New Christmas Fabrics

Some beautiful new Christmas Fabrics have just arrived in. I love these!!
Check out these 2 Chistmas Tree designs

Panel size is 60cm by fabric width (112cm) NZ$17.05 each. I just love these and can see them with lots of quilting and 'bling' added. Why not add some hot fix crystals to add that bling? You can make the bigger quilts/wall hangings by adding pieced blocks along each side or adding borders.
And this Advent Calendar is one of the easiest I have ever seen to put together

You fold up each row, as marked, then sew down in a line on each side to create the pockets. So simple!! NZ$17.80 each 60cm panel.
Now is the time to get these Christmas items made so you have more time closer to Christmas. And if we run out we cannot guarantee getting more in, so be in quick.
Dianne

Decorator Weight Cotton Fabrics

I now have in store some of the new decorator weight cottons. These are still 100% cotton but they are slightly heavier in weight and can be used for placemats, cushions, bags etc.
I made a tote bag using one of the fabrics which has 4 different prints across the width -

These photos show both sides of the tote bag. I used 50cm of the fabric (but could have made it less as the bag is a little floppy being that wide, probably 40-45cm would have been better). I cut the basic bag rectangle out of 3 designs across the fabric and the handles from the 4th design. I did line this with plain red homespun. This fabric is NZ$31.45 per metre

I love the design of this one, very abstract yet could be likened to an onion. Black and cream heavier weight cotton. NZ$34 per metre

These birds (oops sorry I got it upside down) are very cute, they are NZ$29.70 per metre
and last, but not least, this NZ design

These Pohutukawa flowers are NZ$25.70 per metre.
Why not try some fabric that has a little more body to it? Would make great cushions for outdoors as well.
Dianne

Shop Hop Quilt 2013

It will soon be time for this years Shop Hop to take place (Oct). I have been hard at work designing my quilt as I wanted to show it at Tote & Gloat this year. There are only 5 shops this year since Clare sold her shop. There will be 5 blocks, you collect 10 blocks, 2 versions of each block and you can make your own quilt or you can choose to purchase the kit to complete the quilt that you prefer. Each of the 5 shops has their own colourway and design based on a medallion style quilt setting. It took me a while to make as I was designing as I went.
Here it is -

In the centre of the design it is a square shape which has been tilted by adding triangles to each side. This is so easy to do, no hard sewing, even though these are pieced triangle portions. I used 6 of the blocks in the centre portion of the medallion. They appear to be on point because of the tilting of the centre square.
Then I used the remaining 4 in the border - these are easier to set in than you think as all you need to do is add triangle to each side to make them a rectangle (so they are on point as in the centre) then sew the borders on either side. I have used some of my die cut shapes to fill in the background are a spaces, these will be included in the finishing kit. A very Autumn coloured quilt using a mixture of batiks and prints. Soon I hope to start the quilting on this. Call in to view it if you are thinking of doing the Shop Hop this year.
Dianne

Die Cut Shapes

I recently purchased an Accuquilt Go Baby die cutting machine. These are fun because they cut accurate shapes in seconds. No fiddly cutting with scissors. I have cut oak and maple leaves as well as flowers and stems. By cutting carefully you can use the 'waste' fabric.
Here are some pieces left after cutting -

A maple leaf was cut from this piece, obviously.

And these ones are petals, or they could be leaves. I cannot bear to throw out anything I think may be useful. So yesterday I started playing around with the 'waste pieces and created this piece.

The oak leaf squares were already prefused so I placed them over a piece of multi dye fabric in a 4 patch design. I then sewed green strips along the sides and top and bottom of this central piece. Along the top and bottom I fused 2 strips that I had cut circles from. Then it was just quilting the piece. I think it looks really good for something made from the pieces you might throw out, don't you?
Why not call in and see me - I can demo the cutter and advise you on prices. I sell the Go Baby and all the dies, so ask me for the 'special deal'. I also have prefused precut shapes and 'waste' pieces for sale.
Here is another piece I have started -

I had cut out 2 maple leaves from this piece of fabrics. I fused it to the multi dye background and now will sew borders and then quilt.
Here are some of the oak leaves cut and ready to fuse -

I used these on my shop hop quilt for this year. Check out the next blog for pictures of that.
Call in and see me and all the samples
Dianne

Tote and Gloat and a mini tutorial on painted wholecloth miniature quilt

Doesn't time fly by when you are busy - I haven't blogged for the last few weeks as I have been very busy organising the tour of Cindy Needham from California to Palmerston North NZ for our local Tote & gloat show as well as trying to get a challenge done.
Cindy was fabulous - such a generous and giving tutor. Her lecture at Tote & Gloat and the 3 classes she did for Rose City Quilters were wonderful. Everyone who attended the classes thought she was one of the best tutors they had ever had. A big Thank You to Cindy for coming to visit us.
For the challenge I made a wholecloth quilt. The challenge theme was "Inspired by a Paper Napkin (serviette)". My mother gave me this paper napkin, it was just so elegant. I drafted up a variation of the pattern in the napkin and then decided how to make the quilt. I chose to do a miniature only 12" square. I decided to make this using white batik fabric, pure silk thread and a #60 needle. I quilted the design first and then went back and coloured in the 'applique' areas with a black Pigma Pen.
Here it is in steps -

I used a Frixion black (heat erase) pen to mark the design then machine quilted the 'applique' areas and started to colour them in to see if it would work. Then I machine quilted the entire background area. Using the small needle and silk thread means you can quilt very tiny stitches.

This is kind of scary because you have to stay in the lines, if it goes over you can't remove the pen. So just fudge it and make a slightly larger line outside the quilting stitches.

Yay, it looks good. Now how to edge it??? I decided to make the edges wavy and to face it as I do not like the look of an extra binding on it.

I was very pleased with the way it turned out, and I won a Merit Ribbon so I am very pleased.Dianne