Christmas

Greetings to all, the Christmas Season is upon us and I would like to thank all my customers for their support over the past year. We do appreciate you very much. We will be closed from 1pm on Saturday 22nd and reopen Thursday 27th till Saturday 29th December, then closed again until Thursday 3rd January. We are only closed our normal days (Sunday and Monday) and the Stat days of Tuesday and Wednesday each week. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Safe New Year and look forward to seeing you again soon.
We still have Christmas Cracker Snaps available - only $4 for 10 snaps. Make your own crackers as they have so much more interesting and personalised items in them than store bought versions and you have fun making them. Sorry we cannot mail these, must be collected in store only.
Here is a photo of my latest Fabric Strip Club Quilt for December.

I designed this to represent Christmas ornaments hanging but if you use other fabrics it won't look christmassy. It might be more like a bead curtain?? Patterns are available to purchase for only $8 each.
Merry Christmas
Dianne

Fabric Strip Club

I thought I had better update the blog with photos of the last 2 Fabric Strip Club quilts I designed and made. For October I thought I would make something using a very traditional pattern with a modern twist so used hexagons made with fabric strips 2.5" in very Autumn colours.

The cat decided to get in and photo bomb this one. The border was made using all the leftover bits that were cut off when cutting the hexagons, so used everything.
Then for November I decided to make a Christmas Tree and had fun creating this very different tree. You get 2 quilts from making one set of fabric strips and you can choose from 2 versions - either using the positive and negative versions of the whole tree or split it down the middle and create an unusual version with half trees and the positive and negative, which is the version I chose to make.

As you can see, it is quite different yet fun. Now I have a second set of strips featuring the opposite sides which I can make into another quilt. For the one above I chose to quilt straight lines horizontally but with the next one I might try playing with feather quilting patterns to see how different it can look.
Patterns are now available for both for only $8 each.
The next Fabric Strip Club will be on 8th December starting at 8:30am with demo's of the techniques I use. Maybe I will see you there.
Dianne

Quilt Shows

This weekend 6th & 7th October there are 2 quilt shows in my region.
Rose City Quilters are putting on Celebration of Quilts at PN Girls High School, Fitzherbert Ave, PN.  10am - 4pm both days.
Rangitikei Country Quilters have their quilt show at Nga Tawa Events Centre, Calico Line, Marton, only a 40 minute drive from Palmerston North, so you could visit both shows in one day. Saturday 10-4 and Sunday 10am - 3pm.
Both shows have merchants on site and lots of quilts to drool over.
I am a merchant at Rangitikei and will have some Show specials on offer - 4.5" Handy Square ruler and 15" Super Square rulers are both 20% off. Plus I will have some SALE fabrics available.
Do have a look at these shows, there will be lots of wonderful quilts on display.
Look forward to seeing you there
Dianne

September Fabric Strip Club Quilt

I forgot to post a picture of the September Fabric Strip Club Quilt. This one was inspired by some lovely fabrics that arrived in together in navy, green and white. I added to them and added soft greys for the background and here is my latest Strip Club Quilt "Spring Fresh"

The pattern is usually pieced as a lantern but I wanted to be a little different so offset it a pattern to make it like ricrac. You could use the lantern pattern for your version.
Both pattern and fabric strip roll are available to purchase from my store.
Dianne

More Fabric Strip Club Quilts

I have been busy and made 2 new Fabric Strip Club Quilts.
This one was for July - I made it using a 1 1/2" strip roll and wove it closely together, then used fancy stitches on my machine to stitch over the raw edges.

Something a little different, yet so easy to do. And below is another one I made using the same technique but using 2 1/2" strips that I turned under the edges of, then wove leaving a gap between -

Different yet still similar. Had fun making both of those.

August's version is below - uses a 40 strip roll of half light and half dark based with only 55cm of background. What do you think of this?

Patterns for both are now available for only $8 each. Full instructions with each. Fabric rolls are also available for each if anyone is interested.
Now thinking about what I can create for the next one.
Dianne

Fabric Strip Club This Saturday

Saturday 14th July is the next Fabric Strip Club. From 8:30am until 10am you can call in and get a demo on the techniques I used to make this months Strip Quilt. I have had fun and used long strips this time. Very happy with the 2 quilts I have made. Do call in and check them out. This techniques means you can create a quilt in no time at all. I will post photos next week.
Here is a photo of last months quilt - I used Music fabrics and a black homespun that I stamped with metallic gold designs using a carved wooden stamp from the Trade Aid Store.

Patterns are still available for all previous Fabric Strip Club quilts. Remember if you call in on the Saturday morning to see the demos at 8:30am , 9am and 9:30am you get a special price of only $6 on the patterns and 10% off any purchases you make that morning.
Look forward to seeing you
Dianne

Shop Hop Quilts 2018

Shop Hop is on again in August this year. There are 9 shops participating - you choose the fabric selection you want to collect, pay the registration fee of NZ$45 and in August you visit each of the shops to collect a part of the pattern and one or two of the 15 fat eighth's for your collection. Whether you just collect the fabric to use or make the chosen quilt is up to you. You can collect more than one fabric selection, just pay each registration. You can register at any of the 9 shops, just specify your chosen fabric selection on the registration form. Here are some of the quilts -
Mine is made using a variety which I called Eclectic Bright Mix.

A little bit of everything especially chosen to make this quilt, yet useful for many others. And here is my quilt -

I am very happy with the way this quilt turned out. I decided to use a collection of black, white and grey, mostly texts and a couple of 'brick' patterns for the background. It really helps to pop my appliques and piecing.
Here are some of the other quilts

Amiees Homesstead Quilts version

Angels in Gumboots version

Busy Bee Quilt Shop's version

Cherry Pie Bernina's version

Quilter's Lane made 2 versions - a pieced and an appliqued
Still 3 to come, will post those as soon as I have them. Do call in and see the quilts in each store if you want and collect a registration.
Dianne

April's Fabric Strip Club Quilt

I just realised that I had not posted a picture of April's Fabric Strip Club Quilt.
For this one I chose a fabric which I wanted to use in the border and then pulled the colours from that.  A little different as it only had grey, chartreuse and ivory, but I was very happy with the way it turned out.

Those little pops of colour came from the fact that I used some Alison Glass fabrics and in the range I had a couple of these bright purple pink colours and felt that maybe I might need that little pop.I am very pleased with this quilt. The pattern is now available for NZ$8 and I also have a Fabric roll precut for this range - only 20 fabrics in the roll.

As well as this one I also made a sample using some Kaffe Fassett fabrics just to show how different you could be, and also played around with the layout too - what do you think of these?

A few of the variations you can achieve using this pattern. And doesn't the fabric really change the look of the pattern.  Hope you like it .
Dianne

Fabric Strip Club

Once again it is Fabric Strip Club this Saturday 14th April. 8:30am - 10am.
Come along and I will demonstrate the techniques used to make this lovely quilt - in fact I made 2 quilts this time, quite different looking so you can see how versatile this pattern is. Very easy to make as well.
If you decide to purchase anything whilst you are here then you will receive 10% off the total purchase price. Patterns are a special "Strip Club" price of $6. See what you can make using 2 1/2" wide strips of patchwork fabric. Will show the quilt(s) after Saturday so you can see what I am talking about. Scroll below to an earlier post to see what I did for club #1 & #2.
Dianne

Blue Bayou Quilt Class

I have a couple of vacancies in the Blue Bayou Quilt class on Sunday 15th April. Just give me a call and I can send you the needs list. Picture of the quilt below -

This is a simple quilt to put together the basics, creating a "stained glass" effect, but then you cut into the pattern and create a new section. This is a little more challenging but that is the reason you come to class, so I can help you along the journey. Look at making your own version, can be any colour choice you like.
Dianne

Fabric Strip Club #3

Fabric Strip Club #3 is coming up in a couple of weeks - Saturday 14th April.
I am busy working on creating a new design and very happy with the way it is going together. Have cut the fabrics and sewn most of them into blocks, now to put them together. This time I picked the border fabric and then picked the roll fabrics from the colours in this border.
Thought you might like to see the quilt I made from the blue/green/purple roll from #2

Although it looks like it is sewn on point, it is not, all straight cut and sewn blocks.So reminds me of a tile floor, which is why I called it Persian Tiles.
Why not look at coming along from 8:30am on Saturday 14th April to see the techniques used to put the next quilt together and to see the "great" unveiling of the quilt top. Fabric rolls will be available for sale, along with the patterns (patterns are at a reduced rate for that day - only $6 each) and anything you purchase on the day will attract a 10% discount. Plus a couple of giveaways as well.
Look forward to seeing you there.
Dianne

Fabric Strip Club Saturday 10th March

Once again it is time for Fabric Strip Club, this Saturday 10th March 8:30am - 10am. Come along and see a FREE demonstration on how to put this quilt together. If you want to purchase a pattern they are available for a Special Price of only $6 (normally $8) plus if you want purchase any other items in store that morning you will receive a 10% discount off the retail price. Worth coming....
Here is a sneek peek of the fabric colours I chose and cut into Fabric Rolls

Yummy colours .... but you can choose whatever fabric selection you like to make your quilt. I will show you 'look' boards to share the process of how the quilt is made and you get to see the finished quilt.

The first Strip Club was very successful - here is a picture of the completed quilt. I have seen 2 quilt tops made by customers which are really lovely. Well done Fiona and Jenny, your quilt tops look gorgeous.

Demos will start at 8:30am on Saturday and then I will repeat them at 9am and 9:30am so you can all get to see them. Remember you get a 10% discount off all purchases this morning only.

Looking forward to seeing you there and showing how to create another fun quilt which I am calling "Persian Tiles" because the quilt looks very much like floor tiles.

Dianne

Craft Classes for 1st Term 2018

I have finally done a class list for the first term of 2018. If you are interested in any of these classes please contact me by phone  (06)3555735, email or call in to the shop.

Beginners Patchwork  6 Wednesdays 21, 28 Feb, 7,14,21 & 28 Feb 7-9pm
If you want to learn the basics of patchwork, fabric selection, hot cut and sew accurately, how to piece blocks and then how to put a quilt together and quilt it then this class will guide you along the way.

Machine Quilting - Wednesday 15 February 7-9pm
I can guide you to learn how to use your sewing machine to quilt  using both the walking foot and the free motion foot. You may want to come along to refresh your skills. This is only a brief intro, you do need to practice.

Orange Peel Quilt - Sunday 18 February 9:30am - 4pm
Dianne has designed this class to show you how many ways you can make this traditional block. You choose which of these methods suits you best and make a selection of blocks then learn what layouts you can achieve. There are so many ways to set out this block.

Monthly Miniature Quilts - 2nd Tuesday of each month February through to September 7-9pm
If there is enough interest I can do this during the day as well. Please ask, one person already has.
Learn the techniques to make different miniature quilts each month. Traditionally a miniature is a small version of a large quilt, generally no bigger than 24" square. A grouping of miniature quilts looks stunning on a wall.

Beach Huts Quilts Sunday 25 February 10am - 3pm
Create your own beach hut scene. Dianne has designed a collection of shapes to use to make your own unique beach hut scene. Can be made as a wall hanging or cushion or canvas.

Blue Bayou Quilt Sunday 15 April 9:30am - 4pm
Dianne has created this quilt using precut strips to create an almost stained glass effect, then she bravely cut into it and added a different colour. You don't have to cut a curve, it can be straight. Dianne will have examples so you can see. You can use this as a base and applique shapes over it as well.

Strip Club (Fabric strips that is!!)
On the 2nd Saturday of every month February through to December I will hold (Fabric) Strip Club from 8:30am - 10am FREE. This will be a free session where you come along and Dianne will demo a quilt or bag made using precut strips (2.5" generally but not necessarily). As well as getting a demonstration on how to make the quilt, there will be patterns available for sale at a Special price. There will also be giveaways on the morning. We will have some Fabric Rolls precut, made up using the fabrics we choose for our sample quilt, for purchase at a Special Price. There will be 10% discount for purchases that morning.
Do come along and see what you can create using these precut strips of fabric. The quilt above uses 2.5" wide plus 1" wide but it will not be the quilt that is demoed. It just gives you an idea of what you can create. Do join us for this FREE event.

Contact me for more info
Dianne