We came, we saw, we shopped, we danced Part 1

Calico and Ivy - the gorgeous Amy works here, lucky gal.

Divine colour - Prints Charming

Rainbow Love - Prints Charming

Happy thread - Prints Charming

Friday night dinner

photo credit
Saturday morning walk/run - the reason you don't see me in this picture is that I'm five miles behind this group! But I did make the whole 5km round trip.

Hawking my wares Sew Vintage style.

photo credit
My new girl crush - Juddie of Flightless Boyds. Love your style Juddie!

More senseless fabric shopping, this time Sunday morning at Material Obsession.

All in all it was the best fun I've had in years. So much fabric and such little time. Not enough hours in the couple of days we had to talk to everyone but those I did chat with, thank you for being such gorgeous people!

And btw, the rumour about me being one of those loud South Australian people... it's all true.

New loves

Now and then I find fabrics that just seem to have been made for Silly Gilly. The fabric range Circa 60 Beach Mod by Monaluna is one of those lines. Think sun, fun, happy kids and the music!

I can't wait to get my hands on some of this fabric and create some gorgeous boys gear from it... there is such a vast difference in the amount of cute girls fabric as there is to boys. So when a boys print comes around that isn't all about dinosaurs and skulls, then I get excited!! As soon as I make some items, I'll let you know!

Wonderful Wonderland

It's a cracking 41 degrees forecast today so a perfect day for staying indoors with the airconditioning cranked up and the sewing machine going. I trotted off to my local quilting store on Wednesday and found myself 2 Jelly Rolls of Momo Wonderland by Moda. It's been on my "would like" list for a while and to find them half price was fantastic luck!! Underneath the Wonderland roll is another of my "would like" fabrics of late, Rainy Days & Mondays by Riley Blake. It's super cute, with a modern yet retro twist. I love it!

So what to do with two rolls of fabric? I've been thinking about a Bento Box style quilt for a while now and thought that the Wonderland fabric would look lovely in one just like the gorgeous one below. The quilt featured below features another of my favourite lines of fabric, Flea Market Fancy. Drool......

Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts

In my journey through Flickr I also found this cushion that would be gorgeous in my room or my studio. So that idea is on the back burner if I have any fabric left over.

cushion by hanies

And lucky last is some fabric newly arrived from the US for one of my customers who was after fabric with records on it to show her kids that there really was a form of recorded music prior to CD's!! Love the retro, fifties styling of this Robert Kaufman print. I'm making up a couple of sunhats in this fabric so I will share when they are done.

The letter for today is F

F for fabricholic!!

After months of dropping whale sized hints, I finally managed to convince my husband that we should splash some cash on my studio. And wowser, it has made a difference!

New cupboards designed to fit whole bolts down the bottom and up the top if there's a need! Oh new cupboard, how I love thee!!♥♥ And the picture below shows only half the cupboard space. There's all my plain fabrics, books and notions on the other side.

This week I am madly making lots of new stock for the Prospect Fashion, Food and Wine Affair which is being held this Sunday at Prospect in SA. Come on down and say hi if you are in the area. I'd love to meet you. Any stock that doesn't sell at the market will be uploaded to the Silly Gilly site next week.

Happy Friday everyone. I'm off for yum cha at the Central Markets with my poppet. What a nice way to ease into the weekend!

The Big Announcement + A Giveaway!

I'm super pleased to be able to finally tell you all about my new venture. It's been the big secret squirrel project I've been busy on for the last month or so.

As you may know, I love fabric. I also love fifties and sixties style and illustrations. Combining both of those factors into fifties and sixties kids fabric prints and I'm a very, very happy woman!

So to share my love of these things, I'm proud to announce Sew Vintage.... my new online store selling retro inspired children's print fabrics and vintage sewing patterns. Gorgeous prints from Michael Miller, Alexander Henry and more. Fabric is available in 0.25m increments.

Come and have a peek inside, find some gorgeous fabrics and stroll through the collection of vintage patterns from the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's. I will be continually adding to the collection of patterns.... I have hundreds more to add in fact!

To celebrate the opening of my second online store, I am also holding a giveaway! The prize will be a fat quarter or panel of your choice of one of the prints below. Simply pop over to Sew Vintage, then come back here and leave a comment telling me which fabric design is your favourite and why. The winner will be drawn on Thursday 21st October. Giveaway is open to readers worldwide.

So pop on over, have a look and tell your friends! Free postage on all patterns! Cheap postage on fabric! And remember to come on back and check in now and then. I'm always adding more patterns and fabric.

Have a great weekend!!

Post Market Recovery Session!

After two pre-Xmas markets and the spending spree starting on my website, the Silly Gilly stocks are low!! I'm madly cutting, sewing, designing to re-stock the Silly Gilly shop so that y'all have plenty of choice for Xmas gift buying.

Of course all this restocking requires trips to fabric shops. These little fifties-inspired beauties which happened to be on sale came home with me. Fabric by 'Antique Treasures' - pattern #9847 on the left and #9858 on the right. These are destined for little girls' hats for the store methinks.

And then one gets way-laid by being dragged by a daughter all the way across the store to the yarn aisle..... and lookee here what just popped into my basket!

Of course, yarn that could just happen to be used in my newly acquired crochet addiction. Which is being fueled by this new book... Crochet Bouquet. I've attempted a couple of designs already but they are a tad scary looking due to me rushing like a banshee into attempting designs way out of my league. Reminds me of someone else! So I won't be showing you those examples. Will wait until I have something presentable to display!

And amidst all this sewing and creative frenzy, I'm at the pointy end (pardon the pun) of the process of being an egg donor for my gorgeous friends in Sydney. I'm busy jabbing myself with two needles a day and am feeling quite fine, touch wood!! No major side effects. A little trip to Sydney next week and I'll be clucking like a chicken, ready to roost!!

I'm also thinking of taking an extra night there in Sydney after the egg donation procedure and booking into a very swanky hotel in the city to take some quiet time for myself. Any recommendations on lovely swanky hotels in Sydney city? Hotels with day spas please as I wouldn't mind a nice pamper session. Just think of how many crochet flowers I could crank out surrounded by all that peace and quiet!!

Back soon with a big update of the store. Lots of new hair clips are now in store... head on over and take a look! Here's a quick preview...

What's black and white and 'bed' all over?

Hopefully my bedroom soon!

I have been toying with the idea of a black and white scheme for my bedroom for some time now. Only problem is, I can't get the above Michael Miller print Dandy Damask out of my head. It's the print I want. Only problem is that the print is only manufactured in quilting weight cotton, not upholstery, decorator weight fabric. Dang.

I can just see my chaise lounge and bed head both covered in this print. All the damasks I can find are too white in the balance of the shades. Ah well, onward with the search. And wouldn't it be nice to find a fabric under $100 a metre!!???

My weekend at Inspired Stitches

It was a wonderful weekend hosted by Sarah of Quilt Fabric Delights, held at Marion here in SA. I managed to wangle a leave pass from the boss for the weekend, so he and my daughter ate fast food and lolled about the house whilst I to stitch and stay overnight for a weekend of relaxing.

Firstly I shopped, then sat and stitched. The shopped some more. Then stitched. You get the idea. Lots of learning how to be proficient at hand stitching, something with which I'm not that savvy. I met some lovely gals next to me who were my table buddies and later Saturday evening my dinner buddies. Very nice to meet women with so much in common. Judith and Vickie and Jackie, you know who you are!!

I was shopping for my family and I this time, which is unusual and a nice treat, as I usually fabric shop just for Silly Gilly. Lots of new projects to start on now, including a couple of bags using a pattern Melly provided for the weekend. Also a new pattern for a winter top for my daughter.
And of course some fabric... just because. :) Note all of these fabrics are available from Quilt Fabric Delight's online store. Sarah's customer service is brilliant!!

From L-R: 70's Rainbow Garden by Prints Charming
Cathedral by Anna Maria Horner
Andalucia Tiny Dots Paprika by Michael Miller

From L-R: Garden Maze/Midwest Modern by Amy Butler
Happy Dots/Midwest Modern by Amy Butler

Garden Party by Free Spirit

From L-R: Paisley Garden by Prints Charming
Starburst by Prints Charming
City Blooms by Kitty Yoshida


Kyoko pattern by Modkid - top for my daughter

Lots of colours that I wouldn't usually use. I tried to be more bold in my combinations of fabrics to use together. That's one thing I admire in others - their ability to put different fabircs together and have the whole look so cohesive and appealing.

And the most delicious purchase of the weekend was.....

A layer cake of Sweet fabric by Urban Chiks.

40 squares of 10" x 10" fifties and forties inspired deliciousness. I have absolutely no project for this at all but am leaning toward a quilt perhaps? I think I'll just look at it and stroke it for a while.....

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.......

Hark, I hear the trumpets' fanfare! Part 1

Yes, this is my 101th post. Hooray!

And hooray for me making it back alive and with a grin from ear to ear from the Trash and Treasure blogmeet in Ballarat, Victoria.

I had been feeling a little mojo-less and very unmotivated in the post Xmas anti-climax. What better way to cure such ails than to drive 6.5 hours across country to meet up with people to whom you've never spoken and have a picnic!!??

I had a fantastic time, met some far travelling, inspiring, hilarious, friendly, creative, well dressed, welcoming women and have come back home feeling very refreshed and excited about crafting and sewing again. Here's a picture of us all tucking into our picnic lunch. Thanks Jodie for the food!

After the picnic, off to Jodie's house for some afternoon tea, then off to Annie's place for a tour of her lovely garden, her exotic smelling front yard and pizza for dinner. By the way, there seems to be a lot of cats in Ballarat... and they sneak up on you when you aren't paying them any attention....Trash in the middle, Lucy Lockett and Jodie hanging out with the chookens.

Of course, I shopped. Those of you who know me personally know that it's quite an achievement for me to spend much at all on anything for myself. But spend I did. At op shops on the way, at the delicious Ballarat Patchwork store (Emma, who owns the store, is not only a nice person too but absolutely gorgeous!!), at garage sales on the way home.... and yes, there are some good bakeries between here and Ballarat!

Thought I would share some of my finds....

Beautiful fabric that Jodie threw at me, literally, whilst soaking up the sewing mojo in her craft room. All perfect for the Silly Gilly store! Even the shabby chic pink polka dots will be loved!

Some gorgeous Kokka japanese prints from Ballarat Patwork.

Have you ever seen so many Enid Gilchrist books snaffled in one go??!! I could have bought more but was starting to feel that I should leave the remaining books for other people. And below, more Golden Books, a gorgeous tin for my haberdashery and some bias.

Lucky last is the lady on the front of this booklet I found. It makes me giggle... is she wishing her waist be small enough for the dress? Is she grimacing because her name is Lucille? Made me smirk anyhoo...

I didn't mean it...

So I just happened to drive down to Yankalilla today.

And I just happened to say 'Oh my gosh, what a coincidence, that's the shop with the really nice fabric' as I drove by. So of course I had to stop. And look what mugged me as soon as I got through the door. I couldn't leave without it.... Oh dear.

And now with no room for more fabric, this Mexican oilcloth, perfect for aprons and art smocks, is destined to be made up pretty soon into something delicious!

If you are in SA and heading down the Fleurieu peninsula, stop in and say hi to Jodie. She's lovely, I've been chatting to her online for a couple of years now.

Jodie also has an extensively stocked online store Nappies Covered. She sells nappy making supplies, PUL (plastic coated fabric), microfleece, suedecloth, hemp, bamboo, hook and look and elastics. I also get some of my size labels through Jodie. Her postage is very reasonable and her customer service is outstanding!

It's official

I have to stop buying fabric.

I can't physically fit any more fabric into my fabric stash cupboard.

So now I have to sew like the crazy sewing woman that I am so that I use my stash so that I can buy some more! You sewing gals out there will understand that silly logic.

I realised the space was full when I was pushing fabric in on one pile and the pile next to it was slowly falling out.

But I did manage to snaffle myself, as the last bit of fabric to enter the stash, some of this fabric which is absolutely perfect for Silly Gilly products!! It's vintage style, 50's style, it's for kids, it's beautiful... and somehow 9 metres of it ended up in my hand. Oh my...

Even if it does have clowns on it.....
I don't do clowns....

Jewel coloured fabrics

I was very lucky to have some time whilst in Bali to visit Denpasar and its fabric shops.

It was a sewing gal's dream. Shop after shop after shop full of fabrics. All sorts. Batik, quilting quality, kids prints, you name it, I'm sure you could have found it.

I went only slightly silly in my fabric purchases. All the time thinking that I should retain the Silly Gilly style, and don't go overboard with buying simply everything! I found polka dots, mini dots, happy frogs, geckos, elephants, flowers, stars, and so much more.

So here are a few happy snaps of my newly arrived stash, safe at home in the studio...

These delicious prints will be made up into Silly Gilly items such as hats, smocks and more over the coming months. If you see a fabric you just have to have, contact me and I'll see what I can make up for you!

Now.... to find a spot for all this new fabric!