Labels for The Fable of the Table

I have been looking into labels recently....

This label bag was my starting point, posted by Solgrim. What a fab idea.

But I was on a search for inspiration for just one - my own label.

Skating sheep, love them but not for tablecloths!

Japanese match boxes certainly have a style I love.

But maybe it was just words I wanted, like these.

If you want to try printing your own labels read this helpful tutorial

In the process of designing a range of table cloths and runners,

 I need to have a unique and memorable tag for them.

A bit of research has thrown up some great ideas but 

I did not want my label to conflict with the design.

Finally I decided to just use colour and shape 

and make my own with red cotton tape and a black pompom. 

What do you think of my first one?

(I will add a card label to give product details in due course.)

Hemp runner with japanese fabric trim- see here for more on creating the look.

More labels in my Flickr gallery! 

An Ode to Fabulous Fabric

Just wanted to share with you 

a bit of the fun i had today

 at my favourite place in Beijing - 

Mu Xi Yuan  ( the wholesale fabric market).

Those of you who have been here before 

will know that i LOVE this place. 

Covers a huge area, 

 is dirty, 

disorganised,

 piled high with bolts  

and endless possibilities

Oh the decisions to be made....

That is Phuong top left and me bottom right and my favourite fabric guy in Beijing helping us.

i would have bought the whole bolt of this amazing fabric (below)

if only

 i could think of how to justify it

so i bought 3 yards and 

then went back and bought 5 more 

and may just decide to go back and

 buy the rest.

Does a fabric ever have this effect on you?

Some of the softest satinised cottons

ready to be turned into 

tiny outfits for my granddaughter

who is expected to appear

in June

in Texas ... 

and could very well be appearing on this blog 

in just a matter of months

wearing one of these very fabrics.

There will never be a time 

when I won't need 

to buy fabric -

 that's one thing I know for sure.

Pincushions and packing

I should be packing suitcases ready to leave for the Uk tomorrow for a trip home - but I seem to be feeling the need to sew.
Since I discovered two lovely blogs I have been itching to try their tutorials.
Pink Penguin shows a little fabric basket and Mairuru had me intrigued with her string quilt.
So yesterday afternoon I got out some scraps and this is what I made in a couple of hours....

I have changed things a little - you know me never do it the way I'm told!
I just loved sewing these mini string quilts - now I have pincushion mania. Having made one for me and made one for my big sis, so now I need to find homes for the next 3.
If you would like one of my perky pincushions just email me in the comments below and the first 3 to respond will have a pincushion winging it's way to them. All I ask in return is that you email me a photo of the cushion and how you use it.
They are made with scraps from Japan, China and Denmark - so they'll sit happily anywhere in the world!
Oh well back to the packing.......

Fabrics galore

What a great time I had yesterday at one of my fave places to shop in Beijing - Mu Xi Yuan  (the fabric market). 

This little mosaic captures a few elements of my day. Never a dull moment... whether it is the offloading huge bales of fabric or the sweet little boy all wrapped against the icy temperatures (that is a lollipop in his mouth!)

Just a few of the fabrics that came home with yesterday and yes I did find a wonderful fabric to cover Astrid's chair with... more of that later.

Been very busy all day sewing - a surprise that will be revealed on Friday.

When you come to Beijing and have seen the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, this is the next wonder to behold. It stretches for acres and even though they keep knocking parts down there never seems to be a day that I can't find fabric to buy.

I just wanted to say how much it means to me to see friends faces as followers - thankyou. You make my day .... everyday. Have a great one.