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freeform patchwork knitting needle case 5 Jul 2016 9:39 PM (8 years ago)

Just a quick post to share the needle case I put together last week. In typical fashion, I mulled it over in my head and then basically put it together on the fly, using some leftover freeform patchwork pieces and Maze & Vale scraps. I'm 90% happy with how it turned out, the inside especially is pretty perfect with it's zipper pocket for stitch markers, cable keys and other small bits, snap pocket for smaller cables and zipper pocket for larger cables. I'm considering putting a pattern together for this since it was impossible to find one that was just right when I searched the past few weeks. I'd love to make another with the tweaks I learned from this one but, you know, I'm kind of famous for too many ideas, too little time so we'll see. In the meantime, this case will serve me very well, especially as I'm off for a family holiday in Bali tomorrow and will be packing it along with yarn for a couple of small projects. I've sadly abandoned my first sweater as it became obvious that I was not going to have enough yarn to finish it off but even starting it was an excellent learning process so I am not deterred in the slightest. Onward!

Tools of the trade 4 Jul 2016 6:20 PM (8 years ago)

Earlier this year my husband and I had a chat about possible ways to lighten my workload - I do everything myself: sourcing, ordering, designing, printing, heat setting, cutting, photographing, packaging. I've been contemplating jobs I can outsource and the possibility of hiring someone on a casual basis but finding the right person who I can trust with taking over some of my duties and fit into my rather all-over-the-place schedule seems like a big job in itself. So we moved onto tools that could help do some jobs faster at least. I heat set all of my fabric by hand, using a regular old iron. I tried an ironing press when I first started out but it wasn't wide enough for my fabric panels and I found it impossible to gauge which bits had been done sufficiently when heat setting larger pieces. I've had a few quite large orders for yardage this year and heat setting it all by hand just wasn't going to cut it (although I have done it many times in the past, it just takes soooooooo long). I started looking into heat tunnels that the professionals use (way too big and expensive, although there are some good secondhand deals around if you have the room, which I don't) and came across some flash dryers on eBay. They are basically big rectangles of radiant heat, getting up to 200˚C, that you can move over your fabric to dry the ink when printing repeats or, as I found, can heat set the water based inks in a mere 1-2 minutes flat.

So I just set a little timer on my phone and move the flash dryer along while I do other stuff around the studio - yay! After heat setting everything by hand for five years, this is pretty exciting.

Back in action... 21 Jun 2016 1:57 AM (8 years ago)

Um, hi there... long time no see... no, your eyes do not deceive you. Yes, I am reinstating the project journal.

This year has been pretty amazing. Both my kids are now at school and I'm relishing the extra time to myself (and the extra patience and attention I can dole out to them when they are home). I feel like I'm slowly getting bits of myself back, extra pieces I had to discard over the past few years in order to survive  - okay, that's a little dramatic but I think most mothers out there will know what I mean: there is only time and energy for so much. For me that meant things I previously loved, like knitting, blogging and the desire to sew anything beyond clothes, had to go by the wayside so I could handle raising my children and concentrate on my business in the little kid-free time I had.

So I'm knitting again, after a seven year hiatus, and I'm regularly having huge burst of creative ideas and planning (without feeling overwhelmed with it all being too, too much to handle). And I am LOVING IT. And I'm missing having this outlet to share what I'm playing with and what is inspiring me. I really and truly do love Instagram but sometimes I just want to share a bit more, and a bit more cohesively, than I can there. So here I am, back in action.

A little extra curricular sewing project seemed like the perfect launch back into this project journal and, of course, someone who is knitting and having huge creative bursts AND prints their own fabric needs to make an extra special knitting bag.

Find me on Instagram... 10 May 2015 4:06 PM (9 years ago)

Well, I'm admitting defeat in the blogging area. I have ideas for posts and lots to share but time and energy to do so are in short supply. SO until further notice, please find me on Instagram (@mazeandvale) for regular/daily updates about what I'm working on and what is going into the shop (you don't need a smart phone or device to follow or check up on me on Instagram, it can be done right on your computer  by clicking here). You can also find most of the same info on my Facebook page. And for a monthly digest of what is hitting the shop, including new products and Sample Packs, please sign up for my newsletter, right over there in the sidebar.

Hopefully next year, when both of my wee ones will be in school, I'll be able to eke out a little time to get back into this community as I really do miss it. Until then!

Sample Pack update!! 11 Feb 2015 11:59 PM (10 years ago)

Winter Arrow Quilt 21 Jan 2015 11:57 AM (10 years ago)

Sorry, the quilt is wrinkly and hard to photograph but I had to grab photos of this one the day before my sister and her husband flew home to Canada and the shoot was a bit rushed in the midst of holiday revery (aka we ran to the park down the road in gail force wind conditions and snapped pics until we got one where it's not trying to take off from the earth). I completely love this quilt in real life though, it is somehow soft and heavy, dense and cushy, and the colours make it feel like you're lying under a layer of powder snow.



The front is pieced with hand printed hemp/organic cotton offcuts produced from making my ClothPot kits and solid hemp/organic cotton. The basecloth is really soft to the touch but it's quite heavy and I wasn't sure if it would work for a whole quilt top - to compensate I used my organic cotton batting which is quite thin and backed it with a super light, organic cotton voile that I printed with my Many Moons design.



This was my first attempt at improv piecing on angles and it wasn't without it's challenges. I'm super happy with how it came out though, especially the back which was totally put together on the fly - I just cut the large pieces up into slanted sections and pieced and trimmed and pieced until it was big enough. I think I'll be trying that again.

Out with the old and in with the new. 5 Jan 2015 12:38 PM (10 years ago)

Oooooh, I love a new year and this one has been off to such a great start!  On Sunday, I spent my first full day in the studio since early December. I changed the dropcloth for a fresh start, dreamed up a fun project for the old dropcloth (it won't be dropcloth art so if you're waiting for a new batch, I'll have some by the end of April for sure), made a start on my biggest ever wholesale order for amazing hat designer Little Noggi and wrapped up the flood of orders that have come in since Christmas. I'm super inspired to create new designs and finally retire some of my older ones, mix new colours, design some quilt kits and take some pretty photos along the way. I'm hoping to spend a few more evenings in the studio this week playing catch up (it's still school holidays here in Aus until the end of January, luckily my mom is here to help with the kids but I won't have a regular schedule until mid-February when kinder starts for my youngest) and then will be taking the 12th to the 19th off to hang with my family by the beach.

The shop will remain open but any orders placed from January 12th to the 19th will be shipped the following week.

I'll be taking my sketchbook with me and working on new designs - I really can't wait. I've also joined in on A Pattern A Day challenge for 2015 on Instagram, you can search the hashtag #2015apatternaday to see everyone's amazing entries (and you can find me at username mazeandvale on Instagram).

As for older designs, I've made the big decision to retire a few of them and a few more will follow throughout the year (to be decided). The ones which are not being reprinted are:

Open Studio :: November 29, 2014 14 Nov 2014 12:31 AM (10 years ago)

I'm super happy to announce that I'll be having my first ever Open Studio on November 29th from 10am til 4pm as part of Open Studios in the West! I'll be doing screen printing demos throughout the day and will have an area for visitors to try out block printing with my stamps plus I'm going to be launching my third annual Misprint & Sample Sale on the day so you just know there are going to be all sorts of extra special goodies on offer (yes, including lots of Sample Packs!! But do not fear, just like last time, I will save half of them for an online Misprint & Sample Sale too, launching December 1st). Hope to see a few familiar and lots of new faces, there are plenty of other studios open in the area as well so please check the Open Studios in the West website and plan a day of it :)

So much thanks. 26 Oct 2014 3:26 AM (10 years ago)

I just had to write tonight to say thank you so, so much to all of you who supported my work this weekend. These past few weeks, aside from market prep and the general chaos of managing a small business, a household, a puppy and two small children, I've also been negotiating with a company in India to import a 2000 meters of organic cotton - a massive deal for me and the biggest expense (by a long shot) that I've had to take on for Maze & Vale. I need the fabric to grow and achieve the things I want to but especially to be able to produce quilt kits based on my own patterns, something that I've hoped to do since I started printing fabric but have been held back by the expense and the lack of a consistent supply of the organic cotton I prefer to use.

So mid-last week, I got the official invoice for my fabric import and I realised that along with paying a 50% deposit on the order, I also have my lease payment happening this week and it all became very real, suddenly - that I'm actually running a business here... or at least trying to. And I spent a couple of tossey turney nights wondering how it was all going to balance out and whether such a big chunk of money for fabric was really the best idea right now and then...

THEN I updated the shop with all that I have been working on the past few weeks, I put it out into the world and hoped that it would be well received and in a few short hours you guys took all of my worries and doubts and stress away. While I spent the day with a lovely group, teaching them the fun of block printing and freeform patchwork, sat back and watched the calm joy of creating, you all came to my rescue. I will be paying the deposit on my fabric tomorrow and while I wrap up each of the epic number of orders that were placed this weekend, I will thank you again for allowing me to continue on with this journey. I sincerely couldn't do it without you. x



ps. the 3 for $20 panel sale is still on for one more day in case you are worried you've missed out! Use the discount code 3FOR20 at checkout until the end of the 27th.

New Sample Packs, Dropcloth Artwork, Clothpot kits and panels! 23 Oct 2014 1:44 AM (10 years ago)

That's right, all sorts of newness hitting the Maze & Vale shop on Saturday morning! The update will take place at 9:00am AEST (Melbourne time) - if you are overseas and unsure of what time it is in Melbs, you can click here to find the current Melbourne time and then work out the time difference to where you are.



I saved half of the Sample Packs that I made last week for this shop update (the other half were snaffled up at Finders Keepers {which was a very fantastic weekend, by the way. Thanks heaps if you visited!}) and there are still plenty of great Dropcloth Artworks available from the latest batch of 50 - my bigger printing table means bigger dropcloth means bigger issue runs - yay!


I printed up a new Clothpot Kit with my Flight design in Dove Grey and Fragments in Pitcher Pink, a super cute reversible design that I could see working very well in a baby nursery or even just to brighten up an office, really.



I'll also be launching my new design, Sashiko, printed in Charcoal on charcoal 100% linen and Husk on 100% organic cotton. This design is a representation of the ancient Japanese cloth mending technique and I'm really pleased at how it prints. I got a larger screen made of this one, and one for Fragments as well, so I will be able to offer yardage for both of these designs.

To sweeten the shop update even further, I'll be offering 3 for $20 fabric panels for three days only! A great chance to stock up for some holiday sewing, perhaps? Or just a little stash enhancement? ;)

Finder Keepers Melbourne 10 Oct 2014 2:10 AM (10 years ago)

Sample Packs - check...

Block Printing on Fabric Kits - check...

Dropcloth Artwork - in the works

Project journal: 07.10.14 6 Oct 2014 1:09 PM (10 years ago)

Oh my dear blog friends (if any of you are still out there...), I am so sorry for completely neglecting this space. It's purely been a case of having too much to share and not knowing where to start. Since opening the studio three months ago, I have been busier than ever and enjoying it even more, having the space to move freely and organise my work has made such a difference in productivity and mindset. I am loving it.

Workshops have been going super well and I had the first Screen Printing on Fabric workshop last month which was such a buzz, I love sharing this craft. I only have a few more workshops to teach before Christmas and then will be taking a break for the month of January (unless I get a group booking). There is ONE more spot available for Screen Printing this weekend and a couple of spaces left for Block Printing on Fabric and Freeform Patchwork at the end of the month.



I haven't been doing much sewing lately, I did start in a(nother) Wiksten Tova dress right before The Craft Sessions (which was completely amazing by the way and completely more deserving of absolutely raving about rather than a brief mention in passing but time is tight, I'm trying to type this out while I direct my kids to get ready for school and childcare at 8am, it's kind of maddening) and have a little Maze & Vale scrap freeform patchwork on the go but neither are finished. I'm starting to make plans for next year, looking forward to having a bit of a breather in January, 2014 has been amazing but also kind of insane.

I've got a bit more news to share but will do so in separate posts over the next day or so - I can hear my kids arguing about what the weather will be like today so best go help them get dressed and get on with our day...

Learn Screen Printing on Fabric at Home at the new studio! 23 Aug 2014 3:18 PM (10 years ago)

My new Block Printing on Fabric Kits are also available in my shop now! They come with everything you need to jump right into creating your own stamps, including a rubber carving block suitable for 3-4 stamps and four custom mixed Maze & Vale colours (Mustard, Robin's Egg Blue, Perfect Red and Charcoal) (but the ink actually now comes in little vials, not the containers shown because those suckers there? They leak. Yep. Discovered that last week!). Unfortunately the kits are quite heavy and so are only available for shipping within Australia (and if you're local to Melbourne and want to pick up from the studio, just drop me a line and we'll organise it).

Other than getting all these together, I've been super busy preparing for The Craft Sessions, signing up for markets (I'll be at the next Finders Keepers in Melbourne and at the AQC Expo and the Craft & Quilt Fair next year - yay! and eek! So much printing and planning ahead of me), working on my first quilt kit and holding workshops, like the Block Printing and Freeform Patchwork sessions last weekend, always too much fun.

July Giveaway + Sample Pack date 29 Jul 2014 12:06 AM (10 years ago)

Oh yes, my friends, THREE Sample Packs to be won this month! I think I actually missed last month (or maybe the month before?) so I thought I'd better go big this time. There is one Sample Pack to giveaway here on the blog, one on Instagram and one winner will be chosen from my newsletter list. All you need to do to enter this one is leave a comment on this post, maybe tell me what your favourite colour is, one that I print or one that you'd like me to print. To enter the newsletter Sample Pack giveaway, just type your email address into my newsletter signup form over to the right there, hit 'Subscribe' and you're in! (If you've already signed up, you're already entered.) And for Instagram, head over to the giveaway post and tag a friend who you think might be interested. Easy peasy, three chances to win!

The giveaways are all open to anyone worldwide and include shipping, entries close midnight, July 31st, 2014 and winners will be randomly drawn on August 1st, 2014, Sample Packs may not be exactly as shown but will be a similar collection of colours/prints/basecloths.

And if you not the lucky winner (there can only be three after all...) you'll be happy to know that I'll have a new batch of Sample Packs in the shop on Friday, August 15th at 10am, AEST (Melbourne time). I should have the new Block Printing on Fabric Kits available then as well, just in time for my next Block Printing on Fabric workshop at the studio on August 16th - still about three places left in that one if you'd like to join us!

The Craft Sessions registration closing soon 20 Jul 2014 3:47 AM (10 years ago)

Registration for this year's The Craft Sessions is closing soon (early August, I believe) and I've started gearing up for my workshops. I'll be teaching two new ones this year, a half day workshop on Block Printing with Repeats and a full day workshop to create a foldover tote with leather handle as shown above but customised to your needs with a few pocket options. I'm really looking forward to teaching this workshop in particular, it will be nice to send the participants home with a completed project and hopefully a few new skills as well.

And I'm SO looking forward to this weekend in general. Last year was completely amazing, wonderful, cosy, delicious and all things good, really and this year I'm even going to bring some KNITTING so I can hang with the cool kids* (or at least have something to do with my hands while I hang by the camp fire). I hope you can join me! 


*in case anyone is missing my humour, there are no 'cool kids' at The Craft Sessions (or rather, we were ALL cool kids - cool, crafty, super cool kids), everyone is amazingly warm and welcoming and open and on the same page. It's awesome.

Ta da!! Introducing the Maze & Vale Textile and Print Making Studio... 16 Jul 2014 3:39 AM (10 years ago)

It's been a typical reno project with mishaps and about turns and new solutions and way more money spent than initaly budgeted for but... the studio is done and I LOVE IT. My husband is an absolute superstar who put in countless hours on top of his full time job to patch, plaster, paint and floor the place with not one little complaint, totally supportive and completely awesome (pretty cute, too) - he's a gem and I couldn't have done this, really ANY of this, without him. (Big thanks, buddy. xx) There are still a few tweaks to be made to the space and I'm still getting used to having my workspace split up (my work room at home will become a sewing/quilting room as the new studio isn't really big enough for both) but all in all, it is EXCELLENT and I am very happy :)

I had my first day of workshops last Saturday to a full house and had a fantastic group of ladies (and one very skilled 12 year old) taking part. I think everyone had an excellent time and I personally couldn't have asked for a better start to this new phase of my venture.

The next day of Block Printing on Fabric and Freeform Patchwork is on August 16th and there are only a couple of spots left (you can even sign up for the whole day for a special price and use your block printed fabric for the patchwork as many did this past weekend). But fear not, I have another day of the same on September 20th that is still pretty open and will be putting dates for the rest of the year up soon, along with some other workshop (yes, screen printing). A little note too, if you're part of a group (min 8) who would like to organise your own day of workshops at my studio (or yours), please email me at leslie@mazeandvale.com for my special group rate!

Craft & Quilt Fair round up (a week later...) 6 Jul 2014 3:38 AM (10 years ago)

I had an absolutely fantastic time at the Craft & Quilt Fair last week, so many lovely people with so many nice words about my work, I feel totally validated that this path I am running on is the right one (and I'm loving it). Thank you so much if you were one of those lovely people, it truly was a pleasure meeting you! (and yes, as the top photo shows, I met Shelley Craft! She was lovely, too.)

I've updated the shop with some new prints that I debuted at the fair plus the Clothpot kits and some new DIY oobee kits:



I have a TON of reprinting to do and loads of basecloth arriving at my doorstep tomorrow (and the next day. and possibly the next day) along with some other goodies I have ordered for the studio ( plus a few art book type treats for myself, I deserve them). The studio is coming along excellently after a setback with the floor and is all set to be ready and waiting for my first sold out day of workshops this Saturday - yay! I've set up August and September dates for Block Printing on Fabric and Freeform Patchwork and will have dates for Screen Printing at Home and Quilting Basics in the next few weeks. It's all just so good, folks, so very good :)

Craft & Quilt Fair + new studio, new workshops, new, new, new! 16 Jun 2014 4:41 PM (10 years ago)

I'm not even going to mention the fact that I haven't written here for weeks (months) on end (except that I did just mention it), I'm just going to say that I've been working my little buns off getting plenty of pretty stock ready for the Craft & Quilt Fair next week here in Melbourne.




I'll be launching a new kit to make these lovely, reversible fabric buckets, perfect for dressing up a plant pot or storing any manner of goodies (would make a perfect yarn holder for you knitters). There are four different kits available with two different prints in each, all handprinted on a sturdy hemp/organic cotton. I completely love these and hope you guys do too.




I will also have a ton of Sample Packs and specially priced, fabric panel bundles plus oobee soft toy kits, dropcloth artwork, advent panels and plenty of fabric panels to peruse. There are a lot of other excellent makers attending the fair for the first time this year, including RicRac,  The Crafty Squirrel, L'ucello, Melly & Me, Treehouse Textiles, Emma Jean Jansen and Sew Well Maide so it's well worth a visit.



My other massive news that has been keeping out entire household quite busy is that I took over the lease on a little shopfront in West Footscray at the beginning of the month which will become my new printing and workshop studio! I have been searching for a space for such a long time and, although ideally this space could be slightly larger, it's so close to my home and fairly reasonably priced (for a commercial lease, which I've discovered are horrendously expensive and now as I drive around town, I ponder how all these little businesses are even keeping their doors open) that I had to jump on it. I love the fact that it's a shopfront as I have extra incentive to make it all pretty and apparently a cafe is opening up next door so really, that's just about perfect in my books.



My husband has been working ridiculous hours over there, painting and now pulling up all the cracked vinyl tiles. Once the fair is over, I'll be spending the following two weeks setting it all up just how I want it (sooooooooo exciting) before my first set of workshops on July 12th. Yep, that's right, I opened sign ups last week for Block Printing on Fabric in the morning and Freeform Patchwork in the afternoon or a special price for attending the whole day and the workshops are already half full, which makes me so smiley inside. I have plans for many more workshops, including lots of screen printing ones, up my sleeve so keep an eye on my Facebook page or in the Workshops section in my shop for more details (as I'm not super reliable with posting here, obviously).

And yes, of course, we still have the sweet Pepper puppy adding to the fun and craziness:

Project journal: 15.04.14 14 Apr 2014 7:41 PM (11 years ago)

It's slow times around here on the project front, I'm afraid. I feel like this year, work-wise, just hasn't even officially started. Despite having an extra day and a half a week to work, I think there have only been one or two weeks that I've been able to actually use all that time for work stuff. I either desperately need groceries or to do some kind of errand or there's some school activity that I want to check out (swimming, assembly, Easter parade, etc). So anyways, this trend will continue for the next few weeks as we just added THIS sweet face to our family:

Meet Pepper, our new dachshund moodle (Maltese/poodle) cross puppy. Pepper who is the sweetest little pea of a doggie but can't bear to be left alone for very long and must be within sight of me all the live long day (and a few times each night). So I've been getting not too much sleep and although today is one of my only work days during these school holidays, I'm camped out on the couch listening to the Feist and Ben Gibbard station on Pandora and getting some internet stuff done (including this miraculous and overdue blog post!) while puppers sleeps on her blanket beside me. I don't trust her amidst the chaos of my sewing room and I'm missing getting in there to do printing and sewing (even though my BRAND NEW and EXPENSIVE sewing machine had to be sent back to Janome for some super annoying sensor error so I'll have to use my old machine if I do manage to snag some time). I'm working on training Pepper to be alone for a little bit of time here and there so hopefully it won't be too long before I can get some good chunks of work time back in on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

In the meantime I'm working on a couple of new designs and making plans for the Craft & Quilt Fair which is only 10 short weeks away (sounds like a long time until you realise that is only 20 official working days for me... 20 official working days that I'll also be taking care of a puppy...). I'm scheming all sorts of new fabric goodies and waiting for some time to actually produce them!

Project journal: 05.04.14 5 Apr 2014 1:14 AM (11 years ago)

Um, where did March go? Two weeks of everyday swimming at school for the five year old, a couple of Saturdays teaching, four weeks of my porcelain course and a head cold/flu for the past two weeks made the month completely fly. Luckily I did take a few photos so I can catch up with my project record:




I finished the custom single sized quilt I was working on and have since received beautiful photos of a gorgeous one year old girl snuggled up with it in it's new home - the best reward for creating, I think. OH! I was just about to talk about the quilting and I realised I haven't even shared the news here that I bought the new sewing machine that I was coveting!!


I got a Janome Horizon 8900QCP and it is soooooooooo lovely. I can't believe the difference when quilting, it's really so much easier. And it comes with fun new stitches like this wave stitch used on my latest quilt, the picture below shows it really well.



So that was a bit of fun for my busy March days. I also made some custom oobees who went off to their new homes and had way too much fun creating porcelain vessels and beads in the workshop I was taking with Abby Seymour (about half of the goodies I created shown here):




And I did a whole lot of teaching with a great Freeform Patchwork workshop at Handmaker's Factory:


A full day of Stamp Carving and Freeform Patchwork at the super amazing Treehouse Textiles (they have the most fantastic studio space, I highly recommend experiencing it!):


And I just did a great day of Stamp Carving and Freeform Patchwork with some wonderful members of the Melbourne Modern Quilt Guild, who produced some amazing work and were great, great fun! For some crazy reason I did not take a single photo of the Freeform Patchwork creations (I'm blaming coming down from my head cold meds) but you can find some taken by other members at their Flick site:


Whew, okay, I think thats me all caught up on projects. I'm just starting a couple of new things right now, will share them this week, along with some fun news of the puppy variety. Yes, I said puppy :)

March Giveaway : newsletter! 17 Mar 2014 2:59 PM (11 years ago)

Even though part of me thinks it is so 2002, I've decided to set up a Maze & Vale monthly newsletter. Once a month, if you're interested and sign up, it will arrive in your inbox with a short update on what designs and colours have been added to the shop and share the date Sample Packs will be listed that month along with the odd surprise sale, discount code, free pattern or giveaway. Sound good? Head to the sidebar on your right where it says "Join the M&V monthly newsletter" and pop your email address in -->

To kick this newsletter business off, at the end of the month I'll be giving away a mystery pack of FIVE handprinted fabric panels to one lucky member of the mailing list. Sign up for the newsletter and you're already entered, easy peasy.



And to further whet your appetite, I'm also going to be doing a SURPRISE shop update in the next week or so with Sample Packs, new panels and a few other treats I have up my sleeve – I will be sending a note out to the newsletter mailing list a good 12 hours before I share the update anywhere else online so if you want first dibs, sign up pronto!

Workshop news 15 Mar 2014 1:36 AM (11 years ago)

I had an excellent day today, teaching Freeform Patchwork at Handmaker's Factory to a lovely group of women. Everyone did such a great job and was super keen to just dive right in which I love! I also love teaching so but I'm going to be taking a little break after my next few classes as I just found out I got a space at the Craft & Quilt Fair this June which mean mucho printing and designing work ahead of me. I'm teaching next weekend at Treehouse Textiles for a full day session (with lunch) of block printing and freeform patchwork (only two spots left!), a full day of the same classes in a private session for the Melbourne Modern Quilt Guild in early April, then a Block Printing workshop with Handmaker's Factory at the end of April and then a break from teaching until The Craft Sessions in early September (registrations should be opening soonish). It'll be a cozy winter, working on quilts and printing :)

Project journal: 11.03.14 11 Mar 2014 3:02 AM (11 years ago)

I just spent the most splendid evening learning all about and playing with porcelain clay under the tutelage of Miss Abby Seymour (go check out her work, people, it is incredible) and I had SO MUCH FUN. It was so nice to play with an entirely new medium - okay, not entirely new, I've done quite a few ceramic classes over the years but never before with porcelain, which I found really great to work with, especially with all of Abby's knowledge and tools to help out. But it was just so nice to play with something creative with no real outcome expected, you know? I don't plan on becoming an ceramic artist or releasing a line of porcelain vessels or beads, I just wanted to create something entirely different for my own use and enjoyment. Loved it. I have three more sessions to go and can't wait to go back.




In other crafty news, the quilt top in muted teals and neutrals is finished and I've made the binding, just need to have the backing decided upon and then I can get quilting. Over the weekend I managed to convince myself that I really do need a new sewing machine but it's going to require the savings of quite a few pennies so it probably won't happen it in time to do this quilt, which is a bit of a bummer. My current Janome works just fine but it's 8 years old and was only ever a very standard mid-range machine (I think it was $599 when I bought it), not really designed for quilting or the completely ridiculous amount of work I've put it through over the years. To it's credit it hasn't missed a beat and I've never even had it professionally serviced (I do clean it out periodically) but the thought of having a super fast machine with a big open throat and lots of perks has finally won me over, especially with all the quilting I intend to do over the next few years. I foresee a massive drop of Sample Packs at the end of March to help nudge me towards sewing nirvana... :)

Project journal: 04.03.14 4 Mar 2014 1:08 AM (11 years ago)

I should have just titled today's entry, 'too many projects, too little time (and brain capacity)'. I have my fingers in quite a few pies but took a bit of a break last week to hang out with my mom before she headed off on further New Zealand and Australian adventures (lucky duck). So I'm back into it this week, working further on the custom muted teals + neutrals single quilt and the dropcloth bits + linen quilt tops (the latter shown here) and trying to plan my markets and teaching for the rest of the year.



I'm only just unpacking my goodies from what was a most splendid Craft Camp the other weekend (Craft Camp is a group of fantastic women, gathered by Suzie a few times a year at Sewjourn in Lancefield; an enriching, amazing experience that I am so very thankful to be a part of) and need to put a few finishing touches on the Wiksten Tova top and Merchant & Mills Dress Shirt that I made so I can wear and show them. Never did find a good quality, cotton french knit to make my Lola dress, might have to put that one on the list for next time...

Project journal: 20.02.14 20 Feb 2014 1:25 AM (11 years ago)

Thanks for the great response to my reinvention of this space, it's so nice to know people are still reading, I already feel more inspired to post and share here :) And I had a lovely message from someone who discovered the great patchwork shop Amitie through my last post and found that they not only loved it but were a long lost friend of owner Jenny Kingwell! And see, that is what blogging is really all about to me. Connections, tips, sharing and inspiration.




Speaking of Amitie, I finally popped in there today so rifle through their bins of fat 1/8ths to grab a few more prints for the teal/neutrals single quilt I'm working on (it's happening, Kirsty!!). The selection did not disappoint, as usual but unfortunately my trip to nearby(ish) Darn Cheap Fabrics wasn't as successful. I'm after a french terry knit to make a Victory Pattern's Lola dress at this coming weekend's Craft Camp and found nothing of the sort, total bust. I'll have to divert to Rathdowne Remnants on my way out of town and see what I can dig up.

So anyway, yep, off to Craft Camp this weekend and can not wait, although I'm feeling a wee bit guilty as my mom is here from Canada and I'm heading off. But who am I kidding, she's really here to see the kids and is probably pleased as punch to have them all to herself for the weekend. And I will be more than pleased to work on a few garments for moi and get some work done on a few quilts including the one above. I have a cot quilt, started last year, that is ready for binding so that is on the list for tomorrow (I'm attempting to make continuous bias binding for the first time, using a fat quarter of my Biased print - wish me luck) and I started a freeform patchwork* in linen and linen/cottons with small sections of my cotton canvas dropcloth, excited to get a bit more done on this one.



And speaking of Freeform Patchwork, I have two workshops teaching this technique next month and I cannot stress highly enough how FUN this class is. When I taught it for the first time at The Craft Sessions last year, I was initially worried that people would find it too easy, like they'd feel ripped off that they wasted workshop time on such a simple concept but in actuality it was amazing. Folks were challenged and confronted, not by the physical task of the patchwork but by trying to overcome their own perceptions about what piecing should be. I think everyone found it to be a truly valuable and inspiring exercise. I ran into one of the participants recently who told me the workshop last Spring had completely changed the way she thought about quilting (for the better) and if that isn't the highest praise there can be, I don't know what is.

So come play and stretch yourself, even if you've never done any patchwork, even if you've done patchwork for years. I bring all the scraps you need and you just know there will be some choice Maze & Vale gems in there! It's all happening at Handmaker's Factory on March 15th and at Treehouse Textiles the following weekend, March 22nd.