being sick is BORING! it’s so frustrating just lying there in bed feeling too icky to even pick up a needle and do a little hand sewing, so as soon as i started feeling even a tiny bit better, i was up and at the sewing machine, filled with a renewed passion for an old project. my epic scrap quilt.

this is the scrappiest quilt i have ever seen. it’s made up of bits and pieces from every quilt i have ever made. there are so many different fabrics in it that i couldn’t even guess at their quantity.

the whole time i have been working on it, i’ve been filled with a niggling apprehension over how it would turn out. i mean, there’s so much going on here, that there was every chance it could have just been truly hideous…

… and i’m still not convinced it really isn’t the ugliest quilt ever. but that’s ok, because i am fond of it. each of those little scraps means something to me and has memories attached. i’ve spent a long time on it, and i love it the way that a mother loves her baby: unconditionally, no matter how ugly it may be.

now to finish hand quilting it…

essie xoxox

i’m pretty poorly right now. i’ve got a bad bout of influenza, and it’s knocking me about. i ended up in hospital yesterday, but now i am home in my own bed, with some of my comforting things:

anne books always make me feel better, as does my little bunny (a gift from my mum a long time ago). i’m drinking lots of water and juice, resting up, and hoping to be well enough to do some crafting (and some essay writing for uni) quite soon!

in the mean time, you might be interested in looking at some pretty things over at my tumblr.

essie xoxo*coughsplutter*xoxox

this is just a mini-post to let you know that my kits are now available in my etsy shop!

each kit contains:
* full skeins of all the embroidery floss you need to make the pattern (dmc)
* aida cloth
* embroidery needle
* colour pattern with instructions, grid, and photo of the finished design

these kits are great for beginners, and would make lovely gifts for crafty types.
i hope you like them!

essie xoxox

the weekend has well and truly been and gone, and i survived my first market!
(with the help of a bunch of great friends and some very large cups of tea…)

i must say that it was a slightly daunting prospect, but it turned out to be fun. i met some lovely people, and received some great face-to-face feedback on my designs.
it was fun to set up my table…

… and decorate it with flower (and fruit?!) arrangements

the kits looked so great all lined up on display

and my little needle books sold like hotcakes!

it was a long and tiring day, but a great experience. now i’ve got to think about getting ready for the next one!

essie xoxox

any craftsperson will tell you that having the right tools is essential to getting a job done.

as i stitch industriously away in preparation for the sisters’ market this weekend, i am very much appreciating my wonderfully fat pin cushion.

i made it using a pattern in rosalie quinlan’s book “a stitch in time” (which i wholeheartedly recommend).

it’s 100% hand stitched, and while it took ages to make, i am extremely fond of it because of the time that went into making it.

if you’d like to come and see me at the market this saturday, i’d be so happy to meet you!
i’ll have kits for my embroidery patterns, as well as needle keepers, and other embroiderer’s accoutrements.
when: 10am - 4pm, saturday 14th august.
where: brunswick town hall, sydney road.
who: yours truly, PLUS, all these lovely creative people.

essie xoxoxo

for the last little while, i have been working on getting kits together for some of my patterns, and i am pleased to say that they have come together very nicely!

each one contains a needle, aida cloth, dmc embroidery floss, and the pattern itself.

i’ll be selling them from my very first market stall (so excited!), at sisters’ market in the brunswick town hall on the 14th of august. i’d love to meet you if you’re in the area and would like to come and visit.

if the kits are well received by market-goers, i’ll look into making them available in my etsy shop too, but in the mean time you can still buy the patterns there as pdfs.

essie xoxoxo

we have a new family member in our house. her name is orla.
she very special, because she has no tail. it was damaged in an accident, and she was abandoned because her owners couldn’t pay for the surgery she needed.
she was taken in by the amazing ingrid, who nursed her back to health, and looked after her til it was time for us to find her and fall in love with her.

we are having lots of cuddles, and doing a lot of tandem loafing.

essie xoxoxo

all embroiderers need a needle keeper. it’s a simple fact. otherwise we can never find our needles when we want them, because they’re stuck in the arm of the couch, and we don’t find them until we end up inadvertently stabbing guests with them when they sit down.

with this fact in mind i have designed a cute needle keeper, for the preservation of your sanity, and your guests’ wellbeing.

the one you see here is now available in my etsy shop, and similar ones will become available as soon as i can stitch them!

essie xoxoxo

the lovely people at frankie have been kind enough to feature penelope waits on their blog.

they’re doing a giveaway, so head over there, send them an email, and you could win a penelope waits kit! kits include a pattern, as well as the aida, needle, and embroidery floss you need to stitch it up.

good luck!
essie xoxoxo

my honey and i spent last weekend in country victoria. it was a wonderfully cosy winter weekend, all misty and grey.

we went on a few short drives, visiting gardens, and exploring the countryside. i had a lovely time taking photos of all the beautiful colours, shapes and textures i could see.

i think you’ll be seeing a bit of a floral theme n my upcoming work!

essie xoxoxox