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.

 

 

finishes & starts

Finishes is how I ended 2017. Now before you start thinking, WOW Marg has no unfinished projects, this is not the case. I simply picked a couple of things I was keen to finish, could be finished and involved as little effort and thinking as possible; sewing the binding down on a couple of little quilts.

It felt great to finally finish the bottom two, as they were started years ago. Back then the plan was to hand quilt them both, but I realised this was not going to happen anytime soon, if ever! They were machine quilted by Rose of Pandora Quilting along with the top two I started here.

 

All thoughts turned to what I’d make in the New Year; a new Journal cover, dilly bag and needle keep. I really thought I’d start stitching New Years day, but couldn’t decide on an overall design or what materials and techniques I’d use. This took me a few days, loads of designing in my head with no practical application.

 

The problem was I was focussing on the wrong project, traditionally it’s the journal cover but once I switched to the needle keep, it just started happening.

 

And then it was back to the journal cover, still a work in progress as I'm having too much fun embellishing the felt appliqué.

Yes it features a bird again, there was one on last year's cover, in the same dark blue felt too. It seems apt, yesterday I had the pleasure of watching a little blue wren flit in and out of the bird bath.

This year's cover will be a constant reminder to spend more time in my garden enjoying the simple things.

 

Happy 2018!

 

Thread Roll class

It didn’t take much to convince the girls to do one more class for 2017. Once I promised they’d all go home with the Thread Roll finished they were hooked. Who doesn’t love a little project, that’s useful and can be made in under three hours!

 

 

Don't they look fabulous. Love them all!

 

It left me wishing I'd been a bit more adventurous with my flower colours when I made this one for my Aurifil appliqué thread.

Guess I'll just have to make myself another one.

 

The pattern for the Thread Roll is $6.50 plus P & H.

 

handy pins & needles keep

Do you pin? It's something I try to keep to a minimum. Over the years I've developed the habit of pulling pins out and dropping them beside the machine. I'm sure it only takes a couple of seconds to go the extra step and stick them in a pincushion, but it interupts the flow of whatever I'm sewing.  That's why this pins & needle keep is perfect for me. It has a magnet inside and I keep it beside my machine.

 

 

I have kits for the Red Flower & Pink Flower.

 

What's great about these kits, is they're already prepped! No tracing and cutting, you can start doing the fun stuff, stitching, straight away.

The kits cost $15 each plus $3.00 P&H within Australia.

You'll find them here Handy PIns & Needles Keep

 

 

my easter sewing

Deciding what to sew over Easter was easy. A big bag featuring a Cotton & Steel print. Once upon a time I would have avoided anything with splashes of orange, but this is now officially my favourite fabric. The little drawstring bag was made from the left over fabrics.

Please email me if you'd like to purchase any of these fabrics.

 Can you believe AQC is just over two weeks away. (Less than a week before I have to load the pallet; I'm beginning to think my easter sewing was a frivolous use of my time.)

Today the button order arrived from Barb, Theodora Cleave. Barb's buttons are all beautiful and it's hard selecting which ones to take, so I asked her to choose for me!

Make sure you drop by Stand 190 and check out these fabrics, buttons and lots more.

where's my needle

More often it's not 'Where's my needle' rather 'What have I done with my needle' because no matter how careful I think I'm being I somehow manage to misplace it. It's never far away, it's just hiding underneath a piece of fabric, amongst the threads or tucked safely in the fabric I'm stitching on. (Mmm, yes the last one is a tad embarassing.) Having just finished a largish project and 'misplaced' the applique needle numerous times I thought I'd make myself a needle-rest; someplace to pop my needle if I was called away.

Now I just have to remember to use it!

 

perfect things

One of the best things about Barb's buttons and decorations, is how perfect they are - for anything!

 

Such a simple gift tag, but oh so pretty.

I'm not sure how I will be able to resist all Barb's beautiful things at the Quilt & Craft Show.  I'm helping out on her stand, Thursday & Friday. Promise not to buy everything!

These new needles from Avonleigh are perfect too.

My favourite needles to stitch with are Size 7 Crewel/Embroidery, and these ones glide through the fabric. I'm hooked on this brand now.

And what am I working on - the next Christmas Club project (no. 4)!  

sewing accessories

It is such a good feeling when you turn one of your latest fabric purchases into a finished project. The fabrics (except for the check) are from the Darla range. The bag is one I made and taught about four years ago. I had been on the lookout for just the right fabrics to inspire me to make another.

I had vague plans to incorporate the left over pieces into another project but know from past experience such ideas rarely come to fruition. More often than not, the fabrics are put aside and forgotten in the excitement of the next purchase and idea.  So I decided to use them while I still loved them and made a rotary cutter case and ruler cover.  (Yes I've revisited the strippy rotary cutter case and ruler covers I made about 18 months ago.)  They were perfect for utilising the left over pieces. And how beautifully they compliment the new bag.

There is a pattern just around the corner for these three projects so stay in touch.

One can never have too many sewing accesssories!

a first.....

I've been without a computer for the last few days and while I'm glad it appears to be working again I have to say it was nice being without it. Almost like being on holiday.

Last week I made this needlecase. I couldn't wait to get home with the fabric and try it with these lovely felts. This has to be my favourite fabric right at this very moment! I know, only last week it was the blue with the large red roses. OK, so I'm a bit (lot) fickle when it comes to fabric!

And  a peek inside. Yes, it is the same as the one I made for Brownyn's birthday, just different fabrics and trims.

I think one of the reasons why I love small and quick projects is it provides the perfect reason (excuse) for buying new fabrics. 

I've just realised, two fabric purchases in two weeks and two finished projects, this last bit has to be a first!