Thursday, March 27, 2008

Kaffe Fassett playmat finished just in time...!

Last week one of our customers told us...



"A few weeks back Daniela and I came (on behalf of a group of 7 friends) and bought a selection of fabrics, mainly Kaffe Fassett, from your shop to make a quilted playmat for one of the group's daughters who is expecting a baby in March. Still waiting for the baby but we finished the playmat (design from Quick and colourful quilts for babies and toddlers ed Rosemary Wilkinson)! This is our first project of this kind but we loved doing it and will be back!

Thought you might like to see the finished playmat.


Thanks for your very helpful advice."


The quilt is signed on the back "Annie, Cherry, Daniela, Gloria, Jan, Rosie and Sally. Sun 24th February 2008." So well done to all involved and what a great way to spend a Sunday!



Kaffe Fassett playmat quilt
The good news is that we received an email update today -

"Just had the great news that Sarah's baby has arrived! Born on Monday 24 March, 6lb 14 oz and named Jacob.

So that completes the story really - we finished it just in time!"
I'm sure baby Jacob will love the bright colours of the playmat.

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Monday, March 10, 2008

November's Patchwork and Quilting Quilt Completed!

Sometimes just the right pattern comes up in a magazine and suddenly what to do with all those scraps becomes more than just a "when I find the right moment, I'll do something with them!" One of our customers had been receiving their Bargain Basics Club for, as she put it "several years", and found the perfect pattern in November's issue of British Patchwork and Quilting Magazine. Sunshine and Shadows is a stunning design that is less about the colour and design of the quilt and so much more about value. Darks and lights create the essence of the dynamic design and as you can see below the result is fantastic with secondary designs coming through.

Sunshine and Shadows patchwork quilt from Bargain Basics quilt fabrics
Frances wrote to us by email, explaining, "I thought that you might like to see my latest effort, finished yesterday. I have been receiving material from your Bargain Basics Club for quite a while (several years!) and have never done anything with it. So recently I thought I would try and use some of it up. In November's Patchwork and Quilting there was the ideal pattern. I found it quite difficult sorting the fabric into light medium and dark but once that was done it was just a case of putting it together. Thank you very much for all the lovely fabrics."

Another tip for using up scraps is to use the Marti Michell Templates. If you're getting odd pieces use the Marti Michell Templates in square or triangles to trim them into useful pieces the moment you have the scrap to hand and on your cutting mat. The Set B is a good starting point. Keep ziplocks marked up with colours and values - warm, cool, dark, medium, light so that when you come to use your scraps later most of the sorting has been done!

When you are ready use a design like Sunshine and Shadows or one of the Marti Michell books of Set B to create your own unique quilt. What I love about this idea is that you will probably remember where those individual pieces came from and the whole quilt may even represent a period of time when you were into particular fabrics and designs.

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Tuesday, March 4, 2008

The Patchwork and Quilting Guide to Buying Fabric

Sorting out my desk drawers today I found a copy of an invaluable guide - "Reasons and Excuses to Buy Fabric". No date, no author so I can't acknowledge credit where it is clearly due. You may have seen it before but I hope you enjoy it ...it's worth reminding ourselves of why we buy fabric!



1. It insulates the cupboard where it is kept.

2. It is our duty to support the economy.

3. It is less expensive and more fun than psychiatric care.

4. It is useful for covering all empty surfaces where dust may otherwise gather.

5. A sudden increase in the boll weevil population might wipe out the cotton crop for the next ten years.

6. I am participating in a contest - the one who dies with the most fabric wins.

7. Stress relief from dealing with the Fabric Control Officer (FCO, otherwise known as DH or Dear Husband)

8. It is not immoral, illegal or fattening. It calms the nerves, gratifies the soul and makes you feel good.

9. Buy it now before your husband retires and goes shopping with you.

10. It keeps without refrigeration; you don't have to cook it to enjoy it. You never have to feed or walk it.

11. A metre a day keeps the doctor away.

12. YOU DESERVE IT!



And because it feels like Spring is on the way here is the Kaffe Fassett Sunny Frames quilt :-)Kaffe Fassett Sunny Frames Quilt

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