Royal Wedding Fun

My lovely neighbours, Lyn & Eric, went to a Royal Wedding Party.   Whoever was giving the party had a great sense of humour, because everybody had a title, and everybody had to come in character.  Lyn was the Arch-Duchess, Eric was the Admiral.  Lots of inspiration, and Lyn found the perfect dress, which was bottle green something, maybe rayon? with a velvet bodice - this is the closest approximation of the style I could find:

Except the bodice on Lyn's dress was velvet... and a bit tight.  Lyn is.. quite well endowed... shall we say, in that department?  Anyway, she popped around for inspiration on how to get the dress to fit a bit better (read:  looser), so I set to with the seam ripper on the lining, and gave her another couple of centimetres.  Then I had a stroke of inspiration, and whipped out the two lovely rhinestone brooches I just bought (I've fallen in love with Rhinestones, did I tell you that (although if you look up Etsy Treasuries made by me, you'll figure it out pretty quick!)?

So, the Rhinestone brooches were going on the dress as decorations, a la other Royal occasions:

 

They look so similar, don't they?  Then there's this one:

 

Emeralds, Sapphires.. Rhinestones.  I think the finished result was like this - not sure she could borrow the tiara though!

And then I lent The Admiral a sash, so he could pin his own decorations and medals (purchased from the Warriewood Two Dollar Shop) onto his uniform.  I'm sure he looked just like this:

Except for the chair, of course.


I, personally, hopped into my jammies & put the electric blanket on, then watched it from my lovely warm bed.  Mr G was out on the town celebrating the impending wedding of one of his boys (as we call the poor sods who slave under him in the IT mines all day), so I had no reason to hide my desire to watch it.  I loved her dress, classic, simple, chic.  

So, you see, it is possible to enjoy Royalty - but only until the Revolution!

Ciao!

Too much of nothing happening...

And yet, not.  I feel very guilty that I haven't written anything for your delectation since the 26th April... I haven't really been doing anything much except a spot of socialising, a smidgen of sewing, a crumb or two of craft, a something of upholstery... nothing to keep me from writing another thrilling post about it all... but, as I get started, I realise I could have written three posts - one about the Royal Wedding Party my lovely neighbour Lyn went to, one about Upholstery School, and one about the rest of this rubbish...


So, let's see.


I finished Kaz's dressing gown & she sent me a picture - I think she was happy with it, apparently she wore it to a Royal Wedding party:

There was nothing particularly hard about it, the sleeves were a bit tedious because I was trying to do a piped cuff, but my brain would not go where I wanted it to, so I ended up just sewing the bands straight on.  I think it looks OK.  I also cheated a bit & used fabric glue to stick the mitred corners of the hem down, next time I'm up in the Hunter I'll stitch them in place, but I wanted to make sure it got to Kaz by Friday, and if I stitched them, it wouldn't have.  I did do a fabulous blind hem, so I'm sure the transgression of fabric glue will be forgiven.  Don't want anything to hold up my beatification...


I made a cushion for Kaz on Sunday to go with Archie's chair - I found some sew-in piping I've had for a few years, tucked in a drawer - I dragged the drawer out when my lovely neighbour Lyn came by seeking aid for her Royal Wedding Party outfit (but more on that in the second post for today!) - and thought to myself, as you do, you know, "Oh!  Cushion!"... anyway, Kaz wanted brown birds on one side & green spots on the other, so here 'tis:

I think the brown piping just finishes it nicely.  And I worked out how to put the zip in at the top, with the piping.  Quite easy, really [quick tute:  sew the piping all the way round one side first.  Then put the zip in as normal, using the sandwich method, then, before you sew up the side seams, make the flap - about 1/2 centimetre (5 ml/.1968"), pin it into place & top stitch it down.  Then sew up the side & bottom seams.  Easy!  Drop me a line if you get stuck, isabellagolightly[at]gmail.com]...

If I was making another one, I'd also top-stitch the green side, just to make sure it didn't flop open, but as it's going to have the bejezus stretched out of it by a cushion insert, I don't think it'll matter.


What else?  I made pencil cases for my colleagues at Upholstery School, did I mention those previously?  Yes, I think I did.  Actually, I've just checked and I didn't.  Here's some pics:

Brown for me, green for Caro, white for Nat.  


What else?  I started on the quilt for somebody I can't mention, and I'm doing the same pattern as the one I did for Nelly, the Cathedral Window one:

The fabrics are really nice, gender neutral, (I think), but I've had a bit of a headache putting them together in pleasing combinations - unlike the blocks above, there are only five colours for 36 blocks (cream, white, blue, coffee & brown), so it's been very tricky to make a 6 X 6 pattern which doesn't duplicate any of the pattern/colour combinations - and although I've stitched all the blocks together in 1 X 6 strips, I'm not sure I've got it right:

That's my task for today, to get the quilt top made.  Dinner is sorted (last night's lamb curry, good thing Mr Golightly loves leftovers), the washing will get done in dribs & drabs, my upholstery school assignments are up to date (but more on that in the third & final post for today), so, in theory, nothing will stop me.  

So, Gentle Readers, I must go away now & put a load of washing on, then I can come back with a semi-clear conscience to tell you all about Isabella Golightly's Adventures at the Royal Wedding.  Betcha can't wait!!


Ciao!

Home again home again jiggity jig II

Well, Gentle Readers, it would appear that half the population of Sydney decided to return to the Big Smoke at the same time as we did - we got half an hour into our journey on Sunday night and realised that because of the volume of traffic, it was probably going to take us 5 hours or so to get home - a trip that normally takes 2.5 hours... so we turned around.  Lucky for us Kaz & Az are pretty laid back, and we hadn't worn out our welcome.  Monday morning came & 8.08am saw us on the road - we were home by 10.20am.  


What did we do?  Well, as usual, Mr Golightly toiled mightily in the vineyard, winding up wire, splitting wood and help Az build some raised vegie beds, and I worked on Kaz's dressing gown, getting it 98% done, with the only bit remaining the really fiddly bit, which is to put the piping on the sleeves.  Being the fussy creature that I am, I want to use a method which will allow me to have only one visible seam, but I want the outside fabric to show on the inside of the sleeves too - I believe Vogue Sewing has the answers, so I'll be checking that out today, especially as it appears Autumn has hit with vengeance, and it's going to be cold and rainy all day... perfect for sewing!


For the first time in ages I didn't take any photos with my actual camera, only one rather nice piccie of Mr G with the pooch, her in her favourite spot, ie, right on top of Mr G, with her ears up, waiting for him to move so she can lick him into immobility... she's such a softie... although when the people on bicycles rode down the driveway & sat down to have their picnic, she set up such a barking & carrying on that it dawned on them that the land wasn't actually a park, despite the close resemblance, and scurried back up the driveway, with a "sorry" floating back our way.  Didn't do much to stop the dog from barking, but it did give us all a bit of a chuckle...

I have ordered some fabric, to make Az a footstool - I took my project up for show & tell, and he was so impressed he wants one.  Now all I have to do is find time to squeeze it in - I'm sure I'll manage!  This is what Kaz & I found trawling through upholstery fabric on Etsy:

and this one, which is also fantastic:

which I am just waiting for the owner to make me a custom listing so I can buy it & then Madam Kaz can choose her favourite.  I think they would both be amazing, but we shall see.


And now, given that I've been awake since 0430, I think I'm going to crawl back into bed and thank the Guvnmnt for my extra day off.  Enjoy it, Gentle Readers, I'm going to!


Ciao!

Heavenly Hunter

Hooray Gentle Readers, we're off to the Heavenly Hunter Valley for Easter.  It's always lovely to go & spend quality time with the Dog, the Chef, the Maker of Big Fat Fluffy Beds and the Mountains, and I'm taking the Chair (finally) - and also the footstool so she can see my skills in action...


I'm also taking the sewing machine, so I can make dressing gowns for the Chef and the Maker of Big Fat Fluffy Beds, and also a cushion for the chair, and whatever else pops up.


I got some fabric in the mail today:

This has quite a bit more yellow than I was expecting, but it's still very nice.

And this also arrived:

Which I love, and which I think will become the slipper chair cover, and this:

Which I think will be the tub chair, depending, of course, on the teacher's advice.

My lovely neighbour Lyn popped in to ask questions about how to renovate her op-shop frock for a Royal wedding party (what?  who?).  She was very impressed with the chair and suggested I try hawking it round the children's wear shops on the peninsular, especially to those shops where parents with more money than sense shop - which I think is a great idea (the chair, not the parents)... I might see if I can upholster another one in the spare time I have at Upholstery School... 

And that, Gentle Readers, is it for me, as I have to shower, dress, wash up, pack, chivvy Mr Golightly into action (although he has already mowed the back lawn, showered, dressed, packed and is now eating.  It's only 11.53am - he must be on holidays!)

Ciao (and have a fabulous Eostre, all of you!).

Keys...

When I was in Primary School I got a bit of a key fetish & started collecting them from all over the place.  I think it stems from my unquenchable desire to open locked doors & find out what's inside.  I still think a locked door holds the most interesting secrets.  Don't ever invite me to your house, I'll be snooping before you can say "cup of tea?"...


One of my fondest moments (and there were very very few) of high school is that at our Year 10 Farewell (that's Fourth Form, or when we're 16 for those of you who labour under the incomprehensible American high school system), I was presented with some cheap, nasty green and blue plastic keys from a baby's rattle.  No idea where they are now.  


Anyway, I made a key treasury the other day, which I thought I'd share with you, and also a picture of this beautiful key, which I bought on Etsy:

Too gorgeous for words, and infinitely better than green plastic.

Ciao!

Pussy cat pussy cat II

Perth. I've been to Perth.  I feel a bit ashamed, Gentle Readers, that I didn't advise you in advance that I was going to be off the air, or even off the planet, but I've given up my fabulously expensive Qantas Club Membership ($400/year is fabulously expensive, no?) as part of my regime to save money until I get a real job, along with the daily newspaper ($300/year), and various magazines ($150/year X about 3), and so I didn't do what I usually do in the Qantas Club lounge, which is use their free internet to update my blog with my 'going on holidays' post.  


Not being too thrifty, I do still buy two of the magazines, but I don't get them delivered any more.   I discovered that the English one, British Homes & Gardens, which I love, because it has fabulous furniture, fabrics and wallpaper in it, cost about $17.00 per issue when I subscribed.  It costs $9.95 in the newsagent, about 3 weeks later.  I can bear the wait.  Just.

Anyway, I did take my laptop to Perth, meaning to update my blog whilst I was there, but my lovely Ma & I fell into the Scrabble abyss, and spent most of our time making up ridiculous words according to the dictates of the dictionary on Facebook scrabble.  If any of you can suggest an alternative venue for online scrabble, I'd be thrilled to hear about it.


So, what did we do?  We spent a day in the clutches of the medical profession, the less said about which the better, we made two fabulous dressing gowns, using a McCalls pattern, and because we're both clever and thrifty, we made them from quilt backing fabric, which was 118" wide, meaning we only needed 1.75 metres - mine is almost to the floor, Lovely Ma's is to her ankles... and at $27/metre, that was a bargain.  Except, I just found a place in the States which has nice wide backings for $12/metre.... and people wonder why Aussies have taken to shopping on the internet with such fervor?

What else?  We visited the Hendys, we searched the local shops for an actual physical game of Scrabble (no such luck), we talked about the possibility of a holiday in Bali in July when all the medical madness is over for my Lovely Ma, we ate, I played with the dogs, did a spot of cooking (garlic prawns, yummy) & we pottered.  The perfect week off, really.


And now, Gentle Readers, as it's 1.48pm, I suppose I should schlep out of my fabulous new dressing gown & into the shower.  I am a bit jetlagged, so I don't want to rush it :-)...  more posts this week, I promise.  

Ciao!

Calico has no stretch

And so, Gentle Readers, the balls of my thumbs actually ache from the effort of trying to pull calico down over a layer of conglomerate foam:

Can you believe this image was found under 'conglomorate upholstery foam' in Google Images?  Which part of this foot and particularly unattractive shoe is foam, hmmm?


And a layer of linters, which is a cotton by-product used to provide the softness in your seat:

Yes, Google Images is excelling itself today...

and a layer of 20mm/.78" green foam:

That's so nicely green and foamy, isn't it?  All on the top of zig-zag springs...

Damn.  They found one!

Anyway, it's hard work and my thumbs are a bit sore from all the straining, holding, stapling, and digging out the staples when it wasn't quite smooth enough to keep the Upholstery Munchkin who teaches us on Mondays, happy.  

He's a lovely man, beautiful green eyes and a great store of knowledge and skill, but he loves a chat.  He gets started on something, and Bam!  he's off on a tangent and we're stuck 375 years ago when he did his apprenticeship, fondling coconut fibre and visiting Rapunzel in her beautifully upholstered tower...

In other news, Madam Late is so far behind the rest of us now she's almost still in the other room, and we can't decide if the root cause is 

a) self-medication (as in "she's zonked")

b) alcohol (as in "she's permanently bombed/pissed"), 

c) deafness, or 

d) she's just plain dumb.  

She knows how far behind she is, so she can't be that dumb, because she wanders round the room like Lady MacBeth sleepwalking through the castle, rubbing her hands saying "Oh, I'm so far behind", which means that her projects have become a bit like King Duncan, where she was keen to take them on, but a teeeeny bit regretful after the deed was done... "Out, damn'd chair, out I say".  She hasn't finished her second child's chair, her footstool, her two vinyl stool tops, or her drop-in seat, which is what we did yesterday.  Although, we have two days until the end of term, so if she can alter time, speed up the harvest and get teleported off this rock, she may be OK.  Use the Force, young Late.

My, aren't we a cultured Golightly this morning?  

In other news, Mr Golightly is at home today, slightly unwell, and all my damn' fine plans to go into town for a visit with the bank and lunch with Ms Creek are up the ... creek.  That's fine.  He's a bit 'in-his-cave' when he's unwell, a fact I may have alluded to in previous posts, so my plan is to ignore him completely, except for throwing food into the cave opening at regular intervals, and spend the day in my sewing room, coming out only to feed the animals, and put more washing in the machines.  It is raining, so it's quite justified to use the dryer for some things... honest.

I have an order for three doorstops made from this (and don't think I'm relying on Google images here, nosireebob):

and I made these for the lovely and glamorous lady who sold me (amongst other things) some new face cream:

Do you like the button accessory touch?  I know people tie things onto them like sea-shells and such, but I don't have a ready supply of those.  I think the accessorising button is quite a nice idea.  Hopefully BJ will too - she's going to collect them tomorrow... so I will report back.

And now, it's 9.00am, the office is open for business, and I must away to the shower, the laundry, and then, so exciting, the sewing room!  

Ciao!