Quilt Fabric Delights

Birdies

Yesterday while I was loading new patterns on the shop website  I was thinking I should shake a tail feather and hurry up and get them all listed. 

First up is Natalie Lymer of Cinderberry Stitches with Tail Feather.  Tail Feather is the most gorgeous embroidered, appliqued and pieced 10 month Block of the Month.   I am just waiting on embroidery threads and we will be offering this as a very limited edition Block of the Month using the original fabrics - or as a full kit.  I am still deciding how to do this one as Natalie used 2 honey buns of Patisserie as the basis for her quilt and strip pieced to make her one inch squares (sounds like a much quicker option to me that joining all those little squares) so if you are interested let me know and we can work out how you would like to receive the kit.  After all the early bird catches the worm.

As you know birds of a feather flock together just like the two cute little softie Twitter  birds by Melly & Me.

and you know fine feathers make fine birds and this little fellow is certainly fine even if he is seeing stars - I See Stars by Natalie Ross In Stitches

No I have not finished twittering like a bird here is The Birdhouse Bag by Lynette Anderson

and Sweet Christmas Dreams by Leannes House with its beautiful doves

and before you fly the coop, I know it's not a bird, but see that cute little birdie  logo on the pattern cover, here is one to keep your little cutie warm this winter - Uptown Girl by Make It Perfect

A little bird told me I should quit with the bird cliches and get back to work because there are more birdies to load on the website.

Pre-orders & new arrivals

It's a Dollies Life patterns are here and ready to go.

If you would like to make the quilt with the same fabrics as Rosie I am also taking pre-orders for the Block of the Month. I expect the fabrics to arrive some time in June, so should be ready to go in late June/early July.

I am also taking pre-orders for Melly's gorgeous new book Kaleidoscope, due to be released on or about the 12th of June 2009.

I don't think I am too old to have a mushroom backpack, am I??

Go! Cut

A few days before Inspired Stitches I was lucky enough to take delivery of the best new gadget for quilters (and non-quilters).  They have just arrived in Australia and it is called a Go! Cutter.

I have always watched with a tinge of envy all the amazing cutters you can purchase for scrapbooking  so couldn't resist.

As you can imagine I was a little busy to have a chance to use it but that did not stop my sister, Susan, from having a play.  She was like a child on Christmas day with a new toy.  In no time at all she had whipped up a sign using the fantastic applique shape dies. 

And then she was found fossicking through my scrap box making more applique shapes and quilt block pieces to take home with her. I did think I'd have to check her luggage before she went home.  Fortunately for me, Susan is not a light traveller so there was no room in her suitcase.  Phew!

It was to be Susan's job to demo the Go! Cutter at Inspired Stitches but she was kept busy on the Saturday cutting kits for the ladies so didn't get to show it off until Sunday.  Here she is searching through the scrap box for the perfect fabric for placemats.

Since then I have had the opportunity to try out the Go! Cutter.  All I can say is it is fantastic.  At present all I have is a pile of pieces, but I made them so, so quickly and not only that they are accurate.  I am looking forward to some time at the sewing machine sewing them up into all sorts of exciting projects.

The Go! Cutter comes with Fabric Cutting Die featuring three shapes: Square-4 1/2"; Square-2 1/2"; Half Square-2" Finished Triangle (cuts four shapes) and then there are many, many different dies that you can purchase to go with your Go! Cutter. 

If you would like to see just how it works you can view a video here.

Gorgeous Brooches

You may have seen photographs on blogs of the gorgeous brooches we gave the ladies who attended Inspired Stitches for their name tags.   They were made by the very clever and very lovely Amanda of Amanda Brooke.

Here's mine.

I love it! 

I was asked by some of the ladies over the weekend (including my helpers) why I had more charms and beads than they all did and I very cheekily told them that that was because I was the 'boss'.  Yes, I did say that very tongue in cheek and my helpers did look at me with 'that' look.  Really it was because this one  Amanda made especially for me.  Aren't I a lucky girl.

Tessa - seen here with Rosalie, wanted some more charms and beads added to her brooch and the lovely Amanda has agreed to 'Tessafy' her brooch.

If you would like to add some more charms or beads to your brooch or indeed if you were not at Inspired Stitches and would like one of these brooches head on over and visit Amanda.  Amanda makes the most beautiful bracelets and bookmarks as well.

It's all over for this year - warning photo heavy!

Wow!  What a weekend it was last week.  As many of you know I held my first big stitching retreat (gathering), actually it was the first retreat I had organised full stop.  As you can imagine I was incredibly excited and at the same time nervous that it would all go off smoothly.  I was so lucky to have Rosie, Leanne, Melly and Janelle as guest designers for our first gathering.  They are just the most amazingly generous ladies as I am sure all of you who attended will agree.

Although I took my camera I didn't have time to take any photographs - Jodie took a few but her camera was not playing the game (hence the blurry photographs) and my little Rachel took some but for the rest I need to wait for Susan to send me back a disc from Queensland.  I know there are many bloggers who have posts here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here (who knew there were so many South Aussie bloggers?) - if you have a blog and I haven't found you yet, please let me know and I will add a link.

And even though the long awaited and much needed rain was coming down it was still light and cosy inside.  Just right for stitching and talking or was that talking and stitching?

The table decorations.



When Rosie, Leanne, Melly and Janelle arrived we all stopped with our jaws dropped as they pulled all their beautiful projects out.  Such a beautiful display.


Rosie's new Block of the Month Quilt It's A Dollies Life - Rosie had just finished this quilt and brought  it over to show us all.  We are taking expressions of interest in this Block of the Month.  Rosie is still to write the pattern and I will need to wait for fabrics to arrive, but if you would like to put your name down, please contact me.



Melly has also just finished her new book Kaleidoscope before she came to Adelaide and she gave us a sneak peak of the projects in the book.  We are also taking pre-orders for Kaleidoscope which will retail for $38.50 and should be available in June.  Just let me know if you would like a copy ordered for you.



At Gillian's (Silly Gilly) suggestion I have made Flickr Group here where you can post photographs taken over the weekend and of your finished projects - because I know you are all going to finish them.....

Speaking of Silly Gilly here she in the top right hand photograph showing us the first block of her Little Blue Birds Quilt.  Gillian is new to stitching so was feeling rightly proud of having finished this.  After her needleturn lesson with Janelle on Saturday she was able to applique her blue bird on in no time.  We'll be watching for updates Gilly!



I managed to miss Show and Tell on Saturday so if you have photographs you would like to share I would love to see them.

And not to forget the serious bit - shopping!!!!




As you may have noticed I am more comfortable behind the scenes and not at all at home with a microphone so all my well rehearsed words (well rehearsed in my head) fled me when I stood up in front of you all and heard my voice over that microphone -  thank you all for coming I hope to see you again next year.

Thank you to Rosie, Melly, Leanne and Janelle.

And as someone wrote to me the other day thank you to my unflappable helpers.  They really were, they worked so hard to make the day the success that it was and then all went back to their day jobs on Monday.  I am so lucky to have such supportive family and friends.  So to my sisters Susan & Karen, my friends Jodie, Ally and Nina, my parents who weren't there but helped out before hand - Thank You - You are all AMAZING!

Of course a huge thank you to my  three favourite people, who were just a little weary by the time this photograph was taken, for putting up with me. 

Time to start planning for next year....