Rolling Pencil Case

Hello all! We had such beautiful summer days over the last 3 weeks… Unbelievable! And just a few days ago the rain turned up. The temperatures haven’t really fallen down though and  we even heard thunder, but it didn’t last very long.

I have started to put some order in my sewing room. It’s great how it makes you feel like you want to go straight into sewing. Yesterday afternoon I could have Hana entertained by a friend while Conor was taking his nap so I made this rolling pencil case.

I know I have a nice fabric with jungle animals stashed somewhere but I can’t find it. Then I found this Japanese fat quarter with penguins that I bought in Barcelona. A friend had bought me the nice penguin buttons and the pink stripy fabric was screaming to be used in this combo, so there you go.

It didn’t take that long, only that Conor woke up and I had to have a little brake. Still I finished just in time to have it ready for Hana when she came back from her play date. She loved it and used it straight away. She’s into dinosaurs big time! We have planned a trip to the Museum of Natural History in New York…

Not long after Conor was born, I took her to one of those indoor play areas where they can climb, jump on bouncy castles, dive into pools full of balls… I was sitting in a super comfy chair (wishing it was a bed at the time…) and conor was fast asleep, so I took out a book about New York from the shelves. They were all photos of the main touristic attractions of the city. Hana was bored after a while as there were no children around and came to sit by my side. We were flicking through the pages and kind of dreaming of the places we’d go and the things we’d do if we were there and then she saw the huge skeleton of this dinosaur in the middle of the hall in the Museum of Natural History.  So we decided that we’ll go to New York one day, in about 3 years time, when Conor is able to remember the visit and have some fun too. It was a good time to tell her about saving money, so we started to put a few coins in this clay piggy bank we have. She has it all planned. After the museum we’ll have a bagel. The next page was covered with bagels you see, such a close up that you would almost tear the page away in a bite. So well, the piggy bank is in the mantle piece and only 2€ coins are allowed to go in, although I’m pretty sure we’ll find some other stuff in there. Soon we’ll have to get a second pig because this one is getting fat amazingly quicker than I thought.

So what about you? Have you been to New York? Any recommendations on what to do with kids in there? Have you any “special” trip planned? one of those that you need a few full piggy banks???

Hola! Hem tingut uns dies d’estiu fantastics durant les ultimes 3 setmanes, pero ja fa un parell de dies que ha arribat la pluja… Hem sentit trons tambe pero no han durat gaire. Quina llastima perque m’necanten les tormentes!

Per fi he tingut un moment per endreçar l’habitacio de cosir. Quines ganes que t’netren de fer coses quan estar tot en ordre! Com que tenia la Hana amb una amiga i el Conor dormint la migdiada he pogut fer un petit projecte, un estoig per als llapis de colors.

Vaig comprar aquest fat quarter de pinguins a la tenda japonesa Nunoya de Barcelona. Volia fer servir una tela d’animals que tinc guardada en algun lloc, pero no l’habia pogut trobar (deu estar tan ben guardada…). El botonet de pingui me’l va comprar una amiga i la tela de ratlles roses i blanques em demanava a crits que la fes servir, aixi que amb tot aixo, ha sortit aixo.

La Hana el va fer servir a l’instant. Li encanten els dinosaures i va estar-se una bona estona entretinguda amb els colors, el bloc i l’estoig. Tenim “organitzat” un viatge a Nova York, per veure els dinosaures al Museu d’Historia Natural. Tot aixo ve arrel d’un llibre de fotos de Nova York que un dia estavem mirant. Quan va veure l’esquelet enorme d’un dunosaure al mig de la sala del museu, va dir que volia anar a veure’l. Vam decidir començar a estalviar i la nostra fita es que d’aqui tres anys podrem anar-hi tots quatre. En Conor tindra 3 anys i aixi segur que tambe podra disfrutar del viatge. Despres del museu haurem d’anar a menjar un bagel… En una de les pagines del llibre hi habia un primer pla de bagels i quasi et podies menjar la pagina sencera. I aixi ho va decidir. Anirem a Nova York a veure els dinosaures i a menjar un bagel.

De moment ja tenim un porquet de fang quasi ple. Nomes les monedes de 2 euros hi tenen acces, pero em fa l’efecte que hi trobarem altres coses…

i vosaltres? Heu estat mai a Nova York? Que ens recomaneu fer amb nens? Teniu planejat algun viatge per d’aqui… una bona temporada fins que tingueu prous porquets plens per anar-hi???

Giveaway Winner

Thank you all for participating in this giveaway.

Here’s the number that the little random.org gadget came up with:

which belongs to Natalie’s comment:

Natalie has a beautiful blog and a great Facebook page, so go over to have a peek and look at the amazing embroidery she does :-).

We’ll see you next time then, if you like wood, you’ll like my next guest!

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Gracies a totes per participar! Aquest es el numero que random.org ha triat. La Natalie te un blog fantastic i una pagina a Facebook tambe. Visiteu-la i mireu les coses tan maques que fa.

Ens veiem a la propera. Si us agrada la fusta… us agradara la convidada!

An Etsy Giveaway: All about linen with LinenArtisan

Hello! I can finally introduce you the Linen Artisan! Margarita Rodriguez is the busy woman behind Linen Artisan, her Etsy shop, and her blog Taller de Lino. I met Margartia through the Etsy Ireland Team group. She lives in Ireland but she still keeps strong connections with Catalonia… and here she is telling you more about herself.

Hola! per fi tinc el gust de poder-vos presentar l’artesana del lli, la Margarita Rodriguez de Linen Artisan. Vaig conèixer la Margarita a través del grup d’Etsy Ireland. La Margarita té un peu a Catalunya i l’altre a Irlanda… i aquí ens explica una mica el que fa. Llegiu més avall l’entrevista en català.

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Hello, My name is Margarita and I’m a linen artisan. I started as “Taller de Lino”  writing my blog in Spanish, since it was aimed to any Spanish speaker. That enabled me to sell all around Spain. In the little village where I used to live, in the Montseny area, all the neighbours knew me and used to come to my studio.

I have now a small Etsy shop that has opened my door to the English speaking world. Etsy has been a big discovery for me, I can’t stop learning from it and I have met a lot of people. People like Irina and other quilters, for example, that have converted me into a fabricoholic and a patchwork addict…! I have a lot of books, a lot of information, but I also need more time…

When did you start to become interested in linen?

I became interested in linen since the day I visited a factory and its looms. I’ve always worn linen and natural fibres. I feel they describe the way I am. I am also a vegetarian and I feel that with my work it is important to spread the ideals of fair trade and sustainability.

Which is the first project you made with linen?

It was a commissioned  project, a pair of laced curtains for a customer in Barcelona.

What can we find in your shop?

The work I do is very varied and it covers mainly everything for the house. My laced curtains are probably the best known, with different types of stitching such as the hemstitch and draw-thread embroidery. I also take commissions.

How can we know if the linen we buy is of good quality?

You can see the good quality of linen in the way it falls, its shine and its touch. People are often sold ramie as linen and are totally unaware of this. Good linen comes from the vegetable plant when reaches about 1.5m high. When it is harvested and let to dry it produces a spinning fiber of very high quality with its unique shine and touch (which a shorter plant wouldn’t produce). Its shine results from a wax found in the inside of the stem. Just like with good wine,  the soil plays an important role too.

What tips can you give us when buying linen?

When buying linen, you should look out for its density, its weight and  the number of threads per unit of measure:

oz/yd2 = ounces per squared yard

An easy way to convert gr/m2 to oz/yd2:

divide the gr/m2 by 33.906

And to determine gr/m2 from oz/yd2 multiple by 33.906.

I don’t sell linen by the yard but if anybody is interested I would be able to sell one or two yards of high quality linen.

Is there any book about linen that you could recommend?

I cannot recommend any book about linen itself but I can highly recommend the website of the European Industry of Linen, they’re the masters and it won’t disappoint you. There is information about where and how it is harvested, about its many uses for anything, from building material to furniture. I also have some information in my own blog, Taller de Lino.

There are a few books on how to make projects with linen which I adore, “Petit point and Toils de Lin”  by Majorie Massey, “Fabric inspirations” by Kate French and “Linen Craft” by Florence La Maux.

What was your first purchase in Etsy?

My first purchase were 3 drawings for myself, from a Cork based artist. The second purchase was a Christmas present. Now I try to buy everything I can in Etsy, from things for the home like homemade soap from Cork, to any of the materials I need to make my own projects.

Name a shop you like in Etsy

There are so many I like that I won’t pick one. I just can say that it has been such a great discovery of human creativity. We all have artists and musicians we admire, but there are so many other talented people around Etsy who make the most beautiful things… this is what I think it’s the best. I also admire some shops for their exquisite way of presenting their goods, even though I might not be a fan of their products I like the way they look.

What advise would you give to somebody who is thinking of setting up an Etsy shop?

Go for it. It’s an easy way to make yourself known to the world. Maybe you won’t sell a lot at first, but it is a good way of publicity. I think it is a more personal way than doing it through Facebook, for example. In Etsy, you can contact people from all around the world and if you have an unusual product or you know how to make your items to stand out, you’ll be able to benefit later on with many visits and probably lots of sales.

With Etsy you have the chance to make good publicity and marketing your goods with the help of their very well organised team.

It is hard work to make yourself known as a crafter, it either takes money or time, or both.

I also sell on other on-line markets, but they don’t have as much information as Etsy provides.

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Scroll down if you want to enter Margarita’s generous giveaway

Hola! Em dic Margarita i sóc artesana del lli. Vaig començar amb el nom de “Taller de Lino ” perquè el meu blog va dirigit a  qualsevol persona castellano-parlant, d’aquesta manera he pogut fer vendes per tota Espanya. Al poble on vivia, al Parc del Montseny, els veïns em coneixien i venien al meu estudi-taller.

Ara, des de fa 1 any, sóc “Linen artisan” i estic molt contenta d’ obrir-me al món anglo-parlant, mai ho hagués imaginat!

Tinc una modesta botiga a Etsy que  ha obert la porta de la meva artesania al món, per dir-ho d’alguna manera. Per a mi ha estat un descobriment, mai s’acaba d’aprendre, i com que sóc molt inquieta això em dona molta vida.

Per si fós poc, conec dones com la Irina i d’altres que m’heu enganxat al patchwork i ara sóc una fabric-hòlica…se’n diu així? Ja no puc parar… Tinc informació  i  llibres per tot arreu… vull aprendre però em falten hores!

Quan vas començar a interessar-te pel lli?

1- Em vaig interessar pel lli, a nivell “artesanal” quan vaig visitar una fàbrica i els seus telers. Abans ja el vestia , las fibres vegetals són molt importants per a mi , sóc vegetariana i amb el meu treball és important difondre comerç sostenible i comerç just per a humans i no-humans.

Quin és el primer projecte que vas fer?

 El primer projecte que vaig cobrar eren un visillos per  una client de Barcelona.

Què podem trobar a la tea botiga?

La meva feina és molt variada… ho faig tot per a la casa, potser el més característic són els visillos amb “hemstitch” i “drawn-thread embroidery” , també faig encàrrecs.

Com podem saber si el lli que comprem és de bona qualitat?

La bona qualitat del lli es nota amb la caiguda, el brillo i el tacte, però estem tan acostumats a que ens venguin ràmia a canvi que potser ens passa per alt.

El bon lli és el resultat d’una planta vegetal de 1 ,5 m d’alt, quan es sega i es deixa assecar, es fa una filatura de bona qualitat que no té la fibra més curta i que dona un teixit d’un brillo i un tacte inconfundible. El brillo és el resultat d’una cera a l’interior de la tija de la planta. Com amb el bon vi, el subsòl també és important.

Quins consells ens pots donar abans de decidir-nos a comprar el lli?

Quan comprem lli el més important es conèixer la densitat, sabrem el pès i la trama (urdimbre) que són el nombre de fils per unitat de mesura:

g/m2 = grams per metre quadrat

per Anglesos i americans :

oz/yd2 = ounces per squared yard

A la meva botiga no venc lli a metres , doncs no soc supplier, no obstant si algú en necessita 1m o 2m  i es aprop, li puc servir.

Hi ha algun llibre sobre el lli que puguis recomenar?

Un llibre tècnic sobre el lli no el puc pas recomanar, ja que sóc totalment autodidacta… però he après molt a la pàgina web de la Industria Europea del Lli, els “Masters of Linen”,  no us decebrà. Hi ha informació de com i a on es conreu, de las investigacions tècniques que es fan amb el lli per tal que sigui una fibra tècnica com la del carbó (i sembla que pot ser millor), de com és utilitzada ara per a tot tipus de construcció i mobiliari. És molt interessant.

Al meu blog Taller de Lino també en parlo http://tallerdelino.blogspot.com

Quant a llibres a nivell de costura i decoració amb lli són la meva passió, en tinc uns quants a l’estudi:

“Petit point and Toils de Lin”  de la Majorie Massey, “Fabric inspirations” de la Kate French, i “Linen Craft” de la Florence La Maux

Quina va ser la teva primera compra a Etsy?

La meva primera compra a Etsy va ser per a mi: 3 dibuixos d’un il.lustrador de Cork. La segona va ser  un regal de Nadal i ara ja compro tot el que puc, tant per a casa, com sabó artesà de Cork, com qualsevol matèria prima per al meu taller.

Ens pots anomenar una botiga d’Etsy que t’agradi molt?

No puc dir només una botiga o dos en concret, prefereixo no fer-ho…

eEl que puc dir és que va ser un descobriment per a mi de gran magnitud de creativitat humana, del que som capaços de fer… coneixes músics i artistes que admires, però saber de gent corrent a Etsy i que fa coses meravelloses ha estat important per mi.

També admiro algunes botigues que tenen una manera de presentar exquisita. Potser el seu producte no m’interessa tant però m’agrada el gust amb que el presenten, que també és molt important.

Quin consell donaries a algú que està pensant en obrir una botiga a Etsy?

Puc aconsellar que s’hi llencin… que és una manera de donar-se a conèixer molt fàcil. Encara que al principi no es vengui tant, es dóna com a referència, és un aparador…  Per a mi és més útil i més racional que fer-ho a Facebook  per als coneguts. A Etsy, contactes amb gent de tot el món, i si tens un producte poc corrent o el saps diferenciar bé tindràs visites i reconeixement i més tard potser més vendes… Amb Etsy, tens la oportunitat de fer marketing  i publicitat i un equip molt ben organitzat que et fa recomanacions.

Donar-te a conèixer com a artesà naturalment dona feina… o gastes diners en publicitat o gastes temps.

Estic a altres botigues on-line però no hi ha  tanta informació ni tanta divulgació com a Etsy.

SORTEIG

Moltes gràcies Margarita per venir a parlar-nos sobre el lli i la teva artesania i moltes gràcies també per oferir un dels teus articles per a sortejar entre les lectores (o lectors) d’aquest post.

Per poder participar en el sorteig d’una bossa de lli com la que veieu més amunt, amb la vostra inicial brodada a punt de creu, només cal fer el següent:

Sorteig tancat.

 

El sorteig tancarà el dilluns 22 de Juliol al vespre i escollirem el guanyador amb ramdom.org. Deiexeu el vostre correu electronic per poder contactar amb vosaltres! Durant la resta de Juliol i tot el mes d’Agost, la Margarita fa un 20% de descompte a la seva botiga amb el codi SUMMERTIME.

MISSATGE DE LA MARGARITA:

Moltes gràcies Irina ,
Gracies pels vostres comentaris! Nomes volia afegir que ofereixo un 5% més a totes les lectores d’aquest blog, és a dir, que teniu 25% de descompte a la meva botiga fins a finals d’Agost, amb el codi BLOGGERFRIEND.

Podeu fer servir els dos codis si voleu, SUMMERTIME i BLOGGERFRIEND.

Una manera de donar-vos les gracies!

 

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GIVEAWAY

Thank you Margarita for telling us all about linen and for sharing one of your items to giveaway.

If you’d like to win one of these beautiful handmade linen bags, with your initial embroidered on it, all you have to do is the following:

This giveaway is now closed. 

This giveaway is open until the 22nd of July. We’ll choose a winner thorugh random.org, so make sure to leave your email address to we can contact you. If you do love Margarita’s items and can’t wait to see if you win… You can have 20% off all of her items during the rest of July and the whole month of August using the code SUMMERTIME.

UPDATE:

Moltes gràcies Irina ,
Thank you all for your comments , really appreciated!
Only that I was thinking to offer an extra 5% off in my shop for those who are here with the coupon code : BLOGGERFRIEND.  That means you have 25% until late August …a way to say ‘Thanks Irina and all of you ‘!
It is possible to enter the 2 coupon codes above at check out, no problem! SUMMERTIME plus BLOGGERFRIEND

Thank you for reading and taking part in the giveaway!

Linen, linen…

Heeeeeello!

I won’t start with any excuse for not having showed up for a while, but yes, life gets in the way sometimes… plus summer holidays (for children only) have started and one excited little girl is jumping around the house wanting to do sooooo many things! Anyway, I’ll do what I can to keep you posted with what’s going on in my sewing room.

I’m trying to keep up with a few orders, I’m not complaining at all about them, but I so wished I had more time in my hands (like many of you, I’d say…). I’ll reveal what I’ve been working on soon, but first I’ll show you a nice little project I finished a few weeks ago. I love working with linen and I was hoarding a charm pack from a Japanese Charm Swap and made this beautiful -super- practical basket inspired on Ayumi’s tutorial.

I love the cute prints from Japanese fabrics, don’t you think they’re great? I still have a few charms left and I think I’ll make some more projects. Maybe a pencil case for Hana, since she’ll be starting “big school” in September…

I mentioned linen earlier on, I love linen and the touch it gives to certain projects, it’s so neat. Do you ever work with linen? What projects have you done? I decided to get in touch with someone who actually specialises in working with this natural fabric and have her here as a guest so she can tell us more about it. We’ll host a giveaway too (yep, with linen involved, obviously), so pay attention over the next few days (tempted to say weeks here, but I’ll try to do my best) and you’ll find out more about linen, what to look for when you want to purchase good quality linen and about the different types of it.

I’ll be back soon!

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Hooooolaaaaa!

No començaré amb cap excusa per no haver escrit durant tant de temps, però sí, de vegades la vida s’hi fica pel mig i he de parar de cosir :-D! A més, ja han començat les vacances d’estiu (per als nens només), i tinc una nena saltimbanqui que no para de voler fer coses (i quina excusa millor per poder fer coses amb ella!).

Estic intentant avançar feina amb comandes que m’entren, i no em queixo pas per això, però com m’agradaria tenir més temps entre les mans! (i a qui no, oi?). Ja us ensenyaré el que estic fent quan estigui llest però ara, de moment, us ensenyo el que vaig fer fa unes setmanes. M’encanta el lli, i com que també tenia amagat un charm pack d’un intercanvi de teles japoneses que vaig fer fa temps, vaig decidir fer un cistell super pràctic inspirat amb el tutorial de l’Ayumi.

M’encanten els dibuixets de les teles japoneses, i a vosaltres? Encara me’n queden uns quants retalls i segurament faré algunes coses més, potser un estoig per la Hana, que ja començarà a anar a l’escola dels grans aquest setembre…

He parlat del lli, i es que m’encanten els projectes que tenen lli, es veuen tant polits… Treballeu amb aquest material vosaltres? què us agrada fer? Per això he decidit convidar a una especialista del lli per a que ens parli una mica del que fa i sobretot ens doni consells per com saber si el que comprem és de bona qualitat. A més, sortejarem un premi (relacionat amb lli, és clar!), així que vigileu durant els propers dies (o setmanes, hauria de dir… però no, serà ben aviat) per saber-ne més el lli.

Fins aviat!