scraps of time, scraps of fabric

I've been spending precious moments in my "studio space" lately. Mostly to do online research and work (and yes, real work - not pinning and such!..... well, not much anyway).

I've gathered up some of the fabric scraps and pieces I have in my fabric boxes. All my hand screen printed organic fabrics. They are now in little bundles just ready to post off to your sewing machines, hand needles, or crafting spaces. Oh - golly. What would you make with these delicious scraps.

Lately I've been making lots of bits with my fabric scraps. Tiny purses and bags. My girl made a sweet little handbag for herself over the holidays, and my boy made the funkiest belt.

Isn't this the most beautiful sewing machine. I don't think she works. She doesn't belong to me, but I know my sister really won't mind me piling her up with fabric for a pretty photo or two. With that moment of afternoon sunshine gleaming in.

I've decided to start a little Studio Scrap Challenge. Are you up for it? Pop on over to purchase one of my scrap packs and start some making. The competition starts now, and runs until the end of August. There's a Red Seed Studio $50 gift voucher for the winner - we'll have a general voting so its all fair. What do you think?

a little making and doing

Right now I'm doing some making and planning -
:: zippered pouch purses using my new fabric print lacework/leafwork in deep teal. I like the gold metal zips I've been using. I hope to get these on the website later this week
:: more crochet - little bits here and there. Making happy little mountains and stacks of crochet goodness
:: organising the next handcrafted market at the Tweed Gallery, coming up in June
:: planning the agenda for the school P&C meeting tonight; my first meeting as the new president...
:: planning and organising and getting excited about a little popup crafty event I'm doing in town with some other local creatives. It's sure to be lots of messy fun!

The weather is cold and breezy, it seems that Autumn is here. It's sunny outside, which I am very thankful for - but I expect the rain will be back soon.

What are you doing today?

the blues, leafwork & a giveaway

Yesterday I mixed up a most delicious blue ink for some screen printing. Oh I do so love it. It dried just perfectly perfect. Don't you like it when things go just right like that.
I'm still deciding on a name for the colour - naming colours can be fun, but hard. I don't want to be all silly and 'arty', but fun and descriptive. Some paint names I see, on paint chips, are so silly don't you think! Tell me the best you've ever heard.

Some experimenting with the designs at the moment. Printing on the kitchen table, using an old sheet/blanket that I mum made for me an eon ago. I like using it, and remembering that she sewed it for me to take on my overseas journey. Now I use it for a new journey - and I'm adding good ink splotches to it too.

I thought I had a free week this week to do some fun exploring and work with fabric and ink and such, but suddenly, just today, it got busy. I'll try to slip in a spot of printing again - but not sure. I also have a sewing project that a friend asked me to do, that I need need need to get done.

Anyway - here's what came out from the screen yesterday. Some of it anyway. Some bits were mistakes, and they're the best bits. But I haven't photographed them yet. I'm trying to decide what to make with these pieces, they are smallish test bits, but I think I'll make some more of similar design in bigger sizes.
The best bit that came out of the screen yesterday was the doing of it - I haven't done any printing for a few months again now. So getting back into it was good good good.

I've decided to give away one of these pieces. It's about A4 size or so, maybe a bit bigger (it's not beside me right now, I'm at the town library - so I can't measure it). Tell me - what would you make with this piece of delicious organic cotton / hemp hand screenprinted goodness. Leave a comment to enter to win a piece. I'll draw sometime next week, maybe Monday morning.

{this is called 'lacework/leafwork', and I'm thinking of calling the ink colour smoked teal - you can't really tell in these images, but it's a deep blue almost like a cyanotype}.

{my creative space} Printing some new designs

On my two studio days this week (Sunday + Monday, when Sam has his days off work), I did some hand cut stencils and some test printing with them.

I had so much fun sitting in the quiet of my studio (no kids, only the chooks in the neighbour's yard making their little noises). Drawing, designing, hand cutting the stencils and then just exploring printing some new design ideas. 

Over the past few months, I've been so caught up in the designing of my fashion range, that I haven't really had time to stop and think of new projects. And with our studio+house+job move happening within weeks, there's lots of other stuff getting in the way of planning for next year's fashion, textile + homewares range. Lots of things are going on the back burner while we move and build our new house + studio space. 

So, it was just perfect for my mental wellbeing to do something for the now. Not for thinking about future designs, just for the next few weeks. I printed up a few tote bags (hemp + organic cotton) that I'll have at the Southbank Young Designer's Market next weekend. Actually, I won't be there, my lovely sister will be taking my place as I have a workshop to present. They'll also be at our little studio market day on 11th Dec, full details over here - we'd love to see you there!

I really like 'rainy cloud is pretty blue'.

Orange umbrella needs a little reworking; Ari suggested spots which I quite like the idea of. 

The trees are being done as a four colour print, which takes a lot of waiting for paint to dry, but I can't wait to see the final results. The blossoms haven't quite lined up on the branches as I planned, but the whole thing has been recut and will line up when I do the final print (perhaps tomorrow - if we get out of the house at all!).

These will all be limited edition designs and products (I'm thinking cushions for the grove of trees, though may change my mind when it comes to sewing them up!). Being a hand cut stencil they only has a limited amount of reprints. Of course, I'm sure I'll rework them at a later stage to become something else. The grove of trees has been in my sketch books (and mind) for quite a long time now, so you will see them again. 

More creatives over at Kootoyoo.

dandelion

The beautiful Megan from (my favourite childrens clothing) Blossom Child just posted the lovely images of her dandelion she printed at our workshop on Saturday.

Megan, Narelle and Kim came to the workshop with their designs ready to start, which gave them a headstart on most other people. It meant they had time to cut out those intricate designs really neatly, and get perfect results. 

I think this design would also look lovely on pillow cases + sheet sets. And t-shirts. Very simple and effective - the best sort of designs, don't you think?!

*image used with kind thanks to Megan.

Creative clouds and tea things....

This week's creative space has consisted of lots of screen printing and sewing. Market day tomorrow. Last minute rush again. But, actually, I love that - that's how I work. I do just wish that my mind would stop coming up with new ideas and designs that I.have.to.sew.right.now.
Not right now, mind. 24hrs before the market. Come on!!

These pics aren't the best. I'm hoping to bribe my brother-in-law to do a little photo shoot for us in the next few weeks. Until then, you have our clothesline and backyard, with trampoline legs included!

New tea towels for the Red Seed Studio {clothes}line. 100% linen and hand screen printed by myself + whichever offsider was there on the day {Sam + the kids, oh those kids are super helpful with screen printing. And also my sister Sylv}.
There's pears and pots and clouds.
And then of course some Cumulus Clutches + Handbags. And a few other little things too.... Come along and see for yourself.

For many more creative places and spaces check over at Kootoyoo.

Craft Hope for Haiti - book bag

 

This is a book bag that Sam and I made quite a few months ago. I haven't been able to show it to you before now, as it's actually a project in an upcoming crafting book. 

I was so honoured to be asked to contribute a project to the Craft Hope book. I'm not sure when it's due to be released, I think they're still in the last stages of writing. I'll let you know when I have a copy in my hands. There are many other amazing crafters who I'm so pleased to be bound up with in the pages of this fantastic book. 

This little bag was hand stencilled, onto organic cotton / hemp fabric. It's designed for children to use as a book / library bag, but really just makes a great bag for everyday needs. 

It is currently listed in the Craft Hope for Haiti Etsy shop - so pop on over and have a look. This is a one of a kind bag, and has been listed at a very reasonable price.

*photo used with thanks from Craft Hope (much better styled than my photos of the bag, as I was rushing it out the door to be posted all those months ago).