Taking a Quick Break

Kitty Needle Keeper: 1999

I joined a workshop late in 1999 (18th Sep) to add Kitty to my growing basket of sewing goodies.  A tutor (whom I've momentarily forgotten) ran the day for us and in only a short time we finished this cute & very helpful, little needle pouch.

For anyone interested, the pattern is from "Needleworks" by Kindred Spirits. 

Decorative Touches

Hussif: 1998

I made this “hussif” in a workshop with Literary Guild girls in May 98.  A hussif is a portable case to keep all your regular stitching things together.  Being quilters, we would be best suited to either one really big one or lots of them!  I was serious enough about sewing kits at the time, a left-over interest from my Tamworth days, so chose to make this one up in one of my favourite fabrics.

I’m not sure who our workshop leader (16/5/98) was as my pattern notes seem to have “left home” of their own accord.  I did make the hussif up with all its little extras, including a mini felt bear, to have it ready for an exhibition of work by the Bondi Evening Group at the Embroiders Guild in 2003.

Inside view with various pockets and additional accessories
including Mr Bear

Blue cord ties the "bundle" together

Beary Good Girls

Milly & Molly: 1997  (Started: 1996)

I bought a Merry Beary bear pattern #72 during a trip to Berrima in 1996, and finally managed to put two girls together in 1997.  I started stitching their jackets in May 98, but the embroidery & applique aspect of it languishes still.  I have a photo of them amidst the packing up for our move from Watsons Bay to Kenso, so they were just in need of jackets even then.  I gave the girls to mum for a bit of girl talk. One day she’ll get their jackets too!

The bears themselves were quite easy to sew up and I managed to find a rather nice felty type of fabric.  Very Cute with their little dresses!!

This is the pattern which I found on ebay & currently for sale.
I'll replace this with a photo of the girls one day soon. 

On Show

 

I participated in a couple of other ventures during my Tamworth time.  All were wonderful experiences which added to my "toolkit" of experiences. 

Regional Fibre Exhibition: 1989

The Tamworth Art Gallery hosted the Regional Fibre Exhibition (18-27^th September).  This was an exciting opportunity to be offered as a TAFE student.  I had three items chosen – my Little Boys Breeches  (1987), Joy Ride (1989) and Government Camp Lillies (1989).  There is nothing like seeing your work hanging in such a professional setting!.  Aside from the value of stepping away from your work (we often view our quilts closely as we stitch) to see it as a “whole”, the other thing that impressed me was attention to quality.  To see quilts hanging perfectly (no frilly edges) and flawless quilting (neat stitching, quilting suited to the quilt design etc) proved that striving for technical perfection was worth it.  Some quilts just popped out like wonderful works of art.  (Barbara Macey was my inspiration here!)

Regional Evening College: 1990

I put together a couple of workshop ideas to fill “gaps in the market” and taught out of the Tamworth Regional Evening College. This was a worthy experience and built on my knowledge gained teaching at the Queenscliff Neighbourhood House.  I was rather more nervous teaching in Tamworth, as in Queenscliff I had always felt I was just helping out friends.  The most popular workshop was machine applique and we certainly had lots of fun with that!  Whilst the money did supplement our coffers a little, teaching in the evenings was challenging given our family circumstances.  I really enjoyed the teaching aspect however and wanted to learn more about it....one day!

Craft in the Park, a collage of photos from the day

Fibre Fest: 1990

Part of our TAFE course requirement was to plan setting up a small business.  Our group decided that running a craft making venture would be a useful learning tool and our products easy to sell at local craft markets – the ideal starting place for many a more grand business.  I decided that I would work on needlework kits and baskets, something not readily available locally.  I had fun making them, managed to sell a few and decided that the old craft dilemma (recovering the costs of your time) made the business aspect of craft work not worth pursuing for me personally.  I can say that we did all have fun, found the business aspect of craft not so easy and laughed to find cheap copies of our products offered at the markets a few months after.   Ah, competition…..

Sadly, TAFE no longer offers Commercial Needlecraft courses.  Although I did not take up craft as a business, this course was a most useful tool to realise the demands and challenges of working in the industry professionally.  It also provided me with a huge opportunity to learn about my personal capabilities   Some time later, I did re-assess this situation and prepared a thorough business plan based on my Tamworth TAFE learnings.  Again, that business was not to be (by choice) but I don't believe that my time was ever wasted researching it and certainly all the better for my time studying at TAFE.

Busy at our "Sew Special" Table

Craft Crazy

Lidded Basket: 1987

Basket of Frills

I was still into ribbons and lace (we are talking 80’s here) and I was commissioned to make my SIL a lidded basket.  I chose a sweet little basket block and lined and frilled to my heart’s content.  Made in January 1987. 

Basket Block

To continue with a theme, I learnt how to make these topiary trees too!  This one was a gift for my MIL, probably about the same vintage as the basket.

It was rather fun to make

When I look back now, I am amazed at the lack of variety we had in craft fabrics.  Spotlight and Lincraft were my favourite haunts back then.  They still are today for craft and dressmaking supplies - if there's any time left after quilting!