Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Zakka Home - Book Tour



Sedef Imer of Down Grapevine Lane has just released her second book Zakka Home for Tuva Publishing - after the wonderful success of Quilt Petite, Sedef is back with another great title to add to your Quilting and Sewing Collection.  Zakka Home is filled with 19 "smaller style" projects to get you inspired to fill your home with beautifully handmade projects.


From Pillows to Kitchenware items such as Tea Towels, Table Runners and Trivets, glorious Bags, sweet embroideries, sewing inspired items like Pincushions and an Armchair Caddy along with items to gift - there is something in this book for everyone to make no matter your level of experience.

While it was hard to choose one project to make - I settled on making the Armchair Caddy as I knew I could put this to use straight away with all the Hand stitching and quilting I have been doing of late at night time while sitting on the couch.


The Armchair Caddy is quick to make and after picking some of my favourite Alice Caroline Liberty fabrics paired with some blush 100%Linen and some pre-made liberty Bias Binding I was all set.  The instructions are simple to follow and with full size pattern pieces included there is little prep to get yourself started.

I decided that for the little pocket details I would Applique the Fabrics rectangles on and added these cute Flower buttons from my Button stash.  My pre-made Liberty Binding also helped quicken the time to make this caddy as it was just the right width for the binding.  


I am so thrilled with how the Armchair caddy came up and it fits perfectly on the arm of my couch.  This is going to be so useful and I can change what it needs to hold for each project I am working on.



With Christmas coming up this book would make not only an excellent book to make lots of gifts for your friends and family but also a great gift for a craft friend.  

Check out the rest of the Bloggers who are contributing to the Book Tour 

22 October - Sedef Imer - Down Grapevine Lane - @downgrapevinelane
23 October - Jemima Flendt - Tied With A Ribbon - @tiedwitharibbon
24 October - Minki Kim - Minki's Work Table - @zeriano
25 October - Jane Davidson - Quilt Jane - @quiltjane
26 October - Elizabeth Chappell - Quilters Candy Box - @quilterscandybox
27 October - Lauren Wright - Molly and Mama - @mollyandmama
28 October - Sarah Scott - Piccolo Studio - @piccolostudio_sarah
29 October - Alyce Blyth - Blossom Heart Quilts - @blossomheartquilts
30 October - Emily Dennis - Quilty Love - @emily_dennis_
31 October - Sharon Burgess - Lilabelle Lane Creations - @lilabellelane
1 November - Wynn Tan - Zakka Art - @zakkaArt
2 November - Amanda Woodruff - A Crafty Fox - @a.crafty.fox
4 November - Samantha Dorn - Aqua Paisley Studio - @aqua_paisley
5 November - Love Patchwork & Quilting - @lovequiltingmag
6 November - Kate May - The Homemakery - @thehomemakery
7 November - Ayda Algin - Cafe Nohut - @cafenohut
8 November  - Faith Essenburg - Sarana Ave - @faithessenburg
9 November - Nadra Ridgeway - Ellis & Higgs - @ellisandhiggs
10 November - Fat Quarter Shop - @fatquartershop
11 November - Laura Cunningham - @laura_zuckerkuss
12 November - Bev McCullough - Flamingo Toes - @flamingotoes
13 November - Amy Smart - Diary of a Quilter - @diaryofaquilter
14 November - Riley Blake Designs - @rileyblakedesigns
15 November - Michelle Hickson - @coleandtaffy
16 November - Christopher Thompson - The Tattooed Quilter - @the_tattooed_quilter
17 November - Ange Hamilton - A Little Patchwork - @alittlepatchwork
18 November -  Sedef Imer - Down Grapevine Lane - @downgrapevinelane 

You can get hold of Zakka Home here

Happy Quilting
Jemima x x 

Saturday, October 20, 2018

Modern Quilts - Block by Block Blog Tour


I'm excited to be sharing with you Emily Dennis of Quilty Love first Book - Modern Quilts - Block by Block for Tuva Publishing.  I know how nerve wracking, writing and putting out there your own book is but Emily has knocked this one out of the Park.  You will just love this book and certainly want to add it to your Quilt Library.

Modern Quilts showcases 12 projects with repeating Block designs to get you sewing.  No matter whether this is your first quilt or have more experience, you will enjoy making the patterns from this book.  The pages are well laid out with beautiful colour pictures and diagrams to help you through your chosen quilt pattern.

There is definitely a project in this book for everyone - no matter who you would like to make a quilt for you will find a beautiful pattern for just the right purpose. And just as Emily says in the forward - "Quilts are meant to be used and loved."


It was definitely hard to decide which Block to make but this one caught my eye from the cover of the book.  This Quilt design is called "First Place" and I had just the right Bundle of fabrics sitting in readiness on my cutting table to make it.  I have a FQ Bundle of Forage by Anna Graham of Noodlehead along with some Carolyn Friedlander fabric for my background and I was quickly set.  


This block was great fun and quick to make following along with the Instructions.  I love how the fabric repeats through the block and how striking this quilt will be in lots of different colour and fabric variations.


A lot of the Quilts are Fat Quarter friendly which means they are perfect for all those beautiful Bundles you have stashed on your shelves and with Christmas coming - if you are thinking of making a quilt for someone special there is plenty of time with these designs.




With Big, bold designs you will love all that there is to make in Modern Quilts - you can grab a copy for yourself here

Congratulations Emily on your first book - it is beautiful.

Happy Quilting

Jemima x x

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Trinket Box Quilt - New Pattern release.


Introducing my latest Quilt pattern release -  Trinket Box.  This Quilt has been a long time in the making, having originally drawn up the design about two years ago - earlier this year I knew it was time to get this quilt made.  Inspired by a "Trinket Box" filled with my Grandmothers Gemstone brooches I sat down to draw what would become the design for the Gemstone Blocks.

When I first made this quilt - I decided to go with the 9 Gemstone configuration of blocks you see further down below ("Lap" Quilt).  These are repeated Blocks to showcase stunning fabrics with this Applique.  This quilt then saw not one, not two but three different borders designed, then sewn, sewn on the quilt and then removed.  I was so undecided about how I was going to incorporate a border. Nothing seemed to speak to me and with the meaning behind the quilt so sentimental to me - I had to dig deep.  

I set the quilt top aside and then headed back to my computer to see what else I could do to make this quilt work. I then went back to the drawing you see above and decided that I needed to make this version instead.  


Completely happy with this "Grand" version of this Trinket Box Quilt,  I sent it off to be Custom Quilted by Carol Brady at The Quilting Cottage.  But something was still not right with how I was going to format the pattern.  So I decided to re-visit the smaller version - keep that simple with no border and then I ended up including BOTH versions in the pattern so that you can decide which you would like to make for yourself.


This is the centre block to the "Grand" Quilt version (72.5in x 72.5in / 184cm x 184cm) - it features 12 Blocks with the Round Gems around the outside of the blocks and this beautiful centre Block on point.  I chose to Machine - Blanket Stitch all my Appliqué but the beauty with Appliqué that you can choose your favourite way to Appliqué - by hand or by machine.  

I used my favourite Anna Maria Horner fabrics to make this quilt along with different greys for the background fabrics.  


This is the "Lap" version of the Trinket Box Quilt, it is slightly smaller (60.5in x 60.5in / 154cm x 154cm) but packs just as much punch.  In this version the 9 Gemstone blocks are all repeated with the Round Gems around each of the Gemstone blocks.  If you are new to Appliqué this is a great Quilt to get you inspired.  


So you get to decide with this pattern - which Quilt to make and of course which way you would like to Applique the Blocks.  This Lap Quilt was made using Tilda's Sunkiss range and Essex Line Homespun in Limestone by Robert Kaufman for the background to this quilt. 




The pattern also has Colouring Pages for both designs as well as a Full Size (Download for PDF patterns or A3 pages included in Paper copies) Layout Guide for the Gemstone Blocks which makes it really helpful for positioning your Appliqué pieces.


I also decided that with the Appliqué something that would be very helpful would be a set of Acrylic Templates that could be used for both the tracing and cutting elements of the Appliqué making process.  


Wholesale copies of Trinket Box and Template sets are also available to stores through Creative Abundance.  

A massive thank you to The Quilting Cottage for her amazing Quilting of these quilts.  Also a big thanks you to Tracey Berkmortel Photography for the stunning images of these quilts that she has captured. 

Happy Quilting
Jemima x x

Sunday, October 7, 2018

An Alice Caroline Liberty Exclusives Confetti Quilt


These absolutely STUNNING Liberty Fabrics arrived recently thanks to Alice Caroline Fabrics.  They are the latest in their Exclusives Collection and it's true to say that my heart skipped quite a few beats when I opened these beauties.

Alice Caroline, in this latest collection have taken some of these sentimental Liberty favourites and re-coloured them to work so beautifully as one collection showcasing all the colours of the rainbow.

While I could never pick a favourite - an absolute stand out is the Pink Gold Besty with its touches of metallic gold in the flowers - just the icing on the cake.  The Mint Capel would have to be another one I am really in love with.


It actually took me a little while to decide what I was going to make with these Liberty fabrics.  I wanted to showcase the rainbow effect of these fabrics as well as making something that let the prints shine.  I eventually decided to make my Confetti Quilt pattern using this Tana Lawn Nude as the background.  It is the most elegant shade of slight pink that lets the prints stand out.


As I was busy making this Confetti Quilt - my 14year old daughter quickly claimed this one telling me how perfect it would go with her room.  I used each of the prints from the collection to make this and also added two prints from the previous Exclusives collection to make up the required number of prints for the blocks.



With these rainbow colours, I love how well the prints play together and how even the darker prints compliment the pastel coloured prints in these florals.


Whether you are a die hard Liberty lover or new to these, these Exclusives are a must for your stash!



This Liberty Confetti Quilt is now happily on my daughters bed - being already loved and snuggled under.



Happy Quilting
Jemima x x
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