Making a start on this year's Handmade Christmas

Well we certainly seem to be living through some strange times, and they don't look to be getting easier any time soon. I am very lucky that I am able to keep myself busy with my online business, and also feel privileged that I am helping my customers keep themselves occupied and grounded through our wonderful craft. If there was ever a time for some immersive hand sewing or EPP then this is definitely it!

In the last month I have been concentrating on getting my Christmas Kits published and available for purchase on the website. My Picture This table runner has been a favourite over the years, and looks particularly good in this year's festive prints from Makower, in both the Yuletide and in the Scandi collections. Each of these kits comes with all the fabric you need for the front, including binding, the full amount of templates you need for the easy half-square triangles foundation piecing, and full comprehensive instructions. You can find out more here.

My second festive project is my Christmas Wreath Table Mats kit, these kits again come in the two collections, Yuletide and Scandi, and include fabrics, pre-cut paper pieces for the EPP wreath, and full instructions. You can find out more here.

My last Christmas project is a lovely hand sewing EPP project, my Christmas Star Bunting. These kits have flown out this week to customers looking for a relaxing project to lose themselves in while the mad world carries on around them, what a wonderful thought eh? You can see my Star Bunting Kits here.

I do hope this has inspired you if you have started your festive makes yet, it's never too early right? :) Wishing you all a peaceful and creative week. 

Linking up with Midweek Makers and Needle & Thread Thursday

New Pre-Cut Paper Packs and a New Road Trip Cushion Kit

As my collection of curved EPP kits grows, as does my range of paper shapes, all designed by myself and cut on my trusty Brother Scan N Cut. Not only does it allow me to cut any shape I wish, but I can also add drawn guidelines to the shapes before they are cut - genius!

The kits are proving quite popular, especially with my Newsletter subscribers - but once you have a kit and are completely addicted, you may want to make more versions, so I thought I should start supplying the papers on their own. 

Designed to work in conjunction with a pattern or previously purchased kit, these papers don't include the instructions for construction. However, you can always watch my free Curved EPP Cushion YouTube tutorial for a comprenhsive guide to curved EPP - the templates for which are included in the new collection. 

As well as two size of Hexies and a 60deg Diamond, there is the Crescent shape used in my Overlapping Circles cushion, a small Dresden Plate, and the Flower temps mentioned above. This week I have also added the papers used to make my Christmas Wreath table mats.

Talking of curved EPP, I couldn't resist making a new Overlapping Circles Cushion kit from Alison Glass's new Road Trip fabrics - these abstract prints in luscious jewel colours look amazing backed onto Robert Kaufman's Essex Yarn Dyed Metallic linen - it's so glittery!! This kit comes with all the fabrics for the front, pre-cut papers and full instructions.

Until next week, happy sewing everyone!

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

The Final Part of my Curved EPP Tutorial and New Cushion Kits

The fourth and final part of my YouTube video series on curved English paper-piecing takes you through hand-quilting the flower ring using decorative big stitches. I love this method of quilting, the hand movement is so therapeutic and it really is quite quick!

You can see the latest instalment below, and of you have missed the first three parts covering the fussy-cutting, glue-basting, piecing and appliqué, you can visit the Sewmotion Channel here.

I have also now released a couple of cushion kits to accompany this series, the first is in the Red Rose Garibaldi fabric as featured in the film, and the second is from Liberty of London's Cottage Garden collection - I just couldn't resist fussy-cutting those cute little houses!

I am aware that as this glue-basting technique becomes more popular, it's highly likely that customers may already own a glue pen, and also have their favourite brand of thread they like to use, so I have decided not to include these in the new kits, which takes the price down to £14.00 and also gives the customer the choice. So each of the kits include the fabrics you need to make the flower, plus binding strips, a fat quarter of background fabric, a square of template plastic, templates to cut out and full instructions. What's more, if you subscribe to my Newsletter, you can get 10% off these new kits for the following week - sign up for free here.

With a few big quilt shows coming up, I'm starting to develop some smaller kits that are quicker for me to make up as well as more affordable for the customer wanting to dabble in curved EPP, the first of which is this cute mug rug - this is a my first mug rug, and I loved making it!! I think this may be the first of many :)

Linking up with;
Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts
Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication
Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Being a Mindful Woman

Wow, what a month to be a woman, and a quilting one at that! Not only do we have Mother's Day this weekend in the UK, International Woman's Day today, but it's also National Quilt Month in the US - what more reason do we need to take some time out from the busy and more often than not, stressful day-to-day and treat ourselves to some 'me-time'. 

I for one really struggle with this, even though I don't have kids and have a wonderful husband who cooks EVERY night (I know, so lucky) I use these as reasons to work on the business harder than I should. While we took the conscious decision not to have children, I often feel I need to find another way to make my mark on the world, which is why Sewmotion is so important to me.

I'm lucky enough to absolutely love my work - the idea of designing, sewing and then sharing online is my dream job come true! I also believe sewing is the best therapy in the world and I know without it I would be a complete mess (especially at the moment, peri-menopause is a bitch!) Which is why, as you may have noticed, many of my recent patterns and kits have involved hand sewing in an effort to make myself sit down quietly and be mindful of just one thing for a while. 

While I do have the added pressure of the sewing being work, with deadlines and consequent patterns/kits to make up, I still find so much enjoyment and satisfaction in what I make, and I think this feeling of achievement and mindfulness is something we all need more of in our lives, we all need to slow down a little, not always, just now and again, and enjoy the slow and creative side of life.

I do hope you wonderful mums out there have a wonderful Mother's Day and all you fantastic, amazing, awe-inspiring women treat yourselves to a little you-time this weekend.

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

Introducing the Curve Motion Medallion Quilt - a 2018 block-of-the-month

I have finally named my English paper-pieced block-of-the-month quilt - the Curve Motion Medallion Quilt - I really wanted to use the word 'curve' as this is what it's all about really, and then I thought of 'motion' as in Sewmotion. And even though it's not really obvious, this quilt is constructed in a medallion style, and even better, it's quilt-as-you-go, so all the individual rings are appliquéd onto grey squares, then quilted, before they're sewn together into a finished quilt approx. 90" square.

So if you're coming to the end of a 2017 BOM and in need of a new challenge, or maybe you're a lover of hand-piecing and looking to enjoy a slow sewing project, why not join us on this curved EPP adventure?

Each month you will receive instructions, full size templates to cut out, the relevant Alison Glass Sun Prints fabrics and a grey background square from Makower to make up to four blocks at a time. 

The cost is £40.00 up front, which will secure your place and cover your first month, followed by eleven monthly payments of £28.00 to be taken by direct debit. This subscription programme will open on Thursday 7th December, there are limited spaces, so be sure to add this date to your diary!

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

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

EPP BOM Progress & Social Sewing at Stitchscape

As many of us quilters, sewists and crafters know, 'making' is extremely good for our health and wellbeing. As life becomes faster and more pressured, finding those quiet moments seem more precious than ever, even just an hour or so to sit quietly, clear the mind from outside troubles and concentrate on just one thing at hand, and what could be more perfect than patchwork and quilting?! I've mentioned in the past how I use English paper-piecing as my free therapy, and after a very busy month, I'm looking forward to getting on with my EPP Block of the Month project, planned for release in early 2018. I've actually been thinking of a name, possibly centred on the curvy nature of the piecing... Curvaceous maybe? Circular Motion... ooo, like Sewmotion... mmm, what do you think? Maybe I should ask again when you can see more of the quilt! 

I'm just starting to quilt some of the individual blocks now, the whole quilt is designed (hopefully) to be constructed using the quilt-as-you-go method so you should be able to do most of it by hand making it a great portable project. I will be writing continuous updates on this blog, but if you want to make sure you don't miss this BOM's release, why not sign up to my Newsletter. Not only do you get to hear about my latest news and product lines, but you also receive a free Pre-Cut Party pattern every month - September's is a gorgeous modern table runner using 2.5" strips, which will also be available as a kit.

I know I'm not alone in my craft-as-therapy thoughts, and one such lovely lady has used this idea to build a whole sewing community in Cheshire in the north-west of England. Diane's business, Stitchscape, is an amazing studio providing an 'escape place for stitchers'. This light and airy space is open 10-4pm every day except Wednesday and Sunday and is open to anyone wanting to either learn a new craft (you can see Diane's workshop schedule here) or those fed up with clearing their craft away every night, or having to sew alone. This social space provides an excellent opportunity to meet like-minded people who love to make, find help and inspiration from each other and to just sit, stitch and have a good chat! So if you're in the Warrington area, why not pop along, click here to find out more.

Recently Diane had an open day and purchased some of my kits to sell from her studio and she's just started a series of YouTube videos, each highlighting one of my kits - I'm overjoyed as you can imagine! As well as her very kind words about my patterns, Diane is also full of encouragement and motivation for those wanting to learn a new craft as well as those who prefer working from pre-cut kits where a lot of the hard work has been done for you. You can see her talk about my All Squared Up Sun Prints Quilt Kit below.

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

Relaxing EPP and Quilts UK

There's little else I find as relaxing as hand sewing, in particular some good old English paper piecing. I became slightly, well very, addicted to EPP hexagons and diamonds a while ago and have been known to sew at airports and on trains while listening to a gripping audible book.

Many visitors have caught me stitching up a new cushion design while on the stand at quilt shows - this new diamond cushion was half made at last week's event in Harrogate, and will no doubt be finished at Malvern this weekend.

And it seems I'm not alone, talking to fellow quilters and show visitors, there are so many of us moving towards this quieter, more contemplative type of sewing.

Great to do in front of the tele, but also to take on holiday or on long drives, or just to sit quietly curled up in a favourite armchair. Don't get me wrong, I still love knocking up a quilt on my Janome, and adore machine quilting, but I feel that EPP slows me down, relaxes me and turns off the outside world for just a while. In conversation at shows you may have heard me say this is my free therapy, and it's true! I have also heard people say "they don't have the patience for hand sewing", which makes me sad. I have actually found that it gives me patience, I have to slow down and take one stitch at a time, which really can't be a bad thing!

So why not have a go yourself? My EPP Diamond and Hexy Cushion Kits are designed to be small undaunting projects that you may actually finish ;) Each kit contains all the fabric you need to complete the top, including binding and wadding, plus a Sewline glue pen, thread, paper templates and full instructions. What's more, if you subscribe to my Newsletter before the end of May, you can get 20% off each kit, just in time for those summer holidays.

This week we're off to Quilts UK at the Three Counties Showground in the beautiful town of Malvern. This four-day event is the UK"s second largest quilt show of the year, and fingers crossed, promises to be a great weekend. The shows runs from Thursday 18th to Sunday 21st May, 10am - 5pm (4.30pm on Sunday). If you're in or around the area, it would be great to see you.

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