Textile Museum - Decorator Fabric Sale

$2 small pink piece of fabric, $5 larger brown wool piece of fabric

Today I rode my bicycle downtown and had a quick peek at the fabric sale at the Textile Museum. This one is a lot smaller than the big sale in the Spring, but it was still worth going. There's some fabric outside on tables, then upstairs there is a large room with more fabric, some buttons and some handmade items.

I bought a scrap of pink fabric, a piece of brown wool fabric and some buttons:

$20 set of four antique glass buttons, $2 MOP button, $3 MOP button

I chose two mother-of-pearl buttons and a set of four antique glass buttons. The buttons are special, so while these were expensive I think they were good value... well I don't really know but the four on the right are the prettiest buttons I've ever seen and I knew if I went home without them I would be thinking about them later.

It's not too late for you to go too! Here's the info:
p.s. they were saying that new buttons would be for sale on Saturday so you all the best things won't be gone if you go then!

For the Love of Cloth: Decorator Fabric Sale

Friday October 23 11:00 am - 5:00 pm and
Saturday October 24 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Textile Museum of Canada
55 Centre Avenue (Dundas St. W & University Ave., St. Patrick subway)
Toronto, Ontario
M5G 2H5
(416) 599-5321

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Workroom trunk sale

I'm doing another trunk show at the workroom (in Toronto, 1340 Queen St. West, 12-5pm) this Sunday. It's a craft sale where everyone shows their wares in a suitcase. One new thing I've made for this show is a messenger bag with barkcloth on the flap. If I have any extra time I may try to finish a couple of needle books.
And I have to tell you, my craft "studio" was featured on Apartment Therapy! I was thrilled because I am a big fan of that site. I find it particularly inspiring because of the focus on small space decor, something I'm always working on. The quotes got lost in translation, so just a reminder I haven't suddenly acquired a craft's studio.. it's still the same front room that has our living room stuff (couch, tv) our dining room table and chairs, all the crafts storage and my two secretary desks with more crafts storage in one and all my illustration supplies in the other. And two rambunctious but lovable sock monkeys.

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Valentine's Trunk Show 2

log cabin heart pin created by Jen Anisef, Toronto Craft Alert

The Valentine's Trunk show was great, so many people showed up and it was great to see what everyone had made. I took home a few treats, there were just too many nice things to tempt!

Back view of the heart pinSilver sheep charm necklace, created by Allison Wells, Papersnake Jewellery

Vintage rosewood crochet hooks, Becky Johnson, Sweetie Pie Press

Assorted vintage buttons, Lucie Davies, Button Me Up

I also bought this blue bamboo fabric from Karyn and it's been whipped up into curtains that are now gracing the sliding doors that are in our kitchen at the back of the house. And they're everything I hoped they would be.

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Valentine's Trunk Show

Let's see, in my suitcase I have two needle books, several bags, including two messenger bags with vintage barkcloth decorated flaps, some knitted cosies (including a tiny pink one for a shuffle), one knitted hat with flower pin attached, and one crocheted scarf with scalloped edge, a linen eyeglasses case with a bird embroidered on it, silver beaded jewellery, some pincushions, fabric shopping bags that fold up into matching cases, a few stray bird postcards and lots of fabric zippered pouches. A Mary Poppins-worthy suitcase.

I've got enough things to go in my suitcase, just needs a little tidying. This is for the Valentine's Trunk show tomorrow. In case you're not sure, everyone is absolutely welcome to come, all the vendors will have their things for sale displayed in suitcases, and there are snacks. For example I'm bringing some chocolate chip cookies with walnuts and raisins in them. Also, if you have any extra new hand-knitted items please bring them to donate to the StreetKnit project.

Where? the workroom
When? Sunday February 10th, noon until 5pm
Who? City of Craft's site has a list of vendors and links to their sites
Why should I go? Find cute presents for your valentine, or a little treat for yourself. Why not? Maybe something cheerful to get you through the winter. Also the workroom is very cosy and nice.

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Valentine's Trunk show

This is my new logo, created for the web page for the The Valentine's Trunk Show in February. This is such a nice idea for a fair, all the vendors are displaying their handmade things in a suitcase each and then we can mingle and have snacks. I love it. Obviously I will have to find and buy a charming vintage suitcase. I was thinking this could become the perfect place to store my shop between shows.

As you know I also love the Workroom so I think it's the perfect venue. If you haven't been yet, you have to come just to gaze adoringly at Karyn's covet-worthy shelves of fabric.

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My craft table

You can see one of the messenger bags in the corner of this picture

The craft sale at the Tranzac went pretty well. I had Bradley to keep me company and a few friends dropped by. So nice to see you!

I'm wondering about going back this weekend. I don't have a table reserved but the organizer said I could come by and there would either be a cancellation or she could find me a small table/corner. So if you missed me last week you could come this weekend.

My table was a bit dark so these aren't great pictures, but here are some of the bags:These are my new needle books. There are just three left. The covers are brown cordoruy or linen, with wool applique flowers and cream-coloured wool pages.
I found this glass tray recently and used it to display my jewellery:
I like the Tranzac Club. I used to live on Brunswick Avenue in a rented studio apartment on the third floor of one of the old Victorian houses. Now that I think of it, the bathroom floors on the second floor had nice old hexagonal floor tiles. And I used to go to the Tranzac a lot. They have lots of different events there, including my friend John Southworth who played last Saturday evening - a show I was sorry to miss. And they've had lots of crafts shows over the years, back when I was wondering if I would try it myself one day. So it feels quite cosy...and sort of nostalgic.

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Craft sale preparations!

We're back at home and all the tiles are installed. There's still some finishing work to do but I think it's going to be really nice. So today I'm getting everything ready for the craft sale tomorrow:

The Artisans Gift Fair (free admission)
The Tranzac Club (south of Bloor between Bathurst and Spadina)
292 Brunswick Avenue
from 12-6pm

I've made a few pincushions recently, from lovely fabric I bought at a wonderful new shop, The Workroom, that we visited the other day after the Designer Fabric Outlet. The owner Karyn, imports all the best Japanese fabric, and has pretty displays of vintage threads and jars, and has a row of little tables with sewing machines you can rent by the hour. The shop has classes and a library with all the best crafts books. It was like looking at my own bookself!Today I'm finishing up little details such as adding nice pearl snaps for the handbags. I really love my new labels and have been adding them to everything. My table will have pouches, handbags, totes, pincushions, needle books, silver beaded jewellery, portable shoppers made from red and white leafy IKEA fabric that have matching little bags to keep them in, wool trivets for your teapots, knitted eyeglass cases and every purchase comes with free Thumbelina gift tags! Hope to see you there...

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Needing the barkcloth

I've been hoping for years to have lots of things made and be able to rent a table at a Fall/Christmas crafts sale. I've decided this year I'm finally going to do it. I've even ordered "needle book" fabric labels to put in my things. I was inspired recently by Practically necessary's barkcloth bags. I finally won a little bit of barkcloth on ebay and made some messenger bags. I love how they turned out, the hard part will be parting with them.I've also been making granny bags after creating a pattern for myself. A bit tricky but I think anyone could do it. Mine are all one-of-a-kind, depending on how big I want to make them, the amount of fabric I have and where I feel like putting the pleats. I make coordinating lined pockets to go inside and of course attach those before assembling the bag.

I like this one, from a wool tweed:

This ones is from my Cath Kidston circus fabric with olive green straps:
And I've made a bunch of pouches:
My favourite pouch is made from Liberty fabric:My favourite fabric these days is still the scenic barkcloth and I'm trying to buy more on ebay, but I keep getting snipered with 5 seconds to go! One auction went from $75 to $225 in the last 5 seconds. My maximum bid was $220 for 10 yards of barkcloth which I already thought was high. But I loved the pattern and I was very disappointed. It was part of my new plan to think big, and invest in my craft business a bit more so I could make enough things to have a proper table.

It may be for the best though because my dining table is still covered with stacks of fabric...but that's another story.

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