New William Morris & Extra Wide Patchwork Fabrics

A n range of Michelle Hill designed William Morris fabrics from In The Beginning have just arrived in store. NZ$27.50pm. Check out the designs

This is the border print and the following are blenders and allover prints

Lots you can do with all of these. There are some lovely William Morris patterns around. Why not start making a new quilt today.
There are some lovely extra wide backing fabrics that have just arrived that I am sure you'll love.

This one is lovely for bright, modern or childrens quilts.

This cream is useful for those quilts with light backgrounds. These 2 extra wides are 2.8m wide and are NZ$27.60pm
These next two have a real elegance, in the pattern and colouration. At 2.7m wide they are only NZ$26.30pm

This is a really lovely black on black tonal print

And this is a lovely brown on brown tonal print.
Dianne

Classes February 2013 on

I have just finished writing up my class list so now need to publish it for you to view. I had fun over Christmas creating several new classes and samples. Please check them out and let me know if you want to join in a class.
Japanese Flower Garden Quilt
Sunday 24th February 10am - 4pm NZ$42
This is a very easy quilt to make nad you can keep making circles and adding them to the quilt. You can quilt it or not, I used machine fancy stitches to join the circles together but you can do this by hand.

It doesn't have to be made in Japanese fabric, it will suit almost any fabrics you choose.
Snap Bags
Tuesday 26 February 7-9pm NZ$18
These are fun bags to make. They 'snap' shut after you pull them open. Come and see how easy they are to make.They can be different sizes, and can be pieced fabrics or just use a pretty fabric to create. I made these 2 and showed my husband and he wanted me to make him one to hold his golf tees in. I made him a sqaure shaped one using golf fabric that had tees printed on it. You'll love how easy they are to put together.

Patchwork Techniques Savvy
3rd Wednesday of the month February - November 7-9pm $15 per lesson or $120 ($12 per lesson) if total paid by 11 February
Dianne has run this class for the last 2 years teaching a variety of techniques and shortcuts that can make cutting and sewing patchwork quilts much easier. Shortcuts and clever cutting & sewing techniques can make your piecing go together much faster. Come along and see what you can learn.
Here is a quilt from last year

Runner of the Month
2nd Tuesday monthly from February to November 7-9pm $15 per lesson or $120 ($12 per lesson) if total paid by 11 February

Would you like to make a variety of table runners, bed runners or narrow wall hangins? Dianne will teach different techniques each month to create a collection of runners that could be used for the table, bed or wall. In the first month Dianne will show you a 60degree angle runner. Dianne used Christmas fabric but you can use any fabric - border stripe or make your own border using a couple of fabrics
Garden Trellis Quilt
Sunday 3rd March 9:30am - 4pm NZ$45

This is a very quick and easy quilt to make. It looks harder than it is. There are also variations you can make. The photo showing is the Garden Lattice Quilt I made using floral fabrics. There is also an Argyle version (using just 3 fabrics and the lattice - like the argyle sox) and the Double lattice which looks quite different because you use a double version of the lattice strips.
Folded Fabric Purse
Tuesday 5th March 7-9pm NZ$18

This purse is so easy to make - sew and fold and sew again. Uses 2 squares of fabric, size depends on how big you want to make it. I used 2 fat quarters and the finished size is around 20x25cm. I have also designed a version that has extra pockets on the inside as well as the main central pocket and pocket either side.

The photo above shows just the centre pocket, but I have another which has 2 pockets within this area. I added a magnet snap for the centre and domes under buttons for the side pocket flaps.
Modern Quilt
Sunday 17th March 10-4pm NZ$42
I love the freshness and simplicity of Modern Quilts and have designed this easy square/rectangle block quilt. I used blue and white, several blue fabrics, to make this design but it could suit lots of fabrics.This is the first of many modern quilt classes.

I have Tiger's seal of approval on this one, here is a photo of him joining in on the quilt.

Look's right at home, doesn't he?
Collage Fabric Book
Sunday 24th March 10am - 4pm NZ$42
Dianne created this collage fabric book using surface design technqiues on Lutradur, painting, fusing, stamping etc. You could add photos printed on fabric, words using T.A.P (Transfer Artist Paper), hand paint and much more. Come and have as much fun as I did making one of these to suit your style.

 

Jennie's Half Nighter Quilt
Choice of 2 dates - Saturday 16th or 23rd March 2pm - 10pm NZ$65
Jennie has once again designed another quilt for making in a half nighter. The quilt is a mystery until you arrive at the class, all I can tell you is - you need a jelly roll and some background fabric. Full needs list on payment of class fee. Filling up quickly.
Fabric Storage Box
Wednesday 10th April 7-9pm NZ$18
Dianne created this fabric storage box with lots of pockets, made from only 2 fat quarters. You can create larger boxes if you want, Dianne can advise fabric requirements.Create colourful storage boxes for your workroom, bathroom, kitchen,office, lounge etc but be colour and pattern co-ordinated. Really quite easy to make.

 Circular Stitching
Tuesday 16th April 7-9pm NZ$18
Come along and learn how easy it is to stitch circular patterns on your machine without any fancy equipment. You'll leanr how to use the fancy stitches on your machine to create these wonderful patterns.

Sew Easy Star Quilt
Sunday 14th April 10am - 3pm NZ$35
Dianne came across this wonderful technqiue for sewing cutting a square block to make this interesting star. See what she has done with it and what you can do.Although I did it in Batik's, almost any colourway would work - Christmas, Black and White with an accent colour, florals...

Here's a couple of layout variations you could do -

I hope you will come and join me for one or more of these classes. If you would like a PDF of this class list emailed to you please contact me dianneandcolin@inspire.net.nz and I'll be happy to forward a copy to you. Call me or email or come into the shop to make your bookings.
Dianne

Create Your Own Fabric

Did you know it is very easy to create your own fabric. I am making a quilt using a fabric book panel which I decided to turn into a quilt/wall hanging rather than a book. I stitched the story pages side the by and around a central picture which was on the panel. This story picture had a big version of the picture with the words written beside it and then the instructions on how to put it together below. I wanted to use this story and the picture in the centre of my quilt so I had to fuse something over the instructions bit that was showing on my panel. Here is what I did

See the stones along the bottom of the block - they are fused using Vliesofix over the bottom of the panel so you cannot see where the intructions on how to make the book are. If you want to do this you need to lay a piece of tracing paper over the panel and trace the area you want to cover and then you have to place this upside down on the paper backing of the fusible to copy it, because if you lay it right sides facing up your fusible piece will be back- to- front. I think this turned out really well. The next photo shows how I put a frame around each story block. I used 3 colours and repeated them alternately.The green (scales) frame around the centre story block is fabric from the panel, that I cut out and resewed here.

I laid them out so you can read the story blocks from left to right around the centre panel. Now I wanted a fabric to frame around the centre panel but I didn't have just the right stripe. Sooooo... I made one. Here is a piece of white on white stripe fabric with fabric felt pens used on each alternate stripe.

Doesn't that look good! I used blue, pink, yellow and green fabric felt pens and drew them on each alternate stripe making sure I had a white stripe between. I think it looks great. Now I have to make enough to join it all together. Just sit down and play with the pens. Obviously you have to draw carefully and make sure you stay within the lines.Because these are fabric felt pens they are permanent and won't wash out. Yay! I hope this inspires some of you to try this yourself, have fun creating.
Dianne
PS I am so glad Blogger has fixed the photo uploading problem.

Unable to upload photos due to blogger problem

I have been trying to post some photos since Christmas but Blogger seems to have a problem uploading them at present. I thought it was just me but when I checked there are many affected by this as well. I will keep trying.
I have some photos of the fabric I made for a new quilt I am working on as promised in my last blog and I will be listing all the classes I have planned with their photos as well.
Dianne