18 March 2010

My Creative Space 'tween bedroom makeover'

Greetings all,
As promised . . . the bedroom make over for my eldest daughter while she was away on camp last week. 11 is a hard age to cater for in many aspects of mother-daughter relationships, but seeing she has grown up among fabric, design, colour & nonstop sewing, she loves my work & I know her taste.  I knew she’d love this combination of blues in a patchwork quilt, it's just simple 15cm squares - 10 rows across, 12 rows down. 
Please enjoy some before & after shots of her bed & windows . . .
All i had to add was some wall art stickers from Handmade Market, letters from Typo, blue fabrics from Posie.   
Then to pretty up the window with some Posie bunting, simple flat curtain thumb tacked above the frame made from the excess sheeting from Lincraft which was on the back of the quilt & ribbon from Tres Divin.  The pom pom curtain was from Freedom ages ago.
You might spy many Amy Butler prints, from her original Gypsy Caravan range to the latest Love series.  I've been a huge fan of Amy Butler since the beginning.
This amazing Arne Jacobsen replica chair from Little Nest, i picked it up from the gorgeous Samantha at Magnolia Square in Sydney last year.  The blankets are Ikea & Laura Ashley from 10-15 years ago, they do not die!!
After all that, i think this prawn baguette with shallots, mayo & avocado was the perfect treat for a mother's job well done. 
I do have some sewing confessions. I put up with little hitches when sewing professionally, I don’t mind 'sewing housekeeping' like spooling bobbins, breaking needles, pressing fabric – when I’m being paid. Alas, like mechanics working on their own cars . . . I get huffy when making things for family & audibly moan when my bobbin runs out of thread.  I go through kilometres of thread each week, literally, I sew A LOT & in proportion, many bobbins. So I pre-spool about 10 bobbins for each machine at a time. Only when I finish the 10th bobbin, a little piece of me dies & I surprise myself with how frustrated i get.  I'm the most patient person on earth!!
What has sparked this outcry?? After quilting this large patchwork piece for my daughter, my last bobbin ran out of thread with no more than 10cm of stitching to do. 10cm & i was finished!! I knew it was running low & watched closely through the clear lid, stitch by stitch & convinced myself the bobbin would make it, cheered it on, sigh, no.  So I sat & spooled 10 fresh bobbins in off white (my multipurpose colour of choice) while rolling my eyes. Please, someone out there, design an uber bobbin, forget about tension, size & mechanics, just humour me that it’s possible!!

I’ve tried over filling bobbins – do not try this, it ruins the top stitching & simply does not work.  You'll have to unload it onto another bobbin or two, time wasted & annoyance gained.  On my industrial machine I can spool bobbins while I continue sewing, yes really, they are separate entities. Only I get hypnotised by watching bobbins fill with thread, so my sewing goes haywire.  So good luck if you can do it simultaneously!! I bet you can also pat your head & rub your tummy at the same time?? Happy Creative Spacing this week, check out more at Kootoyoo, thanks Kirsty, a delightful hostess.  Love Posie

35 comments:

Becky said...

That is one fantastic makeover!! Shame about the spooling issue, I can't help :(

mel @ loved handmade said...

I do hate having to refil the bobin! I'm not the fastest sewer around so any little hitch is almost enough for me to stop altogether. Love your quilt, gorgeous! Great makeover!

Stacey said...

Gorgeous new room! I bet she loved it!

Unknown said...

I love the quilt! I am a big fan of Amy Butler's fabric too:)
Great makeover!

bee said...

That quilt is divine! And super-cute bunting too. Lovely room makeover, I would have loved that when I was 11! Perhaps with the addition of some horsey bits and pieces as I was so thoroughly obsessed with horses at that age!

Kylie said...

You need this:)

http://perth.gumtree.com.au/c-Stuff-for-Sale-sports-leisure-fitness-Portable-Bobbin-Winder-W0QQAdIdZ190420091

Have often thought about it and if I did the sewing you did would have one:)

Love the room - it looks great.

Unknown said...

Love the makeover ! I bought one of those little sidewinder thingies to refill bobbins , useless !

Lark said...

It's cute Jen! Hope your market plans are going well, I am still trying to organise my trip. Axx

Cath @ chunkychooky said...

I love that Arne Jacobson chair.

CurlyPops said...

Hey Posie, do you have a bobbin winder? They're an absolute lifesaver and you can just pick one up at Spotlight.

Little Angel Little Devil said...

It doesn't matter how tired I am or if i'm in a grump you always make me smile! And yes I'm sooo with you the bobbin running out with 10cm to spare has in the past reduced me to tears...so sad I am!
Love the bedroom makeover, I was al inspired by you, I did Ruby's room today, twas about time the star wars hand drawn pictures by master 7 were replaced by pretty Babushkas, owl's and other delighful things. Lots of love and inspiration Rach

Kate said...

Bet she was thrilled. Did she squeal or was she too exhausted? Looks fab, job well done. X

Anonymous said...

such a lovely makeover, it's gorgeous, yes bobbins are my pet hate too

Kelly Casanova said...

Beautiful makeover! I love a quilt that lets the fabric speak for itself. Hmm, I've tried the overfull bobbins too, not good!

moose and bird said...

Oh lovely, did your daughter get a big surprise when she returned from camp? I use to love it when my Mum did up my room. I went through many transformations, pink/cream, lavender, blue/yellow, pink, hot pink and finally white.
Mum's are fantastic. Melinda xo

Kylie said...

The new quilt and wall decos look just wonderful :) K

Anonymous said...

I L*O*V*E that quilt! Can you be my mom now and make over my bedroom too? please? :-)

Sarah said...

Brilliant makeover. Gorgeous quilt. I'm hoping to make a little one for a new baby so may just follow (copy?) your perfect squares! Also love the wall stickers and the bunting. I bet she was thrilled to bits! Yes hate the bobbin running out too and yes, it's always when near the end! It's bobbins law!!!

Ruby Star said...

Gorgeous quilt! I bet she just loves it. the chair is v special too. lucky girl.
And how is it that the bobbin always runs out on the home stretch? Huff alright :)

ohjoana said...

I really love your creations. The bedrooms look beautiful and cozy.

posie blogs Jennie McClelland said...

Oh totally hearing the bobbin taunts, why are they always just that little bit short on thread or just plain annoying??!!
Thanks for the lovely comments, that is my version of quilting from the heart. Love Posie

june at noon said...

There ought to be self-spooling bobbins that just know when you rewind themselves, do you think? I think it's at least 2 out of 3 projects that I run out with only inches before the end.

Little Messy Missy said...

Great job... I love the giant triangles they remind me of a cross between Tibetan Pray Flags and Peeko's!

M.M.E. said...

This turned out so well! I wish my mother had been so sewing-abled.

Amanda said...

gorgeous quilt! so many beautiful fabrics

Selina said...

Hope she loved it, looks great, love the lettering and birds. I have similar in Poppy's room.

Jodie said...

On craft camp we all agrred we wanted to be able to put a whole big reel in the bobbin......

Michelle said...

Looks lovely. Amazing what a bit of fabric can do!

frangipani designs said...

HI posie! I am your newest follower! Your makeover is awesome! Would love to be able to do something like that for my son...but whats the point when he sleeps in my bed most of the time! hee hee!!little ratbag!

Snooze said...

isn't it alwasy the little things that drive you crazy? i am totally patient with the silliest things and then go snap ... love the quilt by the way. it's totally worth the angst

Cindy said...

Delightful prints and colours on that quilt, great work.

Unknown said...

I think my favourite detail has to be the pompoms hung over the blind - I never did like vertical blinds but I could be a convert if they looked like yours.

With you all the way on the bobin thing... that's why lots of my sewing ends up with different colours on the reverse when it isn't going to be seen. I pick the next nearest colour although I stop when I get to black with white! I have got a packet of pre-wound cardboard bobbins which are great in an emergency, as long as you don't mind black or the quality of thread (it's a bit thin).

Great reading as ever!!

Corrie said...

oh how did I miss this post! gorgeous, love all the amy butler prints...yes you were sewing before I was! I discovered amy butler in 2005 and still remember having the fabric sent to work and buying it online in my lunchbreaks!!!

Corrie:)

small forest said...

That quilt couldnt be more perfect.
The colours, the combining, the simplicity!
Lovely.
I wonder if my boys would mind if I secretly make over their rooms with patchwork the next time they are away?

Kirsty said...

My tween would love that room.