.New Citrus pOp - BRACELETS.

I've been Citrus pOp-ing again (read: procrastinating!!)

Remember...Citrus pOp is what I do when I should be doing more important stuff like pattern writing, house work, church lessons, etc.  Citrus pOp is a great distraction, it's pretty, colourful and fun and I end up with delightful jewellery to wear.

Well, it's not all for me...this week I've been making up some bracelets to add to the Citrus pOp collection.  And I really like... A LOT!

These little babies are my trial run - just a handful to see if anyone is interested in them.  They are all one-hit-wonders - so if you like something, snap it up now because I most likely won't be making one the same.  They are all for sale in my Madeit and Etsy stores now :)

Citrus pOp Floral Charm Bracelets

Find Floral Charm Bracelets on Etsy and on Madeit

  

Citrus pOp Cuff Bracelets

Find Cuff Bracelets on Etsy and on Madeit

And because I'm all about sneak peaks at the moment, I'm SO happy with my new Citrus pOp creations...they are pretty and feminine and make me smile every time I walk by them.  But they aren't finished yet, so you'll have to wait a little bit for the finished product :)

.A sneaky.

A new pattern is on it's way folks!  Just waiting on feedback from my trusty testers and all will be revealed next week...

This morning Lil and I ventured to the beach to take some photos for the cover.  I would love to take a week out of my life to learn how to use my camera and edit photos properly, but at the moment I'm just fumbling my way along!  Usually I'll call on a photographer (i.e. someone with skills) to take the shots for me, but we were short on time and I need to push myself so it was just Lil and I today.

So here is a little sneaky of what is to come.  It is SUPER CUTE, if I do say so myself.

P.S. You might recognise the fabric from Saffron's new Magical Lands range - her best range ever as far as I am concerned.
And a little bit of gorgeous ribbon from the coolest ribbon shop around, Ribbons Galore. 
And that is all I will say about the new pattern 'till next week :)

.March Cool Shops! CHASING COTTONS.

If you're into quilting (or want to be into quilting) then you are going to love my next Cool Shop, Chasing Cottons...

 

Chasing Cottons is a line of quilt designs created by Rebecca - an Aussie Mum from New South Wales.  I first met Bec at Australian Quilt Market in November last year.  She is the most beautiful person, inside and her love of sewing and quilting is evident in the passion and excitement she shares with everything she creates.

Chasing Cottons quilt patterns are beautifully presented with tons of diagrams and easy-to-read instructions.  They feature a lot of traditional quilting techniques which have been given a modern edge and are suitable for sewers of all skill levels.

If you follow a lot of sewing blogs, you may recognise Bec's Sand Castle Quilt pattern.  I love, love, love this quilt!  Such a cool block design and I know that many little girls would happily fall asleep under the royal design.

If I saw a picture of this Curlicue Crush quilt, I would immediately put it in the "too hard" basket with all of those curves - but Bec swears that it is super easy - and I believe her!  This pattern reminds me of Christmas decorations and would make a beautiful Christmas quilt.

Eden's Garden is Bec's newest design, it is fully machine pieced and a lovely way to showcase your favourite fabric collection.

Chasing Cottons quilt patterns are avaliable as immediate download patterns from Bec's shop.  Hard copies of the patterns are also avaliable at these stockists.

And if you are looking at all of these patterns thinking they are lovely but you don't know how to quilt...then look no further!  Starting next month Chasing Cottons is going to be hosting Quilt Class 101.  A massive 12 weeks+ of FREE online quilting classes, teaching us all how to make a quilt from beginning to end.  It looks like Quilt Class 101 is going to be huge - with heaps of guest presenters, sponsors, freebies, and plenty of tutorials, tips and tricks.  If you want to learn how to make a quilt then stay tuned!  You can read more about Quilt Class 101 on Bec's blog here.  I'm really looking forward to it, what an easy way to learn how to quilt with tons of instructions and tutorials in the one place.

And how about a pattern or two to use during Quilt Class 101?  Chasing Cottons is kindly giving away 2 patterns of your choice to 3 lucky winners!  Leave a comment to be in the running, winners will be drawn by random and give away will end on Sunday 20th March.  

Important Chasing Cottons Links

Blog

Shop

Tutorials

.Get some knits!.

It seems that many people are starting to venture into the world of knits...especially when it comes to sewing clothing.  They truly are so versatile - they don't fray, there is no need to iron after every wash, and VERY forgiving to work with.

It also seems that many people are finding it very difficult to locate good quality knits to sew with.  Lisa from Crafty Mamas sent me a selection of lovely knits to use.  I wish you could feel them - they are super soft and have a great thickness to them.  I can't wait to cut into them...the grey is an Aussie made STELLA knit - destined to become a Coastal Breeze dress for myself.  I think I'll omit a contrast band and keep it all plain.  Then I can dress it up with a belt and necklace.  I did want to have this sewn for summer, but being grey, I can easily pop a cardi over the top or a long-sleeved top underneath, wear a pair of boots and still be toasty.  Not sure what I'll do with the prints yet, they are both made by STENZO - I think a lovely pair of winter Sweet Dreams PJs would be really cosy in knit though, don't you?

Lisa has HEAPS of awesome knits in her store to choose from - no more complaining about lack of choice!  Crafty Mamas also stocks a big range of other fabrics, ribbons, trims, patterns, sewing books and more - well worth a shop!

And shop you should...Crafty Mamas is offering Make It Perfect readers a special free habby gift with every order placed between now and Friday 18th March - mention "Perfect Knits" in your order comment and you'll end up with a cool bonus!

I'll be sure to share my finished sewing projects when they are done - happy sewing!

.Finished Uptown Girl.

I'm cranking out the unfinished projects this week!  Unlike most crafters, I try to finish a project before starting on the next one.  Quilts are my only exception as I like them to take a little longer, but I am VERY strict and make sure I don't start anything new without  completing the old.

I've been working on a new pattern over the last couple of weeks and have been finding it really difficult to get stuck into it with all of these half-finished bits and pieces lying around so I took some time out to quickly finish them up and the pattern designing is flowing much better now :)

Remember my Cool Shops! review with Quilt Fabric Delights?  Well I sewed up an Uptown Girl jacket for Lil using the lovely Riley Blake fabric Sarah sent to me:

I decided to go with a size 4 for the jacket - Lil turns 4 in August (winter) and I wanted the jacket to last at least 12 months.  Her last jacket is a size 2 (woah - how tiny was she!) and she can just squeeze into it but not very comfortably.  I love how the Uptown Girl jackets fit forever without looking too big or too small.  Great value for sewing time :)

This time around I padded the jacket with left over quilt wadding - I love the softness and warmth that it adds without being too bulky or puffy.  Plus, it's a great way to use up wadding left over from quilts!

I am really happy with the reverse side too - will be great to wear with a patterned skirt and gives the jacket a total different look.  As  we turned it inside out and put it back on Lil said..."Now I have a Little Red Riding-Hoody Jacket!"

Yes you do!

(P.S. Thanks Quilt Fabric Delights for the beautiful fabric!  Their shop has recently had a face-lift and looks fantastic!)

SUPPLIES:

Make It Perfect, Uptown Girl pattern 

Riley Blake, Love Birds, Love Bird Main in Pink

Riley Blake, Love Birds, Cheery Circles in Cranberry 

.Pink Quilt Finito!.

Right now I'm thinking that it is a very good thing I am in the clothing pattern industry and not the quilting pattern as this baby has taken me two years to finish!

It started as an idea to make the two big kids kinda matchy-matchy quilts...I decided that I'd go with the coin approach and finished Oscar's last year.  Then finally on the weekend Lil's got ticked off the list!

The light was low and these pics are a little off-colour.  (Also on my list is to learn how to edit photos better than I already do using iPhoto!)  But however the photos look, I'm super glad that I have these two finished. 

 

Just in time for the cold weather, she can have a brand new "big girls" quilt to snuggle under at night.  Although, at the moment it seems that our Autumn is bringing much warmer weather than our crazy Summer did so maybe Lil won't be needing it for awhile yet...we can only hope!

Next up on the quilting list...a new picnic blanket using my Dream On by Urban Chicks fabric, but I'm having great trouble settling on a pattern...any suggestions?

.March Cool Shops! THAT VINTAGE.

This morning I'm happy to be sharing a VERY Cool Shop! with you, That Vintage...

 

I first heard of That Vintage during the QLD Flood Appeal Auctions where Sophie (the creative gal behind That Vintage) drummed up a tremendous amount of money to donate to the Flood Appeal.  And I am not surprised that she did so well - her product is amazing!

Sophie is a fellow Tasmanian crafter and describes herself as a "bird-obsessive artist".  All of her jewellery and accessories are made from beautiful Tasmanian Myrtle timber.

Sophie surprised me with my review items and sent me a lovely pendant necklace and pair of earrings - they are SO special, I am in serious like with everything she makes!

I love the length of this Ornate Fleur Pendant Necklace, it sits beautifully and really adds lovely detail to any outfit.  The beauty about That Vintage products is that due to the combination of natural wood and delicate designs, they can easily be worn with a casual or more dressy outfit.

I was also sent a pair of Lace Earrings, featuring a delicate lace curve - they are seriously cute and light and comfortable to wear.  I know that I'm going to get lots of use out of them as they easily suit any occasion.

There is one thing I do not like about That Vintage...that there are SO many gorgeous products to choose from it is hard to make a decision!

From sweet Wooden Brooches...

...to dainty Wooden Earrings...

...stunning Wooden Pendants and Wooden Necklaces...

...to make-a-statement Wooden Rings, I have no doubt you will find many must-have items at That Vintage!

If you are a Tasmanian, or happen to be visiting in April, That Vintage will also be at the Niche Market in Launceston held on the 1st and 2nd April.  I haven't visited a Niche Market yet, but have heard great things about them and am looking forward to taking a look this time.

That Vintage is offering Make It Perfect readers 10% off all orders from their Etsy Store until 31st March.
(Use code "perfect10" during checkout.  Offer valid on Etsy store only until 31st March 2011.)

Important That Vintage Links:

Website

Etsy Store

Madeit Store

Blog

Facebook

.Big Slumber Party Jammies winner.

Oops!  Looks like I forgot to draw a winner for the Big Slumber Party Jammies pattern!!

Congrats to Melanie@The Crafty Cupboard!  I've sent you an email Melanie :)

And if you weren't lucky enough to win, but would like a copy - head over to my stockists page to find out where to buy!

.FREE AUSSIE POSTAGE SALE!.

I'm feeling friendly this morning - so on a whim, all Citrus pOp orders placed between the 7th and 13th March will enjoy free postage :)

So treat yourself or someone special and grab some pretties today - remember, Mother's Day is just around the corner...nothing like being organised!

(If you are paying by Paypal, I'll refund your postage amount once I receive payment.  For bank transfer payments, just deposit the product amount.)

Citrus pOp on Madeit
Citrus pOp on Etsy

Happy Monday :)

.BIG Slumber Party Jammies + NEW BOY FABRIC!.

Thanks for your lovely Slumber Party Jammies comments - glad to hear that many of you can start sewing for your older children now!

Just wanted to share a pair of size 10 jammies I made up as a tester...unfortunately I don't have a 10 year old model, so you'll just have to use your imagination!

The fabric that I used for the main part of the jammies was sent to me by Kathryn, an Aussie fabric distributor who has just released her first range of fabric - "Little Monsters".  After dealing with many fabric stores, Kathryn and her husband became more aware of the scarcity of decent prints to use for boys and decided to fill the gap themselves!

 

They have done a super job - the fabric is great...very boyish and not babyish at all, making it perfect for sewing for older kids.
Little Monsters comes in the two colourways shown below and I'm really looking forward to sewing more from it.

If you're wondering where you can purchase Little Monsters...a quick google search pointed me in the direction of these stores:
Fabric Fusion
Funky Fabric
The Oz Material Girls
Inspire Fabrics
Crafty Mamas


SUPPLIES:
Make It Perfect, Big Slumber Party Jammies pattern
Stepping Stones, Little Monsters, Monster Squares in Orange/Aqua
Monaluna, Mingle, Squares in Steel

.BIG Slumber Party Jammies.

As promised, I am slowly working my way through my patterns and adding extra size ranges for those of you who want to sew for bigger kids.
Now you can sew your Slumber Party Jammies for ages 6 years - 10 years!

 

Slumber Party Jammies are one of my favourite patterns to sew.  I love how quick and easy they are, yet still provide a quality finished product.  They are fast enough to sew up for a birthday gift for a child and a great way to use up that special novelty fabric.

Just a quick reminder about how up-sizing my patterns works...

The old/original Slumber Party Jammies pattern remains the same, but will now be called LITTLE Slumber Party Jammies - with sizes for 6 months-5 years.

The new pattern, BIG Slumber Party Jammies is EXACTLY the same design, only the size range for this pattern is 6-10 years.

You can find out fabric requirements for Big Slumber Party Jammies on the website. If you have a store and want to stock this or any other Make It Perfect patterns, contact Creative Abundance to place an order. 

If you would like to purchase a copy of Big Slumber Party Jammies for yourself, they should be popping up in retail stores very soon. Ask your favourite store to get one in for you!

I'm giving away a copy of Big Slumber Party Jammies to one lucky reader - leave a comment on this post to be in the running!
(Giveaway will close Sunday 6th March and winner will be drawn via a random number generator.)

.March Cool Shops! TIED WITH A RIBBON.

Welcome to our next Cool Shop! - Tied With A Ribbon...

If you are on the lookout for quality handmade fabric and felt gifts then this is the place for you! Tied With A Ribbon is full of fun and unique treasures - from hairclip hangers to DIY felt kits to pre-made felt decorations - all created by Jemima.

I'm loving the cute Owl Hairclip Hanger that Jemima sent to us to have a play with.  Lil and I have a lot of clips cluttering up one of the drawers in our bathroom and it is hard to find what we are looking for.  This hanger solves all of my problems!  Plus it looks funky housing all of our clips.  The hanger has been designed for the clips to sit on either side of the strip, but I quite like how they sit on the ribbon running down the center of the hanger - which is also handy for tying your hair ribbons to!

Jemima also kindly sent us one of her Bouncing Bunnies Felt Kits.  These are great and my first impression was that it would be the ideal gift for an older child who was interested in learning to sew.  The whole thing took me about 15 minutes to finish and is completely hand-sewn.  The Bunnies would also be great for an extra Easter gift or decoration.

Tied With A Ribbon has a range of great DIY Felt Kits which include pretty much everything you need to make your own.  Check out the Funny Frogs, Lovely Ladybirds and Gingerbread Men.

Some other great products avaliable from Tied With A Ribbon...

Felt Needlebook - great to house your sewing needles:

Tooth Fairy Pillow:

Easter Bunny Party Bags - wouldn't this be the best way to deliver your eggs:

Babushka Hairclip Hanger:

Tied With A Ribbon is offering Make It Perfect readers a special discount of 15% off all purchases from now until the 1st April.  Thanks Jemima!!
(Use code COOLSHOP15 during checkout.)

Important Tied With A Ribbon links:

Etsy Store

Blog

Facebook