Local textile designers

I love working with textiles that have been designed and printed in Australia, or even Melbourne. If you haven't checked out Ink and Spindle in North Melbourne, then head over to their web site and see all the lucious prints that they have. Mattt Bags, uses a lot of their fabrics ... if you are in the general area of Fitzroy, his studio is located on Gertrude Street.

But last week, I ordered and received these two lovely prints through the mail. They are not earmarked for anything special through my etsy shop or a market stall, they are for me! So they go into the chest of draws in my sewing room that has "special fabric just for Margaret" in it.

The first one is by Spin Spin, a lovely typography print. I saw her prints at the Sisters Market recently, and then eventually ordered online via her etsy store. She has an interesting blog to follow documenting her crafty adventures.

The second print is a print of an Eyechart by Shannon Lamden aka Aunty Cookie. I keep on missing opportunities to hear Shannon speak. I love her range of fabrics and avidly follow her blog. She makes the most beautiful craft panels. My first exposure to her fabric was when I made Trudi's knitting bag. I bought the length from Patchwork on Central.

Not sure what I will do with the eyechart, I might make a pillow or I am thinking it might become a good diary or journal sash, which of course wasn't what it was intended for. But I like to think differently....

Craft Hatch

Off into the city this morning to take a look at Craft Hatch on at the City Library in Flinders Street. Jennie Barnes from Cravings Frocks will have her wonderful W Class Tram cushions for sale ... you must visit her!

Image via Cravings Frocks

Will be taking my enviro KeepCup for a spin to see how people respond to filling the plastic cup. I have to be home by 12.30, but hopefully time to visit a few shops and maybe even stick my head into Mattt Bags and Meet me at Mikes on the way home.

Matt Bags on Gertrude, Fitzroy

I noticed as I drove to work this morning, that Mattt has opened a new studio and shop on Gertrude Street, Fitzroy. How exciting! Matt makes hard wearing bags with gorgeous fabrics, sometimes even designed by him! He also uses yummy Ink & Spindle fabrics as well.

Photo via Ink & Spindle Photostream

I tried to stop on the way home, but there was no parking ... but through the window I could see the industrial sewing machines going! How exciting! Gertrude Street really is becoming a hub of craftiness.

So just incase you don't want to search for the details ...

mattt studio & shop
13 Gertrude Street
Fitzroy VIC 3065
Australia

Saturday morning goodness

I can't believe I have made it to the end of the week!

If you know me, you will know that I can't start the day without a cup of tea. The fact that I lost a crown from a molar on the weekend, has made the hot cup of tea all the more challenging.

And yes I have my favourite mug ... this is it. A beautifully designed Nicola Cerini mug. Big enough for a decent cup of tea, but not too big that I don't make it down to the bottom of the cup.

Nicola Cerini designs wonderful things including mugs and bags. There are a lot of "knock off's" of her bags kicking around. She was the first to use PVC in front of beautiful fabrics in her bags (I believe).

One of my pet hates at markets, is other stalls that blatently knock off someone elses design. There is a regular market stall that repeatedly knocks off the style of "Mattt Bags". Everything except the Mattt tag. The one advantage that Matt has is that, a lot of his bags have handmade printed fabrics from designers such as Ink and Spindle (you must check out their fabrics, they are to die for!).

I am working on a few design ideas for some bags, but I am quite conscious that I want to create a unique product rather than something that someone else has done. It would be too easy to knock off someone elses design and I would probably sell lots of them, but at the end of the day I want Konstant Kaos to have some kind of integrity in what it sells. All of my patterns are developed by me! Trialed and developed prototypes kick around the house and generally make it into someone elses possession to trial. Yes there are similar things out there, but the patterns are all mine .... with this in mind I have created another blog/shop ... Pin Cut Sew is my space to sell my patterns and to also some of the unique fabrics that I seem to be good at finding (to of course make more money to spend on more fabric .. it is a vicious cycle!).