Colour stories: the blues

So I know how you all love bundles. With this in mind, I've put together a bundle based around some of the lovely new fabrics that have arrived recently. But also I have created a wider selection of fabrics that will match this bundle incase you want to add a little more, tailor the it to your project and preferences.

You can find the main bundle here, and then you can find the wider collection of matching fabrics here. I've tried to include a bit of everything; tones, colours, prices, I hope you like it.

Made: hand sewn star quilt

Finally, over a year and a half in the making, and this quilt is finished. I have a lump in my throat reading back some of my old posts about it here and here. This quilt feels like it has been everywhere with me, and the length of time it has taken to finish means there are so many memories tied up in it.

I've never been in a great hurry to finish this quilt, I love having some hand sewing that I can take around with me, but heading into 2014 if felt like the time was right to make that final push and finish it off. So this weekend, on a rainy Sunday, watching The Goonies with the kids, that's what I did.

And we did a small cheer when I announced it was finished, about time.

This quilt has a decent weight to it, I used Essex Yarn Dyed linen for the hexagons and the Brussels Washer version for the back. It means it is much heavier and warmer than previous quilts which I really like.

The backing wasn't quite wide enough so I added some tiny HST's to make it bigger that were left over from a quilt that didn't happen. I felt guilty every time I saw these sad homeless triangles so it was great to use them up here.

I sewed round alternate hexagons for the quilting, it was a bit stop start, but I found it was easier and I didn't make too many mistakes, I then bound it with this fabric, my favourite for binding.

I had a couple of people ask how to make it, so here is a very brief explanation: it's simple. I found a template online for the diamonds, it's such a long time ago though I can't remember where, Google can help with that, but my diamonds have 6cm long sides.

1.  I sewed them first in groups of 3, alternating colours,
2.  sewed together 2 sets of these groups of 3's to make the stars,
3.  and then held them all together with the hexagons - see, simple!

I did a line of alternating yellow and pink stars and a line of alternating blue and grey stars and then, well, alternated them, this photo shows the pattern best.

In the end the size was determined how by how many diamonds I had cut at the beginning as the fabric was from long sold out collections, but it's a good size to fit one adult, a one squirmy child and a heat seeking Burmese cat.

New from Art Gallery Fabrics ...

Art Gallery Fabrics are definitely one of my favourite manufacturers. Firstly they have the best base cloth, it is finely woven, high quality, really yummy stuff. Then, there's the amazing designers, patterns and colours, I love them. Today a selection of prints from 'Safari Moon' by Frances Newcombe and 'Chromatics' arrived.

 

The 'Safari Moon' prints are gorgeous with warm, but muted colours, these are couple of my favourites...

If I hadn't already committed myself (in my head) to another quilt, I would really like to make one from these. They have an almost vintage feel to them, and not overtly girly, just a glimpse of pink.

And the Chromatics prints will be the basis of some amazing bundles in the future. I'm very excited about them, and the bundles I shall create.

Kona Colour Cards now in stock

I now have a few Kona colour cards in stock. These feature real samples of all the Kona solids (including the new ones from the summer) so if you have ever struggled to match one for a project you are working on, these are indispensable and rather gorgeous, what more could you want?

 

Folk Modern by Ellen Luckett Baker

These lovely linen/cotton blends arrived from Japan yesterday, they are from Folk Modern by Ellen Luckett Baker. I've been thinking of making some aprons for the kids and my daughter particularly like the horse print for the job, it is brilliant.

I love the grey prints and definitely want to find a space for a cushion in my house made from this, it's so lovely. The fabrics have a great weight, the same as Echino fabrics, what would you make?

Winter blues

2013 / 2014

A brief review of 2013 and look forward to 2014, it seems only appropriate. I feel some relief to shake off 2013, a difficult, busy year finding me waiting still for the dust on 2012. It still surprises me how much there is still to learn about people and life, finding the best way to move forward.

It has been a really busy year for M is for make, leaving me just about managing to keep on top of your lovely orders and everything else that it takes to run a fabric shop. In 2014 I will be concentrating things down to make something special; your fabric capsule collection.

So here are the highlights of 2013; the beaches, the quilts, the animals living in our home, the walks, the snow, the running, Copenhagen, the Summer holidays, my family.

Wishing you all a very happy new year and great things for 2014.

 :: the beaches ::

  :: the birthdays ::

  :: Brighton ::

  :: the cats ::

  :: Copenhagen ::

  :: the dog ::

  :: our kids ::

  :: the outdoors ::

  :: the quilts ::

  :: Summer holidays ::

  :: the sunsets ::