Gum Valley Patchwork

Closing.......again

With the recent high number of Covid-19 cases in Colac, I have made the decision to close my shop doors once again.

I will be closed until further notice, but as with my first closure back in March/April/May, my website is open and you can select to contactless pick up from my mailbox if you wish. I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause but I feel the risk at the moment is far too great for me to stay open. I hope that you all understand, and hopefully it won't be for too long. I will continue to keep you updated with all of the new stock as it arrives, and all of the new projects and kits as I make them. Rest assured I won't be sitting around twiddling my thumbs while the doors are shut.

Stay safe everyone, and I hope that we can ride this wave and land softly at the other side.

Linda    :)

The Frolicking is finished

Well what a week Lenora and I have had with the Friendship Frolic. It was a case of third time lucky with running our 5th Friendship Frolic. Last year we decided to cancel it because Lenora's husband had had a bad accident, which meant that Lenora had to take over running their dairy farm full time. There was certainly no time for frolicking for Lenora as she barely had time to scratch herself. So dates were made for 2020, and bam!.....along came Covid-19. With so many events being canceled, we were committed to bringing this event to our customers. Rescheduled to July.....that will be okay.....by then the virus will be gone and we will all be able to frolic to our hearts content. Oh how wrong we were. But we soldiered on, and with new safety guidelines in place, and the launch of the very first online Friendship Frolic, we were able to bring our fun event back into our shops.

I always have a special display in my classroom during the Frolic, and this year was no exception. This year I decided on a Christmas in July theme......mainly because the previous weekend would have been my annual Christmas in July event.....and we all know why that had to be canceled.

Every day I wore a different mask that I had made, and we were really please with the number of Frolickers who wore them too.......electing to keep everyone safe and not being total twats like the stupid arses on social media of late. If you are after the pattern and missed it, you can check it all out HERE.

Although it was a very busy week, juggling the online orders and the instore shopping, the week was over before we knew it. We hope that everyone enjoyed their special gift this year.....Frolickers Lunch Bag..........and hopefully you will be able to take it along to your stitching days with friends very soon.

Now for the winners of the prizes:

First prize for the 2 nights for 2 at Sunnyside Cottage in Apollo Bay was won by Chris Moloney, Terang

Second prize, $150 machine quilting voucher donated by Barb from Devine Quilting, Colac was won by Clare Murrihy, Warrnambool.

Our Frolicker Crossword winners are: Coral Donovan, Warrnambool ($20 Voucher from Elm Grove Patchwork) and Melissa Abbott, Terang ($20 Voucher from Gum Valley Patchwork).

A huge thank you to Pauline (Sunnyside Cottages), Barb Devine (Devine Quilting), and everyone who supported our Friendship Frolic event this year. We truly appreciate your support and hopefully next year we will be back to frolicking without restrictions (and masks). I would also say special thanks to Lenora. She is a wonderful friend, and I am so lucky that we found each other, share a love of stitching, and I am able to run this event with her. I couldn't imagine doing it with anyone else.

Take care everyone.

 

Linda  :)

Warm Wishes

I have just received a small selection of the new Christmas collection from Hannah Dale of Wrendale Designs called Warm Wishes.

It was the little robins that caught my eye as they were so very cute........but when I unwrapped the fabric and saw the selvedge, I just about squealed. To quote my friend Kelly ann.....how stinkin cute!

I have made up some Fat Quarter packs.....four Fat Quarters for $26.

They are now listed on my website HERE.

Don't forget that the Friendship Frolic continues today through until Sunday afternoon. You can check out the details on my blog post or by liking/following our Friendship Frolic Facebook page.

Linda    :)

Masking up

We have just finished day 2 of our Friendship Frolic and what a busy 2 days it has been. We have had people participating both online and in the shops, and are thankful to those who have followed our guidelines when visiting in person. Although we don't fall under the compulsory masking rule that applies to Melbourne (and the Mitchell Shire....which is where Hannah lives and works), regional Victorians are taking a proactive stance by masking up when out and about. I have been wearing masks that I have made.......a different one every day......and will continue for the rest of the Frolic (and beyond). Yesterday's mask was made from the word print from the 'All Things Christmas' fabric collection from Gail Pan.....made to match my Christmas in July display in the classroom. Today's is made from a very pretty print from the 'Country Roads' Collection by Poppie Cotton, featuring hexagons of course. If you are going to wear a mask, it might as well be one from beautiful fabric!

Quite a few people have asked for the pattern, so I said that I would pop a link up here on my blog, and then share it on Facebook. The masks are very easy to make, but here are a few extra things that might help. I made the medium size for me and it fits quite well. The pattern is a light weight Summer face mask, so I included a third layer. As I didn't have a non woven interfacing (only have Staflex which is woven), I included an extra layer of plain cotton fabric. I also included a piece of plastic coated wire along the top edge so that it can be molded around my nose. I slipped this in before sewing up the turning gap, and then did a row of stitching to hold it in position. 

 

Once you have made one, they are quick to make. Good luck and stay safe everyone!

Linda   :)

Friendship Frolic Eve

Firstly we would like to thank everyone who has participated in our very first online Friendship Frolic. It has certainly kept both Lenora and I....and the Post Office!.....very busy over the last couple of days. Don't worry if you forgot to place an order.......it continues through until 4pm on Sunday 26th July, so there is still plenty of time to pop on to our websites and have a browse around.

I have spent today clearing out the classroom, folding up the tables, moving stock around and setting up a special display. I have tried to spread things out, which I am hoping will help with social distancing. I have a few specials on offer though the Frolic, including:

Discounts on my Wide Backs.....most range between $12 to $20 per metre. They are listed online HERE.

I have been packing up all of my End of Bolts and believe me when I say that I have heaps. My End of Bolt packs are always discount at 20% off, but during the Frolic it's double discount on them, so I will take an extra 20% off at the register. (I'm sorry but these are not available online)

My Clearance fabrics will be reduced to just $5 per metre (minimum cut is 1m). This fabric is ideal for face masks so if you are making them for friends and family, please check them out. 

Buy 4 Fat Quarters and get a fifth one free (excludes bundles).

We are sad that our local community has now been impacted by the Covid 19 virus, with many positive cases recorded in Colac. With this in mind, it is even more important that we follow the guidelines that we have set out for visitors during the Frolic. These procedures include:

*Using the hand sanitiser provided. We ask that you use it prior to entering and exiting the shops.

 *Social distancing is to be adhered to at all times. Once the maximum capacity of 9 people in the shop is reached, you will be instructed to wait outside until someone leaves. I will have a sign on the door instructing whether it is okay to enter or not.

 *If you are unwell, please stay at home. This is not negotiable. You can still participate by shopping online.....remember it's available until Sunday 26th.

 *We strongly encourage you to wear a mask in store.

 *When you have finished making your purchases, please leave the shops and wait for your friends outside in the car.

 *Any accompanying non-Frolickers (husbands, children etc) are requested not to enter the shops.

Don’t forget, all you need to do to claim your special 2020 Frolickers gift is to spend a minimum of $20 at each shop. 

We trust you all understand and accept the reasons for the steps we have taken, so we can bring our 5^th Friendship Frolic to you. It is so very important that we protect our community, our loved ones and our livelihoods during these difficult times. As the situation can change daily, please keep up to date with what is happening by following along on our Elm Grove Patchwork, Gum Valley Patchwork and The Friendship Frolic pages on Facebook. 

Whether participating online or instore, all qualifying Frolickers will be entered in to our major prize draw. First prize is 2 nights accommodation for 2 people at Sunnyside Cottage in Apollo Bay, and second prize is a $150 machine quilting voucher from Barb at Devine Quilting. These will be drawn on Monday 27^th July.

Well I'm off to make up some facemasks for me to wear......I wonder what fabric I will use?

Linda   :)

Friendship Frolic 2020

These are certainly unprecedented times that we are currently navigating our way through, and the logistics of coordinating our Friendship Frolic event with the safety and well-being of all of our customers, as well as our own families, is paramount to us. In normal times we love to welcome all customers into our shops, but with  Covid-19, these are not normal times. With this in mind, we have made some important decisions about this year’s event. 

The annual Friendship Frolic will proceed.  However, we are strongly encouraging those who reside outside of our local area (bordered by Warrnambool, Terang, Camperdown, Colac and south to the coast), not to attend.  We understand that this decision will disappoint a portion of our wonderful customer base, which we hate doing, but we will do everything we can to ensure you are still part of the event. We have decided to launch our very first Online Friendship Frolic, which will enable everyone to participate no matter where you reside in Australia.

The Online Friendship Frolic will kick off at 4pm Sunday 19^th July, and will continue through until 4pm Sunday 26^th July. This gives our online Frolickers first pick of our stock. Place your online order from 4pm Sunday through to Tuesday for priority processing and become a VIF......a Very Important Frolicker! Stock levels will be closely monitored during this time to ensure our website stock is up to date.  The Instore event will begin on Wednesday 22nd July. Online orders placed during the Instore Friendship Frolic (22^nd July to 26^th July) will be processed after 4pm each day. If your items have been sold in store, we will contact you to ask if you would like to reorder to qualify for the free gift.    

To receive your special 2020 Frolickers gift, you must spend a minimum of $20 (excluding postage) at both shops. Add the free gift prior to check out (at one shop only), and it will be included with your order. More details will be given on this process closer to Sunday.

 For those participating in the instore Friendship Frolic, we have some rules to follow......don’t worry we have been doing most of them for weeks!

 *Hand sanitiser will be provided and we ask that you use it prior to entering and exiting the shops.

 *Social distancing is to be adhered to at all times and our shops will be reorganised to facilitate this. Once the maximum capacity of 10 people in the shop is reached, you will be instructed to wait outside until someone leaves.

 *If you are unwell, please stay at home. This is not negotiable. You can still participate by shopping online.

 *We encourage you to wear a mask in store.

 *When you have finished making your purchases, please leave the shops and wait for your friends outside in the car.

 *Any accompanying non-Frolickers (husbands, children etc) are requested not to enter the shops.

Don’t forget, all you need to do to claim your special 2020 Frolickers gift is to spend a minimum of $20 at each shop. 

Whether participating online or instore, all qualifying Frolickers will be entered in to our major prize draw. First prize is 2 nights accommodation for 2 people at Sunnyside Cottage in Apollo Bay, and second prize is a $150 machine quilting voucher from Barb at Devine Quilting. These will be drawn on Monday 27^th July.

 We trust you will all understand and accept the reasons for the steps we have taken, so we can bring our 5^th Friendship Frolic to you. It is so very important that we protect our community, our loved ones and our livelihoods during these difficult times. As situations can change daily, please keep up to date with what is happening by following along on our Elm Grove Patchwork, Gum Valley Patchwork and The Friendship Frolic pages on Facebook. 

Linda and Lenora.

Whatchya Got Wednesday

I'm back again for another edition of Whatchya Got Wednesday. I have lost track of what I have posted on my WGW posts.......I must make a list........but I don't think that I have spoken about my Bargain Bundles yet. 

I have been making these packs up for about 4 years now, and they are extremely popular with my customers. There are 4  x  50cm pieces in each pack and (at the moment) they are priced at just $22 per pack. They are sometimes range/collection coordinated; sometimes colour coordinated; and sometimes themed, like Christmas. They generally are one offs, so once they are gone that's it. I always try and have the basket full of bundles, but it has been looking a little light on for about a week, so last weekend I was able to top it up with lots of new ones.

During the first Covid-19 lockdown, I uploaded all of the Bargain Bundles on to my website, something that I had never done before. By doing this they are now available to everyone........it's so much nicer to share the love........and a good bargain!

Linda    :)

A Peaceful Garden

No this is not another post about my garden and how I love being out and about in it, rather it is a post about fabric. Eleven months ago ........yes last August!.....I placed an order for a lovely soft and pretty 2 ply flannel fabric collection, 'A Peaceful Garden' by Mary Jane Carey of Holly Hill Quilt Designs.

There are 14 fabrics in the collection which features bouquets of roses, astilbe, paisley, polka dots, and roses tossed against shades of pink, cream, and sage.

They are all listed on my website and a new quilt is on the cutting mat........ready and waiting to be stitched. But first, I am heading outside to the garden to make the most of another beautiful sunny Winter's day......that pile of mulch isn't going to shift itself!

Linda   :)

Crazy Sister's Sewing Day

It was our first sewing day for for the year for the participants of the One Crazy Sister Club. It was a drizzly cold day outside, but inside the classroom was buzzing with everyone working on the first project, the Open Hearted quilt.

We were missing quite a few of our Crazy Sisters........some live interstate, some live in Melbourne and others in regional Victoria.......so traveling to Simpson for a day of sewing was not possible. While the Open Hearted design calls for a two fabric shuffle, Michelle and Jodie decided on a three fabric shuffle. Michelle's blocks looked great, and she was able to piece all of her block during the day.

I decided to stick with the two fabric shuffle. My blocks are all ready to be stitched together.

It will be exciting to see the finished quilts at our next get together in August.  Gail had already completed her quilt and has added a border.....

an idea that everyone seemed to like and is going to copy!

Linda   :)

Whatchya Got Wednesday

With everyone so time poor these days, we are always looking for short cuts or things to make our stitching experience easier. This especially applies when it comes to tracing off stitchery designs. Iron on transfers have been warmly embraced.......who wants to spend all their valuable time tracing when we could be stitching! Last year Natalie Bird brought out a stitchery panel to coordinate with her fabric collection called Willowbrook Market Garden. It sold so well for me that when Natalie released some new pre-printed stitchery panels this year, I jumped at the chance to stock them all in my shop. All three panels are pre-printed on to a linen/cotton fabric that is 137cm wide.

The first is the stitchery panel that is part of the 'Heartstrings' fabric collection, which arrived in the shop last week. I have had the stitchery panels for sometime, and they have been very popular. There are 30 different designs each measuring approximately 2" x 2.25", and it is available for $9.95 per panel.

Another fantastic pre-printed Stitchery panel is the 'Make Ready for Christmas' panel. This one has 16 different Christmas themed stitcheries, that each measure approximately 4" x 4". Great for incorporating into those handmade Christmas gifts.  These are available for $9.90 each.

And finally the last one....which just arrived yesterday......is the 'Sunny Days' Bunting panel.

This panel has 7 stitcheries (2 of the Sunny Day Bunny print). You might like to make it up into a bunting or incorporate the designs into a quilt. Each design measures 6" wide x 8" deep. The panel is available for $7.50.

So there you have it.......three great pre-printed stitchery panels that would save hours of work........just add your threads, stabiliser and start stitching straight away!

Linda   :)