Headed for a dye-fest
Colour inspiration for my next dyeing project... our budding orchid
When I was a hapless teenager and just moved out of home, I couldn’t quite figure out the whole separating whites from darks from colours business when I did the weekly laundry, so I ended up with a pile of grubby-looking whites to wear.
Around the same time, I discovered the beauty of hand-dyeing; I loved how it gave a second life to tired-looking clothes, and particularly zingy lift to silk chinois-style tops and simple underwear. I think a lemon-yellow bra strap slightly visible under a white cotton shift looks cute, say, or a fuscia petticoat peeking out from under a frock. And there’s something lovely about the mottled effect it gives old, crushed silk.
This week, I’m planning a dye-fest. But starting tomorrow, when I don’t have the wee one, or have to worry about turning Olive emerald green by accident, in an I Capture the Castle moment…
Carnival pink - why not?
It’s been a while, so when I’m feeling brave I’m going to attempt making some of India Flint’s home-made dyes from vegetables, leaves and the like and putting them to use. For d(ye)vine inspiration, check out her beautiful book, Eco Colour.
One item which will be finding its way into the dyeing pot is this age-stained old linen tablecloth, bequeathed to me by my dear friend Catherine. I’m thinking pale blue, with a touch of lavender.
Tea o'clock
Another sneaky peek at The Crafty Kid
Hootie the Owl softie
Hello on this chilly Friday morning. Here’s a little sneak peek at some of the new projects in The Crafty Kid for you, out in just a few short weeks.
The three projects here were constructed entirely from remnant fabrics and scraps. The owl above is made from the leg of an old pair of denim jeans, a scrap of wool from a flea market, the button from an old sixties trench coat and a lurid seventies pillowcase. See? It’s so easy to make something from the most useless-seeming things.
Heart-shaped pincushion
Felt & ribbon cutlery roll
AWW craft… and another book or two
Photo album cover in a Florence Broadhurst signature print
Phew – it’s been a busy few weeks. Firstly, I’ve been writing and shooting a bunch of things for Australian Women’s Weekly with my lovely mate, Dean Wilmot. Here’s one project I can show you above, which was just published in the May issue last week. To see the full article and step-by-step instructions, click here. The fabric is from Signature Prints, and the toile de jouy paper I used to line the inside is from favourite stationers, Cavallini Papers & Co. (via Balmain’s Duck Egg Blue).
Secondly, I’ve been writing a big piece for Vogue and interviewing people in all sorts of time zones lately, which can be quite tricky for a fuzzy brain to keep track of. I’m almost done, and it’s due to appear later in the year.
And thirdly, I’ve been working on the almost-final draft of my next book, a memoir… which is very different from the crafting, but I hope not such a surprise when you see it. Plus I’ve just signed on for another crafty book with Murdoch Books, to be published next year. Stay tuned for more news soon!
One thing I have been reading and enjoying for all the beautiful pics is my dear friend Lisa’s new blog, Stiff White Peaks about her travels in New York… Ah, to be there… I feel like I’m tripping through Manhattan vicariously though, just reading about all the things she’s been up to. I love the inspiration of setting up a blog as a sort-of journal of a time… it’s a great idea, non? And must save one from repeating themselves in all those emails home!
‘Just Married’ wedding duvet cover
Colette & Kendall's wedding duvet cover
What have you been up to this Anzac Day long weekend (apart from the dawn service, of course)? We’ve enjoyed a few long, lazy meals with friends, and in my spare time I’ve been working on this big sewing project which I’ve finally completed.
About a month ago my friend Colette got married, and I promised to make her a duvet cover using fabric she’d chosen (one of the projects inside The Crafty Minx). Last weekend we went on a shopping expedition to find most of the material above – Colette’s favourite was the Amy Butler roses print below, which I’m also loving.
Amy Butler panel, front and centre
To match the duvet cover I edged two pillowcases with the roses and some paisley for Kendall.
His & hers pillowcases
Paisley-edged pillowcase
I do hope they like it – the green’s for Kendall, and the pink is to match their antique bedroom fireplace (panelled with dark pink tiles). There’s no tricksy zips or buttonholes to add, either – I made ties instead, which do up into pretty bows at the foot of the bed…
Bow ties
And it’s all wrapped up & waiting on their doorstep, for when they arrive home this evening.
Wishing dreams of adventure
Old smock, new look
Charity store find gets a makeover
This 100% cotton smock was a great find from our local charity store, and only took a small amount of tweaking to get it looking right.
Bye bye, frou frou
First, I chopped off the frilly white collar, bow and edging from the bottom hem. Then I added these three blue buttons from Ici et La. Ta daaa (as Olive would say).
Smocks looks so dear on little girls. The simpler, the better – don’t you think?
Olive in her old/new smock
The Keeper’s House
POSSIBILITIES textile art basket bowl from The Keeper's House, Etsy
Next skill to learn: basket weaving. I’m loving this bowl by Etsy store, The Keeper’s House. It also strikes me as an excellent way to use up any small, excess scraps of fabric, wrapping them around an inner coil of pliant bamboo or plastic.
Kiss me quick
Kiss tapestry kit - I want this the size of an entire wall
Love this tapestry kit from Cox & Cox, first spied on Decor8. Bellisima!
Sofia’s doll blanket
Red, white & blue fabric selection
My friend Rebecca was down in Tasmania recently and visited a group of men in a shed who spend their retiree time constructing honest, beautiful handmade toys and doll’s cribs for children. She bought one of the latter for her daughter Sofia, and asked me if we could make a blanket to fit. On Monday they popped over for afternoon tea and we knocked this up in about half an hour.
The top fabric is a Japanese design from Duckcloth; the polka dots are from Prints Charming, stars from Remnant Warehouse and white an old Damask tablecloth found in a flea market.
Note Sofia’s super-cute babushka doll trouser patches, applied by her clever grandmother? Such a simple idea for making an ordinary item of clothing quite special.
Finished miniature blanket
Wild & wonderful tea cosies
My felt tea cosy
I just had a workshop at No Chintz this morning making tea cosies, which was a hoot. I told the lovely ladies who attended that my inspiration is none other than Tea Cosy Queen Loani Pryor, author of Wild Tea Cosies and Really Wild Tea Cosies, which came out just last week.
These books really are fabulous – what an imagination she has. Would you look at this ‘Coral Punk’ tea cosy by Loani below? Love it. Next week I’m headed to her event at Shearer’s Bookshop on Norton St – Wednesday April 7, 7:30pm. Be sure to book.
Really Wild Tea Cosies by Loani Pryor, out now
Tea cosy by Loani Pryor, from her new book
Penny's tea cosy, from today's No Chintz class
Another fabulous tea cosy, from today's class
Cate & Miriam's tea cosies at No Chintz
A couple of simple ideas
Sort-of Union Jack cushion
It’s a bit rainy and miserable outside today, which puts me in mind of ‘ol blighty. I pulled a bunch of linen scraps out from the crafts cabinet earlier and created this cushion – they’re sewn to the front of an old velvet cushion I’d grown tired of. I don’t mind the fraying edges at all, which should only improve in the wash.
And above, a pleasant oil painting found in a charity store and pulled out of its ugly frame sits behind Olive’s heirloom; a porcelain ballerina music box passed down from her doting grandmama. It’s a day for soft, smudged blues.
