Fabric of the week - Queen Anne's Lace

What is it about this series of prints? Jane Sassaman's Prarie Gothic collection is everywhere you look and should therefore be totally not cool, but somehow it still holds my interest.

This particular print, Queen Anne's Lace, reminds me of the scene in Silence of the Lambs when you first see Buffalo Bill's basement moth breeding operation - kinda foreboding and ominous with a quiet flapping of wings making the hair on your arms stand on end.

Maybe that's the appeal? Usually quilting fabrics are described as 'pretty', 'modern' and 'bright', not creepy and dark and associated with serial killers. Who cares, I just love it. So far I have only made a little dress but have half a yard still to play with...

Hola! Mi nombre es Carlos!

Carlos has arrived! Check out the shop to learn more about his antisocial personality disorder.

Hope everyone had a lovely Valentines Day - I scored a lovely silver snake bracelet from my hubby but only because he felt he had to buy me something because he was buying our 3 week old daughter Holly a sweet little butterfly bangle. He reckons V day is a bit of a crock invented by Hallmark and he tells me he loves me every day so why should he just celebrate 'us' on the 14th February and blah blah blah rant rant rant.

Anyway, my effort involved a mildly amusing poem about how we really don't get along and mostly can't stand the sight of each other, and a Moroccan chicken tagine which ended up a bit apricot-chickeny (didn't have any dates so I used prunes and dried apricots) but was still pretty damn good.

The next bunny... dismembered

Here's a sneak peek at the next fang bunny before I put his pieces together... can you guess what he'll look like when he's done? Neither can I, I'm just winging it!

Fabric of the week - Lady Yang

I am loving this... Alexander Henry's 'Lady Yang'. It is out of print now, so yes, I am a bit slow, but I can't bear to cut into the little fat quarter that keeps working its way to the top of my fabric stash bag.

Any thoughts as to what I can create with it that results in the smallest possible amount of offcuts? I don't want to waste any of it!

My little surprise has been blogged by the Toy Society :)

Click on this link if you're interested...

The Toy Society: Drop #938

My first Toy Society drop

I can't remember how I stumbled across The Toy Society, but after reading their blog I was immediately inspired and motivated to make my own little toy to leave for an unsuspecting child to discover. What a bloody beautiful concept - spreading love through handmade toys, surreptitiously left in public places for others to find.

I wanted to have a go myself so started off with something small - one of my giraffe baby rattles. I left him in a local park (however I would have preferred to take the toy home and leave my son there on this particular morning; you will note the small cranky boy in the background having a tantrum because I didn't pack the correct assortment of snacks. Shame on me.).

Fingers crossed that my toy is found! I'll be keeping a keen eye on The Toy Society's blog.

RAWRR! Fang bunny wants brains

Well this little guy, Elroy I have named him, turned out ok for my first attempt at sewing 'sans pattern'. He is an original plushie that I made by chopping up some lovely magenta Joel Dewberry fabric, and I think he looks pretty good!

Will there be more of Elroy's relatives popping up in the store soon? You bet!

Although... I'm kinda hoping he won't sell as he is the perfect replacement for my much loved Jeero Ugly Doll. Jeero was unfortunately left tangled in a hospital sheet a few weeks back in the post natal ward at Blacktown Hospital following the birth of my beautiful baby girl Holly Raine. Hopefully Jeero has found a nice new home - I miss his cushiony softness! :(