Workshops :: The Last Class

I'm not ready to write the

last hurrah post just yet

even though yesterdays workshop

was the very last workshop 

that will ever be held in the Studio

I was fortunate to share the day with a wonderful group 
of generous, hilarious, tea-swilling & cake-eating like-minded creative souls

l-r Ruth, Kate, Rennae and Nicole

Kate has been flat out organising her stall at a local fete

complete with homemade baked deliciousness
and gorgeous reversible Aprons

and if her cakes are as pefect as her Aprons
it'll be a huge success

***

Ruths pretty Rag Rug

 

came up a treat

and so will her newly designed series of Placemats.

***

Rennae has mastered the ability 

to read Japanese multi-patterns

which means the freshly conquered No.9 pant pattern
in the Drape Drape 2 Book
is a new favourite
and will no doubt be made a few times more




***
We've all done it
made matching outfits for loved ones

I once made an elaborate outfit for my 8yr old Eliza 
with a matching one for her Cabbage Patch doll

well now it's Nicoles turn

with two daughters in the family now
Nicole created sweet matching Christmas Frocks for them both

using a modified version of
the Liza Top pattern

***

At the moment I'm keeping myself too busy to think about what is happening

and I haven't seriously considered what my options are regards more workshops

there seems to be stages to this up-rooting-your-life-as-you-knew-it

and the next stage is organising a Garage Sale/Tea Party!

REinventing :: Shirt, Frock & Cardys

I've been waiting years

for metallic fabric garments 

to hit the op shops

and recently the waiting has begun to reap rewards

a Veronika Maine frock

  made entirely of metallic fabric 

and a Harry Who cotton button-up blouse

came home because of the quality

not because they were ever going to fit or suit me

and were filed

until I could work out how to make them work in my wardrobe

 

with a whole day away from house hunting

I squirreled myself in the Studio

the day before a workshop

and set about combining these-two into-one

after removing the bodice from the frock

I turned the blouse backward

re-cut the neckline

and removed the buttons & sleeves

creating a newly REfashioned bodice 

which fitted beautifully to the once-was-frock 

and finished just in time to wear

to the workshop the next day

teamed with a long cap sleeve t-shirt frock [underneath]

 and while I was in the zone

two of my cardys got treated to some REfashioning 

by having their respective lengths removed

  and replaced with some

bias binding

REinventing :: A Crochet Blanket

It started with colours 

too gorgeous to resist

at op shop prices 
too hard to walk away from

combined with a burning desire to create something 
other people do all the time 



my very own Granny Square Blanket
so I set myself up at the end of the couch
and at night [for nearly 2yrs -I'm a novice!] 
armed with bags, balls & cones of what I hoped was wool
I crocheted hundreds of squares
hand stitched them together
& threaded in the thousands of ends
before I decided I didn't like it 

turned out I enjoyed the process much more than I did the product 

it didn't take long to shake off the shock & disappointment of this realisation 
 when it dawned on me I could REinvent it! 

 after two cycles in the washing machine on the hottest setting  
she was felted 

some squares felted better than others
[it wasn't all wool] 



the felted squares were cut into square[ish] shapes

ready to join 
squares cut from an old green woolen blanket

the luscious green satin ribbon which bordered the blanket

 was salvaged

[just in case]

then on rainy days
and late into the night



the squares were united



by machine 
and by hand

with the satin ribbon frilled 
and added to either end



along with some homemade bias binding 
to cover exposed seams in the same fabric as the backing

 

when she was finished

with her wonky stitching 

and overall unevenness

I was delighted to discover

 I'd fallen in love

with the process as much as the product

and not surprisingly 
it turns out I'm a much better REinventor 
than a Crocheter...