Holiday time............

It's school holiday time here and it hasn't been too bad so far! Spring cleaning the kids' bedrooms seems to be not getting very far. They don't seem interested in doing it!! Why should I be surprised!? 

I've been busy sewing for a friend for a couple of market stalls. It's been interesting with trying to work out the best market for her products in our new town. She's been really successful at country markets and it just seems to be a bit harder when it's in a bigger city. It's been quite disappointing when putting so much time, money and effort into creating such gorgeous wares and wears (!) to have lots of interest but not many buyers. She's on the look out for some great markets between now and Christmas that will hopefully be more successful. 

Nothing new happening here though.... we've settled into life pretty well in the 'big smoke' and all the changes that come with that. 

I've not really had time to do any sewing for myself lately. And with a house inspection tomorrow I really shouldn't even be on here writing a blog post! There's much to be done!! 

Take care and enjoy the holidays!!

Sewing is supposed to be relaxing and stress free, isn't it?!

I've been lucky enough to meet and become friends with Emily from CoQuelicot Designs. I have to admit I've got a couple (plus a couple more!) pieces of furniture that she's created! All of her furniture is preloved and then with Emily's guidance it's turned into something gorgeous and new. Emily has entrusted me with a very important job of sewing the cushions that her customers purchase to go with their awesome new chairs. Normally I find sewing quite enjoyable, relaxing and stress free. I have to admit that I might have best not knowing how much the above blue fabric cost per yard. I often baulk at paying $20+ per metre for fabric. This one surpassed that by miles!! 

This was definitely one of those ones that I needed to measure 300000000 times before cutting into it. Emily had given me about 2" more than what was needed to make this gorgeous cushion! 

It's been great to have deadlines (sort of!) and a reason to get into my sewing without me having to get organised and unpack my sewing room!!! 

How much was the most expensive fabric per yard that you've cut into? Did it scare you too? 

(This one was $250 p/yard!!!)

Help! I'm setting up my sewing room!

HELP! 

I'm setting up my sewing room.

I've not had a designated sewing room for a very long time. In the new house we've moved to we've decided to forgo a spare room and I can have my own sewing space. 

I've been drooling over photos of other people's sewing spaces and I'm not even sure where to start! 

For starters, my sewing room is the box storage room until I've unpacked everything.

I scored myself a great IKEA cube storage cupboard that someone was getting rid of. I have an 8 seat dining table, the cube storage, a sewing cabinet and an old tv entertainment unit that my husband has put more shelves in for me to use - all crammed into my sewing space. Oh, and a single lounge chair. If I can fit two in there that'd be awesome! 

What's the best way to get organised, stay organised and ensure that I know exactly what I have in my sewing stash to avoid going out and spending more money?!?! 

Everyone should do something (even something small!) to help our environment!

I decided (with a friend!) to step out of my comfort zone and go meet some like minded people (sewing people). A "Boomerang Bags" group has opened up in my town and I really like the idea of getting out of the house without kids or husband and just doing my thing. They held their second get together early in May and my friend and I went along. It was pretty basic sewing, which to be honest, suited me fine. My brain was happy to be repetitive. 

Boomerang Bags is all about reducing the usage of plastic bags in our community. We have been making fabric shopping bags from fabrics that have been repurposed from other items, excess stock from commercial businesses, and fabric that people have kindly donated from their stashes! I can't say I'll be donating anything from my stash. I NEED EVERYTHING I HAVE! 

They have their next get together this weekend and my friend and I have been madly sewing at home to get lots of bags ready to be distributed. If only I was this motivated with my own sewing!! 

I love the idea of not using plastic. I have in the past paid for plastic bags because I've forgotten to take my fabric ones. I think I need a sign on my windscreen that I have to see every time I get in my car that says "go back inside the house and get your fabric shopping bags". I rarely remember them. Time to start remembering and do my little bit in helping the environment.

Speaking of the environment, it's starting to get cold here! Time to shut the house up and find my uggies. Brrrrr!!

What do you do or what can you do that might help our world?

I need another new project like I need another hole in the head...........

I spied this amazing quilt in a sew-a-long group on FB and I was hooked. If I see something that's visually amazing in the way of fabrics or quilt designs I just cannot help it. It's a rush. So I did what any normal crafter would do. I ordered the pattern and got in the car and headed to a quilting shop to grab just a few interesting fabrics to start. I found a range of fabrics called "Eureka". It's different and interested me because of it's blues and greys. I love blues and greys.

 This is week one on the left and week two on the right. I may not have even thought about week three yet. I think the group is up to about week 8. I have a little bit of catching up to do. This is nothing new for me!

This quilt is amazing. All of the shapes and colours just pop and bring so much interest! Obviously this is not my finished quilt. We'll all die laughing if mine is done in any short time frame! I'm a realist. I did say that you'd get real life here. I have a new friend in my new town and she's amazing in the finishing stakes. No procrastinating or mucking around in her sewing space. I think she's hoping to rub off on me. I'd love to think she will. Again..... I'm a realist.

What quilt are you working on right now?

The Beginning at Stitched

Welcome to Stitched!! 

This is the very first blog post for this blog.

Just a little bit about me to begin with: I love sewing, cooking, catching up with friends, caring for my husband and our four children. Life is full. Life is blessed. We have had some big changes in our life lately which have resulted in us leaving the farm we lived on for over 8 years. We have relocated (for schooling and lifestyle!) about 450klms away from our home and life has been so different to what we are used to. Good different! Our kids have had some big disruptions and changes to deal with but I think overall they are coping well and enjoying our new location. It has so much more to offer them and we are excited about our future here! 

Sewing (although it takes a back seat a lot of the time) is very important to me and I love it. I enjoy lots of different kinds of sewing and often jump from project to project without finishing the first thing!! I know there's lots out there that are the same as that. I don't want to hear any advice from you motivated non procrastinators. 😀

I am planning on filling this blog with life. Sewing, cooking, kids, house, life, fun, and there's bound to be a bit of sad mixed in. Real life is what I'm aiming for. No filters. That may be a bit scary though!! 

It doesn't even matter if no one ever reads this. This is going to be my kind of therapy, motivation and my project! 

Take care!
Ree