Showing posts with label House. Show all posts
Showing posts with label House. Show all posts

Friday, September 29, 2017

Folding fabric tutorial

I don't know about you but one of my biggest challenges has been how to fold my fabric so it always looks tidy!

No joke this is typically how my shelves used to look most of the time!



I've always wondered how those people with super tidy fabric shelves and drawers do it!

It's easy to fold your fabric when you first buy a fat quarter or meter of fabric and haven't cut into it yet, but what happens when you start using it and have uneven bit hanging off it everywhere???? This for me is when the mess begins!

With no system in place it's a tiresome task keeping fabrics tidy and even when they were tidy the piles were always uneven with bits hanging out. Plus when they are mess I can't find anything! Does anybody else have that problem???

Well I found a fabulous method on Pinterest (here) that has revolutionized my shelves! You must try it, I promise you won't look back! 

I mean seriously look at those shelves now!!!!

 Now with this new method even when they are messy they are not like before. In this photo you can see a neat pile on the left and messy pile on the right! Not too shabby!!!!!



I thought I would share the tutorial putting it into practice so you can see the results for yourselves!

First of all you need to prepare a cardboard template. I wanted 3 piles on my shelf so I made my template slightly smaller than the space designated. Mark your width and height. I have different templates for drawers, shelves with 3 piles and shelves with 2 piles for bulkier fabrics.




Always start folding the width



Make one fold



Then remove the card, place on top and fold again



Continue this process until you reach the end



Now start folding in the height direction. When you reach the end you can slide the card out.



Tips and tricks. Some fabrics are tricky as the have bits hanging and are not rectangle or square. Here you will need to see which way is best to start and try to fold so those tricky end are folded inside.



Any little ends I tuck inside and not over the outside.



Finally for larger pieces of fabric start with them already folded in half.

Messy pile and neat piles



Oh and coffee/tea is a must!


Messy drawer with now neat bits! Yay!!!!



Summary this method is garanteed to work. All your fabrics will be folded the same size, lay flatter and will be less creased! 

The downside is when you have to overhaul your whole fabric stash it's time consuming! I do a little at a time so as not to be overwhelmed. 

When I'm working I just throw the fabrics in a pile and then when my project is finished I take out my template and fold!

Let me know if you try this method and how it worked for you. I'd also love to know any different fabric folding methods that work well too!

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Thanks for reading!!!










Saturday, October 03, 2015

Tidying my mess

So the mess the other day has now gone and becone these gorgeous new Christmas decorations! They aren't in my shop yet but will be going in later today!


Sunday, September 20, 2015

Hard to believe

I can't believe Halloween will be here next month and soon after Christmas! Where does the time go? Last year I made these gorgeous little pouches! They are great for trick or treating or just to decorate your table or mantel full of candy! They are available in my shop



I also made these gorgeous wreaths for Christmas great to hang on the door, wall or even lay on the table with a large candle in the center. I still have a few left in my shop




Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Lampshade love

I'm so excited I did a lampshade making online course with Marna Lunt and here is my first shade. I made it for my daughter Lulu and she loves it. it's made with antique Italian linen, machine applique and is hand embtoidered. I can't wait to make my next one!

With the light off!


With the light on!


Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Kantha Love

We all love Kantha quilts in our family. I bought my first one at the Sydney Quilt Fair earlier this year. At the same fair, we came across a Sydney shop called Cash Palace Emporium which imports beautiful items from India and Japan. On the weekend, mum and I went to find Cash Palace Emporium and we were not disappointed. Just diving up to the shop evoked great excitement with the most amazingly colourful window display of devine items and a huge pile of red toned Kantha quilts right at the door.

Upon stepping inside, it was sensory overload. There are piles and piles of Kantha quilts, embroidered cushions, vintage trims, clothes, jewelry and much more. I just didn't know where to start but very quickly gravitated towards the pink pile. I knew that there was no way that I was going to leave that shop without buying my second Kantha quilt. The hard part was picking just one. Below are my two Kantha Quilts. They are both stunning!

We got to meet the lovely Elaine Townshend owns and runs the shop. She very happily let us rummage through a massive box of scrap Kantha pieces and pull out what ever we wanted. I got a whole heap for only $5....... bargin!!! Some of the many scraps that I bought are below. Mum bought lots too and is making a wall hanging. Once she is done I will blog it.

I also bought a beautifully vintage embroidered cushion. There were many pretty ones but my son liked the Indian elephant god- Ganesha so we picked the one below.

She had lots of vintage Japanese Kokeshi dolls so I couldn't resist one of those as well. Now that I have one, I think I will start a collection. I love the vintage dolls.

You can follow the store on Facebook but I strongly suggest that if you like vintage Indian textiles and you are in Sydney, then you visit the store. It is located at 139 Catherine St, Leichhardt, Sydney, and is open from Monday-Sturday, 10am - 5pm. You will want to go back regularly as Elaine goes on buying tours quite often so she always has new stock.

Elaine Townshend at Cash Palace Emporium

Thursday, October 04, 2012

Custom cushion for Diletta

This cushion was made for a little girl called Diletta in Italy! It's made on antique Italian hemp, her name is wool felt applique and then the cushion is embellished with applique and embroidery.

Thursday, June 07, 2012

Organising trims

I have collected so many gorgeous antique trims and really felt the need to organise them. I bought simple French looking trim card from Boqinana I found they sell them for the best price. Then I made fabric baskets to fit the cards and the drawer where I keep them. It's so much easier now to find what I need! I'd love to make basket for so many other drawers in the house, maybe oneday I'll find the time!

Saturday, February 11, 2012

More goodies I've been working on

I have been quite productive lately - I'll be honest it's been snowing here for nearly 2 weeks (unbelievable!) so school has been closed and I've been at home!!! Poor Lulu if she doesn't see a friend soon I think she'll loose it!

My sister Sas found the link on our blog to make houses for Japan so I thought I'd make one. So this is what I came up with. I used pretty soft colours, some vintage
fabric and appliqued flowers. I hope they have room for one more house!

I also have many baby rattles and softies half prepared so here's one finished a cute dog.I also made a pretty lavender sachet in the shape of a heart. I used gorgeous vintage fabric and embellished it with a simple layered flower. So much fun to make! I have more goodies in the works so will be back blogging soon!


Saturday, August 27, 2011

Sweet home tote


I designed this cute little girlie tote the other day. I used many of my favourite vintage fabrics which I bought from Little Tea Wagon on Etsy (her shop is lovely). I patchworked the base of the the house and then appliqued the roof windows and door. I finished it off with some hand embroidery.

Friday, July 02, 2010

Little House

I made this little house from Molly Chicken's tutorial. Thanks for posting it. Her's was so cute. I used a vintage linen for the outside which I embroidered with a variety of threads. The inside is lined with a pale blue and cream striped silk fabric. I forgot to stitch the roof like Molly Chicken did. It wasn't hard to make but did take a while. My son wants to keep all his little lego men in it!! They will be about the right size for this little house. There is a photo of the back on Flickr.