Inspiration... Lots Of Inspiration

It might be a good idea to put that kettle on before you start looking...

 Click here to see fabulous finished projects from 2013

Click here to see fabulous finished projects from 2014

Click here to see fabulous finished projects so far in 2015

Amazing work!!

Stitching News

Rose finished her large and lusciously luxurious cushion
What a beauty it is too. There's a mix of stunning silk fabric, that's what gives the depth, and cotton fabrics to set them off fabulously... Toot toot toot Rose

PM Pam had the festive bug... as do many others. This Christmas Tree always pleases, it's just up the festive street... Pam's made a cushion with hers... toot toot toot Pam
Brenda Barbara found the pattern in one of her books It's from this book

We always love it when customers come back to show us what they made with their cotton purchases... And they get a toot toot toot fabulous and finished fanfare too...
In my world... every finished project should be celebrated!!!

You have actually been introduced to Angela's Diamonds In The Sky quilt before, it was a Tula Pink Kit (we actually have some in stock!!!)... but now it is a special guest in my very own classroom... we can all have a good long look at it...
pop over if you have time...

There used to be an ironing board here!!
I am so out of space in my little shop... all of these quilts are now for sale...
I can no longer keep hoarding everything that either My Mum Gwynneth or my very good self make... We might drown in quilts at his rate!!
What a way to go!!!!!

Fun With Fran

Fran made the Christmas Angel for our upcoming workshop.
Not everyone will want to make an Angel so... off she went to play.
The very same pattern can make a Garden Fairy or Gypsy doll or
Santa's Helper, a very smart boy!... Just by changing fabrics...
Fran has amazing ideas for recycling your bits and bobs...
Toot toot toot Fran Cupcake... you have 4 fabulous and finished folk!

Saturday 7th November Christmas Angel with Fran
£30.00 includes complete kit to make your Angel.

There are only two places remaining for Fairy making...

What are you doing with your bits and bobs on Saturday 7th November? 

Not a good day/date for you?

 How about Saturday 14th November?Fran's going to be teaching a fabulous Bauble Garland workshop... another great project for using up your bits and bobs... I will post a picture of Fran's Garland later today.... pop back won't you?

This is one of New Sue's Baubles made at the last workshop...
just though I would tempt you!

Stitching News

Our Sheila is making a Hedgehog... fun eh...
I was shocked when I picked him up...
that's one heavy little critter!

Steph was ready to make a sandwich...
then remembered that she had to stitch round the shapes first...
She is loving applique!

Brenda Barbara spent her day quilting.
She got it all finished and now there's just crusts to trim
The binding fabric has been auditioned too, ready for next time.

Jeannette Dilly started a fabulous new project
She loves a challenge, you must have noticed already.
This is a challenge for sure... Colour order and cutting accuracy, a must.

Christabelle needs a toot toot toot fanfare
Her fabulous and finished embroidered table topper with strippy binding
What an excellent finish against the lovely Linen blend!

Carol arrived and chose border fabrics...
She was very excited with her fabric choices
And no wonder... They are perfectly perfect!

Milly had made a tester block or two before starting her latest project.
Happy with the results she's now on a new patchwork mission
Easier to follow instructions when the colours are similar

Jenny Barlaston helped Janice with colour order for her fabrics
It's tricky when the design is the same.
These rectangles will be made into the front and back of a bag, .

Raise your trumpets.... It's tooting time...
Steph finished this fabulous lap quilt in good time...
It's a secret though, so don't go telling anyone about it. 

That was news in brief after my last few rabbiting posts eh!!

I have taken delivery of an enour-mouse amount of new fabrics, mostly Art Gallery, My Favourite!!! 

There's a bunch from Moda too, including Moda Bella Solids... at £8.00 per metre they are excellent quality and great value... I have a gazillion-billion different colours to choose from... did you know that?

The shelves are packed a little too tight with bolts... don't worry though, we will hep you pull 'em out to look!!... and we will put them all back for you... great customer service... like the good old days eh!!

Trolleys are full and piled up... looks a little scruffy to be fair but it creates  even more choosing fun actually!! ha ha ha

The Blooming Stretch Fabric

My Kate Tunic, number three, is finally finished... toot toot toots to me!!!
The first two took only an afternoon each but this one... boy was it tricky!
The fabric is a Knit from my favourite Art Gallery Fabrics .... it is absolutely lovely to touch... like they say, you can Feel The Difference. 
It's not their fault that I struggled making this tunic.... it was all me, my very own silly self... who loves to make things, quilts in particular, using the very stable and super easy 100% craft cotton... the sort my very own shop is full of.
Why I decided to order a stretchy fabric is beyond me!! ha ha ha... but I do love my new Knit Kate Tunic. I plan to wear it until it falls to pieces!!!
But I will not be making another stretchy one for a long time... even though I have new stretchy, knit Art Gallery fabric here waiting to be played with!!!

There's a bag making workshop tomorrow in my very own classroom, so I will go into quilty quarters to make none-stretchy 'How To's" with very stable 100% Craft Cotton... which also makes wonderful Kate Tunics... Have you made one yet?

Stargazy Daisiez Workshop

Stitching News

Christabelle embroidered this Hexagon design whilst on a recent jolly-holiday... We stitchers will find a way and do it anywhere! ha ha ha. On her return came the question "What could I do to make it larger?" Well now... you purchase lovely fabric from my very own shop Chris. Lots of different ones, the Dutch Chintz will look great! How about finishing it with that lovely linen mix from Moda... done deal... doesn't it look wonderful... Those Dutch fabrics all love playing together.

AnnBacan had a question... I want to use these fabrics to make a cushion, 22" in size, like your Taster Day For Beginners cushion... can we do that? Of course we can... A little thought, a few ideas, then.... mathemisms done... cutting sorted... stitching and seam ripping done... one happy Annbacan!

Just Edna, "I want to make two stockings today, how do I do it? I would like to do Quilt-As-You-Go"... Well Edna, you draw a stocking shape onto your wadding then go strippy mad with your walking foot. Cut a lining and 'Bob's Your Uncle'... she went home with two complete, a happy Edna!

Princess Jackie rarely needs help with applique projects... My goodness, she could probably teach me a thing or two! ha ha ha... Look at this wonderful Wall Hanging from the book Welcome To The North Pole... there is so much cute little detail... I helped with the border questions though....

Rose, She Of Scone Fame... has been working on her English Paper Pieced (EPP) Hexagons for approximately 2 years, we calculated. It's now the size she wanted to get to... beautiful stitching! So the question is, "What do I do with it now? How do I finish it?" Well, there are many methods... we discussed a few. Next week we will tackle the mathemisms.

"I need a few fast to make quilts, I have these two panels, can you help?" Of course... I am feeling very helpful!!...come up to my very own shop! ha ha ha. Jackie had this panel ready for sandwiching Lick-ett-split! You can't get much faster projects than pre printed panels... though we do have a great selection of fabulous and already finished quilts for sale!! 

These Dresden Plate cushions of Krafty Karen's are beautiful... Using my wonderful Linen mix fabric from Moda just adds extra scrumptious-ness. Appliqued using a perfect King Tut thread colour (I have them all in stock... we love them!) Karen had lots of questions, especially how to do the centres, which is not a problem at all... I was very helpful because I know how to do that...

New Sue is making another What Colour Is An Elephant quilt using the Jen Kingwell pattern... I have loads of them in stock in my very own shop!! Sue didn't need my help this week, she's made this project before you see... but I did help her have a lovely day, I hope!

Gail needed a little helpful advice... sometimes we all chime in!!!
The thing is... when you know how to do something... especially quilters I find... you just want to help other people... tell them what you would like to do

Several ideas might be discussed and, mostly, they are all helpful... then you can make a good choice of what you really want to do... see... we switched Gail's blocks around a few times to help her decide on a layout for her Bow Tie blocks

It's quite amazing how fast everyone disappears when it comes to the mathemisms though, those questions always seem to be mine to answer!!!
There isn't a lot of structure to our classroom time... we go with the flow... you work on whatever you want to and I do my very best to help you enjoy the process. Anyone there on the very same day will also pick up those top tips, we don't keep them secret... quilters love sharing their knowledge!!! It's just sharing my fabric I have a problem with, he he he he

Time For Tooting

Let's start with a toot toot toot fanfare for Annbacan's fabulously festive and finished in good time, table runner... what a lovely project to adorn Ann's table during the festive season. Beautifully embellished too... I feel almost excited for sewing prevention season's approach...do I? really? YES, I think I do!

Woooooha... just as you thought that I had lost the plot...
Here's Lorna's finished, fabulous and extremely festive family heirloom quilt. Isn't it lovely!! Toot toot toot Lorna... finished with time to spare too... The festive projects are rolling in now, so the countdown must have begun!

And last but very much not least is Gails fabulous and finished gifting quilt. It's been made with six inch Churndash blocks and mostly Art Gallery fabrics so it feels luscious, silky soft and very snuggle-abbubble...

This is the back of Gail's totally toot-a-bubble quilt... It's fun eh!!
So here's a little bit of 'good to know' information... you already know that I love to promote PMS (Pleasing My Self) don't you... well... Gail had quilted in the ditch of all the Churndash blocks, a 6 inch square design, but she wanted to do more... She found her very own self unable to decide what she would enjoy stitching... she just wanted the quilt finished, so... a cunning idea was thunk up! Gail searched through her hundreds of Juki fancy stitches and chose a little embroidery heart stitch... like the good old days when quilts were tied... In the centre of each Churndash block, there's now a delicate, embroidered heart... it looks great... and best of all it's very quick and easy to do... perfectly anchoring all the block centres... I think we will recommend this a lot more. No quilt turning necessary! Got to be a winner eh...