After a long spell away from my tools and staying quietly isolated here on the farm “cocooning” I’m starting to feel my sew-jo returning………
Think I’ll start gently and playfully with some cuddle-worthy critter creations and slightly scaled down clothing designs specially for kidlings……
With Christmas looming and feeling zero desire to go shopping for gifts, I decided to make a pony friend for my granddaughter Everlee Mae, and then thought that having matching dresses might be a little fun for them when playing together.
I think it was a good idea………a picture tells a thousand words🌿
There’s nothing a girl can’t do when she and her best friend spend time playing together…….
Watch this space….there shall be more cuddly friends to come in many shapes and species, and they will be available soon…….and with matching outfits if so desired…..🍃
Eventually I’ll get back to grown up sewing……… but this is so much fun🌸
#bestfriends #everygirlneedsapony #matchymatchy #sewingforchildren #softies #artdollsofinstagram #imreallyaunicorn #childrensweardesigner #ponydolls #matchingoutfits #originaldesigns #cuddlytoys
What an odd year it’s been thus far ......the Community Sew-Ins we ran to raise funds for bushfire impacted wildlife around Oz seem aeons ago....markets and festival cancellations saw little opportunities for cross pollination with creative buddies....and designing one-off garments and patterns gave way to masks, masks, and more masks and a new label and Etsy shop ...”I-Sewlated Industry” ensued........and I added a little mini-art with some appliqué mask and bum-bag sets and the matching mask, scrunchie and doggie bandana sets added a bit of fun and fashion flair for clients exercising with their pooch and grocery shopping during lockdown too. Adding a little fun and frivolity to lighten the mood and encourage smiles.......well that was my plan!!
I feel a little guilty being so lucky to have lived here on the farm and work in my farm studio when so many were locked into small spaces with only an hour outside for exercise....... I made a veggie garden.....I’ve never done that before.....grown things.... I even harvested seed from my lettuce crop and raised seedlings from my first crop! Bloody amazing feeling! I now have lettuce ( and tomato) grandchildren 🌿.....and I’m hooked.
My music fixes didn’t stray too far ....with old friends The Beatles, Jethro Tull, Shawn Mullins, Scott Mathew, Wilco and a recent discovery, Jeff Tweedy’s family Tweedy Show keeping me entertained and uplifted. Thank you to the music makers around the world for keeping us sane🙏
So here’s my first post in many months.......My light filled studio here on the farm with many dogs for company as I stitch and listen to whip birds , cockatoos, kookaburras and our newly resident Wompoo Pidgeon. And there’s often rainbows outside.......to remind me of a positive future and to keep my chin up no matter what’s going on outside our boundary.
Onward and upward says I and a hopeful return to sharing ideas and skills face to face as our State boundaries open up and the Lucky Country embraces a new normal. We truly are sooooo lucky to live here in Oz🌿
#farmstudio #theluckycountry #howigotthrough #imback #watchthisspace #ilovemyfarm #maskfashion #pivotal #mymirrorsound #tweedyshow
Just finished a custom order for a wonderful client from the Scenic Rim........Culottes using pieces from her batik collection and loosely based on a vintage pattern she had found in her travels.
I decided to use one of my favorite front openings buttoning through the waistband and pockets. Mother of Pearl vintage buttons. Elasticised back waist.
Figuring out how to piece the different batiks together was a challenge but I’m happy with the result. They took a LOT of fabric....but have beautiful drape, flow and swish..and will feel so good to wear.
Now where is the Pimms when you need it?
🍸
#culottes #sewersofinstagram #vintagestyles #batik #batikculottes #vintageflavor #loungewear #vintagepattern #bringmemypimms
Sew......today I delivered all the softies made on Saturday at the community Softie Sew In for Wildlife to Karen Scott from Wildcare.
4 Sleek Slithering Snakes
10 Cuddly Koalas carrying 10 cute little joeys
4 Flapping Flying Foxes - 2 of which were pink ....( pink bats 🦇.get it? 😉🤣) But....earlier in the morning, on the way into the coast we had to stop off for me to swim my designated 64 laps at Nerang Pool.... ( I’ve challenged myself to swim 20klm this month for “Laps for Life” to raise funds for Youth Mental Health..... still looking for more sponsors btw.... message me for info if you want to donate a few $$$🏊♀️🏊♀️🏊♀️🏊♀️🏊♀️) The softies decided to wait in the park beside the pool and watch me from afar on the playground equipment ....cheeky little blighters!! Anyhow this is how the little crew looked......🐨🦇🐍 And thanks again to everyone who gave their time and resources to create this batch of critters 👍 May they now all go out into the world and multiply $$$$ for Wildcare 🙏🦘
#softiesforwildlife #sewingforwildlife #wildcare #lapsforlife #fundraisingforwildlife #sewersofinstagram #communitysewing
New website up and running and there’s a FREE handmade pattern download for these little Koalas “Binna”&”Burra” to encourage sewers to gather together and hold their own “Softie Sew-In for Wildlife” to help raise funds for the ongoing care of our wildlife.
How about getting a group of friends together to make some? If it’s within cooee of the Gold Coast I’m happy to come help out too 👍
/
#sewersofinstagram #sewingforwildlife #binnaburra #koala #koalasoftie #softiepattern #freesewingpattern #handmadepattern
Yesterday’s Softie Sew-In for Wildlife was a blast!! Sew many wonderful, caring, talented crafters turned up to stitch and stuff and create🐨
We cut and made Binna & Burra koalas, Fassifern Flying Foxes, Wanda Search & Rescue Wombats and turned colorful ties into Slithering Snakes 🐍
All for a great cause.....Wildcare Australia....our local wildlife care group 🐍🐨🦘 Another 26 shadecloth pool noodle covers were stitched as first flight landing posts for orphan flying foxes too....🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇 they’ll be heading to Logan next week.
And the feedback received on our first round of Softies sent south has been overwhelmingly positive . The wildlife groups love our work 🌟 and sales are already rolling in to benefit the ongoing needs of sick and injured wildlife.
Sewing together also stitches up friendships and communities....we shared skills and stories, scones and sandwiches, belly laughs and banter and were entertained by Kate who visited with her banjo 🎵🎶🎼🌟It’s such an inspiring and therapeutic pastime to simply sit and make together........very good for the soul 🌸
And so.......I’m encouraging other communities to have their own Softie Sew-In’s for Wildlife....and offering the pattern for “Binna & Burra” Mumma Koala and her Baby Joey freely for use for crafters around the planet to make as fundraising for wildlife.
ABC Radio Gold Coast will share a little more in the days to come, and in the next few days I’ll post a link here to the pattern for pdf download. Just working out the best way 🧐
Thank you to everyone who came to help out yesterday .... for your skills, smiles, passion, goodwill and friendship !!😘
#sewingforaustralianwildlife #sewersofinstagram #sewingforcharity #makingsofties #bushfirefundraising #wildcare #makingtoys #supportingwildlife #learningnewskills #sewingisfun #sewingisgoodforyou
Stuffing Wombat softies to raise funds for wildlife injured in the bushfires while watching #firefightaustralia !!
#softiesewinforwildlife
#wombatsofinstagram #firefightaustralia #bluddylegends #celestebarber #shesalegend
Only 3 weeks until I start logging my swimming for “Laps for Life” raising funds for youth mental health.🏊♀️ I’ve taken up the 20klm challenge for the month of March, and am achieving my training goal of a mile (1600m) per session x 3 per week🏊♀️. Thats 64 laps of my local pool at Nerang Aquatic Centre per session......... I’m almost half way to my goal of raising $1000......and hoping some more of my buddies might sponsor me a dollar or two?
There’s an option to choose an amount......no need to break the bank my friends !! ......how about $5...just a cup of coffee!!.......every.single.dollar.helps young people facing mental health issues. And that’s what was on my mind as I stood at the end of the pool before I swam my 64 training laps this morning...... I want to reach that $1000 goal 💪
Just a cup of coffee ? Please?
.au/fundraisers/ericabates/laps-for-life
#lapsforlife #swimmingforyouth #20klmchallenge #swimformentalhealth #nerangaquaticcentre #slowandsteadywinstherace
Yesterdays Softie Sew-In for Wildlife was a roaring success! Well over 20 crafters came and helped make Flying-Foxes, Koalas, Joeys, Wombat rescue harnesses and shade-cloth pool noodle covers for orphan bats first flight landing pads. Whoo hoo we had fun!! Thank you one and all for your help and contributions on the day and before and after the event. Extra thanks to Michelle from Quamby Falls up the valley for helping out with a generous donation for materials as she couldn’t come help on the day💖
You are all golden.....and you’re bloods worth bottlin!! We had at least 8 sewing machines humming away, a bunch of pattern cutters, a gaggle of Joey cutters who graduated to skillful face embroiderers, a pair of youthful snake makers, one very careful ironer, a mother and daughter super team of fabrics and colour selection for koalas, a trio of shadecloth pool noodle cover creators, a dedicated event photographer, one very quiet soothing puppy dog who kept us in the calm zone and, and, and, and.....soooo many other clever folks and jobs tackled!
People traveled from far and near, some traveling over 2 hours to join in the making of softies for wildlife carer groups to raise funds.
Then there was the shared food table! Country hospitality a la perfection💖
Pumpkin scones, scones with jam and cream, biscuits, slice, cool cubes of watermelon, egg and lettuce sandwiches, delectable quiche , corn beef and salad sandwiches and, and, and, and so much more!
Thank-you to the Numinbah Valley Hall committee for allowing us to use the heritage, and precious School of Arts Hall, and for tea and coffee facilities ( and toot paper too😉) I’m hoping to send off softies at the end of the week....a couple of very keen crafters helped finish off some koalas today at the Valley markets, and others have put their hands up to keep stuffing and embroidering faces through the week to get more finished .
I just love this so much! And......
It seems that everyone is keen to have another session too!! Bluddy fantastic!😘 #softiesewin #sewingforwildlife #communitysewing #womenworkingtogether #sewersofinstagram👗✂️ #
Third pattern and instructions finalized for tomorrow’s Softie Sew-In at Numinbah Valley Hall! Phew.....it’s been a bigger job than I thought 💪
Its so different making your own designs ....compared to making patterns and writing instructions for others to follow to make your designs.....
Anyhow....it’s done!
Meet my as yet “unnamed” Wombat and her equally as yet “unnamed” Joey who rides as Lookout on her back.
This dynamic duo are hot on the trail of rescuing injured wildlife. ( Yes ....if pigs can fly ...then so can wombats....😉)
The rescue harness she wears not only gives a safe lookout pouch for her Joey, but the side pockets help in the rescue of injured and displaced creatures.
She has just picked up a disoriented green tree snake and an orphaned wallaby Joey ....and she will take them to the nearest wildlife carer she can find💖
Can you think of a good name for this special Res-Q Wombat and her little Joey? I’m hoping for great suggestions from everyone coming to help sew and stuff at the Sew-In tomorrow.....she deserves a bold and brave name I reckon 💪
#softiesewin #wombatsrock #sewingforaustralianwildlife #sewingforwildliferescue #flyingwombats
Pattern #deux for the Softie Sew-In for wildlife this Saturday.
Meet “Fassifern the Flying Fox ” or better known as “Ferny” to his friends 🦇
Ferny is a cuddly little dude who likes simply hanging ‘round ..... He sleeps quite a lot, wrapping his wings snuggly around his soft furry little body during the day.....occasionally stretching and spreading those colorful wings .......but.....
at nighttime he soars!! We will be making a bunch of these little guys on Saturday and they’ll be flying out to Wildlife Rescue groups from Sydney to the Gold Coast to be rehomed with loving families.....and raising much needed funds for feeding orphaned flying foxes and other injured wildlife....... Wanna join in the fun? It’s at Numinbah Valley Hall on Sat Feb 1st 9am-3pm. Message me for more info or check the previous posts for links to the Facebook event and to check on what to bring..... #sewingforwildliferescue #meetfassifern #batlove #softiesewing #batpattern #flyingfoxlove
Pattern numero uno for the Community Softie Sew-In next Saturday is done!
Meet Mumma Bear “Binna” and her Joey “Burra”. They will soon be joined by Papa Bear “Barney” who will carry Joey “Nardi” on his back in a cross body sling🐨. Binna, Burra, Barney and Nardi are named with respect for the wildlife lost and injured in our region recently in the bushfires at Binna Burra, Mount Barney and Mount Nardi.
For information on how to join in the Softie Sew-In: /events/s/softie-sew-in-for-wildlife/1505795482903899/?ti=icl
#sewingforwildlife #softiesewin #makingpatterns #bushfirefundraiser #wildlifefundraiser #communitysewing #numinbahvalley
