For December's free pattern to my Newsletter Subscribers I have returned to my favourite EPP to make these adorable Star Pincushions. I made one for myself years ago which you may have seen on my video tutorials. This is also when I first discovered crushed walnut shells, not only does using this as stuffing give them added weight, but the shells are also a great abrasive so they keep your pins nice and sharp.
You can subscribe to the Newsletter here to receive this free pattern and you can also purchase 200g bags of crushed walnut shells in the online shop here.
I have also put together three kits to make these star pincushions, each includes the fabric, pre-cut paper templates, two buttons and full instructions. You can find out more here. So we're coming to the end of yet another year... I have no idea where this one has gone, yet a lot seems to have happened, my TV appearances on Sewing Quarter for one. As you may have seen on social media posts and the TV Channel, Sewing Quarter is sadly closing at the end of the year. It was been a wonderful opportunity to work on such an inspiring project with a team of amazing people, and I'm sure this will be the start of many creative ventures and collaborations to come, so watch this space - you can also follow my fellow guest designers' latest news on the new Facebook group SQ Designers Chat This year has also seen many new pattern and kit releases, my Curved Motion Medallion BOM is still going strong - you can join this at any time by the way - not to mention the house and business move - and through it all I am still loving what I do. I still wake up with amazing plans for each day, and can't wait to get up and get on with making. I know I am very lucky, but I also know this takes damn hard work as well as the love and support from my loved ones and my wonderful customers. So thank you so much, thank you if you have bought something from Sewmotion this year, if you have subscribed to the Newsletter, if you have left a lovely comment on social media, or even if you have just read my (ir)regular blog posts, every one of these is so much appreciated and I know I couldn't be living my best life without you.
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.
The first month's instalment of my Curve Motion Medallion block-of-the-month quilt went out this week, with fabrics, temps and instructions to make the two centre rings. This is a great English paper-pieced project for those looking for some slow meditative sewing, and you can start anytime!
Over the next 16 months from when you sign up, you will receive all of the Alison Glass and grey background fabrics you need to complete the top, including binding, plus full sized templates to cut out and easy-to-follow-instructions. This gorgeous quilt finishes at 82" square and features a curved EPP technique using glue basting, the same technique I used in my Sun Spell mini quilt featured on yesterday's Sewing Quarter TV channel.
If you missed it, you can now catch it on YouTube - it's on in the second hour, so you may want to move the time bar across to an hour into the show. The lovely Victoria Peat's excellent demonstration shows how easy this technique is thanks to the amazing glue pen and a 'flat back stitch'. If I've caught your imagination, and you would like to join us on my Curve Motion Medallion adventure, you can click here for more details on costs etc. Alternatively, if you'd like to try a smaller project using this great technique, why not try one of my Pincushion kits or the pretty Overlapping Rainbow Cushion kit?
After releasing last week's free pattern to my Newsletter subscribers for these gorgeous EPP pincushions, I seem to have gone to town creating more kits! And when I received the new Alison Glass Diving Board fabrics, which just have rainbow written all over them, I couldn't resist making a third one. Don't they look stunning against that Kaufman Essex linen!
Each of the kits include all the fabric you need to make the pincushion, plus full instructions and actual size templates to cut out. All you need is a Sewline glue pen for basting and filling. They do make a perfect small project for retreats, as well as a great introduction to curved English paper-piecing. Why not treat a crafty friend this Christmas! What's more, if you subscribe to my Newsletter, you get 20% off each kit! This week I've also taken delivery of these scrummy Flora Pop fabrics from Michael Miller, I have so many ideas of what to make with them, I just need the time! I have listed them by the metre, as well as a 9pc fat quarter bundle.
Meanwhile, I'm also making further progress on my EPP BOM, to be released early next year, I'm now working on the larger rounds including this 'overlapping' design which was a sod to work out how to match up, but I've finally cracked it!
I love Autumn, the colours of the trees, the smell of newly-lit wood burners, a chilly walk on a sunny day... to me it's always been a season of change, or rather a time to start new things, probably harking back to school and college days. So what better time to learn a new skill!! For this month's free pattern I wanted to share my new-found love of curved English paper-piecing. This technique is featuring quite heavily in current and future projects, including the Sun Prints block-of-the-month quilt starting next year. So as a taster I've designed this gorgeous, and quite substantial, pincushion using some very pretty 1930s vintage florals.
Admittedly the pieces used in the pincushion are a lot smaller than those for the BOM, but thanks to some wonderful glue-basting this project should be fine for the seasoned sewer. This pattern is free to my Newsletter subscribers, so why not sign up now! Not only do you get a free pattern every month, but you'll also receive subscriber-only discounts in the Sewmotion shop, as well as the latest news and updates on upcoming events.
To accompany this pattern, I've also released two pincushion kits which include all the fabric you need, plus a square of wadding, instructions and full-size templates to cut out. These are priced at £8.00 and would make lovely Christmas gifts or Secret Santas for a crafty friend. Click here to find out more.
We recently returned to our favourite short-break destination, The Netherlands, for a week of great food, walks and even some cycling - I'd just like to say, this land isn't as flat as they say it is, I can still find a hill or two to struggle up! Still, it was lovely to cycle down beautiful tree-lined lanes and explore more of the Dutch countryside and of course, indulge in a drink or two on the seafront.
Staying at a Eurocamp park (Duinrell) in Wassenaar, just outside The Hague, meant we were only a short walk away from some fantastic restaurants - I recommend Pop's Diner for amazing steaks, Da Alfio Ristorante for sumptuous grilled prawns, and Luciano's for the best ice cream AND added running hot chocolate that goes hard!!!! On our last night we went at the Bistro Plein 14, which was just too amazing for words, the menu says it all!
Our break actually started with a few days in London visiting my mum, the mandatory visit to Liberty's and where I finally had time to show Justin around my favourite museum of all time, the glorious V&A in Kensington. The Chihuly sculpture just hits you as you walk in - in fact the building itself is worth a visit alone, with glorious ceilings and amazing floor mosaics. I was obviously so in awe, I didn't manage to take many pics, but here are a couple - there's something so inspiring about wrought iron designs - free motion quilting maybe... Linking up with Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers and Needle & Thread Thursdayhttp://www.myquiltinfatuation.com/2017/10/king-sized-difficulty-and-ntt.html
