Bubbles!!!!!

So as you may have seen in our recent post, we are introducing HSTs into the YouPatch quilt design suite! Here is the first pixel quilt I've made that incorporates triangles:

The original image was a pic I took about a year ago of my daughter Ella blowing bubbles.

Rather than go with my usual bright solid fabrics, I wanted to incorporate a palette that was a little different so I asked my dear friend Louise (who usually goes for a softer palette than I do) to select the fabrics for me. Not only did she select something gorgeous and a little different, she went with textured fabrics.... all purchased from Amitie.

From L-R: Robert Kaufman dot in pink, Quartet Collection by Faye Burgos for Marcus Fabrics, Zenith by P&B Textiles, Robert Kaufman quilters linen in silver, Robert Kaufman quilters linen in platinum.

Welcoming autumn with a new quilt!

When Lynne from Lily's Quilts put a call out for bloggers to make something with this gorgeous bundle of Oakshott Liparis, I instantly saw pixel potential!!

It took AGES for the fabrics to travel across the globe to Melbourne. When they finally arrived, I was so excited!! They were gorgeous!! Rich in colour with incredible depth. Dark (because they are shot with black thread) and luscious.

I knew I wanted to create a pattern in YouPatch but YouPatch only works with Kona colors. So ... I got my trusty Kona color card and did my best to match the Lipari colors to the Kona colors. When I had a list of colors, I created an image in YouPatch using these colors.

Here's the result .... inspired by the coming autumn ...

I used most of the Lipari colors and added in some Kaffe Fassett shot cotton in a rich raspberry and also some additional black.

I pebble quilted the black trunk and branches and did a meander over the leaves using red thread.

Then I used a wavy stitch to quilt the background grasses.

For the backing, I used a gorgeous pixel-y fabric from Anna Maria Horner's Dowry collection. Purchased, of course, from Amitie!

Thanks so much Lynne for sending me these gorgeous fabrics. I've had such fun playing with them.

Andi xx

Warning! You might be about to drool all over your keyboard!!

So my local has moved (but its still my local!)

I was in the new shop for the first time yesterday to teach my Thursday afternoon class and was blown away by how gorgeous it is looking .... after only 2 days of setting up!!

Here come the photos ......

 

   

   

   

   

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

Don't say I didn't warn you  ;-)

Amitie's new details are:

Happy shopping.

Andi xx

A fabulous new tool

I mentioned it recently on this post and lots of you wanted to know more about the wonder-tool that allows you to make HSTs without ruling a single line or using a pin.

Well, it is now available at Amitie's online shop.
The listing is here.

Andi xx

My local

Those of you outside the US will be familiar with the struggle to buy local while online fabric prices from US based shops are so very much lower.

I also struggle with this and I do buy some fabric online.

But what the online shops fail to provide is the creative atmosphere, the friendly welcome, the fabric touchability.
I am lucky enough that my local patchwork shop is Amitie. Compared to many other shops I have been into, Amitie staff always have a friendly smile and are always happy to help you put together a project no matter how large or small. And I have noticed that recently they are working their bums off to keep prices down.
And they have some awesome classes coming up. Ever wanted to meet the mad-capped Madame Ricrac in person and learn to make one of her wonderful softies? Well you can here!! (Incidentally, you can also come along on a Thursday afternoon and take a patchwork class with me! Just saying...)

Anyway, I thought I'd show off some of my recent Amitie purchases.

Beautiful variegated Perle 8 thread and stunning new ribbons. (Yes, that IS Kaffe Fassett ribbon!!)

Pretty Liberty fabrics in my favourite colours.

Home dec fabric from the half price shelves.

And an amazing new tool that helps create HSTs without having to rule a line!!!

I hope you have a lovely local bricks 'n' mortar shop like I do. And I hope you give them your support so we get to keep these wonderful shops in business.
I know the lure of online shopping is great. But maybe just put aside a percentage of your crafting budget for local shopping.

What do you say?
Andi xx

Term 3 classes

It's been a while since I've blogged. Temporarily lost my blogging mojo!
But I'm back with lots of stitchery to show!!

Thought I'd start by showing you a gorgeous quilt top made by the lovely Simone in my Scraptacular Class at Amitie:

Simone loves autumnal colours and has used them to wonderful effect in this scrapalicious quilt top.

We are having a break over the school holidays and will be back next term but this time on Thursday afternoons. 12:30 til 3:00pm so there's still time to make it to school pick-up!!

Want to make a quilt as gorgeous as Simone's? Come on over and have a play with us next term.

I'll be back soon with more of my stitching to show.

Have a great day wherever you are.
Andi x

Long overdue

I have been remiss in posting about some recent purchases, winnings and lovely gifts!!
Apologies to all for putting them in one big photo filled post.

Way back in February, I won this delicious pile of fabrics (stunningly folded) over at the lovely Malka's.

I haven't been able to even remove the ribbon yet, they look so very pretty!!

Some of you may be aware that I have been collecting Flea Market Fancy fabrics for this quilt (having been a bit late hopping on to that particular bandwagon).

So I found an EBAY listing of Jeanette's for an FMF charm pack which I quickly snapped up.
I was so delighted with my purchase that I asked her to whip up a couple more for me which she very kindly did!!

Yep!! That's the WHOLE collection!!!!

Still on the FMF front, the lovely Amy sent me this little collection of FMF scraps .... just because she thought it would make me smile.

And it DID Amy!!! Thank you so much for being a thoughtful and lovely bloggy friend!!

For that same quilt, I have decided to use some fabrics from Denyse Schmidt's other ranges. Specifically Katie Jump Rope and her newest offerings "Picnics and Fairgrounds" available at Joann's in the states (and soon to be released in Australia via Spotlight).

I snapped mine up at this lovely ETSY shop. (Thanks Rita for the heads up!!)
Unfortunately, when it arrived, one of the prints was missing but Amanda was so sweet about sending me the missing fabric (with a few shnippets of FMF in the parcel too).  :-)

Another recent purchase was this awesome book by the lovely Nikki.

Tanya is doing an awesome sew-along, stitching every single project in the book. Want to join her? Check it out here!!

Next purchase is a divine brooch from the fabulous Ms Curlypops herself!!

I have worn it on bags, jumpers, jackets and even in my hair (there is a hair clip bit on the back as well as the usual brooch pin). Thanks Cam. I LOVE it!!!!

"More?" I hear you ask!!! "Surely not!!!!"

Oh yes there is!!

The lovely Judy (bestest yarn wrapper in town) has been doing a bit of stash busting, pulled out this amazing Alexander Henry print and thought of me!!

Thank you so much Judy. I have challah covers being planned in my head as I type!!!

Also .... Jenny has given me a new product to try. (Still haven't yet but I have plans Jenny. I have plans!!!)

For those of you who are already Steam-A-Seam fans, you can get yours at Amitie!!!!

And last ... but certainly not least .... I won some more fabric!!
I'm a very lucky girl. I know!!!!

Leanne of Mount Vincent Quilts was a guest blogger over at Chasing Cottons (where Bec is doing the most wonderful Quilt Class 101. You should go and check it out!!!)

As part of the guest blog post, there was a giveaway of  a Fat 1/4 pack of the new range from Melly and Me called Where the Wind Blows. It is a lovely fabric range and I am looking forward to slicing into it!!!

Phew!!! What a long post full of so many wonderful links to wonderful people!!

Thank you again to everyone.

Andi xx

Scraptacular!!!

There has been a change of plans for my quilt-making class .....

I will now be teaching The Monday Scraptacular at Amitie every Monday afternoon.
 

It will be a class where you can bring in your own scrappy quilt projects and I can help with designing, piecing and finishing your quilt tops.

You can learn techniques for making scrappy quilts including:

• String quilts
• Flying geese
• Log cabins
• Postage stamp quilts
• Half square triangles 
• And LOADS more!!!

You can read more about it here.
I hope to see you there!!

Andi xx

An apple for the teacher

I also accept Mint Slices and all forms of chocolate!!

I'm teaching a class at fabric heaven starting next month!!! Can't wait!!

You can read all about it here.

Interested in coming? I'd love to see you.

Andi xxx

Well, maybe just one more quilt

Even though I have summed up and signed off for 2010, I got my hands on a fat quarter stack of Momo's "It's a Hoot" and a charm pack of "Just Wing It" by the same designer and a quilt instantly designed itself in my head.

I had to sew it IMMEDIATELY. You know when you get into the flow and can't stop until the thing is done?

I am hoping to teach some classes next year at Amitie (the happiest place of them all) and one idea is to have a class aimed at sewists who don't want to dwell on perfect points and following rules. This would be a class aimed at people who want to learn the tricks of fast and furious (but still rather gorgeous) quilt making.

Patchwork where your mistakes don't get re-done. They get hidden away or simply embraced. Besides, who will ever actually notice???

 

This is the quilt I thought I'd teach. Would you be interested in a class like that?

Andi xx

One reason that I love hand quilting

.... is the wonderful selection of colours I'm using at the moment ...

All purchased from Amitie ... the happiest land of all!

Have a great week.
Andi :-)

Wobots and Wockets

For a new baby boy called ....

The backing is a snuggly flanellette and the request for the binding was satin so he can rub it on his nose for comfort.

It's a fairly small quilt .... 24 inches x 34 inches.

Fabrics purchased at the last Amitie sale. Missed it? There's another one tomorrow!!!!

Have fun shopping. I live vicariously through you, due to my current fabric diet.   :-(

Andi  :-)