Summer Sale & New Designer Fabrics

The sun is kind of shining, now and again, up here in the North East, so I thought I'd celebrate with a Summer Sale!

Simply use the code SUMMER20 at checkout to get 20% off everything across the store, including quilt and cushion kits, fabrics, pre-cuts and patterns or what about a backing for that previously bought quilt kit?

Talking of fabrics, I've also just listed some new designer fabrics in the shop, available by the metre. When I buy these fabrics, I have great intentions of making quilt and cushion kits in all of them, but time is catching up on me, so rather than have them sit on the shelf staring at me, I thought I would share some fabric joy. This first range, Wildflower Garden from Michael Miller comes in two colourways, and I know they would both make beautiful quilts, I thought my Mosaic Garden design would be perfect, it's on the list!

Next up is a collection I have been using in a secret magazine project. This Riley Blake range, Gingham Girls is in a lovely retro colourway, though I seem to have missed the actual prints featuring the gingham (?) Still, I love how the navy and yellow sit so nicely together....

Finally I've also listed the latest gorgeous collection from British company Dashwood Studios, Norrland is Bethan Janine's Winter collection and features her signature woodland creatures and gold metallic accent. I've also been using this in another mag project, and those animals are great for fussy-cut EPP!

Enjoy the sale, meanwhile I have larger-than-expected top to quilt so I can get on with my EPP BOM ;)

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

Pre-Cut Party Time and a New Quilt Kit

It's the first of June, which can only mean one thing, it's Pre-Cut Party time! For those new to my blog, I send out a monthly email to my Newsletter subscribers giving away a free pattern based on my love of fabric pre-cuts. These patterns range from full size quilts and table runners to cushions and small gift items such as make-up pouches. Together with the free downloadable pattern, there are often discount codes for the associated fabrics, or for the whole kit if available.

Having recently taken delivery of Dashwood Studios' gorgeous Birdsong collection, I couldn't resist using them to make these Octagon Star Table Mats for June's free pattern. I love how the larger prints, the birds and the trees, are perfect for that side panel for your cutlery. 

To grab your free pattern, plus access to previous free PDFs, subscribe here.

Talking of Dashwood, I've also just uploaded these gorgeous fat quarter bundles, there are eight from the range, and are priced at £24.00.

It's been a mad couple of weeks with two quilt shows, and then thankfully a few days away. Quilts UK at Malvern was a great show, I even managed to snap a few pics of some of the gorgeous quilts on display, but I'll leave those for a later post when I've got my head together. 

My Red Brick Tile quilt kit, as seen at Malvern, is now available in the Sewmotion shop. This beauty is approx. 77" x 79" and would look lovely draped over a double bed, or laying on top of a king. The kit includes all the fabrics you need to complete the top, including ten designs from this beautiful Coonawarra Red collection from Red Rooster. You also get the binding, thread and full colour instructions. What's more, if you subscribe to my Newsletter, you can get 20% off this whole kit (at £68.00, normally £85.00)

For more quilty fun and inspiration, pop along to these Links parties; Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers, Needle and Thread Thursday and Main Crush Monday.

A Christmas Pre-Cut Party

We're celebrating the Fat Quarter this month with this free pattern for a fun and quirky Christmas table runner. Made using partial seams and HSTs (half-square triangles), this pattern includes a list of fabric requirements, cutting and piecing instructions, plus ideas for quilting your finished top. To get your hands on this fun festive free pattern, simply subscribe to our Newsletter, and you'll get a link to this and past pre-cut patterns you may have missed. 

As well as these free patterns, as a subscriber you will also hear about our latest products, events and news, as well as our subscriber-only offers. This month's offer is £5.00 off this complete kit to make this month's free project! 

The kit includes fabric from Dashwood Studio's Festive Friends range, including binding, plus wadding and backing, in fact everything you need to make this runner, just in time to adorn your festive table on Christmas Day. Priced at £35.00 (free UK p&p) you can purchase the kit here.

Click above to subscribe to our great Newsletter and get your £5.00 off discount code for the table runner kit!

In other news, we had a great time at the Autumn Quilt Festival in Duxford last weekend. Housed in an aircraft hangar next door to the museum itself, you can't help being in awe of the huge planes and jets hanging from the roof. Can you see the fighter jet in the background? It's always nice to meet new people, and also to talk all things quilty! Can I also add a big welcome to my new Newsletter subscribers - thank you all for signing up!

Looking for more quilty inspiration? Check out these great Linky Parties;

Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts 

Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Mid-Week Makers at Quilt Fabrication 

A New Binding Trick...

Well it’s new to me anyway! Having spent years snipping the ends off my binding, feeding them into each other and sewing them down, I’ve never bothered with any other method –it worked fine, so why fix it?!

However… on one of my many perusals through Pinterest I came across this method which made me stop and think. Whenever I have seen ways for sewing the binding ends together before sewing them down, they’ve always demanded leaving so many inches of spare binding, I’ve never seen the point, just call me tight! I even bought a ‘smart’ ruler thing at QuiltCon last year... I used it once! Anyway, Vicki over on Sew Inspired shared her method, which does not require acres of spare fabric, and works like a dream!

So share and share alike, I’ve added a quick tutorial using this method my to collection, I’m not poo-pooing my old way at all, this still features in my Beginner’s Quilt series, but I’ve added a link if you would rather try this method instead.

Talking of quilt kits, we have a new version of our pre-cut Beginner’s Quilt kit which features the gorgeous Fablewood collection from Dashwood Studios. This colour scheme is so fresh and summery, I think it would look so sweet on a little girl’s bed. I am aware that these kits seem to be very girly-orientated at the moment, I am working on that!

I’ve also been wondering whether calling these kits “Beginner’s Quilts” may be putting some quilters off… having just made yet another version for this new kit, I have to say I really enjoyed making such an quick and easy quilt, especially in such gorgeous fabrics!  So for more experienced quilters, these kits also make great weekend projects, or even emergency gifts for early arrivals!

If you are local to the North Yorkshire/Teesside area, we'll be at The Rainbow Plant Centre's Vintage & Craft Fair, Stokesley Road, Nunthorpe, this Sunday (24th April) 10-3pm - why not pop along and see what our local community has to offer!

Did you know we also have a Newsletter? Learn about our new products, events, pattern releases and subscriber-only offers - sign up below!

This week I'm linking up with Sew Fresh Quilt's Let's Bee Social and Needle & Thread Thursday over on My Quilt Infatuation, come over and say hello!