Lola pouch ~ swap
Honestly swaps make me a bit nervous, what if the recipient judges my sewing or worse doesn't like what I've made for them. There have been occasions where I haven't taken part in swaps because of time constraints but then I feel left out. Knowing I could focus on one small make, I jumped in to join the pouch swap for the Purple Stitches Sewcial Retreat which was this past weekend.
Despite the worries, it's actually made easy when you join a swap as very often you are asked what you like / dislike and you are given those responses for your partner. It is lovely to swap handmade and I like to create something for a specific person - partly because I enjoy the challenge of picking out fabrics, sort of like a stylist!
As an aside, helping people chose fabrics was one of my favourite parts about working in a quilt shop. It's interesting not choosing what you might pick but what you think that person would like. When making this pouch it was a bit of both, in a swap it is nice for the make to have a little bit of your style in it too.
Spring Fling quilt
This pattern is now available in my shop as the Melody Quilt pattern - click HERE!
I'm so lucky that I get to have SO MUCH FUN creating designs with bright and beautiful fabric. For this quilt I picked out prints from Zuma by Tula Pink and a range of colours from Tula Pink solids. A classic block in the centre and medallion style borders made with a mix of regular machine piecing and foundation paper piecing, make for a modern and dynamic quilt. My Spring Fling quilt pattern is in Issue 71 of Love Patchwork & Quilting - out now!
The detail in the prints is just amazing, there's so many that I thought were nice but it was only when I started working with them that I noticed little subtle elements. One of my favourites is the Glitter Litter print with the dots and cute anchors, seahorses and stars thrown around like confetti.
Sew Hot ~ GIVEAWAY! 🌈
Not only that but Sew Hot are now also open as a bricks and mortar shop and offer classes too! There are already awesome classes listed, with more to come ;)
A little about Sew Hot...
A little about Sew Hot...
can't deny favourites
There hasn't been a whole lot of stashing going on but when I see my favourite designers and prints there isn't much self control to be had!
Here's a little fabric splurge and I've also discovered what is currently my favourite notion and have to share the joy...
Who doesn't occasionally (or often!) have to reach for a seam ripper? I've tried a few and I do like the Prym large seam ripper, the fact that it's bigger and ergonomic really does make a difference for long seams. It's sharp too, which is a must. I like having two though and despite trying other ones I still hadn't found the perfect one to put in my travel kit - just to be clear that's usually the kit I use a lot because it's also the one I keep beside me when I'm hand sewing on the sofa (as well as taking with me when I travel).
After browsing around I came across this seam ripper by Pam Damour, lovely and delicate made of beautiful brass. It's very pretty, there is something so dainty about it and it certainly feels dainty when you're holding it but it rips perfectly. I'm going to put it through it paces over time and report back but the seams I've ripped thus far have gone smoothly, it's really sharp and I do like the smaller size of this one. As a plus the lid also fits onto the end, making it easier to hold and you won't lose it. And can you see the loop on the end? You can put it on a chain (totally Mad Men!) or ribbon, which is a nice touch.
I wasn't specifically looking to buy fabric but Sew Hot had these beauties and I couldn't resist.
It was a delight to see Sun Print 2019, I had the text print from the 2014 collection and Alison Glass creates such great colourways, I knew I needed more. I snapped up the Path print in Love (white) and Sweet (pink). Text is a stash staple and these have such positive words!
For no other reason than I absolutely LOVE her whole style and again I've had a previous incarnation of the leopard print fabric, I got these Anna Maria Horner prints to add to my collection.
from left to right: Spotted in the Crowd in Prince, Tambourine; Keys in Toffee, Passionflower; Gyspy Heart in Waking, Tambourine; Lace in Marmalade, Passionflower and Spotted in the Crown in King, Tamourine - all by Anna Maria Horner.
If you can't tell I haven't really been keeping up with fabric releases recently, I feel like I missed a chunk of time or maybe sometimes it's so long between seeing prints on social media and when they actually get released that I've forgotten them or even worse can feel like I'm over them because they were everywhere!?! I've probably ranted about this before but I do feel like it takes so long between seeing sneak peeks and fabrics actually hitting shops.
Anyway I was happy to discover Looking Forward by Jen Kingwell because I hadn't seen a lot of it. With no specific plan or actual need, I bought a charm pack. That way I get a little of each print and can have a play about. True to my style I will probably break this pack up and use little bits in different projects, though then again you never know, I might surprise you and use it all in one place!
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