Firstly, I would like to thank Patricia for getting in touch and telling me about this great new gadget to enable Audio on my blog. Patricia has been enjoying my ramblings for a few months now, but with failing eyesight, she prefers to listen than to read and wondered if I had ever thought of adding an audio facility on my blog, she also very helpfully sent me a couple of websites that provided this service. So I am happy to say that yes, I do now have a choice of Audio on here, just click on the orange icon at the top of each post to hear it being read aloud, though not by me I hasten to add! I do hope this helps Patricia and thank you so much for getting in touch!
This week I have working hard on trying to get ahead of my work for a change, in particular on my free patterns to my Newsletter subscribers - more on that next month. I have also finally got round to uploading a couple of new EPP kits to the Sewmotion shop - the Kitty Hoop Art kit, and a new EPP Pincushion kit in Bloom. Both projects include curved English paper-piecing and are a great way of stretching your EPP skills or just feeding you EPP addiction! You can find out more about each one by clicking on the links above.
As well as designing and making a new quilt for Sewing Quarter - to be revealed soon, I've been playing with these gorgeous Quantum Bygg fabrics to make a new set of matching cushions... I just have to finish the backs and amend the instructions and these will be available as kits soon.
With so much to do, I best get on, wishing you all a happy and creative week, linking up with Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers and Needle & Thread Thursday
One of my best memories from last month's Festival of Quilts was finally meeting Jo Avery in the flesh - we've been trying and missing each other since Quilt Con in 2015! Jo is a wonderful modern quilter, designer, owner of My Bear Paw in Edinburgh and a prolific contributor to many quilting mags. Jo also organises and runs the modern quilting retreat, Stitch Gathering. Now in it's 6th year, this fantastic weekend is dedicated to all things modern and includes workshops on improv block building, lino printing your own fabrics and even some gorgeous embroidery that I know is close to Jo's heart. Tutors include Jo herself alongside well known names such as Karen Lewis and Mandy Munroe.
While talking to Jo at Festival she asked if I would like to be a sponsor for this great event, and I jumped at the chance. So those of you who are lucky enough to be going to this amazing retreat weekend, look out for a little Sewmotion EPP goodness :)
Talking of EPP goodness, the latest instalments of my Curve Motion Medallion block-of-the-month come out this week. I have customers at all different stages of this program having joined at different times, but above is a pic of Block 9, the Pink and Purple Flower. You can join in this 16-month EPP adventure at any time, and what's more I can now supply the pre-cut papers you need for each month, so no more cutting out! Click here to find out more.
A customer sent me her version of my EPP Hoop Art this week, I love those puffins so much, and the fussy-cutting is just perfect! Thanks very much for sharing Wendy. You can now purchase this pattern in paper form which comes with the pre-cut papers, or as a PDF for instant download.
Wishing you all an inspired week of creativity.
Linking up with Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers and Needle & Thread Thursday
We have a winner!! I'm so happy to announce that the winner of this gorgeous fabric bundle and two tickets to this year's Festival of Quilts is... Eileen Gilmour! Huge congratulations Eileen, I will be contacting you via email.
Meanwhile, I've been working on another couple of Curved EPP Hoop Art Kits - can you tell I'm getting addicted! The first one features fussy-cut foliage in prints from Laundry Basket Quilts' Blue Sky collection, while the second is much more vibrant in hot Sundance fabrics from Makower. These kits are slightly larger at 10" but you need less fabric than the 8" designs so the price is the same at £20. Click here to find out more including what's included in each kit. If you're looking for a portable holiday project or you'd just like to try out this curved EPP technique, these kits are a great place to start.
I've also been working on a couple of new projects, a secret baby quilt for an upcoming issue of Love Patchwork & Quilting, and a new version of my EPP Flower Cushion, this time in a lovely bright floral Liberty print.
We're off to sunny (and very hot) Kefalonia next week, so there won't be a blog for the next couple of Thursdays, see you on my return just in time for Quilts UK in Malvern!
Linking up with Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers and Needle & Thread Thursday.
As I sit at my desk every day it's hard not to be distracted by the comings and goings outside - my window looks down on our small but pretty garden which is currently home to families of blackbirds, sparrows, the occasional blue tit, and even a lovely couple of collared doves. What's more, the other day I saw a bee, which can only mean one thing, spring has finally arrived in the Northeast of England! So to celebrate the brighter days and warmer weather, I'm hosting a Giveaway, yay!
This competition is open to all of my Newsletter subscribers, so for a chance of winning this gorgeous bundle of Liberty of London Cottage Garden fat quarters, together with two tickets to this year's Festival of Quilts, all you have to do is subscribe to my Newsletter. Not only will you hear all the latest product news and subscriber-only offers, you will also receive a FREE PATTERN every month straight to your inbox.
Better still, if you tell a friend and they sign up, then email me to let me know who referred them, you get an additional entry into the draw - happy days!
Closing date is midnight on Tuesday 24th April and the winner will be announced in next week's Newsletter, out on the following Thursday, good luck everyone, and get sharing!
Elsewhere at Sewmotion HQ - have you had a go at my Curved EPP Flower Cushion yet? It really is a lovely hand project to take on the go - you can catch the four-part series of video tutorials here. Once you have made the beautiful cushion front, what better way of finishing than with a nice and tidy zippered back? I have added a full tutorial on adding a zip to this cushion which you can see here.
Talking of EPP Flowers - I have uploaded two brand new Hoop Art kits to the Sewmotion shop. As you may have gathered by now, I'm totally addicted to this method of EPP and I'm loving applying it to all sort of projects. These EPP Flower kits come with all the fabric you need, including the fat quarter of background fabric, a 8" wooden hoop, template plastic and wadding, an embroidery floss, templates to cut out and full instructions. Click here to find out more about each kit.
Linking up with Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers and Needle & Thread Thursday
