Three years ago I wrote a little wish list for 2017 in my notebook (my 40th year) and at the top it said "visit Quilt Con with a purpose". I didn't make it to Savannah in February as we were in the middle of a house renovation, but I have just got back from my first Spring Quilt Market in St Louis, Missouri. Market is essentially a trade show for businesses in the quilting world where shop owners and distributors buy for the next seasons. It is hosted in Houston every Autumn and moves around US cities in the Spring. It was a huge opportunity to see how the industry works and to meet people, many who I have only...
When my friends at Vlieseline (major producer of interfacings etc) asked me try out their new wadding I had a definite project in mind. The Tamarack by Grainline Studio. I have admired the company's minimalist style for some time, and have also been lamenting the lack of time to quilt, so this seemed like the perfect project. The jacket is simple in shape and the sleeves don't need to be set in. However, it is rated as an intermediate level because you do need to quilt all of the pieces, add welt pockets if you want to, and bind the edges. It took me approximately 8 hours to sew up - though I didn't add welts in this case...
Tomorrow, on New Year's Eve, I will turn 40. I thought I would reflect on 2016, the first full year of sharing my sewing related adventures through this blog. Firstly, thank you to everyone who has read it. I am not bombarded with comments but I can see in my page analytics that many come and take a look, and I really do appreciate it! It has been a year for going out of my comfort zone, starting with me joining the Entrepreneurial Spark programme in February. To begin with I felt very out of my depth discussing financial forecasts and all of the rest. However, I also felt like I was amongst people with the same mindset as me,...
As an avid quilter, and an enthusiastic consumer of sewing delights I have no idea why it has taken me so long to make it to the Festival of Quilts. Perhaps it is because Europe's biggest quilt show is always in the middle of August and I am usually on holiday or surviving 6 weeks of no school with my 3 children. However I was very determined to go in 2016 and booked it in the diary back in January. My friend Bradley at Aurifil then asked me to help on their booth so I got 4 days rather than 2, as well as the chance to spend time with Sheena Norquay who was exhibiting her work with them. ...
Hello everybody, Here is a link to my interview in this month's Sew Magazine. I was very excited to pop down to my local shop and pick up a copy this morning, though it cost me a small fortune once all of the kids had also picked a magazine each. I am also going to have a go at the free dress pattern with some linen for summer as I doodled something with a similar neckline in my notebook not long ago. Coming up soon on the blog I have an interview with fabric designer and printmaker Karen Lewis so don't forget to sign up for updates. Please also stop by my shop whilst you are here - I am...
