justB

Do you read the blog JustB?  Pop over and have a little look, lots of great pieces to read across many different topics - craft, cooking and other newsy bits and pieces.  The very wonderful & super talented Kirsty of Kootooyo is one of their contributors and recently came to Sydney to photograph some creative spaces for her Creative Space Tour that features on the JustB blog.  Kirsty's photography is superb.  She is very clever at capturing the very essence of her subject in the most minute of details.  And she writes really nice things too.  Go have a little look.

Image: here

And that up there is the start of my new quilt.  They are the first four blocks.  I'll keep you posted as I move along. Happy Friday!

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!

Girly Goodness

 No nepotism here, just a beautiful quilt that needed to be shared.  Anna, my sister, started this quilt in Sheena's workshop a couple of weeks ago. It's now all finished and ready to be hand quilted. It is the perfect balance of girliness, without being over the top girly.  Perfect for her little girl Poppy to treasure always.

Anna used some of the new 'A Day in the Country' spots in her quilt top. The coordinating stripes are fantastic too.

See....how good are they!

inspiration

 This week in Balmain, I've hung one of Sarah Fielke's beautiful quilts from her new book,
from little things..... it's such a stunning quilt, with so many different pieces of awesome fabric and lovingly hand quilted.

We still have some spots available in Sarah's classes - a great way to learn new techniques, perfect the ones you have and be inspired by Sarah on a regular basis.

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!

Being held accountable

I said I would take a pic of my work in progress but procrastination has been playing havoc with me.  As another week draws to a close, I finally have the first draft of my new quilt top up on the board and dared to take a pic.

This quilt changes before my eyes in interpretation, as the initial intent was for a Facet quilt from Kaffe and Liza's Simple Shapes, Spectacular Quilts but I am not so good at doing as I am told, and still being influenced by the mosaic on page 108, I wanted to take the imagery tighter.

Now I shall make the dark diamonds and then they will get thrown into the mix.  Maybe that will be the time to put a little more order into placement - but I think rather not!   So exciting.

While on the subject...

a little bird told me today that red pepper quilts had used as inspiration for her latest quilt my quilt made from Anna Maria Horner's little folks voiles.  How flattering... and Rita's quilt is another great combination of these fabrics. 

In reading the comments that have been left on both red pepper's and calico's blogs there is great passion for all of Anna Maria's fabrics and I thought I would make another addition to the use of her fabrics. 

About a year ago I pieced this double wedding ring from Anna Maria's good folks collection, and more recently it has been quilted.  Just a binding to go and some perle thread quilting in the centres and she is finished.  As some of you seem to be holding tight to your collections of Anna Maria's fabrics I am hoping this quilt too might inspire you to cut and stitch.

Templates from Matilda's Own (available at Calico and Ivy) make cutting and stitching manageable (I will not deceive you, curved piecing does take patience).  Use a small rotary cutter (28mm) with these templates and you are on your way.

We haven't had 'good folks' for a while now, but I can see this made in Kaffe Fassett's cottons as a definite alternative.

the quilt

When Lynn Jones began work back at calico she brought with her 'the quilt'.

Using her amazing collection of Liberty prints she has made an amazing off centre log cabin.

Many tiny snippets of special pieces have been slipped into the mix, and each round of logs represents a fabric, and no fabrics have been repeated within the quilt.

Customers drift down to the rear of the shop where this quilt is showcased, and then we don't see them again for quite some time while they absorb this amazing use of fabric.

We ourselves choose to have a bite to eat, or price new stock in the company of this quilt just so that we can tap into its soul for just a little while.

Lynnie's quilt has become a friend to us all.

Melanie from the United Kingdom emailed me the other day wishing for a larger view of 'the quilt' from the one scrolling through on our homepage banner on the website.  Ever wishing to oblige Lynn has agreed it should be showcased for all to see...

spectacular!

voila

I was anticipating the arrival of Anna Maria Horner's little folks voiles in all types of strange ways.  

While I had the opportunity to touch and feel in Houston, and see Anna Maria's applications, I wasn't sure how it would stitch, and felt if I didn't love it, I would have troubles selling it... but I just had to have it in the shop.

Last week our order arrived and I was straight into cutting and stitching... as I had to experience the fabric.

All hesitation was thrown aside as I began stitching, as I found it to be a wonderful medium, and freeing beyond belief.  

Just by feeling the softness I knew to attach the walking foot immediately, and off I went...

Despite a march madness head (sinus headaches) I couldn't stop.  Once I strip pieced the top I hurriedly sandwiched the layers and set to with the perle thread and hand quilted frenetically.  It was so addictive, the needle slid through the layers, and the fabric was almost playing with me the whole time.

My thought to keep it simple worked as no frustration was met at any stage, and the fabrics most definitely speak for themselves.

Come on into the shop and have a feel... I suspect you will be tempted to play with the fabric also.

Next week I will kit up this quilt for the shop... it is achievable, and effective.

Lots and lots...

Julie McAllister is a lots and lots of kind of girl.  She has been busy making lots and lots of quilts of late.

Julie even bought herself a longarm quilting machine so she can do lots and lots of quilting...

 

 

presumably so she can get back to doing lots and lots of the creative side, being designing and piecing.

 

  

(This image is a little skew, Julie's quilt is not)

Phew...

I am exhausted just thinking about it, but delighted enjoying the eye candy they present.

Another very talented customer - thanks for sharing

Two Danielles

Danielle O:

My gorgeous daughter Danielle is visiting from Karratha for a while with her boyfriend Nick.

She popped into the shop (centre of pic, with Nick and Anna) for her first visit to the new 'Calico'.

She also showed me her first completed quilt top...

I have been giving her fat quarter packs as new collections hit the shelves, and this is her interpretation of the Amy Butlers.  Proud mum here!

Danielle T:

I arrived at the shop for my Tuesday fun day, and was greeted with a surprise gift from our Saturday Danielle.

 

As featured on her blog, I was the lucky recipient of one of her delightful bags, made from her amazing collection of Liberty Tana Lawn.

Many thanks... just love it!