Brisbane Craft Fair

Phew We have done it! After a busy month of preparing kits and cutting fabric, writing patterns and binding samples we are all set up and raring to go at this weeks craft show at the convention centre. It is our first time as participants and it is so much fun!
Here are a few picks of the stand ready to go....

I love Michelle's new Aussie Aussie Aussie Quilt of Australian flags. It has been getting lots of great comments. We have sold half of our little apples quilt kits too after the first day!
The Advent calendar is also getting lots of great feedback. Well, I am off to put up my feet and enjoy a wine, before tomorrow comes.....
Cheers,
Liisa

Sarah Jane Studios Fabric

We just received some bolts of this too cute new range of fabrics. Take a look at what some others have done with it over at Sarah Jane Studios Blog 

We have had a busy week with our GIFT club groups making the ' Rows of Ruffles' cushion cover and having all sorts of fun learning how to make continuous bias strips and how to gather them using elastic for simple easy ruffles!
I so LOVE Flower sugar fabrics!!!!

I have finally managed to hang our version, of Anni Downes from Hatched and Patched, quilt 'A Boy's Story'
We are so happy with it and Tricia of 'Cut from the Same Cloth' longarm quilting has once again done an outstanding job of quilting it.I hope you can sort of see it in the picture.

It looks even nicer up close so drop in to take a peep if you live nearby :)
Wow two posts in as many days! Well I must go as I am going on a weekend away with some friends to sew! What else! I am quilting my Wrenly Quilt then I will show it to you....
I hope you all have a great weekend too!
Love
Liisa xoxo

Vignette Magazine #4 is here

The latest magazine from Leanne Beasley has arrived! It is as gorgeous as ever....
Find it on our website hereVignette 4
We have also had our arrival of some Sarah Jane fabrics, aswell as our Little Apples precuts and bolts, We are very happy today!
Cheers,
Liisa

Lullaby in the Night Sky

This cute little cot quilt is designed by Natalie Ross and we just had to make up our own version.
I think it is sooo much fun.

 I have also re kitted our version of A Boy's Story from Anni Downes.....

I have been so busy sewing new things for our visit to the Craft Fair in October, that I have been a bit slack on posting, I will try to remedy this by showing bits of my new projects as they come into being...
Back to the ironing board to press my Wrenly quilt, it a free pattern from Valorie Wells, I just had to make it, I love the grey in the background too! Hmmmm now how to quilt it???
I will show it to you next time...
Happy stitching,
Liisa xoxo

Flannel Spot SALE

Just a quick note to let you know that until the end of August we have reduced our flannel fabrics by 25%!
We have lots of new Christmas fabrics arriving and have added more fabrics to our sale rack, there are a few specials to be had this week! If shopping in our web store just put flannel sale in the comments section, and you will receive the discount too.
See you soon,
Liisa xoxo

My Wonderful Weekend

I hope that you had a wonderful weekend too! I spent Saturday morning browsing through the Eumundi Markets on the QLD Sunshine Coast, so much to see and hear and smell and touch and taste. Heaven. I spent a little money , shhh, don't tell him. It was a lovely morning.... and then we went to The Spirit House Restaurant in Yandina for lunch. OMG it is amazing, a lovely spot beautifully landscaped so that you feel as though you are really in the Thai countryside and the food is divine!
We really need to do this more often I think, take a little time out to enjoy all the colours and flavours around us.
But wait, yes it got even better on Sunday, I got to sit and sew all day...Ahhhhh now that was the best.
I made a couple of little keyholders for our GIFT club class and worked on a new Advent Calander I have designed using some bright new Christmas fabrics.

The housework will get done eventually, but I am truly not a neat freak I have to admit!
Have a great week,
Love Liisa xoxo

Lou Lou Bag by Natalie Ross

I love this bag so much I just had to make 3! I have put it into this term's class list too.

I am recovering today from last weeks crazy busy sale! I was so silly to run a stocktake sale during Wimbledon Week. I think I had too many late, late nights for my own good.If you missed the sale we have created a sale section in the shop so that you can still pick up a bargain for your next project! These fabrics will remain at $12/m until sold (50cm minimum). I have also created a super sale box of fabrics at just $6/m too, these ones are a minimum of 1m though.
I did manage to make it to the Finders Keepers Market on Sunday, it was wonderfully inspiring to see what everyone is crafting  and selling on their stalls.
I love this time of year as there seems to be lots of markets and local shows to visit. This is my favourite thing to do :)
Well back to the shop to re organise it for opening tomorrow morning..... We have lots of new Christmas fabrics to display and also some new  flannel fabrics and flannel backings.
Hmmmm what to make from them......
Happy Sewing,
Love Liisa xoxo

James Byrne Centre Retreat Again!

Well I have finally recovered from my second retreat and I apologise for being slow to post about it. I hae heaps of pics of these productive ladies projects. Inspiring!

 

Phew, have you made it to the bottom? Well done, you really are a quilter, we all love show and tell don't we!

It was a very chilly weekend actually, but that is part of the Toowoomba appeal, we like to wear our winter gear at least once a year! :)

Cheers,

Liisa

Paris Traveller's Bag Class

What a lovely way to spend a Saturday, surrounded by 7 enthusiastic ladies all keen to create their own special travel bags. It was great to see them come into being and each one as different as their creators!
They are the perfect bags for going on retreat which is where we will be again this weekend! Yes, back to Highfields with our second group of retreatees! Yee Haa another weekend of stitching and chatting and eating and stitching and a little sleeping sometime too.....

 

I was so inspired I went home and made another one myself! 

Yes we will be running this class agin next term so watch out for the newsletter due out at the end of the month.

Have a great week,

Cheers,

Liisa xoxo

Bali Batiks are so YUMMY!

 

I did go ahead and make my Marble Cake Quilt in some gorgeous batik fabrics. I am really loving the great colours and patterns that are available. We will be adding some bundles of 10" squares to our range shortly, they will be layer cake equivalent (42 x 10" squares). We ran a class for this quilt last night and everyone had different fabrics and they looked fantastic!

 Now I am off to start another Paris Traveller Bag! I have a special person to give it to and I so love mine that I just have to make another! 

Have fun stitching on your long weekend!

Love 

Liisa xoxo

Vignette Magazine Issue No 3

The latest issue of Vignette magazine has arrived and I have just spent the last hour taking my time to read and admire every page.....
Hmmm, I really feel like chicken soup now! You can get it hereVignette Magazine #3

I have also just browsed through Natalie Lymer's newest offering Cotton Floss, described by her as "A gathering of stitched projects to charm and fascinate". I have added a few more projects to my to do list! Cotton Floss Book

I feel quite blissful and relaxed now.... Hmmm what fabrics to play with now..... I am ready to sew,
I hope you are all busy too,
Happy Sewing,
Love Liisa xoxo

Lovebirds Quilt Kit

I have been busy putting this lovely kit together for the colourful Lovebirds Quilt by Kellie from 'Don't Look Now'. It looks good enough to eat I think! Hmmmm do we need a shop sample???

I have been doing some english paper piecing in front of the TV whilst buried under a snuggly warm flannel quilt that is a favourite of mine (and Boris loves it too!). I have enjoyed the slower pace this weekend.
Happy Stitching everyone,
Cheers,
Liisa xoxo

James Byrne Centre Retreat

This was the perfect day and lovely view from outside the door of Marion Hall where we went on retreat in Highfields last weekend. It was a great venue with lovely hosts Paul and Wendy. Everyone was busy sewing like crazy and enjoying the cooler autumn weather!
We had an inspiring show and tell at the end of retreat and I just wanted to share a few pics with you.....

Cheers, Liisa

A Boy's Story Quilt

I just though I would show you a few blocks of our A Boy's Story Quilt. I am loving these funky boy colours. The quilt looks great we have just finished binding it and it is hanging in store, I will try to take a good pic of the entire quilt and post it when I do!

Happy Stitching,
Liisa

Mother's Day and a Marble Cake Quilt

These are the beautiful roses my husband gave me for Mother's Day! I am one lucky Mummy! We had a lovely picnic with the boys and Sam's girlfriend Emma. We went down to Scarborough beach.... My Mum's favourite spot to go when she was still with us. In fact we scattered her ashes there, so I always feel even closer to her when we visit this beach. We had some lovely seafood and a bottle of bubbly. We finished off with some scrumptious cake! A blissful day!

I went home and finished the binding on this new quilt. I have called it Marble Cake. It reminded me of the swirly layers of colour inside a yummy marble cake. I have used a layer cake from the fabric range 'Central Park' by Kate Spain. I think I will do another one in some tropical Batiks I am adoring at the moment.
We are heading off to Toowoomba on a sewing retreat this weekend with 38 lovely ladies. I can not wait. I have my projects cut and packed ready to go.
The winter woolies are also packed as it seems to be getting cooler this week already. Brrrr, out with scarves and coat.

Max and Whiskers!

Our cute Max and Whiskers Fabric from Basic Grey by Moda

 

 

 

 

 Does Boris really deserve this quilt? Well may you ask! I am hoping that he will love it so much he keeps off the other things I am working on. Yes I hear you, FAT CHANCE!

I have been busy with the  newsletter and making some new class samples and the poor machine has been working overtime. Today was lovely and rainy and perfect for sewing, so I put on the daggy tracksuit and set myself up for a day of sewing. @#**($# the machine decided it wanted a trip in the car to the sewing machine guru Martin at Bernina Chermside. It just died right in the middle of some free motion quilting! So not happy! I may not even have it back by Easter! Oh how will I cope.... Better bring home my old Janome from the shop! I probably won't be using it down there this week with our sale still continuing til Thursday.
Better go and tidy up my sewing table I guess. We will have  a house full of people next week as my baby turns 18 and we are having a party!
I hope you all have a very Happy Easter,
May the chocolate eggs be with you!
Cheers,
Liisa xoxo

Kitty Capers!

Boris has been very busy lately! It seems he wants to christen every single quilt I am making, he loves nothing more than messing up a beautifully laid out quilt top just before you are ready to piece it together! I had this topper above sitting on the table ready to put the binding on and he just had to have a Boris cuddle in it!

Then I had laid out our 'A Boys Story' quilt top and again he was quick to lay on it and just after I took this pic he messed it all up! He is going to be banned to the bedroom if he can't stop mucking up!
What is it with CATS and Quilts!
Cheers,
Liisa xoxo

Hello Birdie!

I made this funky Bird pillow for my son Tim. He has a quilt on his bed made from a range of fabrics called 'Nest', so his bed was just calling for a birdy to add some feathered style! The pattern is from 'The Red Thread' and is available here Hello Birdie Pillow I have seen a couple of others that people have sewn and they all look so cuddlicious! They are a good size and  BTW they make a perfectly useful pillow as well!
I have also received lots of beautiful fabrics in the past week and we have had fun trying to fit them all onto the shelves for you to see.
Here is a quick peak, I will upload them to the website this weekend.

Pom Pom de Paris Fabric from French General

Bliss Flannels by Valori Wells

These flannels have been in for a month or so but I just love the colours and we have a quilt made up in them too it is just sooo soft and cuddly.
Off to dream about quilts......
Liisa xoxo

Ooshka Babushka Dolls!

Aren't they just an adorable pair of cuties! These cute ooshka babushka dolls  are made from a pattern designed by Lisa from One Red Thread. They are quick to make and of perfect cuddle size! I did find it best to line them with a thin fusible interfacing though, as one of the fabrics seemed to encourage the bearding of the toy fill through to the outside (grrrrr). We have the patterns available with a choice of four 'faces' with different hair and eye colours. We hope to have the boy faces in soon too. Each pattern comes with one pre- printed face panel. You can purchase separate face panels for $10 each. Although I rather like to appliqued faces myself....
I am off to sew another jewellery roll for April's Gift club project, I will post a pic when it is done!
Happy stitching,
Liisa xoxo

Sit Me up Donut patterns

How gorgeous is this Sit Me up Donut Pattern from Paula Storm designs. Paula kindly made up our sample with my choice of fabrics and we were thrilled with the results.Paula also has a free tutorial on her blog for a small cushion insert for the centre of the donut once your baby no longer needs to 'sit' in it! Paula's Blog 

 Paula also has a couple of other patterns and we have a sample of  Sammy Seahorse pattern too.We used Rosalie Quinlans pretty new range of fabrics for our version of Sammy and we have kits available also.   

A big thank you to Paula for sewing our samples!
Watch out over the next few days as I have lots of new info to tell you about! We have had lots of new stuff arriving and have been sooo busy stitching up new samples and projects that I have not had time to blog but I sure to make amends this week!
Happy Sewing,
Liisa xoxo