The Last Piece

2022 Dollies Online program

Dollies Online was dreamed up in about 2008 I think? My friend Amy was having a bad time, so I made her a little quilt, wrapped it up and popped a few presents in, and posted it off to her in the USA. A few months later she sent a box back, with a little quilt she had made, and some presents! No no no I said, this was supposed to cheer you up, not make work for you... so I made her another one, and sent it off

 

This continued for quite some time, and after a while we decided that the little quilts we were coming up with were way too cute not to share. And so Dollies Online was born.

 

Since then I have had a LOT of dolly quilts in my life. Amy and I ran Dollies Online for a number of years, and then we wrote a book together, all about them! Cute Little Quilts is still in print. There are also dolly quilts in my book Quilting From Little Things, which is still my favourite of all the books I've written, incidentally.

 

A dolly quilt is historically just a small quilt, a quilt a little girl would make for her dolly. These little quilts are wonderful fun to make because they're quick, satisfying, cute and also an excellent chance for a LESSON!

 

 

Each little quilt in the 2022 Dollies Online program is made with a different technique or block design, so you try some things you might not otherwise try without having to start a huge quilt to do so.

 

Once you've made your dolly tops, they don't have to be quilts! Turn yours into a tote bag, cushion, the centre for a larger quilt - there are loads of options for these fun little projects. Or you can quilt them and hang them somewhere special all together, like I do!​

 

The 2022 Dollies Online program will consist of 6 patterns, one every two months, delivered via PDF plus a video tutorial. Each of these quilts will be no smaller than 12" square and no larger than 18" square.

 

There is an optional template set (which for this program I HIGHLY recommend you order) that contains templates for the little pieces in some of the quilts and the paper pieces for some of the blocks. There are also some optional notions available - for English Paper Piecing, needleturn applique and for making the stems of flowers on one quilt.

 

Sign up for the 2022 Dollies Online program here!

Gum Leaf Christmas Wreath Pattern

This Aussie themed Christmas wreath is quick and fun to make! It would be a lovely gift for someone, or make a few for all your family’s bedroom doors so Santa knows where you are.

You can make it from beautiful wool felt as I have - or consider using the templates for a needleturn applique project. It would be a wonderful cushion!

One of the things I like about this wreath is that it could easily lend itself to any time of year. If you leave off the red Christmassy “sparkle” spots, it's simply a wreath of gum leaves for any occasion.

The wreath is just right for an indoor wall or door, or a sheltered front door. As its made entirely from felt, it won’t stand up outdoors to serious weather.

This is a PDF pattern. You can purchase the pattern here.

Happy stitching everyone!

New! The Christmas Crew embroidery pattern

Santa’s reindeer are ready and raring to pull the sleigh and deliver everyone's presents! This is a simple embroidery that has lots of lovely potential festive uses.

 I have used two strands of DMC embroidery thread for all the embroidery. The finished circle is 35cm (14 inches) in diameter.

This is a PDF pattern. You can purchase the pattern here.

Happy stitching everyone! 

Merry and Bright embroidery pattern now available

I love to embroider as well as to quilt! I have been hand embroidering ever since I was a little girl. The sketch for my Merry and Bright Christmas Tree Skirt Block of the Month just seemed to be crying out to be embroidered as well as quilted! This is a simple embroidery that has lots of lovely potential festive uses.

 

 

 I have used two strands of DMC embroidery thread for all the embroidery worked here. The finished circle is 35cm (14 inches) in diameter.

 

It's a great size for a cushion, side of bag, centre of cot quilt or anything else you can dream up.

 

This is a PDF pattern. You can purchase the pattern here. Happy stitching everyone!

Growing Wild and A Little Wilderness books now available!

They’ve been a looooong time coming- Covid and illness and shortage of inks and a bunch of other things has meant these are much later than expected. But they’re finally available!

 

The Growing Wild and A Little Wilderness books are for sale at my website. If you are in the USA, UK or Europe, the books ship relatively locally which saves you on postage. Both books come with full size templates and full video instructions.

Hussif Snackbox pattern

Four years ago this month, I launched my Hussif Snackbox pattern!

What’s a Hussif? It’s an old fashioned word short for “housewife”- which was basically a little wrap that you kept your sewing implements in for tidy and easy access.

My Hussifs were designed to go with the Down the Rabbit Hole quilt- the pincushions in the centre are either carrots (rabbit snacks), a fish (for the cats in the alternate border option) and a plain one for those less whimsical than I.

The pattern is a downloadable PDF and comes with full size templates and instructions for all three snackbox options, as well as a video tutorial that helps you put it all together.

Such a fun gift for a sewing friend or for your own stitching kit! You can buy the pattern and accompanying video here.

Down the Rabbit Hole embroidery kits

Getting down to the wire on my Down the Rabbit Hole embroidery kits... and once they’re gone, they’re gone!

Only a few more left. Available as a PDF pattern, with just the fabric panel, with black thread or with multi colour threads. Your choice!

Available now here.

 

New pattern alert!

I was in a stationery store not long ago, and I saw a pile of beautiful hard cover notebooks with these little pencil case attachments on them. I thought to myself- how handy! To always have a pen or pencil attached to your notebook so you don’t have to go rummaging for one!

 

Picked it up- saw the price and promptly put it back. I could make that! I thought to myself. With cuter fabric, and for less than half that price.

 

And so I did. And now you can too.

 

 

They make lovely gifts, this past Christmas I bought all my family members a small Moleskine journal and made them backpacks to fit. I used fabric and colours to suit their personalities. Once I’d made ten for Christmas gifts, I got to work making some for my own favourite notebooks and sketchbooks.

 

 

These Handy Notebook Backpacks are quick, fun, and satisfying to make. They can be customized to any size diary, journal, sketchbook - or any other book you can think of! They’re so addictive I’m tipping a few books in your house will be carrying a backpack soon.

 

The pattern is available now here. It is a downloadable PDF. Prices on my website are in Australian dollars.

 

Fabric on the large backpack is the completely glorious and so cute Let the Good Times Roll by Lysa Flower from PBS Fabrics. Fabric on the small backpack is Malibu, the latest collection by Heather Ross from Windham Fabrics.

Templates - Rainy Days and Sun Rays

First load has arrived! Packing has begun! You can order the optional templates here.

What? You haven’t signed up yet? There's still plenty of time to join my Rainy Days and Sun Rays 2021 BOM - see all the details here.

Like this? Stay tuned...

 

I've got a fun new little pattern launching soon! Stay tuned...