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.April Cool Shops! Tangled Yarns.

Eek…I’m REALLY excited about this week’s Cool Shop, Tangled Yarns…

 

I know that I’m supposed to be all about fabrics and the sewing machine but at the moment I’m going crazy for YARN!  I want to crochet and knit the nights away, maybe it is the cool weather…the problem is, I don’t know how! 

I’ve tried a bit of knitting and crochet before and have found crocheting much easier, you can’t drop stitches and it is easier to keep track of where I am at.  When Kelly (from Tangled Yarns) and I were discussing a product to review, I remembered this great tutorial for a crocheted bag and thought that I could probably manage it.  Kelly suggested some yarns and I told her the colours I was interested in and she put together this happy selection of Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece for me.  Aren’t the colours gorgeous?  She also sent along a Clover Soft Touch Crochet Hook to get me started. 

The  yarn has been amazing to work with…I have to admit that I have only ever had experience with cheapo yarns before and it definitley pays to buy the best quality you can afford.  The Cotton Fleece is super soft and has a lovely thickness to it.

(Check out my crochet skills!  I’m so proud of myself and it has been soooooo easy – this bag is a great beginner project!)

And in about 4 weeks of crocheting a round here and there I have finished the bottom of the bag!  Looking forward to finishing it off – I am getting much faster the more I practice and will be sure to share the finished bag with you (give me a month or two!)

The problem I have with Tangled Yarns is Kelly’s photography…I don’t think I have drooled over a ball of wool before, but I keep finding myself flicking through the archives of her blog for inspiration.  You know what has put me off knitting/crochet in the past?  When I see a pattern for something I want to make, I have no idea what kind of yarn to use, don’t know what size hook/needles I need, etc.  Kelly has been such a great help….I’ve emailed her regarding a few different projects I want to make up and she quickly lets me know which yarns would be suitable.  Great!  I have no more excuses for picking up the needles and teaching myself a new craft 😉

I’ve had my eye on a few sock knitting projects for winter…these funky stirrup socks and this dainty spiral boot sock (I love the lace look).  Kelly has suggested a few different yarns to use for each and I’m going to go with the Biggan Design 4Ply for the stirrups…so many amazing colours to choose from – how am I going to decide?!  And the Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino looks lovely and soft for the spiral socks.  (Poor Kelly…she is probably going to get sick of my emails asking for yarn advice!) 

Tangled Yarns has an extensive array of yarns, accessories and other knitting/crochet related products.
I’ve read a lot about Soak, a cleaning agent suitable for all fine fibers…don’t you want to take this little jar home and pop it in your laundry?

 Looooving the greens in this Jo Sharp Soho Summer DK Cotton bundle…

Debbie Bliss Eco Baby – lovely!

 A sweet collection of Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece…

And to keep everything nicely organised..a Stitch Pixie Project Bag:

Kelly also has some gorgeous finished projects up in her Ravelry projects page.  
This blanket is amazing…

 I think I could probably manage this gorgeous bangle aswell…

Love the grey in this hexagon blanket…

 Her ripple blanket is great inspiration for a baby little girl project:

 

Are you still reading along??  Didn’t mean to make this review so long…too many beautiful things to share though!

If you want to see all of these lovely products and more in the flesh and live in Brisbane, head into their retail store…next time I’m in Brisbane I’m definitley going in for a shop!

Studio A / 9 Chester Street
Newstead QLD 4006
Australia
 
Tangled Yarns is offering a special discount of 10% off all Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece purchases made online until the end of April.  Simply mention this blog post for your discount.
 
Important Tangled Yarns Links:
 
April 12, 2011
Other

.Things I’m Crushing…GREY.

 

We’ve been talking about a new house.  Part dreaming and part serious.  Since we designed/built our house, Jaron has started working from home and we don’t really have a workspace for him so have had to convert part of the garage into a mini-office.  Its working okay, but isn’t ideal.  We really love our home but need to start thinking about the future and grown up stuff.

I really wasn’t into the designing process of our house.  Lucky for me, Jaron has good taste and I generally like what he does.  I was so busy with newborn Tommy and writing my book and didn’t put a lot of effort into it.  This time around I am feeling really excited though and brimming with ideas.  And you know what I can’t get out of my head?  GREY!  I am crazy about it…combined with white and a pop of GREEN of course 😉 

So over the weekend I typed “grey” and “gray” into the Pinterest and uh-oh!  Overload of inspirational images…LOOOOOVE it!  I’m seeing grey everywhere now – want to sew, quilt, knit, crochet, paint everything grey…take a look at what’s inspiring me…

We laughed when we read that first image…everything we do tends to be bright and a bit crazy – definitley need to inject a bit of grey into our lives!  And TOMS – in stonewash grey…should I??
Love that green door on the white surround and a grey piano hiding on the wall – the pop of the white keys and sheet music is great!
 
I was all for a white bed but now I’m leaning towards grey with a pop of colour – probably green but that pink looks amazing too.  Love all of the ruffles and details on the textiles.
Gorgeous wallpaper in the middle and the kitchen is stunning, although I think I’d need to break up those top cupboards with white.
What about some grey to wear?  Beautiful dress (if my waist ever looks like that again!) and super cute swimmers…I need some grey boots for winter and on the look out for some grey nailpolish.
Sewing with grey fabric – need I say more?
Gorgeous pile of grey blankets…I’m obsesed with wooden cotton reels at the moment and superb grey crochet blanket!
Calm grey and green living room and modern bathroom – not sure that those green tones are right for me, but the look great in these pics.
Meet me for afternoon tea here?  Sipping iced chocolates through grey and white straws?  

 

The best bunk beds ever!  Fantastic stripes….  

What do you reckon?  Should we go with grey?  Find all of these pics and their sources on my Grey Pinterest board – loooots more pics to check out too!

April 11, 2011
Other

.Niche buys.

Short and sweet tonight folks becuase I want to go to bed!
First of all – WOAH!  I can’t believe how many comments/messages/emails I received from you all about becoming pattern testers.  Totally, insanely crazy!  Last time I sent out the call for testers I think I got around 40 applications – this time it has been over 160 and they are still rolling in.  I have been reading each of your applications and am filing them away…my intention was to reply to all of your emails, I hope you understand that I just don’t have the time to do that so please accept this message as a big THANKYOU for your offer.  If I decide to use your pattern testing services in the future, I’ll be in contact with you.  I really do wish I could give you all a go, but I think I’ll be designing patterns until I’m 100 years old if I were to do that 😉
Secondly, I still need to report my Niche Market experience.  Last Friday night I headed out to Launceston with some girlfriends (we really need to take some pictures next time girls…too much to talk about and we always forget!)  Niche was great.  It was the first time I had been and I was very impressed.  Beautiful, cosy location and lots of stunning handmade treasures to purchase and admire.  The best thing about Niche is that 20% of all purchases go directly to St Giles to help disabled Tasmanian’s and their families.  So instead of store owners paying to have a stall, they donate 20% of their sales to the charity – neat, huh?  The only thing I think they can do better is make it even bigger! 
After going, I definitley want to have a stall there to sell my Citrus pOp goodies…all of the spots for 2011 are filled, but I am on a waiting list and if I don’t get in this time, will try for 2012.
It was fun to see my friend Clare and check out her gorgeous stall.  I made a couple of purchases…this pretty necklace from a lady with a really cute pregnant tummy 😉  I have lost her business card so can’t even give you her name, but do remember that she doesn’t sell online anywhere. (Edit…check the comments of this post for details on the maker – and thanks girls for sharing the source!)

I know that I could easily make a similar necklace myself, but that’s the problem with being a maker and going to markets.  I spend the whole time wandering around thinking to myself, “I could make that…and that…and that” and go home without buying anything and I never end up making “that” for myself anyway!  I LOVE the green and the satin fabric gives it more of an elegant touch, plus the big bow at the back is super cute!

And I had to pay my friend, That Vintage a visit too.  I constantly wear the necklace and earrings that Sophie sent me for my review last month and thought I could do with another necklace.  I’m wishing I bought another pair of earrings or maybe a brooch aswell…next time!  It was fun to meet Sophie in real life too – we become “friends” with so many people online these days, its nice to actually see a face every now and then!

Okay, I’ve rambled…that definitley wasn’t short – but it was sweet, right?!
We’ve got Oscar’s first game of soccer tomorrow morning…yep, I’m now officially a soccer Mum.  Can’t wait, training was really cute – the kids have no idea where to kick the ball or who they are supposed to be kicking it too!  Will be funny tomorrow! Night 🙂

April 8, 2011
Other

.Lace Belt Tutorial.

Luvinthemommyhood has done it again!  Shannon is the star of finding the best of the best and this year she is running another Versus challenge…Comfy Sews Vs. Cosy Knits!  I’m thrilled to be sharing a tutorial as part of the challenge – if you are visiting from Luvinthemommyhood for the first time, then welcome!  Hope you enjoy the tutorial 🙂 
P.S. Head over to Luvinthemommyhood to enter a giveaway for 3 Make It Perfect patterns and grab a Citrus pOp discount code!

 

Hi guys!  I’m in the Versus ring today – I don’t think I need to tell you that I’m fighting for the sewers!  I do love a quick sewing project – especially something that I can start AND finish when the kids have gone to bed all ready to wear the next morning.  
As much as I do love sewing though, I  have to admit that I am fond of a bit of knitting and crochet (I said fond of, not good at!) at the moment I am working on a super cute crocheted bag but it won’t be finished any time soon!
If you are looking for a sewing project that you can finish quickly though – like in half an hour – then keep reading for my Lace Belt Tutorial… 

I have a great love for doilies, lace, vintage linens and when I was thinking of a quick and easy tutorial for Versus, I knew that I needed to work with this love…

We are heading into winter here in Australia – which means the jeans have started to make an appearance again.  I wear a lot of plain tops with jeans and sometimes feel like I need something extra to “pretty it up” a bit – enter the Lace Belt!  Perfect for adding a pretty detail to a basic outfit.  The Lace belt is also reversible with a strip of patterned fabric decorating the reverse side!  You can adjust the length to suit your size – or make it a bit shorter if you like wearing your belt higher.  The width can easily be adjusted too depending on the width of your lace trim.

To make a 1 1/2″ wide x 42″ long Lace Belt you will need:
One 3″ x 44″ strip of plain fabric
One 2″ x 44″ strip of patterned fabric
One 1 1/2″ x 44″ strip of mid-weight interfacing (I used Shapewell)
One 44″ length of 1 1/2″ wide lace trim
Two 1 1/2″ wide D-rings
(Note: if you want your belt longer or shorter, cut your strips of fabric longer or shorter – you might have to join fabric if your strip is not long enough.)

Step 1.  Take your strip of plain fabric and fold it in half with wrong sides facing.  Lightly press crease down the middle of the strip.

Step 2.  Open out fold and use the crease down the center of the strip as a guide to fold both long raw edges of the fabric in toward the center fold.  Press.

Step 3.  Repeat steps 1 and 2 using patterned strip of fabric.  (In the photo below I used a bias binding maker for this strip of fabric…you will need size 22mm bias binding maker for the 2″ wide strip.)

Step 4.  Take the plain strip and open folded edges.  Place the strip of interfacing onto the wrong side of the center of the strip.

Step 5.  Re-fold plain strip so that interfacing is enclosed.

Step 6.  With the wrong sides of the plain and patterned strips facing, pin the patterned strip to the plain strip.  Make sure that the patterned strip is even and centered over the plain strip.

Step 7.  Sew strips together by stitching about 1/8″ from the edge of one side of the patterned strip.

Step 8.  Sew 1/8″ from the edge the opposite side of the patterned strip.

Step 9.  Turn belt over so that plain fabric is facing up.  Lay the lace trim on top of the belt and pin into place.

Step 10.  Sew lace trim to the belt by stitching close to each long edge of the trim.

Step 11.  Slip D-rings onto one end of the belt so that flat edges of the D-rings are sitting on the patterned side of the belt.

Step 12.  Fold raw edge of the belt under 1/4″ and then fold over D-rings about 1/2″.  Pin into place.

Step 13.  Sew across the folded edge of the belt as close to the D-rings as you can get.  You might find it easier to use a zipper foot on your sewing machine to get the stitching close to the D-Rings.

Step 14.  Hem the other end of your belt by folding raw edge under 1/4″.  The fold under another 1/2″ and sew down.

And you are done!  A super quick and easy sewing project – try and stop at just one!

April 7, 2011
Other

.April Cool Shops! This & That From Japan.

Today we welcome our newest Cool Shop! This & That From Japan…

If you are on the hunt for some gorgeous, unique fabric then you will love This & That From Japan!

This & That From Japan carries high quailty Japanese fabric, craft supplies, craft books and more direct from Japan.  The selection is enormous and you are guaranteed to find fabric that you can’t easily purchase anywhere else.

Lisa (owner of This & That From Japan) sent me some lovely fabric to review, I’m not sure what I will make with it yet but I love it!  The Sketched Safari Scene is adorable and is printed on a lightweight canvas-type fabric.  I can’t get enough of the little Pink Elephants – they come in heaps of other colours too and would make a sweet baby quilt.  If I can bring myself to cut into it, I can picture the Spring Garden fabric as a beautiful summery skirt for myself…

You may remember that Lisa contributed towards the Save the Children Japan charity auction that we held in March.  Lisa is extremely generous and is also donating 15% of all sales from her shop to the Save the Children Japan charity at the moment.

Choosing a good selection of fabric to share with you was difficult as there are sooooo many prints that caught my eye!!
Check out these ones from the Animals/Insects/Cars section:

There are heaps of gorgeous Disney/Fairytale prints:

And lots of lovelies in the Flower/Nature/Food category:

Hello Kitty lovers are well catered for too!

I have a soft spot for Japanese Craft Books and there are heaps to choose from:

This & That From Japan is offering 10% off all orders for Make It Perfect readers!  
(The coupon code is “makeitperfect” for 10% off until April 15 Japan time.)

Important This & That From Japan links:
April 6, 2011