The Last Piece

My Friend Saffron

Do you know my friend Saffron Craig? If you don't, you need to know her, right now. Not only is she a complete sweetie, but she is also a completely awesome Aussie fabric designer. 

Just before Christmas Saffron came along to my sit and sew day at Cottage Quiltworks, and she had with her fabric from her two new ranges, Banksia Bloom and Wombat Wonderland. She very very kindly gave me some to play with too. 

Banksia Bloom is 100% organic cotton, and such a fantastic Australian range - so many are so horribly kitch but this is just gorgeous.

These are the ones Saffron gave me to play with - I think my faves are Sitting On a Tree:

 

and Gum Flowers:

but I love the big kooka as well - I made a beach bag using him, it came up so nicely and the fabric is lovely and soft.

You can see the whole range (and buy it from Saffron) here. If you're a shop don't forget she wholesales too. 

I have to say though my completely favroute thing is these Kookaburra softies - Saffron sells the panels, all you have to do it cut them out and stitch them up. I like them so much I have to order some for my studio.

Aren't they gorgeous??

The other new range Saffron has out is Wombat Wonderland. In case you have somehow missed that I have a new niece (sorry, I know I've been banging on about her a fair bit on social media - hey, want to see a picture?)

We went swimming :)

Wombat Wonderland is so cute!! And what do you think I'm going to use my pieces for... I wonder....

I think they would make the cutest little dresses. The graphics that go with this range are delish, I especially love the stripes and the triangles:

You can see and buy the whole range here. 

There are some gorgeous fabrics in my studio at the moment - I cant wait to get cracking on my new book and use them all up!! :)

On the Pond!

It's a not very well kept secret that I've been designing fabric for Spotlight Australia! I'm so thrilled to finally be able to show you the range and trumpet it to the world. 

The range is 15 pieces - 5 designs in 3 colours, pink, blue and green and will be $16.99 a metre. The quality is just beautiful, I am thrilled with how it's come out!

I have designed a fun, easy quilt for you all that will be in the next issue of Spotlight's Get Creative magazine. The issue is on sale January 30, just in time for the fabric's release the same day!

And make sure you go and like Spotlight's Facebook page - I will be running a FREE mystery Block of the Month through the page, starting February 1, and you do NOT want to miss out on that, it's very cute. 

I've already been playing with some and I've made some awesome stuff! I'm going to share some tutorials for you on my blog in the coming weeks, things like this Kindle case:

 

 

Yes, I Hand Quilt

Ok so if you know ANYTHING about me, you know that I love hand quilting a really really lot. Like, better than everything. And what I love even more is teaching all of YOU to hand quilt and creating new hand quilters!! To that end, here's a little prezzie from my friends at Craftsy - a FREE hand quilting tutorial with me. If you like it, why not check out the rest of my Craftsy class? 

 

A Happy New Year - A 2012 WrapUp

2012. Wow, where did that go. This last year I have been so busy that I can hardly remember what happened between the busy-ness. My New Years Resolution for 2013 is to take time to stop and smell the roses. The Busy-ness has been needed though, and will make 2013 so much the sweeter! This year I have:

*Travelled to New Zealand, the USA and Africa

*Seen some of my besties from far away

*Taught over 60 patchwork classes in loads of different locations, including Moruya, Toowoomba,Melbourne, NZ, Berry and of course Sydney

*Written my fourth book - Hand Quilted with Love, due out March 

*Designed a fabric range - One The Pond, exclusively for Spotlight Australia, due for release February

*Filmed and launched my online classes for Craftsy.com - over 1,100 students enrolled, come and check it out!

*Been featured in Uppercase, Mollie Makes, Better Homes and Gardens, Quilters Companion and Quiltmaker magazines

*Gained a beautiful beautiful new niece, Hope Gayle Cousins

*Turned 40! And had major abdominal surgery :(

*Made over 30 quilts, including 16 for the new book (this quilt is Millefiori, from Hand Quilted with Love)

*Appreciated my incredible hubby, gorgeous boys, darling Dad and the rest of my Sydney and Queensland family very very very much.

*Been grateful and loved the company of all my loopy friends

*Loved every second of it, even when I was so tired I was ready to throw things. People, I LOVE my job.

But wait, there's more. Coming up in 2013 is so much more excitement, including

*Starting work on my 5th book

*A new fabric range (or maybe two!)

*Classes all over the place including Moruya, Toowoomba, Auckland, Christchurch and of course Sydney

* Trips to Christchurch and Auckland, and to Spring Market in Portland

*Taking my boys to New York City, their first overseas journey since they were tiny kiddos!

*Other stuff I can't tell you about yet!

Life is exciting, and exhilarating and busy and frustrating and exhausting and terrifying and wonderful. Hang on and enjoy the ride 2013 is bringing your way, but make sure you stop and smell the roses :) Happy New Year everyone and thank you all so much for visiting and reading and generally just being out there!