a week in pics...plus the odd word or 2...

 what a week...and it's still only thursday!

it all started with Ruby's Bat Mitzvah weekend which went brilliantly.

i had been very anxious about it for weeks partly due to how much work i have on at the mo and how on earth i was going to have time to prepare for the batty as well and partly due to not having dad with us. i have been very emotional about that for the weeks leading up to the batty and was worried i wouldn't be able to keep it together...

i did keep it together...

for most of the time...

well, some of the time.

we had a truly wonderful weekend and one thing it did teach me was, whilst it is beyond sad that dad is no longer here to share these occasions with us, it is so important to build new happy memories.

the work side of life has had to fit in alongside. it couldn't stop altogether due to the up coming xmas fairs and other deadlines.

the newly discovered silver brussels linen was made up into cushions and napkins. i can't tell you how much i love this fabric. it's so soft and smooth and of the most exquisite colour and i blame that for my little sideways distraction of piecing it together with some of my printed pieces. i haven't quite decided whether this is destined to become a quilt or wall art...time will tell.

then things got a bit more colourful...

selvedge needle books for the xmas fairs...

ruby's horse printed onto vintage fabric that is destined to become famous...

printed fabrics for a new exciting commission...

a play around with lotje's gorgeous pattern for this week's big city girl QAL...i couldn't resist...it's so cute!...and besides my new love kona fern had arrived and i just had to find something to sew with it...

and then finally, not made all this week, my screen printing table drop cloth... 

it could just be the colours but i'm thinking it would look great framed as a piece of art...or maybe not!

another mad week in my mad and hectic world and looking at the calendar it isn't due to get any less mad this side of 2014 so you may just see photo mosaics cropping up regularly just to keep you up to speed with what's going on around these parts!

:: wings ::

i've been dreading and excited about this weekend coming in equal measure for quite a few months.

most importantly it is Ruby's Bat Mitzvah weekend so excitement is abounding, certainly from her corner.

it is quite a feat putting on a celebratory weekend and since this is the 3rd time in just over 2 years you would think that wouldn't faze me.

that on its own isn't fazing me...it's everything else going on in my life at the same time that is spiralling me out of control. 

i hate being out of control.

i get a bit moody...

if only i had known about Ray Bradbury's inspiring quote months ago, i would have had wings to cling onto for months...but now i have been enlightened to it by the lovely Kylie i'm grabbing onto those wings and hoping we all fly this weekend and beyond.

:: sometimes you just have to jump out the window and grow wings on the way down ::

Hoop-La!

i am more than a little bit delighted to have been asked to be on Kirsty's blog tour for her new book Hoop-La!

have you come across Kirsty's new book yet? It was published in august so chances are some of you already have. if you haven't you must check it out. 100 things to do with an embroidery hoop...who knew!

i am going to be wrapping up the tour on november 13 which will include a giveaway of one of Kirsty's fab projects from the book, so do come back then.

in the meantime you can follow the tour at these lovely blogs where each will have their own giveaway...

OCTOBER:

Thurs 24th – Bugs & Fishes

Fri 25^th – Flossie Teacakes

Mon 28^th – Syko

Weds 30th – Emma Lamb

Thurs 31^st – Wild Olive

NOVEMBER:

Fri 1st – Feeling Stitchy

Mon 4^th – Carina’s Craftblog

Weds 6^th –  tbc

Fri 8^th – Notes on Paper

Mon 11^th – The Green Gables

Weds 13^th – Blueberry Park

also check out news on Hoop-La! and other fab new publications right here.

see you on tour!

with a little help from my friends...

it all started back in September when i was queen bee for bee a brit stingy flickr group...a fab bee filled with lovely british quilters.

i have never been in a bee before so i wasn't very sure what to expect or how it was all going to play out.

my first dilemma was what block to choose. the bee started in january and some peeps had already picked some blocks that i may have chosen so that was those out. some demanded a more cohesive palette, some were too large and some were just too fiddly.

i eventually decided on this hourglass block and requested low volume, 1930s, liberty, vintage type fabrics.

to be honest i wasn't entirely sure how it

was all going to pan out. when i create my quilts i spend forever picking fabrics moving them around until they don't jar in my eye anymore and remove any fabrics that just don't sit well. in the bee group we are all very different, have different styles, different fabrics to pull from and i was a little nervous with how this would work for me.

but apparently what i love most about this is that it is full of little jewels of fabrics that normally i don't get to see in my own work, from overtly pretty florals to more muted geometrics. every single block that arrived filled me with EEEEEEKS!

honestly they are a magical bunch this crew.

i'm not even sure you can tell how wonderfully everything gels here, but in the flesh it is all so alive. the bee group made about half the blocks and they all look stunning with the ones i made.

it's all been a great big success in my eyes and hopefully we'll do it all again next year. (i hope so because i have already picked my block...)

and if you want to see how everyone else's quilts turned out go and check out the group here. there are some stunners.

the only question that remains is...

how on earth shall i quilt this thing??

and the winner is...

a huge thank you for all the comments you left with regards my forth coming fabric club.

they really were very useful. some of the things you have said you will see i have taken on board and am able to offer within the club. some of the things confirmed what i had in mind, so thank you for that!

and without further ado the winner, who receives a thank you pack of some of my fabrics, is number...

which only goes to show that sometimes it pays to be late...as Colette was number 49 out of 49 entries ;-)

well done Colette and if you could let me know your mailing address some goodies will be on their way to you.

and for those that loved the idea of my fabric club, watch this space for launch details and info on how you can join...and receive as a pressie this xmas!

i blame mrs e...

i blame nicky for this one.

she planted the seed in my head about green and how could i possibly not like green?

let's just get one thing straight however...

i'm not sure i ever actually said i didn't like green...just that i wasn't particularly drawn to it.

all that has changed however...

as long as it is the right shade of green and boy is fern the right shade of green.
i even managed to mix my own version of it today...i love it that much.

nicky has got me dreaming of this colour way now...damn you girl.

and the rest of you have her to thank as more green creeps into my work.

thank you all for your fantastic feedback on my soon to be fabric club...it really is invaluable. and if you haven't entered my giveaway yet where you have an opportunity to win some of my (green?) fabric please do. just go right here. x

some news...and a giveaway...

first the news...

in the new year i am going to be launching a fabric club. a bimonthly fabric club that you can dip in and out of as you please, order as much or as little as you like...

 but i have a few questions first...

there are a few things i need your help with...

if you fancy helping me out by answering these 3 questions I will enter you in a giveaway for a chance to win a bundle of my fabrics.

fair enough?

so the questions if you please...

:: number 1 :: 

have you signed up to any other fabric clubs and if so have you continued to stay a member?

:: number 2 ::

what would tempt you to join a fabric club? is it the chance to try a range of fabrics that you may not ordinarily be drawn to? is it the opportunity to build up your stash? is it something else?

:: number 3 ::

size matters...what is your ideal size with fabric clubs...charm packs, half panels or full panels?

big thanks for answering these questions for me and i will draw a winner this time next week.

x

(ps exciting?...i hope so...but this isn't even the news that i have soon!)