Recent Makes & New Kits

Gosh, it has been a while since my last post, but I haven't gone anywhere, just been busier than ever trying my best to get some of the millions of ideas that run around my head down on paper or made into new projects. I really could do with another me I think!

For starters, I have been so pleased and overwhelmed by the response to my Hope in the Star Quilt. This series of free blocks was free to my Newsletter Subscribers in an effort to help them, and myself, through lockdown. Starting out as a mystery quilt, each fortnight I sent out the pattern for each of the nine main star blocks, followed by the choice of layout for the final project. It could be a wall hanging with some simple sashing and corner stones, as above, or you could go big and on-point with this beautiful finished quilt below. As you can see,  the two projects are so different, and what's more, it's all hand sewn! Like me, so many people are discovering the amazing health benefits of some quiet meditative hand sewing, and this project has proved to be so helpful through these unprecedented times.

If you would like to join us in this hand sewing project, there is still time. I am planning on sharing my tips on hand and machine quilting these two different quilts soon, so until then, the Hope in the Stars Quilt is still free to my Newsletter subscribers - you can sign up here.

Another new kit has been this ever so cute Square Dance in the Rain quilt. This great pattern is based on the 5" charm square, and the kits include all the pre-cut 5" squares, borders and binding, plus full instructions. What's more, this kit now comes in two sizes, the Cot (41" x 48") and the Bed (57" x 61") - you can find out more about these here.

Last, but definitely not least, is the latest version of my Curved EPP Flower Cushion kit, this time using this gorgeous Adlington Hall print from Liberty's Flower Show collection. As soon as I saw this print, I knew it would be perfect for this pattern - you can find out more about this kit here, and if you sign up to the Newsletter before October 9th, you can get 10% off!

I have so many new kits coming out soon, which will probably mean another long break between blogs, so if you would like to hear the latest news from Sewmotion, please sign up to the Newsletter.

Wishing you all a creative and peaceful week, xx

Linking up with Mid Week Makers and Needle & Thread Thursday

New Disappearing Courthouse Steps Quilt Kit

As you may know, I run a Pre-Cut Party every month where I offer my Newsletter Subscribers a free PDF pattern straight to their inbox, based on my love of pre-cuts. Often the pattern is just to inspire them to get cutting into their stash of beloved pre-cuts, and other times the pattern is to accompany a new kit release. June's pattern was another play with the ever-versatile jelly roll strip to make this striking yet simple Disappearing Courthouse Steps Quilt - you can grab your own copy by subscribing here.

I received the quilt back from my lovely local longarmer, North Star Quilting, who did a wonderful job echoing the blocks' direction with parallel lines in each quarter. I added the binding and then of course chose the dullest day of the week to photograph the quilt! This kit includes all the squares, strips and background fabric in Riley Blake's Heart & Soul fabrics you need to complete the top, plus binding, thread and full instructions, and is now available here in the Sewmotion Shop.

Meanwhile, outside of my Sewmotion bubble, my old bosses, Doughty's are holding one of their fantastic fabric roadshows at my local quilt group at the end of the month, so if you're in the North Yorkshire or Teesside area, why not pop along for some fabric shopping therapy!

Wishing you all a happy sewing week!
Linking up with:
Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication
Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Quilt Show preparation, a new kit and North Star Quilting

For the past few weeks I've been cutting, folding, glueing, and pricing like a mad woman, in preparation for my first show of the year, the Spring Quilt Festival at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate. This 3-day event is held in a smaller hall than the one in Autumn, which I must say does make for a more much relaxed show. Talking to visitors last year, many commented on how nice it was to wander around the stalls at a leisurely pace, have time for some lunch before having a second look around and actually remembering where they saw that something that caught their eye!

As you can see, I've added some lovely individual fat quarters to my show stock, these boxes look so inviting don't they! And I've a few new kits not taken to shows before, including this gorgeous new Mosaic Garden Quilt Kit in Michael Miller's Wildflower fabrics.

You may recognise this quilt from a pervious Pre-Cut Party pattern, I've increased the number of blocks to thirty to make this double-sized quilt finish at approx. 67" x 80". The kit includes 120 pre-cut 5" squares, 3.10m of Makower's Ivory and eight binding strips, plus thread and full instructions. This new kit will be available in the Sewmotion shop early next week, priced at £68.00.

Did you notice the beautiful quilting on my new quilt above? Most of the time I love to quilt my own tops, but this quilt begged for something special, so I decided to give it to my friend Bryony Liddle to longarm. Bryony and her husband Luke run North Star Quilting, a longarm quilting service up here in the North East of England. I let her have free reign on my quilt, and she didn't disappoint! Keeping with the grid-like pattern of the patchwork, Bryony went to town with some truly stunning quilt designs in block formation. Fine Art trained, Bryony is a joy to work with, incredibly enthusiastic about her work and is very talented indeed! For more details on North Star Quilting's services, including prices, click here. 

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

This month's free Pre-Cut Party Pattern and funky new packaging

I had a great time at last weekend's Autumn Quilt Show at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, I had a larger stand than last year, and it seemed busier all round, just goes to show the love of quilting is growing all the time. 

I did have many more beginners going for my Quick & Easy Quilt Kits which was really encouraging, as we all know, once you've made your first quilt, you're in it for life! I also think my funky (and practical) new packaging may have helped - they also make great gifts.

So it's the beginning of another month, which means it Pre-Cut Party time! This month's free pattern, available to my Newsletter subscribers, is based on the 10" layer cake to make this beautiful Buzz Saw quilt. 

I used my gorgeous 1930s Vintage Fabric roll together with a pretty white-on-white to make this single-size bed quilt (approx. 50" x 67.5"). If you would like this free pattern, and many more in the future, you can sign up to the newsletter here. I'm also offering my subscribers 20% off this new kit for one month only.

Looking for more quilting fun and inspiration? Why not pop along to these great Linky Parties - Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts, Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication and Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation 

New Kits, Bundles and Secret Projects

I finally had a bright enough day to get photos of these two new Quick & Easy/Beginner's Quilts and now have the kits available in the shop. Each kit includes pre-cut squares, borders, binding and thread, plus full instructions and links to my free online tutorials, making them ideal for newbies who are maybe a little nervous about fabric selection or cutting. With these kits, they can just get stuck in and start sewing.

The first kit features Dashwood Studio's Confetti and Twist fabrics, while the second is made in these lush red and white fabrics from Red Rooster's Coonawarra Red collection.

New products also include these gorgeous fat quarter bundles and a charm pack in Michael Miller's Let's Play collection, aren't they cute!! I used these fabrics in my Novelty Nine Patch quilt kit, and they do make a lovely gift for a new arrival.

Meanwhile, in my sewing time I'm currently working on two 'secret' projects for magazine submissions, the first is developing my love of curved paper-piecing, with a little fussy cutting of these gorgeous Norrland fabrics from Dashwood. 

And the second is a larger version of my Wonky Squares block using Riley Blake's Gingham Girls fabrics, I'm really loving how these fabrics look together!

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

A new baby quilt kit & a Doughty's Roadshow

We had a lovely time at the National Quilt Championships at Sandown Park last weekend, the weather was lovely, the visitors were very friendly, and I got to meet and talk to many other vendors which was great, it's always nice to hear the industry gossip! One of the main buzzes was Hochanda, a crafty TV shopping channel, well, these channels are so much more than shopping these days aren't they! A know a lot of viewers watch to learn new techniques and get inspired as well as shop for the next kit or project. I've been thinking about going on myself... me, in front of the camera... I just don't know! As you can see from the film below, my husband is the film star, not me :)

I also launched a new quilt kit at this show, the Novelty Nine Patch Baby Quilt Kit. This adorable quilt is made in Michael Miller's Let's Play fabrics, and would be suitable for a boy or a girl, perfect for those who don't know yet! Each kit comes with all the fabric you need to complete the top, including binding, plus thread and full colour instructions, and is priced at £30.00. 

And of course, me being me, it has a pieced backing. I have also listed this as a separate product on the website for those who may want it at a later stage.

For all you fabrics lovers in the North-East of England, don't forget quilting specialists (and my old employers) Doughty's, are holding one of their fabulous roadshows at my local quilt group in Middlesbrough this weekend!

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.