Pre-Cut Party Time - with a difference

As many of you may know by now, I host a Pre-Cut Party in which subscribers to my Newsletter receive a free pattern every month straight to their inboxes. Well this year, I've decided on something a little different - over the next five months I will be hosting a mystery block-of-the-month quilt! The Birds of a Feather quilt is aimed at the skilled beginner and upwards, and features half-square triangles, a little foundation piecing and some simple patchwork. 

Each month I will share cutting and sewing instructions for each block, and then show how to put them all together into the finished quilt in June. I know it can be quite daunting not knowing what the finished quilt will look like, but that's all part of the fun! My Newsletter subscribers can also get 20% off a collection of fabric bundles I have curated especially for this quilt. 

If you would like to take part in this exciting new BOM, why not sign up to the Newsletter now and receive instructions for the Centre Nest Block. You will also receive a newsletter every week with special offers and the latest Sewmotion news.

In other exciting news, I have designed a beautiful quilt for Sewing Quarter using some very pretty Tilda fabrics, this will be on air on Saturday 9th Feb at 9am (GMT) while my next appearance on Sewing Qaurter is next Wednesday (13th Feb) where I will be showing off my favourite curved EPP technique to make my Curve Appeal cushion and then demoing a beautiful quilt by Elizabeth Hartman. You can watch Sewing Quarter on Sky 687, Freeview 73 (8am-12noon), online and on YouTube.

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

Christmas EPP Bunting and a Christmas Market

It's December!!! Which means we're finally allowed to talk Christmas! I know I started a while ago with my Table Runner and Wall Hanging Kits, so I just had to end this year's Pre-Cut Party with some festive bunting! As you may know already, or for those new to Sewmotion, I send out a free pattern every month to my Newsletter subscribers, before it goes on general sale, sometimes as a pattern only, but often as a kit. 

For this month's pattern I've returned to some EPP to create these adorable stars to make into Christmas bunting to adorn your wall. Or you could add a little loop to each one and make them into Christmas tree decorations, maybe don't go festive at all and make them in baby fabrics to hang in a nursery, the choice is entirely yours! The pattern includes full instructions and templates to cut out - subscribe here to get this free PDF pattern straight to your inbox. 

If you would like a set of these Jewel shapes as pre-cut templates, I have just listing a pack of 100 in the Sewmotion shop - you can see the whole collection of papers, including the Crescent and Wreath shapes, here.

It's a very busy time of year for us small businesses, and a highlight of this month is a lovely Christmas Market - I will be at this year's Bowes Museum Christmas Market at Barnard Castle in County Durham.

This ever-popular event takes place in the Museum's grounds, with entrance to the Museum and traditional fairground rides included in the £5.00 entry (£2.00 children).

Friday 14th December  12noon - 7pm
Saturday 15th December 10am - 5pm
Sunday 16 December 10am - 4pm

Visitors can look forward to a wide range of fabulous locally sourced foodstuffs and crafts from some of the finest suppliers in the area, with around 80 hand-picked vendors offering superb ideas and products for those extra special presents or last minute treats. Click here to find out more.

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

July's Free Pattern and some more new projects

As those familiar with Sewmotion will know, I send out a free pattern every month to my Newsletter subscribers, many of which are based on my love of the fabric pre-cut, while some are designed to bust the stash, including all those "it might be useful one day" scraps. And this is where July's pattern comes in - the EPP Flower Mug Rug!

I may have mentioned before how curved English paper-piecing has taken over my life, everything from my Purse and Hoop Art kits to my mammoth Curve Motion Medallion BOM - though I think I prefer the smaller projects, and they're also a great way to introduce people to this wonderful technique. 

I've also made up three versions of this Mug Rug kit, all from Liberty of London's Cottage Garden prints, there's the Pastel, the Blue and the Pink kits, all of which include the fabric pieces, wadding, pre-cut paper templates (Yay!) and full instructions, you'll just need a Sewline Glue Pen and thread. Click here for more details on the kits - did I also mention, that if you sign up to the Newsletter, you get 15% these kits until 11th July, so why not sign up now.

Through all this, I'm still in my mad rush towards the Festival of Quilts, how did it become July already! New kits making their debut at the show (though I am hoping to get them uploaded online too) include this EPP Diamond Star Cushion in Makower's Bloom prints, I love those bluey greys! And I've decided to make a longer version of my Christmas Table Runner in Makower's Silent Trees fabrics, a great project for showing off those beautiful feature prints in the collection. Ahh, more kits to cut up and pack!

Linking up with Let's Bee Social, Midweek 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

June's free pattern

Life's getting a little frantic here at the minute, the mammoth cut has began in preparation for August's Festival of Quilts. Though I'm telling myself I've still got two months, I know that's going to fly by and I really need to get my finger out! As well as getting fat quarter bundles, jelly rolls and maybe some charm packs cut, I need to figure out how many kits I can get out of my fabric stock, what extras I need and how many I actually need to take to a four-day show, and that's all before I can then let the printers know how many patterns I need! Friends tell me I'll be fine and to make a list... I have lists of lists!! haha!

And of course, it doesn't help when my brain is coming up with new ideas for kits all the time! And then I've also got 'normal' work including commissions for magazines, and of course my free monthly pattern to my Newsletter Subscribers. 

For June I've returned to the jelly roll strip to create this Disappearing Courthouse Steps quilt - I love building blocks only to cut them up and rearrange them don't you! I have made this quilt using the Heart & Soul fabrics from Riley Blake, and once it's quilted and bound, I plan to release it as a kit. Though I also think this design would look great in Ombre fabrics! If you would like this free pattern subscribe to the Newsletter here.

This week one of the many projects on the go has been a new Hoop Art kit using the cute Kitty fabrics, I particularly love the flower print in this collection - so many fussy cutting possibilities!

And talking of magazine work, I've also got to make a couple of cushions in this gorgeous Dashwood Studio fabrics, so cute!!! 

So I best get on! Wishing you all a happy creative week.

It's Pre-Cut Party time!

January always seems like such a long month, and this year was no exception. After a wobbly start with the dreaded lurgy, I still seem to have accomplished quite a lot - my Curve Motion Medallion BOM is in full swing - don't forget, this block-of-the-month EPP quilt is available to join at anytime, so why not sign-up for 16 months of slow, meditative hand-sewing.

Month One of the CMM BOM features these two centre rings

I've also been lucky enough to have two projects featured in Love Patchwork & Quilting magazine, which always makes me smile. 

Rainbow Waves - Love Patchwork & Quilting, Issue 57

I've finally uploaded my previous Pre-Cut Party patterns onto Payhip which are now available for sale here, and I've another hundred or so designs running around my head for the year ahead! Many of these new designs are based on the curve EPP technique that I'm now totally in love with, and which features in this month's free Pre-Cut Party pattern - for those new to Sewmotion, I design a free pattern based on my love of quilting pre-cuts for my Newsletter subscribers every month. 

Subscribe to the Sewmotion Newsletter for this free EPP Flower Hoop Art pattern

This pretty EPP Flower Hoop Art project lends itself so well to fussy-cutting - a technique where you cut identical motifs from your fabric which then create a secondary design when the shapes are sewn together. To accompany this month's free pattern, I have written a tutorial here on how to use template plastic for fussy-cutting your fabric. So if you would like this free pattern and more throughout the year, sign up to the Newsletter here.

January is also a long month as it's my birthday on 2nd February, and yet again, I'm being whisked away by my wonderful Justin to who knows where - I will let you know next week :)

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

Pre-Cut Party Patterns Now Available

As you may know, I offer a free pattern inspired by my love of quilting pre-cuts, to my Newsletter subscribers every month. After 14 months of patterns, I've been wondering what I should do with them once they've gone out, and have decided to offer them for sale.

I already offer my other quilt patterns as PDFs on Etsy as there were complicated VAT/Europe reasons why I couldn't offer them on my own website - or so I thought until a friend told me about PayHip. I'm not going to bore you with VAT details, but basically, someone in Europe has decided that those people who are making a fortune (I wish) through offering downloadable products are getting away with not paying any tax... or not enough tax anyway.. so in their infinite wisdom, instead of charging tax of the country where the PDF file originates, in my case the UK, they would charge tax through the country of the buyer, and that the seller would be responsible to recouping this tax and personally sending it to the relevant country... absolutely barmy I know, which is why you'll find many US pattern sellers not offering downloads to Europe.

Anyway, up to now, good old Etsy has been the only company who have offered to sort all this VATMOSS out for us confused sellers, which of course has meant having an Etsy shop and taking people away from my own website. However, now Payhip is thankfully offering the same service which means that when you click on any of the Pre-Cut Party patterns, you'll be taken to the product's Payhip page to place payment and download the PDF - couldn't be easier, phew!

So if you love quilting pre-cuts as much as I do, click here to see the collection so far - better yet, click here to subscribe to the Newsletter and receive a free pattern every month straight to your inbox!

Meanwhile, on the making front, I've been developing my curved EPP shapes, and I'm currently working on two 'secret' projects - I think I've finally found a love of fussy-cut EPP!!

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

A (late) Happy New Year

Well, so far 2018 hasn't been very healthy! Having managed to get through a wonderful family Christmas at my mum's, then a lovely laughter-filled New Year with dear friends in Germany without so much as a sniffle, we've both come home to the so-called 'hot bed' of Aussie flu! Great! Admittedly Justin seems to have had the worse of it, at least I've managed to get out of bed and do the odd bit of work. 

All of which explains why my Happy New Year wishes are rather late, as is my first free Pre-cut Party pattern for my Newsletter Subscribers. While browsing through my 500 Quilt Blocks book (Goldsworthy & Green) I came across this cute HST Shoo Fly block and thought it would make a lovely little project. Having promised myself one for ages, I decided to make a much-needed needle case - you would not believe how many needles I found buried in my pin cushion... or maybe you would! 

If you are new to Sewmotion, I send out a free pattern based on quilting pre-cuts every month to my Newsletter subscribers. You will also hear news of my latest products and events, plus subscriber-only offers. You can sign up here.

This lurgy has also meant we haven't been able to get outside to take some decent photos of my Curve Motion Medallion quilt - this one was taken in our half-finished dining room - hopefully by the weekend we can get out of the house! This block-of-the-month quilt is over 16 months and is one for lovers of hand-sewing, with English paper-pieced blocks, hand appliqué and even hand quilting is desired. You can learn more about this BOM here, you can start whenever you wish - the first shipments go out on Monday - but you must commit to the whole 16 months.

I also used this curved EPP technique in my Sun Spell mini quilt featured in this month's Love Patchwork & Quilting, so if you would like a taster before embarking on my BOM, why not give this a try - even better, Sun Spell is actually being demonstrated on the UK's Sewing Quarter Freeview channel (78) on Wednesday 17th January, so tune in to see this wonderful technique in action!

I wish you all a creative and colour-filled 2018!

Linking up with Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers and 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 

So many new projects!

Both Christmas and my next quilt show at Duxford seem to have crept up on me, which means I'm having a mad week trying to get stock made up and getting kits together for Christmas gift shoppers. After having such a great success with my Pincushion Kits, I decided I should make a new EPP cushion kit using one of my new blocks from my Block of the Month design, the overlapping circles. Now I've worked out how to make this ring lay flat, I'm loving the design and couldn't resist making a rainbow version with Alison Glass's Diving Board prints, and what else to back it onto but Robert Kaufman's Essex Linen...

I've also been trying to get ahead for next month's free Pre-Cut party pattern, and finally made a quilt from my gorgeous 1930s feedsack prints. This one uses my layer cake roll of twenty-one 10" squares. To get this quilt pattern for free in November, you can sign up to the Newsletter here, there will also be a subscriber-only discount off the kit, coming soon.

My third project this week is a new version of my Quick & Easy/Beginner's Quilt Kit, using Makower's gorgeous Into The Woods fabrics - these blues are so beautiful! Hopefully the sun will be shining tomorrow for some 'finished' pics for the kit, then this too will be available. These simple quilt kits make great gifts for someone wanting to learn to quilt as the square are all pre-cut, they can just get stuck in and start sewing! You can see the other versions I have for sale here.

I will be at the Autumn Quilt Festival in Duxford next week, this show is held at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford Airfield in amongst the full size aircraft hanging from the rafters - one of the most interesting quilt venues of the year! The show runs from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th October, 10am - 4.30pm (4pm on Sunday).

A new Rainbow EPP Pincushion 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!

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

October's Free Pattern, and Our Little Trip Away

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

Fun at Harrogate and a new All Squared Up Quilt Kit

We had a great time at the Great Northern Quilt Show last weekend, it was so nice to meet many of my newsletter subscribers who had lovely things to say about their free monthly patterns. It's always nice to put faces to names of regular customers. Thank you for your kind words!
Below is a little video of my stand, if the quality is a little suspect, click on the settings symbol (the washer-type circle) at the bottom of video and you should be able to click on HD which should improve it. You can also turn up the sound though my little commentary seems a bit drowned out.



As you can see above, I have a new All Squared Up Quilt Kit, this one is in Riley Blake's gorgeous Happy Day fabrics, together with some Makower Spots. 

This popular quilt kit is great for beginners, and comes with all the fabric strips, borders, binding and thread you need to complete the top, plus of course full instructions. It is priced at £45.00 and there is also a fabric pack available for my pieced backing included in the instructions.

Don't forget this month's free Pre-Cut Party pattern is out, just subscribe to my Newsletter to get this strippy table runner PDF straight to your inbox, plus access to previous free patterns! There's also a code for 20% of the kit below.

I'm currently taking part in a great tag on Instagram, the #GreatBritishQuilter which runs all month. There are so many amazing quilters in the UK, why not pop along and say Hi!

Linking up with Let's Bee Social, 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

Free Pre-Cut Party Pattern and New 10" Vintage Rolls

I know I say it at the beginning of every month, but where on earth is this year going!? So August brings more dubious summer weather, the Festival of Quilts, and my blind panic in preparing for the Northern quilt show in Harrogate in September... and breathe!

It also brings a new free pattern in my Pre-Cut Party - for those of you not in the know, I send out a free pattern every month to my Newsletter subscribers inspired by my love of the quilting pre-cut. This month I have gone back to my favourite, the jelly roll strip, and wanted to show one of the easiest and most effective designs you can make with this pre-cut - the nine-patch Irish Chain.

Sadly I ran out of time to actually make this project, though it is on my list - I think my Coonawarra Red strip set would make a stunning quilt! This pattern includes a materials list and full colour instructions to make this 22" cushion, I've then added a couple of quilt layouts to help you go bigger, complete with fabric requirements. Subscribe to the Newsletter today for this and many more free patterns.

I've just taken delivery of these gorgeous 1930s Vintage Florals, I've been waiting a while and have so many plans for them! In the past I've been asked if I sell 10" squares, otherwise known as Layer Cakes, but I've always struggled with how to display them, they either take up too much room, or they get battered! So when I friend showed me a roll of 10" squares he'd purchased abroad, I was inspired, don't these look yummy!! 

There are 15 squares in each roll, each in a different design, I guess I'm now going to write a couple of Layer Cake patterns for future Pre-Cut Parties. These rolls are priced at £15.00, though if you subscribe to the Newsletter you can get £3.00 until 17th August. 

I'm off to the Festival of Quilts next week, working for Doughty's (maybe next year I'll be ready to do it for Sewmotion) so I'll see you on the other side, hopefully with lots of quilt pics to inspire!

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

This month's free subscriber pattern

For July's free pattern for my Newsletter subscribers, I decided to go for a little foundation piecing... I know this technique is daunting to some, it took me a while to get my head around it, but with some nifty tools and tricks the technique I use with the simple Economy Block is a good introduction, and great to use with fat quarters. 

This lap quilt finishes at approx. 42" x 48" and features these gorgeous Confetti fabrics from Dashwood Studios - there's even a fussy-cut block in the centres! Unfortunately due to really crap dull 'summer' weather I haven't been able to take any decent shots of the whole quilt... hopefully tomorrow!

If you would like this free pattern, just subscribe to the Newsletter - you'll get a pattern based on my love of pre-cuts every month, plus access to previous patterns, and it's all absolutely free! Click here to sign-up.

I've finally had some more grey fabric back in stock, so the backing pack for my All Squared Up quilt in Alison Glass's Sun Prints is back on the website - I luuurrve a pieced backing!

Now back to my summer passion project.. an EPP BOM to start next year... more coming soon... :)

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