Marg Low Designs

flea market mix

I've been playing with these gorgeous fabrics from the Flea Market Mix range by Cathe Holden.

 

I'm having the most fun with the Floral Trade Cards, making a sachet filled with lavender and a tag to tie on a gift.

 

The Parchment Ephemera Flat Lay Fabric is a close second.

All the prints are divine and the question was, should I use it as a whole piece or fussy cut individual prints and applique or piece them onto????  I opted for a whole piece and worked running stitch and random cross stitches around the prints.

 

The only thinking I did was choosing a thread color to stitch around the prints. It doesn't get much easier than that. When the fabric is as interesting and beautiful as this, minimal embellishment is all that's needed.

 

And what was I making.

A new bag for my scissors.

In hindsight the old one should have been replaced ages ago, but I was emotionally attached to it, remembering why I picked the fabrics and what I was doing when I made it. Perhaps I've just been waiting for the right piece of fabric to come along.

 

 

slow christmas decorating

Last year I had the luxury of a little slow Christmas decorating. It's when I wander around the house with a decoration in hand trialing it here or there until I'm happy. Sometimes if the right spot proves elusive it's returned to the box and I think 'next year'. 

So there I was walking around with the heart stocking in hand when I decided to hang it from the door knob of the spare bedroom. Why I've never tried it in that spot before is a mystery to me and it wouldn't have happened if I'd been rushing.  The stocking went from looking nice to gorgeous with the addition of a piece of Christmas greenery I happened to buy a couple of weeks earlier for no other reason than I liked it.  Just thinking about this happy coincidence still makes me smile!

 

 

I loved the fabrics when I made the samples in 2006 and still love them today.

 

However I couldn't stop thinking about remaking a set in more traditional colors and picked out these fabrics.

 

 

Please don't ask me to pick a favorite. I love both sets.

 

 

The pattern is called Vintage Christmas Stockings and is sold here.

A kit for the red/white & green stockings is sold here.

The fabrics in the original sample are long gone, after all they were made 14 years ago.

before it comes down

 

Here are some pics of the last display I set up for The Great Australian Craft Show.

Pictured, Garden Angel the felt decorations embellished with a gorgeous hand painted Angel button by Barb of Theodora Cleave. Jolly Santa, the heart decoration with another of Barb's whimsical Santas. Gift Tree, the free standing card with felt tree and Gift of Joy, the tag.

 

I love this grouping and try not to repeat the same samples together but it's hard not too when they work so well together.

I now have kits for the Petite Pincushion here.

Pretty as a Daisy, a sweet bookmark here.

Garden Blooms, felt appliqued Dilly Bag with Needle Case & Scissor Fob Pattern here or Kit here.

Postcard - Birdie - journal cover here.

Sew Bliss, the grey stitched box Pattern here or Kit here.

 

I loved making Hearts & Berries and didn't need any prompting to make another sample, stitching the bird in blue.

The Hearts & Berries pattern includes instructions for both the heart decoration and drawstring bag. You'll find the pattern here and a kit here. The fabric in both samples is sold out. I've substituted a sweet print with a dash of blue that's perfectly suited to stitching the bird in blue or red.

 

I could leave it up for the next show, but I prefer to pack it down and start again with a blank canvas.

Until next time!