The mending pile

Sometimes the mending pile gets so big that it actually needs to sorted into colours like the washing. In that way I feel like I am getting some kind of efficiency by doing all of the black things together, then the purple, red, black etc.

This is today's job.

Time for a pause, a change in direction

 image from Natural Suburbia 

Hi to my lovely loyal readers, and to those who have just stumbled by Meg's Threads.  If you have been popping by Meg's Threads over the last couple of years, you may have noticed that I have been posting rather infrequently here.


I now spending most of my time over at By Meg's Pen and Living Green and Thrifty, so I won't be posting here unless I decide to do another sewing tutorial at some point in the future or make something really cool.  


By Meg's Pen is full of book reviews, words, poems, thoughts and writing exercises.  Please drop by.
Twitter @MegDunley
Facebook By Meg's Pen Page


Living Green and Thrifty has tips on how to live a little more sustainably in this consumer loving world.  It is my words, my thoughts and suggestions.  I also have on this blog an Australian Green Directory that I try to keep up to date and welcome any suggestions.
Twitter @greenandthrifty
Facebook Living Green and Thrifty Page




Please feel free to drop by either blog, or visit me on twitter or facebook and join in the conversation.


Thank you again for your support over the years,


Meg Dunley

The Only Scout Group in the City of Melbourne is holding a Market!

There is going to be a captured market of people wanting buy great stuff if you are wanting to get yourself a table to sell your wares at the Kensington & Flemington Community Market at the Scout Hall this Saturday.  There are still tables up for grabs.  Give Fleur a call on 0448 476 705 if you are interested.  


If you are just interested in grabbing those last minute Christmas presents, then this is the market for you.  Come along between 10 & 4pm to 55 McCracken St, Kensington.

Printmaking & Book Making Workshops with Sally Darlison

Book by Sally Darlison 

I am trying to decide which workshop to book into with my sister's workshops. Sally is an artist & she is running some great workshops at her place & I am really keen to learn about printmaking, but the "New Surfaces" workshop has sparked my interest as well.

Not only would I get a great day away from the all of the testosterone in my house, but I might actually learn something new.

Sally also has a great blog called Fusion - Fabrics, Paper, Stitch , so pop over & have a look at her work.

The details are:

Workshops with Sally Darlison

www.sallydarlison.com  

Printmaking

1 day class 9.30 am - 3.30pm

This class will explore block printing techniques. Design ideas and image making will be part of this class. Students will learn to make prints both with and without a press.

This class could be extended to be a 2 day class if there was enough interest

Maximum of 6 students per class.

Classes held in Sally’s studio in Balwyn, Victoria

Cost $160 includes materials and lunch

Book making

Beginning book making

1 day class 9.30am - 3.30pm

This class is suitable for beginning book makers

In this class students will learn to create several types of book including concertina, flag and pamphlet books.

Maximum of 6 students per class.

Classes held in Sally’s studio in Balwyn, Victoria

Cost $160 for the day includes materials and lunch.

Advanced book making

1 day class 9.30am - 3.30pm

This class further explores book making techniques. A Stitched book will be created in this fun class.

Maximum of 6 students per class.

Classes held in Sally’s studio in Balwyn, Victoria

Cost $160 for the day includes materials and lunch

New Surfaces

1 day class 9.30 am - 3.30pm

This class will explore different techniques for changing the surface of both paper and fabric, including simple printing, simple dyeing techniques, rusting. These fabrics and papers can be used for collage and book making.

This class could be extended to be a 2 day class if there was enough interest

Maximum of 6 students per class.

Classes held in Sally’s studio in Balwyn, Victoria

Cost $160 for the day includes materials and lunch

Collage

1 day class 9.30 am - 3.30pm

In this class students will learn ways of combining various papers and fabrics to create collage. Starting with cards and progressing onto a larger piece.

Maximum of 6 students per class.

Classes held in Sally’s studio in Balwyn, Victoria

Cost $160 for the day includes materials and lunch

Dates for 2011

Printmaking

Saturday 22 Oct 

Beginning Books

Thursday 10 Nov

Advanced Books

Saturday 26 Nov

New Surfaces

TBA

Collage

TBA

More classes will be arranged for 2012.

Sally is happy for you to request a class and you can then arrange a mutually agreeable time, especially if you can find at least 3 willing people to join you. She is available to teach on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Contact details

sally.darlison@gmail.com

0409 183 685

Choices, choices!  Book in before it is too late...

Inspirations from travelling

 This is my first attempt at quilting, using the overlocker, of course - where would I be with out it!

All of the pieces are woollen felt with 2 of the pieces being textured for interest.

The quilt was inspired by these massive double decker and sometimes triple decker shipping containers on incredibly long trains through South Australia near Port Pirie at the bottom of the Southern Flinders Ranges. 

The trains (excuse the blurriness - this is the best shot!)

This is an attempt of mine to first of all use oil pastels - not a medium I am particularly comfortable with, and also to try to capture the essence of the Kimberly, the boabs, the roundness of the body of the tree and the seeds, and incredible sunsets that we were surrounded with.

The boab again. I am completely captured by them, as many who have visited the Kimberly area are.  Each tree becomes a great character.  Sketching, a medium I more comfortable with, and enjoy getting lost in for hours on end.

 This, another graphite pencil, began with the hand (my hand) and me just wanting to stretch myself as I find them quite hard.  I then wanted to try to push myself a little more with it and explore what the picture could do.

A Clearer Direction

If you liked to follow me here to read about my ramblings in my family life, my opinions and views books I have read, words and thoughts that come to me, you may want to pop by my blog, By Meg's Pen as this is where I will be collecting them from now on.

I will be keeping Meg's Threads for rambling on about my creative stuff, tools of the trade, creative mending and passing on any tips for you as I go, and will put up some more of my tutorials as I go.

A great big thank you to those who like to pop by.

I'm back...

Yep, for those who didn't know, I'm back from my trip.

I have been stitching (a rug inspired by a cargo train), drawing, painting and knitting socks between working a day job. (bah humbug!)

Pictures will come.

I know this is a space that has been neglected.  I am stealing back moments.

New blog for trip

I've finally done it!  Not all slick yet...it takes time...yet here it is

New Adventure

As I write this, I am sitting in a 14 year old rusty dingo bright blue camper trailer in Adelaide.  17 days ago we drove out of Melbourne after packing up the house and renting it out.  We made the big decision to "do the Big Trip"!  We are travelling for about 9 months.  Myself and my 4 boys (partner included).  That's a lot of testosterone in close quarters, I can tell you now already! 

Anyway, I could go on for a long, long, long, long way, however, I am writing to say that this is really why I haven't had time to do a post.  I was flat out packing up the house for 6 months with the last 2 months being insane.  Now that I have more time, I am not really around my sewing things (funnily enough!), and power is quite limited, and I am enjoying more of the simple things. 

I may well do a blog about the trip...my mind has been turning it over , I just needed to slow down a little first...watch this space, you will know if I do. Anyway, I'll  be back...2011.

Cheers for now and thanks for the support to here, Meg

Tracksuit pants hem tutorial

Ok, this is a tute for all those who would like to put up their hems of their trackie dacks (tracksuit pants) so that they look just as professional as before.  It is not as hard as it seems.

Step 1: First thing is to measure how much you will need to take them up.  You may need help from someone else with this.  A good general rule of thumb is that the bottom of the new hem should be the bottom of your heel.

Step 2: Now turn your pants inside out and measure that distance from the current bottom of the pants up.  This is where you will now fold the pants up with the outside of the pants folding toward the inside.  You should be seeing the inside out of the pants with the outside of the fold.  It is best to do this on your ironing board as you will be ironing this in a moment.

Step 3: With your iron set on the appropriate setting for the pants (check the label), iron the crease of the fold (which will be your new hem line) all around the edge.  Do this for both legs. (please ignore the cut on the pants in the photo - I took the photo after I had done Step 5!)

Step 4: Now measure the length of the current hem.  It is always a good idea to follow what has been done already, except in the cases where it is too small.  In these cases, allow for more fabric for the hem.

Step 5: Now with this measurement of the hem, cut that length from the ironed crease (toward the bottom of the pants) all the way around the pants - be sure to cut evenly.  Do this with both legs.

Step 6: Now with your overlocker, stitch around the edge in cotton that either matches or is neutral.  If you do not have an overlocker, use a zigzag stitch along the edge. Do this for both legs.

Step 7: Iron with steam to relax the fabric back and to set the stitches. Do this for both legs.

Step 8:  Pin the hem around (knob ends pointing down to the bottom of the pants. Do this for both legs.

Step 9:  Pop your Twin Needle (make sure you use the "Stretch" needles for stretch fabric) and thread up your machine with cotton to match the pants or slightly darker cotton (use either two cotton reels or make up two bobbins and use one bobbin up the top as your other reel).

Step 10: Making sure that you are stitching on top of your edge of your hem, sew on the right side of your pants.  Careful not to pull the fabric as it goes through the machine.  Keep it at a consistent width from the bottom edge.  Do this for both legs.

Step 11: Turn up the steam on your iron

and put the finished pants, inside out on the ironing board.  You will notice that they are all bubbly.  Don't freak out!  Hold the iron over the top, not ironing, just holding over, push the steam button and give them a shot of stem and watch the fabric reclaim its elasticity! 

Ta Da!

Step 12: Now turn them the right way and give them an iron and your job is done!