« August 2020 | Main | October 2020 »
I was surprised late this afternoon when Paul knocked on the door and delivered the last of the Redwork Gatherings fabrics.
I wasn't expecting it until later in the week, but it is wonderful that it has arrived and is now all loaded on to the website. I will have it all unpacked and on the shelves ready for when the shop opens on Thursday.
Linda :)
Although I may not have been as productive on the stitching front as I was hoping this weekend, I have been busy in the shop and packing up all of the new projects that I made late last week.
I have been playing with some of the new Redwork Gatherings fabric that arrived a month ago.
I have ordered the complete range, but unfortunately 16 of the fabrics have been held up, and I only have 13 currently in stock. But the good news is that the rest of them are due in the country tomorrow, so hopefully it won't be too long until they get to me. In the meantime, I have uploaded the fabrics that I do have, along with the pre-cuts that arrived on Friday onto my website. You can check them out HERE.
There is also a beautiful 'panel', which has 54 different designs based on vintage Redwork.
These could be embroidered over, or used as they are and incorporated into projects......which is what I have done in this new Let's Gather Table Runner.
The kits come complete with everything that you need to make your runner.......Mini Charm pack from the Redwork Gatherings fabric collection as well as borders, binding, backing, Parlan and pattern. It also includes 4 of the printed panel designs, giving you the option to choose the two designs that you like the most for your runner. These are available now from the website..........click HERE.
Hopefully I will be able to squeeze in a little more stitching before the shop opens up again on Thursday, although with the weather improving I think I might get back out in to the garden.
Linda :)
The last of the Christmas fabric for this year is 'Homegrown Holidays' by Deb Strain for Moda Fabrics.
I do have a bit of 'fabric regret' as I only ordered ten of the fabrics from the collection. Now that it is in stock, I so wish that I had ordered more.........especially the cute animal print!
I couldn't resist making up a bag using two of the prints.....
The kits are ready.....and are pre-cut! Check them out HERE on the website.
I have a big weekend ahead of me stitching up a few more new projects, so keep checking in to see what is next!
Linda :)
I have been waiting patiently for this new Christmas range to arrive. It was due in July but with delays and then more delays, it finally arrived yesterday afternoon.
It is 'Naughty or Nice' by Basic Grey
I spent yesterday afternoon unpacking and cutting up some Fat Quarters and Fat Eighths......check out these cute selvedges.....
and aren't these greens just lovely! I love that almost half of the range are not totally Christmas and can be quite easily used in many other projects......particularly those fantastic spots.
While Russell was cooking Hungarian Goulash for dinner, I was stitching up this new version of my Mini Charm Table Centre using a wonderful pre-cut Moda Candy pack of 2.5" squares.
My evening was filled with stitching the binding down, and then folding up the fabric pieces. I even tested out the new photography cube that I bought online......to help eliminate shadows in my photos........and I think that my first photo was pretty good!
The Mini Charm Table Centre kits are available now and are listed HERE on the website. They are pre-cut kits and easy to sew up and gift to someone......or keep for yourself.
The bolted fabric and pre-cuts are all listed online HERE.
There were another 10 bolts of Christmas fabrics (from a different range) in yesterday's delivery........but I will leave that for tomorrow.
Linda :)
Way back in 2016 my sister, Cathryn, gifted me a lovely note book......for no reason, but I'm guessing that she thought that it suited me and would come in handy.
I have used this book over the last 4 years for all of the new projects that I design, and it is full of notes, instructions, requirements lists, and kit cutting measurements. The back cover fell off a year ago and it is now full. So it is time to retire it, and start a new book.
So a new book means new projects. Page one has 18 ideas listed along with the new fabric collections that are due to arrive over the next 2 - 3 months.
To kick start my new project making frenzy, I have made up two runners. The first is the 'Cherished' Table Runner.....this is made from the pretty fabrics from Poppie Cotton and incorporates broderie anglaise lace. Kits are available for $28.....and are pre-cut for you!
The second new kit is the Easy Lace Table Runner. It will honestly take you longer to sew the binding down than it will take to sew the whole runner together! Everything is included in this kit for just $22.......and once again it has been pre-cut for you.
Back tomorrow with some new Christmas fabric to show you all......it's just been delivered!......and maybe another new project!
Linda :)
I have really been feeling quite lost of late. It certainly has been a challenging year for all of us, and for me it has meant changing the way I run my business. Closing the shop for 14 weeks, fine tuning my online shop, cancelling classes, sewing days....and unfortunately my shop events. This weekend should have seen 128 excited ladies head to Port Campbell for my Annual Stitch in Spring event.
I am missing the friendship and laughter.......the smiles and the excitement, and also the yearly catch ups with those who travel from afar.
It has felt quite strange not spending the last few months making bags and name tags, cutting and packing kits, making endless lists of things that need to be done and worrying about whether everything will arrive in time....lol!
I have everything crossed that the 10th Stitch in Spring will be able to be held next September......I know that there are a lot of others hoping for the same!
Oh and I will especially miss the leftovers.........no cheesecake for dinner tonight!
Linda :)
Today is a big day. The shop opens it doors up again after being closed for 6 weeks, ........I have really missed seeing all of my customers, but have been kept really busy with the online orders coming in from all around Australia. It is also Day 1 of the Great Australian Craft Show #6. The theme of this GACS is Up Close & Personal, and over the past few weeks there have been lots of interesting and informative Up Close & Personal interviews with many of the GACS exhibitors. My interview was shared on Monday and if you missed it you can view it on my Facebook page HERE.......as a lovely side note......Hannah said that she now knows where she gets her conversational skills from, and Emma said that I really do talk a lot......lol! There are over 120 exhibitors at this sixth event and you can check them all out over the course of the Show through the Craft Alive website.
Don't forget to enter the daily competitions to win some fabulous prizes........including the new
'ISO PROJECTS' EXHIBITION
Your name and work up in lights! Share your projects from this year; maybe you’ve found the time to learn something new, or finally completed a UFO that’s lived in the cupboard for years. We want to hear about it and see it.
The exhibition is open to everyone and free to enter.
1) Take a photo of your project
2) Email it to info@craftalive.com.au
3) Include your name, state or territory & a brief description
Your work will be displayed at the Official
'Iso Projects' Exhibition on the Great Australian Craft Show page.
ENTER & WIN!
Every project image is entered into a daily prize draw.
The Great Australian Craft Show sponsors will form a panel and chose a winner every day during the event. The lucky winners receiving a $50 GACS shopping voucher!
How cool is that! I have my Iso Project photo ready to send through........can you guess what it is?
Linda :)
I was outside again today poking around in the garden, enjoying the sunshine and the mild weather, while catching up on some more pruning jobs. The sun was shining and I couldn't help but notice how the yellow flowers in the garden really stand out.....a real pop of floral sunshine....like these yellow daisies
and my Forsythia....which surprises me every year with it's early spring blooms on it's bare branches.
The daffodils have been brilliant this year with lots of blooms
and even our 3 year old Lime tree has produced beautiful yellow fruit to light up the garden.
I was intrigued to find out the what the meaning of yellow is......and a quick Google search revealed the following. Yellow is the most luminous of all the colours of the spectrum. It's the colour of happiness and optimism, of enlightenment and creativity, sunshine and Spring. Lurking in the background is the dark side of yellow: cowardice, betrayal. egoism and madness. I think that I prefer bright side of Yellow, and that we will just forget about the rest!
I think that I may just have to keep my eye out for some other yellow flowers for the garden.
Linda :)
With the shop reopening on Thursday after six weeks of being closed, yesterday was my last Sunday 'off' for what I am hoping will be a long while. I spent the day out in the garden trying to get the rest of the roses pruned before they put on too much new growth. The highest priority was the out of control 'Golden Gate' climbing rose on my garden arch. When you look out the upstairs window and can see the long branches blowing in the wind, you know that it's time to give it a good prune back!
I remember quite a few years ago visiting Lenora and complaining about my lack luster 'Westerland' climbing rose. She showed me her Golden Gate climbing rose and said how hardy and vigorous it was. It was exactly what I was looking for, but it certainly needs pruning every year and not leaving it to it's own devices!
Today we decided to do a little road trip........yes I know that we are in Stage 3 restrictions, but it has been so long since Russell and I have been anywhere together we decided to mask up and just do it. A mountain of mail was dropped off at the Simpson Post Office, before we headed to the Scotts Creek Cemetery to visit Dad for a belated Father's Day. In to Timboon for a little shopping, and then it was off to Port Campbell for a visit. It was a beautiful day......time to free the toes.......and try out my new shoes......
before I donned my runners for a walk across the new suspension bridge across Campbells Creek in Port Cambell.
It hasn't been open very long
and is quite impressive. We climbed up the 80 plus steps to the top of the cliff where we sat and looked over the bay.
Two lone swimmers were in having a dip, but no one else was on the beach.
We didn't meet a single soul during our walk, and we have never seen Port Campbell so quiet. Most of the shops were shut, which was so sad to see. Port Campbell is usually such a busy seaside town, but of course with Covid-19 and no tourists, it was only the locals that were in the street. We bought our lunch, and headed out of town along the Great Ocean Road towards home. With Loch Ard Gorge, The 12 Apostles, and Gibson Steps all closed, there was literally no traffic.
For the past few weeks we have been watching long pylons and wind turbine blades being transported past our house, heading south to a new wind 'farm'. The road has been closed on and off while they work on the construction of the towers, however no work was being done today as it was too windy.
They are situated just south of GORGE Chocolates.......which of course we just couldn't drive past. They have also been doing it tough, like a lot of tourism based businesses, so we had a hot drink and may have just come away with some of their nuts, hot chocolate sticks and their new chocolate coated Turkish Delight......my all time favourite!
Home again.....and back in the garden for just a few more hours.
I really hope that it won't be too long until we can do it all again with no restrictions.
Take care everyone.
Linda :)
I have spent the best part of today sorting through the 5 plastic tubs of fabric scraps that I have accumulated over the last few years. They have been scattered around the shop......a couple in the classroom and the rest upstairs.....taking up room and getting in the way! It's a job that I do about once every 2 years.......first collating the scraps into different piles.....colours/themes/designers, and then weighing and bagging them, ready to pop them in the shop.
All of the fabric is left over from when I make up shop samples, kit up projects, and also from Block of the Months. All different sizes and shapes, with some of the pieces being small end of bolts, and most of it is no longer on available in the shop.
I usually don't list them on website, but this time I have decided to give everyone the opportunity to grab a bag. There is only one bag per type/number, except for the Tilda bags which I have made up 6. The Tilda ones are all, more or less, the same, just with a few variations, so if you order more than one, please don't expect 2 totally different bags. All bags are $25 each and weigh between 500g - 800g+. You can check them all our on my website HERE.
Please note that these are usually very popular, so I am asking for people to place their orders online to avoid missing out.
Linda :)