Saturday, July 28, 2012

Sascha - The Original Travelling Stash!

I know some of you have been patiently waiting for me to blog about Sascha - so here she is......

This is how I collected Sascha from the lovely Miss Jane Kelly. Who at the time was finishing off her three course sand meal that some of the kiddies had made her.

Lots of yummy goodness awaited me! LOL

This is what the contents looked like once I had taken everything out and oooohed and aaahed over everything!

These are the things that really caught me eye! 
I really loved the brown little notebook cover - I plan to make some of these for the school's Mother's Day stall next year - so having a copy to work from will be so helpful.

This is what I was putting back into Sascha. I had been collecting bits and pieces for a while now.

HOWEVER!!!!!!!!!!!
When it came time to bag everything up and weigh her - I discovered that she was very over her required 3kg limit.


OK- so I knew that the Homespun mag weighed about 400grams by itself - so I decided  to seperate everything and start again.  Just as well as I did - cause I found that she was already 150grams over before I added my items.  So I had to put my thinking cap back on and have another go.

This time I took out these items. With the stars and the zigzag fabrics, I simply cut them in half - keeping a FQ and putting a FQ back in the bag.  

And this is what I put back into the bag (plus the Chook Shed pattern which I forgot to take a photo of). Basically I just removed the magazine and replaced it with a set of bag handles and a Charm friendly patchwork quilt pattern. 

I still feel a little at unease of the fact that I have taken out more then I have put it - but trying to keep it all under the 3kg limit made it so much harder.  I am hoping that I will be forgiven by the other members that got a visit from Sascha too though.

Back on the scales for a final time - 1 notch under the 3kg mark! Whoooo - I did it.

Now she is off to the Post Office to be sent on to another 8 recipents before heading back to the lovely Cassie  from Cass the Coolest who organised her.

Despite being really sick whilst doing all of this - I still had so much fun. 

My very first time - but I am also linking up to the Sunday Stash over at Finding Fifth!


Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Being Thrifty!

Does everybody have one of those pieces of clothing that you just live in and would be so lost if you know had it to wear????? Well for me - that essential piece is my long denim skirt! I try to wear it all year round! Anyhow I was devestated to learn that I had a rip in the back just above the back split. Hmmmm, what was I going to wear now.

Well instead of throwing it out - or even upcycling it somehow, I managed to patch it with an iron on embroidered patch. Sheesh I am feeling pretty clever with myself.

The ladybird patch! Once ironed on - I did sew it on as well for extra strength and protection!

The underside showing what the patch is hiding.

I couldn't help myself, I added a trail with some embroidery thread.

My skirt all ready to go - now just to shave the overgrown forest that has appeared on my jean cladded legs and I will be ready to wear my most loved piece of clothing again!

Monday, July 23, 2012

Farrah - The Travelling Fat Quarter Stash

On my way into town yesterday to pick up Sasha - The Travelling Stash from a friend in town, I decided to stop and buy my 3kg satchel so I could get ready to send her on to the next recipient when I was given a jammed packed 3kg satchel by my lovely Australia Post lady! It was Farrah - The Travelling Fat Quarter stash that I had also signed up for on Facebook. I just laughed, cause when I signed up for them both, I thought to myself, knowing my luck I would end up with them both at the same time. Looks like I jinxed myself.

For those that do not know what a travelling stash is - it is a collection of bits and pieces that is passed from person to person. When each person receives the stash, they take what they would like out of it and replaces it with the same amount of items before sending it to the next person.The idea is that the person that originally sent/organised the stash ends up with goodies different to what they originally sent out.

Anyway, enough talking, I am sure you are all hanging out to see photos of Farrah!

This is how she arrived. I must admit though I was so excited that I did rip into her and have a little look before stuffing them back in the bag to take a photo. LOL.  I was just soo excited.

A much nicer photo of all the lovely FQ goodness that was hidden inside that 3kg satchel.

After much drooling and oogling, I decided to take the below 10 FQ's. I tried to stick with taking only what I could use in upcoming projects.

It wasn't easy! But I have decided on these 10 with the following purposes in mind....
The Frogs - are a project I am making for my sister's birthday
The Blue leaves - are for a mug rug where I already have the same print but in pink
The green - for a Christmas Handmade swap that I am in
The Blue dots - for a dress for a doll that I have my eye on to make
The blue one at the front - will probably be for a handbag that I have been dreaming off
The two browns - are always handy for animal appliques.

Now taking a whopping 10 FQ's meant that I had to replace them with 10 or more. I started to get a little worried as although I have been a sewer for as long as I can remember, I have only starting collecting patchwork fabric for just under a year now. But I was surprised at how quickly the 10 came together.

Not a great photo (should have looked at this before I had sealed the bag)! I had noticed that Farrah was appearing to be more of a pastel floral kind of palette, so I was looking for brights, reds, navys and something cute and funky amongst my stash.

A much nicer and more accurate colour view of the FQ's that I put back into the stash.

OK, now it was time to bundle Farrah up and put her into a new satchel ready to head to the next person - who I know is just going to squeal with delight when she finds out that she is next. LOL

Onto my trusty scales to see if were in the allocated 3 kilo range.

I also bundled all the FQ's up into a plastic bag, before placing her into the satchel. Just a bit more protection should the outer bag get ripped etc.

Oh and I just couldn't help myself - since I had plenty of room kilo wise, I added another two country style FQ's to the bag as well!

Now Farrah is patiently waiting for her trek into town tomorrow to be posted.

I also want to thank the lovely Bronwyn for organising Farrah - she has brought me so much joy and fun.