greenolive

wonky zips

what am I doing wrong?

Less than perfect zipper insertion!

When I click through your flickr photostreams or scroll through your blog posts, I see charming zip pouches and purses with PERFECT zips.

The zip pouches all look so gorgeous and professional, the perfect product to show off our screenprinted fabrics. I could see them made up in the designs from the Tribal range, the Urban type range, even the Kids range.

I'm not a sewing novice, in my hey day I made my mum a tweed jacket which was fully linned and had welt pockets. But, these zippers with rounded corners have got the better of me.

Have a look for yourself...

What am I doing wrong? is there a secret handed down from crafter to crafter that I don't know about? Can anyone help me?

If I can't perfect the rounded corner zip purse then I'm going to have to come up with a different approach, one where the zipper sits in one side of the pouch instead of at the top.

tribal homewares

update your decor

The sewing mojo is back. 

When I'm in bed or lolling around on the couch I'm knitting, but when I'm not in bed or lolling I'm sewing. Currently that amounts to equal parts of sewing and knitting.

When we were designing and printing our Tribal range of fabrics, I had an idea in my mind of how they might look when made up into something. And now I've made up these coasters with the Zanzibar designin black and white on sand linen-cotton, they look even better than I imagined. 

I'm finding that the fabrics look so different sewn up than they do as pieces of fabric. It could just be that I spent so much time looking at them while they were printed, heat set, trimmed, folded, and packed that I'm just over them.

The inspiration for the coasters was found via Tiel's post about her coaster design and an etsy how-to feature on patchwork that just happened to include a photo of the Tribal weave design.

Making them is a bit like making a collage, but with fabric. Sorting through the scraps of fabrics, playing with colours and textures, sewing them up and backing them with felt – a very pleasant way to while away the hours.

I've also made some placemats, sticking to one fabric per placemat for the moment. I'm itching to make some patchwork ones.

So, if you like the look of these you can get some for yourself at the Flemington market this Sunday. Either made up lovingly by my, or you can by the fabric and make them yourself. Your choice.

I'll be adding them to the etsy shop soon. Along with some bits and pieces packs, perfect for making your own coasters.

PS: thanks to those who emailed and left comments on the post about my spirits. It meant a lot to me. My mum reads my blog now and she thought all your comments were lovely. So did I.

an etsy first

well, a first for us!

Screenshot of the promotional graphic for Tuesday's Storque article, featuring one of our new fabrics.

Can you imagine my our excitement when I we logged into Etsy on Wednesday to discover one of our fabrics on the homepage? (You can? I thought you might.)

And not just in any old spot on the homepage, but in a Storque article. All about patchwork. The author, katiearms, is an intern, and she had spied our new fabrics and decided to include them in the related items. I convo-ed her immediately to say thanks and tell her that if I lived in Brooklyn I would run right over and give her a big kiss! (I hope she didn't think I was odd. I'm not odd, just excited.)

Katie's post has inspired me to make some patchwork potholders out of the Tribal Range designs over the weekend. And maybe some coasters, placemats, table runners, teatowels...

calling all sewers

what would you make from your greenolive not-quite-fat quarter?

A close up of the Flutterby design from the Kids range, printed in red on 100% white linen.

If you were lucky enough to get your hands on a greenolive textiles not-quite-fat quarter, what would you make?

I say not-quite-fat quarter because these original hand-printed designs measure 35 x 45 cm, a smidge less than a traditional fat quarter (35 x45 cm = 13.7 x 17.7 inches for those of you who aren't metric).

I'm thinking softies, tote bags, cushions, small quilts, notebook covers, zippered purses...

A close up of the My bike design from the Kids range, printed in blue on 100% white linen.

What would you make?

Leave a comment with your suggestions and you'll go into the draw to win a greenolive textiles not-quite-fat quarter of your very own so you can make whatever you want.

PS: if you want to get your hands onto some of this fabric from the Kids Range or fabric from the other two ranges, come and visit me at the Stitches & Craft Show, in Melbourne, 11 to 15 March. If you aren't a local, I'll also be selling online (probably via madeit.com or my website.)

still sewing

getting ready for the market

Another WIP shot: three different silks ready to sew into another silk scarf.

The sewing has continued all week. I am still madly sewing. We really don't know what to expect tomorrow at the Red Hill Market. So I need to be as prepared as I can.

In my wildest dreams I imagine we'll sell out of all the silk scarves, in my worst nightmare we sell nothing. I expect the reality will be somewhere in between. And we have the Mornington market benchmark to beat.

While the scarves are progressing nicely, I can't say the same for mr greenolive or Melbourne's predicted weather for Saturday.

Mr greenolive woke this morning with a temperature of 38.5, after spending yesterday with shivers and aches, and last night with stomach cramps and frequent visits to the bathroom. He tells me seven visitst in total – I was oblivious, fast asleep through out the whole adventure. So he's hot, tired, weak, shivery and sick – not the state one wants their husband to be in when they have a busy market day looming.

As for the weather...Saturday's forecast is 43 degrees, windy and showers. Exactly what we don't need. The heat will keep the punters away and make the market unbearable for us. And the wind is likely to blow everything away, but that's only if the rain doesn't soak everything first.

I've got my fingers and toes crossed – that mr greenolive will recover in time and the weather will cooperate, just between the hours of 8am and 1 pm.

I'll leave you with some more photos of the WIP silk scarves, while I just tend to mr greenolive...

But regardless of what happens with mr greenolive's heath or Melbourne's weather, why don't you come and visit me at the Red Hill market?

Go ahead – make my day!

madly sewing

silk, glorious silk!

An action shot: 8.47 Saturday morning – greenolive sewing LOTS of silk scarves.

With all the excitement of the textile design, I almost for got to remind you that I am at Red Hill Market next Saturday, 7 February, 8am to 1 pm. Let's hope the temperature has dropped by then!

This will be my first market at Red Hill, and my second market with Craft Markets Australia. I'm hoping for big things. So far all feedback as been that Red Hill is the market for me and let's hope that is true. 

WIP: rust and cream silk scarf.

This weekend I'm madly sewing lots of silk scarves in preparation for the market. At the Mornington market in January I sold half of my silk selvedge scarves and need to replenish stocks. Mr greenolive is doing the ironing and pressing and some of the hand sewing – helping me out when he can. He also keeps me fed and watered!

There will be lots of silk selvedge scarves. And lots of silk pieced scarves. All in summer colours and weights to suit our current season. There'll be a few wiro bound notebooks, card sets and letter packs and a felt flower or two.

Why not take a drive on Saturday, pop in, say hello and buy a greenolive goodie and then have fish and chips on the beach for lunch? 

Sounds like a perfect day to me!

silk selvedge scarf

inspiration strikes

For me inspiration strikes rather instantaneously. Rather quickly. Rather decisively. It's the implementation that takes a bit longer...

I first spied this fabric earlier in the year on my first trip to Zigu Zagu. 

I was drawn to the intense rust colour of the silk and the spontaneity of the brushwork. Most of you will know this is not my colour, but I had to buy it. I was drawn to it. I'll have a metre, I told the sales woman. Enough for scarf I thought...

 

It was only when she'd cut the fabric that it revealed its secret – the most marvelous selvedge!

I knew there was a reason I'd been drawn to this fabric. And that I'd been lucky enough to score the last metre on the bolt. I knew then and there I'd have to feature this selvedge in the finished scarf design.

More than eight months later this initial design inspiration comes to fruition and results in a new range of scarves: Silk Selvedge Scarves. Vintage kimono silk selected especially for the selvedge. Simply sewn. 

Simple. Stylish. Silk. 

Have a look at some selvedges I've got in the stash. Which one is your favourite?

And keep an eye out for the etsy shop. Remember I do custom orders!

sewing vs knitting

which is your favourite?

A selection of recent scarves. Some of this fabric has been in my stash for quite a while!

My sewing tends to happen in fits and starts. Like the weekend before last. By not driving off the mountain to go anywhere or run errands (as they say in American soaps) I managed to get some time each day in the studio.

It was rather nice, losing myself in playing with fabrics, deciding this went with that, and doing some sewing.

When I'm actually sewing I love it. I think its the instant gratification (compared with knitting) that appeals. I'm not sure why I don't do it more often. Maybe it's the set up and space – I don't seem to be bothered to sew unless I can do it for an extended stretch. Maybe I need to be in the mood to sew. Whatever it is, I've been bitten by the sewing bug now and knitting and spinning are taking second place.

As well as sewing, I also managed to get a spot of photography in too. I'll share with you soon via the flickr photostream.

Now, as for the knitting. I do love knitting. I find it terribly relaxing and if I knit while watching the TV I feel very virtuous! And knitting in bed is nice too, my version of heaven is knitting in bed, in PJs, under the doonah with a cup of tea. It's just that it takes so long to finish something. And I'm rather impatient (goes with the star sign!)

So its probably a good thing I like both. When I get bored with one I can swap to the other. 

my first pincushion

Pain free sewing

Still life: Pincushion with barrow full of split wood.

Inspired by this, and using this, I made this.

My first pincushion. I kid you not. I've been sewing for over 20 years and I've never had a pincushion.

Up til now I was using a small ceramic bowl as my pin receptacle, but after one to many finger stabbings I decided to make a pincushion. And Al's beautiful and simple pincushion was the perfect inspiration.

I can't believe how easy, fast and satisfying it was:

• One small linen remnant from Lotta Jansdotter.

• One matching scrap of silk.

• A handful of stuffing.

• Five minutes of focus.

Voila, a pincushion!

I just love stabbing the pins into the cushion. So therapeutic I tell you. And no more finger injuries.

Beautiful and practical.

But can I let you in on a little secret? I went out and bought three "wheels" of white pins. Yes siree. Nothing but white pins for this pincushion. 

Not that I'm obsessive or anything. I just want things to match.

30cm of fabric

That's enough for a scarf isn't it?

I fell in love with this fabric.

At Cleggs. For $100/m. The perfect shade of dusky pink-brown. Enbellished even.

I HAD to have it. Problem was I couldn't justify $180 for a scarf.

So I compromised. And thought real quick. I could just use a bit on the end as a feature couldn't I?

This is EXACTLY how it looked in my mind as I stood in Cleggs clutching the $100/m fabric.

And use something soft and squishy for the rest of the scarf. Something that curled around my neck and draped really nicely.

Yeah, that'll work – I told myself. I'll make it work! I just had to have this fabric. So I bought 30cm and walked away a very happy woman.

The BEFORE shot – two fabrics waiting to blossom into a scarf.

The AFTER shot – ta da!

This scarf has become one of my favourites – it will be staying in my skein/swaddle/drape of scarves. I've already worn it twice!