Sewmotion Makers' Gallery of 2020

Well, what a year! I won't go into the stresses and strains of 2020, but instead focus on being grateful. Thankfully, my family and friends, up until now (fingers crossed, touch wood and all that) have all stayed safe and well, even though this has meant not seeing them as much as usual. But as we know, this time will pass and these sacrifices will be worth it as there is finally an end in sight. It may take another few months and even more sacrifices to get there, but things will return back to normal and we can restart our lives again. 

I know I can't wait to get back to exhibiting at quilt and sewing shows, I have really missed the in-person interaction I have with my customers, having a good old chat about quilting, as well as meeting up with my fellow business owners. Since March I have relied solely on online sales, and have been overwhelmed by the support and kindness from my customers who really have kept Sewmotion going this year. As well as placing orders, many of you took part in my block-of-the-fortnight quilt along, and shared some lovely pics of your progress. I have also received some very lovely and often timely emails with such kind thoughts and encouragement - thank you so much.

So to show my gratitude, I thought I would host an online gallery of Sewmotion makes to end the year on a high. I am also offering a prize bundle of Sewmotion goodies - the winning participant will be drawn out of a hat on Friday, 1st January by my glamorous assistant Justin :)

Having put a call out to my Newsletter subscribers and on Facebook, I have been inundated with photos of some truly gorgeous makes, I'm sure you'll agree. Many of us have kept busy working through the stash or finishing that pile of UFOs, and of course working through all those kits bought over the years. So without further ado, enjoy!

Clockwise from bottom left: Lynda, Sue, Naomi, Ven, Ven (again) Jan and in the centre Jill

As it's still the festive season, I thought we would start with a collection of Christmas EPP Hoop projects, aren't they beautiful?! I just wanted to mention Jill's hoop, she made this for her daughter Joanne, who sent in the photo and explained that even though she couldn't see her mum this Christmas, receiving this beautiful gift felt like she had some of her mum with her, how wonderful is that!? Well done Jill ;)

Continuing the Christmas theme, next we have the Table Runners and Placemats, one of the great things about these projects is that they can be brought out year after year, so even though you may not have used the whole set this year, they will still be there for 2021 :)

Clockwise from bottom left: Naomi, Suzanne, Dileas, Karen, Jacquie, Carol & Laura.

Finally, a little more Christmas with some fabulous bunting... 

From left: Fiona, Lesley & Theresa

Alison

Rather than making a string of bunting, Alison made these individual stars to send to friends and family around the world who she wouldn't be seeing over Christmas, another wonderful example of how craft has brought people closer together during these times of separation. 

Many of you have spent 2020 making cushions, and even better, discovering new techniques such as EPP and my fave, curved EPP. Starting with the ever-popular Diamond Star...

Clockwise from top left: Carol, Ven, Janet, Kay, Lynda, Christine, Debby & Pamela.

And then there were the gorgeous curved EPP cushions...

Clockwise from bottom left: Lesley, Lesley (again) Pamela, Sue, Joanne, Julie, Debby, Shirley, Jacquie, Kathy & Carol

Some of you went tiny with your EPP projects and made these beautiful pincushions - you can never have too many right?!  I love Helen's embroidery to remind her of her day out at Duxford quilt show where she bought the kit :)

Clockwise from top left: Michele, Kay, Kay (again), Patricia, Helen & Naomi 

Some of you got creative with machine quilting, while others found their own projects to make using my designs and fabrics...

Clockwise from top left: Patricia, Pamela, Katy, Tess, Naomi & Lynda

And then there are the quilts, so many glorious projects...

Clockwise from bottom left: Fiona, Anne, Joanne, Karen, Jan, Naomi, Pat and in the centre Margaret

Clockwise from top left: Barbara, Joanne, Sally, Sally again, Ellen & Jan.

And finally, I would just like to end with these glorious Hope in the Stars quilts - this was my quilt-along offered free to my Newsletter subscribers earlier in the year using traditional hand piecing, a technique that was new to many of you. I also sold sets of templates, raising over £400 for the NHS Covid-19 charity. Thank you all so much for taking part, I know there are many more half finished quilts out there, and I look forward to seeing them in 2021 ;)

Clockwise from top left: Ven, Helen, Shirley, Joanne, Laura, Samantha and in the centre Gracie

I love every one of these quilts, and it makes me so happy to see my design created in so many different fabrics. I don't have favourites of course, but I would just like to mention Gracie in the centre, who decreased all the templates so she could make an English paper-pieced version, this finished mini quilt is just 14inches square, isn't it stunning?!

Thank you to everyone for taking part in this celebration of the Makers, we will be announcing the winner of the prize draw on a Facebook live tomorrow at 1pm (Friday 1st Jan). The winner will also be announced on a future blog and the next Newsletter. 

With all the best wishes in the world for you and your family to have a much happier 2021, keep on sewing, sharing and inspiring xxx

PS if you have been inspired by the wonderful makes above, click here to visit the Sewmotion shop for quilt, cushion and EPP kits, fabric pre-cuts and patterns.

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

Finding Calm

Wow, how the world has changed since my last blog post! From excitement for the year ahead with new shows and projects to look forward to, to a feeling of loss, fear and confusion that, to be honest, I'm struggling to get my head around. How can this have happened so damn fast!? 

As a mainly online business, working from home or alone at my unit isn't really any different for me, but it breaks my heart to hear about other business owners fearing for their survival. Us sole trader entrepreneurs have taken that leap to follow our dreams and have worked so hard to make it work - to see it all come to an end through no fault of our own, is just killing me. Many of us don't have back up funds in the bank, let alone any profit as it is all ploughed back into the growth of the business.

Anyway, enough with the worry and stress I tell myself, there's nothing I can do about it other than keeping going as best as I can, support other businesses where I can, and to help my customers in the best possible way. I am very fortunate to be in an industry that can offer amazing help to people at this unsettling time, as we all know sewing and craft can bring great calm and relief in times of stress, and we have never needed it more. 

It has been said that us quilters have been preparing for this our entire crafting lives and this is the perfect time to hit the stash, so if you are looking for inspiration, I have a number of free patterns on the website, including the All Squared Up quilt, and my Curved EPP Flower Cushion for those lovers of hand sewing. Click here to see the collection.

So far I have found hand sewing to be my saviour, together with an engrossing audible book really helps to switch off the world for a while and just concentrate on one thing. Which is why I have a new EPP Diamond Cushion kit out, this one features lovely soft blues and greys from Makower's Bloom collection. The kit includes all the fabric you need for the front, pre-cut papers and full instructions. I am also offering 15% off all EPP Cushion kits to my Newsletter subscribers, so if you need a project you can lose yourself in, why not sign up now and treat yourself to some sewing sanity. Once you have subscribed and received the verification email, the discount code will be in the final Welcome email.

Linking up with Midweek Makers, Needle & Thread Thursday and Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?

I really wish you all the best of health, stay inside as much as possible and look after each other. xx

A Foundation Paper-Piecing video

As you may know, I offer my Newsletter subscribers a free PDF pattern every month, and currently we are making a block-of-the-month Mystery quilt - Birds of a Feather. Block 3 involves some simple foundation paper-piecing and more half-square triangles. 

Now I know foundation piecing can be quite daunting and confusing for some, it certainly was for me until I had that eureka moment when I discovered this technique using an A5 piece of card and an Add a Quarter Ruler - this tool really is invaluable! So as well as my comprehensive instructions in the pattern, I thought I would make a little video to provide even more help. If you would you like to try this technique for the first time, or maybe you'd like to see a different way of sewing the templates, then watch the video below.

If you would like to join in this mystery quilt fun, you can subscribe here to receive the latest Newsletter, which includes links to the previous two months' patterns.

As well as making up lots of new kits for Quilts UK next month, I've been working on some new projects, soon to become kits, including a new version of my zigzag quilt using Libs Elliott' gorgeous Tattooed North prrints, and another Curved EPP Flower cushion in Liberty's Red House print from their Cottage Garden collection. These kits will both be available in the online shop very soon.

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

Sewmotion on the Road

Last weekend I was invited back to hold a Sewmotion popup at the Cleveland Lace Guild in nearby Eaglescliffe. This lovely group of ladies make the most stunning lace work, and also dabble in patchwork, well some of them more than dabble! After a couple hours of selling and chatting about quilting, all went quiet for a talk given by the wardrobe dressers of the Little Middlesbrough theatre. These two ladies were a great double act and showed off their collection of aged ballgowns that have been donated over the years which they now use for theatre productions.

I'm on the road again next week for this great little event run by quilting and textiles expert Beryl Frank of Knot Studio. As well as having the chance to get your machine PAT tested, Beryl will be on hand to help with any projects or UFOs, while I will have a collection of fabric pre-cuts, kits and patterns for sale.

I'm happy to finally have the Sewline glue refills back in stock, as well as the Heather & Rose fabric bundle for my Mystery Quilt block of the month, available to my Newsletter subscribers. To find out more about these free patterns, see my previous post.

Wishing you all a happy and creative week, linking up with Lets Bee Social, Midweek Makers and Needle & Thread Thursday

Harrogate Spring Quilt Show

The Harrogate quilt festivals are my local shows and it's always nice to see so many familiar faces. I had a lovely time last weekend at this 3-day event, though I think it was warmer outside than in the hall - always the way!

My curved EPP kits proved pretty popular, especially the Hoop Art kits which I had hanging on the end of the stand - a couple of years into doing these shows and I'm still learning how best to display my items :) 

Within the first hour, I had some very enthusiastic ladies come to the stand asking about my curved EPP cushion that was being demoed on the Quilter's Guild stand - this was news to me! Eventually I discovered it was the lovely Hilary from Region 14 who has fallen for this technique in a BIG way! Thank you Hilary for sharing the love ;)

On the Sunday, I had a chance to walk around the show and see some of the quilts - I was very happy to see Abigail of Cut & Alter had an exhibit of her work. I was especially blown away by her On The Plus Side quilt - just look at that amazing ruler work and free motion quilting! And who doesn't love a little Alison Glass, just stunning!

Back to curved EPP for a minute, my Hoop Art project is featured in the current issue (71) of Love Patchwork & Quilting magazine. This hand-pieced flower ring in Alison Glass's Road Trip fabrics is mounted onto a 16" hoop - I do love this way of displaying mini quilts, and must make more!

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

EPP Inspiration and Sewing Quarter Catchup

Recently I received a lovely email from a subscriber to tell me how her quilt group had been inspired by my curved English paper-pieced projects in Love Patchwork & Quilting, and British Patchwork & Quilting magazine. So much so that they held a special EPP sewing day to make up my two projects - how chuffed am I?!

As you can see, these ladies have a great eye for colour and design, both cushion layouts looking amazing! Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful creations ladies, and I'm so glad I could be your inspiration!

Talking of curved EPP, I had a great time at my second appearance on craft TV channel, Sewing Quarter last week, where I demoed the beautiful Artic Feather quilt by Elizabeth Hartman as well as my Curve Appeal cushions. If you missed the show or would like to watch these techniques again, you can catch them on Sewing Quarter's YouTube channel here - the Feather quilt is in the second hour and my cushions are in the fourth hour.

I'm now off to my first quilt show of the year, in the pretty North Yorkshire town of Harrogate. As well as my fabric pre-cuts and patterns, I'll have a huge collection of quilt, cushion and EPP kits, so why not pop along? 
Friday 22nd - Sunday 24th February
10am - 4.30pm (4pm on Sunday)
Great Yorkshire Showground
Hall 2
Harrogate, North Yorkshire
HG2 8NZ

I hope to see you there, if not, wishing you all a safe and creative week ahead. Linking up with Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers and Needle & Thread Thursday

New EPP Cushion Kits & Matilda's Own Wadding

It's so nice to be back to normal after the madness of Sale week, I really need to start making some new stock! So I've started with these two new EPP cushion kits - a few of my customers often buy two identical kits as they want a matching set for their sofa, then I thought, well they don't need to be identical, just in matching fabrics, so these new releases are both in Makower's gorgeous Bloom fabrics.

The first is a variation on my Wreath design and uses curved English paper-piecing to make this beautiful ring. You then appliqué it onto your background square, add borders and then hand quilt big-stitch style. The second cushion is another take on my Diamond Star cushion design, which again looks very striking on that dark grey background. Both kits include all the fabric, pre-cut papers, embroidery thread and full instructions, you just need a square of wadding and backing. You can see my full collection of cushion kits here.

I've had quite a few new fabrics arrive lately which I'm just desperate to start working with, I've added some new fat quarter bundles to the shop including Makower's Woodland and Dashwood Studios' Nesting Birds, but I'm keeping Quantum to myself for a little while longer... I have so many plans for this beautiful range, I just love the masculinity of it and can see some great 'man' quilt kits on the horizon!

I have recently added a couple of new items to the shop, including this luscious wadding I came across a few months ago. Matilda's Own 80/20 wadding is sooo soft, easy to quilt, both machine and hand, and comes in at 94" wide, a little wider than your normal wadding, and as we all know, that 4" can make all the difference! Click here to find out more.

My second new stock item is something I now use religiously in all my EPP work - Mary Ellen's Best Press. Once I have pieced all my shapes, and BEFORE taking the papers out, I spray my work with this gentle fabric starch and press. Not only does this flatten out the odd lump, but it also helps maintain those sharp folded edges to help with the needle-turn appliqué. Find out more here.

If you're an avid reader of the wonderful Love Patchwork & Quilting mag, you'll find my lovely set of cushions in the latest issue - this curved EPP project uses larger shapes making them a great introduction to this technique, and who could resist those gorgeous Dovestone fabrics from Dashwood! This is a fantastic bumper issue with projects from Kate Webber, Yvonne Fuchs, Karen Lewis and Lynne Goldsworthy - what amazing company I'm keeping!

Wishing you all an amazing creative week.

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

A Give-away Winner, New Hoop Art Kits and Secret Quilting

We have a winner!! I'm so happy to announce that the winner of this gorgeous fabric bundle and two tickets to this year's Festival of Quilts is... Eileen Gilmour! Huge congratulations Eileen, I will be contacting you via email.

Meanwhile, I've been working on another couple of Curved EPP Hoop Art Kits - can you tell I'm getting addicted! The first one features fussy-cut foliage in prints from Laundry Basket Quilts' Blue Sky collection, while the second is much more vibrant in hot Sundance fabrics from Makower. These kits are slightly larger at 10" but you need less fabric than the 8" designs so the price is the same at £20. Click here to find out more including what's included in each kit. If you're looking for a portable holiday project or you'd just like to try out this curved EPP technique, these kits are a great place to start.

I've also been working on a couple of new projects, a secret baby quilt for an upcoming issue of Love Patchwork & Quilting, and a new version of my EPP Flower Cushion, this time in a lovely bright floral Liberty print.

We're off to sunny (and very hot) Kefalonia next week, so there won't be a blog for the next couple of Thursdays, see you on my return just in time for Quilts UK in Malvern!

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

A Springtime Giveway and Finishing Off the EPP Flower Cushion Back

As I sit at my desk every day it's hard not to be distracted by the comings and goings outside - my window looks down on our small but pretty garden which is currently home to families of blackbirds, sparrows, the occasional blue tit, and even a lovely couple of collared doves. What's more, the other day I saw a bee, which can only mean one thing, spring has finally arrived in the Northeast of England! So to celebrate the brighter days and warmer weather, I'm hosting a Giveaway, yay!

This competition is open to all of my Newsletter subscribers, so for a chance of winning this gorgeous bundle of Liberty of London Cottage Garden fat quarters, together with two tickets to this year's Festival of Quilts, all you have to do is subscribe to my Newsletter. Not only will you hear all the latest product news and subscriber-only offers, you will also receive a FREE PATTERN every month straight to your inbox.

Better still, if you tell a friend and they sign up, then email me to let me know who referred them, you get an additional entry into the draw - happy days!
Closing date is midnight on Tuesday 24th April and the winner will be announced in next week's Newsletter, out on the following Thursday, good luck everyone, and get sharing!

Elsewhere at Sewmotion HQ - have you had a go at my Curved EPP Flower Cushion yet? It really is a lovely hand project to take on the go - you can catch the four-part series of video tutorials here. Once you have made the beautiful cushion front, what better way of finishing than with a nice and tidy zippered back? I have added a full tutorial on adding a zip to this cushion which you can see here.

Talking of EPP Flowers - I have uploaded two brand new Hoop Art kits to the Sewmotion shop. As you may have gathered by now, I'm totally addicted to this method of EPP and I'm loving applying it to all sort of projects. These EPP Flower kits come with all the fabric you need, including the fat quarter of background fabric, a 8" wooden hoop, template plastic and wadding, an embroidery floss, templates to cut out and full instructions. Click here to find out more about each kit.

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