I have almost finished piecing my Pemberley quilt and I am in love. This is a truly magnificent quilt if you are happy to be in it for the long haul! It is worth it and will be a family heirloom. I will post photos of my pieced top as soon as it is all together, hopefully this week! Similarly, Longbourne has a place in my heart, Lol, and in my cupboard as a WIP (work in progress). I am well on my way with that one. All of Katrina Hadjimichael’s Jane Austen series quilts are achievable for a confident beginner due to the techniques Katrina uses and the ongoing support she gives through our private Facebook page. Because of their complexity, Katrina does not sell the patterns for her Jane Austen quilts, preferring to pass on the piecing instructions firsthand in the classroom. So, Katrina and I have had a chat as I realised that each year I am offering her latest quilt in this series which means others do not get a chance to make one of her older quilts like Pemberley, Longbourne, Netherfield etc. Yes, the list goes on as there are now eight quilts in this series! To overcome this, Katrina has agreed to teach three quilts in the March retreat, being Pemberley, Longbourne and Lambton. Wow, she is a gem! Bookings are open so scoot across to my retreat booking page to check out the photos and get your booking form and deposit in as places will be snapped up fairly quickly.
Wild Orchard and Bespoke Blooms has arrived plus pre-release precuts
Three more boxes arrived today! How exciting! Wild Orchard by Blackbird designs is so romantic. Bespoke Blooms is very soft and subtle in pinks and grays. The pre-cuts are wonderful layer cakes. Watch this space for some photos of each of these ranges
New Workshops opened for 2017
Katrina Hadjimichael’s wokshops are proving to be so popular we have decided to repeat her Lambton workshop at Victor Harbor. The workshop in February 2017 is full and has been closed off. I have vacancies for the March 2017 workshop so please go to my retreat booking page and complete a form if you are interested in attending this fantastic event. Katrina and I have had some discussions about her machined quilts and have decided to run a two day workshop in August 2017. There will be three quilts to choose from, Spikes and Specks, The Way Forward and Bloomin Logs. This workshop will be held in the Adelaide Metropolitan area. I will be able to confirm the venue later in the year. This event has some bookings already so if you are interested, go to my retreat booking page and complete a form.
Giggleswick Mill fabric has arrived
How exciting that Giggleswick Mill fabric range, designed by Di Ford-Hall, arrived in time for her workshop. It was certainly popular amongst those attending. Some bolts are sold out but I still have others in stock. Fabric sells at $22 per metre. Minimum is 25cm and I do cut fat quarters at $5.50 each. To order, please email Helen
8220-G
8220-R
8219-LN
8218-R
8221-R
8221-T
8221-Y
8222-N
8222-O
8222-T
8223-T
8223-R
8224-E
8224-N
A Weekend with Di Ford-Hall
I have just had a wonderful weekend quilting with Di Ford-Hall at a workshop organised by The Quilter’s Guild of South Australia. My friends know how much I love needle turn applique but Di has taken my love of this technique to the next level! Broderie Perse! Love it! Di will be coming to teach at Victor Harbor for me but dates have not been confirmed yet.
Mates Rates for Edge to Edge Quilting
With all the rain we have had in the past few weeks one can guess that we are heading into a long winter. So, it is time to get those quilt tops out and off to the quilter. To help you along, I am offering “Mates Rates” on edge to edge/all over quilting. Members of The Quilter’s Guild of South Australia can have tops quilted for just $3.50 per square foot. Quilts can be booked in through my booking form.
Raffle Quilt goes public!
Wow, was I honoured when The Quilters’ Guild of South Australia Festival of Quilts Committee asked me to quilt the raffle quilt for 2016. When I heard it was a New York Beauty with lots of open spaces I must admit, I was a bit nervous. How was I going to fill all those spaces? Pieced by the committee members in 2015 it finally arrived in my quilt studio in January 2016. I knew straight away the elements needed were feathers, beading and some Nemishing. Thanks Bethanne Nemish of White Arbor Quilting for this new background filler! The blocks were laid out in a barn raising pattern so I decided to quilt something different in each round. I started with the tiny feathers between each spike and as I worked through these my mind began filling with design elements for the other areas. Once I had completed the center I continually felt like I was looking inside a decorative basket and that each round was the sides of the basket. Crazy? I don’t know but I kept calling it my basket of beauties, cos there were heaps of them! After 58 hours of quilting I was so attached to this quilt it was very hard to hand it over! My goal in quilting this quilt was to ensure the Guild sold as many tickets as possible, however secretly I hope to win it back. How surprised and honoured (again) that the Festival Committee retained my name for the quilt, Basket of Beauties. Tickets will be on sale soon just $2 each.
Jen Kingwell Seaside Retreat
Have you started collecting your fabric yet for Jen Kingwell’s seaside retreat in August? I am getting so excited that she is coming to teach at Victor Harbor. Jen uses some amazing fabrics in her quilts. The usual cream backgrounds are replaced with modern greys and black and white spots giving her quilts a fresh and cheery appearance. Add in her unique pieced designs and you have a stunning combination that makes for a beautiful quilt. What! You aren’t booked in yet? Jen will be teaching one of her most popular quilts, The Circle Game. This quilt has so many elements that beginners through to advanced quilters can gain experience in hand piecing with Jen gently guiding you. This is an opportunity not to be missed! Imagine yourself sitting in the lounge watching the ocean waves, perhaps a few whales playing in the bay. Home cooked meals are provided and beds are very comfy. In house shop with some lovely fabrics and Jen’s patterns for sale. A unique experience sharing out-of-class time with the tutor, all friends with a common theme. Quilting! What is there not to love! Don’t delay, there are still a few vacancies so bring a friend along with you. Go to my retreat booking page and send in your booking form with deposit to confirm your place.
Boutique Quilt Shop
Finally my fabric is arriving! I returned home from France to find four large boxes of fabric waiting for me to unpack. How exciting. So now my boutique quilt shop is almost ready to open it’s doors! So, what is a boutique quilt shop? It is smaller than a regular quilt shop but bigger than a personal stash. I found there was a huge gap in quilt fabric availability in my area so decided to rearrange my long arm studio to accommodate some extra shelving. I ordered fabric way back in November last year and just now it is starting to flow in. I still have a few things to do before I am ready for walk in customers so watch this space!
Home from France
A few days ago I returned home from a wonderful holiday in beautiful France. Four weeks of trying to speak french was fun and I managed to learn a few more phrases! I will post a some photos of my journey once I upload them but just wanted to share these beautiful photos of my two furbabies. They missed me terribly. It was so nice to come home to them! Love you Toby and BJ!
