a nice start to the year...

 How is 2013 working out for you so far?

Very early days to make any judgments yet I realise, but January at least is turning out to be a very enjoyable month already.

 The crazy treadmill of Christmas orders is behind me and I'm able to get on with stockist orders (lavender bags, above, getting ready to head out) at relative leisure, whilst managing a heap of other stuff at the same time.

My big thing this month is getting ready for the first of my screen printing workshops (one place left for Friday due to a cancellation if you fancy?) I am very excited about it and have been busily getting things sorted for it.

 The relative calmness of January has meant I am also getting some extra quilt making done. I have been working this week on my Glimma quilt. That has been most enjoyable, but not without it's hiccups (more about that in a mo).

 January also included a trip yesterday to Lynne's for Kitchen Quilt Guild meet up. I rarely get to go. Lynne lives a little bit too far away to get there very often. She really should move further North. Anyways...yesterday was lovely. It was great to see everyone and we had a guest appearance from Australia which was fab. Danielle is just so nice and it's always great to meet our virtual friends. The excitement of yesterday was that our Scrappy Trip Along Quilts had a meet up too!

 So the Glimma quilt...

I think I have already mentioned how much I am liking Lotta's new collection and I really really do, but I am not overly happy with how my quilt is turning out.

I order just about all the designs and colours in the collection, my favourites possibly in this little area below.

 I am also enjoying seeing the squares patterns that the blocks show when all pieced together but as a whole I am not sure it is working.

I think it is just too busy.

A few of us were talking yesterday about quilting with an entire collection and how a couple of the fabrics should be left out. I actually did leave out the jade greens, which I do love but didn't think worked well when i included the yellows and oranges.

Maybe it will all come together when it is quilted. That is often the case. I hope so because I want to love this quilt as much as I love the collection.

So 2013 is working for me on the whole. I am enjoying it. That said I am ignoring the major bane of my January calendar...taxes...if I ignore them they may go away and not be a little black cloud on my otherwise happy January...

irresistible fabric sale...

 Sales are irresistible enough...mega great value fabric sales even more so...and when combined with private courier service from the US in 36 more sleeps, this one at Pink Castle Fabrics really is way too irresistible. 
It is not for the faint hearted.

I was more than a little excited to discover Cleo by Dear Stella in the sale section. 
To be honest the release of this collection had past me by. I am not sure how that had happened. Maybe UK stockist aren't carrying it. Maybe its October release time coincided with my head day crazy Christmas time. Whatever the reason, let's just be grateful it hasn't past me by altogether and I managed to secure a little of it. I am particularly excited about Bargello in blue and sand.

I think I have made a mistake with my next selection...didn't order enough of Sewing Guide from Mama Said Sew. I know i know, but at some point I have to think of my poor Aunt and Uncle's baggage limit. besides there is still another month's worth of fabric to be tempted by.

The final purchase that looks like a great pink blender - and you never know when you need a little extra pink in your stash - is Seaweed in blossom from Sarah Jane's Out to Sea collection.

To be equally tempted by an irresistible fabric sale head over to Pink Castle Fabrics right now...I don't think there will be much left for long.

Happy New Year...

 So how was your holidays?

Did you get your WIPs finished?

Any new projects started?

 Suffice it to say I was far too distracted by external influences to finish any of my WIPs. 

Suffice it to say I was even too distracted by external influences to make the 2 new projects that I was planning.

This external influence was so strong it even pulled me away from my recent pile of Glimma which I absolutely adore.

If like me you haven't been looking after your family adequately this holidays and creeping off to sew you will probably know what I am talking about.

The project taking over IG, the Scrappy Trip Along is the most addictive quilting I have seen.

Seeing Rita's, Brenda's, Katy's was enough to make me drop everything and get blocking. Thank goodness our New Year's guests cancelled their 3 day trip. It's one thing to ignore your family but quite another to ignore your guests. That would just be rude.

It is such a great anything goes piecing quilt.

I haven't managed to do as much as I would like - apparently I'm not neglecting them as much as I could - but am probably half way through this one that is earmarked for Ruby. And in typically me mode I'm already thinking about all the combinations I want to do next - navy/grey/mushroom for Sam, red/white for Noah not to mention the wedding quilt option, friends moving house option. 

This is definitely going to be featuring heavily in 2013 both here and I'm pretty sure a lot of blogland too.

If you haven't jumped aboard yet go check out the Flickr Group Brenda set up and see all the great quilts taking shape.

I may not be starting the New Year getting my WIPs under control, but I am starting it with excitement and that's no bad thing. Is it?

Happy 2013 to one and all and wishing you many exciting quilting times xx

giveaway winner...and so long...

First up today the winner of the Glimma giveaway...altho I was tempted to accidentally on purpose forget to draw a winner and keep the extra Charm set for myself...but that would have been wrong...

So drawn by my beautiful assistant...

numero 35!

 hueisei said...

I will make a tote or pouch :D
Thanks for the chance to win

(please email me your address Hueisei and I'll send off your charm pack after xmas!)

 This will probably be my last pop by before Christmas, and if my family have anything to do with it before 2013 too.

 I would like to say I'm on top of all those WIPs that have been waiting in queue for half of 2012, but that would be a big fat lie.

I am determined to complete my Umbrella Prints quilt, my low volume quilt and also my Glimma piece.

Yeah, like any of that is going to happen.

 However what I have managed to finish are my 2 new screen printed baby quilts. I really really enjoyed printing these and what is going to be wonderful is that due to the printing process every one will be different. And they will be customisable too...want different colours? different background? different size?...all accomodateable (that's not really a word, but you know what I mean).

These 2 are up in my Etsy shop if you need that special new baby gift or if you would like to talk through customising one I would love to speak to you.

All that is left to say is to wish you all a very Merry Christmas with your loved ones and here's to a wonderful 2013 and all it may bring. Thank you for following me through 2012 and leaving your much appreciated comments and look forward to catching up in the New Year xx

training her up...

 First day of the school holidays and Ruby and I had our long awaited date at the screen printing studio.

Ruby had drawn this fab horse at school in art and we thought it would look great as a screen print. We had already had an order from a family member for a cushion. I am pretty sure she doesn't read my blog so it's safe to show you before she gets it. Ruby did it weeks ago but this was really the first opportunity we had had. 

Besides which it was a lovely first day of the holidays activity.

 We went to the workshop to expose the screen. That's the only thing I need to go there for now and it was actually nice to go see everyone there.

Once home and the screen dry Ruby got kitted up to get printing.

 Next step was to let that dry before we (me) could sew it into the cushion.

Pause for a sec to see my testing piece, the fabric I use to flood the screen with ink and test it has gone through. It is like a diary of my prints!

Finally the cushion was sewn up and one happy producer!

She has decided she would like to sell more of these (rather than just the family member sympathy buyer) and is trying to establish a fair split. We haven't quite come to a happy conclusion for both parties yet.

Let's just say we are in negotiation...

ps last day to enter my Glimma giveaway...go here if you haven't already...

a Glimma of a giveaway...

 Have you come across Lotta Jansdotter's latest collection Glimma yet?

You may have seen sneak previews posted around the internet recently.

It is to die for.

 Maybe I am seeing it with rose tinted spectacles, as it is no secret that Lotta is my absolute idol in the world of fabric design. As far as I am concerned everything she does turns to gold.

And I defy you to disagree.

The new collection, due to be released by Windham Fabrics in April next year is even better than the 2 previous collections we all fell in love with.

The colours in this collection are a little more subdued than both Echo and Bella and I think that is what I am liking.

As well as the collection being crammed with her trademark quirky Scandinavian designs, there are also some coordinating solids, which I think will make the collection as a whole a real hit.

 I have been lucky enough to get a couple of charm packs of Glimma and have been having a great time playing with them. I have decided that this year's Christmas hand sewing project will be using Glimma and at the weekend picked this design using Lynne's Lozenge template.

 It is a really pretty design to use and I think Glimma is shown off beautifully with it. The only trouble is the rate I am going I don't think there'll be much left to do with it over Christmas.

 Being the impatient soul that I am where beautiful fabric is concerned, before I had decided on the above EPP project I just had to have a quick play with just a little piece of Glimma. I had to double check I liked it. You know, just to be sure.

It's ok I do...

If you read the title carefully by now you will be itching to know what the word "giveaway" is doing in there...

as a thank you for all your support throughout the year following my blog and leaving your lovely comments (I do so love reading your comments) I am giving away to one lucky reader, wherever in the world you may live, one of my precious charm packs.

That's how much I must love you ;-)

All I'd like you to do is leave me a comment telling me what you would do with the charm pack should you win. Oh and please make sure I have a way of contacting you to let you know you have won.

That is all. I will pick a winner on Friday in the hope that you have half a chance of receiving the pack in time to join me in having a play over the holidays.

x

I am due a visit from my US based aunt and uncle in the new year - well mid Feb - but it can never come soon enough...particularly when they fill half their suitcases with my fabric orders.

I normally know a few months in advance when they are planning their next trip and by the time they eventually get here I have forgotten what I've ordered! I have recently added the above few Japanese prints from Super Buzzy...super cute!

I am pretty sure some Pink Castle Fabrics parcels are already awaiting but I'm currently adding some of Carolyn Friedlander's Architextures into the suitcase. This line is hot at the moment and I can't wait to get me some. It looks right up my street. If you haven't got some in your stash yet, I suggest you do. Some of them are out of stock, but they should be back any day and if I was you I'd hurry to get some. I don't think they'll stay in stock for much longer.

The other  collection that is sure fire hit of the season is Type by Julia Rothman. A little bit of this  is winding it's way over too. (Head here to grab some yourself).

I am quite keen to see Jenean Morrison's In My Room collection up close and am ordering a little of Sunday Paper (below) in both colourways...at the very least.

So I think it would be fair to say my fabric addiction will be continuing well into 2013...not helped by my recent need for selvedges and in case you didn't know, you can't buy selvedges without the fabric attached...

...shame that.