Moore Patchwork & Quilting

Fabric Club and Zakka Handmades

My craft library is becoming quite extensive and I love adding new books.  But it seems to come in waves; I can either find lots of books I like all at once or can go months without finding any at all. Lately it seems that it's a case of 'lots'!

My latest purchase is Zakka Handmades by Amy Morinaka. This is another book I saw before we went away and then waited until we returned to buy it.  I first saw it as a sew-along on different blogs and loved the little projects. I say 'little' because I think they are all really achievable and don't require a lot of time or fabric.

Someone reminded me yesterday that Christmas is approaching (this thought was reinforced at the supermarket where they were putting out some Christmas 'things'). I always say that I will make little gifts for people but usually only manage one or two.  This year I'm hoping to do better and this book has lots of good ideas for gifts. For example the key cover and the mug rug complete with 'stamps'. Lots of good ideas.

Fabric Club...

I also received another 19th Century Fabric Samplings fabric club instalment from Somerset Patchwork.

This time it's New Colonies by Nancy Gere.

There are some lovely red prints here and I also like the vibrant yellows.

Will definitely have to make something with all of these fabric club bits.

In the meantime I'm still quilting the Makeshift Garden quilt. I'm having one of those weeks when I don't seem to have time to sit and sew and it doesn't look like the next couple of days will be any better. It's very frustrating.

Until next time

Lyn

 

 

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Makeshift Garden and Fabric Club

Fabric Club

Makeshift Garden and Fabric Club

My Makeshift Garden quilt is now all pieced and backed ready for quilting.

I actually had it all put together on Friday but have left it sitting near my machine all weekend as I tried to work out the best way to quilt it. My choices were to do my usual all over stipple or quilt in the seams of the blocks.

Every time I walked past it I tried to imagine which would look better when yesterday afternoon I decided that quilting in the seams between the blocks would be better. I'm also planning to quilt around each of the floral designs just to make them stand out a bit more.

I will quilt it entirely by machine with a grey thread. Hopefully I will get time later in the week to start on it. I'm quite keen now that it's almost finished.

Threadbear Quilters....

I received another instalment from my fabric club with Threadbear Quilters.

There's quite a mix this time. I especially like the purple print in front adn the shirting fabrics (the light prints) - all very useful.

I'm starting to accummulate quite a pile again so will have to start a project to use them up. It's a nice place to be.

Until next time

Lyn

 

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Fabric Club

Makeshift Garden

Fabric Club

Before I went away, two new lots of fabric arrived in my postbox.

The first lot, was the 19th Century Fabric Samplings club from Somerset Patchwork.

The fabric is from the Collection for a Cause - Mill Book Series c.1835.

I was really taken by these fabrics. They are a lot different than the other Collection for a Cause ranges and are almost pastel.  They seem very Spring like and I want to make something with them but I can't really work out what. Maybe a small quilt for Spring?

 

Judie Rothermel....

The second lot of fabric, is this bundle of 8" squares from Judie Rothermel's 25th Anniversary Collection.

I'm a huge fan of her fabrics and this lot really is a nice sampling of them.  I'm thinking of using this one for the 2014 Newsletter BOM which I've just started working on.

She has another beautiful range that I keep looking at called Romantic Olde Charleston - has some lovely pinks.  I might have to buy some!

Until next time

Lyn

 

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September Newsletter

Fabric and ribbons

While in the UK, I didn't actively seek out craft shops but just visited ones I came across in my travels. I found more yarn shops than patchwork shops as well as some needlework shops which seemed to carry a lot of cross stitch designs.  When I did find patchwork shops, the fabric was in the main the same as we have here except because of the exchange rate, it was more expensive - for me anyway.

I didn't see the point in buying fabric that I could buy at home but was more interested in fabric that I hadn't seen here.

In Rye, I found a really nice craft shop with fabric, needlework and yarn.  Amongst the fabric I found this range that I haven't see here and was pleased when I worked out that they cost about the same as fabric here.It's called Wash Day by Henley Studio. They are colourful and fun fabrics and I bought 5 fat quarters.  I will mix them with other fabrics I have in my stash and think I will make a small quilt as a holiday reminder.

Ribbons....

The craft shops I did find always sold lots of ribbons and trims including colourful ric-rac braid which I couldn't resist.  For the ribbons I sought out those with a 'UK' theme like 'Made in Britain'; 'Handmade in Wales'; and one of my favourites - 'Everything stops for tea'. I also bought some tartan ribbon in Scotland.  I've used the trims as well as some buttons I bought to decorate my travel journal.

Until next time

Lyn

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Fabric Club and more reading (Bury your Dead)

We are almost ready to go and so this will be my last post until 26 August. 

But I have a couple of things to show you before I go:

Fabric Club...

Yesterday I received another fabric club instalment from Threadbear.

As usual, they are really lovely.  I picked out my favourites - they are the five pieces at the bottom.

I love the green and yellow spot fabric. Can really see myself using that one as well as the yellow behind it.

I've been looking for some nice browns lately so chose the brown print behind the yellow and the brown with stars on the bottom.

And the reddish one? I'm always a sucker for red prints so this was a given.

 

Bury Your Dead....

If you remember I recently read The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny and felt a bit disappointed with the ending. There seemed to be something missing. Well it's now all been revealed in the novel Bury Your Dead.

The novel has three different sub-plots and it centres on Inspector Gamache who is struggling with a recent incident (don't want to give too much away). He is filled with doubts about the case 'solved' in The Brutal Telling and sends Jean Guy to investigate. Jean Guy is also struggling with the recent incident and his visit to Three Pines proves to be surprisingly comforting to him. As well as that investigation there is another one which Gamache is involved in at the same time. Everything comes together in the end and Gamache finds some closure and is ready to move on.

I'm so glad I read this book.  Not only did it tie up the loose ends from the previous novel but it was a really good read.  In fact I found it almost impossible to put it down. The character of Inspector Gamache was given so much more depth than in the last novel and at times I found myself weeping with the struggles he was having. He was presented as a man with great compassion and insight. Can't wait to read more about him.

Until next time

Lyn

 

 

 

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Fabric Club and a new project

Fabric Club and a new project

I forgot to show you the latest instalment of my fabric club from Somerset Patchwork.

The range is Tavern Red by Paula Barnes.

Lots of lovely reds and browns.

I realized the other day that I was getting a little bit short on reds so this mailout was very timely.

I especially like the four prints in the front - the three reds and the dark brown/black and red print.  I know they will come in very handy.

When I receive the fabric clubs from both Somerset Patchwork and Threadbear Quilts, I store them in a special plastic tub in my cupboard. I find that I use most of them in my projects but there are always a few that are left untouched. I started thinking about making a quilt to use them up and I came up with a sampler quilt.

I have this great book by Davina Thomas - 200 Quilt Blocks and my idea is to make a sampler quilt using the blocks in it.  All of the blocks are 6" so they can easily be joined together.

One of my aims will be to try new blocks and to practise my piecing which isn't always very accurate.  Hopefully by the end of this I will find new blocks that I like and my piecing will be improved.

I'm not going to make all 200 blocks but think I will need either 81 (9 rows of 9) or 100 (10 rows of 10) but will see how it progresses. I plan to use all of the fabric in this tub which are the pieces from my fabric clubs so it will be very scrappy.

The name? Scrap Basket Sampler Quilt.

Until next time

Lyn

 

 

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New Fabric

I dropped into Peppermint Stitches the other day and just inside the front door was a display of Tilda fabrics.

I couldn't seem to take my eyes off them! They are so lovely.  I walked around the shop looking at all the beautiful fabric they have on display but I kept turning back to the Tilda fabric.

They had a pack of fat eighths and I decided I just had to get them. 

I've been thinking about making a quilt for myself for sometime and these fabrics would be perfect.  I'm not sure about a design yet, but the quilt will live on the couch in my studio. Perfect for cuddling under on the rare cold paradise day or when I'm having a 'hiding under the covers' day.

Aren't they gorgeous?

Fabric Club...

The other new fabric that has come my way lately, is my latest fabric club instalment from Threadbear quilters.

As usual they are a nice mix of fabrics. I especially like the two fabrics in front (the blue print and the small stripe floral print).

All lovely fabrics.

Until next time

Lyn

 

 

 

Eat Soup With the Side of Your Spoon

My Eat Soup With the Side of Your Spoon quilt is now finished.

Finished size is approx 14" x 32".

It has already taken up residence on my dining room table and looks bright and colourful.

This was a really simple but effective project and a good use of my leftover fabric. I'm glad I decided to make it.

 

Fabric Club....

Last week another instalment of my fabric club from Threadbear Quilts arrived.

As usual, I was very pleased to see the selection.  Just love the fabrics in the front row.  Lovely pinks and browns and the orange and brown fabrics just above them - are definite favourites.

I know I have said it before, but I'm never disappointed with my fabric club instalments and always use them in my projects.

Until next time

Lyn

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Summertime

Last week took a trip to Peppermint Stitches to pick up the latest fabric from Bonnie and Camille.

The new range is called Happy go Lucky and this time they've included some lovely blues in the mix.  Only pre-cuts are available at the moment and I chose a layer cake so I could have more choices when it comes to making something.

(The other fabric is from another favourite - Sweetwater. Couldn't resist the spots.)

What I really like about Bonnie and Camille's fabric ranges is that they all go together so you can just add pieces from their previous range to this one.

Just as well too because when I got home I pulled out some left over pieces from the Ruby and Vintage Modern ranges. Was surprised at how many little pieces I had.

Summertime....

While digging around in the fabric I came across a project I had started before Christmas.

The fabric is Marmalade (another Bonnie and Camille range) and my plan was to make a tablerunner with some summer stitcheries.  I had already started the stitcheries but other things took over so they were put in the cupboard - to be forgotten about!

I'm using a pack of charm squares and the stitchery is worked on my favourite cotton/linen fabric again.

I had already decided to call it Summertime and will have to hurry up and finish it before summer is over!

Until next time

Lyn

 

 

Fabric Clubs

I've recently had instalments from both my fabric clubs - and both of them as usual, are great.

The first one to arrive was the 19th Century Fabric Samplings from Somerset Patchwork and Quilting.

I was thrilled when I saw this lot because of the 'brighter' colours.  The lovely pinks, yellows, greens, and purples are just perfect for using as 'zingers' in any scrap project. I always seem to be short of just the 'right' fabric and all of these are winners.  I even like the background and shirting fabrics included this month. Will have plenty of use for them all.

The next lot is from Threadbear.  They are so different to the ones from Somerset - which is a good thing.  As you can see they are darker and mainly reds and browns.

I especially like the two at the front - the dark red patterned fabric and the beige fabric. There's also a nice brown fabric as well.

I'm sticking with these fabric clubs next year because each instalment brings something I can use.  None of the fabric club fabrics sit around in my stash for very long.

Hitting the shops....

Well the shopping isn't quite done by me yet and this morning I'm venturing out into the mall again. I've been psyching myself up for two days and made a list so I won't get sidetracked and forget what it was I had planned to buy. My plan is to be focussed and stick to the list. Wish me luck!

Until next time

Lyn