Hello. I'm back. Haven't posted for such a long time.

My first finished project for 2014 is a quilt for a 1 year old baby girl.  It is 40" x 48".

The quilt uses the bow tie block - a traditional block, but done the easy way.  There are 120 blocks.

The fabrics are from American Jane - Sandy Klop.

This is a 4" finished block comprised of 2 dark squares @ 2.5", 2 light squares @ 2.5" and 2 more dark squares @ 1.5".  The little dark squares are used to make the triangles.

This is not the best photo - uneven light.

I have been watching the cricket while I've been sewing.  Enjoying it very much.

Have a great day

Karen

Lollipop Bags

Hello

Been a while since I posted.  Bit busy with the October show and then I seemed to lose my mojo for a couple of weeks - no sewing!

But I'm over it now and have made up a new pattern that we received in the last couple of weeks.  It's called the Lollipop Bag and it's by Atkinson Designs.  I like Terry Atkinson's patterns - they are well laid out, easy to follow, practical, fat quarter friendly.

The pattern has instructions for 2 different size bags and of course, once you've made it once or twice, it would be easy to alter the size to suit your requirements.

I made both size bags.  The large one I made in Aneela Hoey fabric mixing up her ranges Sherbet Pips & Little Apples.

  The smaller one I made in a range called 13 Going on Thirty.

The hardware on the handle is also from Atkinson Designs and comes in Nickel and Antique Brass.  It is a Swivel Hook and a D Ring.  It would be useful for lots of different bags, not just these.

These little bags have a secret contrast bottom so that they stand up easily but lay flat when they are not being used.  In the photos below, I have laid them flat and you can just see a hint of the colour of the bottoms - red for the large one and green for the small one.

All in all, a great little pattern, I think.  These would be great as make-up bags, toiletry bags, little sewing kits - the list is endless.

You can find the pattern and the hardware here.

the fabrics here and here

and the zips here

Have a great weekend

Enjoy!

Karen

  

Wild Rose Sewing Wallet

This is the Wild Rose Sewing Wallet by Meg Hawkey of Crab Apple Hill.  This is her sewing wallet from the cover of her pattern.  It shows the wallet closed and open.

I recently had a holiday at Moffat Beach, 1-1.5 hrs north of Brisbane, at the end of August into early September.  We have a unit there, right on the beach - absolutely wonderful to sit and stitch and enjoy the view.

So while I was there I got stitching.  And this is my Wild Rose Sewing Wallet.

Here's the front.  As you can see I got a little carried away with the beading and the stitching.  But it was such fun.

Meg didn't embellish the back of her wallet but of course I had to.  This is the wallet opened out flat - the back is on the left and the front is on the right.  More embroidery, more beading and a little bit of lace for good measure.

The inside of the wallet has so many pockets.  The left hand side has 5 pockets going down the page.  The top one is divided in two.  The right hand side has 1 large pocket that is then stitched to make 4 pockets - 2 to hold pens, 1 underneath the needle holder and 1 underneath the pincushion.  Your scissors are held in place by a ribbon on the top left hand side of the wallet.  I also added a little crocheted bag to mine to hold a thimble.

The picture below is the inside again but with a few goodies in it to show off the pockets galore!

And finally the little tie that I made.  It is crocheted from stranded cotton (the same one for the embroidery), then beaded and finally a pretty ballerina charm on the end.  Not what I normally do, but I did enjoy making it.  And of course, once I started, it was so much easier than I thought it was going to be.

The fabric that I used is a range called Crystal Palace, the thread is a variegated Anchor Stranded Cotton 1335.  You can see it in the bottom pocket on the left.  All the embroidery was done with the same thread. 

You can find the pattern here

the fabric here

the embroidery thread here

our charms here

and the little crocheted bag here.

I hope you have enjoyed looking at my Wild Rose Sewing Wallet as much as I did making it

Enjoy!

Karen

Drum Roll Please!

The draw has been done and the winners are -

Christine - 2 Tickets to the Brisbane Craft & Quilt Show

helbel19 - 2012 Quilter's Diary

Kirsten N - 2012 Quilter's Diary

Noela - 2012 Quilters' Diary

Congratulations to all!

Please contact the shop so that we can arrange for these goodies to get you

Enjoy!

Karen

Flannel Sale - Fri Oct 7 to Mon Oct 10

Just to let you know we are having a Flannel Sale - 25% off - minimum cut 0.5 metre.  Includes extra wide Flannel Backings.  Starts Fri Oct 7.  Ends Mon Oct 10.

Flannel Fabrics - click here

Flannel Backing Fabrics - click here

Don't miss it!

Karen

Quilt Aid 2011

This year we are part of Quilt Aid.  Don't know what Quilt Aid is?  Then keep reading.  If you already know then skip the next couple of paragraphs.

Quilt Aid is a charity quilting project which launches on the 1^st of November online worldwide. Women from around the world can make a difference simply by participating and doing what they love – quilting.  A major portion of the profits from the designers, the stores and the fabric sold is donated to the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia through the Hamlin Fistula Relief and Aid Fund in Australia.

   

About the Charity: The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital was founded by Dr Catherine Hamlin AC and her late husband, Dr Reg Hamlin OBE, and is dedicated to the treatment and care of women who suffer horrendous childbirth injuries, known as obstetric fistula.  Obstetric fistula is caused by prolonged obstructed labour when a woman will spend days in labour without any medical help or pain relief. If she survives this ordeal she will give birth to a still born child and her internal injuries will cause her to be incontinent of urine and sometimes bowel contents as well.  She will spend the rest of her life a destitute outcast unless she can get to the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital or one of its outreach centres.  The surgical technique developed by the Hamlin’s successfully cures 93% of obstetric fistula cases. The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital has established a purpose–built village called Desta Mender ("Village of Joy") to provide long term care for women whose childbirth injuries are so severe that they cannot return to live a normal Ethiopian village life. At Desta Mender the women are trained in new skills so that eventually they can re–enter Ethiopian society as "citizens of the world" once again.  The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital is committed to the UN Millennium Development Goals and particularly those directed towards improving maternal health, reducing infant mortality and empowering women. It has established the Hamlin College of Midwives to train young Ethiopian women as midwives to work in the Ethiopian countryside amongst women who presently have little or no access to medical help during their pregnancy and labour. The mission of the Hamlin College of Midwives is to have a midwife in every Ethiopian village.  The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital relies entirely on donations from overseas to fund its vital work of improving maternal health, reducing infant mortality and empowering women.

So on to 2011.  This year there are 12 designers and 6 shops involved.  Each shop will sell 2 blocks.  Also each shop will design their own quilt using the same 12 blocks and will offer a finishing kit if you would like to make a quilt just like ours.

The fabric used this year is Ruby by Bonnie & Camille for Moda.  The 2 blocks that we are selling are designed by Natalie Lymer and Liz Stanaway.  Aren't they beautiful - a mixture of piecing, applique and stitchery.  Who could resist!

We are currently taking pre-orders if you would like to join in the fun.  We can also supply any extras that you may need like threads, interfacing, fusibles, etc.  You can call the shop on (07) 3875 1700 or e-mail us at quilts@tqes.com.au or click here to be taken to our website..

To read more about Quilt Aid and see all the blocks and shops participating, go to www.quiltaid.com.au/2011

Enjoy!

Karen

Vignette Issue 4



Enjoy!

Karen



Today we received our shipment of Issue 4 of Vignette magazine.  If you haven't come across this magazine before, it is written by Leanne Beasley, an Australian designer.  There are no ads in this mag - just lovely articles, recipes and projects!  We still have stock of Issue 1, 2 and 3 if you haven't come across this delightful magazine yet.

 Vignette Magazine Issue 4