Creative Festival

I visited the Creative Festival on the weekend - I love seeing all the new fabrics and new ideas. Some great good quality flannels which I couldn't resist - 

I bought mine from Flare fabrics http://www.flarefabrics.ca/ which also has a great online shop and they don't charge for shipping! 
I also purchased more batiks that are already cut up ready to be sewn into coaster boxes.

Here is one of the batiks I purchased with a sample of the 2 layers I put inside the batiks. 

One of them is the stiffener and the other is a recycled felt which I add so that the thread sinks into the fabric sandwich a little. I hope you can see this on the green box.
I also bought some thread as I was running out in certain colour ways as I do use so much in each piece. So far I have bought from http://www.wonderfil.net/ as so far I have liked their threads and they are Canadian. Here are some of my purchases from Friday.

Thank you Jason for reminding me that I should crop my photos and thanks to Roz and Geri for suggesting a light box - I have now downloaded a how to and will attempt to make one and hope my photography will improve. Also have to take in my camera as the right hand side of all my photos seems a little out of focus.

Getting Started

So I haven't worked out yet how to create a website using html and CSS so thought I would start a blog instead! This way I can post photos of what I have created so far and sample pieces as well.

Fabric vase and reversible bowl

These two pieces I made for a girlfriend using Austrailian and Asian fabrics as she had just come back from competing in Austrailia - I also loved all the fabrics, the graphic quality of the writing in the asian fabric and the aboriginal symbols in the Aussie one. I use 2 layers of fabric and in between a heavyweight stabilizer. Trouble is that everytime I go to buy more it is never the same weight or quality. I would also love to find a fabric stiffener/stabilizer  that is made from recycled polyester - cant see why that isnt possible as I can buy felt that is made from recycled poly. I also make cuffs using layers of fabric and miles of stitching. I sell them for $35 to $40.

 Machine Embroidered cuffs

The cuffs are made the same way as the vases and I often add wire in the edges so that they can be manipulated. I also add buttonholes so there are more options on how to wear them. Takes me ages to find and decide on the buttons - fun too though. I apologize for the quality of the photos - the light isnt good today so will have to have another go when the sun comes out again. Next post I will show some photos of my new vases and a few of the quilts I have made.