...whats happened to me?

7 June 2007

...I'm a little unclear as to how it happened..... but I have had an old love resurface.....I'm not sure if I can blame this....or whether Ive been influenced by Janelles beautiful patchwork.... or whether maybe the cold weather has made me feel like a change... or maybe its just a normal cycle of life..... but what ever the reason I have felt a real urge to sew again.

I used to sew all the time..... it was my hobby and my passion.... I was never a patchworker.... (although I always admired it)...I loved making children's clothes (Go...the Top Kids magazines...my source of inspiration in those days)...and my own clothes for that matter.... I had cupboards full of material...patterns...and bits and pieces..... but what happened to it all?

Well.... I went back to work fulltime....the kids grew older and refused to wear handmade clothes anymore...so I guess it just dwindled.... and then we moved...I packed everything up 5 years ago...and I have never un-packed a lot of it. I have boxes sitting over in the shed covered in dust.... possibly holding some wonderful little treasures....

Then out of the blue...I felt like sewing...I had a million trillion scrapping projects to finish...but I wanted to play with fabric...so I pushed the scrapping into a pile at the back of my desk...and plonked the sewing machine where the cutting mat sits.....and I sewed..... my first little project was the red bag above...which I wanted to use for work..... I bought all the fabric new as I hadn't unpacked a box yet.....

...then I started daydreaming about what I could make next...what fabric do I have stored away....so I began a little search.... and unpacked a box or two...dug to the bottom of a drawer...and I came up with this little lot..... sadly I have a feeling I have discarded a lot of it....sniff sniff..


..then yesterday while at work...we had a little time in Waikerie on standby...so I popped into a opportunity shop for a browse...and was immediately drawn to this gorgeous little apron...50 cents and a couple of hours last night..later.... it became this toiletry bag....

... fully lined... cute as a button....all thanks to a pattern I found here on the Artsy Crafty Babe blog.

I'm now looking forward to my next little project....whatever it may be...

oh....and while I was hunting through a box in the shed in the freezing cold...by torchlight no less....with Ian muttering "hurry up"...."hurry up"...( because he wanted to get back inside too...because I had pleaded with him to walk me to the shed...'cos secretly I'm petrified of the dark)....I found a pile of these.... how amazing!!

...they are a little mountain of old patterns.... crocheting...tatting... sewing... embroidery ect... one dated back to 1890 something.... and quite a few others in the early 1900's ...what a fabulous find...and I just know I have other stuff tucked away....

Well that's about all of my excitement for today..... not much else happening that is blog worthy... I love love love my coffee machine.... I cant get enough of the smell of it...and the shhhhhkkk sound of milk frothing...Mmmmm.

...and as I was cleaning up today I took down the anniversary cards.... they make me happy....so I'm sharing...

.... have a great Thursday...Mardi x

18 comments

  1. Anonymous2:18 pm

    Wow Mardi there are lots of little treasures in your shed, what a great find.

    All your patterns and fabrics look very inviting, have fun and thanks for sharing :)

    PS: I've just updated my blog today if you wanted to have a read. Love from Susan (smiles1965) at Scrapboxx

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  2. Anonymous3:02 pm

    oh, love the bag- Im a bit the same with bags atm- just made one for chloe's birthday recently. and great idea for the apron it looks fantastic!
    Love your finds in the shed too- they would make great backgrounds on LO's!
    j
    ps- i bet i could beat you with my fabric stash after 11 yrs working btn Spotlight and LincraftLOL

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  3. Anonymous3:56 pm

    OH NO!
    We have lost you to the darkside!
    Take care Mardi ;) 'see' you soon.
    xxxx

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  4. Wowee Mardi - I am SOO proud of you. Isn't stitching FUN!!! You have made such beautiful things and how clever is the bag made from an apron. There is no stopping you. I can't wait to see what you create next - you are an inspiration.

    xx Janelle

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  5. Wow - you really are a girl of many talents Mardi!! Loving that pink bag and the one made from the apron is so clever! Can't wait to see what you come up with next....

    Have a great night!

    Sheree xx

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  6. LOVE the bags Mardi............just beautiful

    Take care
    Cherie xx

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  7. Great treasures Mardi. Love the funky bag.

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  8. Mardi that's fantastic that you have the sewing bug again! The new bags are gorgeous! You're quite the sewer! What a fantastic idea using the apron from the op shop!
    I have been sewing lately too. Maybe it's the weather. :) Nothing exciting this end - just clothes for Tassy.

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  9. Ohhh love the new-look blog Mardi - very nice!

    Aren't you a busy little beaver with all your stitching etc? Your bag looks great!

    Megan xx

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  10. You're a clever little chick aren't you? A woman of many talents :)
    Congrats on the Crafty matters DT and also the Kim Archer workshops too. You go girl :)

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  11. gosh those are gorgeous Mardi! I'm not a sewer but love checking out homemade things!
    Can't wait to see what you come up with next!

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  12. Cool bag Mardi!!! I am not so secretly petrified of the dark too....I hate hanging out the washing at night...never know what might POP out of the shadows LOL. Have great weekend, Tatum xx

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  13. Way to go Mardi! Look at you - you big stitching queen!!!! Oh TOP KIDS!!! I loved that magazine. I still have some old copies here actually. Loved it. I used to make a lot of clothes for Brandt too. Did you ever buy stuff from Lamington Lane. they had the BEST fabrics for kids and all done by mail order!!! Looking forward to seeing more of your stitching creations soon
    KIM

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  14. Mardi you are a woman of many talents, your bags are great, love that toilet bag, so we may see you selling on etsy soon??? Let me know I will be your first toot bag customer. LOL. Love the pics and layout of Brent and girlfriend what great photos they leave you. Happy creating and watch those things that go bump in the night, you are not alone on that subject.
    take care, Tracey.

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  15. Anonymous4:59 pm

    Mardi you're the genuine aussie Donna Downey! dabbling in lots of crafty things. Those bags look great.

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  16. LOL Mardi and Kim about Top Kids mags...i used to use those all the time...i even used to borrow them from the library...isnt it sad that the kids grow up and dont want to wear our creations any more...LOL...I am looking at my machine again for sewing..LOL
    I adore the bag mardi...its gorgeous

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  17. Anonymous8:02 pm

    How cool is that bag! And that toiletries bag! And what a FANTASTIC find with the old patterns and stuff!!!
    x

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  18. Anonymous11:59 am

    hmm, first time posting a comment on your blog, mardi. but i must thank you for the link to the artsy-crafty babe. i love it & i love your bags & your layouts too, especially the one you did with the beep beep kit (i am bias there...).

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