Lumina Update

I've managed to have a bit more of a play with these new Lumina fabrics from Robert Kaufman.

 

So far I have kept the main panel as one piece and used the swirl print as a thin inner border. This print would make a create binding too, or really cool bias strips for applique.

I fussy cut the Kaleidoscope fabric by ironing a metre of fusible web to one pattern repeat - cool that they are the same width - and then fused the pieces on a wider black border.

 

I now can't decide whether to leave the quilt like this

 

 

Or to add another border using the Kaleidoscope fabric

 

 

 

Decisions decisions!

 

Lumina from Robert Kaufman

These fabrics have just arrived in stock and are available on the website. There are three colours to choose from: peacock, jewel and dawn. Haven't decided which is my favourite yet!

The main print is a panel which measures approx. 24" and runs across the width of the fabric

 

The panel is just so yummy and exciting! You could use it on its own as a wall hanging or make it the centre of a larger quilt.

 

The other prints I've ordered are this great swirl print

 

 

And then this kaleidoscope print which will be sold by the pattern repeat which is approx. 18".

 

Other prints like the Sunstreaks and Radiance, also from Robert Kaufman, work with this collection too.

I've been playing around with the fabrics over the weekend (perks of the job and all that!) and will post a pic shortly of what I've been up to. Just need to get ready for this darned Christmas first........and get the website ready for the sale which will start on 1 January

Disappearing 9 Patch Mini Quilt Tutorial

Here's a quick tutorial for this traditional pattern.

 

All you need is a Hoffman Snap pack and 50cm of a zinging
co-ordinate fabric and it makes a quilt 29" x 36".

 

 

I've used the brown Caramel Snap pack for mine and a hot orange. You can buy the Snaps here.

First up...........open the packet! Its always the hardest thing for me to do.

1. Split the pack up into five sets of eight squares. Ensure you have a mix of light and dark colours in each set.
2. Cut one, 5" strip from your zinger fabric and sub cut five, 5" squares from it.
3. Take one set of eight squares and arrange them around one zinger square.

4. Join the squares into three rows of three. Press seams for each row in alternate directions. Join the rows together to make a nine patch block with the zinger square in the centre.
5. Press the block and then cut it into quarters.

6. Repeat with each set of squares to make a total of twenty quarter squares.
7. Lay the quarter squares out into five rows of four squares. Rotate them as desired until you like the arrangement.
8. Join the squares into rows and then join the rows together to make the quilt top.
9. Cut four, 2 1/2" strips from the zinger co-ordinate for your border and add to your quilt top, opposite sides first and then top and bottom edges.
10. Quilt as desired. I quilted mine in spirals and my favourite wave wiggle which is really easy to master and is great for filling pre-cut strips.

11. Double bind the edges. I use 2 1/4" strips.
12. Add a hanging sleeve.

A quick and easy quilt in twelve steps!

Make it in pink or blue for a cosy cot quilt or how about the Liquorice  colour with a zingy red? 

Anbo Textiles Open House

One of my favourite days of the year today, a visit to Anbo Textiles on one of their open house days with the chance to see the latest fabrics from Robert Kaufman, Blend Fabrics, Marcus Brothers amongst others.

 

I was very restrained this time but finally got around to ordering fabrics from the Lumina collection from Robert Kaufman. Otto (the boss) very kindly gave me a bundle of fabrics of the Jewel colourway.

 

 

So I have some to play with..........lucky me!

 

I haven't ordered all the fabrics from the collection but here are a couple of the exciting ones.

 

 

The top fabric is actually a panel runs across the width of the fabric. This is going to make a great centre of a wall hanging or bed quilt..............really excited about using it!

 

The fabrics are due for delivery in January and there are three colours altogether; jewel, dawn and peacock.

The New Bali Pre-cuts are Here!

They actually arrived last week and the only way I have managed to find the time to get them uploaded to the website is to get up early this morning!

Things have been so hectic the last few weeks what with attending a local group exhibition at Wye Valley Quilters, the Open European Quilt Championships in Holland and the last couple of Autumn Quilt Festivals at Malvern last weekend and Duxford this coming weekend. In fact I only had the chance to take a look at these new pre-cuts properly at the show in Malvern.

 

And what can I say? They are as yummy as always! And as usual, I'm torn between which ones are my favourites.

First we have Pacific, lots of lovely blues

 

 

Next up its River Rock; subtle browns and blues

 

 

Then we have Seaholly which seems to have been the most popular so far

 

 

Not far behind in popularity is Tidepool

 

 

The brightest one in the group is Splash

 

 

And finally we have Volcano

 

 

As before each of the colours is available in 2 1/2" strips (Pops), 10" squares (Crackers) and 5" squares (Snaps).

 

So which is your favourite? Comment on this post telling me which is your favourite and why for the chance to win a Bali Snap pack. Don't forget to leave your email address otherwise I can't contact you!
Closing date is 6pm GMT Tuesday 5 November

  

New Fabrics..............at last!

It feels like ages since I had a delivery of new fabrics. The last big delivery was the wonderful Fusions Textures collection from Robert Kaufman. I've just used one of the red prints from this range to make a rather yummy binding to a red white quilt I've made.

 

I was hoping to take a photo of the binding but the cat's current sleeping place is a quilt which is on top of the red and white one, so it will have to wait for another time.

 

Back to this week's delivery, the fabrics are ideal for kids or baby quilts. First up is Alphabet Soup from Henry Glass fabrics. There's a great alphabet panel which measures approx. 36" x 42".

 

 

Use this on its own or why not add some of the great letter or number coordinates?

 

 

And then there are some great dots and a useful stripe which will make a great binding or inset border.

The other fabrics are from a new to us fabric company called Suzybee. Each of the collections features a cot size panel, various coordinates and a height chart!
Lewe the Ewe is a cute sheep collection. Who doesn't love a sheep print?

And then there is Flip the Pig. Again who doesn't love a cute little piggy?

The next collection of Hoffman Bali Pops is due this month too. Can't wait for these new colours!

 

All the fabrics are of course on the website.

Anything Happening?

I guess its about time I updated you on what's been happening now that I have recovered from the Festival of Quilts.

The show was really busy and was the best show I've done there. It was so busy that for the first time I didn't get to see all the quilts! I usually manage to have a quick whizz round them first thing in the morning but this year I only managed to see about half of them. And as for the galleries, well I haven't taken a look at those for years.

 

It's always nice to have some new fabrics in for the show and this year I managed to get some great new texture prints in from Robert Kaufman. It was touch and go whether they would arrive in time but I'm so glad they did.

They are called Fusions Textures and are really rather yummy.

 

 

Twenty eight colours are in stock and on the website.

 

I also introduced a few new patterns at the show, all showcasing the batik pre-cuts.

 

First up is Strip Race Interrupted, a really quick quilt to make from a Bali Pop.

 

 

Next we have Snap Pop Squared which uses a Bali Pop and Snap pack.

 

 

And finally we have Square Up which uses Mini Treat pack from Timeless Treasures. These offer different design possibilities because they have two of each fabric in each pack.

 

 

I love working with these pre-cuts now and am working on a couple more designs at the moment. The next Bali collection from Hoffman is due for delivery in October, which is all of just over a month away now!

Flash Giveaway!

I've been so busy the last few weeks getting ready for the Festival of Quilts. Life has been a little bit hectic!

 

I have lots of new things to show you if you stop by my booth G42.

New fabrics...........New patterns.........and lots more!

 

I've just remembered I have five pairs of free tickets to giveaway to the show

 

 

For your chance to win a pair of tickets to this year's show, simply leave a comment on this post telling me what's top of your shopping list when visiting the show. You will also need to leave your email address.
This has to be a quick giveaway so I'm going to close it tomorrow, 6 August at 8pm, which gives you just over 24 hours.

I will pick five winners tomorrow night and assuming you get back to me with your addresses straightaway, the tickets will be in the post by first class post on Wednesday morning.
Due to time constraints it isn't going to be possible to send tickets abroad so please bear that in mind

Good luck folks!

 

And see you at the show.......G42!!

Latest News......

Or rather an update on the last couple of months!

 

Time just seems to fly by sometimes and quite often it may seem like not a lot is going on because I'm not posting updates on all the various social media platforms every day; but things are happening every day. Sometimes they just aren't very exciting or I'm just too busy to write a blog post. If you want to keep up to date with regular updates the best place to find out about them is twitter.

So just WHAT has been going on since my last post?

 

Well..........there have been two great quilt shows at Quilts UK in Malvern and the National Quilt Ch'ships at Sandown.

 

I have my first proper quilt pattern available. Been meaning to blog about this for AGES!!

Planning on designing a series of patterns using pre-cuts.

This first one, called Jigsaw Stars, uses a Hoffman Bali Cracker but of course it can also be made with a Layer Cake.

 

 

Which reminds me I really must put this on the website!

 

Whilst I love the latest Hoffman pre-cut collection made from the #1895 fabrics, I kind of missed having Bali prints so I've ordered some Timeless Treasures Tonga Treats to fill the gap.

The 5" charm squares arrived a couple of weeks ago together with some of the 10" squares.

 

 

Tonga Treats have 20 difference fabrics in each pack, but have two of each fabric. I'm playing with a charm pack at the moment; HSTs a go go!

 

 

2 1/2" strip packs should be due for delivery shortly, all in the same colours.

 

I think that will do for one post! If you are very lucky I just may do another post tomorrow about the yummy fabrics I have on order....

 

 

 

 

Bali Pops are Coming.........

Yes! Exciting news! The 6th Bali pre-cut collection is on its way and is due for delivery on Wednesday. This is all the more exciting due to the hiccups and problems I have had getting these in stock, but that's for me to moan and grumble about to myself :-)

 

This sixth collection is made up of Hoffman's wonderful #1895 pattern so they are mainly marble type prints but this means they are easier to mix and match.

 

 

And they will also be great for landscapes or applique.

 

As before they will be available as Pops (2 1/2" strips), Crackers (10" squares) and Snaps (5" squares).

 

My first pattern using pre-cuts should be available at Quilts UK in a couple of weeks............assuming I have finished quilting the quilt by then! Actually the quilt is almost quilted so I just need to add the binding..............oh and sew in all those ends!!!

 

New on the website is Essential Gradations from Benartex. These fabrics are really yummy!

 

 

So lots of exciting things coming up..........

 

Playing with Bali Pops

Ok I confess!

 

I now have an addiction to working with pre-cuts!

I also now have a pile of five quilts that need quilting..........

 

I've been practising my machine quilting skills by finishing off a quilt top that I made when I had the shop.........which was three years ago this summer! Where has the time gone?
The quilt was going to be a beginner's quilt kit that was going to contain everything a newcomer to quilting would need to put the quilt together and quilt it. And I think now that I've finished it........well nearly......just a few more ends to sew in and add the binding..........that I think that's what I will do still. I'll have to get some new fabrics in for it as I made it with fabrics from the Satinesque collection from Robert Kaufman and I have a feeling this is no longer available, but any tonal prints will be fine for it.

 

 

I actually used my free motion foot to quilt this spiral design, which was a bit silly as it would have been easier to use my walking foot. But on the other hand it did improve my control of working with the free motion foot.

But I digress!

I had quite a few Bali Pops left over from the 5th collection and wanted to get these sold as the delivery of the new 6th collection is imminent. I also seemed to have quite a few of the Macaron Bali Pops.

So I plucked up the courage and cracked open a packet. It's actually a lovely colour pack this one, felt like I was in the Caribbean when I was stitching it.
And this is the result; a simple nine patch quilt but I'm really pleased with it!

 

Now to get on with some quilting.....................

The downside of being creative!

I love being creative. I love walking around and being inspired by my surroundings; seeing design possibilites wherever I go.
Because I am surrounded by all this creativity, I sometimes wonder how dull life would be without it and so I wouldn't want to ever be without it.

 

The only problem is you can't switch it off.

 

That's not really a problem, apart from when it keeps you awake at night and you have to get up early to play with that idea. You can't rest until you do.

 

And that is my problem today

 

Last night before I went to bed I was scrolling through pinterest on my phone (I know...........fatal), when I came upon this lovely little quilt. I didn't actually twig last night that it was so tiny, but my mind starting whirring about it and then wondering about whether it could be made from precuts.
Of course it can be made from precuts; I meant if it could be made economically using precuts. If you scroll further down that blog post you can see that the lady in question is possibly using layer cakes to make the quilt. I think if I tried it, I would make it larger.

And so here I am, at 7am on a bank holiday morning..........needing to try this out!

But then there was also this quilt too..............which would be a great project for a bali pop...........

 

 

Oh dear...........

Hmmm despite saying I would try and blog more, it's been two months since I last wrote a post. I think the main reason is that quite often I just don't have the time to sit down and write something; once my working day starts there is mail order to catch up on and then editing for the magazine.............and then the day is gone!
So I think I might become an early morning blogger. I tend to get up quite early, usually thanks to the cat. And this seems to be the quiet time for me to sit down and think about 'stuff'. I often post to my personal blog at this time so my new resolution is to try and do the same for this blog!

 

I have a shipment that is ready to come over from the States but I want to bulk it out a bit with maybe some new waddings. Just trying to decide which one! I already stock Hobbs Heirloom and Polydown and was thinking of stocking something to compliment these. Do you have a favourite?

 

Unfortunately I have just had an order cancelled for some fabrics (that I've been using a lot recently).........because I didn't order them from the official European distributor. Nice to see a free market economy working there? So I guess I will have to re-order them from the official source.............

The next post might just have something interesting to say, including an update on my machine quilting skills!

 

Happy quilting

 

 

Sorry!

Despite the show still being on, we have made the decision not to risk travelling up to Nantwich for the second one day fabric sale tomorrow.
Obviously it was a difficult decision to make as we don't like to let customers down, but sometimes you have to put yourself and your safety first. And whilst the worst of the snow has now fallen and we would have been able to get to the venue, there is more due in the south east late tomorrow and we might not have been able to get home again!
Plus my parents drive the van, they live in a village on a hill and are in their 70s...............

Once we get the van unloaded I'll try and get the sale fabrics back up on the website for another week.

It's work...............but not as I know it!

I am lucky that I love what I do; I love running my business and I love working for the magazine. You make your own stresses but it's all more of a way of life than work. I live, breathe and dream quilts, fabrics, designing. It's difficult to switch off. I'm sure a lot of you are the same, such is the life of a quilter!

 

The sale on the website continues until next Saturday 12 January. There are lots of fabrics and panels left to choose from. It's then on to the One Day Fabric Sale at Farnham Maltings in Farnham, Surrey on Sunday 13 January and the following week the last sale event this year, the One Day Fabric Sale in Nantwich, Cheshire.

And then the quilt shows proper start the week after that at the South of England Showground in Ardingly, West Sussex.

 

Of course all these sale fabrics mean there is space on the shelves for new fabrics, which leads me to one of my favourite pastimes...........browsing for new ones!
I've just ordered the cutest animal alphabet collection from Henry Glass Fabrics called Alphabet Soup. The panel is a 36" x 44" repeat which means it's cot quilt size.

 

I’ve also just ordered some wonderful ombres from the Graduations collections from Benartex.

I’m seriously tempted by the Eternal Ombres from Lecien. They are beautifully subtle colours. The only thing holding me back is as I don’t have any other taupes etc, I don’t have anything else in stock that goes with them……….which kind of sounds like I need to start ordering some………

But then comes the hard part of ordering fabrics wholesale……..the waiting…..as some of these fabrics aren’t due for delivery for many……many months yet!

 

For some reason Blogger isn't allowing me to add images from my pc today, hence the links to pages instead :-(