Melly & me

From me to you...

Today has come along oh so very quickly and I am amazed that tomorrow is already the beginning of our Christmas festivities! I think much of the next 24 hours will be spent in the kitchen cooking, with the air-conditioner hopefully winning the fight against the stove to keep the house cool-ish. I'm feeling that relaxed mood that comes along with everything nearly being under control, the knowledge that in about 26 hours I will be enjoying time with my family, wine in hand, and all the hard work will be done - ah bliss!
I am going to take a little bit of a holiday break beginning today and am having a month off to enjoy with my Kiddies while they are on holidays - in that time I hope to better acquaint myself with my new Bernina, go swimming, get in the garden, go to the movies, do lots of crafts with the kids, and enjoy a blissful week at the beach!  Ah, I can't wait!!  So that said, I will be missing in blogland for the next month while I take some time for us!  

Before I leave for my break, I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all an amazing Christmas spent with those that you love, lots of moments to cherish and a safe and exciting start to 2010!  I hope that you enjoy every moment and are able to take some time for yourself to smell the roses.  I also wanted to say a huge thank you to all of you for your support and feedback throughout the year.  I appreciate every comment and email that I receive and I love this community of blog!! 

As a way of saying thank-you and Merry Christmas I want to run a little giveaway to show a little glimpse of my appreciation.  So please leave me a comment sometime over the next month to go in the running for this little gift which includes a copy of my book "Kaleidoscope", a little mini Phoebe and a kit of your choice including fabrics and the pattern from any of the Melly & me range (quilts excluded).  I will also draw some runner-up prizes so that I can share my thanks with a few more of you!  I will be back around the 24th of January to draw the lucky winners.So until I return, I wish you all the very very best and I send you all my most sincere thanks.  I cannot wait to see what 2010 holds!

Merry Christmas,

Melly

Bi-lingual Kaleidoscope & Baby Phoebes

A few months ago I licensed my book, Kaleidoscope to Arena 2000 to be translated into Hungarian.  I had almost forgotten all about it, but look at what I just received in the post - Yes, Kaleidoscope has become bi-lingual!  How exciting is that?!  I hope that this will allow a few more people in the world to enjoy my designs.
I haven't managed to play too much on my new baby yet, but have been getting in some little sessions to try and figure out how it all works - there are so many new features that I have no idea how to use - I am sure I will get there eventually. I spent a bit of today practicing my free hand quilting with all of that extra space and am hoping that maybe, one day, I will master it!One thing I have completed this week are three new little baby Phoebes.  I have been wanting to make some baby Phoebes for a while so am glad that I finally decided to give them a go.  To give you a bit of perspective on the size of them, here is one next to the original Mumma Phoebe.

I also made two simpler versions out of some stunning wool that I bought in Houston...I just love these two woolen hefalumps and I can see myself making a lot more of these in the very near future.They are so quick to put together and I just love the look of them, so cute in their simplicity and the wool just adds to the charm.Things are starting to wind down for the year now - School is finished, Kinder is finished and so are all of the concerts and end of year break up parties!  I can feel quieter days ahead which is a nice feeling. Speaking of concerts, here is a cute photo of little Boo in her Ballet Concert last weekend.  It was so cute and she did so well.

Well that is about it from me for now - can you believe I have done 3 posts this week? I have been a good girl, haven't I?! Maybe I am trying to get a few more in before I take a little bit of a break starting some time next week. 

I hope you have all had a great week too and are ready for Christmas in only 7 sleeps! How did that creep up so quickly? Take care,  Melly.

Eeeeek, eeeeek and eeeeeeeeeek again!!

Yes, that was my screams of excitement that you heard at about 2:00 this afternoon when I drove away from my local Sewing Centre with a big black box!

A big Black box that meant the seats had to go down in my car and that dwarfed a coffee table... 

A big black box that I have been coveting for a number of months now while deciding if I should indulge! Ok, so it is not the box that I am that excited about, but the AMAAAAAAAAAAAZING contents.  

As my own boss, I decided it was time to give myself a Christmas bonus!!  A Christmas bonus in the form of a sewing machine.  And I don't mean any old sewing machine, but the rolls royce of sewing machines.....eeeeeeeeek - I bought this baby!.....

 

A new Bernina 820!!!!  By the way, have I already said EEEEEEEEEK!!??

I have only found time so far to get it out of the box and pop it on my desk but you may hear a few more squeals in the next few hours as I give it a test drive...... so many amazing features, I feel like I am the most spoilt person in the whole wide world!!!

Just to give you an idea of the size of this baby, here it is sitting behind my retiring machine - it is nearly double the size! 

I think all my Christmases have come at once!!!

EEEEEK!

Melly.
 

TTTF

As promised I am back with Tips & Tutorials Tuesday Fortnight!!  I think I bit off more that I could chew, trying to do these weekly, so they will now become a fortnightly affair. That is of course, they will continue as long as I can think of things you might like to see or you keep emailing me suggestions.

This next tutorial is really only an aid to sewing Dilbert, Phoebe, Pippi and Bubbles. I have had a number of people say that they either do not understand or have had difficulty transitioning from sewing around the body to sewing the inner legs. Hopefully this will make it a little clearer and will help those who have tackled or are yet to tackle these patterns. 

For this tutorial I am making some basic mini Phoebes, but the principles are the same for any of the mentioned patterns - You would be likely to have something looking a little different than my tutorial pieces - with hoof fabric/toes etc.

Step 1.  First you will have your main body pieces and inner leg pieces which have been prepared as per your pattern. 

Step 2.  Following the instructions in your pattern, place one inner leg piece on top of one main body piece, right sides together.  You tack/pin these together and then sew all the way around the edges of the inner leg from toy back to toy front. One note that should be on all of the four mentioned patterns is that you need to curve the seams at the beginning and end of your inner legs to the edge of the fabric.  This is an essential step in the process. 

Step 3.  Repeat this with your remaining pieces and you will now have two of the following. 

Step 4.  Place your two toy sides on top of each other, right sides together and then pin all around the body, starting from one edge of the inner leg to the other. 

Step 5.  Fold the legs up against the body to reveal the top edge of the inner legs.  You will see how the top straight edges of the inner legs are now right sides together and become a circle with the rest of the body. 

Step 6. Tack/pin the top edge of the inner legs together.
Step 7.  Now sew around your toy with a small stitch on your sewing machine, starting at the turning gap, until you reach the inner leg seam. If you have curved your seams accurately on the legs (at step 2), you should be able to sew over the leg seam now and continue around the inner legs of your toy and back up to the other side of your turning gap.  Some people seem to be having troubles at this point, or end up with puckers, so the next few steps will show you an alternate method to ensure your seams are perfect.

Sew around the toy, starting at the turning gap, until you reach the inner leg section.  Sew stitches all the way up to the outer leg seam and then secure your stitches with backwards/forward stitching. 

 

Step 8.  Now fold the legs up against the body and start sewing the top edges of the inner legs together, starting right at the outer leg seam and securing stitches. 

 

Step 8.  Sew all of the inner legs together, ending and securing your stitches when you again reach the next outer leg seam.  Fold the legs down again and then start sewing the remainder of your body, up to the turning gap, starting right at the seam once again. 

Step 9.  You should now have a fully sewn toy looking something like this. 

Step 10.  Snip corners and curves and then turn your toy right side out through your turning gap. Your inner leg seams should now look nice, neat and pucker free like this! 

I hope you all have perfect inner legs now - hee-hee, sounds like we have just completed an aerobics class!

Now I am going to head off and continue working on these mini Phoebes.  I am making some out of wool and I think they are going to be such little cuties!  Hopefully I will share them with you later this week - if I find the time in between all of the end of year break ups and Christmas parties!

Enjoy and may the floss be with you!  Melly.

O Rudy Tree..

Whatever possessed me to decide to make 6 Rudys at once?? Someone please tell me!! I think I was doing my usual Christmas craft dreaming, but instead of keeping it as a dream, I decided to actually do it! Insane I tell you!!  I made them with the intention of being gifts for the kiddies' teachers and therefore I only needed four, so what was my logic in starting six? Am I crazy??

This has been the dialogue in my brain every spare moment spent stitching for the past few days...

Thankfully, however, about an hour ago my crazy questioning turned into pleasure when they were finally done!!!!! 

And now I know exactly why!!  because they are so darned cute, that's why!!!  I have my own personal sleigh pulling team! 

And If I want I even have a Rudy Tree!!

So now the dilemma is - how am I ever going to part with some of them??!!

Melly.

(PS - Tips & Tricks Tuesday has now become TTTF - "Tips & Tricks Tuesday Fortnight!" and will definitely be back next week!)

Bagalicious!!

Some of you who have followed this blog for a while will know that my first love, when it comes to sewing and designing, is most certainly handbags!  I just get so much joy out of making bags, so I know if I was going to join any club for 2010, it would have to be the new "Bagalicious Club" being run by Quilt Fabric Delights.

And isn't the logo o-so cute?!

I have spent much of the last two days putting together my project for the club which is nearly complete.... I think it just needs "a little matching something", and then I will write it up ready for my installment in the club.  And what is all this talk without a tease? 

I really love this bag and would be making one up for myself now, if I didn't have to keep it a secret! 

On the Christmas front, I STILL haven't gotten any further on my Rudys. I think I am really going to have to stop procrastinating in the next few days or they wont be ready in time for Kinder and School break ups. I am so determined to give them to the teachers this year, if only my body would co-operate!

Off I go now to tidy the studio and enjoy the fact that it is Friday afternoon!

Melly.

The first....

YAY!!! How exciting!!  Today is the first day of Summer, the first day to have a treat from the advent calendar and the first day to put up the Christmas tree!!  The first real taste of the festive season and I can't wait to get the tree all spiffy this afternoon!
Which also brings me to thoughts of presents.... hmm I must get to that!  Actually I am more organised than most years and am happy to say that I think I'm at least half way done... I have had a lot of fun etsy shopping but am yet to hit the shops for a present buying session - why do today what I can put off until the 24th??!!.  I haven't gotten very far with my Rudy making adventures after a bit of a hand injury last week, so even the handmade gifts are falling behind, but I have at least sewn on two antlers and one ear to be able to bring you the next Tips & Tricks Tuesday!!  Below is my mini tutorial for ladder stitching something onto your softie.  I am using Rudy as a demo but of course this is applicable for any attachments such as arms, saddles, etc.

Here is my Rudy with one antler but waiting very patiently for his next one!

Stuff your antler, ensuring that you turn in the raw ends before reaching the end of your stuffing.  It is extremely important that you stuff both your Rudy and your Antler very firmly or you may end up with floppy antlers.  Once you have turned in the ends (pictured) then firmly stuff the remaining section of the antler until you reach the opening. 

Take your horn and using the same method as from last tutorial, create a knot on the folded edge. 

Now position your horn in the desired location on Rudy's head and take the first stitch into the head. 

Ladder stitch the horn into place as you ladder stitched closed the turning gap (from last tutorial). Take your next small stitch into the horn base (folded under edge) entering the horn at your point of exit from the head. 

Continue around the horn.  It is extremely important that you are following the circle of the horn base as you stitch it onto the head. 

Unlike with ladder stitching the opening, I suggest that you pull your thread and stitches tight after every stitch along the way.  Once you have gone completely around the horn I recommend going around a second time for strength.  Once complete, tie a knot close to the base of your thread. 

And then sink the knot into Rudy's head!

It is pretty much the same method for sewing on something flat, such as an ear but I will quickly show this also.  Here is my sewn, turned and pressed Rudy ear. 

Sew a small knot into the end of the bottom edge as per previous tutorial. 

Then sew a row of medium running stitch along the bottom edge.  Once you reach the end, move the fabric along your stitches to hand gather the bottom edge. 

Once fully gathered tie a single knot at the end to secure. 

Lay the ear against the head of your rudy in the position you want it sewn. Now ladder stitch the front bottom edge of the ear to the head. 

 

Once you have sewn the front edge to Rudy's ear, lay the ear down the opposite way and sew along the back edge of the ear so that the ear is securely attached and will stand up straight. Tie and sink a knot and - Ta-da! 

I hope that again this has helped someone!!  And to those who already know all of the tricks and methods, I am sorry that I have been very lazy at posting on the blog in-between my tutorials.  Maybe it will soon be time to move to TTTF (Tips & Tricks Tuesday Fortnight!)

As for me, I need to go and find that tree in the store room.... How exciting!

Melly