Saffrons Blog

This year I really wanted to collaborate with various talents around the world. One such venture is with Selkie Smith Design who makes wonderful fabrics bags. Mel designed a range of bags for us using my new fabrics the Forest Elementals. I asked Selkie Smith a few questions about herself.

1. What is your story?  Where do you come from?

I have worked in the Financial Markets Industry for the past 12 years, when they decided to move my department offshore, I jumped at the chance to take a redundancy.  I had enough of commuting to the city and wanted to be closer to home and spend more time with my daughter, Caitlin

2. How did you come to make bags?

This is a funny question, I can't remember when and why I decided to make bags...my husband Chris remembers me telling him quite matter of factly that I was going to do so. I wanted to do something creative, and I know I'm good with colour placement and pattern, so I bought a few patterns, got myself a sewing machine and started teaching myself.  It was about year ago now.

3. Future prospects?

To expand my range of bags to larger style bags, including Nappy Bags, Market Bags and Laptop Bags. As well as complimentary items such as makeup bags, travel mats, etc.

4. What inspires you?

Essentially Fabric inspires me.  The detail of the fabrics is amazing, so much work is involved, and when I make a bag, I am really just  showcasing the fabric in all its glory.  I know it sounds crazy but when I receive a bundle of fabric it's almost an emotional experience.  When I go though all my fabrics I can pretty much visualise straight away what it will end up being!

5. What was it like to work with Saffron Craig fabrics?

It was great working with Saffron Craig Fabrics. Saffron's fabrics are so beautiful and detailed, and I was really pleased with the way the elk landscape bags, (the porkiepie and the market bag) turned out. They are just fabulous scene scapes. I also adore the Birds in Leaves Hobo bag. I will start producing them commercially in September as well as the Market Bag. I also learned a few lessons on the way. Although I'm not heavily inspired by patchwork I can see the beauty of it in the Bird in Leaves Tote Bag, and I will incorporate some of these elements into my current range of bags.

5. The big picture, where do you see yourself in five years time?

In five years, I would love to have a bricks and mortar Store up here in the Blue Mountains, and be able to employ local mums in the area.  I would love to keep designing bags and accessories, which will appeal to a broad market. I believe there is a bag for everyone.

Good on you for following your dreams.

Here are the pictures I took of her wonderful bags. If you like anything Mel Smith is happy to custom make bags for you. Contact Selkie Smith design here.



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It's a bit of a thing in our family to hand make our cards, its all about the sticking and glueing for my 5 year old with a texter rainbow over the top. Patrick hand sketches with fantastic realistic interpretations often in black and white. While I am more and more about strong colours and elements that I have been designing with, familiar elements.

This card came together while thinking about my three close friends who all had their first babies this year. Also for my Mum who is just amazing and for my sister who is heavily pregnant with her second baby. We don't know the sex of her baby yet as it crossed its legs in the ultra sound.

So to all you mothers who celebrate when all the washing is done only to find there is three more loads to do and to the mums who drive here there and everywhere to give their children all the best that this amazing life has to offer; plus so many more things, such as cooking nutritious food.
Then well done, Sunday is the day to celebrate. Why not ask for what you want. I am  going to celebrate me being a mother too. You are the creator of your life so make it beautiful.

Here is my card to you. I have not put any headings on it so if you like you can use it to celebrate another occasion. You can download it here. If you post it on your own blog then please link it back through this site. Thanks.




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Claire asked her work colleagues to buy a quilt from me as a gift for her new born baby girl Tilly. Claire then chose her favourite fabrics from my ranges. As a main fabric she chose the Parrots. Interestingly enough she turned out to be a neighbour and it seems we share a similar fondness for the local parrots as this fabric is mostly inspired by my surroundings in our neighbourhood.
The other fabrics in this quilt are from the Fields range and the Fairy range as well as some of the Owls. I backed it with the Dandelion Circles, a favourite of mine and so suitable for a for a new born. I quilted it mostly by hand.

We are now down to the last few meters of the Parrot fabric and with so many new designs coming out we have decided not to reprint it. I also have a big quilt kit by Ruth Buchanan which features the Parrots. The kit also includes a copy of the Australian Patchwork and Quilting magazine with the instructions.




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I have finished my first quilt using the Forest Elementals in purple. I wanted to use the Elk landscape as a panel so I planned the quilt around that thought, framing it with two boarders. Its an easy quilt to make. Cutting up the Goose Bubbles and the Birds in Leaves gave me no end of fun. I was also really pleased with the Squiggly Flowers which is using my two favorite colours.. Its quite amazing to mix in all the fabrics together.

I feel like I cheated and got this one long arm machine quilted. I just thought it would really suit an all over pattern. Its going to get a lot of use this quilt. It is going in the soccer bag and will spend the winter on the green grass of the under six soccer matches which are hysterical.

This is one of the biggest quilts I have made and it really was fun. My sister wants one in a king size! She rang and wondered if I would mind as the one I made her for her wedding is the perfect temperature for her to sleep under its just that they bought the biggest bed they could find so her and her husband fight over it. So another project for me.

I love this time of year. Must say I am not out and enjoying it as I should, as school holidays put me way behind with all I wanted to get done. However a few dawn starts and I think I am feeling on top of things. So I am off to the park for some play time.


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In between all the excitement of getting my new range delivered I've managed to proceed with the Love for Trees quilt. I made up blocks 2-4 and have sewn them together to make up the centre piece of the quilt.

I'm quite happy with it and love how earthy the browns and pinks of the Fairy fabrics look once combined as appliqué pieces.

Now it's deciding on the next design step but first I need to get a quilt finished I started with the new Forest Elemental fabrics.


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I have received 15 meters of my latest range. I am so excited that I needed to share the news with you. Now to writing a newsletter! All Australian orders for the Forest Elementals range will be posted out on Monday in an overnight express bag.


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I did a lot of cutting up of fabrics this week. The various scraps were piled up to sort through later. As I was sorting through them, wondering which to throw out and which to keep—I am very good at keeping!—I randomly placed the selvages together and had an aha moment. I remembered that I have seen wonderful things made using selvages, like in Down Under Quilts Issue 138.

I have started to sew them together and will keep adding all my discarded selvages to this piece and who knows where it will go? Have you used selvages in any of your projects?
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I received one meter of each of my new designs to approve the bulk. They are in my hands and I have been lovingly holding them, stroking them and keenly deciding where I shall place the first cut, my brain is a tad sore as I think back on all that thinking. The first fabric to be sliced by a super sharp rotary cutter, yes the blade is brand new, was the Elk Landscape in purple. I have been so keen to make things form that fabric, so first up a quilt. The Geese Bubbles in magenta are brilliant to chop up. I then cut up the Bird Leaves and the Ginkgo Blossoms in purple and turning 5 meters of fabric into a quilt. I was a bit short of one fabric so I will have to wait until the rest of the fabric arrives this week. Here is a peak of what a quilt looks with the fabrics combined. Warm and wintery I think.


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My daughter turned 5 and the party was huge. I have always wanted to have a Kindi Farm and so I did, I loved it as much as the children. Holding animals is my thing. But of course Sequoia enjoyed it the most. The kid (baby goat) was much loved and carried around. Sequoia asked me if we could move to a farm?


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