handprinted: a fabric swap lll

 i'm trying to be disciplined and not sign up for a lot of time sapping swaps at the moment but this is one that is difficult to resist.

 handprinted:a fabric swap lll is organised by the lovely and talented leslie and she gets a whole bunch of people involved. i actually did resist last year, but apparently the same resolve couldn't be expected 2 years running.

the aim of the swap is to print an fq of fabric in any printing medium you like.

rather than just printing up one of my designs i do like to produce something original for this.

 obviously just printing up one of my designs would be a lot easier and quicker but where's the creative fun in that?!

i had been thinking about what i would do for a while.

actually translate that to "i had been thinking that i really must get on with this as the deadline is approaching.

to be honest until i sat down yesterday i really wasn't sure what i would be doing but apparently i'd be cutting stacking bowls out of a stencil and apparently i would be grabbing some designated fqs and apparently i would be printing them up in 2 colours.

this does sound like a rushed job, but i guess when inspiration arrives, you just go with it. no messing.

i hope the 4 members of my group jennifer, yasmine, ciana and ruth (it's not a secret swap, they all know) will like their pieces and i'm sitting excitedly awaiting to see what wonders i receive from them.

new skills...

 a few weeks ago i bought a new toy and after a shaky start of the wrong foot being sent i finally had a spare 5 minutes to try it out yesterday.

 me being me i jumped right on in. no trying it out on fabric to see how this would actually work.

oh no, not me, i just grabbed the nearest block hanging on my wall and set to try.

if it worked great, if it didn't, well, it wouldn't be the first time.

 i knew exactly the design i wanted to try.

i'd made this sashiko cushion a while ago. i just love the stitch and thought it would work quite well on the x+ block. i actually had this quilting design in mind for my scrappytripalong quilt and so i thought this would be a good place to try it out. see...not all blind thoughtless jumping in. there is occasionally method to my madness...occasionally.

ok so it may be a little wonky and uneven but for a first attempt, not bloody bad at all! it is actually easier than quilting with a regular foot where i seem to ruche up the back no matter how careful i am at basting.

i am really pleased with how this little block has turned out and now just a teensy bit excited to quilt the scrappytrip along.

new toys, new skills...even more sewing fun!

after the screens comes the printing...

 So yesterday was all about preparing the screens with the designs and today was all about the printing and sewing....

and for those that follow me all over the internet will already have had a look at these...

not to mention my happiness with how they've turned out.

 I have been carrying both these adaptations of the originals around in my head for some time and it is always quite scary seeing if what is in your head translates as you imagine. Do you know what I mean?

On this occasion they have surpassed my expectations and I feel quite in awe of how they have turned out. 

I printed the Euros first and was quite blown away with how they looked and had to sew a pouch up immediately just to check that it was as good as I'd hoped!

Then came the Giant Triangles and quite frankly I can't put into words how I feel about this!

I really hope you are as enthusiastic about them as I am. Please tell me you are and it's not just me getting carried away from the paint fumes...

and if you are you can find the start of them listed in my shop...more to be added in due course, but do give me a shout if you don't see the colour you were hoping for...

and thank you for allow me to indulge my enthusiasm for them...not very modest of me really.

 Why is it so easy to get distracted?

Or is it just me?

I have got on really well in The List stakes this week and so sub-consciously I must have told myself I could have a bit of a play today.

Not that I had anywhere near ticked everything off, you understand...and had only just ticked off all the Must Do's ...

(I cheated a little...moved some off...shhhh) 

 Anywaaaaaays...I had worked really hard this week and definitely deserved a little play with fabrics. 

I was cutting up my fabric for the Addicted to Text - UK Charm Swap (organised by the lovely Charlotte...more on that another day) really enjoying the therapeutic nature of it, when I had the random thought of making my own charm packs. Never one to let an idea pass without trying it out, I set to cut...

I think they look rather pretty...what do you reckon? 

And as I am not so superficial to know that looks aren't everything, they are pretty darn useful too...

Go check them out and if you want to make me feel less guilty about playing today when I should have been working, humour me and treat yourself to a set (particularly if you have you 10% off...)...then I'll feel like really it was useful work.

bribery time...

I would really appreciate your opinion...

I'll make it worth your while...

well you read the heading...Bribery Time.

As you know I have been working on my screen printing range for this Autumn/Winter and have developed the 2 colour-ways - Utility above and Frozen Berries below and within that Triangle Mania and Scruffy Daisy.

I have 3 big fairs coming up and so need a lot of stock and obviously I want the right stock for my customers as all the fairs will be a "see it and buy it now" kinda affair, rather than the ordering kinda scenario.

So the question is, what would you choose? If you could pick any 3 items that you are drawn to, either for yourself or thinking ahead as Christmas gifts what digs it for you? Is there a particular pattern? A certain colour? A favourite pouch? I really would greatly appreciate your thoughts on this, my little in house market research buddies.

 So what's in it for you, I hear you ask? Obviously I know you aren't that kind of person and you are happy to just help out I hear you cry, but everyone is entitled to a little reward and I insist.

So, two things. 

The first is if you leave me a comment with your thoughts I'll email you a code for 10% off your next order (so be sure to link to an email address).

Secondly I'll enter you into a draw to win a little selection of your suggestions. Ah, sneaky huh? Now you have to think about what you like, not just be random, because one of you is going to be lumbered with the said pieces.

Seriously though, I really appreciate the time you take in helping me with this.

Thank you! x

Giveaway open until Sunday evening (oh and talking of which, there's still time to enter my fab giveaway from M is for Make...go check it out if you haven't already entered.)

 This printing malarkey on white is such a breeze. I'm not sure why I didn't think of it earlier.

The only thing slowing me down at the moment is space for the fabric to dry.

I am on the lookout for something like this but they are so pricy that I just can't afford it right now.

 I definitely need a better system however as finding a solution in one area - printing in white - is now being hindered by another.

Maybe I should have a "drying rack pot"...

every time I sell fabric the earnings go into a pot to purchase my drying rack...shouldn't take too long!

...particularly when i am offering bundles of gorgeous colours like these at the bargain price of £20 a bundle! There's my Utility bundle at the top, followed by Frozen Berries and then Frozen Utility at the bottom - what happens when a little Berry mixes with Utility.

p.s. this wasn't supposed to turn into a sales pitch...I never know where my posts are going to end up when I start out...but if you are smitten please do head here to buy a bundle... ;-)