Cracker Snaps

As Christmas approaches us so quickly, now is the time to make your own christmas crackers. You will have far better gifts etc in them if you make them yourself rather than buy them ready made. I have been so disappointed with bought ones.
Cracker snaps come in packets of 10 for NZ$3 or buy 5 or more packets and get a 10% discount.
They are so easy to make - you do need to use a light weight paper tho as it is easier to 'snap' apart. The beautiful heavy papers are much harder to pull apart so if you want to use these the lightly score them across the wrong side middle before using so they do come apart and you don't sit there pulling with nothing happening.
You can use any cardboard type roll for the centre - this could be from a toilet roll or you can cut the rolls from paper towels/cling wrap etc in half to whatever length you want and use them. Make your own roll from cardboard if you need something a little bigger. Your paper covering has to be at least the length of your roll twice and enough to easily wrap around them.
How to make a Christmas Cracker
Lay the paper right side down on the table and place a cracker snap across the middle of the long side and then place your roll over this. Now place 2 more of the same rolls with a 1-2" gap on either side from the centre roll. (- - -) Place a strip of double sided sellotape along the edge of the paper and roll up, pressing carefully along this edge to seal. The 2 extra rolls help keep the shape nicely. Now tie one end between the 2 rolls using string, ribbon, etc and tie tightly. This will help the cracker snap stay in there, remove the extra roll and your end stays looking very professional. Pop whatever goodies you want in from the open end and then tie this between the 2 rolls and your cracker will look great without the ends all squashed up. Remove the remaining extra roll. Now decorate the top of the cracker if you want or just leave with your nice paper.
Have fun 'cracking' them and have a wonderful Christmas.
We are open between Christmas and New Year. Closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday for statutory days. Call in and see us when you get time to want to make something.
Dianne

Advanced Dye class & New Fabrics

Oh dear... I did not realise it has been just over a month since I last posted something. I have just finished the sale month which went very well. Hopefully you got a bargain from our $12 per metre special fabrics and the 50% off ribbons, buttons and beads. Keep an eye out for our next specials.
I recently went over to the lovely ladies in Marton and taught an Advanced Dyeing Class. What fun we had creating all sorts of  techniques for dyed fabrics from dripping to sprinkling, tied resists to flour paste resist, tray deying and batik. They will have a lot of wonderful fabrics to show their fellow members at Show & Tell.

Here are some of my samples, sometimes it is hard to stop adding more fabric as they look gorgeous as you are making them you just want to keep making more.

I look forward to seeing some of their pieces.

Some new fabric that arrived in recently are these 2 from Susybee, one a panel for the wall or bed and the other a growth chart. Although this has inches marked along the side you can stitch a tape measure for metric measurments along the egde as well. Both are quite delightful fresh new designs. The panel is NZ$23.90 and the growth chart is only NZ$9.50. Oops sorry, forgot to turn it up the right way.

We will be open through out the Christmas Holiday period, closing only for the statutory days, the Thursday Sit & Sew-cial is on all through. Look forward to seeing you
Dianne

SALE time

I first started business in October 1984 with a bookshop/newsagency and then 3 years later I added the Handcraft Supplies in October 1987. So I have been in the handcraft supplies business for 24 years.
For the next month (the remainder of October and all of November) I am offering you the following Birthday specials -
*****a large selection of Patchwork Fabrics only NZ$12 per metre*****
this is at least 50% off the normal price of these fabrics
and there is ****20% off all the Non Sale Fabric****
All of our ****Buttons and Charms are 50% off*****
All ****Beads are 50% off and all Ribbons are 50% off****
*****Laces ore 75%****
Batting has 10% off and Books have 20% off
There will be many items at marked Special Prices as well.
Call in and check out these specials. Call me if you want to come outside normal business hours. I am happy to try and suit your hours if possible. Contact me for mail orders.
Be in quick, items will sell fast. Sale prices refer to items currently in store, anything ordered in specially will not attract these discounts.
Dianne

Black & White Fabrics

There are some lovely black and white fabrics around and I have quite a few of them in store. New ones just arrived in are -
these lovely butterfly fabrics - one is black on white and the other is white on black. Both are ideal to overdye or colour in if you want.

and this lovely allover pattern

All 4 fabrics are NZ$26 per metre. Check them out in store.
Dianne

Merchant at QuiltFest & New Fabrics

I have just had a lovely day at the QuiltFest put on by Town and Country Quilters in Levin. Lovely exhibition of quilts and 8 merchants, of which I was one. Thank you to all who visited and purchased items from my stand. It is really fun meeting everyone at these shows and seeing what you have been doing, especially when it is from one of my classes.
I have had a couple of new fabrics in which have been very popular. The Harvest range featured a couple of blogs ago has sold and, come in and sold out again. It is such a lovely rich fabric range.

There is a new childrens fabric featuring building and construction which had a beautiful border and a book panel, which can also be used as squares for a quilt. Bright and cheerful colours and a lovely little story that goes with it. Here is the border print NZ$27.50 per metre. I have sold out of the book panel at present.
Then there is Phat Cat Jazz fabrics -
A fabric which features musical cats - this fabric has 10 different cat blocks in a panel which is NZ$17.30 (or is sold by the metre NZ$27.50pm). There are several fabrics which go with this panel range.

This is the hot pink background with music over it.

This one has multi coloured dots allover and is great to mix as a border.

And this one is lime green with little paw prints allover.

Here is the quilt I made using the free pattern that came with the fabric, although I did alter their centre strip and put my own version through the centre and along the sides.

Check out these fabrics and much more in store.
Dianne

Class List for 4th Term 2011

Here are the craft classes left for the rest of this term.
Painted Wholecloth Miniature Quilts - Thursday 20th October 7pm - 9pm $15

Following a recent US magazine article about using fabric felt pens to create designs on quilts Dianne has made this miniature quilt which you too can replicate or create your own design. It is made using one piece of fabric and a fabric felt pen in black (although you can use any colour you like). Once you have coloured the design you can then quilt it to suit.

LEAVES Thursday 27th October 7pm - 9pm $15
Dianne will teach you how to create a variety of leaves using mixed media (fabric, felt, sheers, yarns, Lutradur, Tyvek etc). These leaves can then be used in quilts, scrapbooking,dolls, embroidery, jewellery etc. Some are hand or machine stitched and some are made using a heat gun or a soldering iron.Come in to see Dianne's samples.

STRIP PIECED QUILT Saturday 29th October 1:30pm - 4:30pm $20

This lovely quilt has been made using strips which are sewn together then cross-cut and then re-sewn together to form a pattern. By using just 3 fabrics you can create something really lovely and it is easy to sew. I had a gorgeous border fabric which I had to use for this project but if you don't have a border that suits you can join a couple of fabrics together to create a similar effect.

TAKE ONE BLOCK QUILT - Sunday 30th October 9:30am - 4pm $45

Dianne has had fun designing and teaching this scrap quilt. The block consists of 5 small half square triangles and one large half square triangle. She has designed at least 40 ways to sew the block and then there are at least 40 ways to layout the blocks...ohh the choices!! Dianne will show you 5 ways of sewing these half square triangles together, you'l learn a variety of different methods then you have to choose how to put the block together. All previous students have created some wonderful designs - why don't you join in and have fun too?
Give Dianne a call, email or drop into the studio and see the samples and join in.
Dianne

More yummy fabrics

There are some lovely fabrics arriving in store. One came in and was sold out within 2 days of arriving so I didn't even get to photograph it. I tried to get more but they had sold out, hopefully they will try and get more and then I will order some in again.
These 2 lovely black and silver fabrics from RJR Fabrics are from the Hana Yume range NZ$26.10 per metre.Both are gorgeous and so different to what we usually get in. Most fabrics have gold metallic but the
silver metallic is beautiful.

Then there is this rather beautiful large print poppy, in the most rich red, green and black. The poppies are about handprint size. NZ$26.90 per metre

Another lovely range out is Camelot by Jason Yenter. As well as a book (NZ$21.00) featuring a selection of quilts there are the fabrics (NZ$26.80 per metre) -

And then this gorgeous rich range called Harvest from P & B Fabrics NZ$26.50 per metre

The one above is a main print and the one below is a tonal fabric.

And this is the most gorgeous border print, about 10" wide for the 2 repeat and repeats 4 times across the width. I only needed to buy my longest length and I could cut out the 4 borders I require from this strip.

I just felt in love with the rich colours in this print and had to make something from it. I combined an easy block made from strip pieces from my Quilt Techniques Savvy class with the wide border print and made this beautiful quilt. Unfortunately the photo does not do it justice, it is better in real life.

Why not call in and see this quilt in all its glory. I have sold a couple of 'kits' for making this quilt already and ran out of the border fabric but have more arriving the end of September.
Dianne