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

Christmas Craft Fair & Etsy Gift Guide

A couple of week's ago I promised to share some of my handmade gift ideas from online marketplaces, so I'll start with Etsy - for many the go-to place for everything handmade.  To help you find that special gift, Etsy helpfully provide Gift Guides for everything from Gifts for Mum and Secret Santa Gifts to Gifts for Pets and Pet Lovers. While there are some truly quirky items on sale, there are also many beautifully crafted gifts that you will be hard pushed to find anywhere else.

The following items are all available from shops in the UK and are gifts for the creative people in your life, not things to make themselves, but items that reflect their love of craft;

Going clockwise from top left; Sewing Machine Blueprint Embroidery Hoop, Stitches of Anarchy, £21; Funny Craft Mug, The Mug Hermit, £7; Rainbow Hand Embroidery Hoop, PixieCraft Handmade, £43; Sewing Needlebook Set, Stitches & Stuff, £11; Material Girl Print, Red Postbox, £8; Vintage Sewing Fabric Pencil Case, Song of the Seam, £13; Compact Mirror, 2 Green Monkeys, £9.50; This is My Happy Place Print, Snowdon Prints, £12.

If you would rather something crafty for the creative in your life, such as a quilt or cushion kit, or maybe some gorgeous fabric, why not check out my Etsy shop. 

Prefer to shop in 'real life'? If you're local to the Teesside/North Yorkshire area, why not come and see me this Sunday at the Rainbow Plant Centre Christmas Fair? As well as my quilt and cushion kits, I'll be selling my collection of handmade gifts and homewares - the perfect opportunity to pick up a unique gift for someone special! I'll also have Christmas Special offers on some of my items, so come and say hello!

 
 

Preparing For a Christmas Market

As I may have mentioned in previous posts, I am holding a stall at this year’s Stockton Sparkles Christmas Market. I've had stalls at a couple of smaller craft fairs in the past, neither very successfully I admit, and I was rather put off. However, it’s Christmas… and from word-of-mouth I’ve heard this four-day event promises to be busy, full of cheer, helping everyone get into the festive spirit!

Now I have done a few shows with my previous employers (yes, Doughty’s) and anyone who knows them will know they don’t do things by halves! Thankfully, it was always down to the boys to decide what to take and how much, and where to place it, how to display it and so on (you can read more on what goes into the Festival of Quilts show in a previous blog). It always looked pretty stressful to me… and now I’m feeling a little of that pain!

I know my log cabin/shed is miniscule compared to their 10m long stands, but the choices and decisions are very similar – what do I take? Do I have enough stock? How should I display it? Should I only take finished items, or take some quilting items too? These questions and worries have been floating around my brain for weeks now, but with only two days to go, I think I’ve sussed it – take everything and see what happens!!

So if you are lucky enough to live up here in these parts, and would like some festive cheer, some fun Christmas shopping and some delicious nibbles (including mulled wine… yay!) why not pop along to Stockton High Street, the market runs from Thursday 26^th Nov (9am – 7.30pm, when they will be turning on the Christmas lights) Fri & Sat (9am – 6pm) to Sunday 29^th Nov (10am – 4pm).Here is just a taster of handmade goodies I’ll be bringing with me this week – from cute stocking fillers and Secret Santa ideas... 

 

to my "T-T-Teessider" and "Parmo" cushions, including some new designs such as
"I Love Gin, Me"...

 

plus my Beginner Quilt kits - a great gift for introducing someone to the wonderful craft of patchwork and quilting.
 

I was lucky enough to have these great kits featured in this month's British Patchwork & Quilting.

I have also decided to sell some of my handmade quilts, I do love every quilt I make and hate parting with them, but there really is only so many I can cuddle under on a chilly night, so I would rather they go to good homes who will love and snuggle them more than I ever could. Justin got busy making me his great quilt ladder to show off my babies.

 
I will also be bringing some Sewmotion Strippers (fabric pre-cuts for quilters!) some fat quarter bundles and my quilt patterns for the already addicted quilter.

I know not everything here is currently available to buy online, but I will be uploading more products next week. If something does catch your eye, or if you would like one of my cushions in colours of your choice, please drop me a line at louisa@sewmotion.com