Good golly

At this stage there is only 1 more golly to cut out and applique. These are all made, and now to stitch them down. 

The musical background was too harsh, so I used the reverse of the fabric. This softens it somewhat, although now the treble clefs etc are in reverse.

Still, it's for a newborn baby. My niece or nephew is expected in March.

I really must stitch down, paint face details and organise quilting. (Yes please Mum!!)

P.S. pattern by Lil Blokes

Sneaky Peek

With my sister's second bub due in March, I thought I had better get a big start on her baby's quilt.

11 of 14 gollies are assembled.

The centre charms are all cut out and joined. The music background is ready to be used (in reverse, so that the pattern is more subtle, although this will put the treble clefs backwards, but ah well...)

And I would love to have the little quilt top assembled tomorrow, ready to stitch the gollies down.

This quilt design by Lil Blokes measures about 60cm x 70cm. This is about the size baby quilt I made for my sister's first baby, and she said it was the perfect size. It certainly turned up in a LOT of baby photos. That's it then. Sorted. I would say the little quilt top is about half finished. YES!

A little play....

I really enjoy making little projects that are started and finished in a day.  These are little gift bags. I love the fabrics for Easter, Mother's Day, birthdays....

After they have been filled with tea, or soap, or chocolates or a gift voucher, the little padded bags are gorgeous for makeup, passport and tickets, money, kids toys.. . or whatever!

Three more here... woohooo....

And

a twinkly mug bag... made in glittery fairy frost fabric... this has been posted to a friend for an online handmade collaboration.

 Can you guess what is going to happen to it? Can you see the background? Ooh... I am looking forward to showing you the completed trio of products.

Dobby The Third

I have so enjoyed making appliques, that here is  Dobby The Third cushion.

I love the way the individual batik fabrics create slightly different looks between each caricature of the Elf. In true home made fashion, no hand created piece looks the same!

The outer border has been made in a glittery fairy frost fabric to match the finger snap indicating magic. The original border fabric I used was a licensed Harry Potter digital print, and it is no longer available in Australia. I found it in the U.S. But by the time the dollar is converted and shipping is added, it would be $40 Australian per yard. (yard!!)

And so, I am saving the tiny skerricks I have left of that gorgeous print for my own future projects. I suspect the shreds I have left will be those tiny pieces that don't get used for a long time as they are saved for something special. Hmm... what to do....

Little gypsy quilt

Hello everyone.

Here is a sneak peek at a quilt top I have been making from Tula Pink fabric with rose applique in the borders. It will only measure about a metre square, but that size quilt can still add so much colour and fun to a space!

It's gone to Mum (Deep Creek Quilting) for professional machine quilting.

Hello tiger face!

I just love the gypsy colours and bright freshness.

Zipper bags

Hello everyone,

I've been making lots of these bags.

 They are one of my favourite things to make.

 I get to enjoy the tactile sensation of creating the three dimensional fabric, then popping in zips.

My son has lots of little toy sets that he likes to keep together, such as a teaset, or blocks, or a little pushcar set. I can't have enough little zipper bags!

 And of course I love the fabrics. Different fabrics allow him to easily identify what's in the bag without seeing it.

Hedwig

I have so many new finished items to share with you, as I have been very busy behind the scenes.

This is the second Hedwig cushion I have made. I think on the first one, Hedwig was a different size.

And of course other differences between individual artistic pieces come about because I have freemotion embroidered the details in the feathers.

Hedwig is appliqued in a pearly fairy frost fabric, then feather details are embellished.

This cushion will be part of a handmade collaboration with a candle maker and polymer clay artist. I will share pictures of the trio closer to the release date in March.

I adore the licensed fabric in the borders.

Have a great day.
Rainey x

Magickal House Elf

Hello everyone,

This is the second Dobby cushion I have made. I used the same fabrics, but the variations in the hand dyes and my hand guided machine embroidery mean that they are quite different.

I've also added a bit of shading to Dobby's face, which adds more depth.

This second one also looks a bit less angry than the first one.

I absolutely love this cushion, and so does his new owner. It's a custom piece. I have another one to make for an upcoming collaboration in the Harry Potter theme. I hope to share photos of the themed trio closer to the release date in March.

I need to get hold of some more licensed print fabric as I have SOO many ideas for this series of cushions, and maybe a quilt or two.

Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Rainey x

Zen Den cushion

Zen Den is the name I have given to this cushion. A soft green batik background with relaxing green stone borer, and the Buddha's face is appliqued from a pearly coloured fairy frost fabric.

I have then hand guided free motion machine embroidery to create the Buddha's face.

 This is going to be part of a collaboration to form a set.

An essential oils box, the relaxing cushion, and some handmade soaps in the shape of Buddha and crystals.

I hope to post photos of the sets when they are completed in March.

Sparkle

Well, hello! I've already missed a few days and will have to back-post what I've been making!

But today I started and finished two things. Which is in itself amazing. Usually it takes more than one day to make something, even something small-ish, as I am right in sync with one part of the making e.g. the machine applique, and not really in the mood to finish it into a cushion. Or vice versa.

This results in some days with heaps of finished items to show and others with progress pics.

First I embellished this hand towel with some satin.

 It is so luxurious, the hand towel cost more than any of my regular full sized towels!

 I thought it would be beautiful for a guest hand towel, or

 to make every day magickal in a personal ensuite.

 Nobody wants the kids wiping goo on their special hand towel!

Then I made this, very special Uni-cushion.

I named her Sparkle.

 The body is made from fairy frost glitter, and this is repeated in the border. The mane, tail, hooves and horn are also made from fairy frosts, then free motion embroidered with feathers adornments in the mane and tail.

I adore these projects at the moment, and they sell better for me than quilts, for which I need to charge more money for time and materials.

Have a sparkly day.
<3 p="" rainey="">

The rainbow butterfly

Hello everyone,

This next cushion - the rainbow butterfly is for an upcoming collaboration in March. The theme for the three items is rainbow butterfly.

I will post pictures of the finished trio probably in about a month or so. Why have I made it so early? Because silly me, I am trying to make about 17 items for that week, and need to start now or they will not be made in time.

I am very grateful for the collaboration groups, because the inspiration coming to me is superb. When the stimulus just works, the results are fantastic.

 I know that I will be making at least another 2 of these after the collaboration event, just because they are so gorgeous. Perfect for a little girls' room. I love the contrast of the black with the bright batiks.

Thanks for stopping by. xo

Pegasus

Hello everyone, Today I am sharing a stunning uni-cushion completed for a custom order. 

 I adore the cloud fabric with rainbows, and only have enough of it for one more cushion.

 I bought the fabric at one of my local quilt shops, but it's very pricey there, and they sell that particular fabric for $32 per metre. Needless to say, I don't buy much there, if I can get it elsewhere.

 The body is made from fairy frost fabrics, the wings are made from Shimmer.

I put it onto my facebook page Sew Rainey Sew , and immediately had requests for 2 more the same. Who would've thought? I made one very similar last year and it didn't sell for ages. You just can't tell what will go and when... and I think the colours really make it special.

Beary Nice and a little bit Corny

Hello everyone,

I totally enjoyed making this teddybear cushion using patterns from Lil Blokes in Bendigo,Victoria. I ordered the pattern and some fabrics and some pencils from Lynn, and she sent me instructions on how to make the faces.

I adored making them, and I love the way the faces came up looking 3 dimensional.

Looking at the cushion overall afterwards, I would say these "country" themed colours are not as popular as purple, pink and teal at the moment.

And this cushion probably seems quite dull in comparison to others I have been working on.

Saying that, I just mean that it doesn't appeal to everyone, but then what does? Although it hasn't found a home yet, I am sure that it will in the near future.

I also bought a golly pattern from Lil Blokes as my sister is expecting her second bub in March, and I have some stitching to do! Looking forward to showing and telling when I get that started (but first to finish the Toy Story quilt for my other nephew!)

Oh! And here is an update on a custom uni-quilt. Chosen in fairy frost glitter pink background, this is what I have done so far.

Next, free motion embroidery details on the unicorn, and then it's off for quilting.

Confessions of a Sewing Addict

I have a confession to make.

I have been very busy making and creating, and selling! So busy that I haven't kept up with my blog since last August. And so, I will endeavour to go back to fill in some information so that this record of my creations will not be lost.

Just last night I made these two tarot card/oracle card bags.

Wolf Spirit Animal, with some beading, sequins and moon charm.

As usual, the photos just don't do the finished piece justice. The colours are gorgeous. It was the fabric that inspired me of course, and it was just a fat quarter with a few animals on it, all hodge podge.

Raccoons Spirit Animal, with some beading, sequins and mini dream catcher.

I am enjoying the creating, and enjoying the influx to my stash. A little bit of income is always useful as a topper upper. My sweetheart says that I don't sew to make money, I sell to add to my stash. And of course he is right!

 I love the way these little guys seem to be starting at the butterfly, or the dream catcher.

Until next time, which hopefully won't be so far away.
Rainey x

Oracle and Tarot Card Bags

This is the first bag made with a gorgeous sliver of a fabric that looks to be Canadian inspired. It's not even a fat quarter, just a sample from the travelling sales rep's cards.... and I am going to enjoy using every piece of it.

This is Bear Spirit Animal, as a tarot bag/oracle cards bag.

I've added a few sequins and beads. The fabric is more divine than you can see. And this little bub is on it's way to it's forever home already.

And this is another oracle cards bag that has been knocking to be made for some time. It's for an Angel lover, and features a fairy frost fabric bag (shimmers like angels wings), with 3D handmade flowers, embroidery and angel wing charms.

I wonder what Spirit will inspire me to make next?

Also on it's way to it's forever home, with 2 other special bags.

What a blessing it is to create, and bring joy to others!