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

Sewing Quarter Medallion Fun

A couple of week's ago I was sent the brief for my next appearance on the Sewing Quarter - the UK's first TV Channel dedicated to sewing and quilting. As well as being available on Freeview (73) and Sky (687) you can also watch the shows live on their website and then, the best bit, they then upload most of the shows up onto their YouTube channel to be watched as many times as you like, which I think is very handy if you buy a kit or pattern and need a reminder on how to make it.

Anyway, back to the brief - this time I was asked to make Lynne Goldsworthy's Rainbow Medallion quilt that had been featured in a recent Today's Quilter. I have to say, I have never made so many half-square triangles in such a short time in my life! Thankfully it was using the paper template method, my fave and by far the quickest - you can see my tutorial on this method along with free templates here. The one thing that worries me about Medallion quilts is that you really need to be careful that each round you add to the quilt is squared up nicely and that you're not going askew. I needn't have worried though, this Medallion is mostly made up of 2" HSTs and squares, so matching the seams was a joy and kept me nicely squared up.

My second project was this cute Beside the Seaside cushion, a little out of my comfort zone as I don't do a lot of embroidery, though I wish I had more time to! I think this is the best bit about working for Sewing Quarter, not only do I get to work on other people's patterns, but I also get the chance to try different techniques and styles that I wouldn't normally have time to in my work for Sewmotion.

If you would like to catch up on these shows, or rewatch them, you can see them here on Sewing Quarter's YouTube channel, the Medallion quilt is in the second hour, with the cushion in the fourth.

Wishing you all a sunny and creative week, linking up with Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers and Needle & Thread Thursday