In Stitches of Williamstown

Too busy for words

Somehow seemed to post the busy busy busy photo without any words! Normally not at a loss for them. Fingers working too fast for brain?

Survived the most hectic week. Gym displays, jazz classes, two cinema trips, two school concerts , two Xmas parties, opera in the bowl, friends for dinner, family gathering, and (as pictured) a concert at the local retirement village. Writing it all down like that you wonder how you fit it in to six days! But we all manage it.

The shop online has also been extremely busy. Still time for last minute gifts! I'll post right up to Christmas. Including gift vouchers. Orders can be placed online anytime. I'll close for posting between Christmas and new year!

Well I hope you're having as lovely a time socializing as I am. And whilst I'm tired, I'm happy. And I hope you are too!

Don't forget to check back for the next blog interview on Thursday morning! Who will it be?

Busy busy busy

Natalie Ross ... keeping us all in stitches!

So the first designer to take part in my "keeping us all in stitches" series of interviews is Natalie Ross who loves music, dancing, being entertained by Barry her Rainbow Lorikeet and designing/stitching of course!! Her latest project is a bag complete with stitchery called "Summer Surprise".  She has a lovely blog which I regularly visit - so do pop over and pay her a visit!  Natalie's designs are bright and fun and always use techniques which are well written and easy to follow in her patterns.  She also designed the Quilt Aid Block that I sell as part of the Quilt Aid Project.

What inspires you to be creative? I love creating and I love change and have always been that way since I was a child. I love colour in everything so these things inspire me often. I am at my happiest when creating. It's just in the blood.

What inspired you to go from being creative to designing and selling patterns? After my son was born I needed to make some extra money without going back to work so I started making craft items such as cloth dolls and pillow and selling them at a local craft market. They were my own designs as I didn't want to copy other designers from the magazines and make money through them. I have always loved a challenge with creating so this was perfect. My dolls were a hit and after 18 months of selling ready mades someone asked me if I was selling the patterns. And a new path was laid out for me. So i began selling my designs just in pattern form. The rest as they say is history!

Pattern first or Fabric first?   It is a little of both. It may be the fabric that I just have to have and then I will think up a design or sometimes a pattern name comes to me and I will design around that and then llok for the suitable fabric. Sometimes it's just something someone may have said in a conversation and an idea pops into my head and away I go. I am a vary visual person with a vivid amagination so that helps. Perhaps that makes me a little nuts!! LOL

How many samples or designs do you do before you are happy with your finished design? I only ever do one sample. I am not a perfectionist but I do take pride in the finish of my designs. The design process for me is a fairly quick and simple one. I do my sketches and refine the shape or size. I usually add a few things and sometimes take away what was the original idea as something else evolves. I do take my time with my fabric layout and leave it laid out over night sometimes and decide the next morning and that's it. Off I go. I have to say though that I may have an idea and it doesn't get to the drawing board for months due to other ideas pushing in.

Colour?  Well I have a few but to pick one it would be Aqua/Turquoise blue (like my pattern cover) this colour to me means - calm, refreshing, tranquility, creative, relax!

Hand or machine? I do prefer the machine, I very much enjoy hand stitching but I love the speed of the machine and the varied designs you can do on a machine i.e pieced quilts, bags, quilting & machine blanket stitch.

What’s your favourite project? My favourite project would be, now this is tough as I have a few. I would have to say my "Blossom Creek" block of the month quilt. I had so much fun designing and making it. The colours, the designs. And it all came together with not one little hiccup! Makes me feel good when I look at it. Who wouldn't want to live at Blossom Creek!!

 
(Block is Ladybird lane (mmm Natalie Loves Ladybirds), which is one of the four blocks in her Blossom Creek quilt)

Keep us all in stitches I unfortunately don't have a stitches joke but I do have a quick funny little joke that always gets people "In stitches" boom boom!!

Why do dogs have cold wet noses????????

So they don't burn other dogs bums!!!! LOL..............................

 

Thanks for the insight Natalie - and don't forget that Natalies patterns are available to purchase with a blog special 10% discount until 15 December 2009 (type Blog special 10 in the comment field of the order and I will apply the discount on posting) from www.institches.com.au.  I have one of Natalie's patterns to give away for all those who comment on this blog post (see the new Little School House backpack and lunch bag pattern pictured below).  Winner to be picked at random on 15 December at 9am.

Our next Aussie designer will be interviewed in a fortnight, so drop back in again soon and read all about her!

Feel free to comment by clicking on the comment button immediately below this post and follow the instructions, it's quick and easy and I'd love your feedback and you never know - you may be the lucky winner!

Keeping us all in stitches

I thought it would be fun to interview a number of different designers so you can find out a little more about the people who keep us all in stitches!

I've a number of interviews lined up and aim to make this a regular feature of my blog once a fortnight.  Feel free to suggest some designers to me and I'll see what I can do to persuade them to participate.  Hopefully I'll also be able to find some designers whose work you aren't so familiar with too, you never know what exciting designs are waiting around the corner.

We are very lucky in Australia to have a great group of talented designers and I for one can't wait to find out more about why they create and what inspires them.  I hope you enjoy this journey with me and find something along the way to inspire, create and enjoy!

First interview will be posted on Thursday... who will it be?

Laura x

McKenna Ryan

It was very inspiring having the opportunity to meet McKenna.  I'll be honest and say she was not what I imagined at all.  Sometimes the surprise is the greatest thing.  Her work is just beatuiful but what amazed me the most was her belief in herself and not letting anything get in the way of doing what you love and believe in.

Some of the things that she talked about really resonated with me.  here's a couple of thoughts I had after meeting her, partly because of the things she said, and partly just my own experiences.

Firstly that patchwork sometimes comes to people when they least expect it.  One minute you're walking along the street looking in shop windows... and the next minute you've popped into a shop that looks intriguing, which happens to be a patchwork shop, and before you now it you can't step back... well you can physically leave the shop (and sometimes you have too)... but you've immersed yourself in a world that you have to have more of.  As magical as fairly dust (well I am watching Tinkerbell with my 9 y.o.  as I type so you have to forgive the reference to fairy dust!). 

McKenna talked about her first patchwork moment as she travelled to Montana and happened upon a patchwork shop on one of her stops.  So she couldn't stay, although desparately wished she could.  And this was her first turning point. 

My experience was different.  I passed a patchwork shop almost twice a day on my way to and from work etc - it couldn't have been closer to home.  But it wasn't near any other shops and I was always in a hurry (as we are) so I always thought about stopping but it took months to actually stop.  I didn't know what to expect, perhaps a little old lady with very serious views on alligning perfect points... well lucky me, my patchwork shop was Marie's.  For those of you who've met Marie you will know that warmth and passion ooze out of her pores.  And she is probably younger than me (and I, of course, am very young!).  What a turning point.

The second thing I took from McKenna's talk/story was that she didn't let her inexperience stop her from having a go and beliveing that she could do it.  Perhaps sometimes if you realise how much you dont know you can let it prevent you from even starting.   She has no formal artistic training - but there is no doubt that her work is art.

Looking back, taking on the shop, I couldn't have been more inexperienced.  But I just believed that I couldn't let the shop close.  I believed that I could do it.  So I did.  So Marie's dream became mine too - and here I am.
 

So - thanks McKenna - for making me think about this and realise how fortunate I am - and thanks Marie xxx

So much to say sew little time

There was soo much new to see at quilt market and I'm itching to tell you all about it but have had the busiest week that I just haven't had a chance to blog it. As I write it's 3am and my brain can't sleep but it's possibly not the best time for a long post. So here are some highlights that I'll get back to later...

Brenda Ryan has released a Jane Austen's bonnet quilt which is just lovely. A real one to stitch and reveal in said author.

 

 

Cottage garden threads have increased their range to about 60 thread colours and they now have perle 8 and 12 in half of the colours.

Exciting work Libby Richardson has released a new BOM called (mmm good point can't remember the name of it. Was so transfixed by just looking at it). Vintage in style. Reflecting early memories of home, baking, Christmas, school etc. Think girls day out of your childhood memories. Quite stunning

Kerry Gillespie was lovely to chat with and had some simple new patterns working really effectively with modern brights.

Also on this theme Kellie wulfsohn of don't look now also had some fresh offerings see posts below. Anni downs had her lovely quilts from her boys story book. Truly wonderful in the flesh. See separate post on the book below.

Natalie bird of the birdhouse has released a sweet sentiments book which captures some of her previously released range in one place. A multitude of ideas for quick and simple projects. She also had a lovely simple pattern for young dragon lovers and I might get this for my young dragon rider! 9 is quite old enough for blanket stitch appliqué I think! Ok that's one aisle I think. Will add pics and more detail later. Hoping brain is ready for sleep now! Lx

Made it!

Finally managed to catch up with Ros, Russ and the camels outside the royal childrens hospital. What an achievement to walk from Darwin to Melbourne raising money for Moira Kelly's charity the children first foundation and to say thank you to Moira for her work.

A good look

It's worth a close look at a boys story by anni downs. It's a clever book really thoughtfully put together and you don't fully appreciate what's included just from looking at the cover!
The main quilt has a mixture of appliqué and stitchery. The images cover a variety of themes. Boats planes trains aliens robot castle fishing and the "dog in lollyland". The stitcheries are comic strip style with a lot if humour. Much of it along the theme of the boy scaring his sister. The comic strips reflect the appliqué. Really thoughtful work.
My kids thought it great and we spent a long time chatting about all the images imagining what ws happening. My girl wanted to know where the girl version of the book and we spent quite a while having a laugh at all the things that would scare a boy!
Other projects are included that feature the appliqué from cot quilt through to sushions etc. Larger older "boy" quilts are included.
Verdict 9/10.

To market to market to have so much fun

Then it's home again home again shopping is done!

Had a blast at the quilt market - so many things to show and tell - but don't want to overwhelm you - so every day for the next two weeks I'll post some more information of "what's new" - keep coming back!

first up - don't look now!

Dont look now!

One of the real highlights for me of the recent Quilt Market was meeting Kellie of "don't look now" and seeing her work in all it's vibrant glory.  I'd seen Kellies work in Quilters Companion - or was it homespun - anyway one of the magazines, which one it was doesn't really matter.  Once you see the quilts you'll never forget them.  Just bursting with colour in such a fresh and exciting way. 

Kellie uses simple techniques to amazing effect.  So instead of thinking "i could never do that" you should think "when can I start". 

Willow might be a great project to start with as it is cushion rather than quilt size.  It uses raw edge applique and free motion quilting.  It's fantastic to start on these techniques with something small.  You could even adapt part  of the pattern (eg the bird) down to a pin-cushion size - how cute would that be... and a terriffic way to dip your toes in the water...  The patterns have lots of information on how to do it, as well as the design sheets for placement etc.

Another of Kellies Patterns - Lilli Pilli - uses a different technique all together.  This time the leaves are made by creating templates from Stitch n wash fusible which is cut to size, fused to the fabric and the edges are then temporarily glued in place.  so then you applique the pieces on - so it's not quite needle turn - but looks just as good.  what a fanatstic way to use up scraps.  and how great is the stripe for the trunk of the tree? thinking outside the box is very effective.  Kellies instructions are great - perfect for those who want to learn tips and tricks to get the job done well.

and I love the Pretty n Pink cushion set, again great for learning the technqiues - starting small and getting bigger.  The patterns will give you all the confidence you need to tackle this project.

 So there's enough drooling for now and I'll post some more pics another day.

I'm hoping to run a class with Kellie which will would most likely be around $150 for 2 days (but price, dates, availability etc all to be determined) so if you are serious about wanting to learn a terrific and versatile technique please email me to go on the class list...

I've added Kellie's blog to my favourites list - check out her jacobs coat quilt along... just stunning.

Kellies patterns are available here.

And the winners are. !

Lia. Sandy N and Nayade! Please email me you addresses and the threads will be on their way!

Camels meet the water

Congratulations! Coast to coast. An enormous achievement. Well done Ros and Russ. My sisters good friends from the Alice. See them in Melbourne this Sunday.

Camels in Melbournes city centre. I'd like to see that!

I'm not normally one to blog about camels but my sisters friends are on the verge of an enormous achievement. Over the past 18 months they have walked from Darwin to Melbourne with their camels. All this to raise awareness for the children first foundation and to say thank you to Moira Kelly.
They are due to walk through the centre of melbourne on Sunday next week. 22nd November. So come along and support ros and Russ in saying "thankyou".
The link shows the route with dates and times for exact locations.

http://dundeecamels.spaces.live.com/

PVC project ideas

Rosie had lots of quick and easy ideas for working with PVC.

Journal covers

Pencil rolls (pictured)

Art smocks

Aprons

Drawer liners

Bags

Swimming bags

Toiletries bag (pictured)

Outdoor cushions

Table cloths

The list is almost endless as it's so pliable.

What about a change may for a baby.

Enjoy! Don't forget to check out my post on tips that Rosie provided!

Rosalies tips on working with pvc

Tips and hints on working with PVC were provided by Rosalie Quinlan at the quilt market. Hopefully these will give you the confidence to try out her lovely PVC coated fabrics.

Simple projects like an apron table cloth or small bag are ideal.

Cutting is easier with one layer of fabric. Two layers of fabric work ok if you have them fabric side together. (not PVC side together as it could slip)

sellotape is better than pins to hold your fabric in place. Pins leave holes.

Use polyester thread it's stronger.

A normal foot is fine. Some find it useful to use a walking foot if you have one. Rosalie generally doesn't use one.

The PVC is turnable. Wrinkes disappear if you leave the project in a warm place. Eg in the sun.

If you are making a bag for the lining use a thick fabric for a proffesional finish.

For lining you could use cotton fused with Parlan. This is thicker than iron on pellon and not as fluffy. It comes fusable or plain. So buy the fusable sort.

Raw edges don't fray so can be left exposed if it suits the design.

You can punch holes in it!

Working with PVC

Rosalie Quinlan has produced some of her new range in pvc coated fabric. This range is Grandmothers flower garden. If you haven't seen the range think going to grandmas house in the 50's and she hasn't redecorated since the 20's! Wonderful nostalgia.
Rosalie said she loves working with PVC but has found that many people haven't used it since the oil cloth days and it has vastly improved since then. People found the old oil cloth thick and difficult to work with. This is not the case with Lecien pvcs.
The ones Rosalie has designed which are produced by Lecien are matt in finish which helps ensure that they don't slip. They are thin so are great for using in bags because they turn through really well. The are durable and wipeable which makes them terrific for bag projects. They don't fray so in some cases an exposed raw edge isn't a problem. To some extent they are gatherable. Rosie had even made a yoyo with them which really demonstrated their pliability.
Because they are best suited to simple projects that also mens it's quick to make something so I would encourage you to give the new PVC fabrics a good go.

One pot wonder

Chicken basque from Delia smiths summer cookbook is one of my all time favourite meals. It's all cooked in one pan. Yey!
Pre browned Chicken cooks on top of capsicum, red onion, chorizo and basmati rice in wine, paprika , tomato, stock liquid. Not risotto style stirring. Just soften in olive oil. In with the rice. Add liquid & sit chicken on top. Lid on and 45 mins later throw on olives and you're done. My style of cooking though is increasing house temp. Just what i need Lol! So prob better for English summer than Aussie one! Www.deliaonline.com has the recipe.

All one pot wonders are great

Parrots

Just reading Saffron Craigs blog and she mentioned the use of her parrots and dandelion fields range in this months Australian Patchwork and quilting.

This was designed by Ruth Buchanan.  Doesn't it look great.  Fabric kits to make this are available from me...as I stock this range and other similar fabric. So please get in touch if you are interested.  The feature parrots fabric is also available through me and this would really work well with any other pinks/greens/yellows/whites you have in your stash.  Looks a great one to finish quickly! 

Laura x

Panels back in stock

I have a few panels available of the Star of Wonder Christmas Panel which has only just arrived (and mostly flown off the shelves with pre-orders) so get in quick if you want one of these lovely nativity panels. 

I have just got back in stock the adorable Very Hungry Caterpillar which is just so cute!

Both of these would make excellent christmas gifts - so check them out.

Feedback

Had a lovely letter from a customer who used my binding instructions.
" your blog on binding is just great, at last mine came together just right, much neater corners and finish"
I love that the Internet can make sharing information much easier! And that the time spent putting it altogether, remembering to take photos (hard for me as I sew in a hurry), is worthwhile.
So I'm a happy bunny this morning and have renewed enthusiasm to share some more techniques so visit again soon.

So if you need help with binding check out the blog.

It's always great to get good feedback so pass it on. I've already Done this today and it feels great. To give and receive!
Lx