I am banning myself from fabric shops, Seriously...

Hello,

Been having a very busy sewing week. Eigse, the Carlow Arts Festival, begins the 7th June so I am cutting and creating some new stock for the Creative Carlow pop-up shop on Dublin Street Carlow town. So as I do when I get any excuse, I go fabric shopping. Lots and lots of lovely fabric. I've also drawn pictures and made notes for designing my own fabric which I am going to start working on at the end of June.  Here's a little picture of a sample of wedding bunting I've been working on. I've drawn my inspiration from "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Blue" to create a very special bunting using vintage fabrics and buttons and new laces.

In the meantime, I've been spoilt for choice. Got my mitts on some Tilda fabric, two visits to Cath Kidston (seriously could someone ban me from entering the store?) and not to mention the man from UPS arrived on Friday with a new box of goodies from the US (airplanes, dolls, owls, birdcages and much more). Ooh and then of course when you get new fabric you have to get threads and buttons and lace (my new love) and trimmings. And then I let small girl choose some buttons online, the bling, the glitter, oh my! And then you let small girl pick, small boy has to choose some too, its only fair right?

And of course you can't just buy new stuff can you? You have to buy some vintage too to balance it all out. So there's some vintage laces and children's fabrics due any day now. I'm quickly filling the receipts in my new filing folder and moving the fabric into the sewing room with impressive speed.
That's it I am banning myself from buying any more fabric for at least three months. Maybe two??
Have a great weekend,
Maria

More Vintage Bunting and Craft Fair

Hello,

Its a bank holiday here in Ireland today so an extended weekend, can't complain about that! My little vintage fabric phase continues as I finished some bunting complete with vintage buttons. I plan to list on etsy this week, my little etsy shops are feeling a bit neglected so I have to fill them up with some new makes.

I am still trying to source fabrics for my quilt top project. I've set up a folder on pinterest to try and organise it. I set up a pinterest account recently www.pinterest.com/lollipopsday . There is so many incredible pictures on there, you could get lost for hours!

I had a stand at the Duckett's Grove Country Fair yesterday and it was a great day. The sun was shining and there was plenty for everyone to see and do and eat!  The last fair I did (excluding pop-up shops) was the Christmas Fair there in December so I was a little rusty.I've managed to reduce my carrying of ten different boxes down to a more manageable three, made setting up so much easier. I was lucky enough to get a place along the wall so I made a washing line for my bunting.

Marvel comic fabrics were very popular, must let hubby and small boy pick fabric more often!! Thank you to everyone who stopped by or said hello, it was much appreciated. My daughter helped for the day and earned her pocket money. Her first job!
Have a great day,
all the best,
Maria

Pimp my T-shirt for children - easy way to transform a plain t-shirt in to a cool one!

Hello, Summer at last! Yippee!!

 The other day we were going through small boys wardrobe and sorting out his clothes. You have to do this every few months with children as they tend to grow rapidly at some stages and then others not so fast! One minute a pair of trousers is far too big and next its just right. And the thing about kids clothes is there is no standard sizing as far as I can tell. What's a size 3-4 in one shop is a 2-3 in another. So hence the reason every few months you have to go through the wardrobes and see what fits and what doesn't.  I learnt this lesson the hard way with my daughter, I used to keep things for good wear and and inevitably when the good day occasion finally dawned said item would be too small.

Anyway we came accross a set of three plain t-shirts , which do fit now, thank you very much! And the three plain t-shirts were a little boring. Children love their clothes, mine do. Ask any child and they'll be able to talk in great detail about their clothes, down to the patterns on their socks and underwear. So I was looking at the plain t-shirts and it occured to me we could style them up a little. I was thinking buttons, patches and then I thought of the lone roll of bondaweb in my sewing room. So quickly as we could (as anyone can holding a 7month old baby) we ran to the sewing room to see what we could do about it all. Here's what we came up with!

First, take your plain t-shirts, you can pick these up in most clothes shops and or supermarkets fairly cheaply.

You pick your fabric (my designer is four and he picked his own!) and locate your bondaweb. Obviously not everyone has fabrics and bondaweb lying about their house but these can all be purchased in your local fabric shop or online. You will be using a small amount of fabric (about a quarter of a fat quarter for a small child) and enough bondaweb to cover this.

Next step is cut out your shape (I did a very simple rectangle) on fabric and place on top of the bonadaweb.

Follow the instructions of your bondaweb. Usually you iron fabric onto bondaweb , ensuring to iron onto the web side. Once it is ironed you can peel off the paper and now place fabric onto the t-shirt and iron again. The bondaweb will glue (spider-web!) the fabric to the t-shirt and lessen the fraying that would occur on the edges each time you wash.
I added a quick line of stitches on the sewing machine all around the edges for extra security.
And ta-da, three cool t-shirts!

They've all been washed and re-worn so it passes the painting/gardening and washing tests.
I'm already planning a new batch!

Have a great weekend,
Maria

1930s and 1940s Fabrics , vintage quilt top

Hello,
Another sunny/rainy/hailstones near summer day in Ireland! Working on lots of little projects at the moment, cushions for a shop in Dublin (very very exciting!), some wedding bunting (a sample) and lots of other works in progress. Its been awhile since I made anything for the house so I wanted to make something special.
I adore the 1920s and anything Art Deco, and always totally ignored the 1930s and anything sort of Arts and Crafts movements. It is hard to compete with the glamour of Art Deco. Then last year I bought some fab fabric from the US, not realising it was a reproduction of a 1930s fabric.
Then I spotted this unfinished quilt top online and had to have it!

Its estimated to be from the 1930s/40s. Either way its at least 60 years old. Its made from a mix of florals and gingham fabrics. Theres patches where fabric must have been running out so little bits (not straight, clearly scraps) have been sewn together to create a patch. Its about the size of a single bed. I am not sure it can have been used much if at all as it is in such good condition. Its been washed and needs an iron!

I am now trying to decide what to do next with it. Should I finish it as is? Or should I take it apart and put it back together adding in extra bits of fabric? I'll have to think about it a bit more as I want to do it justice. Any suggestions or advice most appreciated!

Have a fab weekend,

Maria

PS Am going to treat myself to a book on the history of fabric!

Go away wind, Lollipops & Daydreams in shops!, Baking party preparation

Hello,

I have been a little absent from my blog this month, hopefully I'll have more time now. This week I am busy preparing for my daughter's  baking party , I have a lot of sprinkles to find tomorrow. And food colouring. And aprons to finish! She did ask about a Barbie cake, like last year's but purple. Hmm.

Great news, a good selection of Lollipops and Daydreams makes can be found in the Duckett's Grove Design shop. Duckett's Grove is pictured above. The shop is filled with all sorts of wonderful crafted items from Carlow, from felt to jewelry to pottery to art, something for everyone.This picture is from a fair last May (all my recent pics have buggys in every shot!) which I hope to have a stand at next month.

Now for some grumpiness, I am getting very annoyed with the wind today, my washing line bent in half and the entire contents of the recycling bin (which was full to the brim) are scattered over the garden and the field next door. I am going to invent a latch for closing wheelie bins and go on Dragons Den and demand 50k for 25% of the business! To add insult to injury I went out to begin picking up the rubbish and the rubbish floated up to attack me so I quickly retreated. Possibly its a man's job anyway, ha ha!!
Hope its less windy where you are!
All the best,
Maria

Dublin Zoo and the British Sewing Bee

Evening,
It is actually warm in here today, I'm a little in shock about it! Especially considering the walk we went on on Sunday and it took about three hours to warm up after. If this is finally Spring I'll be very happy. Did a garden inspection and found lots of new growth, at last! Small boy helped water all the pots. I planted bluebell seeds two years ago and they look like they are going to flower this year. Its a long waiting game for seeds to turn to bulbs to turn to flowers. I think I read before Daffodils take seven years? I'll have to get my propogating book out this weekend.

We visited Dublin Zoo last week, always a great trip. We got up very close to the Giraffes which was was amazing.

How cute is this little guy?

 

Not a fan of the reptile house, this pair weren't too friendly looking!

 

The British Sewing Bee is on tonight, looking forward to it. I have to say its really encouraging me to try to make some clothing! I've ordered some new fabric to make a skirt for small girl, I'm determined to make some of her clothes this year. The contestants are amazing and its great to see a sewing show on tv!

Have a great evening,

Maria

 

Pop-Up Shop is back! Mo Mhile Stor

Hello,

The sun is out, I don't believe it! A busy afternoon flying kites and hanging out washing (can't help that part I am an Irish mammy!!). Easter eggs are still being eaten, the Easter Bunny got a little carried away and the pair managed to procure another four each from grannies and aunties. Too much chocolate, I am doing a salad with dinner which I hope will counteract some of the sugar. At least a bit of it!!

I finished  a new cushion last night, its one I've been working on for awhile, sort of doing a little bit every day. Its made from vintage and new fabrics from which I cut little heart shapes and then sewed them on individually to make the front of a cushion.

Its called "Mo mhile stor" which is Irish for "my thousand treasures" meaning my darling. Each heart represents a treasure or love! I really enjoyed making it and I don't think it will be my last one.

The International Pan Celtic Festival begins today in Carlow and "Creative Carlow" were very gratefully given a chance to hold a pop-up shop in the Festival office. Thank you Pan Celtic for the opportunity. So yesterday morning was busy with all the tables being set ip and the shop is open today so if you are in the area do pop in!

Right time to eat the chocolate, sorry I mean salad..
Enjoy the sun
Maria
xxx