Frippery has arrived.....

Frippery by Thomas Knauer has arrived in store!!  They will be on the webshop later....I have the yellow/orange/pink/green colour way and it is splendid!!  Quite a long way from the traditional fabrics I also love, but equally gorgeous...I have an eclectic mix in my collection!!
We met lots of old friends at Farnham Maltings yesterday and had a very busy day...lots of fabric cut and sold and stroked.   And lovely to meet some of my new blogging friends too!

Happy New Year.....

It has been a busy holiday!!  I had such a rush of quilts before Christmas that no photos were taken, no blog posts were written and everything seemed to flash by in a mix of turkey, fabrics and time!!   My niece's wedding in Liverpool, followed by Christmas, followed by my parents 60th Wedding anniversary!!! made for a very full and enjoyable December...

We are having a big celebration in the spring for the Wedding anniversary, so we took Mum and Dad out, with bottle of champagne in hand, to Wittenham clumps...an amazing place so high up that it overlooks the Thames and Oxfordshire.  Rather cold and windy, but fun anyway!!

Also a couple of makes...a fabric basket or bucket to hold all manner of junk!!

I am in the process of booking a village hall for my workshops planned this year, so watch this space! At Farnham Maltings this weekend, so see you there if you can make it! xx

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...

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!

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....

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?

You can find the ruler here.http://therunningchickenquilting.co.uk/category/13345-rulers-and-templates.aspx

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!!!