It's getting closer....

And that is about all I need to say really.... Hope you can drop in and grab a bargain!!

When we were.....

40% off!!!!

(No I am not talking about when I was 40... although I believe the party went for a month....)

Going.... going...not yet....

No..not yet

But our last day will be September 13.

At the moment all stock is at least 35% off (some are already lower).

Come on in and grab a bargain.

Some of our fixtures and made items are also available to purchase.

Hope to see you soon

Time to say goodbye

Hi there

I hope that when you have walked in our store that I have had the chance to say that to you....

Unfortunately I won't be able to say that to you for much longer as we have decided to close during September of this year.

We began Threadneedle Craft about 7 and a half years ago and have enjoyed our time immensely.

Now it is time for us to regroup as a family and enjoy some time together - the boys are getting bigger and it won't be long until they fly the coup!

So... what does that mean for you? Well, I would love you to come in and say goodbye... we will begin our closing sale on July 27 (closing on Sunday 26 to prepare) with everything at 25% off (unless already reduced further).

At regular intervals this amount will drop by 5% until our complete closure on Sunday September 13.

All fittings and fixtures that are for sale will also be marked at a fixed price so come in and grab a bargain.

And before I sign off I would just like to thank you all for your support during our time here and for your cheery selves popping in the door.

We wish you all the best in craftiness

Merrilyn & David Sim
Threadneedle Craft Daylesford

Away (just for a little bit)....

Just a quick message to let you know that Threadneedle Craft will be closed from

May 20th and will reopen as usual on May 27th

(Off to a wedding.... in Fiji)

Ottoman - Large size

Given it has been a long time between posts I thought I would give you a quick update on the Ottoman exercise...

Started the one for home making the "pattern" 20% bigger. This is the back of our old couch that had never seen the light of day and was still in good condition (the front was fraying to shreds and had that decidedly grubby look of boys growing up with it...)

This one also has some seriously heavy duty interfacing (ie swear inducing sewing was required as the stuff became so stiff I could barely move it) to keep the shape.

Stuffing - I think I mentioned that I used clean old cushion inserts so that I didn't have all the "air" in them.  Well this one has on complete old couch feather and foam cushion insert in it with a few more feathers.

Yes I had to open the bag and yes I am still finding feathers in the back of the shop.

It also has about three cushions to get in to all the corners.

But its done - I think I made it firmer than it needed to be but I am happy with the result.

The only thing now is to stop the boys throwing it around (v. heavy) and using as a weapon!!!

Another large size is getting made for a friend... sigh... after my fingers recover.

Cushions and Christmas

It’s been a long time between blogs but I thought I would share with you my efforts with octagons!!!

While away earlier this year we saw in an amazing shop some octagon shaped ottomans.  They looked great and as we have some old couch fabric at home we thought we might have a go at making them…

So I started with a couple of prototypes – not quite as big as the final one will be but a decent size.  My shapes were taken from a computer program and then printed off (I did the octagon shape first and then broke it into the triangles).

Then it is a matter of cutting out and stitching together (sides then tops with a bit unstitched in one of the top bits. I have used heavy fusible interface on the sides and as one whole piece I have put a piece of bag batting on the top and bottom. This lets it keep its shape.  I slit one in the centre as this is where I fill it and then hand stitch it up.

To stuff – I am sure you can get heavy stuffing but I have yet to source this – what I have done is used old cushions and pillows (clean!!) that have lost their oomph but are quite dense. I shove a lot in!!!

Finally to close hand stitch the opening closed and then stitch the octagon in the middle on.

So I have made 2 so far with the biggie cut out as my January project…

In the meantime...

Threadneedle Craft wishes you all the best over the festive season. Be safe and happy and enjoy your families.

Our shop will reopen on January 8 with our school holiday program commencing on the 12^th.

The Quillow... and ... wait for it ... a family holiday!!!

I know it has been a while - months are definitely missing and I am sure they were there when I last looked!!!

So apart from the usual faffing around that I do, I decided to make a quillow.

I am not sure if that is the correct term but it is the one I have heard. We were given one when our first son was born and initially I was thinking …what will I do with this???

Then we started walking to the park and the pocket was great for a nappy or two, some wipes and any other things that you seem to need with a baby.  It would get chucked under the pram and away we would go. It also was thrown in the car as a back-up pillow or blanket while driving

So I thought I should have a go at making them…

The size is about 1.1m x 0.7m. It’s a sort of not too big, not too small size that seems to work. (These are all finished sizes).

The cushion pocket should be wide so I use about 0.40m by 0.30m. Any leftover fabric I use for another smaller cushion pocket – and a handle if I have enough. (I attach the handle to the inside of the large pocket.

I use a thick sort of polyester wadding - it is going to be washed a lot!

And really then it’s a bit of putting the small pocket on.  Right sides together with wadding. Sew around the whole thing leaving a turning gap.

Turn it through and machine all the way around which should close the gap (yes I am lazy and try to avoid hand stitching).

I then quilt it doing straight lines up the quilt from the small pocket. Then add the larger pocket (with the handle on the inside) to the quillow over the smaller one. (Trust me it works!!). Again quilt straight up the quilt to sew the large pocket on.

And its done!!!

There are more detailed patterns on-line if you look here but when you start you sort of work it out (and I tried to make a very easy one).

And the fabric is available at Threadneedle

Now, on another note, Threadneedle will closed for ten days until Thursday 25^th September. We are about to go on a family holiday!!!

See you during the School Holidays and yes we do have a school holiday program.

Let's Pretend.....

How do you end that sentence.....

 

I like to pretend that I am actually going to finish all the projects I have started.....

Or maybe that my corners are perfect.... my soft toys are stuffed correctly and don't have lumpy bits.... or that my knitting is so even that people will gasp in wonder!!!
(I like to pretend with a strong positive theme)

We all used to pretend so well when we were little... and this little range certainly triggered some memories.

When I say little, there are only three elements to the range that we have and I added just a little of the blue homespun sashing.

It's not huge but it is a sweet little quilt that was fun to do.

And the final pretend..... that it is actually finished - still with pins in, and needing some hand stitching... But, well, lets pretend anyway

(The backing fabric is called Fun - Rain White)

Novella - time to finish

Novella fabric... It's different, its multi coloured... And I wondered what I was thinking...

So I cut some up into squares and played... (squares and Novella strips are 2.5" - chocolate strips are 1.5")

And realised that it all works together... I mean it should as it is a range... but it really does.

So I kept going for a while and ended up with a quilt top. Which means I had to make a back.

(If I can I will try and use all my leftovers on the back). The spot is not part of the range but works really well.

And now I have picked the binding - again not part of the range but I do love using a stripe on the binding.

I might just add that it was suppose to be quilted in January .... then it turned hot - really hot - so it has been put on the cool weather pile.

Oh well, on the next thing ..... Happy stitching!

What about a set of placemats for you???

I dont know about you but I feel like I have Festive Season jet lag.... I am still trying to catch up on all the things I was suppose to have finished before Christmas but....

Anyway... ages ago these came in...

There are four fusible placemats in the pack and they are the perfect size.

So I decided to do something with them using Sunrise Silhouette panels for the front....

and Sunflowers for the back... Both these fabrics as well as some others are on sale at 25% off on our website

But then promptly sold them all before I got a chance to tell you about them (and finish them).

Now they are back in stock and are great to play with.

Have fun!!

Hope 2014 is everything you wish it to be (notice there is no mention of resolutions here!!! I have made a resolution to ban resolutions!!!!!!)

And to you a safe and happy festive season

So that time has arrived again...

Most of the presents are bought and wrapped!! Usually we are wrapping until the wee hours of Christmas Day but we have managed to get them done....

Family gatherings are planned and (almost) catered for...

One final thing to do...

Wishing you all a

Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Take care
Threadneedle Craft and family
XX

Christmas Quilting - Not two words I would usually put together

Our local quilt group is called the Spa Quilters.  A lovely bunch of creative ladies that have so much skill and knowledge I try to go and just gather information on how to do things.....

Each year there is a challenge and the decision was make to make some thing Christmassy..... You could say whether or not you would go in the challenge in March. We were given a piece of felt, some ribbon and two pieces of fabric.

Yes I did say I would do the challenge in March.......

Suddenly .... it is the start of November (that is roughly when I actually started this)... and it is due to be finished by the end of the month....AARRGGHH.... What was I thinking???? Where has all my time gone. I couldn't back out... the threat of having to judge the challenge loomed....

And of course I could do something simple but no - I planned what I would do in October (when I still had heaps of time).... so I had to work out how to make a hole in a quilt....(hellooo google...)

Well now you can see it - almost done.

If I am feeling brave (insane) there might be a bit more going on it but basically it is done...except for the stitching, finishing the binding, trimming the threads........ yes I know, back to work.

Anna Tunic

I have knitted a few things of late but something I haven't done for a very long time is sew something for myself....that I will wear and enjoy.

Like many, I didn't enjoy sewing at high school with the "though shalt sew straight lines until they are straight!!!" approach .... But when I started working I couldn't afford all the clothes I wanted.

Purchasing my first sewing machine at 20 (Mums old and heavy Singer was on loan for ages) I started sewing clothes for both myself and some friends....

Then.... nothing for a whole lot of years (ahem we are not going to say how many....) The odd mend or two with a few curtains and cushions thrown in, but basically not much. More hand stitching that was portable.

But now I have finished the Anna Tunic designed by Amy Butler in Collage Bird Dot I can see a whole bunch of clothing happening....

The Cherry Blossom Princess

I was hoping that this would have been available for the School Holidays but unfortunately it came in just a bit too late to add to the collection of activities.

We did Owlivia a while ago and that was hugely popular...

So when the Cherry Blossom Princess was shown to me I had to bring her into our shop...

If you look closely you will see that at this point she was a little bit pinny!!!

But I do love that details they have included...

So here she is in all her glory - de-pinned and thoroughly finished... (I am on a roll finishing stuff!!!)