CHARM ABOUT YOU

Despite my serious concentrating face I can assure you that my time at Patchwork in the Peaks 10 was full of laughter, creativity and great company! 

Elita of Busy Needle Quilting hosts incredible Alpine quilt retreats in Morzine, France. Surrounded by the most beautiful scenery at the fabulous Chalet Les 4 Vents excellently run by The Mountain Lodge Company, it was so relaxing and yet totally invigorating at the same time. The four day retreats take place semi-annually and I attended 22-25 September 2016.

I took my rose star quilt and knew it would be slow going because that's the nature of hand quilting. So while I made good progress the other ladies were machine whizzes and managed to produce so much incredible quilty goodness!! The group included a couple of 'beginners' and they quickly picked up lots of techniques. People came with projects they wanted to finish, some things were made entirely on the spot and they were all amazing. So many different techniques, styles and fabulous fabric creations!

In between all this making we had the most delicious meals. Really delicious. I am vegetarian and have nightmares about bad 80's nut roasts but this was gourmet food and honestly some of the best meals I've ever had. The sticky toffee pudding was also a clear winner! I failed to take pictures of the food because I was busy eating.

The group also brought snacks, so there was delicious choccies and tasty treats when I needed a wee boost from all the relaxing ;) Which reminds me I actually had a nap one day!! Unheard of for me but perfectly acceptable on retreat and a nice luxury. 

On Saturday I taught a class 'Fussy Cutting Snapshots', making Polaroid blocks and having fun with fussy cuts. The ladies produced fabulous blocks - some using their own photographs we had printed on fabric the day before, thanks to Elita's great tutorial!

The ladies were all so inspiring and it was a complete joy to be part of #peaks10. There were so many hilarious moments and I have lots more I want to share. Later this week I will be showing you what I made for my 'secret sister' and also what I received, along with a few other stash additions!

I can't recommend Patchwork in the Peaks enough, it really was an amazing few days with the most welcoming and lovely women. I consider them all friends and hope I will be able to attend again because I definitely want to repeat the whole experience! If you are interested in attending the next retreat you can get more information and contact Elita at Busy Needle Quilting 💙

Make sure you pop back tomorrow for a belated giveaway!

I was looking at my glasses case and thinking how much I didn't love the pattern on it when it occurred to me I could totally do something about it! So I did!

Recently I bought some Mod Podge for fabric and on a total whim I decided to pick out fabric and use some Mod Podge to cover the case.

I use the case all the time, switching between my prescription sunglasses and eye glasses so I want it to look pretty.

When I started to disassemble the case there was a moment of panic but it turned out to be easy. I took the inner part out, carefully peeled the covers off the front and back of the case and used them as a template on my fabric.

I put a small amount of glue on the case itself but there was still some tacky glue left over on the outside so I just stretched the fabric over the case and didn't worry about making it too neat as the inner part of the case covers the edges of the fabric.

The fabric is Indigo Newsprint, Story by Carrie Bloomston. I love all the messages in the text print. There is even some about sewing! I really like having 'Blessings' on the top of the case, a reminder to be thankful and focus on the positives.

I didn't really know what to do when it came to the hinge. I was going to cut the excess off with a craft knife but I'm not sure it would have worked well (maybe after it dried?). After I opened and closed it a few times I realised it didn't matter at all and I like the loose threads so I just added more Mod Podge! I left it to dry for 24hrs.  

I do like a bit of selfish sewing but it's taken me over a year to finally get round to making myself this awesome tote bag. It took hardly any time to sew, I am in love with it!

I have made this pattern before, which is how I knew I wanted to make one for myself. It is the Drawstring Tote Bag pattern by Svetlana @ Sotak Handmade. It's a really fun sew and there's so many ways to make it your own, I would like to do a patchwork version at some point. 

We all have those times when our sewjo goes missing. One day you're zipping through those projects and accomplishing lots and the next day is 'meh' without reason. I try to go with the flow and not force myself to create but there are times I need to little help to finish off projects or produce designs. It can be exasperating when you want to make something but just aren't in the mood. Here are my top 8 tips for ways to get your sewjo working!

1 - Switch off! Yes I mean that literally by turning off your phone, shutting down your computer and avoiding social media. We all get that sensory overload that blocks us creatively and cutting it out really does help sometimes. Then you need to let yourself just be. Take a long shower, have a bath, lie down in a dark room. Shut out the world and be still. Even if it's for one evening it will reboot your mind. 

2 - Switch on! Sometimes you need some stimulation and while Instagram and Pinterest are full of fabulous makes and inspiring pictures, seeing everything all at once is sometimes a bit too much for me when I'm trying to get creative. I prefer to read a good blog, watch quilting videos on YouTube or an online class. That way I feel like there's more depth and focus, it allows me to concentrate, engage in the narrative, and gets me thinking about how I might change a project or what my own version would look like. 

3 - Switch it up! I tend to mix things up and often have several different projects on the go. I like to have some hand piecing, some english paper piecing and a machine project, that way I can work a bit on whatever takes my fancy. If it's none of the above then I might chose another craft, like picking up some embroidery. While working on different projects at the same time might not be your cup of tea, swapping between crafts or techniques for each project could keep you from getting bored and allow you to explore your creative ideas using different mediums. 

4 - Do you! If I feel like something isn't really my taste or style then I won't enjoy doing it. Do what you love, using fabric you love, in colours you love... you get the idea. Working with supplies that speak to you and patterns that excite you really can help kick start that sewjo. Listen to your gut, be honest when things aren't working or you aren't enjoying making them. Find your style, feel free to change it, contradict yourself or stick to one thing, as long as you like it.

8 - Purpose! Think about why you're being creative. What are you doing it for? There will be motivation to get creating when you really consider the value and purpose of what you are making. This feels especially pertinent to me this evening, as my daughter and I went to visit her friend in hospital. This young girl is having chemotherapy and while the prognosis seems good overall, there are complications she may not recover from. Joan made her a sweet blanket teddy (she did some stitching and stuffed part of a piece of fabric, which I sewed together - shame I didn't get a picture as it was very unique!) and I gifted her a quilt. Sewing for someone that needs comfort, for one of the charities that collects quilts, or for a friend or family member, is probably one of the reasons we all started and then continued to sew. Give meaning to what you do. 

I hope this might prove helpful! 

How do you restore your creativity? Let me know any of your tips in the comments!

Linking up with Poppy and Poochie for Collette's brilliant series 'how to grow your creativity' - you can link up your own posts or instagram pictures for a chance to win fabric :)

Congratulations!! It's always lovely to chose winners and even more so when it turns out to be a blogging and sewing friend! I have sent you an email :)

Don't be sad if you didn't win I have a special bloggiversary giveaway coming up later this week as my blog recently turned 5!! 

I have always been a bit crafty. There were scrunchies and friendship bracelets when I was younger, some black work embroidery and I enjoyed craft design technology and art at school. I did some jewellery making, knitting, card making, lots of painting and drawing but I never really stuck at any of it.

To be honest I'm not sure how or why I began quilting. It wasn't even that long ago, I started my blog at the same time as I had just finished my first quilt... AAHHH I've missed my five year bloggiversary! Will have to do something about that and have a little celebration soon!

Anyway it might have been the quilters in my family encouraging me or maybe stumbling across sewing blogs but I am largely self taught. I just went for it and completely fell in love with patterns, fabric, the whole process of patchwork and quilting. It felt so good to find something I loved doing, with so many possibilities and techniques to learn.

Initially using simple patterns, often with monochrome or complementary colours of fabric,  I made quilts for family and friends. Fairly quickly I wanted to challenge myself - adapting patterns, sewing curves, free motion quilting and creating my own designs all in the first year. Then I began hand quilting and learnt how to do English Paper Piecing - this was a big deal for me! I had sped through making quite a few quilts on my machine and it was a really nice chance of pace, I am still working on finishing my first EPP quilt (I am hand quilting it now!). Applique and hand piecing have also become firm favourites. To see all the quilts I have finished so far click here.

Though I never considered myself to be someone that gets bored easily I do think being able to sew on machine or by hand, as well as having different projects to work on, is part of what has kept me going. I am inspired by fabric, the potentiality of putting shapes together, cutting, piecing and sewing. 

I still have so much to learn, explore and develop when it comes to quilting and I am excited by that. I want to create more designs and make make make.

I am linking up to Poppy and Poochie for her Grow Your Creativity series - check out Lucy from SkinnyMalinkyQuilts guest post here!

To read my third post about creativity, click here

**Giveaway now closed**

Here are the classes I am teaching September - December 2016. This is my favourite time of year and I'm excited for this terms classes!

Beginner's Welcome!

Saturday 1st October or Thursday 1st December

This class is for newbies who want to sew and learn about patchwork and quilting. Lucy will start at the beginning with the basics of using a sewing machine; the steps of making a quilt; demystify some common quilting terms; provide useful quilt maths and give you great advice to get you starting sewing! The class is a perfect starting point for beginners.

All day 10.00am – 4.00pm.

This is the first of two days of machine quilting; you can choose to do either one or both of the classes. In this course we will cover a lot of the basics of machine quilting, looking at threads, tension, waddings, needles and we will practice some straight line and simple free motion quilting. Suitable for All levels. Machine Sewn.

All Day 10.00am – 4.00pm.

Machine Quilting Part 2 with Lucy Brennan & Alison Forbes - FULL*

Thursday 17th November  

Plan your quilting and put it into practice. In this second class we will expand on basic quilting patterns and will cover the use of stencils, marking and joining “quilt as you go”. You can bring a quilt top to the class (optional) and leave feeling confident about quilting! Suitable for all levels.

All Day 10.00am – 4.00pm.

*We should be able to put on extra dates for these classes, please check my classes page or follow Patchfinders on facebook for updates!

Learn how to foundation paper piece and sew curves making these classic blocks with a contemporary twist. Perfect for combining colours/prints, using a charm pack or fabric scraps. The blocks can be made into a cushion or make more for a quilt. Suitable for all levels. All Day 10.00am – 4.00pm.

If you'd like to attend please call the shop, even if classes are full you can be put on a waiting list and possibly that class will run again in the future.

There is no formula for how I work and I like it that way. Quilting is my passion and 'my time' so it is very liberating to explore my creativity freely. Of course I want things to be good but how I get there, the process, can be changeable.

When I starting quilting I stuck to patterns and fabric combinations that met the 'rules' of colour theory, general advice I got from blog and articles, and the inspiration of seeing other peoples quilts. I soon realised that lots of white space or sticking to one fabric collection wasn't me and I like odd colour combinations and fabrics that probably 'shouldn't' go together. So I mixed things up, chopped up some quilt tops, added or changed patterns to make them work for me and my aesthetic. Often it is fabric that speaks to me the most, or a cool pattern that I just have to make. From there I am now comfortable deciding on how to make it my own and the ways I can adapt it. 

Hexie Tiles  - pattern from 627handworks on craftsy

My creative process is full of contradictions though, because as sure as I am about how I want something to look, I nearly always doubt myself, wonder if it's good enough, and sometimes that sucks some of the joy out of the process of making. That is why I'm so interested in joining Collette of Poppy and Poochie for her mini series 'How to Grow Your Creativity'. She is exploring different aspects of creativity and how we can nurture it. You can link up blog posts or social media pictures on her blog - there are prizes too! This week is 'creative process', to read Collette's post and link up click here.