Red Brolly

Aren't you all clever?

It's been aaaages since I've had a look in my flickr groups. I really must apologise and feel a little guilty about it. I love flicking through all the images to see what you've been creating, so this morning I sat down and took the time looking at and enjoying your creativeness and gorgeous stitching.

Here a few favourites which I thought that I would share with you....

 

Cotton Country Quilt by Ka Du Sei. The original pattern was in red, but I just love how different in looks in black tones.

"My Little Teahouse bag" by Yootje60

"Friends Gather" quilt by MariaRe from Brazil.

A Brutus bag by Losri (he will be pleased!).

Homespun Christmas quilt- "The Wish," by Samelia's Mum.

...and another by Miramoza.

Gorgeous aren't they?

An "Easter Egg Googy bag", made with my free pattern...by JeanetteL45

And a lovely tablerunner by Fiona Young Raynor, which she shared with us on my facebook page.

Aren't you all just so clever? But I should've known that, shouldn't I? Thank you all for sharing your stunning stitching with us.

Have a lovely weekend. Happy stitching.

Sew Cute!

Just a quick posting, but an oh-so-cute-one!

I've been meaning to share this with you for awhile. If you're a friend on facebook, I shared this with you a few weeks ago. 

I just recently stumbled across this latest craft magazine from the UK, Mollie Makes. It's up to issue #3, but you must watch this video clip. Absolutely gorgeous...and watch out for the cheeky ending.

 

Sew and tell

Time for another Sew and Tell. I just love doing these. This week is a very lovely and very patient lady (We did this interview with her quite awhile ago) by the name of Jeanette. Please come with me as we take a peek into her creative world....

 

Please meet Jeanette.

Here's some important things you need to know about her. Firstly she's a Queenslander (but we won't hold that against her), she's a super crafty mum, who loves cats. Her main passion is embroidery, but, she loves to collect unusual plants and old china. Would you like to find out more? Should you visit Jeanette's blog? Absolutely! You can here.

Jeanette has just returned from a weekend stitching retreat to Mount Alford Lodge. Perhaps you were there too?

She is a very busy lady-participating in many, many various online stitching groups and craft swaps. She's also part of OPAM 2011 (One Project A Month) which many of you are also participating in, as well as being part of the "Vignette Hexagon Quilt" project- told you she was patient, didn't I?

Jeanette also finds the time to attend a patchwork group twice a month-where she gets together with a lovely group of stitching ladies to spend the morning sewing (cough, cough...I'm sure that there's more than stitching going on at these gatherings!).

Would you like to see some photos?

 

Can you see all those gorgeous books, magazines and patterns? Isn't she organised?

Jeanette has been creative and crafty all of her life and doesn't remember a time when she wasn't making something. Like a lot of us her mother  taught her to embroider, sew, knit & crochet when she was a tiny girl (Are you sensing a theme here?). Both her Mother and Grandmother always did some form of craftwork. She's also joined craft groups over the years to make friends with like-minded people  & to learn new crafts.

Jeanette first started doing patchwork 20 years ago when her first project she completed was hand pieced, 8 Dresden plate, table mats. She then didn't do any patchwork for awhile, then she tried, (and very successfully) made her first quilt.

Her absolute favourite craft medium would have to be embroidery but she also loves doing patchwork & quilting-especially when the two mediums combine! She particularly loves to hand piece as well as do needleturn & buttonhole applique.

Finally here's her favourite place to stitch....
Comfy, hey?

 

I'll just leave you with her favourite inspirational quote...

Thank you Jeanette for letting us into your creative space.

The BIG Reveal:: My new patterns, as promised!

I'm so excited to be finally sharing these brand new designs with you. 

Over the past few weeks I've been giving you little glimpses of my new quilts, either here or on facebook.

I've been very busy in the studio designing, sewing, creating, drawing, writing and stitching to bring you these new designs and projects....

TA DA!!! Firstly, there's my new Christmas quilt.

  
It's made usign fabric from The French General's range of fabric " Fa-la-la-la-la" and " Pom Pom De Paris."

Can you see the borders? Made from prairie points. Doesn't it make it just that bit more special?

You don't know how to do prairie points? Not to worry, I'll give you a tutorial shortly on the in's and out's of sewing prairie points.

Would you like to see a close up of some of the panels?

 

 

 

 

Can you see the redwork "lace" stitching?

It's just a simple backstitch!

Very effective don't you think?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Righto...onto the next Christmas Project.

   

"Ginger Snaps"- a cute carrier display basket for the Christmas table. You can put all your Red Brolly Goody recipies-which I know you've been printing off and keeping- into the baskets. They would also make great presents to give. Fill them with whatever you like-maybe put together some great craft items and use the basket to present them in.

The Gingerbread men and women and the Christmas cupcake designs can also be sewn to make a lovely Christmas Garland.

NEXT....told you I've been busy.....

This is THE "Fairy Garden" Quilt which I've been getting tremendous feedback from everyone on facebook. Thank you so much, it's been lovely to hear.

I've been showing you little glimpses over the past months, but,  I'm so excited to be finally showing you the completed quilt...

Here's some of the panels-no jigsaw pieces this time!

And here's the quilt and cushion...

 

As you can see it's very busy down in the garden. Fairies busy tending to the garden and painting flowers, forest critters rushing about their day, Mummy mouse watching her young, mushroom houses having a spring clean...all under the watchful gaze of the wise old owl.

 

 

Red Brolly Girls do Sydney...with some new patterns!

This is rather a late post, I know. But just quickly....

Quilt and Craft Expo this weekend (18th and 19th June)...trade only I'm afraid. BUT....On display at the HQW Stand will be...TA DA! My new quilts...which I've yet to reveal the complete design to everyone. Promise....next posting!

My new "The Gift" Christmas Quilt and "Fairy Garden" quilt samples will be on display for all to see. Stop by Peter and Lynne's stand and say "hello."

Not to worry people....patterns should be available in the shops fairly soon. If you've been to my facebook page recently you will have seen already a few panels which I've been giving sneaky peeks to. In case you've missed out, here's a few panels from the new quilts...

 

From "The Gift" Christmas quilt...

See the red lace stitching on the house panel?

 

AND from "Fairy Garden"...

I promise next week I will reveal all. Promise!

Have a lovely weekend and if you make it to the trade show, let me know what you think.

Free Pattern:: Three Bears Toy Bag

As promised in my last post, here's the pattern for my Three Bears Toy Bag which was a project in Australian Homespun Magazine awhile ago. I've done lots of projects in the past for Homespun and they've been a fantastic supporter of my business.

If you haven't started already-hopefully it's not too late- but they are also doing a "My Town" BOM giveaway (just scroll down a little when you click on the link to find out more)

Some of Australia's top designers have joined together to design a quilt- Anni Downs of Hatched and Patched, Melanie Hurlston of Melly & me, Lynette Anderson and me! My design hasn't appeared yet, and Brutus is getting very impatient as he's featured in my block.

Anyway...enough chitty chat...here's the pattern as promised. They're all PDF's so you should just be able to download them and print them off. Any troubles, contact me. Enjoy!

 

Click on the headings.....

Download Toy Bag Instructions pg1

 

 

 

 

Download Toy Bag instructions pg2

 

 

 

 

 

Download Toy Bag Instructions pg3

 

 

 

 

 

Download Toy Bag Instructions pg4

 

 

 

 

   Download -Mama and Poppa Bear Stitchery and instructions

 

 

 

 

 

   Download TOYBAG-GOLDILOCKS stitchery and instructions

 

 

 

 

 

  Download Small Front Pocket stitchery instructions and pattern

 

 

 

 

 

Download Toybag-Stitching Baby Bear and instructions

 

 

 

 

Download Toybag Front Stitchery part 1

 
Download Toybag Front Stitchery part 2

 

 

 

 

Download Toybag Applique Bear Pocket

 

 

 

 

Instructions-How To granitos and lazy daisy stitch

 

 

 

 

 

Feel free to share it around and post in the chat rooms.

 

Next posting...my brand NEW patterns! All 3 of them!!!!!  2 new quilt designs and a project pattern.

I have been a very busy lady....

 

What goes into designing a new pattern...

Ever wondered how the designing process goes?

Usually I get an idea from the garden, or an article I've seen in a magazine. I love Mary Engelbreit, and draw from her for ideas too- I have a huge collection of her books and magazines.

I've been drawing all of my life and have studied art at school, and many years ago (not too many!) was a primary school art teacher for the local primary schools in the district. I've also sewn most of my life, originally making soft sculpture dolls.

I get a lot of requests for quilts and patterns and my ideas also stem from those..then of course there is also friends and family (namely S.J.V.H and the ladies in her stitching group), and the lovely ladies in my local quilting shop that I turn to for latest trends and inspiration.

Anyway, I'm getting slightly off topic...you can read more about me here.

Here's some of the designing process for a toybag I designed for Australian Homespun magazine.

The premise was that it was to be a pattern for their annual Children's edition. My design was centred around the story of "Golidlocks and the Three Bears," one of my favourite children's stories.

Here's the starting process....I sketch a few ideas. Play around with the drawings and sketches...usually for weeks, sometimes months at a time. Just depends upon what I am working on.

Then..TA DA!.... the finished design.

photo:Australian Homespun

AND..guess what? If you would like to make "The 3 bears toybag," you can.

I'll give you the pattern in the next post!

 

 

 

Inspiration...

Remember a few blog posts ago when I showed you how to make a "Sucky Puff" quilt? I mentioned that the latest trend is to make the yo-yo's or "sucky puffs" as large as possible.

Well, you must have a look at this gorgeous quilt by the very talented Amy Butler.

Using fabric from her latest range, Soul Blossoms....LOOK! A Sucky Puff quilt! Isn't it gorgeous? I love the size of the "sucky puffs," and the different variations in size. Fantastic!

 

Look at the layering of the yo-yo's too. Very effective.

And guess what?

She's very generously provided us with a free pattern, which she's entitled "Bloom Quilt."

 

AND....the talented people at the Purl Bee also have as their quilt project of the month a...WAIT FOR IT...Yo-Yo Coverlet! I'd like to think that I inspired them, cough, cough...of course!

Something to think about for a future project.

Hoop-la!!!

As in the last post, I discussed how to choose an embroidery hoop for hand stitching. But, embroidery hoops do not necessarily have to be used only for stitching.

Look at these great ideas using embroidery hoops.

Chalkboard hoops, made using chalkboard vinyl. For a free tutorial go to Hostess with the Mostess blog.

Use hoops to frame your favourite fabric and then use as wall art.

Look at this! Gorgeous Liberty fabric making a stunning wall display.

Wall art from purlbee.com.

....or a framed fabric for a ceiling display....

Nursery by Lorena & David of San Francisco.

 

And these, I think, are gorgeous ideas...

 

Finally, use your hoops to make food covers with muslin.

Other nifty ideas for your hoops include making a fabric clock, a  bird mobile or even a cake stand. 

Have I got you thinking?

Just click on any of the links mentioned above to go to the tutorial on how to make these wonderful suggestions.

Have a lovely, crafty weekend.

Ready, Set, Sew :: Choosing the correct embroidery hoop.

A part of a new, regular blog posts, I'll be writing posts which I''ve entitled "Ready, Set, Sew."

These postings will including tips and hints for improving your stitching and embroidery. They will hopefully be helpful to both the beginner and the experienced stitcher. I know a lot of you lovely readers are experienced stitchers, so please feel free to add your tips and suggestions for others to read. And, you don't have to agree with what I've said! All comments will be welcomed.

So, to start us off I've written a  posting on how to choose the correct hand embroidery hoop. Something which some of you may not have given a lot of thought to, but is actually something quite important. Happy reading, I hope you   are able to take something away from it.

 

 

 

Thank you to everyone for your suggestions. Please feel free to share your tips in the comment section.