Paris? Yes please!

Lorraine has been really busy creating new quilt designs with the oh-so-inspiring fabric we've had in!

This is "Paris Holiday" - a new kit made and designed by Lorraine.

The blocks are all taken from a panel by Lorelei Designs.

The completed quilt has 3-dimensional flowers on it and costs $69.50 including all fabric for the top and binding, pre-made iron-on bias and beads for the flower centres.

Come into the shop to see it in person, or drop into the Ballan Quilt Exhibition this coming Saturday and Sunday where it will be on display as part of the French themed exhibit. The team are really well-known for their beautiful displays. You can email Megan for more information ( ballanquiltshow@hotmail.com ).

Visitors

The first Sunday of each month is Market Day in Gisborne. We had such a busy, busy day. Not only were the indoor and outdoor markets on, but the Gisborne Festival was also on....rides, sideshows, procession, fun run, motorcycle and car show.... you get the drift.

It attracted lots of visitors looking for a warm drink and shelter from a light drizzle.

Around 14 "bikeys" came in for coffee and cake. While I was making the coffees, I noticed camera flashes going off. I said "Are you guys taking photos of yourself in the fabric shop?" and they were!! They said: "These photos are going into our newsletter".

Later that day we received an email with photos they took. How cool are these? The guys all thought it was hilarious they found themselves in a very "girly" shop!! LOL!!

Members of Brunswick Harley Owners Club, it was nice to meet you. Thanks for the pics.

Oh what fun!!

We had such fun on our shop opening day!

200 people joined our half hourly door prize draws. Each half hour Mum (Wilma) rang a bell and asked for a kind volunteer to draw out a name (you didn't have to be there to win, the winners were phoned and they will collect their prize at a convenient time).

Mum (Wilma) holds the door prize entries while Jim pulls out the name of a lucky winner!!

Is Mum eating lollies??? Claire draws out the name of another winner!

Even Chrissie pulls out a winning name!

We gave away 7 games of Stitchopoly (this will not be available from our suppliers from March 2009 - I guess Monopoly found out - I predict these will become collector's items), lots of big fabric bundles, and a Moda baked goods package. We also gave away 100 value finders (I will post a photo of our unique styles), and lots of Rosalie Quinlan patterns.

We had the most wonderful surprise when Chrissie, Rhonda and Joanne from Blue Willow Cottage visited us on the opening day!! That's Joanne in the front buying fabric!! Would you believe they brought us flowers?? You would be hard pressed to find a nicer group of girls.

From left: Joanne, Jim, Lorraine, Chrissie and Rhonda.

Sandra cut so much fabric I expect she needed a massage!!

Jenni and Karen sat and sewed in air-conditioned comfort.

This is Michael and his first quilt top. He bought a fat 1/8 pack, went home and sewed them together. Michael has already bought fabric for his next quilt.

Then he came back and bought batting, basting spray and backing fabric.

Laura pieced her first quilt top and Claire has pieced two quilt tops (one is for a gift).

What an exciting atmosphere!

Andrea, Jocelyn and Mum take a break.

We sell coffee!!!

I was hardly able to take any photos we were so busy!

The atmosphere was just electric! Thank you so much to everyone who travelled such a long way to join us in our celebrations - especially in the 31 degrees heat. Thank goodness we experienced cooler weather on the Opening Day. I could understand people would not travel much if it was still 43 degrees.

Thank you to Leutenegger, Victorian Textiles, PK fabrics and Creative Abundance for our prizes.

We look forward to meeting you in person!!

What does 374 bolts look like?

Well, it really is happening! We are only a week and one day away from our gala opening day. Did you download our discount vouchers? Of course they are only useful for people who will be in Victoria, Australia over the next few months!!

This is a pallet of fabric on a truck!! The delivery truck came to our home - so it all had to be loaded onto the Ute to take down to the shop premises.

374 extra bolts of fabric. Woah!! I think Santa came late this year, and he wasn't in a sleigh!! You need more than reindeer-power to pull this load!!

I have heard of a quilter whose ceiling caved in after she stashed her fabric in the ceiling where her hubby couldn't see it (do you listen to Cathy Miller the singing quilter?). I can understand why the ceiling fell through, fabric is really heavy!

I can't wait to unwrap it all! I will be drooling for days!! So will you after I show you what they look like...

..to be continued...

French Collection stitchery quilt pattern

I have been working away steadily on my French Collection quilt. It has been quilted, (thanks Wilma) I just need to add the binding.

Each of our French Collection BOM customers, and those who have purchased the full set of French Collection stitcheries will soon receive free instructions for making this quilt.

Australian designer Robyn Allen-Waters designed the stitchery blocks to go with her hand-made and hand-painted buttons. However, she is not a quilter and did not design a quilt to incorporate all the pictures.

This is my design. The applique is optional, but I think this gives it a little bit more of a French feel.

We are expecting the colour pages from the printers any time now (they had a break over Christmas and New Year). The patterns will be posted to all our French Collection customers very soon.

Very limited stocks of kits in the fabrics pictured will be available from February 2nd 2009 until sold out. We imported this fabric especially for our quilt as it was not released in Australia, and are unable to purchase any more.

Luxembourg fabrics

I have been trying out some fabrics together that could be used to make the Luxembourg quilt.

I have chosen 37 fat 1/8s, This includes a few spares in case someone wants to swap colours around a little bit, or doesn't like one or two of the fabrics.

The fabrics don't fit all into one photo, so I put them all together on this page.

The light coloured fabric is for the sashing, the black is the same one I used in the original quilt for the binding.

All these fabrics are reproductions from the 1800s - as are the fabrics in the original quilt.

I really like all these fabrics together. Maybe I will make something else with these.... just for fun???

The latest pic!!

What a transformation! This is the view inside the front door.


The front of the shop is carpeted, then begins a floating wooden floor - this is the classroom area. We thought this was best as threads and pins can be difficult to remove from carpet.

There is a storeroom on the left at the back. There is a doorway to the right leading to the kitchen and bathroom.

I loooove the paint colour. It is warm and bright. It will go with everything.

This photo was taken with the lights off. These are modern flourescent lights that assist with colour matching and selection. The fittings help to spread the light around.