Sewing Pattern Testers Needed!
UPDATE: THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL INTEREST IN TESTING MY PATTERNS. I NOW HAVE A FABULOUS TEAM OF PEPPERBERRY & CO. PATTERN TESTERS AND AM THEREFORE NOT LOOKING FOR ANY FURTHER EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST.

Yep, it's true- Pepperberry & Co. Sewing Patterns are about to graduate from my Lab and into the real world! Before they can be launched at the Stitches & Craft Show, however, they need to pass one last test- the Crafty Community Challenge. 


What I'm looking for is sewers of all levels who would like to come on board as Official Pepperberry & Co. Sewing Pattern Testers. What you'll receive for participating is:

- A free sneak preview of a Pepperberry & Co. Sewing Pattern (the range includes a Passport Cover, Notebook Cover, Cushion Cover and Textile Card!);
- A free copy of the final ePattern of the project you have completed; and
- Your choice of one of any of the other Pepperberry & Co. Sewing Patterns, as a little thank you. 


As a Pepperberry Pattern Tester, you'll need to be able to do the following over the next 3 days:

- Get the materials you'll need for your pattern (they're small projects, so you probably have most of what you'll need in your scrap pile!)
- Sew the project, following each of the instructions in the pattern (each project takes no more than an hour); and
- Complete a brief survey about the pattern.


Pepperberry Pattern Testers can be anyone, from anywhere in the world, who has any level of sewing experience- including absolute beginners! The only thing you need is access to a sewing machine and the time to complete the project over the next 3 days.  

To apply, please leave a comment or email me (littlemisspepperberry AT gmail DOT com) with responses to the following:
Name: 
Email:
Sewing Level:

And perhaps a little note about why you are interested in becoming a Pepperberry Pattern Tester!


I can't wait to hear from you!

xx Sandra

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UPDATE: THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL INTEREST IN TESTING MY PATTERNS. I NOW HAVE A FABULOUS TEAM OF PEPPERBERRY & CO. PATTERN TESTERS AND AM THEREFORE NOT LOOKING FOR ANY FURTHER EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST.

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3:24 PM | Category: , , , | 20 Pepperberrians Said...

Living The Dream

As you all know, this little Pepperberry journey that I'm on all began because of a wonderful, inspiring and life-changing craft gathering: the Stitches & Craft Show. What you might not know is that I have now come full circle, and I will be at the Stitches & Craft Show again this year- but not as a visitor!


This year, I am so, so proud and excited and happy to let you know that I will be there as a stallholder, speaker and teacher. I will not only be selling my handmade goodies, but also teaching other people on how to kick butt on the sewing machine and make Notebook Covers, Baby Blankets, Textile Cards and Cushion Covers. And if that's not enough, I'll be running Small Business talks to share all of the crazy things that I have learnt on this Pepperberry & Co. journey. Squeal!

Here are the details of the Show, which is happening next week (excuse me while I go and hyperventilate...):

WHEN: Wednesday 5th May til Sunday 9th May, 10am til 5pm daily
WHERE: Caulfield Racecourse
HOW MUCH: $10 for 1 day; $15 for two days; Children free!!

Now, if you've never been to a Stitches & Craft Show, you are seriously missing out. It is P*A*C*K*E*D full of crafty goodness- workshops, classes, freebies, competitions, hints, tips, networking opportunities, and so, so much more. I spent 4 days straight there last year and still didn't get to all of the crafty events I wanted to see and do! Don't dilly-dally now- grab your Show Guide here, book the classes you want to be a part of, and enjoy being immersed in craft heaven.

Last year's show, featuring the gorgeous Audrey & Maude. Photo from Living Creatively.

Now that I have convinced you of the wonder and joy of this Show, I would like to proudly present the classes I will be teaching at the 2010 Melbourne Stitches & Craft Show! To book into any of them (and pre-booking is advised!), just give me a call on 0401 766 348 or email me at littlemisspepperberry AT gmail DOT com.


WHEN PAPER MEETS FABRIC: TEXTILE CARD CREATIONS

Using handmade plant fibre paper and hand screenprinted fabrics, you will sew 4 unique, beautiful and personalised cards. Learn which threads and stitches work best with paper and receive a take-home kit so
you can keep on creating!

Photo by the gorgeous, scrumptious, uber-talented Cathie from the wonderful Melbourne Epicure

When:  Wed 5th May @ 11.45am ~ Thu 6th May @ 11.00am ~ Sun 9th May @ 12.15pm (incorrectly listed as Saturday in the Show guide!)
Level: Beginner +
Cost: $12



A COZY CUSHION COVER
Sew a unique cushion cover using stunning, hand screen-printed fabric and natural unbleached linen. Learn how to work with interfacing, insert an invisible zip, create boxed corners and make your own cushion
inserts. A take-home sewing pattern is included!

Photo by the gorgeous, scrumptious, uber-talented Cathie from the wonderful Melbourne Epicure

When:  Fri 7th May @ 12.30pm
Level: Intermediate +
Cost: $30


CUSTOM A5 NOTEBOOK COVER
Using beautiful, hand screen-printed fabric and natural unbleached linen, you will sew your very own notebook cover. Learn effective cutting/pinning techniques and how to use ironing templates, creative stitches and a walking foot. A take-home sewing pattern is included!

Photo by the gorgeous, scrumptious, uber-talented Cathie from the wonderful Melbourne Epicure

When: Wed 5th May @ 3.15pm ~ Sat 8th May @ 4.00pm (incorrectly listed as 3.45pm in the Show guide!)
Level: Beginner +
Cost: $24


SNUG AS A BUG BABY BLANKET
Sew a soft, cozy and comforting baby blanket using gorgeous natural cotton and snuggly fleece. Learn how to create basic appliqué, stitch around curves, work with stretch fabric and create mitred corners. A take-home sewing pattern is included!

Photo by the gorgeous, scrumptious, uber-talented Cathie from the wonderful Melbourne Epicure

When:Thu 6th May @ 12.15pm ~ Sat 8th May @ 2.00pm
Level: Beginner +
Cost: $20


And, if you're wanting to stop working a job and start living your passion, come along to my small business talk:


LIVING YOUR CRAFTY DREAM: MAKE IT HAPPEN!
Ever dreamt of running away from the rat race and crafting for a living? I did just that and so can you! Come along to this talk to learn all about the ins and outs of running your craft business, including blogging, online marketplaces, bookkeeping, taxes, local craft markets, advertising, marketing, media and more!


When: Fri 7th May @ 11.00am ~ Sat 8th May @ 11.00am
Level: Everyone!
Cost: Free!

Finally, of course, you can come say hi to Sharon and I by visiting our stall, where we will not only have hundreds of my handmade goodies, but also Sewing Patterns, Sewing Kits, Fabric and Paper so you can do it all yourself.

If you can't make it to Melbourne or the Show this year, fear not! All of the wonderful things will also be available at my Etsy shop, which I must say is looking rather sexy these days with all of its new Notebooks and Cushions!



See you at the Show!

xx Sandra

P.S. Sorry to have been away for a while- Sharon's Nana sadly passed away and we've been hiding away from the world just looking after ourselves and each other.

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2:02 PM | Category: , , , , , | 13 Pepperberrians Said...

Sewing Does Occur!
It may have come to my attention that I very rarely blog about all the wonderful little goodies I actually create.

Most of that comes down to the fact that I have the attention span of a flea, and I can never quite remember to take my camera to work, photograph the products, edit the photos, then pop them online. I'm exhausted just looking at that list!

Luckily, I'm surrounded by a group of wonderful crafters who actually do these things, and when they are at markets they do me the great favour of taking beautiful piccies of my things too!

So, thanks to the lovely Margaret from Konstant Kaos, here is my lovely range of Notebook Covers...



And a big fat stand of Passport Covers...


And here is a sneak peak of my Cushion Covers...


All of which will soon be available in my Etsy store... if my attention span will get them there!

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9:31 AM | Category: , , , | 17 Pepperberrians Said...

Crafty Market Love
After the rough trot of last weekend, I must say I'm quite looking forward to this one!

Friday night will see Pepperberry & Co. launching our sexy range (full of brand spankin' new Notebook Covers, Cushion Covers and even Luggage Tags!) at the brand new craft market at Borders in South Yarra- how exciting! Borders is one of my favourite places of all time- how could anyone not be just delighted to be surrounded by that many delicious books, gorgeous comfy couches, and the smell of roasting coffee? If this combination and a little bit of handmade goodness sounds like heaven to you, come and hang out with us at:


Then, a few hours of sleep later, I'm off to my favourite market- the Northside Maker's Market. This market is always filled with so many wonderful things- unique, handmade goodies, a warm-and-fuzzy community vibe, and great food. I don't know about you, but I sure couldn't ask for more! 

If you've never been down to the market before, this is your last chance- it's the fourth in a series of four and it's unknown whether this magnificent crafter's haven will continue! So come and play at:

And let's just hope that neither of the markets experience last weekend's bad weather or bad luck!

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2:42 PM | Category: , | 9 Pepperberrians Said...

A Bit Of A Rough Weekend
Some weekends just don't turn out as planned.

On Thursday...

...as Sharon was driving home, she found a little ginger ball of bones that turned out to be a kitten.


Boris, as he is now known, is all spine and ribs and sunburnt face, but not much else. He now lives in our bathroom and is being regularly stuffed silly with food and water and vitamins. His ears and nose, which are badly burnt, are covered in paw paw cream, as is his little neck, which has lost all of its fur.

On Friday...

... our car died. Totally and completely died. After an adventure with towing and many phone calls, we were told our engine needs to be replaced.

 Please note: Not our actual bus! Just a cute, relevant photo :-)

We're now using Sharon's giant school bus and keep getting inspired by the idea of a road trip!

On Saturday...

... a severe storm hit Melbourne. If you didn't see it in the news, here's a great update:


Normally I get very excited by storms. They mean lots of silliness and running around and squealing in the rain. Saturday's storm, however, flooded the Pepperberry & Co. studio. Bad drainage in the building meant that water rushed in at ground level, and the crazy, 10cm large, solid hail stones broke through the roof and flooded us from above. 

We lost quite a bit of stock, particularly paper; our office furniture got soaked; and we are yet to see if all of the machinery (computers, sewing machine, overlocker) that we rescued actually function. Our office kind of ending up looking like the shop they show in the video above.

We moved out of the studio on Sunday, and are currently working from home. Next weekend, we're moving the office into the spare room of our temporary rental property. And then, we'll try to regain some semblance of normality in our now very wet world. 

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4:18 PM | Category: , | 20 Pepperberrians Said...

My Very First Stockist!
Some things in life are so overwhelmingly exciting they just don't seem real.

A year ago, in March 2009, I dipped my nervous little toes into the big wide world after a bout of Chronic Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

I found the wonderful Stitches & Craft Show.

I learnt how to sew. 

From scratch!

I started a business.

I made stuff.

I sold stuff!


And I slowly got better.

And now, a year later, I have another mind-blowing achievement to celebrate... my very first stockist! 


A year ago, as I was sitting in my sewing classes and listening to the wisdom of some of craft's brightest stars, I never in my wildest dreams imagined that one day, something I made with my very own hands would be sitting on an actual shelf in an actual shop. 

But there they are, at the gorgeous Little Shop Of Handmade run by the even more gorgeous Bec. 

The Little Shop Of Handmade at 8 Woorayl St Carnegie

And I couldn't be more proud! Thank you to all of you who have supported me from day one. I couldn't have done it without you!

May all of your perseverance, blood, sweat, tears, laughter and hopes too turn into a dream come true...

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1:49 PM | Category: , , , , , | 13 Pepperberrians Said...

The Mum That Became an Eco Power Knitter
One of my very favourite quotes in the world goes:

'If you think you are too small to make a difference, you've never been in bed with a mosquito'.

It always reminds me that no matter how insignificant it may seem, every little positive action can create an inspiring chain of reaction... well, maybe with the exception of a mosquito bite, which simply creates annoyance and some naughty words!

Whilst the internet is full of wonderful projects that take the concept of turning small things into big ideas to create magic, one in particular caught my attention today- the wonderful idea that is ReKnit. 


The mother-and-son duo behind the concept take your old, uninspiring sweater, unravel it, then knit a beautiful piece of fashionable wear and post it back to you. Better yet, each month readers get to choose which pattern the team will work on next by voting. 


It's design, creativity, recycling, ingenuity, community participation and fun all in one idea- perfect. But with only 30 items knitted each month, you'd better get that op-shop jumper in to them fast!

Now it's your turn to inspire me! What creative ideas have rocked your socks recently?

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6:36 PM | Category: , , , | 4 Pepperberrians Said...