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.

hexie love continues

We have a BIG easter break coming up, but the shops both will open for easter saturday (we will be closed friday, sunday, monday and tuesday).

I have been playing with fabrics again, and came up with another addition to our hexi love album.

No this is not it, but without realizing it, this is my inspiration.  Marnie (you may remember that she worked in the shop a while back, and is still one of my favourite visitors), was working on a fantastic crochet piece using Noro silk garden and hexagons. I had this pic archived away in my favourites, and began working on a new project a few weeks ago.
I chose to use all fabrics that were in the store on that selected day.  I wanted to use lots, and little (20 cm strips of each).  I cut and cut, and home it all came.
The process needed to be quick and easy to translate as a shop sample, I hoped to have the top finished before embarking on the class lists (see last post).
Not quite finished piecing am I (still need to join the triangles, and rows), but I think you will get the gist.

As it emerged I realized the connection between my subconscious memory of Marnie's work and the work in progress.  Therefore the finished quilt can only have one name... Marnie.

Deb

classes, classes, classes...

 (lace shawl by Clare Lakewood - mosman park)

Lace knitting is big... we have a class at each store to show you the tricks.  See also the abundance of other knitting disciplines we are teaching this term.

 (crochet cushion by Heather Hunt - balmain)

(flower crochet by Danielle Reader - mosman park)
 

Crochet still continues to be enchanting to many... and with samples like this, who could wonder why?

(Amish inspired quilt - Anthea Carboni - mosman park)

(cushion cover - Sheena Chapman - balmain)

Abundant ideas being taught for our stitchy girls - the two above are just to whet the appetite.

And Sarah Fielke is teaching for us in Balmain - how lucky are we to offer the opportunity, and you to have the option to take that opportunity!

Her new book 'Quilting From Little Things' is inspirational and relevant.  Don't let these learning opportunities with Sarah elude you.

Flick over to our website and pop into the class list relevant to you - I think you might find something to tempt you.  I have only shown you here a sprinkling of the many options available to you this term.

Classes term 2 2011

Two shops means long days for me lately... but a greater joy there is not!  I'm off to the land of slumber...

Stocking Up For Winter

The much anticipated 2ply crewel wool arrived in Balmain today.  It will reach Perth any day now.

 

Our first shipment of Noro.

 

Pop in and stock up for winter. Start dreaming about those winter projects, the chill is in the air.

Easter Crafts & High Tea with Kelly Doust

Join us for a decadent afternoon creating felt egg cosies, finger puppets and other felt fripperies from our beautiful range of Heather Bailey designer felt.

Kelly Doust, bestselling author of The Crafty Minx and The Crafty Kid will be joining us for Calico & Ivy's first Sydney workshop event on Sunday 10 April, and showing us how to create some of her cute, simple designs for an elegantly homespun Easter. Crafters of all skill levels welcome.


Date: Sunday, 10 April, 2011

Address: 10 Birchgrove Road, Balmain

Time: 2-5pm

Cost: $65.00

Phone: 02 9555 9909


Details: a lavish high tea party including sandwiches, cakes and loose-leaf teas and of course a glass of bubbles will be provided on the day.

Please book early to avoid disappointment, as spaces are limited.

Enriched!

If you shared in either our Kaffe Fassett workshop on Tuesday or lecture on Wednesday evening, I think that you will be like me - totally inspired!

Where do I start?  Do I pick up the knitting needles, crack some tiles and have a go at a mosaic, pick up a needlepoint and stitch frantically, or start a quilt or two.  Well for me I decided it was back to a quilt I began some time ago, finish it I must, and a new crochet project from some amazing 2 ply crewel wool we are sourcing for the shops.

Kaffe and Brandon have given us all permission to have at least 15 projects on the go at any one time, and who am I to argue this point!  I am all for a little over indulgence!  There is nothing like spending  over an hour being gently swayed back into the colour groove.  Kaffe has been an inspiration for me since an early encounter with his knitting books, and during his lecture he took us back down that road, and then led us back up to his current works, at all times showing how he manipulates shape and colour to achieve beauty.

We have a long weekend here in Perth, and for the first time in the longest while the heat has moderated, so I must strike while the climate is cool and the iron is hot!

Share the pics we took at the workshop on the slideshow to the right and I am sure you will agree that our 30 participants excelled.  Their good humour and enthusiasm was contagious as the day turned on the heat, and our portable air conditioners were tested to the max.  Memorable is the word here.

How joyful it was as some of the emerging quilts reflected their creators personalities so entirely - right down to their selection of clothing for the day!

And of course Brandon always is in for a giggle, from dancing with our air conditioning 'robots', to skylarking in the ocean off Carnac Island.

Liberty of London - Spring Summer 2011 - 'The Story Book Collection'

The latest Libert Art Fabrics have arrived in Balmain and are oh, so close to arriving in Perth.  We have about 100 of the latest collection, created by the Liberty Design Studio in collaboration with up and coming and award winning British illustrators.  They are just divine.  Sarah x