Okay, so it's not Monday

And you kids have probably been wanting to know who won the giveaway of the vintage top pattern.

So I again went to the clever little program called The Hat. And the Hat says......

the winner is............. Renee! Renee has a cute blog called And All Things Nice. Renee has recently been writing about recipes, cats, Toy Society drops and more. Check it out!!

Renee drop me a line via email and provide your postal address so I can get this pattern in the mail to you!

How can I be tired?

I'm back from my Inspired Stitches weekend away. But I'm confused as to how I can be so dang tired after a weekend of sitting on my derriere and stitching???

Was it the constant up and down as I surveyed, selected and salivated over new fabric?

Was it the meeting of so many new faces, some unfamiliar and some blog-familiar?

All I can say is that I shopped, I stitched, I sashayed. Well maybe not so much the last one but don't you love the word sashay?

Photos to come perhaps tomorrow after I remind my 3yr old daughter who I am and that she doesn't need to cling to me like a limpet now that I'm home....

Rain, Rain, Stay All Day

It rained steadily all day yesterday, sometimes normal soaking rain, other times really bucketing down. And don't I wish our rain water tanks were connected to the gutters right now!

All this rain is lovely and I am enjoying the return of the cool weather and raindrops. Another really heavy downpour visited this morning whilst I was drooling over some fabric I spotted yesterday.

[Photo courtesy of Kelani Fabrics]

I found the new Alexander Henry April Showers print, pictured above, on the Kelani Fabrics website. Isn't it just amazing? The print comes in two colour ways of pink or blue. I am leaning toward the blue myself. I think I might buy two lots. One with which to make Silly Gilly stock and the other for my 'Favourite Fabric' stash! I've bought from Kelani before and the customer service and speedy postage is a dream. Free postage too!

The April Showers print reminds me of another print I just adore and own in my 'Favourite Fabric' stash. Michael Miller's Spring Showers. The poor fabrics I have in that stash. Only to be fondled and admired, maybe never to be used!! If only I didn't choose hard to get fabric when I fall in fabric love... And yes Jodie, if I ever cut into this fabric, you can have the selvedge!

Aren't both these prints just soooo super cute!? So girly and pretty and fifties. So me. Not that I'm saying I'm girly and pretty. Well maybe a little pretty.... And I'm not fifty, not that that would matter. I'm only coming up to 35 and that's a whole different post altogether.... Just repeat to myself, no issues, no issues.......

Two more sleeps

Until I get to go to Inspired Stitches for both Saturday AND Sunday of this coming weekend. I feel hideously excited and a little bit curious at the same time as I've never been on one of these stitching weekend getaways before, let alone by myself! Hopefully I'll find some like-minded gals to chat with.

The very helpful Sarah of Quilt Fabric Delights has organised some wonderfully clever designers to come and show and tell us some lovely new designs.

I've already made or started patterns from two of the designers coming along this weekend. I've made Magoo from Melly and Me designs, shown below lounging around my daughter's room... Both Melanie Hurlston and Rosalie Quinlan are coming along, of Melly and Me fame.

And I've started the Little Bluebirds quilt by Janelle Wind. I'm showing you a pic from Janelle's pattern book as I'm not very far along in my stitching and it's a bit embarrassing to show you my work in progress! See that teeny centre block? I've just finished that off this afternoon... so much to still do!

The other designer that will be there is Leanne Beasley of Leanne's House. I love Leanne's work and really am drooling over her fabric choices for her designs. We get starter kits for new projects from each designer so I can't wait to see what's in my goodie bag!!

I have a new bag up in the Silly Gilly store called Penny Patchwork Library Bag. I've used lots of delicious scraps from all of my favourite fabrics in this bag. Looking at it, I can remember all the different projects I've created from those fabrics! Each side of the bag is different and you can guarantee that there will never be another bag like this as it's a unique piece. A boy's version will be coming along soon...

Gift Vouchers Now Available

Have you ever had a moment when it's the day before (or even the actual day) when you realise you need a gift for someone and you have completely forgotten to get it?

Have you wanted to buy a present for a child who lives interstate and you don't know what size the child is at the moment?

Silly Gilly now has the solution! Introducing Silly Gilly Gift Vouchers!!

The gift vouchers are available in the following amounts: $15, $20, $30, $40 and $50. You can have the voucher posted for free, regular postage style or I can email the voucher to the recipient!! You can also choose to have the voucher personalized with your own message.

If you would like to purchase one of these great gift ideas, simply go here and get started!

Stuff I do when I'm not feeling crafty...

I have giveaways and clear out my studio!

So here's my new giveaway. If you would like the pattern pictured above right that made the top above left, simply leave a comment below telling me what you do when you aren't feeling crafty and want to get back into the crafty mood. If you would like two entries, blog about my giveaway on your blog and link back to here!

And no, I can't guarantee wearing this top will end up with your children covered in band-aids. Them's the breaks of being three I guess!

Comments close Sunday night and I'll announce the winner Monday 27th April.

Don't forget my garage sale of vintage craft books, vintage sewing patterns, biscuit tins and soon to come, toys, golden books and more patterns.

Vintage craft books & patterns for sale!

I mentioned in my last post that I would be clearing out some goodies from the studio. Well today was the day I finally collated them all together and took some happy snaps.

Here are the vintage crafty books on offer:

Children's Wardrobe - $8 - circa 1978. Patterns included. Lots of sewing hints and casual clothing for kids. Soft cover, 144 pages. SOLD

101 Things To Make - $3 - circa 1960's. Gifts, Home, Accessories and Toys. Knitting, sewing, crochet, general craft. Soft cover, 46 pages.

Simplicity Sewing Book - $10 - circa 1962. Fantastic book full of detailed, easy to understand sewing information. How to use a pattern, 7 garments explained, fabrics, darts & seams and more... Small tear to cover on front and back but otherwise excellent condition. Soft cover, 160 pages.

Hey! Let's Make A Busy Book (Shirley Shackleton) - $6 - circa 1987. Wonderful book of patterns to make a simple rag book full of things with which children can learn to tie laces, do up buttons, set the table, grow a garden and more. Name on inside cover but otherwise in excellent condition. Soft cover, 47 pages.

Sew For Toddlers (Kerstin Martensson) - $10 - circa 1979. Wonderfully simple book full of practical, easy to understand patterns for young children such as t-shirts, shorts, dresses, pj's and overalls. Includes full set of uncut patterns. Corners of cover slightly worn, otherwise excellent condition. Soft cover, 134 pages. SOLD

Home Handicrafts - $6 - circa 1975. Book full of all the crafty things that are now popular again! Lots of projects to decorate your home and projects to make for children. Hardcover, 252 pages.

McCall's Sewing In Colour - $15 - circa 1963. Excellent reference guide to all facets of sewing for home dressmaking, tailoring, mending and soft furnishings. Great colour plates as well as lots of illustrations. Highly detailed and covers everything you need to have a professional finish on your work. Hardcover, 308 pages.

Little Clothes For Little People (Lia van Steenderen) - $14 - circa 1987. Very useful book on making clothes for children aged birth - 7. Lots of casual and practical clothing such as dresses, pinafores, coats, bibs, stretch baby suits, bathrobes and more. If you can get past the interestingly illustrated children's faces, this book is for you! Patterns included in book for all clothing items. Hard cover, 207 pages. In excellent as new condition. SOLD

Biscuit Tin with red rose design - $5. Very clean inside. Sides undented and unscratched. Three small dents on lid. This tin is in great condition for it's age. Measures 23cm in diameter and 8cm high.

I think rather than have a million photos on this blog that takes an age to download, I will post links to each group of sewing patterns on offer. So you can click away to your delight on links and see what you might find!

Newborn - 18mths vintage sewing patterns - whole lot for $8
Size 1 Girl's vintage sewing patterns - whole lot for $8 SOLD
Size 2 Girl's & Boy's vintage sewing patterns - whole lot for $15 SOLD

If you would like to buy any of these items either here on the blog or in my Flicker set, either comment, email me or leave a comment on Flickr. First come, first served ala garage sale style.

Payment for any of these items is by bank deposit. Your purchases will be posted via the cheapest method possible and I will contact you with the item price + postage when you contact me saying you'd like to buy it!

More to come tomorrow!! I'll add them to this post so that all items are together.
Edited to add: More patterns and books have now been added today/Monday.

Where has the mojo gone??

I've been eating healthier of late. A LOT healthier. Needed to as I want to be alive when my daughter turns 20. Okay bit of an exaggeration there but it's amazing what having offspring will do to the guilt factor and motivation for living just a tad longer.

The downside of this health kick is that I have lost my sewing mojo. Oh. My. Golly. Gosh.
Have you seen it? Anyone??? Please????????? I've looked under the couch, under the dog's bed, and even in the shed out the back. It's just not anywhere. Normally Silly Gilly spends her nights sewing like a mad woman creatively snipping and stitching away. Hopefully my sojurn next weekend at Inspired Stitches will do just that. Inspire.

So not much sewing whatsoever lately but lots of 'I don't need that anymore' or otherwise known as 'Get this clutter out of my studio!!!'. I would rather offer my wares to you loyal readers so in the next week I shall be listing some of my craftily related wares that will be for sale. Think vintage patterns, vintage sewing books, vintage toys. Hope something will take your fancy.

I did crack out the camera though in the kitchen of the wondrous late autumn light this week and took some snaps of the still life about the place.

I did make last week a top for my daughter from a seventies pattern size 3. I will be giving this pattern away this week so stay tuned for that!

Sewing, sewing, sewing...

I have had the decadent luxury of 24 hours of kiddie-free sewing time. My wonderful MIL has had my daughter for that time and I have managed to get so much done! Who would have thought!!??

I tried my hand at sewing oil cloth and made an apron. Here is the prototype and I'm okay with this one but I have some great ideas for the next version. Oilcloth is a great fabric for aprons as it's a laminated fabric which easily wipes clean.

I am really liking the pinked edge of the pocket but next time will fold over the top edge of the pocket so that little hands don't get poked when they are looking for their spoon!

I've also whipped up a few library bags and will put them in the Silly Gilly shop this evening.

Sunshine and lollipops

Not much of anything much going on this week.

Simply enjoying the blissful autumn weather Adelaide is blessed with this week.

Low 20 degree days all week. Blue skies. Light breeze. Cool nights.
Bliss.

Wish it was this way all year round. The above pic is the sky yesterday afternoon viewed from our backyard. Such a rich pure blue.

I also had a rainbow visit my part of the world today. A rainbow of hand-dyed felt from my friend Heidi here in SA. Heidi makes incredibly beautiful Steiner dolls, teaches classes on how to make Steiner toys and also dyes her own felt. This beautiful pile is destined for some more flower brooches.

Have a lovely long weekend people and I hope you all get a chance to spend some time relaxing or spending time with some loved ones.

Click Clack

I've been working on my daughter's castle bag and fingerpuppets and spent a nice part of Friday afternoon sitting in the backyard starting my project whilst my daughter played outside.

As usual I had my fluffy companion Ella right under my feet, the sun was shining through the trees and I was using some lovely cheap but cheerful coloured yarn.

And Saturday morning's garage sale haul was a doozie too. This time the biggest find was for my MIL Robyn. Robyn's just taken up smocking to add to her already amazing repertoire of skills. I found a Sally Stanley Smocking Machine for the bargain basement price of $10!! Considering they go on Ebay for over $100 I was pretty happy with that find!

And I also picked up these curtains. Please tell me what you think. Got these for $3. They are vintage 50's - 60's and in okay condition. I'm just not convinced that the print is nice enough to be pretty without looking like a circus tent with wedding bouquets all over it?? What do you think?

Stop Me Now!!!

I am in one of those flit-between-a-million-projects kinds of moods this week so I thought I might share with you some of what's on my list. In the process, maybe I might manage to focus myself onto something for more than an hour!

Appliqued panels for new library/tote bags.

An Enid Gilchrist winter dressing gown pattern all ready for winter when Adelaide decides it's not summer any more.

A 1977 smock-style top already cut and ready to sew in the lovely snuggly floral cord that you see in the background. I'm making the version that is in green on the envelope.

More flower brooches coming together using some of my friend Heidi's delicious hand dyed wool felt.


And more things on the boil too... knitting my poppet a castle bag and accompanying princess, dragon, king, jester, queen finger puppets.... more stock for the market in two weeks.... machine quilting my poppet's quilt that my MIL very generously basted for me as I couldn't bear to think about it.... repairing Magoo/Sour Cream after a rather unfortunate swing-around-the-room-by-the-monkey-arm incident.... 50+ wet bags.... little handmade gifts for poppet's cousin....
I think I'll stop the list there, even though there's more to add. It's likely I'll self-combust if I keep listing it all!

I was very fortunate last week to win a beautiful handcrafted ring from Chocolate and Steel. Here it is on my hand model. Me. Ever tried to take a photo with your left hand whilst holding out your right? It's a tricky thing. And I never realised how 'liney' my hands are! I like them though, they look nothing like that on a day to day basis... got to love macro. Just don't use it on your hands! Thankyou Christine... your work is amazing and the ring fits perfectly!

Now off to try to ignore the housework just a smidge longer so that I might get a little more done of my list!