Saturday 30 August 2008

I'm back!

Hooray, we finally have internet and phone back!!! It took a bit, but it's finally sorted. 

I have a number of things craftwise that I've done over the time I was internetless.  But I need a moment to catch my breath, read my emails and bloglines and settle back into online life...  It was strange being unable to write posts, but I got a lot done in my absence. 

My eldest daughter turned 12 on Tuesday, which had me feeling exceptionally old.  We had a really awesome cupcakes and tea party at Lianne's place.  Thanks so much for that Lianne.  You are the most amazing cook, and it all turned out way better than if I'd done it myself!  Hope tried her first ever cup of tea.  She says she probably won't be drinking it again because it was too tasteless - lol, tell that to all those tea addicts in Britain Hope!!! :)

I made Hope a little cosmetic purse and in the process did my first ever "proper" applique.  That was hugely fun, so I'm bound to do more of that in the future.  The possibilities for applique seem endless and I'm looking forward to making some more cupcake appliqued goodness over the coming week.  I also made two very neat needle books (one for Hope, one for me).  And boy did I knit.  I've begun knitting some baby items for my sister's new business.  Of course, there's been time to knit some washcloths and I designed a new one for Aimee, whose birthday is on the 10th of September.  I just have to put my thinking cap on to think of a brilliant name for it now.

I'll post photo's of the tea party and birthday craft goodness later on, when I can catch my breath.  I sure missed you all!

Love D.

Thursday 28 August 2008

No Internet Access

It’s been a week since we lost our broadband connection, and looks to be at least another 24 hours before we’ll have it back (though I’m at the point of cynically wondering if the deadbeats at telecom can actually fix their self made snafu).

What this means lovely blog readers is that Mrs Sew Funky has been unable to post (this some of you may have already noticed) or check her emails.

It also means that (if a certain person is reading this) she hasn’t been able to email dishcloth pictures.

Hopefully order will be resumed shortly and the universe will be able to exist without the fear of imminent implosion from a lack of Sew Funky Posts.

Keep smiling.

Love. Mr Sew Funky (currently suffering extreme XBox Live withdrawal symptoms).

Saturday 23 August 2008

I love spotlight and other stories...

Spotlight would have to be my all time favourite store ever.

My last few visits have been absolutely fantastic. I am a bargain hunter extraordinaire and unfortunately my craft room reflects that (think cluttered, full). Still, I really can't pass up a bargain and look what I got today!


I got all these books and magazines for $1 each! Some of the magazines are recent issues, boy was I excited to see some Handmade mag's in there! Doing the happy dance here!

This is what I got:
Celebration Days Volume 2 knitting and crochet book
Not Your Mama's knitting book ( I got two of these, because at $1 I'm sure to be able to find someone else who wants it!)
Soft Dolls & Animals July 2007
Soft Dolls & Animals November 2007
Papercrafts June/July 2008
Handmade Vol 25 No 3
Handmade Vol 25 No 7
Handmade Vol 25 No 9 Christmas in July
Handmade Vol 25 No 10

Amazing, huh! Mr Sew Funky came with me to Spotlight too, which hardly ever happens because it's probably his least favourite store!

On another note, I got Mr Sew Funky to take a photo of what my new t-shirt looks like. I love, love, love it! In case you're wondering where I got the image from, maybe you've been inspired to make your own. I got the silhouette picture from the Karen's Whimsy website. Honestly, if you want a resource for public domain images you need look no further than her website. It's fabulous. Silhouette images make freezer paper stencils so easy to make, and she has quite a few on offer there. I've used the quail, horse and woman so far and hope to use the elephant too!


And look what I did today... I organised all my cards. I have a few hundred cards that I was lucky enough to get for free a year or so ago. They've been sitting all in a jumble since then. It was bugging me everytime I went to look for one, because it was a mission to find the 'right' one. Now there is order, and it should be an easy task to grab a card as I am running out the door! YAY me!


I have already cut the flaps off the box (after I took this photo - lol) and I'm thinking it would be nice to make the box more attractive. Maybe I'll cover the box with fabric? I don't know.
All in all, a pretty awesome day!

I've discovered something new to be addicted to...

FREEZER PAPER STENCILLING!!!

It's so much fun and for very little effort you get great results. :)

Last night a friend and her daughter came over for some crafting fun.  Check out a little of what we made:
my beautiful lady - 
I'll take a pic later today of me wearing her
My bird T..
My new cupcake tea towel! 
Some of my daughter's work...
 
A horse for my daughter Aimee...

 
 
I will show you some more finished pictures of my new addiction later on today...

Thursday 21 August 2008

Blog Action Day

I just spotted this on whip-up and thought what the heck I agree with that so I joined. Maybe you'd like to join up with your blog too? If so go here. Let's get more knowledge out there on Poverty!

Take a look at this little promo vid:

Blog Action Day 2008 Poverty from Blog Action Day on Vimeo.



Hope's Delight

I made this washcloth for my really neat daughter, Hope! She is turning 12 (eeek!) on Tuesday, and since knitting cloths is my addiction, I thought I'd design one just for her. So HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOPE! Love you to bits!!!

Hope's Delight


Materials: 1 ball worsted weight cotton yarn, size 4 mm needles. I used Lion Brand Yarn's Lion Cotton, 108 Morning Glory Blue. I think this would look FANTASTIC in variegated yarn, but I've yet to try it...

Instructions:
Cast on 18 stitches.
This cloth is made up of 6 wedges, all exactly the same. When you finish knitting a wedge, you just carry on knitting the next one. Then the edge is sewn together, the threads are sewn in and the cloth is complete. :)

Every wedge:
Row 1 : K to last 6 sts, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1.
Row 2: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, YO, K to last st, turn.
Row 3: K to last 6 sts, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1.
Row 4: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, YO, K to last 2 sts, turn.
Row 5: K to last 6 sts, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1.
Row 6: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, YO, K to last 3 sts, turn.
Row 7: K to last 6 sts, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1.
Row 8: Bind off 3 sts, then K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, YO, K to last 4 sts, turn.
Row 9: K to last 6 sts, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1.
Row 10: P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, YO, K to last 5 sts, turn.
Row 11: K to last 6 sts, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1.
Row 12: P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, YO, K to last 6 sts, turn.
Row 13: K to last 6 sts, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1.
Row 14: Bind off 3 sts, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, YO, K to last 7 sts, turn.
Row 15: K to last 6 sts, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1.
Row 16: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, YO, K to last 8 sts, turn.
Row 17: K to last 6 sts, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1.
Row 18: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, YO, K to last 9 sts, turn.
Row 19: K to last 6 sts, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1.
Row 20: Bind off 3 sts, then K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, YO, K to last 10 sts, turn.
Row 21: K to last 6 sts, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1.
Row 22: P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, YO, K to last 11 sts, turn.
Row 23: K to last 6 sts, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1.
Row 24: P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, YO, K to last 12 sts, turn.
Row 25: K to last 6 sts, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1.
Row 26: Bind off 3 sts, K across row.

You can find a printable version of this pattern here: Free Dishcloth Patterns from sew-funky.blogspot.com.

some new dishcloths...

Here are a few of the cloths that I've been knitting over the past week.  I've been a little busy with them, that's for sure...

 the square cloth (using short rows)

Granny's Favourite Dishcloth 
(I've made a couple of these this week - they're great gifts for people 
who haven't yet experienced the joy of using handmade cotton cloths!)

A brand new creation...
It's amazing what you can do with a little knit stitch and a little seed stitch!

this cloth was a little difficult to capture, 
especially since my kitten wanted her picture taken instead...
 
here it is... this is what I call a mistake cloth,
it's meant to be feather and fan, but my pattern book had it written wrong.  
Still I like what it looks like, so it's a happy mistake!

Monday 18 August 2008

who's afraid of a little dirt?

Look at what the girls got up to while I was having a rest...
DIRT FIGHT!!!! 
LOL!  They had so much fun, but big old mum (me) had to give them the hard word, whilst trying very hard not to laugh.

Doesn't this look like pure joy to you?


The joy's of childhood, getting muddy without having to worry about how you are going to get clean!

Just a couple of things I've been up to...

I know I've been kinda quiet here on the blog, but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy. :)

I have been knitting dishcloths. New designs and trying out different patterns from a book I bought a few weeks ago. I am loving using Motif pattern's for cloths! I have also made a square cloth using short rows. I may put that pattern up here later this week.

Today, Lianne and I went to Spotlight. There was a sale on and I'm a sucker for a sale. Unfortunately for me, the craft stuff wasn't discounted. :( I bought the april issue of "get creative", which had some very neat and easy pincushions in it. We made them in about 20 minutes! I got the fabric for mine from a really neat retro dress that I found earlier at "Mr. Bo Jumbles". Mr B. J. is a really awesome recycled clothing shop here in Manukau. You buy clothes and other items by the kilo!!! I have had some really spectacular finds there before. I especially go just for items I can craft with!

one of my favourite crafting mags...
the april issue


my new pin cushion...
I just love the retro fabric!

the bottom view...

On the weekend I made Lianne this cute little bag. Inside I put a ball of cotton yarn and some 4mm needles. YES! I have now infected someone else with the dishcloth bug!!! LOL! On this topic, I am always amazed at how many people just don't want to use my dishcloths. They're too pretty, they say... hmmmm! Too Pretty? I personally LOVE to use pretty things on the jobs I most hate, like the dishes... Still, I cant convince them... Once you use one you'll never go back, I say... Even that doesn't work... I know I'll NEVER go back to the old chux cloth!!!

the delicate babe bag...

Wednesday 13 August 2008

What began life as a sheet, is now....

pajama's!
I did a little bit of op shopping yesterday, and found this awesome sheet. I've been on the lookout for something to make some new lounge pants for me and this was perfect. That is until I chopped out and sewed them into pants that just wouldn't fit me! :( So, these are now Hope's pj's and I'll have to look out for another neat sheet - LOL! Oh well...

the sheet was only $3!!!

Tuesday 12 August 2008

Now my sewing area may finally be tidy...

well, dreams are free - right?!?

Maybe not, but the pillowcase I used to make this desk tidy thing was!

I will try and put a tutorial up for this tomorrow, I'm just too tired at the moment and the lighting is TERRIBLE for photo taking. Still, I leave you with a photograph I've just taken at my first attempt! I'm quite pleased with the results, now all I need to do is throw the odd threads and fabric in here instead of on the floor!!! ;)


And, yes I am back to using the old brother. I had huge problems today with the tension on my old bernina, I was about ready to throw the darn thing! grrrrr! I think I need a new sewing machine, just have to convince the husband of it's importance...

The sewing tidy came about as an idea that was formed over coffee with Lianne - Thanks Lianne, is this what you were looking for?

Monday 11 August 2008

bags from rags...

well, not really rags, but from old singlet t-shirts. I had an epiphany this afternoon whilst looking at some old tops that Jodz gave to me a month or more ago. Yes, I finally got round to looking in that bag you dropped off Jodz! I didn't really need any more tops, plus it's too cold around here to think about summer yet...

I think the only downside to these bags is that you wouldn't want to overfill them. I don't think your family's weeks worth of canned food is gonna do any good, because the straps are just too skinny.

Anyway, they are so super easy and I took a few photos to do a tute. Here goes...

the singlet bag

1. Choose a singlet, I liked this one with beading on the front.

2. Turn inside out, and then sew up the bottom seam. I used zigzag because the material is knit.


3. Fold up the bottom seam to meet the side seam in a triangle. Then sew across the triangle about 2 inches in. This gives your bag a boxed bottom. On my singlet it was easy to figure out where to sew, because the bottom had a cuff - you can see it in the above picture.


4. I then sewed the "triangle" down to the bottom of the bag. You could just skip this step, especially if you wanted a smaller bottom to your bag.

the inside

what it looks like on the outside...

5. Snip the threads and you're done... A very quick project that's quite satisfying!

I've made 2 already!!!

great for storing all that cupcake material you bought at Spotlight - hehehe!

another baby star is formed...

I really like this pattern, it's quick, easy and I love how it turns out. This time I made it with two strands of 6ply cotton that my good friend Lianne found on a opshop expedition she made last Wednesday. Love the colours!!! :)

I changed the pattern so that it had a seed stitch edge.

Baby Star with Seed Edge

Materials: 2 balls 6ply cotton yarn, size 4mm needles.

Instructions:
Cast on 12 stitches.
This cloth is made up of 7 wedges, all exactly the same. Then the edge is sewn together, the threads are sewn in and the cloth is complete. :)

Every wedge:

Row 1 and all odd rows: K to last 2 stitches, P1, K1.
Row 2: K1, P1, K1, YO, K to last st, turn.
Row 4: K1, P1, K1, YO, K to last 2 sts, turn.
Row 6: K1, P1, K1, YO, K to last 3 sts, turn.
Row 8: K1, P1, K1, YO, K to last 4 sts, turn.
Row 10: K1, P1, K1, YO, K to last 5 sts, turn.
Row 12: K1, P1, K1, YO, K to last 6 sts, turn.
Row 14: K1, P1, K1, YO, K to last 7 sts, turn.
Row 16: K1, P1, K1, YO, K to last 8 sts, turn.
Row 18: K1, P1, K1, YO, K to last 9 sts, turn.
Row 20: Cast off 9 sts, K to end of row.

You can find a printable version of this pattern here: Free Dishcloth Patterns from sew-funky.blogspot.com.


random thoughts...

I just love my girls! At times they are hard work but I wouldn't give up raising them for the world!
Briahna & Aimee (Hope is out of eye shot)



In case you were wondering where Lianne got the pattern for the shoes I wrote about in the last post, she got them from the stardust shoes blog! Thanks for gifting them to me Lianne! :)

Some recent wee home made love...

Last week I posted about the retreat Jodz and I went on - if you head on over to her blog you can read her impressions of retreat. You can also see a photo of me there too - eeeeek!

We had a whole heap of fun and this is a photo of what I made for my sweet friend...

some yarn, a knitting needle roll, a starfish cloth and a cool teapot napkin ring

With my sister in the country, I couldn't resist giving my niece a little something...

some little shoes made by Lianne, a little baby star cloth and some neat soap
I picked up when I was on retreat last weekend.
I just love the way the baby star cloth can be folded into a heart shape - so cool...



And my sister had her birthday at the end of last month, and I made her some shoe bags for traveling and a little cloth. Happy Birthday Erica...

the dishcloth being blocked (is that the word?)
This cloth's edges love to curl up, so you won't be finding the pattern on the sew-funky blog and I won't be knitting it again. I am thinking of re-doing the pattern though.

the neat little shoe bags - I hope you liked them Erica! :)

D.

Wednesday 6 August 2008

My gorgeous little niece Ruby...

I got to meet the newest member of our family last night. Little Ruby is around 3 months old and very sweet! My sister and her hubby live in Western Australia and so we don't see each other often. They are in the country to show off their sweet daughter to family and friends living here in New Zealand. As you can see in the picture my youngest daughter was very taken with her new cousin.

Tuesday 5 August 2008

Another Op Shopping Expedition...

Yes, I did it again... :) This time I didn't go alone, Lianne came with me. It was a little strange going to all the old haunts with a new friend. I needn't have worried though - we had a blast! Look at all my finds...

A beautiful tablecloth, what workmanship, the detail is incredible!
I'll be using this one for "high tea". :)


5 beautiful doilies. I want to make some jug covers with
some of these by adding beads to the edge, thanks for the idea Jodz!

Yet more thread, cotton and some dog clips.
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