you'll be amazed how easy it is.

If you dont need a hem for example on a tablecloth, I cut along the length with my pinking scissors (zig zag scissors) just for a nice finish.

I have a selection of oilcloth pvc in my store from designers Red Plum Linen and Cath Kidston available by the metre and 1/4 metre.

Happy sewing

Fabric sale Fabric Sale

I have that spring feeling, for spring cleaning and clearing out cupboards and shelves, sorting out fabrics and having a bit of a sale. A bit like moley from "The Wind in The Willows" white washing the walls and then breaking free to enjoy the sunshine.

After realising that this feeling comes from when i lived in the northern hemisphere, and everyone looked forward to spring and daffodils and sunshine after Christmas, but not here in Australia, Autumn and winter are next before spring, but it must be an inbuilt thing in my body clock. So i will forget about Autumn and think Spring instead!!

Anyway, ive added some more to my fabric sale in my store this week, as im having an "Autumn clean" so take a peek. Most designs are just remnants, there is some meterage, so check the availability. Happy shopping.

Oh and please let me know if you have that Spring Feeling too, id love to hear from - or is it just me!!

Have a great day,

Susie

Fabric clear out....

Thought id have a quick fabric clear out this week, and once i started looking i discovered all sorts of lovely fabrics, that i had forgotten about. When i turned round i had this mountain of fabric behind me, like a little ones in search of something at the bottom of the toybox. So then had to neatly tidy them all away to make room for all the new fabrics i will be buying this year, oh i cant wait, thats the fun part, having them arrive at the door - its so exciting.
Some i have put a Fabric Sale on in my store- mainly quilting fabrics, to make some room, Isadora Phoexnix dots, Tanya Whelan Ava Rose and Dena Designs.

**** Happy New Year ****

Wow - so where did that last month dissapear to, Christmas and New year just seem like a blur, my children cant beleive its all over, but are already looking forward to this years Christmas, oh to be that age again.
I have had a few hours spare over the last couple of days to finally upload some new fabrics in to my store, I have a new fabric designer on board, Hollabee textiles, with 3 colourways in the beautiful Bloem design ~ which are designed and hand printed by Bianca van Meeuwen in house at Ink & Spindle.
The fabrics are hand screen printed using environmentally friendly solvent free inks on a a cotton/linen blend.

The Swirls designs are printed on an organic cotton/hemp blend, and the colours are gorgeous


Each of these designs are available from as little as 1/4 metre, which is enough for the front of a cushion or to cover a foot stool.

More Favourites of 2008....

Some more of my favourite fabrics, these will probably be favourites for a long time yet, some are not newly released, just old favs that will be around hopefully forever. I thought i would share some of them with you. My New Summer Arrivals are being added to my web shop and these will get a preview in my next postings.



Marimekko ~ Mini Unikko Raspberry & Red, absolutely timeless and so versatile, this must be one of my favourites. Cushions, bags and dresses look great in this too. And these designs from Maija Isola from the 60s have inspired my passion for fabrics. The Large Unikko is so fabulous, and must be one of the biggest flowers on fabric in the world. I just love it!!


Mini Unikko in Citus, so fresh and vibrant, and a real summer favourite, this just looks wonderful as a table runner.




This beautiful Woodstock Paisley design by Isadora Phoenix is too scrummy for words, i love paisley and these 2 colourways are fab as beach bags or sarongs. The blue & green is an absolute favourite, and has been a very popular purchase for quilters and dressmakers.


Barefoot roses by Tanya Whelan, is so shabby and pink, this cabbage rose comes in a cream background and a baby pink background, and makes fantastic quilts and curtains. A true classic in the shabby world.





Another collection of Tanya Whelan's is Ava Rose and i have some of these in my Shabby Roses Collection and these 2 have been my bestsellers, the aqua in this background is just beautiful, and the roses classic. These roses come in a couple of different background colourways.



Kitchen roses, from the Ava Rose Collection, so fresh and very Cath Kidston style, so would mix very well in Shabby home. this has to be one of her best.


Japanese floral in Charcoal & white, by Surface Art, these lovely large scale prints are stunning as wall art and cushions, 100% cotton drill, I discovered these designs whilst looking for something completely different whilst on holiday at the Sunshine Coast last year. And are very fresh and vibrant.



Japanese floral in Ruby Red & White, couldnt make my mind up which colourway, so have put both again. A large scale flora, these designs work well in all settings, a good friend of mine has this colourway in a large canvas wall art in her hallway which she commissioned me to make, and it does make a great statement.

Well, there we are, the remaining 9 out of 10.

Thanks for looking.
Susie