My little Orla Kiely obsession..

Eek, is it bad that I decide to have an obsession with a designer that is SO expensive over here in the UK (although what isn't expensive over here?). We don't have the luxury of her Target range and everything seems to have at least a couple of naughts on the end. Just means I lust after it ever so slightly more...

I've already been buying fat quarters from eBay to make these lovely cushions...



and then I simply HAD to make these canvasses for my room...



Cutting this big piece up seemed such a crime, so I made a canvas out of it also...



Today is payday, so I treated myself to some of this fab orange car print. I have a make your own lampshade kit with its name all over it!

Must stop looking at the Orla section in Heal's... Must do more Home Ec projects....

PS. Sorry about the rubbishy photos, I've been hit with the flu and my camera is at work :(

Project Pot Holder

I cut the fabric out for this project last week, and it has just been sitting and waiting patiently for my sewing machine to get better. I thought that this project was rather fun to do, and not too taxing on the old brain (which is always good). I really like the way that Hannah finished her pot holder off with the tape, so I think I might do that for my next attempts... 




Monkey seemed to enjoy it too...



Talk about posing... anyone would think I'd created it just for him!



Apparently it's the perfect sized mat for a cup of tea.



Although that's Monkey's tea, not mine!

Little Burb

Sorry things have been a bit quiet around here lately. There are lots of things happening in the real world at the moment. Some good, and sadly some not so good. Crafting has taken a back foot somewhat...

I did however manage to finish off my ironing board cover. My sewing machine took pity on me and decided to start working again :)



It's a shame I had all the frustrations with my machine, as it prevented me enjoying what turned out to be a fairly simple project. Ahh well, it's done now! So long as people don't expect me to suddenly become an ironing goddess with the thing ;)

I have also been taking advantage of any free time that comes my way, and drawing where ever possible. Without realising it, most of my doodles seem to resolve around the same little character.

So, from scribble...



To computer...



To fabric (not quite finished yet)...



Little Burb says hello :)

Poorly Sewing Machine :(

Sadly the tension problem that I had on my sewing machine has resurfaced (just as I was making my ironing board cover - boo!). So whilst that goes back to the repair man I'm having to fill my spare time with other things...

Like the fact that I'm a designer with an irrational fear of Illustrator. There is no logic to it. I know I 'can' use it, but I always get scared... Way back at the start of the year I made the resolution to get drawing again... So far all I've done is look at the fab artwork out there from everyone else  ;)

Like these ace pictures from vol25 and Stephanie Fizer

Or this amazing piece by Owaikeo

 

Ok, so enough of the surfing. I have my sketches, I have my graphics tablet. I can use Photoshop, I CAN use Illustrator. This weekend I WILL create an Illustration.

Hmm, anyone for a brew? ;)

Project Dress

Ok, so I might be skipping ahead slightly in Home Ec sewing class terms, but sometimes needs must! :)



I bought this top last week on a bit of a whim (without bothering to try it on). I was already running late for a night out and figured I could just buy something and shove it on quickly. Big mistake! Despite looking lovely on the hanger, this top looked positively awful on me. Bleurgh.



I have a kind of hour glass figure and should really know better by now; anything baggy around the waist does nothing for me! Normally I would have chucked the top to the back of the wardrobe and forgotten about it, but after seeing some of the fab alterations from our class I thought I'd give it a whirl. Plus detail like this is far too nice to be hidden away :)



As I had no one to help me pin the top whilst I was wearing it, I found an old top that fits really well and placed it on top, pinning around the edge. It's a little bit scary having to cut up something you've just bought, but I bit the bullet and did it anyway.



Finally, I found some of this lovely lace (Mum's stash again!) and added it to the bottom. It's still a tad too short to wear as a dress, but works perfectly with a pair of leggings!

Now, I just need to find an excuse to wear it...