Thursday 6 December 2012

Ideas and new things....

Well, I have been experimenting with the lemoyne star ruler this week...

Using the fussy cut end of the ruler, I have made a candle mat for my table....a bit of fun!!!  Rather hurriedly hand quilted to show at a trading night with Newbury Market square quilters meeting!!  These rulers are such fun!!
I have also been sewing some tiny log cabin squares with the lovely Andover fabrics now in stock..
The strips are about 3/4" wide and sew up really nicely!  In the process of hand quilting this one too!!
As well as these fabrics, I also have this bunch to add to the webshop...still in their packs, but ready to go..
My favourite colours!!  One of my customers, also a Karen is currently using some of these lovelies to make a quick curved ruler table runner!!  Good luck with your make Karen!! and great to meet you earlier in the week.
Finally, I have been hand piecing some more of my Green tea and sweet beans quilt...nearly there now!!  These curved blocks were a little tricky but just need sewing together now.
I am so enjoying this quilt!  Now, an idea...as an online shop I do not offer workshops.  I love meeting my customers when they bring their quilts for longarming and I have been wondering about setting up some days, maybe once or twice a month in local village halls, as a workshop and pop up shop!  I think that it would be lovely to offer a BOM of quilts such as this one, and have the opportunity to sell some fabrics etc too.  Maybe invite quilting teachers occasionally or run the workshops myself?  Please let me know what you think about this idea.....I know lots of you lurk rather than comment, but I really would like to know your thought on this one...
Until then, I think its time for a cup of tea (I got really cold after a walk with the woollies this morning) and upstairs to the studio to finish a colourful quilt this afternoon...Busy, busy...

Wednesday 21 November 2012

New fabrics and new makes....

After a visit to a local fabric supplier, I have some lovely bundles to show...some are here already and some are on order!  Exciting!  It is so difficult to choose from all the fabrics available...I have to admit that I love most styles (maybe except batiks which I am not keen on at all!!) and get quite fed up with the so called 'modern' or so called 'traditional' camps!!  There are no rules in this house and if you like it, so be it!!!  Enough ranting for today....
The first offering is a lovely range of pinks and blues..

These are soft and muted and really lovely!  The second offering is on order and is a range called Frippery...
Much fresher and brighter but equally lovely!  Not sure that all the range will be available as yet..fingers crossed!
Meanwhile, plenty of longarm quilting has been done (piccies to follow) and some time to sew for me!
The Bella range is definitely one of my favourites and I have just finished sewing this one..
Great fun to sew and very jolly!   It just needs layering and quilting now.  I thought that I might have time this week but teaching commitments have made that impossible!  I have also been experimenting with making purses using a frame...I did enjoy this but got very sticky in the process!!
It is lined with pink Sketch fabric and ready for my pennies!!

Until next time......please do visit my webshop!  Lots of lovely fabrics and rulers which will make wonderful Christmas pressies!!   And comments......I love to hear from you!

Friday 9 November 2012

First block done on the quick curve ruler quilt along!


The first one I used reproduction style fabrics and it has photographed rather like a 'modern' block!!  The second block, I used the same colours as I have in my home and although they are not repro style, they sort of look more 'old fashioned'!!  Funny how it works sometimes.  I have had fun with these and they were so easy to piece.  Looking forward now to sewing the next block from Jenny's quilt along!

Meanwhile, back to the quilting in the studio.  I have a cream and burgundy quilt on there right now which requires custom work!  Lots of pretty stitching on open spaces!   A walk for the woollies will follow later today if it stays dry!  It is dark so early these days, I can't leave it too late to go out!
Until then....

Wednesday 31 October 2012

Quick curve ruler

Jenny Pedigo's Quick curve ruler has been very successful at the quilt fairs I have attended...there are more on order this week in my web shop.  I thought I would join Jenny in her quick curve ruler quilt along!  Looks  like fun....find the patterns on her site http://sewkindofwonderful.blogspot.com/ Why not join in too?

Friday 26 October 2012

New book....

A couple of weeks ago I came across a wonderful Japanese books called 163 My favourite patterns.....I  found Megumi's site on etsy and ordered it right away!!  And here it is already!!! Wonderful service!!
And it is all I'd hoped it would be....despite the fact that it is all in Japanese, the pictures are clear and the patterns are detailed and relatively easy to draft.   Some look quite a challenge but all the more fun!




I will post some piccies when I get round to trying the blocks.... oh for more time!!!

Tuesday 9 October 2012

I'm still here!!!

Suddenly realised that I have not blogged for quite a while!!  We have been 'on holiday' the last two weeks (at home) trying to catch up on things!  Did we get anything done? well, no, not really...just lots of days out, a nice front garden and a bit of a rest!
My online shop is getting started and the longarm quilting remains busy and a real passion!  The woollies are just as woolly (a bit like me these days!!) and we are getting used to being empty nesters!

Busy making a Bella sunburst quilt right now, and keeping going with my Green tea and Sweet beans quilt.....OO, mustn't forget...the pattern is now on my store!   Just love this pattern!



Monday 17 September 2012

A happy anniversary and new bundles...

New bundles of joy!!!! added to the webshop...
A delicious bundle of pink and yellow:

A combination of lovely pinks and yellows to be added this evening.  And another Bella bundle of oranges and lemons!


Please do visit and have a look......
Meanwhile, we are celebrating!!  It is our 29th wedding anniversary!!!  We are trying to recover from daughter no 1 moving into her new home and the loneliness she has left behind and the strange feeling of being just the two of us again!!  Maybe a glass of champagne might help!!

Thursday 13 September 2012

A trip to Albury, Surrey

Yesterday we had a day out!  After getting terribly stuck in traffic for two and a half hours, we arrived at the village hall in deepest Surrey!!  And what a lovely welcome....I must admit to having kittens on the journey, we were so late!!  Never mind,  the Guildford Quilters were a very friendly group and we had a really nice time.  I had been asked to give a talk about my longarm quilting business and take along my shop for some retail therapy!


Thanks so much to everyone we met...
As my parents are not far away, we made a quick trip to see them too which really made for a lovely day!


 Lunch eaten, we set off home to walk a very excitable pair of doodles who were delighted we were home!


Tuesday 11 September 2012

Another package to send and a touch of sadness...

Pam from Florida was the winner in my giveaway on Lilysquilts....well done, Pam...the package is on its way....!!!



Just love those Bella fabrics!
It has been a busy week.  Eileen's quilt came off the machine and Heidi's quilt has replaced it!  Quilts coming in fast and orders on the shop beginning to happen!!  I am visiting Guildford quilters tomorrow to do a talk and sell some fabrics, so look forward to meeting the group.

I have been doing a little sewing when I can and trying out some new templates that I bought at FoQ...I thought this block might be a little tricky, but not really .... and I'm quite pleased how it turned out
This weekend we visited the wonderful Stowe landscape gardens in Buckinghamshire....Stowe is a private school, but the grounds are NT and open to the public.  There are wonderful buildings and lakes  to see and an amazing gothic house which is apparently a holiday home through the Landmark trust!!  Looks a little creepy to me!  You can see it on the hill in this photo...
Our eldest daughter came too as her boyfriend is back at home getting ready for their move to Newbury.....the visit was tinged with a fair amount of sadness in that she will soon move away from home to her own place and although this has to happen, it feels so sad at the moment!   Please tell me that I am not alone in this empty nest thing!!
Don't forget to check out my webshop.....I need something to keep me very busy right now!!!
Until next time....

Sunday 2 September 2012

Bundle bloghop winner!


Mr Zach has picked a winner!  The red bundle goes to Liz DandeliondD.....I hope you enjoy it and make lots of lovely red things!!  Best wishes xxx

Friday 31 August 2012

A lovely note....and don't forget Lilys quilts




The other day I had a visit from a customer to collect her first quilt....very exciting!  But even more exciting when I received this wonderful note and pictures of her quilt in situ a few days later!  It is lovely to see the quilts I have played a small part in being loved and used as they should be.  Thanks so much Amy...

Hi Karen.

I just wanted to say thank you for all your help with my first ever
patchwork quilt. I really appreciated your advice when it came to
choosing a long-arm quilting design, the colour of the quilting
thread, the wadding and the backing. It was so kind of you to take the
time to talk through everything over a cup of tea.

I am really pleased with the finished result – you obviously took a
lot of care with the complex quilting pattern – and your tips on
binding came in very handy. I was dreading binding the quilt, but it
was easy and took less than a day.

I thought you might like to see a couple of pictures of the finished
quilt in situ. It proves that even beginners can make something
beautiful. Even Trevor, the neighbour’s cat, approves. I’ve decided to
call it “Postcards from Gardener’s Cottage” since I think the blocks
look like old fashioned postcards scattered all over the bed.

I’m already wondering what I can make next, so no doubt I'll be
browsing your online shop soon. Maybe I’ll work up the courage to try
triangles or hexagons.

Best wishes,

Amy





And don't forget....the new webshop.  Pop over to Lilysqults for a chance to win some Bella fat quarters.  Have a lovely day....from the woollies and me!

Wednesday 29 August 2012

The running chicken meets Lily

Pop on over to Lily's quilts for a splendid giveaway at the running chicken webshop!!

19 scrummy fat quarters of Bella by Lotta Jansdotter to be won and discounts in store.



Thursday 23 August 2012

Blog giveaway!!!!

To celebrate the first week of my webshop, I am having a giveaway!!!  Please leave me a comment and register on the new website if you would like to win one of my red bundles of fabric.  There are eight lovely fat quarters in the bundle perfect for your stash!  I would love to know what sort of fabrics or notions you would like to see included on the website so let me know!!
   Blog Hop Party with Give-Aways
I have joined the quilter's gallery blog hop party with this giveaway !!

The giveaway will close on Friday 31st August....good luck!!

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Festival and home again....

Two very busy days spent at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham....buying some useful templates and ridiculously, some more fabric!!!!  Loved the new quilting machines by Innova, the Cotton Patch stand with the wonderful colours and the new hugely expensive Berninas. (oh I wish!!)  Also found some lovely books by Quiltmania which I brought home to put on my webshop




Hopefully, they will all be on the site by tomorrow!  My favourite so far is the Feathering the Nest with Vintage Quilts by Brigette Giblin..quite appropriate for a running chicken I suppose!!!
Have a lovely day...

Tuesday 14 August 2012

Mini quilt complete!!

Hand quilting done, binding finished....I think it looks really pretty.


I tend not to use sludgy reproduction fabrics...I just can't help picking the brighter tones!!

Friday 10 August 2012

Hurray! My new webshop is now online!!!

Today, my new webshop has been launched!!!  How exciting....we have not posted all my fabrics and notions as yet, there are more to come, but its a start!!!  I still have my longarming site to run alongside the shop.  Do go and visit....my collection of fabrics is varied and colourful,  from reproduction prints to modern designs.   I love them all!!!  so I hope you will too....

Wednesday 8 August 2012

Messing around with little blocks...

I do love mini blocks...have a peek at some I have been working on!
These are 41/2" blocks done in reproduction fabrics...  I will make these into a lovely small wall quilt I think!

The stars are 4" blocks made using the Rapid fire Lemoyne star ruler, which is fabulous! Just love using it!   I am planning on making a much larger star quilt so these are just practise pieces!

However, the longarm beckons, so upstairs to the studio to tackle an edge to edge job!  The woollies will have to be walked later on today!


Tuesday 7 August 2012

Meadows and quilts.....


I had the opportunity to take my camera out with me when I was walking the dogs a couple of days ago...normally my hands are taken up with ball throwing or handing out kibbles to Mr Zach, but this time, those things had to wait!!

The flowers and grasses were wonderful....masses of colour and lushness!!  I'm not sure the dogs thought so however, as we are having a problem with grass seeds in their coats and paws which has caused a trip to the vets recently.  Poor woollies!
I have also finally completed M's japanese quilt...a beautifully sewn quilt with very complex piecing.


The pictures don't really do it justice!  Today its finishing off time...a few edge to edge quilting jobs to complete.  And maybe a little time to do a little more on a miniature quilt I am making!! (Oh, and watching the highly compulsive Olympics on the telly!!)   Not sure the day is going to be long enough!!!  
PS If you do read my blog, please do comment....I love to hear from my readers!
Best wishes,