New Look Happy Bobbin

This is the culmination of about a months work, including about 30 hours over the last weekend. I'm really happy with how everything is looking over on Happy Bobbin at the moment. This is also one of the reasons for a lack of sewing updates, but sometimes when I get excited about a website project everything else goes out the window.

The new site is wider and more colourful with larger fonts and larger images. While I haven't designed a site specifically for mobile, the clickable areas for the menu and products are larger which should make it easier if you are navigating on a mobile device.

Let me know if you spot anything that links to the wrong spot or looks broken. I just love it. I can't stop looking at it now it's finished!! :D

Matryoshka

I am super happy with my own take on the Matryoshka style popular at the moment. It is very hard to make miniature faces that are beautiful and detailed and even harder to find nice faces to buy so I made my own - and you can have them too!

The face I've used is one of 6 designs I've created for Matryoshka faces. The faces I designed range from traditional to Japanese anime inspired and they're printed on 100% cotton. I have them listed in my shop for $2 each or 3 for $5, but at the moment quantities are limited. The best thing about them in my opinion is that I've left the hair unprinted so you can customise them yourself. The face is a 3" in diameter design but I have extended the face background to 3.75" to give you plenty of space to move the face around and so that if you're not quite accurate you won't get any unsightly white showing through.

There are 6 face designs to start with and I have a couple more done up on the computer for the second print run so if you like them there will be more to collect at a later date.

The matryoshka design pictured is also for sale which includes basic instructions for the detachable heart and the head scarf tie, but if you want to make your own you can either buy a blank design as a base or make your own style around a 3" circle. I made mine into a simple bag.

Hexagons - not forgotten

I wanted to post an update on the neverending hexagon project. Last time I updated was on March 30, 2012 and I'd completed six 9x9 panels. This project started on August 31, 2011 so I'm into my second year but I've been working on it very sporadically.

As a reminder, this project is using 1 inch hexagons interspersed with1 inch triangles because I'm a crazy person. I really like the look of the 1 inch triangles with this design because it is show casing the coloured fabrics and allowing each to stand on its own without clashing too much with the other fabrics around it. The triangles also form little stars around each hexagon which I love.

I'm using the paper piecing method to give the best accuracy and the entire thing is hand sewn. One time saving trick is to use 2.5 inch squares instead of cutting fabric hexagons which gives you more control over basting your fabric onto the paper hexagons and saves on cutting time as you can cut squares quickly with a rotary cutter. To cut the fabric triangles I start with a strip then cut it into diamonds which are then cut in half. You need twice as many triangles as you do hexagons and the triangles aren't as much fun to make so I tend to make them as I'm stitching the 9x9 panels together.

At the moment I'm just finishing up my 9th panel - yes in the last 12 months I've only added 3 more panels to my collection... how lazy of me! I don't know how big the finished quilt is going to be or how many 9x9 panels I need to make but I do know every coloured hexagon is going to be different. I've accumulated quite a lot of 2.5" squares as I take a little sample out of every fabric I've used and had some awesome friends send me some of their fabrics as well.

Back in 2011 I posted a link to the template sheets I was using but it seems they've now disappeared from the internet. Here are fresh links for your reference, but if these links break feel free to comment as I have copies saved to my computer as well.
- One Inch Hexagons
- One Inch Triangles

Prototype (Oh Deer)

All quiet for a couple of weeks, but I haven't been doing nothing, I've just been contemplating whether to show you this prototype or not.

The tail that I showed you last time has been developed into a hippocampus plushie (or sea horse, seen here with my rudolph plush). I love the tail, however my husband pointed out that the head is a little deer-like and now I can't un-see it and I'm not happy with it anymore. I've been contemplating how to redesign the head so for now I think the pattern needs to stay on the shelf until I'm 100% happy with it.

Projects in Sketches

Here are just some of the things I've been working on recently which are in various stages of completion. They're just the things that are on the top of the piles of concept sketches and half done projects on my desk at the moment. I like to call this design phase, though it often looks a little more like "procrastination phase".

The hen (small applique/pouch) is almost finished.
The skull (small purse) has been computerised and fabrics selected. (also seen in nov 2012)
The carousel horse (large tote bag) is in sketch stage only.
The tail... that was an idea I had last night which almost made me get out of bed at 2am to start working. It is an idea for a plush toy.

There are other things floating around my sewing room as well which keep getting put aside as I have new and exciting ideas. Do any of these spark your interest? What would you like to see finished? What would you most consider purchasing as a pattern?

At my day job we finally replaced the staff member that left in January so I can start relaxing into my new role and will hopefully be less exhausted now that I don't have to cover two positions anymore. I'm starting to get excited for the rest of this year but I really don't know how I got from January to April. The last 3 months are a blur!

Mini Tote

I threw together this project late Monday night. I had the whole long weekend to work on it but instead I procrastinated until 8pm and then stayed up until 1am finishing this. My current bag is wearing through the fabric and because it has a gorgeous chicken on it I don't want to completely ruin it before I see if I can fix it so this is my new replacement bag.

I made it just the right size for me. It is about 10" x 8" with two zipper pockets. The main compartment is big enough for my purse and kindle while the outer zipper pocket fits my phone and the inner zipper is perfect for tucking away a spare shopping bag or small notebook. It fits everything I need to take with me perfectly and I don't have to rummage around in a larger bag anymore.