2023 Melbourne Quilt and Craft Show

I had a great  day out at the Quilt and Craft show today - sitting on the couch now 

after walking around all day!

So many spectacular and inspiring quilts. Love the fabulous funky bright colours in the top quilt here.

Denim circles - want to try this one!

Reminds me of a Klimt painting. Close up below, I like the rows of different coloured quilting stitches.

 

I always love checking out the gadgets on sale! Bought some bobbin huggers at the show a couple of years ago, so it was on my list to get some more today.

I have clips in 3 sizes but had not seen these super mini ones before! I use them for nearly all my sewing projects - hardly ever use pins.

I have never really used a needle threader, but all of my machines thread differently. The Janome is front-to- back, the 201K threads right to left, and  my 66k is left to right. No guessing which one is the trickiest to thread…will be keeping this new threader handy to the 66K for sure!

Gorgeous Waratah quilt.

Not a quilt - and apologies for the crappy photo snapped in a hurry in the bathroom at the quilt show - had to make the most of the full length mirror! Another  vest- bodice top - I have three now with plans for more ( fabric from the upholstery section in Spotlight); op shop shirt ( the one I unpicked a gazillion tiny beads off); and a new skirt finished last night. My own pattern - trying to clone my favourite op shop skirt. 8 panels, lining/petticoat, and rows of decorative top stitching near the hem. Completely forgot to factor in that there is only 30m of top stitch thread on the same sized reel as a 100m regular reel, and the bobbin used nearly half the reel! And it is a wide skirt - had to do a  dash to my local Statewide store late yesterday afternoon to buy another reel so I could finish it! 

Used all 4 machines - stitched together on the Janome; edges finished with the overlocker; tacked together on the 66k so I could try it on & adjust the size; top stitching done on the 201K.

Fascinating quilt made with a Cyanotype prints - Morgan Donner has a great video of YouTube about cyanotype botanical printing.

Inspired by some wonderful free motion embroidery seen today, I will definitely be trying some more - and using lots of colour. I saw these boxes of Wonderfil at the craft show for $32, but I knew I had spotted them at Lincraft for $10 a box - and everything is 40% this week. So I made a quick detour to Northcote on the way home to buy these -$6 each, bargain of the year. Hmmm I got a $10 voucher, maybe I should use it to buy another box!

 

First hand crank machine sewn project finished!

Finally finished my cover for the 66K - sewn on the 66K! 

I hunted out every piece of sewing- themed fabric I had, patched them together and made this!

 

Vintage sewing update

 Gosh where has the time gone? Between moving house, going back to work, & life in general - there has not been a lot of crafting going on around here of late! 

But I did finally get to visit the new Anne Bonney’s Locker vintage sewing machine store in Hawthorn last week, where I bought a hand crank for Clara, my 66K. ( There may have been a detour via GJ’s Fabrics in Fairfield on the way too…)

Fitting the crank was super easy - I was so fortunate that my machine already had a spoked wheel, so I did not need to change the wheel over. One bolt, tightened with an adjustable wrench, make sure everything is lined up ok and ta-dah! She sews about 4-6 stitches - or about 1 cm - for each turn of the wheel with the crank. Much faster than just turning the wheel with my hand!

Clara does not have a cover - nor a proper timber base yet - so I pulled out all my sewing themed fabrics, and sewed up a cover. Quilting the layers together now old sheets for the backing, and some wadding scraps inside for a bit of structure) before I turn & shape it into the cover. All done with the hand crank. There is no  reverse on a 66k, so when I put the pieces together I turned them to stitch back the other way. Now I am just leaving long tails and knotting them. 

So much quicker to make a bobbin now with the handcrank fitted too! 

When I finish the cover I will post a photo of it in place. A nice cosy blanket to keep her warm, now the weather has turned.

Lost crafty treasures

 Having a clean up I found some pre- blog craft treasures. I don’t even remember when I made the scarecrow - over 20 years ago I think. Unfortunately when I found him in the back of the cupboard his head had come off.

The crocodile/ dragon hat was made for a dress up birthday party many years ago. It was put together over the top of a cap,  with cork nostrils & felt eyes & teeth. He was used for a couple of birthday parties with an “ under the sea” theme - a leafy sea dragon, and as a general dress up outfit as a dragon. Made in a bit of a hurry from memory, all stuck with craft glue! 

Painting and decorating

 I bought a trolley bag for work about 2 years ago ( or was it three? Covid made the last couple of years a  bit wibbly wobbly!). I looked at some lovely coloured bags online, but they were only available overseas, & I really needed to be able to see if  the trolley would work for me to hold my work stuff. 

So I ended up with a nice, solid, very functional BUT totally boring black bag from Officeworks. I have always planned to try painting it, so I finally got around to it!

I started by masking off all the zips, and used some spray paint in grey, purple and green.It looked a bit crap, the green was super bright, & the colour was patchy and uneven. But I was not done! I mixed up some acrylic paint with my fabric medium, and started painting. Took about an hour and a half all up, but it was FUN! Pretty damn happy with the result too, the flowers just work over the patchy green. The purple was too bright so I toned it down with a blue- grey shade. 

 No worries about mixing my bag up with anyone else’s now! 

66K in action!

 Reading through my lovely vintage 1954 Singer book inspired me to get sewing again! And I also wondered if I could get my 66K to sew - without having to wait to buy a hand crank next year. I gave her another quick clean, & a few drops of oil, studied the manual and threaded up a bobbin by winding the balance wheel. Buoyed by my success, I threaded her up and ta-dah! She sews! 

There is no backstitch, and the only adjustment is by winding the knob to the right of the Singer badge, this adjusts the stitch length. The longest stitch is really quite long, so I am using it as a basting stitch - much quicker & neater than basting by hand. 

I cut this dress out last summer & was not sure of the size  & fit - duh I should have written a note back then for my future self - now- to read! So I have compared it to one of my favourite basic summer dresses ( which is actually sitting in the to- do pile, because I want to put some darts in it to give it a more classic vintage shape).

I have been tacking pieces together, re cutting, measuring, & am now ready to do the actual sewing. Will sew it up on the Janome as I will give myself RSI sewing the whole thing in fine stitches turning the wheel on the singer…

I have decided to name my 66K Clara, having just finished reading this book about a remarkable rhinoceros named Clara. I have been trying to think of a suitable name, & Clara  just felt right.  

Can’t wait for Anne Bonny’s locker to open in Hawthorn next year, & buy a handcrank for her! 

Vintage singer sewing

 I spotted a vintage Singer Sewing book in the window of a  local op shop a few weeks back, but forgot to go & buy it the next day & of course it was gone! I had a look for a copy online, & found a review where someone said it was good because it had tips for an older model machine.

 This got me thinking - which years was the book published? And so with a bit of searching ( World of Books, always my go-to for vintage and out of print books, came  up trumps again!).  I managed to find a 1954 edition - the same year as my 201K! 

It is a gorgeous book and has a selection of colour plates that are just fabulous!