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

 

Dog Gone Cute Voting is Open

I'm off to the Dublin Quilt Show in a couple of hours, but just wanted to let you know that participants of the wonderful Dog Gone Cute QAL over on Sew Fresh Quilts, have been invited to link up their beautiful creations, with the chance of winning some great prizes.

Remember these little babies?? If not, you can read all about my wall hanging here.

You get three votes in total and a week to place them, so why not pop over and spread some puppy love.

A Week of Little Finishes

So now it’s nearly November, I guess I’m allowed to mention the C word… yes, Christmas will be upon us before we know it! Having missed the festive boat last year with Christmas Fairs, I’ve managed to get in nice and early and book myself a wooden cabin at the Stockton Sparkles Christmas Market. This is a four-day event on the last weekend of November, yep… FOUR DAYS!!! Ahhh!! What have I done!!?

As you can imagine my lists of products to design, make and finish increase daily, I’m even pushing myself to do some bunting to decorate the cabin – I do not enjoy making bunting!

 
This week I have been adding to my novelty pencil case collection, these come together quite quickly, so always very satisfying. I especially like the dotty ones, I may have to make more of those…

We also had a family party this week, our great niece turned one, so I thought I’d look back at my past Love Patchwork & Quilting mags to find a cute present. One of her only words so far is "Dog", which she shouts at anything that moves, so I thought this adorable sausage dog would be perfect. Unfortunately in my haste to get him finished, I forgot to take a decent shot.

I would like to end this blog with news of someone else’s finish. A few months ago I had a lovely phone call from a Doughty’s customer who I used to talk to regularly. She had bought this cute Winnie the Pooh fabric and wanted some ideas for a quilt to make for her granddaughter. I looked up the fabric online and thought it would be ideal for some fussy cutting, sewn into simple framed squares using co-ordinating fabrics. I wrote down a few measurements and suggestions and posted them off. To my delight, I recently received a lovely letter and picture of this gorgeous quilt. Iris also included some swatches of the co-ordinates used to give me a better idea. Isn’t this so lovely!? I hope you can see the quilt well enough here, I was so chuffed to have been of help! Well, I suppose you can take the girl out of Doughty’s…

Linking up with Finish It Up Friday over at Crazy Mom Quilts and Sew Fresh Quilt's Let's Bee Social - come and say hello!