Felt friends

Today i received a book from Amazon that i must show you. This is just too cute! I have since struggled to find really decent felt (i want the wool mix not the scrapbook type), so until i find the right kind i will just have to look at the cover and smile. The writer is japanese and was inspired to reproduce the retro toys of her youth in Japan. I must admit the cover deer was very similar to one i had as a child where you pushed the base and it made the deer fall down. It had string inside. Reminiscing



author is Naomi Tabitha

Bags, bags and more bags

I really enjoy wandering around the fabric stores and also flea markets for fabric swatches. Sometimes i will find the most stunning piece of fabric but it is a skirt, shirt or pillowslip not enough for a big project but certainly enough for these lovely ideas, all using the equivalent of just one fat quarter...what do you think? They are so clever,  follow the links

http://www.made-by-rae.com/2009/02/free-buttercup-bag-sewing-pattern/





Craftster.org has suggested that you could increase the pattern on a photocopier by 125% to make a bigger bag. Or you could see their changes to add a zipper

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=298323.0

this lovely clutch uses only a fat quarter



http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/2009/02/fat-quarter-handbag-tutorial/

please also see the etsy site of this creative lady

retro and vintage fair

I don't think i have been very good as i have not posted to this blog for a while. Ok, my camera got smashed so everything sort of went pear shaped for a while and knocked the wind out of everything i wanted to achieve, but now we are back and raring to go.
This sunday is the vintage and retro show which i've tried to get to for quite a while but always find out the day before (and i work sundays...don't ya luv retail), so as it's my last day of a two week break i am going.
I hope to get a few good pictures of some interesting things and post them later.
Will have to get my 14 year old to help me there, i think.

A talented lady

This lady is very talented and i would like to share a link to her page where she has seen an idea and made it her own

http://jaynsarah.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/anthropologie-tangerine-flicker-dress.html?showComment=1335231733355

Lisa Lam

This lady is so talented, just check out her free tutorials for her bags

http://u-handbag.typepad.com/uhandblog/freebie-.html

    

these are just a few. Please check out her new book.

Please note at the bottom of the page she gives permission for you to make and sell on Etsy, Ebay, etc but not machine mass produced.

Here is a link to her Reversible Bucket bag (courtesy of Sew Mama Sew)

http://www.sewmamasew.com/blog2/january2011/BucketBagPDFFinal.pdf

Retro knitting patterns

OMG i so like these womens hats. This site is a wonder to behold with so many original knitting patterns all available for you to make without any problems. These have not had the copyright renewed so go for it girls. All you Mad Men fans will love these.....here's a few to get you interested

http://www.freevintageknitting.com/

Make it yourself

I have noticed that there is an awful lot of tutorials on the net and sometimes we don't always have time to do them but want to make them at a later date, so i have decided to put up links to some really interesting things to make for yourself.
Now i spent a while today reading about copyright and authors permission etc on a blog where she really went to town on what she thought of a magazine reproducing her item, so without further ado.......please understand these are only for your use or as a gift or charity.
Please enjoy these links, however some do require signing in but are worth it........all are frrreeeee
This will be a continually updated post

http://www.patonsyarns.com/pattern.php?PID=5751



http://www.patonsyarns.com/pattern.php?PID=5781



They will look great on my anodised aluminium teapot that i bought at the church jumble sale two weeks ago

You can't go past this site if you want to make any kind of carry all, over 160 tutorials

http://pursepatterns.com/free_bag_patterns.html

    

http://www.jcarolinecreative.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=JC&Screen=TOTEBAG