February's free pattern and show news

As we all know, now that the longest month of the year is out of the way, the remaining eleven are going to fly by, and this year looks to be a very full one for Sewmotion. I've got some great shows coming up starting with the Spring Quilt Festival in Harrogate - Friday 21st - Sunday 23rd February, 10am - 4.30pm (4pm on Sunday) 

This show is smaller than the Autumn one and creates a much more intimate atmosphere, visitors are able to walk around a lot easier, see the quilts on display at their leisure, have a lovely lunch and then start shopping in a non-rushed relaxed manner. Harrogate is also my nearest venue to home so it means I get to sleep in my own bed every night, though I'm just hoping the snow stays away...
You can learn more about this event by clicking here.

My second show this month is brand new to me. Formerly known as the Knitting & Stitching Show held at Olympia in London, it has now changed name and venue to The Stitch Festival, to be held at the Business Design Centre in Islington, north London, about 20mins from my mum, so it would have been silly not to really! 

I'm very excited about this one as it's my first in London so it will be interesting to see how it does - I won't bore you with the kit and fabric prep for these shows, but I'll just say I'm needing nightly baths to ease my back and feet at the moment. 

You can find out more about this show by clicking here.

I also have a discount code for tickets - instead of paying £15 for an advance adult ticket and £13.50 for concession, you will pay just £12.50 - to book tickets visit the website or call 0844 854 1349 and quote code STITCH113 when prompted. (Unfortunately there is a £2.20 booking fee and £2.50 for postal, which you would have to pay anyway, but hopefully this discount will help). 

In more exciting news, I am lucky enough to have been asked to be involved in John Scott's very first show on his new venture, John Scott's Sewing World!!!

For those who don't know who on earth I'm talking about, John Scott was one of the presenters on Sewing Quarter where I was a guest designer. He's also had quite a fascinating life himself having worked as a costumier on Hollywood films and a fashion expert on TV, and so many other amazing things over the years which he is sharing in his own regular blog. He is also mad about sewing, and happens to be one of the most genuine people I have ever met. 

So, once Sewing Quarter closed, the wonderful people at Crafter's Companion snatched him up and he's now got his own show under their umbrella of Crafters TV. To begin with, it will be aired every Tuesday 8-12noon, with plans to expand over the year. 

I was very chuffed indeed to be asked to be one of his first guests on his inaugural show on Tuesday 3rd March where I will be selling my own EPP cushion kit in two colourways - as I am launching them on the show, I can't show them yet, but here is a pic of the mammoth kit production underway to give you a clue, yep, that's a bit of Liberty and Alison Glass! :) 

In all this excitement, I nearly forgot to tell you about my latest free pattern for my Newsletter subscribers. For February, I have returned to my favourite curved English paper-piecing to make these cute Coasters - for your own free copy, plus 10% off the two available kits, subscribe to the Newsletter today.

Wishing you all a creative and sunny week, linking up with Monday Making, Midweek Makers and Needle & Thread Thursday

Harrogate Spring Quilt Show

The Harrogate quilt festivals are my local shows and it's always nice to see so many familiar faces. I had a lovely time last weekend at this 3-day event, though I think it was warmer outside than in the hall - always the way!

My curved EPP kits proved pretty popular, especially the Hoop Art kits which I had hanging on the end of the stand - a couple of years into doing these shows and I'm still learning how best to display my items :) 

Within the first hour, I had some very enthusiastic ladies come to the stand asking about my curved EPP cushion that was being demoed on the Quilter's Guild stand - this was news to me! Eventually I discovered it was the lovely Hilary from Region 14 who has fallen for this technique in a BIG way! Thank you Hilary for sharing the love ;)

On the Sunday, I had a chance to walk around the show and see some of the quilts - I was very happy to see Abigail of Cut & Alter had an exhibit of her work. I was especially blown away by her On The Plus Side quilt - just look at that amazing ruler work and free motion quilting! And who doesn't love a little Alison Glass, just stunning!

Back to curved EPP for a minute, my Hoop Art project is featured in the current issue (71) of Love Patchwork & Quilting magazine. This hand-pieced flower ring in Alison Glass's Road Trip fabrics is mounted onto a 16" hoop - I do love this way of displaying mini quilts, and must make more!

Wishing you all a happy and creative week, linking up with Midweek Makers and Needle & Thread Thursday

EPP Inspiration and Sewing Quarter Catchup

Recently I received a lovely email from a subscriber to tell me how her quilt group had been inspired by my curved English paper-pieced projects in Love Patchwork & Quilting, and British Patchwork & Quilting magazine. So much so that they held a special EPP sewing day to make up my two projects - how chuffed am I?!

As you can see, these ladies have a great eye for colour and design, both cushion layouts looking amazing! Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful creations ladies, and I'm so glad I could be your inspiration!

Talking of curved EPP, I had a great time at my second appearance on craft TV channel, Sewing Quarter last week, where I demoed the beautiful Artic Feather quilt by Elizabeth Hartman as well as my Curve Appeal cushions. If you missed the show or would like to watch these techniques again, you can catch them on Sewing Quarter's YouTube channel here - the Feather quilt is in the second hour and my cushions are in the fourth hour.

I'm now off to my first quilt show of the year, in the pretty North Yorkshire town of Harrogate. As well as my fabric pre-cuts and patterns, I'll have a huge collection of quilt, cushion and EPP kits, so why not pop along? 
Friday 22nd - Sunday 24th February
10am - 4.30pm (4pm on Sunday)
Great Yorkshire Showground
Hall 2
Harrogate, North Yorkshire
HG2 8NZ

I hope to see you there, if not, wishing you all a safe and creative week ahead. Linking up with Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers and Needle & Thread Thursday

New Printed Patterns Now Available

In the run up to the Festival fo Quilts earlier this month, I decided it was about time I had some more of my patterns printed up and available for sale in paper form. I'm glad I did, they went down very well at the show, especially the EPP patterns which include all the pre-cut papers you need for the project. You can see some of the collection below, and click here to visit the shop.

A lovely friend from my quilt group posted a pic of her latest creation on Instagram this week, and I was over the moon to see that she had used this month's free Pre-Cut Party pattern - the Rail Fence Quilt - isn't it beautiful! If you would like your own copy, plus a free pattern every month, sign up here to the Newsletter.

Meanwhile, when not preparing for the Great Northern Quilt Show next week in Harrogate, I've been playing round with my Christmas Wreath idea, I posted the photo on the left on IG and Facebook (forgive the lap shot, I was sewing in the car :)) intending it to be a new hoop art kit in the style of a wreath, only for suggestions to come flying in for other uses, such as table mats to go with the table runner, a table centre or even a tree skirt! I do love a good group brainstorm and love all these ideas! 

I am veering towards the placemat idea, so I went back to the wreath and tilted the shapes to resemble the branches of holly and fir... my next challenge is to see if I can sew the inner ring on top of the outer one, another idea that has been rolling around my head for a while - anyway, watch this space, whether I get these kits ready for next week's show is another matter :)

As I mentioned above, I will be at the Harrogate Quilt Show next week, you can find out more about this fantastic 3-day event here. So I will be back in a fortnight, until then, happy sewing everyone.

Linking up with Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers and Needle & Thread Thursday.

Harrogate Spring Quilt Festival, 2018

As I sit and write this, the snow is falling yet again as the UK comes to its usual standstill during a wintery deluge. I'm only glad we're not doing Harrogate Quilt show this weekend! We had a great time at this bi-annual show last weekend, and the stand looked more colourful than ever. This was also my first chance to show off my Curve Motion Medallion quilt in real life, and it attracted some lovely comments, so thank you! For more on this glorious hand sewing block-of-the-month project, click here.

Another quilt which attracted a lot of attention was my new Mosaic Garden quilt kit, mainly due to Bryony's amazing long arm quilting (North Star Quilting), I know I mentioned this last week, I just couldn't resist showing it off again! The kit is now available in the Sewmotion Shop, priced at £68, though if you sign up and receive today's Newsletter, you can get 15% off! Click here to subscribe today. 

I love to wander through the collection of quilts on display  at these shows and always find something that sparks my imagination. The overall feeling of this exhibition was a wonderful abundance of colour! Greta and Mike Fitchett's work caught my eye with it's strong lines and graphic illustrations, Greta's work is inspired by architectural pattern found on her travels around the world and I thought her Reflection Quilts were so clever and striking in their use of colour.

Birmingham Post Office Tower, and Cologne Cathedral, Greta Fitchett

Designer and engineering illustrator Mike's pieces are inspired by vintage travel posters, a style I love myself, and it was great to see similar designs in quilt form. Coming from a graphics background, Mike's use of bold colour and simple shapes really appealed to me.

Heart of the Alps, and What a Shambles, Mike Fitchett

Another wonderful display of colour was to be found in "Interchange Appliqué Quilts' by Gillian Travis. These beautiful pieces are made using an innovative appliqué technique with batiks which are fused together. I'm a big fan of repetitive pattern and found these designs so happily satisfying!

Clockwise from top left: Circles 2, Notan Leaves 2, Turkish Carpets , Hawaiian Interchange, Circles 1 - Gillian Travis

These quilts are on a travelling exhibition with Grosvenor Shows, so if you get the chance to visit an event, go and explore this explosion of awesome colour!

I was so happy to meet a fellow UKQU member, Vendulka Battais, owner of Oliven quilt shop and queen of the Cathedral window! As well as demoing and teaching her stunning painting technique, Vendulka also had some of her beautiful quilts on display.

Cathedral Windows, Vendulka Battais, Oliven

Linking up with Midweek Makers and Needle & Thread Thursday

September's Free Pre-Cut Party Pattern and the Harrogate Quilt Show

Yep, the first of the month has come round yet again, which means it's time for another free pattern in my Pre-Cut Party! For those new to my party, every month I design and write a free pattern based on my love of the quilting pre-cut, including fat quarters, jelly rolls and charm squares. This pattern is then emailed out to my Newsletter subscribers absolutely free. Quite often I will also have a kit to accompany the pattern, with a subscriber-only discount. So let me introduce you to this month's pattern, the Strippy Star Table Runner.

I wanted to show another nifty trick with the 2.5in fabric strip, as well as how to make stars without having to tackle those 'Y' seams. I love these Dashwood Studio Twist fabrics, and I think these colours ever so gently nod to Christmas.

So, if you would like the free pattern, subscribe to the free Newsletter today!

If you would like the whole kit, which includes the pre-cut strips, borders, binding and thread, it's priced at £25, though if you subscribe to the Newsletter, you'll get 20% off till the end of the month.

I can't believe it's been a year since my first ever quilt show, this was last year's stand at Harrogate, and I'll be there again this week with new quilt kit and cushion kits, fabulous fabric pre-cuts and more inspiring patterns. If you're in the area, why not pop along, the show runs from Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd Sept, 10am-4.30pm (4pm on Sunday) at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate. Click here to find out more.

Linking up with Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers and Needle & Thread Thursday

New Pre-Cut Party pattern and kit

It's May already!! Where is this year going?? This is going to be a very busy month for me, thankfully ending with a few days away in the sun with some great friends. Before then I have two major shows and a magazine deadline which seemed so far away when I said yes...

Anyway, a new month means a new Pre-Cut Party pattern, for those new to Sewmotion, every month I send out a free pattern inspired by fabric pre-cuts to my Newsletter subscribers. This is often accompanied by a pre-cut kit, which my subscribers can also get at a discount. This month I've gone a little 'improv', and by little, I do mean tiny - seems I'm not quite ready to let it all go just yet!

This funky wall hanging to me looks like a modern piece of art, and made in these bright rainbow colours with that sharp white, it takes me back to my art degree years, though for the life of me I can't remember the artist I'm thinking of... collage? bright colours? Kandinsky or Mondrian maybe? These blocks are made with 2.5" strips and a clever technique using freezer paper to trim down each square. This is where the 'slightly improv' bit comes in as you can't see what you're cutting.

For this free pattern, with full access to previous months' patterns, plus my latest news, events and special offers, subscribe to the Newsletter.

I have also made this wall hanging into a kit containing all the fabric you need to complete the top, including binding, plus thread, freezer paper and full instructions. Priced at £25.00 - 20% off if you subscribe to the Newsletter, click here for more. If I get the time, I want to make up a black, grey and yellow version of this for the shows, she says hopefully. 

Talking of shows, this time next week will be the first day of  the Stitching, Sewing & Hobbycrafts show at the convention centre in the centre of Harrogate, North Yorkshire. If you're in the area, why not treat yourself to a day of inspiration, lovely people and craft therapy? I hope to see you there.

Can't make it to the show? Get your inspiration fix by visiting these great quilting links parties - Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers and Needle & Thread Thursday.

Show Preparations

It's all go here this week, with two weeks to go before the Stitching, Sewing and Hobbycraft Show in Harrogate, followed closely after by Quilts UK in Malvern (eek!) I'm sewing and cutting like mad!! As well as some gorgeous fat quarter bundles, strip sets and charm packs...

I'm been finishing up the instructions and packing for my Red Brick Tile quilt. I decided to wash it, it being red and everything... and with a couple of colour catchers, it came out fine.. thank goodness, you know that heart in your mouth feeling... thank the world for colour catchers!! I include a note at the end of all my kits recommending these babies, they really do work. This quilt is so big, it nearly filled our little garden! The kit will be available on the website after the shows in June. 

I've also been working on a couple new Quick & Easy / Beginner's Quilt Kits, one in that gorgeous Coonawarra Red collection and another is this ditsy Confetti range from Dashwood. The Harrogate show is my first one of these Hobbycraft shows, so I'm hoping it attracts new quilters as well as the more addicted, sorry experienced.

So if you're in the Harrogate or Malvern areas in May, why not visit to one of these wonderful quilt and craft shows, details as follows;

Stitching, Sewing & Hobbycraft Show
11th - 13th May, Harrogate Convention Centre 
10am - 4.30pm (5pm on Saturday)

Quilts UK
18th - 21st May, Three Counties Showground, Malvern
10am - 5pm (4.30pm Sunday)

If you're looking for more quilt fun and conversation, why not pop along to these links parties and say hi.
Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts
Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication
Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation.

Quilt Show Dates and a Party Invite

I'm so excited to have booked Sewmotion into three quilt shows this year, hopefully there will be more to come! Below are a list of when and where you can come and see us - it would be lovely to meet you in person and talk all things quilty!

Friday 24th - Sunday 26th February, 2017

10am - 4.30pm (4pm on Sunday)

The Yorkshire Event Centre, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 8QZ

Tickets can be pre-booked here, and are also available on the door.

Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th March, 2017

10am - 4.30pm (4pm on Sunday)

Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambridgeshire, CB22 4QR

Tickets can be pre-booked here, and are also available on the door.

Thursday 18th to Sunday 21st May, 2017

10am - 4.30pm (4pm on Sunday)

Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR13 6NW

Tickets can be pre-booked here, and are also available on the door. 

In other news...

I'm hosting a Sewmotion Linky Party, and you're all invited!! These blog/pic link-ups are a great way to meet other quilters and sewists, share your makes and keep up with what's going on in the quilting world. I love linking up with Parties from around the world, a few of my favourites are Let's Bee Social over on Sew Fresh Quilts, MidWeek Makers at Quilt Fabrication, and Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation. But what I can't find are any linkies in the UK which I thought was a shame, so why not start my own!

I also thought it would be a nice idea to link it up with my Pre-cut Party - my free pattern programme open to my Newsletter subscribers - though you don't need to be a subscriber to join in. This Linky Party will be for everyone who loves a good fabric pre-cut, be it jelly rolls, charm packs, layer cakes - the list is endless. I would love to see how you use these wonderfully versatile fabric bundles to create beautiful handmade items - and by sharing and then exploring other blogs, you could find inspiration for your next make.

I will be launching my Pre-Cut Linky Party next Thursday so please pop back and join in the pre-cut party fun!

For now, why not go and explore the parties I mentioned above;

Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers & Needle & Thread Thursday 

All Squared Up Quilt - Pieced Backing Instructions

One of my most popular sales last weekend at the Great Northern Quilt Show was my All Squared Up Quilt Kit in Japanese prints, so much so I've had to reorder some of the fabrics! It was also great to see people as interested in my pieced backing as they were in the front. So I thought this week I would include instructions for the backing - if you are one of the lovely people who bought this kit from me, and would like to purchase the fabrics for the back, contact me here and I'll send you the details.

Whenever I have a quilt around 60" wide, rather than joining two widths of the same fabric for the backing, I tend to use just one length with a pieced panel to make up the extra in width. So in this quilt I echoed the block used in the front, just on a larger scale - these squares are 6½”.

You will need:
• 60” x WOF (width of fabric) of main backing fabric (I have used the Red Geometric print).
• Three fat quarters in co-ordinating prints (I used a fat quarter of the Cream Geometric print, the Red Flower and the Cream Owls).

• One fat quarter of the solid you used on the front – in my case Cream.

Cutting instructions:

1) The cutting and construction of these three blocks is exactly the same as those on the front of the quilt, just with larger dimensions. So from each of the patterned fat quarters, cut the following:

* two 6½” x 18½” rectangles   

* two 6½” squares

Then from the Solid (cream) fat quarter, cut:

* three 6½” squares

* two 18½” x 3½” strips 

Piecing instructions:

2) For each block, sew the centre three squares together, with a cream one in the middle. Press seams towards the patterned fabric.

3) Sew a rectangle to either side of your centre strip to complete the block – again press seams towards the patterned fabric.

4) Sew these three blocks into one long panel, then add a solid (cream) 18½” x 3½” strip to the top and bottom.

5) Lay out your 60” of main fabric onto your cutting table, and trim off the selvedge with your ruler. Unfold the fabric so you’re only cutting through one layer, and use you quilter’s ruler to measure and cut off a 15” strip DOWN THE LENGTH of the fabric (not across the width). This will give you two panels to sew onto either side of your pieced blocks. Press seams toward the main fabric.

6) You are now ready to baste your quilt sandwich. To ensure your backing is straight and lined up with the front, fold your backing in half and place a pin at the centre mark of the top and bottom edges. Unfold, and fold again the other way, placing a pin at the centre mark of these two side edges.  Do the same with your quilt top.

7) Now find somewhere clean and flat, lay out your backing fabric, face down, and tape to the surface to keep flat. Lay and smooth out your wadding on top of this, and then finally place the quilt on top, face up, lining up those pins along each edge of the top and backing. Baste with curved safety pins and quilt.

A note on quilting: You could simply sew some stitch-in-the-ditch down and across each of your main seams. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous you could try some free-motion quilting over the entire top.

I chose to use my walking foot and stitch wavy lines across the top. To do this, start at the middle of one edge of the quilt and roughly following the centre seam, sew a gentle wavy line down the middle of the quilt. When you get to the opposite edge, break thread and pull the quilt back through the machine to start the next line to the right of first one.
Carry on working in this direction so you only ever have half the quilt rolled up under the machine. Try not to echo the previous line to avoid it looking too uniform, instead mirror the pattern in places, or go wide and come back and fill in later. If you go a little too wild, you will have the next line of blocks’ seams to guide you back to a ‘straighter’ wave.

I do love this style of quilting - it looks so fresh and modern!! For this kit and more, plus plenty of pre-cuts to inspire you for your next project, visit my shop at sewmotion.com

For more inspiration why not subscribe to my Newsletter for a free pattern every month, plus subscriber only offers and updates on my latest products and events.

 

Check out these Linky Parties for more fun and quilty goodness;

Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts

Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Are you coming to Harrogate??

As I may have mentioned recently, Sewmotion will be at this year's Great Northern Quilt Show in Harrogate, 2nd-4th September! This is a wonderful 3-day event incorporates the Great Northern Needlecraft Show, so there is sure to be something for every crafter. As well as workshops and demonstrations, there will be a display of beautiful quilts to admire and inspire, and of course lots of supplier's stands to meet your creative retail therapy needs.

I will be selling my collection of pre-cut quilt and cushion kits as well as the gorgeous pre-cut packs I make up from my curated collection of designer fabrics, including Riley Blake, Karen Lewis Textiles' Blueberry Park, Kona Solids and Dashwood.

There will also be the chance to learn more about my Pre-Cut Party to which you can subscribe and receive a free pattern every month straight to your inbox.

You can click here to learn more about the show and ticket prices, and I look forward to seeing you there!