Freestyle craft at Shearer’s
Emma & mum Jodie crafting together
Here’s some snaps from yesterday’s workshop at Shearer’s. I had such a great morning wandering about and chatting to everyone as they stitched and got creative. I suggested people make brooches or fridge magnets, à la some of the pieces in the new book, but as always it was great to see the variety of ideas people came up with after such small direction. It made me itchy to sit down and try some new techniques I picked up from those crafters with different skills to me, like this cute & tiny blanket stitch below.
Lily pad
We also had a few kids on board, which was lovely to see – there’s nothing nicer than watching mother & child lost in making something together.
Emma's flower brooch
There's that crazy sixties silk again... scraps will be kicking about forever, it seems
Un peau paisley
Jake sleeps while mum Victoria makes a pirate shirt
Workshop fun at No Chintz
Upstairs crafting room at No Chintz Willoughby
Basket of goodies
Here are some of the images from the recent workshop held at No Chintz to construct a handmade apron… it was a really lovely morning, and you can see how inspiring the environment is – I wish my craft space looked like this (alas, I’m still doing all my crafting at the kitchen table or in the living room… maybe one day I’ll have my own craft space).
The next one’s coming up on Wednesday 31 March, and we’ll be making a tea and egg cosy. For bookings, please contact No Chintz. Future dates are listed here.
A handmade apron
Sewing up a storm
A finished apron
Next class - tea and egg cosies!
Photography e-course with Susannah Conway
Unravelling photos
What a brilliant idea this is: Unravelling – ways of seeing myself is an e-course run by celebrated photographer Susannah Conway.
About the course:
“The Unravelling process is a new way to view your world, taking time to appreciate the beauty around you. And we do this in the simplest way – we stop and look. Beginning with your feet, you’re going to go on a photo safari into your own life to reconnect with who you are, where you’ve been and where you want to go next.
These definitely won’t be self-portraits in the traditional sense – we’ll be using the camera as a tool to unlock how we see not only ourselves but also the world we live in, including the immediate surrounds of our homes, places of work and our friends and family.
Each week you’ll be given a photo assignment that focuses on an aspect of you and your life. As you complete each project you’ll unravel another layer, exploring your memories, reflection, alter ego and favourite places along the way.
The writing exercises will support your photo projects and encourage greater self-awareness. Some of the assignments and exercises you’ll find quite easy, others you may find more challenging – the aim is to help you really see yourself and begin to tell your story so that by the end of the course you’ll have a new appreciation for your unique and precious life. You’ll also have a set of images that provide a fascinating insight into who you truly are.”
For more information, click here.
So that’s what an etching is
My 'Jug of flowers' print
My friend Lisa and I decided to take a printmaking class ages ago now at the Pine Street Studios, thinking we’d turn up to find people doing silk screen printing on fabric (the class description was a bit vague and so, it turns out, were we) but made the happy discovery instead of a traditional printmaking course using methods for paper.
This is one of my pieces, scratched out on a piece of metal with a sharp pointy thing (yes, that’s the official term for it) and then inked and run through a printing roller. It’s trickier than it looks, but quite fun once you get into the swing of things. I popped it in a box frame and it’s now hanging in the hallway.
Click here for the entry on the printmaking course I took at Prints Charming afterwards, so I could finally get some experience with silk screening.
Sneak peek at No Chintz projects
Here’s a little peek at some of the projects I’ll be making for the first three No Chintz workshops. Above is my beloved pompom-adorned tea cosy, inspired by Loani Price of Wild Tea Cosies fame, but with no knitting involved (because I still haven’t figured out how to do a purl stitch without ending up all twisted up like a pretzel – true story). And a flower embellished egg cosy, just in time for Easter (it’ll be here before we know it).
These are a cinch to make and so fun, too – the felt means they’re also very forgiving when you want to multi-task, completing them while drinking a large glass of red wine, say (as I was when putting these together last Saturday night*).
And below, some simple oven mitts and the apron I’m making tomorrow for the private class – all these are made by hand and can be completed within 1.5-2hrs max.
*If making a tea cosy on a Saturday night is the very definition of old age, then I may just be 93.
Quirky, crafty things
My last workshop of the year took place yesterday at Monica Trapaga’s store, Reclaim in Summer Hill. I’m beat after a busy year overall, but it’s been brilliant fun. Despite the soaring temperatures outside, all was calm and cool within as we set about constructing bits and pieces from both Monica’s and my store of craft materials. Champagne with strawberries in one hand, needle in the other, a bunch of interesting women for company and vintage tunes on the stereo – I couldn’t think of a better way to spend the afternoon.
Above is a detail of a bag one clever lady made in a workshop a few weeks ago on the Sunshine Coast and kindly gave me to keep. I collect old tapestries and needlework for chopping up and re-purposing – often found in charity stores and flea markets – and she found all these pieces in my big pile of scraps and set about patching them together.
Tote made from scraps
Button detail
Spanish dancing lady & man in sombrero tapestry: found framed in Vinnies
And my felt magnet for the fridge, a result of a half hour’s busywork – such simple satisfaction.
I don't know why, but I know I like it
Workshop love
Newborn baby singlet
Last week has been busy travelling up to the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane for workshops in two lovely stores – Avid Reader and Books of Buderim – but I also enjoyed meeting people at the Better Read than Dead workshop here in Sydney. I was seriously impressed by some of the things people made, and just love how everyone interprets such simple ideas so differently.
Here’s some images for you… see? Clever people.
Simple notebook cover
Cute cross with blanket stitch
Christmas stocking
Seriously stitchy
Gaby makes a moily...
Shearer’s hosted the first Crafty Minx workshop yesterday, which I enjoyed so much – what a crafty bunch of ladies. There were 17 of us, and here’s some images from the morning, which wound up after about two hours of fun playing with scraps. I even found someone willing to teach me to crochet… thanks Bernadette!
Many thanks also go to Joanna for organising and Barbara for letting us run wild in her wonderful shop.
And for those who can’t make it to either of the other two Sydney events at Better Read than Dead next week, Monica Trapaga (owner of the lovely store, Reclaim in Summer Hill) will be hosting a workshop with afternoon tea at 4pm on Sunday 13 December to make things in time for xmas. More details to follow…
Roenna getting stitchy with it
Playing with offcuts
More fun with scraps
Anna makes a xmas stocking
A notebook cover from a souvenir tea towel and some buttons
Another xmas stocking from a reclaimed woollen blanket
Nicolette's simple, pretty singlet
