A big stack of invitations. I can feel a party coming on!

Someone’s about to turn 4! I do believe there’s an “I can’t believe my baby’s 4″ blog post beginning to brew. This is a pretty momentous occasion, we’re going to celebrate with bunting and cupcakes and sausages in bread and lots of bike riding. The little guy’s been counting down the days. I hope it doesn’t rain. It is winter after all.

Thank you to everyone who shopped at the square over the past two years- I had a ball.

I sold some beautiful things made by talented people and met some fantastic customers in the process. Not a bounced cheque or a grumpy email- and some wonderful feedback that warmed the cockles of my heart. This is a fantastic community to be a part of.

The store is now closed, but I’ll continue to hang out here and share both some new and exciting things that Belsize Square has in the pipeline- and of course all the other bits of my life that go along with it! Hope you’ll keep in touch.

love Katrina x.

Incidentally, there’s not much left in the shop at all now- so scoot on over the grab the last of the goodies! Last week!

All items are from my favourite U.S. store, Anthropologie. Seriously fantastic vintage-y boho-ey delights all in one place.

Gorgeous kid’s products. I love the antique colours of the mini “Nigella-esque” apron. But my personal favourite is the “Manners can be fun!” Someone please tell my almost-four-year-old who thinks it’s more fun to belch like Barney from the Simpsons!

Aprons I’d be happy to wear out of the house (the blue one with the rosette perhaps even out to dinner!)

…We like our bike. It’s made for three. Our Mike sits up in back you see. We like our Mike and this is why, Mike does all the work when the hills get high!

Read “One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish” to Bubba J tonight and thought “Hey I need one of those!”

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Here’s some of my latest crafty goodness:

So proud! As a self taught- anything I make that is functional and pretty like this dress (with most of the mistakes on the inside so you can’t see!) makes me all chest swelling with pride. It uses Bird and Berry Stripe and Grassy Plains. Both by Kokka and available in the shop.

This one’s a project from Sew Darn Cute by Jenny Ryan- it’s called Snappy Fabric Bracelets. I’ve had terrible trouble applying the snaps though. I got one of those Birch pack from Lincraft with the tool shaped a bit like a set of pliers. Anyway, no matter how careful I was opening and closing the bracelets, the snappers kept separating. Any ideas what I’m doing wrong?

This is one of those rare craft books where I want to make everything in it. The come along once in a while and are just so exciting to own. The pages are full of possibilities. The other one that jumps to mind is Meet me at Mike’s.

Sewing machine cover whipped up one evening. Made it with Cookies by Aunty Cookie (a fabric I could just stare at for hours- these attitude laden bunny girls sit next to me now while I’m sewing. Some tell me I’m doing great, some snigger when I reach for the unpicker.) Hey, my mum was right when she said I’d never be alone again! Only I don’t think she was referring to dolly pictures on fabric. She was referring to the person I had just birthed.

I didn’t realise at the time that she meant it as a threat.

See my pincushion in the foreground? Got it free in Mixtape a while back. Courtesy of Dear Fii. I luv it.

Of boiled sweeties (methinks pink grapefruit) in vintage jars.

Cakes on plates, with their exquisite chalky pastelness. Craft projects from some of my favourite books for sale in the shop:

Little Pup from More Softies. Made with our exciting new Organic Chocolate Cotton Canvas and some of the Aunt Grace collection (happy birthday little O).

Wheat bag from Meet me at Mike’s book. Made with Matryoshka Stripe fabric.

More Matryoshka, this time for cushions for some spring nesting.

Beautiful basket liners with troops of teeny tiny ants and apples (sorting my stash in style!)

Embroidered Effects by Jenny Hart

Applique Your Way by Kayte Terry

Bend the Rules with Fabric by Amy Karol

Handmade Home by Amanda Blake Soule

I’m sorry to say we’ve sold out! We re ordered stock and have sold those too!! We’ve been informed that they’re now out of print and we can’t get them any more.

Sorry guys- but head over to the shop anyway, I’m sure I can tempt you with some of our delectable goodies.

Saturday 3rd October 10am-4pm

Brunswick Town Hall

233 Sydney Rd Brunswick, Victoria

Belsize Square is at the Sisters’ Market this Saturday. If you’re in the area, come and visit. I’ll have fat quarter bundles of the new ranges, plus a great selection of sewing and embroidery patterns and yummy craft books.

“Eva” by Basic Grey is reminiscent of the French court, a mix of the exotic and the dignified, the gracious and the gallant. Eva is a collection of fanciful flourishes, exotic birds and quaint, finial patterns Gloriously deep, rich jewel tones impart an air nobility to this crowning medley of extravagant designs.

You can find this fabric collection and more in the Belsize Square Fabric store.

Visit the store for more great New Fabric.

 Hot Blossoms in hot hues of pink, orange, aqua and chocolate and sharp shades of black and white. Vibrant, dramatic and fun!

Visit the fabric store for this and many other great new fabric ranges.

Our Fat Quarter Bundles  are a quick and easy way to purchase a co-ordinated selection of fabric.

Apple by Alice Kennedy. Stylised apples, apple trees and quirky owls in a thoroughly seventies palette of browns, greens and red. I’d love to see this one in a toddler pinafore.

Find it now in the fabric store

Scrolls, spots and paisley in grown up muted tones.

Wee one turned three last week. Now not wee so much- maybe more midi. I think I’ll keep working on a new nickname.

We had a lovely party for him on the weekend to celebrate. Bouncy castle, helium balloons, gourmet Greek food as far as the eye could see (courtesy of my mother in law) and a Makka Pakka cake (as requested by the wee one himself) and lovingly- if not skillfully- made by me.

As always, it’s not a proper party without my Nigella cupcakes…

We were so busy with the party we didn’t take many pictures. Luckily a special friend deployed her husband to be our event photographer.

Super sale stash.

Also recently decided that the new Red Letter Days and David Walker Rockets ranges were far too yum to disappear without hacking into them for my own stash. The result?

A cute kinder nap time binkee for my pumpkin…

Tomorrow my wee one turns three- full of attitude, sleeping in a bed and giving up his dummy all by himself.

No more babies.

Sigh.

Part of the Echino Chelsea range by Etsuko Furuya 

Retro style (think Liberty) Hortensia by Kokka

Gorgeous fabric features zebras, deer and birds in shades of chocolate, coral, turquoise and lemon by Etsuko Furuya.

Silhoette scenes from your favourite fairy tales by Kokka

Cotton / linen base featuring forest mushrooms, Barvarian birdies, nordic horses and tulips from Amsterdam, by Kokka

Discounted fabric includes Japanese Kokka and Yuwa, Amy Butler August Fields, American Jane, Moda and many more.

Fabric Sale ends Friday.

We will be offering many of last year’s fabric collections at significant savings (up to 50% off!). These end-of bolt specials are only available in person. You can also shop from our full range of fabric, patterns and books.

So if you live in Melbourne and would like to attend please send me an email to info@belsizesquare.com.au. In your email let me know what day and approximate time you would like to attend so that I can co-ordinate numbers.

Our premises are located in Hawthorn and I will provide detailed directions for those who sign up.

This is an invitation only event and numbers are strictly limited.

Regards,

Katrina

Here is a sample… you can find many more in the fabric store.

Indigo, Pewter and Honey

Charleston V

Aunt Grace Backgrounds

I’m interested to know what people think about these collections. Drop me a comment.