2013 Shop Hop

The 2013 Quilters Friend Shop Hop is now gearing up and registrations are open. Each of the quilts from the 5 shops involved - Village Books & Crafts, Palmerston North; Crafty Pear, Pahiatua; Quilters Lane, Masterton; Sawmillers Quiltery, Te Marua, Upper Hutt; Cherry Pie Bernina, Levin - are now travelling around each of the shops so you can see them 'in the flesh' so to speak. Rather than just relying on photos we are sending each quilt to each shop for a week. I received the quilt from Cherry Pie and have had this on display over the last week and from Monday 2nd we send them on again so next weekend 5-7th I will have Sawmillers' quilt on show. Do call in view this if you can.
Just in case you are not sure what a shop hop is - you pay a registration fee of NZ$45 (at any of the above shops) and choose which quilt and colourway you prefer. As you visit each of the 5 stores listed above from October 26th through to November 17th you collect your fabric pack (generally to make 2 blocks) from each shop. You will then have 10 blocks to make up a quilt of your own or you can purchase a finishing kit of the quilt of your choice to complete the quilt as the original one was made. Why not make up a party and share a car to travel around each of the shops, have a little fun along the way. You get 10% off your purchases if you spend more than NZ$11 and produce your Shop Hop passport, and each shop has some specials for you. Also get your Shop Hop passport stamped at each store and go in the draw to win one of 5 gift baskets - yay!
If you want to view all 5 quilts check out the website - www.quiltersfriend.wordpress.com or call in see - we have photos of each quilt and samples of fabrics used at each store.
Here is my quilt for this year - it may seem a lot of work but you can always ask me for options - the quilt can be made smaller and leave out the outside round, or you can use just black for the inner triangles to set the quilt on point (not so much piecing then) or just black around the outside border and maybe more applique. Just ask and I'll see what we can do   "Autumn Leaves"

I did a lot of quilting on mine because I see them as a way to practice machine quilting. You do not have to do this or be so intricate with your machine quilting. I will be offering the choice of purchasing a Quilting Instruction pack with all my designs as an extra if you would like to have a go. If not, simple straight line quilting will be fine.

Contact me if you would like to register for the Shop Hop or if you cannot do the Shop Hop but would like to make the quilt please call me for a price on the complete kit.

Dianne

Patchwork & Craft Classes 4th Term 2013

Hi everyone,
Below is a list of the classes I will be running for the remainder of this year
Machine Quilting
Tuesday 17 Sept and/or Thursday 10 Oct 7pm - 9pm  NZ$15 each night
Would you like to improve your machine quilting skills? You have the basics but need practice, come along on one or both nights and Dianne will guide you on your quilting journey.

Chevron Quilt
Sunday 22 Sept 10am - 4pm NZ$40
Dianne has found 6 different methods for putting together a Chevron Quilt. This style is all the rage in the US at present, why not try it out for yourself? She will show you all 6 methods, you choose the one you want to make your quilt with (or try out all 6) and Dianne will show you how to create a very modern style quilt.

Above are two different styles of chevrons

Using Gel Mediums

Tuesday 8 Oct 7pm - 9pm NZ$15

Dianne will show you how to use Gel Mediums with fabric. It can be used in mixed media styles and contemporary patchwork, you can make gel transfers on fabric and stitch through it. Dianne will show you several ways this will work with fabric. Call in and see some samples

This one is using butter muslin with texture gels and then hand painting

This is an image from a magazine that I have covered with gel medium and made into something like a decal.

Modern Christmas Tree Quilt or Runner

Wednesday 16 Oct 7pm - 9:30pm NZ$20

Dianne has created a modern and easy to sew Christmas Tree pattern that can be used for table runners, placemats, quilts etc. Whilst Dianne made hers using all white as a background you could use different colours for the backgrounds.

Scrap Sensations

Sunday 20 Oct 10am - 4pm NZ$40

Make a quilt like Dianne's Kea. You use scrappy pieces of fabric on a calico base. If you make a small scale picture in class you will finish it quicker than making a larger piece. You can create almost anything using this method

Psychedelic Splash Whale Quilt

Sunday November 3, 10am - 3pm NZ$35

Dianne has designed this fun children's quilt (or adults if you love whales) using raw edge piecing so it goes together very quickly and only uses 2 fabrics (but you can use more) It is so quick to put together you will start quilting this on the day.

Come in and see me, or phone or email for more info on any of the classes.

Diannne

I (Heart) Paper magazine

Did you know that Cloth Paper Scissors put out a new magazine this month - I (Heart) Paper.

This has some lovely projects in it -

I love folding paper book pages to make shapes and these look fun.

Full instructions on how to make these items are in the magazine. NZ$26
Give me a call and I can send a copy to you or call in and check them out. I love quilting with paper as well. Have you tried it?
Dianne

New Patchwork Fabrics

Hi everyone,
I have had some lovely new patchwork fabrics arrive in store in the past month and I ma going to share some of them with you.

It is always hard to photograph white on white fabrics properly. This one has an allover vine style pattern and is one of 3 that just arrived in store at only NZ$21 per metre

This one came out better but the last one didn't, it has a tile style pattern on it which you can only just see on the right hand side.

Winter Wonderland is a new range from Jason Yenter of In The Beginning Fabrics. I love this border fabric.

With 4 repeats across the fabric you can buy the length you require and make lovely borders or maybe a row by row style?? NZ$28 per metre

This is the allover design that goes with the border.

This is Razz from Kona Bay NZ$28. Love the rich green and purple shades in this

The border fabric could also be used in blocks.

And then there is this lovely purple blender to go with the above 2.

Another music inspired fabric. This is All That Jazz NZ$30.80 per metre. Love the rich red background.

Animal Alphabet for the children. This bright fabric is part of the range where we have an "A is for" panel

and the allover yellow stripe goes beautifully, only NZ$27.10 per metre

This next one from Mellow Yellow is good with black and white highlighted with yellow. 

 As it is August and time to think about making some Christmas quilts - here are 2 gorgeous fabrics for Christmas 

These are from the Art Nouveau Christmas range NZ$26.80 per metre. The bottom one is not christmassy at all so can be used all year around. Lovely tomato red background.

Come and visit in store if you can otherwise we are happy to accept mail order. 

Dianne

My Quilt at Taupo Symposium

I may have mentioned in an earlier post that I got a quilt accepted to the exhibition at Taupo Symposium but couldn't show you until after the event. Well it finished last weekend so here is photo of my quilt.

I am really pleased with the way this quilt turned out. I think he looks lovely. Unfortunately he did not win any prizes but I did get some lovely comments from people attending the exhibition, thank you.
He is made using scraps of fabrics for the body, glue basted onto a calico base. The background is my own hand dyed fabrics which really came to life when I quilted the stone design. The fabric then looked so much like stone I couldn't believe it. Worked very well, I think. Black tulle was placed over the bird area and quilted to hold it all in place as it is all raw edge. I did not extend the tulle over the background as I didn't like the look of it. Once the piece was all quilted I felt it needed a little something else and added the fine green strips as an inner border, it did seem to lift the design.
Dianne