Marg Low Designs

Great Australian Craft Show Day 1

I call this my everyday stuff.

Bags with zips, drawstring bags, pincushions, quilt, journal covers, needle cases & postcards.

Click on the links to go shopping

Everyday Patterns

Everyday Kits

 

The pattern Sew Organised was released at the show.

I feel so more organised now I can see what's in my project pouches. I'm hoping it will keep me focused! The drawstring container looks so cute. I plan to make a few and have them on a shelf filled with those items I never seem to be able to find in the cupboard like my quilting clips.

Click on the links below to take you shopping.

Sew Organised Pattern $16

Sew Organised Kits $56

P&H extra.

 

Perhaps you love Christmas

Pictured:  Santa in his ski suit from the book All Things Christmas, Santa's on his way! in the hoop, Gift of Joy (stitchery in the frame), Christmas Gift Box,

Santa & The Advent Tree (standing Santa), Pudding Anyone? and Joy to All (free standing card with felt applique).

The quilt is called Coconut Ice remade in fresh colors for Christmas.

Click on the link below for

Christmas Kits

 

Little Birdie Quick Zipper Bag

You may be surprised to learn sewing and stitching sometimes doesn't even make it onto my daily to do list. Orders, cutting and preparing kits answering emails are the priorities before picking up a needle and thread.

So last Friday I could hardly contain my excitement when I sewed another Quick Zipper Bag, this one in gorgeous blues.

 

 

This is one of my favorite bags to make!

 

 

I love seeing how different fabrics and trims work together.

Sorry, no kits for the two on the right and I'm waiting for the navy zips to arrive to kit the one on the left.

Of all my kits, this is the one I have the most fun with. Because every combination is one I want to sew!

 

 

You'll find the pattern and kits here.

Little Birdie Quick Zipper Bag Kits

 

 

Garden Blooms

Life's  changed so much in the past few weeks, I haven't missed the hectic pace of preparing for AQC, which would be on now! I will miss seeing all the familiar faces and the girls who book into my Make & Take every year.  

The plan was to release the first pattern, Garden Blooms, from the Life's Pleasures Club at the show.

 

 

The felt appliqued bag is based on one I made myself a couple of years ago. You can read about it here.

I love the process of choosing the felt colours, cutting out the flowers and appliqueing them in place. The final step, embellishing the flowers is a real joy and a celebration of slow stitching. I stick with the basic stitches, colonial knots, fly stitch, daisy stitch and straight stitch. Then play around working different stitch combinations on each flower with Aurifil cotton and wool threads.

You don't have to wait for the next show, the pattern and kit are available online. Just click on the links.

Garden Blooms Pattern

Garden Blooms Kit

 

I hope you've been enjoying the Love & Hugs from Australia Stitch-a-Long.

If you missed out on downloading my Reggie Rabbit block you can download it here.

Download Marg Low Designs Love & Hugs from Australia

 

I have to keep reminding myself today's Friday as the days blend in to each other.

Have a lovely weekend doing whatever makes you happy!

 

new bag, journal cover....

There is one drawback to making new stuff - I'm reluctant to use it. I want to keep it pristine and then I tell myself don't be ridiculous, use it and enjoy it.

I didn't plan to coordinate the projects, I was simply enjoying the effect of the felt on the grey linen and varying the combination of threads and stitches.

 

This year's journal cover.

 

There was no sketching out the design it all took place on the fabric. The felt shapes were cut freehand.  I don’t always get it right first time, some don’t even resemble flowers, but those that do but are not the right style and size, are popped in a box for future projects.  I started stitching before I’d finished cutting, with one rule; once it was stitched it was staying even if I thought, later on, it may have been better positioned. This meant I had to get a little more creative with filling in spaces with extra flowers and a butterfly.

 

The dilly bag & needle keep.

 

I used a combination of DMC Stranded Thread, Aurifil Cotton Mako Ne 12 thread and Aurifil Wool Thread 12wt. The felt is a wool blend and lovely to work with.

 

 

The felt and linen is available from my online store. Just click on the links below.

Felt

Linen

 

 

some sewing

Trying is believing. The Aurifil 80 wt thread is beautiful to appliqué with. So beautiful, I was wishing I had more than three leaves to appliqué. 

I'm eager to start another appliqué project simply for the joy of using it again!

 

There's a feeling you get, a compulsion, to make something. Preferably something quick, so you get a nice little buzz from finishing it, and if you can cut it out while teas cooking and finish it soon after that makes it perfect.

It's a variation of the zipper bag from the Gift Tree pattern. It's to pop in my handbag, a safe spot for my jewellery when I'm out and need to take it off.

I honestly think choosing the fabrics took as long as it did to make it. The floral is still one of my favourite prints.

 

Looks like Christmas

This year I can't wait to start decorating for Christmas. Why, because this year I have these trees to put up. The tough decision will be deciding if I want them on the table so I see them every day, on the cupboard opposite my favourite chair or part of the display in my hallway.

I do love working with felt. It's easy to tweak the shapes, simple shapes can be cut freehand, so you don't have to fuss with templates and they can be attached with minimal stitching. The pattern is called Home for Christmas. It costs $16 plus postage.

 

For me, an important aspect of Christmas is making gifts. The simpler the better, since they're usually made at the last minute. I'm hoping to be better organised this year.

This pattern is called Gift Tree and costs $16 plus postage. It includes the three projects shown, a zipper bag, gift card and table mat.

 

The bag was very popular at the Christmas in July workshop at Avonleigh; lots were made, without the felt appliqué, in a variety of fabrics.

 

Sometimes my designs come about because of need and I needed a small quilt to fill a blank spot on a wall.

It's more an all year round design. This project involves needle turn appliqué and some simple piecing. And yes it does look nice hanging in the blank spot! The pattern is called Blackmore Cottage and costs $16 plus postage.

The fourth project is being kept under wraps for the

Linen & Threads 2017 Blue Mountains Patchwork & Quilting Retreat in October.

 

You can purchase the new patterns and lots more from my online store.

 

old is new again

Sometimes you just know what to make. This was the case when I opened the delivery box the other day and saw these fabrics. I knew I had to make my favourite bag.

It's simple, but that's how it should be as these fabrics are so gorgeous the design needs to be all about them! Started this morning and finished in time for lunch, it's the type of quick and easy project I love to make.

 

This close up shows a truer colour.

 Would you like to make one too?

A kit for the pattern & fabrics is $34.50 plus P&H

and can be purchased from my store.

something old, something new

Do you have a favourite pattern, one that you keep going back to and never seem to tire of? That's how it is with my Dilly Bag & Needle Keeper pattern.  

I couldn't decide what to make with this fabric.

Then I remembered the dilly bag and thought it would be perfect. I love making this set and know I'm not the only one after hearing the girls who made it in last year's Red Treasures club commenting on how much they enjoyed making it. Some have made more than one to use as gifts.

Would you like to make this set? You can find the pattern and kit here.

I've been working on something new - just a little thing.

Jan and Sue-Anne set me a challenge - I could only use four colours. It's been stitched with the Aurifil Cotton Mako Ne12 thread. Yes I am hooked on these threads.

something new for everyday

It was only when I pulled my sewing bag out in class that I realised it was looking a little worse for wear. Until then it still appeared (to me) as fresh as the day I made it. I actually felt a little embarassed. To me it's much loved but to others it probably looked a little, grubby. Made about two years ago, it goes everywhere with me and is used everyday. Any wonder it was looking a little tired and sad!

The only thing I could do was make a new one.

 
 I didn't intend to make a red one, it just happened!

It's always nice to see one of your patterns made in a different colour. Have a look Florence's blue version of Cherry Cream Squares.  It looks fantastic. I might even prefer it to the red.

How exciting, Joy has asked me to teach at The Material Girl. There's a two day Get Set for Christmas club and a day of Pretty Things. For more details go to Classes & Workshops 2011.

my easter break.......

A little bit of sewing, some gardening, a movie, sunshine and some much needed rain - how perfect is that?

After the scorching summer we've just experienced it's difficult to find anything to photograph. I find myself rejoicing in even the simplest of plants and flowers.  The lush new growth on the succulent and the divine perfume of the mock orange and rose remind me of why I love to garden.

And my little bit of sewing. It rained Saturday afternoon so I had the perfect excuse to make this. It's the only largish bag I seem to make. It's simple and quick (3 hours tops) and just right for showcasing a gorgeous print like this one. 

Now if you would like to make this bag the pattern is on special at AUD$10.00 (including P&H for local and overseas orders), but only for this month. Simply email me [email protected] with your order.

I do hope your Easter break has been as enjoyable as mine.