Marg Low Designs

Flower Power

Love these, fun, bright coloured fabrics from the range Flower Power. They make me feel nostalgic!

 

 

I couldn't resist whipping up a quick project, the Everyday Dilly Bag, using the two prints my granddaughter picked as her favourites.

Flower Power sold here.

Everyday Dilly Bag Kit $21 plus P&H  here.

New Garden Blooms Kit

My Pop up Shop is open Saturday and I've been restocking the kits.

The fabrics I used in the Garden Blooms Kit are sold out and I've been on the lookout for substitute fabrics that would be just as lovely.

I thought the grey La Vie Boheme Linen would be ideal but at the time didn't have a background fabric for the applique.

 

 

The grey check is perfect and the felt colors work too!

 

 

Garden Blooms Kit $40

Normally $45.

Kit includes the pattern, fabrics, felts, ribbon, interfacing & cardboard.

Threads not included.

 

Pop up Shop

Saturday 1 October (what happened to September & August....!)

10.00 am - 1.00 pm

Mirambeena Community Centre,

Martha Mews, Lavington NSW

You're welcome to bring along your stitching!

 

Can't make it. You can always order online.

Please email me if you are ordering from overseas (outside Australia).

 

 

 

Spring Purse Love

Sometimes class preparation includes remaking the project.

 

My favourite step in this project is embellishing the flowers.

I use Aurifil 12wt Cotton Mako Thread which is equivalent to two strands of DMC Stranded Embroidery Thread or DMC Perle Thread 12wt.

 

You can see I kept the stitches simple, embellishing the flowers with  straight stitch and colonial knots. The leaves were left unadorned.

 

I made the second purse using the Songbook fabric.

The print inspired me to try different stitches and add more colour.

I used daisy stitch, running stitch and cross stitch on the flowers and a combination of back stitch and straight stitch on the leaves.

 

I hope this inspires you to grab your felts and threads and get stitching!

 

The Spring Purse Kit is $25

The kit includes the pattern, spring strip (1.5cm x 12cm), fabrics, felts,

iron-on-pellon and interfacing. Threads not included.

Did you know I stock felt pieces?

Find all the gorgeous colours here.

Spring Purse

My favourite fabrics, at the moment, are

Morning Light, Meander & Sanctuary.

Maybe it's because they're not my usual colours.

 

A few weeks ago I made myself a project pouch with a clear vinyl front. I love being able to see what's inside. At the time I thought about adding a few felt flowers but held off as I needed a super quick finish.

 

 

However the idea of combining the fabrics and simple felt flowers together into a project stayed with me.

It was only when I restocked the spring strips did the idea for a new purse occur to me.  It's such a great feeling when the idea, head and heart are all in synch; the making feels effortless.

 

 

I used a combination of DMC Stranded Embroidery Thread and Aurifil 12wt Cotton Mako Threads.

It was a delight to make and while I was thinking of using it to hold a few sewing things it's just the right size for a little tube of hand cream and bottle of hand sanitizer, a happy bonus!

It would make a lovely gift.

 

The Spring Purse pattern is $10

Pattern & Spring Strip $15

The Spring Purse Kit is $25

The kit includes the pattern, spring strip (1.5cm x 12cm), fabrics, felts, iron-on-pellon and interfacing. Threads not included.

 

 

 

Another slow stitching finish

It's been ages since I've had so much fun playing around with one design. I'd love to make one more but can't see myself finding the time between now and Christmas. There are a number of gifts to make and if I don't start soon......

 

 

Right from the beginning I wanted to stitch on the blue linen, it was a close call, but I chose the grey Artisan cloth instead. When I didn’t have the perfect print, I played around and pieced the back, which triggered ideas for future projects. Stitching on the grey first, meant by the time I started on the blue, the French General La Vie Boheme Linen had arrived, and it was perfect!   

 

The cutting directions for either the Red Work or Blue Purse are as follows:-

A  ¼ inch seam allowance is included in the cutting measurements.

 

• fabric to stitch on, one 5½ inch x 6½ inch piece
• a print fabric, one 9½ inch x 6½ inch piece (back) and two 2½ x 6½ inch pieces (side panels)
• lining fabric, two 9½ inch x 6½ inch pieces
• iron-on-pellon, one 5½ inch x 6½ inch piece (stitchery), one 9½ inch x 6½ inch piece (back) and two 2½ x 6½ inch pieces (side panels)

 

 You also need

• a 25cm nylon zip (I find it easier to use a longer zip and trim it to size)
• your favourite threads, and
• a glue pen.

 

To Start

• Fuse the iron-on-pellon to the corresponding pieces of fabric.

           The side panels are sewn to the stitchery piece after it’s stitched.

• Slow Stitch referring to the steps (Slow Stitching Free Pattern).
• Sew the side panels to the stitchery. Press the seams towards the panel piece (Red Work Purse) OR open (Blue Purse).
• Complete the purse following the steps in the How to Make a Zipper Purse video.

 

I hope you have as much fun making these purses as I have.

 

Happy Stitching

 

 

Set to Sew

I love this bag. I made it for me to use but never got the chance after deciding to release it as a pattern. 

I have one bag I use until I feel like a change or it's seen better days. It holds my scissors, needles, hera marker, glue pen and any other essential sewing related item. It makes it easy to grab my sewing things as they’re in the one spot.

The Needle Keep is the same as the one I first made over fifteen years ago, just updated. I find it’s really handy to have it looped around my scissors. I have a couple of favourite needles which are returned to the needle keep when I’m packing up. If one or both are missing, I know to go to looking. No more needles on the floor, slipped through the leg of my jeans or down the side the couch!

I'm smitten with folded hexies. They're easy to make and I like the three dimensional effect. Plus you can be as creative with them as you like.

If you'd like to make one for you click on a link below

Set to Sew pattern $16

Set to Sew Kit $45

The kit includes the pattern, materials, ribbon, felt, plastic press stud and light weight interfacing. Threads not included.

 

My Pop up shop is open tomorrow

Saturday 2 October

10am - 1pm

at Mirambeena Community Centre

Martha Mews, Lavington NSW

 

Happy New Year

Is there a cut off date when wishing Happy New Year is no longer appropriate? Is it after the first couple of days, week or two? I've never been sure. Since this is my first blog post for 2021 I'm hoping it's still permitted.

Many of you will know my first new year project is a diary cover. Every diary cover is unique, no two are the same design*.  A new year is all about starting afresh and for me nothing says that more than a new diary and cover.

 

 

The one thing I knew for certain, when tossing around ideas for this year's cover, I had to use the floral print (Shine On range). The colours are happy and fresh looking and I just love them. The stitchery doubles as a pen pocket; something I've used on my journal covers (A4) but not my diaries (A5). I'm very excited about this functional addition!

 

This was not the only sewing I managed to do.

No I didn't make the bag from scratch. It was started in 2018, with a failed attempt to finish it in the final days of 2020, rolling over to become my first completed Unfinished Project for 2021; and before you ask the fabric is no longer available.

 

Have a happy and safe 2021 with lots of finished projects!

 

*Last year my first post was in February, too late to post about my 2020 diary cover, how ironic!

 

my christmas stitching

I've been wanting to make a small shelf runner for so long now I don't remember when I first had the idea. I made a start a week ago and finished it on the weekend. It's my kind of project, firstly it required minimal thinking, it’s the weekend who wants to think! Secondly it was a chance to play with some of my favourite fabric scraps and thirdly make yo-yos with my trusty Clover Yo-yo maker. I admit a moment of worry when I couldn’t locate it and thought my plans would have to be abandoned, but it was just where you’d expect to find it, in a tin with yo-yos. Locating the right tin was the problem. 

 

And here it is finished.

It's so nice to have finally got around to making it. 

If you're thinking my yo-yos look perfect it's because I use a Clover yo-yo maker.

Without it they'd be all different sizes!

 

This was not the only project I ticked off. The Gift Tags are finished. 

I must confess when I wrote about them in my last post I half expected they'd still be a work in progress come Christmas Eve.  I'm so pleased and yes relieved they're ticked off and it's not even December.

 

It felt a little weird stitching one for myself but thought, why should I miss out?

 

  The pattern for the tag shown below has been released as a PDF pattern.

This means you won't have to wait for the post and can start stitching it this weekend.

Just click on the link below.

 

Festive Stitching - Gift Tag PDF Pattern

Price $6.50

 

Have a lovely weekend!

 

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.

 

 

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!