Saturday 16 April 2016

Knitting & Sewing Round Up!

Well it seems an age since I did a post on my most recent projects.  

While visiting my parents I knitted a couple of sweaters with matching berets for Sasha and a dress for Schoenhut Miss Dolly (or others).

I have teamed the sweaters with a corduroy skirt with little working pockets. 



The wool was a lovely yarn I bought while in New Zealand called 'Zealana Performa Kiwi Fingering' and is made up of a mix of NZ Merino, Possom and Organic Cotton.  It has a nice soft feel and drapes well.




This outfit is available to purchase for £31.50 plus postage either direct from me here or from my Etsy Shop  (later today hopefully)   My model Maddison and her boots not included.

The second sweater and beret set also teamed with a corduroy skirt is also knitted with Zealana but this time in a lilac colour.





This outfit is also available to purchase for £31.50 plus postage either direct from me here or from my Etsy Shop  (later today hopefully)   My model Maddison and her shoes and socks not included.




A variation of a favourite pattern of mine, this dress was also knitted while away.  This dress will also fit Sasha, but I have made it longer than most prefer as I was looking to make the length more suitable for Peggy Sue and other Schoenhut dolls.


While in New Zealand I managed to have a few days away with my friend in Whangarei.  To my delight we came across a Quilting and Patchwork shop!  This shop 'Country Dawn' was a fabricholics delight.



There it is across the river...


It was a huge shop - one of the biggest I have seen dedicated to all things quilting and patchwork with such a huge selection.  How I would love to live close to this!  Perhaps not such a good idea though as it would probably severely dent my wallet.


A wonderful selection of Kiwiana fabrics, some of which I selected to purchase for some new upcoming projects.



Lots of colours patterns and fabric goodness to delight all palettes.


There were completed patchworks on the walls.


Very beautifully done.  

They hold quilting and sewing classes here as well for all levels and tastes.


So what did I get?


A fairly small collection really as I didn't have a lot of funds to spare and as such was quite selective.

The two fabrics on the far right I actually purchased at the Stone Store in Kerikeri and they are a gift.

The buzzy bee fabric is currently out of production so I grabbed what was left. 

The others are fabrics I haven't had before with the exception of two. I am looking forward to being inspired by these.


I also bought some lovely wool in another fabulous shop 'NZ KnitnStitch' I discovered when attending a knitting group meet up.  Some more lovely Kiwi made wools.



I have already teamed some of these with some of the fabrics bought....


Yarn and fabric inspiration inspired by New Zealand.



8 comments:

  1. Lovely outfits and so good to have you blogging again. That fabric shop - wow ... a bit like me and Heather in Dressew last November!

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    1. Thank you :-) Oh and indeed! What fun to find a fabric shop.

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  2. The colours of the first outfit are lovely. Nice you had boots to match!

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    1. Thank you. Always good to have matching shoes or boots...

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  3. Maddison looks very stylish in her smart outfits. I think both combinations suit her very well, and I love the mini skirts. Working pockets sounds a bit fiddly to make, though.

    It's probably good for me that the fabric store is on the other side of the globe! I would spend hours there, and a big chunk of my money; and it's not as if I had not enough fabrics.

    Peggy Sue is sweet in her knitted dress.

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    1. It is a good thing for me that the fabric is the other side of the globe as well! It could be dangerous otherwise ;-) Thank you for your lovely comments about Maddison...I am enjoying her very much, she makes a great model.

      Peggy Sue also thanks you for your kind words. She is feeling a little sad as this dress has now been sold and is winging its way across the ocean!

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  4. Loving the colours used for those outfits as they all tone together so well. (Really like your beret pattern.)
    That patchwork shop looks like a material Heaven! Great way of displaying all those fabrics (and much prefer that they are stored vertically rather than the more usual horizontal stacks, so much easier to take out to get a closer look and feel.)

    The hanging completed patchwork quilts are a great visual source of just what can be done.

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    1. Thank you Kendal.

      The patchwork shop was indeed material heaven and I could have spent a lot longer in there if I had had the time. Yes I agree much better to have the fabric stacked vertically.

      I really should get back to quilting and patchwork, but there never seems enough time to do everything I want to do!

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