Selvedge House

Markets and Screen Printing

2010-10-29T14:35:00.000+10:00

Just a little update here, on some happenings with Red Seed Studio.

Screen Printing Workshops are currently all booked up, but I'm planning 2 or 3 more before the end of the year. Perfect for doing Christmas making.

Learn the basics of screen printing onto fabric in this fun class. You'll hand cut your own stencils, using your original designs (I'll be there to help with design inspiration!), and then print using a blank screen and toxic-free printing ink.

All materials will be provided as well as ongoing help, and access to extra materials at wholesale prices. We'll be printing onto sustainable and organic fabrics (class will include 2 x 100% linen tea towels and 1/2m of organic cotton / hemp fabric). You're welcome to bring along your own materials for printing onto (t-shirts, pillow cases, baby onesies, etc). We'll talk about designs suitable for stencil cut printing, as well as exposed screens.

I'm opening bookings up for the following dates:

Saturday 27th Nov, Saturday 4th Dec & Sunday 5th Dec. If anyone is interested in any other dates or times, let me know so we can consult diaries. I can do classes mid-week, if you'd like to have a fun get together with your friends (while the kids are at school!). Perfect way to have your crafty gatherings.

Bookings here. Or email me {redseedstudio@gmail.com} for further info.

In other news, we'll be at the upcoming Brisbane Finders Keepers market. Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th Nov 10am - 5pm. At the beautiful Old Museum, Herston. Come along and visit us, to see our new collection. (Just a reminder that we'll have no eftpos or card facilities there).

Screen Printing Workshops

2010-09-22T08:57:00.000+10:00

Are you interested in learning how to screen print? If so, I'd love to invite you along to our new studio space for a fun little day of designing and printing.

We'll spend some time working on a design, then hand cutting the stencil to turn into your screen printing image. We'll be printing onto 100% linen tea towels, fabric pieces or any other medium you'd like to bring along (pillow cases, t-shirts, etc etc). Our new table is very lovely to print on - come and add your mark!

Our studio is located in inner-city Brisbane, and close to good transport as well as ample parking. It's a lovely location, with a good backyard for morning / afternoon tea and chatting.

The first two workshops coming up are 30th Oct and 13th Nov, at 10.30-3pm. The workshops are $125, which includes 100% linen tea towels, hemp / organic cotton fabric and all other materials you'll need to print your own design. There'll also be a yummy (vegetarian) lunch and delicious nibbles + tea included in the cost. You are welcome to being along your own blank items to print onto - t-shirts, pillow cases, etc. You'll also have access to extra tea towels at wholesale price. Get your Christmas gift list under way with some beautiful handcrafted goodness!

More details + book your class here. (I'm open to doing different dates if neither of those suit you, please contact me to chat about it - redseedstudio@gmail.com).

Kristen Doran

2010-07-31T10:45:00.000+10:00

Look at this beautiful photo of Kristen from Kristen Doran Design, recently featured in The (Sydney) Magazine.

What a glamourous woman she is!

I love all her fabric and special softies flying in the background.

If you're in Sydney this weekend today, then the Winterland Markets are finishing tonight. Go and check it out.

*photo from The (Sydney) Magazine, via Kristen Doran Design. Click on pic to read the whole article.

Giveaway

2010-07-29T08:48:00.000+10:00

I have a Giveaway happening on my other blog. Check it out at Petalplum.

Don't you just love the texture of this natural linen.......

More SALE

2010-07-28T16:57:00.001+10:00

I'm clearing out some things in anticipation of moving into a little studio next week. Wanting to get our downstairs at-home studio free of as much 'piles of to-do' stuff as possible.

All prices in Australian $ ::

Kristen Doran bunny + kitty kits. These cute little kits include beautiful Kristen Doran fabrics and pattern to make a bunny or a kitty. There's enough fabric to make two little creatures. The pattern is suitable for young beginner sewers (perhaps 8yrs and up, depending on skills), and easy enough to whip up a personalised gift for a new born or little friend in your life.

Bunny Kit + Kitty Kit Were $25, now $17 each. (Postage within Australia is $5 each).

Made by Miffy Saucy Apron Kits. These fabulous and fun fabrics have been put together by the bright, and ever-smiling Louise from Made by Miffy. She really has a great talent for putting fabric combinations together in an interesting way. Pattern includes instructions for making the Full Saucey Apron and the Half Sauce.

Were $49, now $35. Includes fabric and easy to follow full colour pattern for a full apron. (Postage within Australia is $8 each). {I only have one of each fabric colour left}

(below) Kaffee Fasset Cabbage and Rose

(below) Alexander Henry Futue-ella one each in pink and aqua

(below) Alexander Henry Thunder Flower

(below) Sweethearts by Benartex

Audrey and Maude Softies Patterns. These sweet and very well written patterns make little creatures perfect for newborns, children, and those of us who like something soft to snuggle up to!

Were $15, now $8. (Postage within Australia is $3 each)

Please contact me for International Postage or for combined postage costs.
Email me with what you'd like (redseedstudio@gmail.com) and I'll send you a Paypal invoice.

*some images used with much thanks to Audrey and Maude, Kristen Doran and Made by Miffy.

Attention Brisbane Crafters - Nelson Molloy workroom sale!

2010-05-27T18:39:00.000+10:00

Heads Up - Sale over at Ink & Spindle

2010-03-02T22:27:00.000+10:00

Wanted to let you know that the lovely Inkie Girls are having a sale on their glorious fabric.

They are about to launch a new range of fabrics, in co-ordinated colourways, so need to clear out some of their other fabrics. These are beautiful, high quality, hand crafted fabrics in amazing designs and colours. So, do pop on over and have a look -

I really like this charcoal on black,

and this honey gold colour.

These discontinued fabrics won't be reprinted once they've sold out, so you'd better be quick.

* images used with thanks from Ink & Spindle blog and website.

Dear Friends - the news

2010-03-01T11:14:00.000+10:00

Good Morning Dear Followers, Readers, Friends, Supporters, Fellow-Crafters,

Thank you all so much for hanging in here, while we've been basically absent from this little blog of ours. We've both been posting over at our individual blogs, if you'd like to visit there to see what's been happening of late. Craft Laboratory. Petalplum. You may notice, from reading our blogs, that there is a similar theme running through them. The theme of us both feeling a little lost, and unsure of where we're up to, where life is taking us.....

The reason for this is that late last year we both had quite exciting and pretty real plans for where we would be right now. If all had gone to plan we would currently be in our new shop, sewing or printing or fondling lovely lovely fabric, and talking with sweet crafting friends.

Things don't always go to plan, though, do they. Life in general rarely goes to plan. It doesn't matter how many hours, weeks, months you've planned and dreamed and set your heart on something. Things slip and change and we have to move with that, rather than the looking back and longing and wishing.

What I'm getting to, in a very long winded manner!, is that our lovely little modern crafting shop will not be going ahead as planned (at this time..... a girl can dream, can't she). Our lives have lead us to realise that we weren't both in the same place of readiness to sign on the dotted line together. Committing to a $50,000+ a year (for 3years) lease is a big thing to step into.

We are both devastatingly sad about this decision. Having got to the planning stage of choosing wall colours, and couches for our entrance way, and drawing up how our sewing room and fabric shop would look, and then to have to stop. But sometimes you have to stop in life. And, things move forward, or sideways, and things change and you start doing something else....

So - please do stay tuned for more details on what Danielle and I are up to. While the bricks & mortar shop isn't happening (at this stage.... I'll keep telling myself that), we both have things simmering away, slowly progressing onto the next point in our creative lives. We'll also be spending a bit of time updating our online shop, as we have some lovely fabrics, patterns and other little pieces that we want to share with you.

Danielle has so many things, she simply has to just decide which direction to turn to.

For myself, after I get home from my New Zealand workshop, I'll be jumping into my new collection. This will be a change from our previous Red Seed Studio range, and I'll be announcing it here.

We both thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the support and friendship and excitement we have received about our Selvedge House shop. We look forward to seeing you all around blogland, somewhere or other!

xxxx E + D

something witty and hilarious

2010-02-22T16:31:00.001+10:00

We just received a lovely email from a special someone.

Caroline is one of those people who you know in blogland, and also have the marvelous pleasure of seeing around real-land as well. It's so nice to see a familiar smile, and to have a fabric connection with someone!

Caroline was the lucky winner of our giveaway last year. She's also a blog follower of Selvedge House, Craft Laboratory and Petalplum. The prize we sent out was some of our pear fabric printed onto the berry hemp. Delicious.

Combined with some natural unprinted fabric, Caroline has made a beautiful little notebook cover. This looks, to me, to be a unique design - I love that little flap on, and the strip to hold pages in place. If hemp fabric lasts as long as my customers have told me (you know those lovely older ladies you meet at markets, who say they've had beautiful soft hemp sheets for 30+ years), then I can foresee lots and lots of important and witty notes being jotted down in this booklet.

I totally agree, Caroline, about how the hemp feels soft and buttery like your favourite pair of jeans. It's such a delicious fabric to sew with.

Thank you for sending these photos through, Caroline. We love seeing your creations using our fabric.

* PS - there'll be more fabric listed on our webstores when I get back from my NZ holiday.

Fabric News :: Heather Ross

2010-02-21T21:45:00.000+10:00

Just popping in quickly to let you all know that Heather Ross has had some of her sweet old season fabrics reprinted.

Some of you may know that what generally happens with larger fabric printers is that once a fabric is sold out it isn't normally reprinted. Meaning that if you really love it when you first see it, buy up big.

I'm sure that many (all) of you have heard of the quirky, fun, sweet fabrics by Heather Ross. If you haven't yet heard about her, do pop over and have a look at her blog. I so love the hand drawn blog headers she uses. This same wonderful, whimsical drawing style is used in her fabric collections.

The first range of reprints is now available through Spoonflower. {A USA based company who will professionally print anyone's fabric designs. By anyone's I mean; email in your own designs - hand drawn, computer made, whatever - and they'll digitally print it onto the fabric of your choice. They even have organic fabrics.}

So, pop on over and have a look at these wonderful gnomes and sweet little florals. Keep yourself updated here for the arrival of the next (re)print range.

*Unfortunately, due to Spoonflower being a USA site, the costs are at the higher end.

*The difference between hand screen printed fabrics and digitally printed fabrics will be explained in depth in a later post. But basically pretty much all the commercial fabrics on the market (most American Quilting cottons) are digitally printed.

sweet little things at markets

2009-12-29T21:06:00.001+10:00

These are the wonderful things that happen during market day.

Just watching little people wanting to touch and play with our fabric and our {softie}friends. It's so perfectly amazing seeing the games they play and their thought processes. And watching their parents watch them.

These special little owl friends were made for us by a dear dear friend of mine. They're made from hemp, linen, reclaimed scraps, and some are filled with organic Australian grown lavender.

She made some sweet elephants and little birds as well - most which went to new homes for Christmas.

This scene was at our market stall at the Southbank Young Designer's Market, on December 6th.

*****

Just so you know, we won't be at any markets during January - as we're taking some time off from markets while we work on opening our shop. More news about that later......

fabric mirrors

2009-12-23T10:05:00.000+10:00

I love these.
The texture.
The size.
Just a perfect little way to frame your favourite piece of fabric.
And to frame your favourite face!

We will have these available in our online shop early in the new year. Using our favourite hand printed fabrics, vintage and found pieces and some embroidery as well. Also available by custom order of your favourite fabric.

GOMA Twilight Market

2009-12-09T14:35:00.000+10:00

We can't wait for Friday night, when the grassy section outside the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) shop will come alive with fairy lights, market stalls and the clinking of glasses at the outdoor (cash only) bar.

Do come along and experience a beautiful night of shopping, just in time for Christmas. We'll be joined by many other wonderful and talented craftspeople.

Remember also, that the APT has just recently opened, so make some time to visit the Gallery before the markets start.

More screen printing tomorrow, to replace all that sold at our markets last weekend. And more packing and labeling and folding of fabric (which we love doing).

drum roll please...... winners

2009-12-08T18:19:00.000+10:00

Thank you to everyone who entered our giveaway, and for your lovely words. Seems most of us can't decide on one single favourite craft - so many wonderful things out there to keep us entertained. At least none of you mentioned blogging as your favourite craft!

Our two winners are:

Please contact us with your details, so we can get your prizes flying their way to your house.

BrisStyle Indie Designer's Market Favourite

2009-12-04T11:11:00.001+10:00

Latest news from the BrisStyle head quarters.

** STOP PRESS! Vote for you favourite BrisStyle Indie Marketeer and WIN!**

For those attending the BrisStyle Indie Designers Market on Saturday keep your eyes peeled for the BrisStyle Promo Stall where you can vote for your favourite BrisStyle Indie Marketeer and win!

While enjoying a spot of retail therapy have a little think about who you think has provided the best BiDM experience:

- Has someone knocked your handmade socks off with superb service?

- Is there someone with handmade Indie designs that you just can't live without?

- Is there a stall that really stands out as being unique and inviting?

If so then submit your vote for your favourite BrisStyle Indie Marketeer at the BrisStyle Promo Stall for a chance to win a Limited Edition BrisStyle Tote and your Favourite Marketeer will win an award and prize!

BiDM: Saturday 5 December, 9am-4pm @ St Augustine's Church, Racecourse Road, Hamilton.

Also, don't forget that the first person to mention our blog to us tomorrow, will receive one of our little pear bags, which was the winner at ABCD event night.

{Giveaway} Sew Mama Sew

2009-12-01T18:51:00.004+10:00

It's Giveaway Day, again, on Sew Mama Sew.

If you're popping in from there, then hello! and thank you for visiting. We hope you have a little look around our home and like what you see.

We're going to have two draws for the giveaway, and it will be open for entrants from all over the world. We'll keep our comp open until Monday morning (December 7th, Aust QLD time).

To enter, simply leave a comment telling us what is your favourite craft - sewing, knitting, crochet, woodwork, painting, drawing, gardening, writing, making things with paper, or beads or silver work, or photography, or embroidery, printing, stitching, doing, cooking, baking, looking at the perfect light, or the perfect colour, or listening or thinking or .........................................
Or, if you can't choose a favourite then just tell us which of our new designs you like best. Pear Shaped, Clouds or Potter's Daughter.

Up for grabs is:

Cushion kit or apron kit of your choice, some of our skateboard buttons and some other little Selvedge House treasures x 2 winners.

Our new kits contain our original hand screen printed hemp/organic cotton fabric, an original hand drawn pattern and any bits you need to make the project (ie a zipper for the cushion cover or plain linen fabric for the apron pieces).

We will contact the winner via email or your blog, so please make sure you leave some way for us to find you. (If there is no contact details, then we will choose another winner).

{design} texture and detail

2009-12-01T10:19:00.000+10:00

Details from the latest pieces from Sam's workroom.

He's been saving these great graphics for a while now, waiting to get them cut and shaped into the perfect belt buckle. A weekend spent over the hot sander and we've got this newest collection.

I love the texture of them, the little snippets of story that each piece tells. The connection to another belt buckle out there. Many of the boards used in this collection are limited edition boards and graphics, never to be found again. They fit together like a puzzle - if you see your puzzle piece walking down the street say hi, won't you.

These will be available this weekend at our market stalls, BrisStyle and Southbank YDM. The perfect gift for that hard to buy for man in your life.

{won} sandbags and pear bags

2009-11-30T20:28:00.001+10:00

Isn't it totally one of the best feelings when you win a little competition?

When the competition is not based on luck, but is based on your artistic and design skills, it's an even better feeling.

Recently we won best sandbag in the Boutique Market's Sandbag comp. (For those of you wondering, it sometimes gets a teeny bit windy on market days, and those marquees aren't too sturdy under a flutter of wind. It's either sandbags, or you're Dorothy!).

Danielle made these sandbags, which are the most amazing sandbags I've ever seen. During our chats we came up with the idea that houses would best suit who we are, so she made these two little ones up. Each wall of the house has a different scene, complete with a bike, a birdy in the window, some laundry fluttering on the line and of course a key at the door. Not forgetting to mention the hand carved brick stamping.

At the latest ABCD get together, I made some little pear drawstring bags to put into the take home gift bag that Steph + Kim organise. I spent the day stitching on pears and special meaningful words, and my little helper filled the bags with organic lavender or rose petals. All party goers voted for their fave gift bag treat, and we were voted number 1.

We will have limited numbers of both these types of bags (sand bags or pear bags) available for sale at our markets this weekend. And perhaps some more on our Etsy shop next week, if you're lucky.

And just to pass on the winning luck - be the first person to mention our blog to us at Saturday's BrisStyle market, and we'll give you a little pear bag as a gift from us!

*bottom image used with thanks to Kim from Udessi.

chook shed retreat

2009-11-29T16:00:00.015+10:00

This week Ellie and I were lucky enough to spend a few mornings printing at a good friend's place to make use of her big tables and the beauty and quietness of the Australian bush. Libby Woodham is the artist/creator behind Tropical Merino clothing (more about Libby soon), and she resides at a fantabulous converted chook shed on about 20 acres of bushland at Mt Cotton in Brisbane.

Instructions on how to get there - drive down dirt road about 7km...keep going until you go over the dry creek bed, chook shed is on the left...

This place is an artist's retreat, full of massive canvases, shelves full of books, a sewing area, a painting area, big tables to drink tea around and a marvelous permaculture garden...jealous much? Oui!

We also had our lovely friend Erin join us (after having to teach the Sat-Nav who's boss), and we spent blissful hours absorbed in printing...

...having a spot of tea...

...and then Danielle screams because she accidently disturbs a huntsman spider - no - I am definitely more scared of them than they are of me! My favourite moment was seeing Erin's top after a few hours of printing - we're very proud (she assures us it was old)!

Come say hello and check out what we printed (and buy handmade for Christmas) at the Bris-Style and the Southbank Young Designer Markets this coming weekend!

juicy and comfy

2009-11-24T16:54:00.001+10:00

Yesterday I made some cushions from our new fabric. I did the printing over the weekend, and wanted to see the new designs as cushions.

My little assistant and I went into the backyard and took a few photos.

This one was taken by the little one - I quite like it.

These cushion covers will be available for sale at our Christmas markets.* We'll also have kits so you can make your own cushions (and lots of other things too). More about that as we get the last bits packaged together.

Christmas markets are:

BrisStyle Indie Designer's Market 5th December 9am - 4pm.

Southbank Young Designer's Market 6th December 10am - 4pm.

GOMA (Gallery of Modern Art) Twilight Market 11th December 4pm - 9pm.

Portside Boutique Market 13th December 9am - 3pm.

*If there is a particular design /product that you like, please let us know so we can try and make sure we have it for you at one of our markets. We will try our best to make things for you, but we cannot take custom orders as this time (especially is we haven't got the fabric printed).

lavender love

2009-11-19T11:38:00.012+10:00

We've been a tad busy at Chez Selvedge as the silly season is upon us and there are several fabulous markets in December that we're busy preparing for. Lots of 'lavender love' goes out to Kristen Doran for giving us permission to play with her softie patterns (eeek - I hope we've done her proud). Ellie and I have been blown away by how supportive our Aussie network of designers and crafters are! We really are the lucky country!

I've been sourcing some great co-ordinating fabrics for these bunnies (lovely linens) and am trying to make them all a little different. I've also placed some organic lavender in the hands and feet of these little guys so that they smell gorgeous - nice and calm-inducing for kids or a great moth/silverfish repellant for your drawers (Ellie's idea - nice one partner!)! I still have to fill them with stuffing and an extra sprinkling of lavender...but please pop by for a hold and a sniff if you're at one of the X-mas markets in December (psst - look to your right to see when and where).

{design} Flower Press

2009-11-11T17:04:00.000+10:00

A little while ago, I was the lucky winner of these beautiful tea towels. They arrived in the post just yesterday.

Hand printed by Susie of Flower Press, they have a marvelous feel and look to them. I love the realness and rawness of something made by hand. Not some mass-produced item, but where it has been touched many times by the artisian who dreamed, designed and created it.

Susie uses gocco for some of her (paper) printing, which is something that I'm terribly intrigued by (and must do more research into.....one day soon).

Her tea towels are hand screen printed onto unbleached linen or cotton, and come in a delicious rainbow of colours.

I must say I'm not jumping in to be washing up with these ones - as I really want to keep them for those extra special times. Thank you Susie for sending me these beautiful pieces.

Head on over to the Flower Press Etsy shop for some more lovely goodness.

other Finders Keepers creatives

2009-11-04T18:14:00.001+10:00

We were joined, this weekend past, by many many wonderful designers and artists, and crafters and potters, and jewellers and sewers and...... makers of all things. What is it, do we call these people.

What am I? an artist? a designer? a sewer or seamtress? a printer? and maker? or... well, a creative. What fits best with you?

Across from our stall were our friends Kim and Renee. We know these two talented gals from our Boutique market stalls and other gatherings.

I spent the whole weekend spying Kim's beautiful pieces. Her new necklaces, made from the finest of porcelain with crocheted strands. And the most vividly perfect pinky-sort-of-coloured bowl {like the pink inside a shell, at my grandmas house} - that I knew I should have bought as soon as my eyes spotted it - it was gone not so many moments later! Kim uses doileys to impress onto her clay work, and makes simple and stunning shapes. And soft colours. Colours that your eyes want to look at over and over again. Almost like sugared almonds.

Renee's artwork captures detail and subtleties of nature and wildlife. I particularly love her scratchboard pieces; I enjoy seeing how she perfectly captures those sweet little animals with their puffed up wings, or sleepy heads. She notices little things, and is inspired by her surroundings.

We have some of her sleeping bilbys, which the kids love.

we were found; and they kept

2009-11-04T09:01:00.001+10:00

Finders Keepers Brisbane is over. And what fun fun fun we had.
After a busy few weeks, and late nights/early mornings, we were ready. Well, ready as we could ever be!

It was really nice to have a few quiet hours setting up our stall. Most markets are rush rush at 8am. So, Finders Keepers was a good change.

When the doors officially opened at mid-day, the quiet ended. The mad rush lasted for a few hours. Danielle behind our stall talking and packing fabric into bags. Me out front talking and making badges and mirrors. I looked up and saw lines of people; everyone happily waiting their turn to feel our beautiful fabric or make a badge or talk about our patterns.

One lady told me her husband had been pushed out of the line. He didn't have those shopping elbows poked out far enough, and was taking up space! He happily waited until he could get a look in.

We met some fantastic people, had excellent conversations and totally enjoyed ourselves. Thank you to everyone who stopped by; for our friends, blog followers, BrisStyle gals, and our new Selvedge House friends. Talking about fabric and screen printing and our new shop will never get boring, especially when there are so many other interested and excited peeps out there.

Big big big thanks must go to my sister, Sylve, who came along on Saturday to help us out. Not only did she stay until the end (a very late and quiet 9pm), she also brought the best picnic lunch snacks to keep us going the whole day. {Sylve, you really should consider starting a catering business}. We had laughs and fun, the three of us working together.

And to Erin, a new friend, who we expect to spend much time and collaboration with, once Selvedge House is open. How excellent to meet someone and straight away be able to chat about similar things, and to know they just "get you" in that way. And, also, to have someone be able to jump behind the selling table and get it right without any assistance. (I used to be a retail manager, and spent many years training and working with other people + their incompetency.)

We'll try and bring you some more market wrap-up over the next few days. So many other wonderful creatives sharing the space with us. And such a beautiful location.

Can't wait until the next FK!

*Photo of us three girls is from Mark Lobo - who was the official Finders Keepers photographer. Check his site for more great pics.

a winner

2009-11-02T16:45:00.000+10:00

Today has been a sleepy, restful day. Catching up after the long long weekend (and the weeks of prep before hand). I'll get back to proper work tomorrow (and sorting out paperwork, too). But today was a family day.

I'm just popping in to announce the winner of our follower draw. For those of you who follow our other blogs as well (Craft Laboratory and Petalplum), you've received multiple entries. {And Gina, we love blog stalkers}.

So, after counting numbers and inputing into random org (no hat pulling today), we've come up with:

# 108 is Caroline from Maika Creations.

Caroline not only follows our three blogs, she also popped in and saw us on the weekend. Thanks heaps - I love seeing blog friend faces (even though I'm generally terrible at remembering your name and working out where I know you from! Please forgive me if my memory fails...).

Please email us with your postage details, and we'll sent a little something out to you.

We are going to be doing bi-monthly follower draws from now on, so don't be shy - be a blog stalker (the nicest sort please!).

*Pear fabric photo was taken by Mark Lobo at the Finders Keepers on the weekend. A really friendly and very talented guy, with a great eye. We'll have more photos later (or tomorrow), with a Finders Keepers wrap-up.

mirror mania

2009-10-30T08:04:00.002+10:00

Our special parcel arrived on Wednesday afternoon. A friendly delivery man, offering to carry the heavy box for me. An excited step in my walk as I carried it back down the path.

None of you even ventured a guess at our surprise parcel. No more clues, here it is!

A button :: mirror :: badge making machine!

We've been having fun, and trying to restrain ourselves from using all the mirror pieces and badge backs. Everyone loves this - the kids, Sam, Danielle + me, as well as interested friends who have dropped by. Once you hold that little red lever and see your first completed mirror/badge, you're pretty much hooked. I think I could easily do that part of the making most all day. A tingly fun when you lift it up to see your creation.

And you know what. We're handing it over to you, to have some fun as well. We'll have our machine at the Finders Keepers this weekend, so you can come along and make your own!

We're cutting stacks and piles of fabric circles today, so you can choose your own - so many different colours and lots of sweet little animals.

As an added bonus - when you spend $40 or more, mention this blog and you can make a mirror or badge for free!
We'll also have some really cute stamping fun - so come and try that out too.
Can't wait to see you tomorrow. Only one more sleep (if I manage to get any at all..........).

not all board shorts and pineapples

2009-10-29T09:30:00.002+10:00

In the last days before Finders Keepers, the city's abuzz with excitement about this festival-like designer market.

Danielle, being a new up-and-coming designer, was asked a few questions about her thoughts on this fun event. Go and have a read.

She puts it so perfectly; about Brisbane always feeling like the left-out kid. Well, let's show those other states what a great show we can put on.

Come along to Finders Keepers, ready for some music, food, fun, chatting and of course checking out some* of the best designers in the town.

“Sometimes Brisbane feels a bit like the kid who gets picked last for a sports team. As we hear all of the wonderful events being organised in Melbourne and Sydney, we want people to sit up and take notice of the talent in the Sunshine State! It’s not all pineapples and board shorts you know!”

Can I tell you though, there'll be a few pears amongst the mix.

Fruits of Eve, by Flying Star Toys

A pair of birds, by Girls Made This

and our new 'Pear Shaped' fabric, that I printed yesterday.

And can I tell you, that I don't think I could be more pleased with this new collection. Come along and see for yourselves.

*I say 'some' because I know there wasn't enough space for all the amazing design and talent we see happening around here.

*First two images used with thanks. Click on them, to be taken to webpage.

{a few moments with} Danielle from Craft Laboratory

2009-10-28T17:49:00.000+10:00

We've decided to start a little section here at Selvedge House called {a few moments with}.

So, please join us in introducing our very own Danielle of Craft Laboratory.

A scientist by day, Danielle dreams of full time crafting (which is where Selvedge House comes into the picture). She spends her spare hours crafting and planning, as well as bike-riding and frisbee-playing. Being a scientist sure does have it's perks - for one, she's very methodical, and also has access to those wonderful lab beakers that are all the rage in home interiors.

from Inside Out magazine

from Living Creatively's interview with Have you Met Miss Jones

A few quick questions. And if you {our readers} have any other questions you'd like to ask Danielle, please don't hesitate to ask away.

Describe yourself in 10 words or less - a creative trapped in a scientist's body.

What's the best/craziest/funnest/silliest/worst thing you've ever made? A bird brooch one friday night, which ended in a 3 hour wait in emergency as i stabbed myself in the hand with my pocket knife...mum wasn't too impressed but it was worth it!

Do you remember what was the first thing you ever crafted/made? Hmm, probably something in Home Economics at school...pillow case I think - oh hang on - no a crocheted worm bookmark - how daggy!

What inspires you in your daily crafting? Colour, texture and fabrics.

What's your favourite word? This week it's 'condiment'

How do you make time for your crafting in your busy life? Work suffers

What's your best 'eco' tip? Hmm, op shopping

Danielle has recently moved into a new home - well a very old house, but new for her. Leaving living on her own, to settling in with flatmates - she's brought a bunny house pet along (see photo above). Coincidentally, the house just so happens to be the exact same one that my best friend used to live in a million years ago, when I was a single gal and we hung out and chatted and cooked and basically were young little things. Don't you love the cycle of life - and living in Brisbane's trendiest inner city suburb!

*all images used with thanks to Danielle. Click on photos to go to particular page.

iron maidens

2009-10-27T14:59:00.001+10:00

You know - I'm not much for ironing. Don't think Danielle is either. Are you? Do you iron your sweet little hankies or your freshly laundered smalls?

The times I do iron are when I'm sewing. For those sewers out there who don't iron, give it a go on your seams and you'll find things stitch a whole lot neater and easier. Give it a go. Just don't blame us if you burn yourselves, ok!

Well both Danielle and I have had our irons out this week, making some little pieces for the Finders Keepers market, in a few short sleeps*.

Do you love red on linen as much as me?

I think the ironing is worth it. These will be lovely, and practical, little pieces.

Do come along and visit us, to see what the ironing fuss is all about.

*the sleeps are extra short for Danielle, who spent a 14hr day yesterday in the lab doing experiments and things. Can you imagine, 14 hours of tedious and accurate work. Us mums can't complain can we - lunch time snacks and bed time stories can be done half-heartedly and not so accurately sometimes!
* ironing image found at winifred and bance.

we are waiting for....

2009-10-27T14:36:00.001+10:00

Have been checking this web page periodically today. Waiting for an update that says 'arrived in Australia'.

Any guesses what we're waiting for.........
We're not giving any hints, but will let you know when we get it.
ooooohhhh the excitement, we can't wait. Too too too much fun when we open the parcel.

show us your.... robots

2009-10-26T07:51:00.003+10:00

When we sell things at a market stall, we're always curious of where it ends up. What home it goes to. What it gets turned into. What couch or body is adorns. Or whose little hands may cuddle it up.

Just reading through some of the super+multi-talented BrisStylette blogs, I came across Bel's post of her robots.

She bought the Kristen Doran robot panel from us at the Racecourse Rd Street Party market a few weeks back.

She sewed up two robots, for two lucky little boys. And used some of the little-bot bits to applique onto a t-shirt. The spotty star just pops with that robot, doesn't it.

To be honest, if I had a new little one in my hands, like Bel does, I'm quite sure I wouldn't have managed to turn the fabric into anything by now. Check out all the work she's been up, getting ready for the BrisStyle Indie Designer's Market in December.

So, if you've bought something from us - anything at all - we'd love to see photos of it. Either a cushion scattered on your couch, a bag slung across your shoulder, or the fabric sewn into something wonderful (or even sitting in your 'to-do' pile).

blog of the week

2009-10-25T16:34:00.001+10:00

Some of you no doubt know about one of the sweetest people on the planet. I've been lucky to meet and know Tess through working on Peppermint together. She's the super talented gal you wrote the craft article in Issue 3, amongst so many others.

Discovering Tess's blog and her collection of cats and cookie jars and vintage pretty things, has shown a different side of her than at first glance. Tess is one of those way-cool people who wears the best put-together outfits, a fantastic mix of vintage love. Once you start looking, you see the vintage leather bag with owl detail, and the cute little shoes with cats sewn on (bought from etsy).

Her two tumbler pages are sweet and sugary, fantasy and romantic. A perfect place to visit when life is a bit dull, and you need some happiness and cheering up, and to dream for just one moment longer.

You can find more of Tess over at FourThousand, where she keeps us up to date with all the interesting things that Brisbane has on offer.

a design process

2009-10-21T18:23:00.001+10:00

Sam normally does the design work around here - for our fabric as well as all our business cards, logos, etc.

Well, lately he's been focussed on making his skate jewellery and I've been sick of all this computer time, and not so motivated by the sewing machine. The other night, once the kids were fast asleep, and Sam was out getting his car fixed (his mechanic works all hours of the night!), I took up paper and pen. And started work on some drawings that mean something to me.

Slowly working on them over the past few days, and hours. They actually talk to me. You know what I mean?

So, 'the potter's daughter' was born. Well, my mum was a potter. My favourite tea cup. My (now broken) turtle bowl. Alter-style candle holders. As well as a potter, she was a yoga teacher, and a mother. There's other potting, clay influence in my life, too. Other family members (hi Roo, Ian + Annie) all with different styles and techniques. This leads to a deep appreciation and understanding of clay in your hands - and a distinct lack of care for those generic 'made in china' mugs!

Many of my photos from my overseas Greece adventure are of those beautiful vessels that I dream of - the lab who processed the photos assumed me to be an archeology student.

These images are first draft (and badly scanned at that!). Sam will take over now, and 'tidy them up' - as those designers say - ready to be exposed to screen.

And, here's Ari's version of a still life we set up for him with a few pots. He added the flowers from imagination.

I can't wait to see this as a screen print on fabric. What colours can you imagine? White on berry? Deep grey on black? Red on natural?

Tell me, what do you think you'd use this for? Cushions and aprons and bags? Imagine curtains flowing; soft natural hemp/organic cotton flapping in the Spring breeze.

We'll be printing it next week, so come along and see it for yourself at the Finders Keepers market.

And if you're a lover of ceramics, you'll be please to know that Kim Wallace will be showing her beautiful ceramic pieces at Finders Keepers, as will Shannon Garson and Kylie Johnson.

{bring your *pocket money*}!

*photos of pots used with thanks to Andrew Stewart.

{sewing tips} selvedge

2009-10-20T20:57:00.003+10:00

Can you imagine that some people, those non crafty-types, don't know what selvedge is? Are you one of those people, we don't mind - cause we're going to let you join in on the selvedge love.

Definition:
A woven fabric is made of warp and weft threads. Warp being the lengthways threads that make the basis of the fabric. The weft weaves back and forth from selvedge to selvedge. Textured fabrics are made by using different wefts or by weaving the weft thread across two instead of one warp thread.

this is an example of a twill fabric weave

The Joy of Handweaving

The selvedge is the longitudinal edges of fabric that are formed when weaving at the turning point. Some selvedge edges have the designers name and printing details, some have nothing at all, while some have distinct markings or dots. The selvedge gives strength to the fabric, and is like the necessary crusty edge on a loaf of bread.

I love the variations of colourful dots or markings on some edges, and that some only have the simple holes and perhaps a single line of colour combined with the frayed edges of the weft threads.

I must admit that we're not at all original in our love of selvedge.

Selvedge Magazine offers a world of textile riches, through design, writing, shopping, fashion, fine arts, interiors and the most beautiful photography seen in a magazine. Open any issue and you find inspiration bounding out from the pages. The writing styles are excellent, and compelling, while the stories expose you to so many forms of art, design, photography in all aspects of textures. Their phrase is "the fabric of your life", and the magazine fits firmly into those words. Even their ads are interesting to look at.

You can view an free online magazine of a past issue here.

Selvedge magazine a selling their back issues at an amazing price (half price) if you buy the whole lot of them. A library of resources to last you a lifetime, they never date and will continue to inspire each time you look at them.

Now a little closer to home, we have the fabulous and terribly funny, and amazingly talented crafty Jodie from Ric Rac. I'm really sure most of you are well and truely aquainted with Jodie's collection of selvedge pieces, which include this now-famous dress,

a stool, cushions, a scarf, keyrings and many many more pieces.

Jodie put out the word for selvedges and was inundated with those little strips of fabric edges from all over the world. In fact she got so many that she had to keep making more things.

The sewing of selvedge strips makes a fabric all on its own, which is different each time you make it. And that's part of the fun.

I love Jodie's sense of fun in everything that she makes, so I'm sure we'll be visiting her again very soon. In the meantime, pop over to see what happens with Small-Bot and the girl at the bus stop.

*all images used with thanks. Click on each image to be taken to source.

blog of the week

2009-10-16T07:36:00.003+10:00

I just found this blog, via a link from Pip.

Have a look at the shapes in some of these images. I've been drawing some new designs for printing, and these lines are playing in my head now. These designs may or may not make their debut at Finders Keepers in two short weeks (said in a whisper, so I don't scare myself).

Now go and check out more of her blog for yourself.

**all images used with sincere thanks from Saidos da Concha blog, click on each image to be taken to it's direct blog post.

following

2009-10-15T23:48:00.000+10:00

We've loved all the support and kind wishes and lovely words. We so appreciate your sweet comments - new mail in our inbox makes us happy.
Danielle and I have decided that we want to say a little thanks to those of you who are following our blogs. So, on the 2nd November we will choose a winner from our followers list. You can be a follower of the Selvedge House blog, or either of our personal blogs; Craft Laboratory or Petalplum.

So, jump in and follow our stories. If you've never visited Danielle, do please go and look now. Ms Science has some fun, inspiring and interesting posts about crafty experiments and adventures with a fantastic science{geek*} attitude. I love her craft crush posts.

And I blog at Petalplum. A place where I babble about life, kids, inspiration and well.... 'craft' and other stuff.

*totally the nicest and trendiest geek ever, I promise!

Market 103: Portside Boutique Markets

2009-10-11T18:54:00.014+10:00

One of my favourite bits about doing markets is meeting other creatives, chatting about markety-stuff and sneaking off (ahem, sorry Ellie and Sam) to look at all the brilliant things to buy! The Portside Boutique Markets has a lovely, varied selection of goodies!

Frankly, I want to buy one of everything Udessi has! These cutsie badges by Sophie Isobel (make sure you do check out her lovely blog) caught my eye...yes, it was the selvedge.

Kim Wallace from Udessi searches and covets fabulous Australian contemporary art (as well as being an artist herself). Luckily they are at these monthly markets so you can see a range of items from the online store. One of these artists represented, Renee Treml (seen below), is also a scientist! Her beautiful work can be seen in the picture in front here and is available from Udessi, also look out for Renee and Kim at Finder's Keepers market at the end of the month.

I first saw Blossom Child at the Brisbane Stitches and Craft show earlier in the year. I was immediately drawn to the stylish designs and lovely details - I can't help but gush over the workmanship that goes into these clothes for little people...get in before David Jones snaps them up! I don't have any kids of my own yet so I'm either going to start hoarding or some of my friend's kids will be getting some wonderful presents!

Joanne Petrie makes lovely hand-stamped custom jewellery under the name Love Stamp. I almost died of envy when I saw her tattoo and the back of her neck - it was inspired by Kristen Doran's Babooshkas - how awesome is that!

red door

2009-10-10T08:36:00.000+10:00

Wouldn't you like to visit a shop that had an entrance like this one.

This is a door that is in my neighbourhood.
I've loved it for so many years. It seems to be someone's house now, but I do recall it used to be their design or architecture studio.
So, I'm on the look out, everywhere I drive and walk, for a shop that has some personality that makes me feel as happy as when I look at this door.

we've been featured on....

2009-10-08T14:04:00.000+10:00

Just wanted to say a big thank you to the Boutique Markets for featuring Selvedge House on their blog.

Nicole from bits of toffee, who writes a regular Wednesday post on the BM blog, wrote a lovely little piece about our new skateboard bracelets.

I've really been loving wearing my bracelets, since Sam started making them. Of course, I get all the prototypes!
We were out at the Mt Cootha Botanical Gardens this morning, dropping stock off for a fashion event out there next week (more news on this later), and I was very flattered to be asked by the friendly and helpful desk attendant (a man, I might point out - hello, if you visit us here), what my necklace was made of. Of course, I happily told him all about it! And also told him all about the markets where he can find us (and all the rest of you talented folk).

So, we'll see you all at the beautiful Portside on Sunday, for the lovely Boutique Markets 8am - 1pm. And, for those of you who have never met the elusive Sam (who normally works at his skateshop job on the weekends) - he'll be there this Sunday. So, come along and say hello.

Another week, another building

2009-10-07T08:29:00.010+10:00

This week's search for a location for Selvedge House took us to an amazing old Good Year tyre factory in Woollongabba (yes, opposite The Gabba sporting ground). There are three levels in this building - ground is already leased and beginning a massive refurbishment, the middle level used to be a dance studio and the top level has had the least amount of work done but is the most charismatic (brickwork patterns on the walls and around the windows are fantastic).

Middle level:

Upper level:

Lovely spaces, natural lighting, wooden floors, exposed brick walls, no air conditioning, a million stairs to climb and parking is a problem, street access is yuk, game days at The Gabba would making access for people a nightmare...Hmm, I realise I sound like those two grumpy old men from The Muppets - Statler and Waldorf.

While the inside is really workable and perfect - being high up also causes it's own issues with getting stock etc up easily, no hope for wheelchair access (no lifts) and parking, parking, parking - grrr.

Market 102: Young Designers Market - Southbank

2009-10-05T21:33:00.017+10:00

Thank goodness this market wasn't held on Saturday...it was sweltering! Instead we had a weird mixture of sun, clouds, rains splotches and humidity - go Brisbane! Actually we had a gorgeous time at the Young Designers Market on Sunday: setting up and taking down seemed easier (and faster) and the best bit was all the great people we met (alot more than the last market)...some of you even admitted to reading the blog -which brought big smiles to our faces (shy cyber waves to you).

Sam's skateboard goodies attracted a lot of attention - the new stand shows the neckware and bangles off perfectly!

Ellie's friend Christy Sibley made these gorgeous owl softies - we thought they looked so snug in the basket and people kept walking by and giving them a squeeze...and strangely...smelling them - no seriously! It made me smile everytime it happened - and I thought it would be a great idea to have them stuffed with a bit of dried lavender and you could tuck them away in your fabric stash draws and shelving to repel those nasty fabric eating silverfish!

I'm also hoping the chickadees who had a tricky time choosing fabrics and patterns to go with a gorgeous quilt send us piccies of what the room looks like when they're done decorating!

We'll be at the Boutique Markets at Portside next Sunday - come say hi!

{sam messina} sk8 fashion::rainbow allsorts

2009-10-03T11:36:00.001+10:00

Hey there,
here's some long awaited photos of the most recently made skateboard jewelley.
Sam's been busy cutting and drilling and sanding and polishing. He excitedly runs upstairs to show me each new piece, as he comes up with a new design shape.
Being a long time skateboarder, Sam knows the feel and shape of a board under his feet and hands. It's inspiring and interesting watching him turn these pieces of broken wood into a new existence. And to watch his mind working on new concepts and ideas and imaginations of what he can produce with his own hands.

Sam Messina is an artist, designer and skateboarder. He's also a dad and a husband. And a whole lot of other things, too, of course. He's been skateboarding for more than 20 years, and drawing for a lot longer than that. He currently has an intense fascination with the Mexican candy skulls and El Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) images, particularly in tattoo art form.

Luckily we had a professional model on hand (my sister) to take these improptu photos. Some fun out-takes over here.

We'll be selling these at the Southbank Young Designer's Market tomorrow, come along and visit us.

*please excuse my tacky "sk8" heading - Sam is still trying to work out the perfect name for this range.

{in print} Map Magazine

2009-10-02T15:17:00.001+10:00

Hey, look at this. Our Red Seed Studio Little Birdy organic cotton / hemp tea towel is in the most recent issue of Map Magazine. (check out page 46).

Thank you to Michelle, from Nook, who stocks Red Seed tea towels and bags.

Nook has also recently been featured on the Map Magazine Street Editors blog, have a read here.

{Just noticed that Nook has a great 'paper goods' giveaway on, so make sure you enter the comp}.

{I visited Nook today, and of course, bought a little something - which I'm passing off as a birthday gift to Ari! Check out these cute cards at Night Owl Paper Goods, made from sustainably sourced timbers. I have some others, that I framed ages ago}.

**if you can't make it into Nook, to get your own Red Seed birdy tea towel, we'll be at market stalls over the coming months, or have other stockists, or even have our own online stores. So, many places to get your organic tea towels - which make lovely gifts for your friends, family or your own kitchen!

{helping our community} Softies for Mirabel

2009-10-01T13:39:00.001+10:00

Now in it's third year, Softies for Mirabel, is a wonderful community crafting project. It's an annual appeal that directly benefits the children supported by the Mirabel Foundation.

"Mirabel assists children who have been orphaned or abandoned due to parental illicit drug use and are now in the care of extended family (kinship care). Mirabel believes that every child deserves a childhood and its mission is to break the destructive cycle of addiction and disadvantage."

from the Mirabel Foundation site.

Every year Pip, from Meet me at Mike's, in Melbourne, collects softies from all around the globe to pass onto these children, who must need some love. And a cuddle with a handcrafted Softie is surely a little piece of love and attention and care.

If you would like to help out, and send a softie as a gift (in time for Christmas), just please send them to Pip before 10th December. Your softies, or soft toys, must be made with young children in mind - ie, no buttons or eyes or parts that cal fall or be pulled or bitten off.

Here's some ideas for patterns:
Mostly Marvelous Ms Rabbit by Bird and Little Bird
Bunny or Kitty by Kristen Doran (Selvedge House has these at our market stalls)
Hippo, Giraffe, Puppy, Elephant by Audrey & Maude (we also have these)
Jofus and Lally + others by Ric Rac
Felt Bunny by Hazelnuts
Poppy Doll by Hop Skip Jump

Please share your softies with us, we'd love to see what you make and send.
All details on where to send can be found on Pip's blog.

*image from Meet me at Mike's, used with thanks.

the search continues

2009-09-29T19:21:00.003+10:00

We've been spending a fair bit of time looking at different locations, searching the internet and driving the streets. All to find our perfect shop location. Our ideas are getting more solid, in what we want, each time we see something that's not quite right. Though, we're starting to wonder if in fact we're being too picky - is that possible! Not at all.......
Anyway, I took a few photos the other day of a beautiful looking place, while driving to pick up the kids after Brown Owls get together.
Light and airy, with space and parking (which has so far been an elusive necessity). Lovely timber windows and balconies, and views of the river across the busy road. All photos taken from outside on a bright glary day - so not excellent, but you get the idea.

Of course, upon ringing the real estate you find out all sorts of other things about the place, that means it doesn't really fit into our wish list {or more accurately our budget!}.
Oh, the search continues. Going to look at another place this week, and one next week too. Please do let us know if you spot anything interesting looking, on your journeys.

{fabric love} Betz White organic

2009-09-29T06:05:00.002+10:00

I'm sure most of you have heard of Betz White, or at least seen her new book, Sewing Green. I haven't yet read her book, but it's on my wishlist, so we'll talk about that another time.

Well, anyway - Betz has a new beautiful range of fabrics that she has recently released. Her "Family Cottage" range is nostalgic of a Summer childhood down by the lake, with hammocks, and picnics in fields of wildflowers. Best of all, it's printed onto an organic cotton / hemp blend in a canvas weight (14oz). The fabric can be used for homewares (cushions, table runners), bags, purses... in fact it's quite endless is the possibilities. We use a similar fabric for our Red Seed range, and I love sewing with it - has such a satisfying feel under the sewing machine, and is also really lovely using for embroidery. I can imagine that beautiful flower design, which reminds me of strawberry flowers, being embellished with some embroidered stitches.

After much procrastination**, I'm heading over to order some now. I love great design, that is crisp, clean, bright, fun, cheerful and....best of all.... organic.

*photos used with thanks from Betz White. Click on each photo to be taken to original source.
**trying to keep my fabric stash under control - well, we all know it's not worth bothering to control is it!

{reviews::crafty books} Handmade Home

2009-09-28T19:06:00.001+10:00

Handmade Home by Amanda Blake Soule.
Publisher by Trumpeter Books, 2009

The second book from Amanda, of Soulemama fame (if you don't currently read her blog, do do do go and visit - I think it may change your life, or at least brighten your day). This book follows on from the first book, The Creative Family, in sentiment, but is aimed more at the general crafter, as well as the family crafter. Divided into segments such as Nourish, Nurture, Play, Seek and Retreat, the projects are mostly very easy to make, but with many options for altering it depending on your fabric, time or preferences. All the projects are made from repurposed / up-cycled materials, but Amanda includes other options if you want to use new materials.

Written in Amanda's generous, sharing and open manner, you feel as if she has let you into her warm home (look at it here), and is guiding you through the projects herself. And that your children are playing with her children around your feet and in the yard. Little interludes of tips, tricks, quotes, Earthy Tips, Crafty Tips and ideas add to the projects, and give you a greater meaning for your crafting. It's more than just the projects that makes this book what it is, it's the reasons behind each project, the knowledge that Amanda and her family make and use each and every item in the book.
There is a good resource section (though primarily focussed on the USA, it is easy to find other options), as well as a basic sewing terms, fabric options, even tips on setting up your own sewing space as well as collaborating with your children, and how to make time to do the projects.

And of course the beautiful styling and photography that is a big part of Soulemama's appeal. The mixing of layers and colours, with pre-loved and hand made textures. This is the main appeal of this book, for me; the honesty and simple beauty of the projects and the styling, as well as the inclusion of her own children as models.

As an experienced sewer, I do find the projects are fairly basic and simple, and the instructions are written only, with no diagrams, though there are templates for some projects. Having said that, I enjoy this book for it's inspiration, and really most projects (in life) need only be simple in idea yet rich and nourishing in possibilities.

If you give this book as a gift to a friend, it would be lovely to include some vintage fabrics or notions, or some scraps of your own most-loved fabrics. Your friend would appreciate the thought, and then be guided, by Amanda, as to how to transform these scraps into new treasures.

*All reviews are offered here as assistance in navigating the crazy world of crafting books, tools, fabric and notions. They are the personal opinion of the reviewer.

{Pippijoe} fabric

2009-09-28T09:20:00.002+10:00

Caitlin Klooger is an independent designer from Melbourne with a passion for textiles, patterns and craft. Perhaps it was her previous career as a landscape gardener that inspired the organic, botanical and wildlife designs. Designs are printed onto hemp/cotton blends or 100% hemp fabric using environmentally friendly inks. The fabrics are soft to touch and perfect for crafting, bags, clothing ,soft furnishing and light upholstery.
Caitlin blogs over at Pippijoe, where she shares stories of her crafting, adventuring and inspiration.

* All images used with thanks from Pippijoe.

{more linking thanks}

2009-09-27T18:57:00.000+10:00

Just wanted to say thanks to Rebecca (of edward and lilly fabulousness) for her great comments about our new skateboard brooches. {Photos soon, I promise! This one is from Rebecca - thank you.}

Sam's been working so hard (hot, sweaty, wood sawdust) on turning those broken boards into a new life. He currently has his buttons, which I'm loving imagining on all sorts of projects - bags, clothing, cushions. Brooches and necklaces are leading to many other options and endless ideas. Bracelets and belt buckles are in the making, once he sorts out the right tools!

Also, shout-outs of thanks to Michelle from Nook, and the Ink & Spindle girls*. We so love the support we're getting from all you crafty peeps out there.

*thanks, Teegs, for calling me the nicest crafty girl around. Not sure I am, but I'll try and do my best to live up to it.......
*thank you Steph for the use of your lovely skateboard button photo (from BrisStyle July market) - I love that even though I don't manage to remember to take photos, there are some of you out there who do.

{we love::featured shop} Nook

2009-09-27T17:51:00.001+10:00

I've mentioned on my other blog about this beautiful little shop. {love} this perfect collection of handcrafted, thoughtfully chosen items. Michelle has an amazing shop. It's so wonderful to see her supporting other small and handcrafted businesses or hobby-ests.

Walking up the street you see the distinct sign, and are greeted by a verdant vegie garden.

The shop is brimming with items that I want to take home. Let me tell you, I've been in there a handful of times over the past few weeks, and each and every time I've walked out with a new treasure. I find some homewares or handcrafted stores are a bit ho-hum, or they all seem to have the same collection of scented candles.
Michelle's Nook is so so different. I think when you stock a shop with items that you personally love, it's a true reflection of who you are, but Michelle has also looked to what her peers (who are her customers) love, by keeping up with the latest blog trends, crafty happenings and eco-thought process that is (thankfully) becoming more obvious in retail-land.

It feels like you're visiting a friend who has lots of fantastic handcrafted and designery things, and knows how to display them. Fresh flowers, picked from the garden or hanging over the next door fence, gives the place a lived in, loved and real look and feel.
The furniture in the shop has been sourced from local second hand outlets, from street throw-out piles, and from ebay. This shows Michelle's dedication to being an eco shop, as well as further displays her talent for selecting products and displaying them.
Please drop in one day for a little browse. You could do all your gift shopping there at once, or over many weeks; as Michelle keeps her stock updated often with new things arriving regularly.
Nook is also a stockist of Red Seed, so check out our bags, tea towels and (soon) other little pieces.

Nook Shop
19 Browning St, West End, Q, 4101
open Tues-Fri 10am - 5.30pm + Sat 10am - 4pm.

Finders Keepers Market

2009-09-24T16:58:00.001+10:00

we just received news this morning that we do in fact have a spot at the upcoming highly anticipated Finders Keepers Market. It will be the first time Finders Keepers has been to Brisbane, and the talk on the town is of much excitement.

We've seen and heard amazing reports from the Sydney and Melbourne markets in the past, and we know that Brisbane will put on an excellent show.
So, the work starts - well, really work continues as we have two other markets before then.
We'd love thoughts and feedback on what you like best in the Red Seed range, so we know what to focus on making. We're also planning some new designs, so will be printing like mad.

Along with all this, Danielle and I are still visiting buildings looking for our perfect shop. Of course, we both forgot our cameras yesterday when we were at quite an historic though much-too-tumble down place on the other side of town. Rumours of ghosts hiding in the brickwork didn't put us off; it was more like the noisy smoggy traffic rushing past the front door, and the musty smell of potential-trouble in the brickwork!
Any locals out there who may know of an oh-so-just-perfect shop spot for us, please drop us a line.

{with thanks}

2009-09-23T16:33:00.002+10:00

Danielle, Sam & I would all like to say a great big thanks to each and every on of you who have written to us, left comments, offered us kind words and smiles, who have blogged about us {Kristen, Nicole, Danielle and Audrey & Maude}*, and those who are following us, or have links from your own blog.
It makes us so happy to have this support and thoughtfulness from our crafty peers.
We spent the whole of last week with big smiles on our faces, and warmth in our hearts.

We cannot wait until we find our perfect shop location, and can open the doors to see all your faces.

********

For those of you who are experiencing this crazy dusty windy that we have happening right along the eastern coast of Australia; I hope you're {safely} enjoying your inside time doing some crafting or other fun little ventures......

*any I've missed, please do let me know.
**please click on bridge/dust photo to be taken to the link.

Market 101: Racecourse Rd Street Party

2009-09-21T10:35:00.019+10:00

On Sunday, Selvedge House participated in its first market stall in order to gain some exposure and to begin getting the people in Brisbane excited about our dream of opening a place where they can come to for crafting, sewing, printing and meeting people. The Racecourse Rd Street Party in Ascot was huge!

Ellie, Sam and I were up until 3 in the morning the day before preparing fabrics, finishing off skate board jewellry, topstitching kimono bags and drinking lots of tea. Having never participated in a market before, I awoke Sunday morning with a sense of excitement, apprehension and that feeling of "I'm sure I've forgotten something really, really important".

It was so very hot - and we all felt a little bit sticky and like we were slowly melting - like this poor icecream!

As the day progressed it was interesting to note the change in demographic that stopped by - in the morning we had lovely ladies in their Sunday best, by lunchtime that changed to more families and then by the afternoon the groovers, nursing hangovers, had finally rolled out of bed.

We met and spoke to lots of wonderful people and I'm hoping the couple who bought softie kits let us know how they're going...they decided to make it a competition and see who could finish first...I'm not sure who my money's on - they both seemed pretty confident and capable! Just remember to email if you get stuck guys!

Special thanks to the lovely ladies of BrisStyle and to our fabulous stall mates Bec and Jade of Beckybean - who made a very long, very hot day, very very enjoyable! Check out their Crema range of bags, which uses coffee sacks (provide by Brisbane's local boutique coffee roaster, Merlo) combined with new eco fabrics such as hemp and organic cotton, and timber buttons that their Dad handmade.

{Of Paper and Thread} fabric

2009-09-18T07:46:00.050+10:00

Danielle Smeets is a West Australian textile artist who started Of Paper and Thread in 2007 by printing her designs in her backyard shed. Danielle has been working on her textiles full time since 2008. Each design only makes it to print if it's something that she herself would want to purchase, a dedication and honesty that is often seen in small handcrafted businesses.

Danielle is inspired by the nature and architecture around her, always taking a camera on her outings. Her designs have a timeless and classic feel, yet are modern and very versatile, with a delicious colour pallet of cherry, rust, sunny yellow, aqua and bamboo green. The images are hand printed onto textural fabrics such as linen/cotton or hemp/cotton blended base cloths and printed using solvent-free inks. Each colour-way is produced in small batches so they are a limited edition.

Her blog is a visual feast of colour, design and some excellent links, as well as new designs.

in the post today

2009-09-17T15:48:00.001+10:00

Here's a little snippet of some of the loveliness that the delivery man brought us today. We all get so excited when we hear the gate squeak, and someone is knocking at our door.
Fabric fat 1/4s and meterage from the Inkies*.

And some Pippijo meterage. I love the texture of her fabric. I do believe those water hens are my most favourite of all designs ever. Sweet water hen memories from my mum, who called them Pukeko from her time living in NZ.

I also made some babushka's from Kristen Dorans fabric panels. The kids and I had a lot of fun with these sweet little ones.

* Ink & Spindle.

Ink & Spindle

2009-09-16T01:25:00.004+10:00

Ink & Spindle is a boutique screen-printing studio based in the beautiful-looking Younghusband Wool Store building in Melbourne. Run by three young textile designers – Lara Cameron, Bianca Van Meeuwen and Tegan Rose - who share a love of art and design. They specialise in high quality textile printing for designers and independent labels. The trio were brought together by a common passion for screen printed textiles and sustainable alternatives to the mass produced textiles that dominate the marketplace.

They each have a distinct voice in the design industry; yet the three design styles mix effortlessly. Their printing studio showcases their varied talents in textile design, as well as their dedication to minimise the environmental impact of the textile industry.

We love their bold vibrant colours, and striking confident designs. Check out the Ink & Spindle blog, where they share news, travel adventures and always look fabulous!

Kristen Doran Design

2009-09-16T01:09:00.002+10:00

Kristen Doran is a Sydney based textile designer who started off printing fabrics for the handbags she made for friends. Soon bloggers were requesting to purchase the fabrics and this snowballed into a business in textiles, toys, clothing, accessories and stationary! Her designs are hand printed onto 100% cotton or a linen/cotton blend base cloth.

Kristen's images are printed onto panel size, and are perfectly designed to be made into little softies or usable as bags, cushions or other accessories. Most recently she has introduced fabric meterage; perfect for dresses for little girls and clothing for not-so-little girls. She appeals to boys (and girls) with her robots and drummer boys. Her babushka panels are popular all around, and come in three lovely colourways (we can't decide which one we like best). Her quirky little owl panels are fun, while her bird in a nest makes a beautiful cushion or panel in a quilt.

Kristen blogs about her life as a textile designer and mother at Cheeky Beaks. She showcases new designs as well sharing glimpses of her many crafting skills.

Audrey and Maude Softie Patterns

2009-09-15T19:53:00.004+10:00

Audrey and Maude was born when Melbourne designers, Cathy and Louise, recognised a gap in the market for easy patterns that anyone can try.

Inspired by the number of basic sewing questions and requests for patterns from other sewers, Audrey and Maude aims to provide a range of simple and nostalgic sewing patterns that people can make easily in their own style.

The patterns are easy to follow, with simple and cute hand drawn pattern pieces. Perfect for beginners, the sweet little softies are easy to customise using many fabric options.

Cathy and Louise met via their blogs, Miss Marzie and lululollylegs, when they were paired in a blog swap and discovered their similarities combined with the fact that they lived in the same town. They fit in their love of crafting and designing around their busy lives as mothers, and their part time jobs in a fabric shop.

Racecourse Road Steet Party Market

2009-09-14T06:10:00.009+10:00

We are currently preparing for our first ever Selvedge House market stall. Please come along and visit us at the Racecourse Rd Street Party Market.

We will be showcasing fabrics from Ink & Spindle, Kristen Doran, Pippijo, Of Paper and Thread, as well as our hemp/organic cotton basecloth. We will have patterns and cute little softie kits from Audrey and Maude, Kristen Doran as well as some other little treasures.

Included in the mix of all this glorious handcrafted fabric and hand drawn patterns, we will have our own Red Seed range of fabric panels, tote bags, cushions, purses. And some new bags we are working on made from beautiful vintage kimonos.

We will be sharing a stall with the beautiful Beckybean sisters, Bec and Jade. You'll find us amongst the BrisStyle market tents.

Part of Brisbane Festival, the market is at Racecourse Rd, Ascot. Sunday 20th September, 10am - 5pm.

So, please come along and help us launch our new crafty venture. Looking forward to meeting you.

our story

2009-09-12T09:59:00.017+10:00

Welcome to Selvedge House.

Print::Stitch::Create

We are three creatives who met at a craft show in May, 2009. We instantly realised that we all had a passion for hand printed textiles, modern Australian fabrics, and creating things with distinctive design (also, we make each other laugh). We wanted to share this with the rest of the world, but for now we're starting with Brisbane.

Selvedge House is our idea of the perfect modern crafting shop.

We dream of a place where people can visit and feel inspired as soon as they enter the door. A place of warmth and sharing, of inspiration and installations, of fabric and texture and laughing.

Where beginnners to the contemporary crafting world can feel welcome, and the experienced can enhance their skills, while renewing their crafty love.

Where screen printing workshops help you to make your own custom fabric, that you can then sew into your own garments or accessories in our sewing classes.

Where the fabric shop section is perfectly filled with the texture and warmth of hand crafted textiles and modern designs. And hand drawn patterns. And craft books that are visually intoxicating.

Please join us here, as we work towards this dream. As we find our shop location, our fit-outs and decorate our walls. As we form our classes and make cushions for our sewing chairs. Then, join us in our shop, as we invite you in for coffee and craft, for fabric and laughs, for printing and learning.

This blog is our exploration of inspiration. We welcome any thoughts, comments and ideas of what makes your dream fabric and crafting shop.

Current Inspiration Archives

2009-09-05T12:21:00.009+10:00

September 2009
Becky Early - textile designer
Made Design
Apartment Therapy - Lisa Congdon
Fog Linen

October 2009
KT Doyle
Spirit Cloth
Fibre Organics
The Design Files
Cocon
Saidos da Concha

November 2009
Domestic Construction
Paula Mills