Australia Day

Happy Australia Day for Saturday!

Both stores will be open on Saturday 26 January

& closed on Monday 28 January.

Images: here


May you all have fun in the sun!

Don't forget we have the new Spring 2013 Liberty of London in both stores and online too
& some gorgeous new Sophie Digard brooches just here.

Bloomsbury

We've known that they have been in the pipeline for a long while now.  We saw and ordered them in June and now we have them!  The long awaited Bloomsbury collection of quilting weight cottons by Liberty of London.

Back in July, when Deb and I were in London, we managed to get to Liberty of London to meet up with Sholto Drumlanrig, the very talented artist behind this beautiful collection.  We were taken through the hallowed hallways of the creative department (there were piles and piles of Tana Lawn everywhere!) and Sholto showed us where his inspirations came from for this collection and his many sketches that go into making a complete collection.  It was so overwhelmingly amazing that we took not a single photo.  But if you head over here, Katy has done an amazing job at doing just that - I'll leave it to her!

We will have some quilt kits done up very soon - I'll be back to blog about those.  In the meantime pop into the shops and have a look or follow this link onto the website

Spring is on the Way, I Think!

Just a few snippets from my week. From the top, a quilt in progress, made with the exciting new range from Liberty of London - Bloomsbury Gardens - not in stores yet, but hopefully September. Early ranunculus in the best shade of pink! Vintage chair from the markets - that little emblem made my heart flutter.  And lastly, a few of the new Rowan yarns we have in store, so much goodness with those new yellows.  Hope your week has been a sunny one too!

catch up

my daughter Danielle delivered a little bundle of girl joy into our lives named Lucy on February 22.  We have cuddled and loved her thoroughly for the two weeks she was staying with us and now sadly they have returned to their home in the Pilbara.
To counteract all sadness on my part I felt some major reworking of the yarn section in the Mosman Park shop was in order... why not take a visit to see, and  explore the seventeen boxes of Rowan yarn and publications delivered yesterday.

Isn't this dress amazing?

Tracy regularly shops with us for dressmaking fabric and came back in wearing one of her creations.

Superbly cut and fitted and ringing with style both she and her dress are a knockout.

Liberty meandering chrysanthemums in red from the latest seasonal collection was Tracy's fabric of choice.

softly spoken

Here at Mosman Park we have been exploring a softer palette and loving it. 

Pat Goodchild is welcoming a little one into the world with some inspired warmth for our slowly cooling winter months...

Lots of Liberty tana lawn, touches of hand applique, sweet embroidered apples, a little story to match the appliqued panel, all surrounded by Pat's trademark knitted edging to further soften the whole concept.
We have this sweetie on loan for just a week or two, until babe has arrived.

 Pat has also knitted an adorable blanket in our Rowan Lima yarn for bub...

...and if you look into the distance you will see also the bag she knitted to deliver it all to the lucky recipients.

I have also embraced the lighter palette with a new addition to our shop patterns and projects, a lace edged cowl.

Knitted in Debbie Bliss's Cashmerino Aran and edged with a soft alpaca crocheted edging, this project can be easily achieved with basic knitting and crochet skills.

We are kitting this as I write, and you will receive the pattern free with the purchase of all the yarn required for this project.

I leave you with a pic taken last week at home.  Lily checking out our newest residents, a family of fungi that emerged from our side door mat.  I was becoming worried we may miss out on these babies this year with the lack of rainfall over here.  Ahhh... love these simple pleasures.

Around the Balmain Store

Over the past month, the first classes at C&I Balmain have started,  creating such a buzz of excitement and experimentation.  Sheena started off the classes with "Branching Out", teaching the girls all about curved piecing and placement.

This is Ingrid's piecing.  Can't wait to see it finished!

Sarah Fielke's Friday Girls are going in all different, exciting directions.  It will be great to watch each of the ladies projects unfold as we pass through the weeks.  Above is the start of Margaret's new project

 Fiona's lace workshop was wonderful.  So nice to watch the girls grasp and love the new technique that they've learnt.

Newly made in store is this beautiful little dress in Liberty and Eco Baby yarn, whipped up by Donna. Straight from the mouth of a babe I know - "divined"!

Soon to come, some shots of the crochet girls, who have embraced their hooks and are all crocheting up storms and enjoying every moment of it and of each others company too!  That's what it's all about.

Hexie Love

Happy Valentines Day!  On the day where all things are a flutter of love and romance, I thought I'd share a little hexie love. c & i balmain has just received a shipment or two of Japanese sewing and crafty books to make the heart sing.   Amongst them was this cute little book that contained this gem made in Liberty fabrics.

By this time next week, our shelves should be filled with gorgeous new Liberty seasonals. And as one elderly customer who walked in a few weeks ago and exclaimed 'how very excitment', I think of this coming Liberty shipment and  I'm thinking the same - how very excitment indeed!

Sarah

x

and the beat goes on...

home again from a lovely time in Paris.  Lynn and I gently explored and ate our way through the various byways of the city.  The perfect millefeuille was one of our desires, and boy when they are good, they are soooo good. Over the next few months products sourced at the trade shows will be introduced into the shop and samples inspired by our travels will emerge.

Over our time away we managed to keep our hands busy - in Lynn's case a knitted pair of socks were achieved for hubby, and in my case the joining of many, many tiny Liberty hexagons...

I am finding the glue then stitch together method is working very well.  We have a Sewline glue stick available in the shop along with many different sized hexagon cut papers if you would like to have a go also.  Not quite sure where this is going in terms of a finished project, but sure am liking the process.  Any ideas gratefully accepted.

Just finishing with these gems...

found on the doors of two adjoining little shops on the Ile de St Louis (with Berthillon icecream in hand).  I present the first image hot having much clue as to the content.  Maybe a translation is in order.  I do hope it is as enchanting as the image.

Building blocks

I have spent the weekend building up packs of Liberty 6 inch squares.  This is one of those jobs that I tend to put off, but once I get going I thoroughly enjoy the process.

From cutting to colour arrangement and on to the final packaging it is a slow job, but totally rewarding, as the finished packs look a treat.

Our dining table was completely covered in all things calico & ivy, so meals have been in the lounge on laps.

On finishing I had a little creative itch to scratch, hence this...

temporarily sticky taped to our lounge room wall.

I really do have a fancy for playing with Liberty wrapped wire, and these will accompany me to Sydney on my next visit in a few weeks, as I have a little secret.

All will be revealed soon.
I do hope you had a joyful weekend.

On top of the world

We have had a busy, exciting and bountiful few weeks in the shop and now it is time I included you in the fun.

Pat Goodchild has allowed us to hang yet another inspirational creation...

our long awaited shipment of Alchemy Haiku (40% silk, 60% mohair) has arrived...

This yarn has to be felt to be believed, and definitely is enhanced with the exclusion of the plastic bags.

Just thought I would show you a few favourite gift lines we are selling at the moment...

We have been doing a spot of re-decorating...

and have I kept you in suspense long enough...

Yes, the new Liberty of London tana lawn seasonal collection has arrived, is on the shelves and also has been put onto the website.

We all become a little excitable, even somewhat overwhelmed with the possibilities.  This collection lends itself to to many dressmaking projects, and with Lynnie and I off to Paris in a month it is perfect timing, as a few snappy new outfits might well be in order.

and a few of my favourites...

As you can imagine we truly are on top of the world...  come join us!

I wish...

I wish for just a little teensy, weensy bit of extra time to indulge in my passions.

There really is only one way to make this wish come true...

and that is to force the issue a little...

so I won't be much seen around the shop this week.  I will hide away here at home, and maybe won't answer all of my emails, and probably won't make myself available for problem solving...

but I will play with these...

because I now have my copy of this...

and flirt with these...

and all of my wishes might just be granted.

Stay tuned and follow my progress.

By the way, you know that if I have my copy of Kaffe's new book there must be one for you too... just visit calico and ivy to pick yours up today.