Tilda Bi Monthly Club

The March Bi Monthly Club has arrived

I have three spare kits if anyone is interested

$48 NZD plus postage.

I will send all over the world. I can get a quote for postage before sending a Paypal invoice.

'This is a mystery Club. 

I will tell you that this month the pattern is designed by Lynette Anderson.

The fabrics are just beautiful

there are other things inside the kit other than fabric... all part of the mystery and suprise.

Please leave me a comment if you would like to purchase 

I will email you and you can then send me your Paypal email address and I will send an invoice.

If you are in New Zealand you can pay by bank deposit or Paypal

A Catch Up

A few weeks back I was on a Tilda roll. ... I had these cutouts and decided to use them on a journal I had in my sewing room. The journal was a lovely hand bound one I had purchased from a craft store. 

I covered it with the pink and white Tilda fabric and added the cutouts to the front. On the inside I have scattered the cutout roses from this paper pack.

I  had news that my dad has cancer a few weeks ago. This has come as a huge shock, as this 'c'  diagnosis does to us all.  Its amazing, even as your parents go into their 70's you still think they are going to be around forever. My dad has started chemo, but I am very sad to say that this is not going to make it go away... it may help shrink the tumors but dad isnt going to come out the other side.  

So this is a rather big thing amongst a number of other things going on in my neck of the woods.

I hope it is all well with you all.

We did manage to get a lovely few days away on a friends boat last week to recharge our batteries.

Mansion House Bay... 

A restored home of Governor George Grey... with many gorgeous antiques inside

He introduced trees and animal species to this island when he lived here... his piece of paradise

One being the peacock

the most amazing colours!

the beautiful Coromandel in New Zealand...

 What a fantastic weekend we had with beautiful weather

We came across a huge pod of dolphins feeding in a huge bay

I would have to say this was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had.

A few of us were in the tender boat ... motoring around them. There would have been about  60 dolphins jumping out of the water, feeding, rubbing up against the big boat and 

Coming up so close to our little boat that we could almost touch them.

It was so exciting. They would roll on their side and look up at us while they were swimming past. 

I wonderful experience with nature.

I hope all is well with you all

x

Latest Tilda Makes

I have many Tilda Books in my book stash.. One of them is Tilda Seaside Ideas.

I have admired the little Iced Lolly Pincushion in this book for a while. I decided to make it today.

I used Tilda blue gingham and cut out a rose from another Tilda fabric to glue onto the front.

I did not have a lolly stick so I used felt and put a toothpick inside it to give it a firmness. 

\

This is the book where you will find the Iced Lolly pincushion

Also

I made these sea urchins that are in this book too.

These are also made using Tilda fabrics. 

I have purchased a few Zakka books recently.

In the introduction of one of the books the author mentioned what Zakka is... she mentioned Scandinavian Zakka ... I realised that alot of the prettiness in the Tilda books is in fact a form of Zakka.... Useful prettiness that can be used in the home...  

Have a great weekend

Tilda Santa with Drum

This is made using a Tilda kit

I loved sewing with the Tilda skin fabric.. it is soft and has a slight stretch to it, very different to using a linen or calico. 

This Tilda Santa was not too hard to make.. The only thing I would recommend is getting some of the turning tools for stuffing and turning the arms and legs. This does make the job so much easier. Using a stick or a knitting needle makes it a very fiddly job.

I have been wanting to make this doll for quite sometime. He was partially made and I hadnt got around to finshing him off. What amazed me with the Tilda kit was it had all the cottons for hand sewing in it and each colour had its own sewing needle. 

Happy Sewing

A Catch Up

Firstly, Id like to apologise to you all who are supposed to be doing the Tilda Sew Along with me

I havent been doing too much Sewing Along Im afraid

I have purchase this book and I was delighted to see the knitted cardigan in there for a Tilda... 

Im not one to talk about my personal going's on in my life over my blog and I am not after any sympathy. I just thought I had better touch bases so that I do not leave people guessing as to what on earth is going on.

I am still alive! 

Sometimes things just get too hard..... Too hard to even pick up the fabric and sew.. I have been using a crochet hook and a spinning wheel.... also have managed to get a needle, thread and fabric out to do some stitching but that is where it has stopped.

All I ask is for you to be patient with me... I will get to it, that is a promise.

I have been asked for a tutorial on the denimn jacket for the Tilda Doll as well, I will also get to that. My intention has been to do a number of tutorials for Tilda but it has been in the toooooo hard basket.

The crochet hook as been busy, as has the dyeing pot and the wheel... below is just some over the things I have been up to over recent months.

I find spinning very very relaxing... I have so much spun yarn now I reallyl dont know what to do with it all LOL...  The above photo is the size of a large bowling ball... I thought it might make a great TV blanket.

Have a great weekend

Tilda Ballerina Sew Along Part 1

Sorry everyone that this is a few days over due.

We are going to first sew up the body, arms and legs for the first week.

Page 35 in the book has the written instructions, as it says in there if you think you will find the legs for the ballerina too difficult then make the Ballerina Princess on Page 11 instead.

The secret to sewing up the Tilda doll is to do exactly as the instruction say for the Tilda Angel Tutorial

Click HERE for this tutorial

BEFORE YOU CLICK PLEASE NOTE!!!

For the ballerina shoes

Go to page 11 and look at diagram C. This picture shows how to get the shoes colour sewn on. 

DO NOT CUT OUT PATTERN PIECES INDIVIDUALLY.

Trace onto the skin fabric with double thickness then sew on the trace line. Leave opening at the top of the arms, legs and at the botton of the body.

My suggestion is that you do the doll body the same as in the tutorial link above. This is alot easier than the instructions in the book.

When you have cut out the pieces then turn them out with a then kebab type stick or a thin piece of dowl.

Next week we will stuff and sew on to the doll body.

Tilda Ballerina Sew Along

Would like to make a Tilda doll?

Starting on the 8th May 2013 I will be starting a Sew Along

We are going to make the ballerina.

You will need:

The Tilda's Fairytale Wonderland Book

Skin fabric... Linen or a good quality cotton will be fine if you cannot get Tilda skin

Faric for your Ballerina Dress

Ribbon of your choice

Embroidery Yarn

A small brooch or beads or something similar

Stuffing for your doll

and wire

In the book is the requirements for the hair. I will show you how to do this.

If you would like to take part and have your blog on the sidebar as a participant please comment on this post. 

I will post a tutorial each week over a period of 3 - 4 weeks

At the end of this you should have your doll completed for all of us to see.

Hugs

Tilda Wooden Spools

I purchased some wooden spools, they are not Tilda and are slightly smaller but they do the same thing.

I painted them with white acrylic paint and Mod Podged the printable circle onto the top. The printable circle was too large for the spools I had to reduce by 50% for it to fit onto the top.

These are quick and easy to make.

The rose pins I made a little while back ... these add some prettiness 

I lovely addition to my studio

Tilda Skin Fabric

I have had a few emails from people asking me what fabric I use for my Tilda Dolls.

As you know I sell some Tilda fabric in my online shop. It is expensive for me to bring Tilda into New Zealand so for the moment I only have limited stock available.

So when you are looking for the requirements you need to create your doll you improvise, well I do and I have had to over the last 3 years, as Tilda fabric has been hard to come by.

I use a good quality calico or a linen that is a tone close to what I need. For the Tilda Bunny I used linen for the above Tilda Angel I used calico.

So really it is you choice. Tilda skin fabrics come in dark tone colours for gingerbread men etc. I would tea dye my fabric for a darker look. At some stage I will get some Tilda skin fabrics in but for the moment I make do with what I can get.

I hope this helps answer some of your questions.

Im on a creative roll ....

Last night I was sitting in my studio with my hubby having a cup of tea.

I saw some earrings I had made a few years back, some angels wings and and some inspiration come over me. I got up and said to my husband "I just have to make something". Out came the wire, beads, fabric and away I went. The little angel above is the creation. 

She is made with a Tilda fabric from the Flowergarden range and I am in love. :-)

Also, I have been on a Modge Podge binge lately. Having made the Christmas Deocration below and another one too, which I havnt taken a photo of and this little gift bag above. This is a little bag and on it I have used a lovely Shabby Chic tissue paper, Tilda Paper Craft papers from the Flowergarden series, Riley Blake mini pom poms and some gorgeous pink and white gingham ribbon (from France) - I just had to add that in, as I love things from other countries, other than China. I have made the folded ribbon roses from the link in my tutorial tab.

I have also been very inspired by Pinterest... this site is so inpsiring.

I spend time on there every day finding tutorials and inspiration.

The above photo is of some clay tags I have made for Christmas. At this present time I cannot find the link for the tutorial. I will tell you have I made them.

Instructions:

White clay - air dry clay is what I used.

A crochet doily

Rolling Pin

Cutters.

Roll out a handful of clay. Place the doily over the top of the clay and roll. This will press an imprint into the clay. Now using the cutter of your choice cut out the shapes. I used a snowflake, heart and star cookie cutter. I used a small birthday candle to make the holes for the string to go through.

Leave to dry.

So everyone, this is my very creative week.

Have a great day

Crochet, Crochet and some sewing

Here is my latest crochet creation in the making.

The teacosy is done in a chunky wool. The flowers are so simple and look so effective on the top. When I have finished I will post a photo of it.

Also,

I saw on Pinterest  I saw this cute crochet Fusion Crochet Blanket Sew Along. I was very inspired to have a go at making one. I posted it on Facebook and Cat from Catalina's Cottage suggested that we do a sew along together. 

So we got sewing and crocheting.

I chose Tilda Flowergarden fabrics combined with a lovely soft baby double knit wool.

I am so enjoying making this blanket.

On the other side of the blanket I am using Flower Sugar by Leicen. so my blanket will be reversable.

Im hoping to have this finished very soon.

and I also had a sewing class to teach today. My daughter and two of her friends wanted to learn to sew.

They chose to make a skirt.

They made a fantastic job.

We had a heap of fun and they finished their skirts in a day.

We are now looking forward to doing this again   :-)

I hope you are having a great weekend

Android Phone Case

I was out a few weeks ago for dinner with some blogging friends

Cat

Leonie

Jacqui

It was a fun night with lots of laughs.. Cat in fine form  :-) cracking us up with her stories etc.

Jacqui had an iphone case she had made, click HERE to see it. I just LOVED it. I'm a lover of linen and red. This iphone case inspired me to make one for my phone. I have an android so I got sewing a few days later.

The above photo is what I came up with... and of course it is made from Tilda fabrics.

'

What I liked about Jacqui's case was that it didn't have a tab or button that you had to open, this way the phone was easily accessible. 

It didn't take long to make.... I added a frill and some Tilda ribbon just to spruce it up abit.

Have a great weekend