Tag Archives: custom

Confusion

Posted on by

It has come to my attention over the past 48hours that some of you believe that I have simply closed down.

To clarify – I have shut down the physical shop that I had over at Gosford. I changed the shop into an online and machine quilting only business to get some flexibility back into my family’s life so I could look after dad and help mum more.

There were tough decisions to be made but it was the best decision for me and my family. Since shutting just over 6 weeks ago it has made a massive difference to how things are at home.

The shop is still here and still on Facebook – but you can’t just pop in and see me, there are no classes. I am doing mail orders, machine quilting and a selection of markets (next market Handmade Craft Market – 30th November, Scholastic Stadium, Duffys Rd Terrigal).

I’m not sure where the confusion has come from but please if you have questions contact me. I don’t bite. Promise. 🙂

frankensteinsfabrics@hotmail.com

0416 023 637

 

St Pius X continues….

Posted on by

So I’ve been stitching up a storm with the St Pius X quilt. At this stage it is in 4 sections. Top, middle, bottom and borders. I am slowly piecing the sections together to make sure every blocks points match. Hence why I spent two days trimming up the blocks to make them all the same size.

Due to the number of blocks there will be some in the border – maths dictates in this case. I’ve kept everything balanced as best I can. Colours were the most important thing to balance as when you look at a quilt your eyes move to track certain colours and shapes. So when placing the blocks I made sure that the colours were balanced in the most soothing way for everyone’s eyes as this quilt will be on display for many years to come. 🙂

I’ve actually never made a quilt quite this large (I’ve spread it out over the classroom table 6ft x 9ft and then also had to put up one of my market trestle tables!) so it’s a bit of a learning curve for me in terms of size.

The quilt will be all together by (hopefully tomorrow afternoon) but more likely early next week and on the long arm ASAP. I lost some time today due to a headache and a longer visit with dad at the hospital.

 

More progress notes to come.

Off to bed now. 🙂

Marni

 

 

Works in progress…

Posted on by

A few days ago I started work on the St Pius X 75th Anniversary quilt. I cleared off my workbench and placed all the blocks in rows to try and get the best layout in terms of colours and patterns. There is a terrific mix of blocks as some families had theirs machine embroidered professionally and some have done blocks using mixed media. There are cross-stitched blocks, hand embroidered, appliquéd and a few patchwork ones as well. I do have a few favourites –

The quilt is coming together really nicely. I spent Wednesday trimming everything to size to ensure the accuracy. As each family was given a 24cm (9.5in) block but due to the very nature of the fabric there was some shifting, fraying and warping.  Trimming everything means that I know where I’m at with the layout and helps keep it all neat in the preparation for quilting.

The centre panels with the school’s crest, a list of the headmasters and the school prayer will be framed with yellow peepers to highlight them. Then the surrounding blocks attached with some key blocks – such as the school colour house crests – will radiate out to the border.

Quilts like this are a fabulous way to celebrate something so momentous. It is a great way to showcase the participants, with each block be so unique, but also combining with important elements that need to document the journey that the group has taken.

Many of you who know me know that I am not the religious type might think this project a strange undertaking for me, as the school is a Catholic one. But in fact this is exactly what quilting is all about – commemorating something, people coming together, sharing and having fun.

Seeing as the weather is a little on the wet side today, it will be the perfect opportunity to get stuck into joining the rows. There are 105 blocks in total plus the three central panels.

I’ll keep updating on the quilt’s progress as I go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news I’ve started the bat nappy production for the BatResearch Centre in Queensland. They put a callout on Facebook the other day looking for sewers to assist in the making of bat nappies or bat burritos to help look after the orphaned bats and flying foxes that will turn up this season. I couldn’t resist making some Halloween themed ones for the little guys and also some banana ones for the flying foxes. Dawn from Hello Dollies dropped off some that she’d made this morning and if any one else local has made some I will be collecting them up until 4pm on Wednesday the 17th of October so feel free to drop them off to me at the shop and I will send in one parcel to the centre.

Dad is doing much better and has been moved closer to home so it’s now saving us the wear and tear of travelling to Sydney to see him. We just have to get him strong enough now to get him moved to the rehab clinic so that we can get him back to normal.

The shop will be shut from 1pm on Friday the 12th of October – I have a meeting to attend that might mean a few changes in my life.  Nothing that will affect the shop just some personal things that I need to sort and Friday afternoon is the allotted time for it to happen.

The shop turns one on Monday so if you are looking to help me celebrate please go to my Facebook page – there will be some games, prizes and some other fun stuff from 8pm AEDST.

I’m still feeling the birthday fun so I’m going to make the 20%off fabric until the end of October to celebrate not only the shop turning one but also my favourite holiday Halloween.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Marni

May…be…

Posted on by

I cannot believe how fast this year is flying by. We are past the 6 month mark for the shop, we’re into market and show season and the weather is turning particularly chilly.

Housekeeping….

The shop is no longer open on Saturdays. There is a sign on the door at the shop, I’ve changed the details, here and on Facebook and I’ve made several status updates announcing as such.

We are at the Wyong Quilt Show this weekend – come along and say hi.

In the latest copy of Patchwork & Stitching Magazine my Punk Princess quilt is published. I have 5 kits left of it for sale and will have them with me tomorrow at the show. $85 for the fabrics just to make the quilt top and the binding or $120 if you want backing as well. You’ll also need 2m of Vliesofix which is sold separately.

 

I’m also about to release the pattern for In Flight. It will be available as a pattern, will be taught as a class from the end of June and also comes as a tailored kit.

The tailored kits are where I work with you to create a kit to your liking, we liaise via email with photos and colour swatches to create a unique quilt for you. I can only do a limited number of these as they take more time to compile so if you are interested please send me an email frankensteinsfabrics@hotmail.com

There’s lots of other things happening over the next few weeks. I’ll have to keep you updated after the weekend.

 

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Marni 🙂

Rain

Posted on by

I can hear some of you thinking that this post will be a whinge about the rain… well I hate to disappoint but it will be nothing of the sort… see I LIKE rain…  except when I have washing to do or have to catch public transport.

I love the smell, the sound and the look of it. I love the way it makes me want to curl up with a hot chocolate and a good book under my favourite quilt. How it makes my cat snuggly. How it makes the fog and mist hang around the tree tops at the end of the street behind my house and how I always feel like I get a good nights sleep when I can hear it falling outside.

I also like BIG storms – with lots of lightning and thunder. I love the energy of a storm and I always feel like this recharges me and that my creative impulses are renewed and revitalised….

You might have realised that I am a bit weird.

No worries….

The rain today seemed to bring out a lot of customers. In fact it felt like the busiest day since we opened. That was fantastic! But was it the rain? What made you all come out today on such a miserable, soggy day? You all had to traispe inside from your cars, dashing across the sodden grass to get to the door. I was pleased to see you all regardless of the weather and I thank you for making today a good day. 🙂

Onto other things…still rain related….

Rainy weather is the perfect weather to get some sewing done. And the rain today was a perfect start to my sewing to do list….

– commissioned lap quilt for customer (needs border, quilting and binding)

– lap quilt for magazine project (which will then be my winter quilt) needs quilting and binding

– finish binding on a playmat, table runner and one single bed quilt (playmat and table runner will go up for sale)

– double bed quilt top (finish piecing, then quilt and bind) then will be up for sale

– quilt top for magazine project (quilting and binding)

– girls lap quilt – fairy themed (border, quilting and binding)

– 2 x single bed UFO quilt tops (currently sitting in box in blocks and borders…. but when done will be up for sale)

– single bed made from fat quarters (finish appliqués, quilt and bind)

– start on competition quilt

– 1x boys, and 1 x girls single bed quilts for Darling Harbour (possible kits)

 

If I can get a lot of these things out of the way this week I will be a happy woman and can sort out the other odd things I need to get done. I’m starting to get very, very, VERY excited for Darling Harbour. I have sooooo many ideas and things that I want to showcase but I need to sit down and nut it all out properly. I have some surprises and some interesting things planned, so you’ll need to mark it down in your diary to come and see me.

Anyways, its still raining so I’m off to get into bed with my book and a hot water bottle.

Night,

 

Marni

 

 

April Catchup…

Posted on by

So we’re into April and I’ve got just a bit of housekeeping.

After a chocolate overloaded long weekend we are back at the shop and there’s a new look around HQ. Make sure you pop in and have a look.

Custom orders are still open – I’m making quilts, jewellery and will take on any quilting jobs you may need doing before the cold weather sets in.

Upcoming events –

May 5 & 6 – Wyong Quilt Show

May 12 & 13 – HCM Pop Up Market at Hornsby Westfield

May 19 – HCM Terrigal

I’m working on a competition quilt. Not going to reveal anything just yet but it is my very first attempt at entering a competition so I’m a little nervous. 🙁

May and June are going to be very busy with markets and shows – make sure you mark the dates down for everything thats coming up.

 

Night,

Marni

Inspiration

Posted on by

A lot of people ask me where I get my inspiration from.

Most of the time something will just pop into my head as if sucked out of the ether. Sometimes I have to work for it, and sometimes I will spot something that will trigger off a thought and the inspiration surfaces somewhere along the way.

This afternoon as dad and I were driving home from the shop (in the most circuitous manner) I spotted a cluster of trees. Now even though it was lovely and sunny and clear blue skies, these trees felt a bit spooky. I think mainly because they had leaves higher up and so the more exposed gnarly trunks were spooky because of their lack of foliage.

So I whipped out my poor battered camera (which lives eternally in my handbag) and snapped a couple of shots.

 

I’ve been looking for a good set of spooky trees for an art quilt for a while. I think that these guys could be what I want but I will have to test them out with my sketches and see if they fit.

Over the last few days I have been slowly going through the things in my craft room at home. It has been a real eye opener to all the things I had  forgotten. Its good though because there are lots of UFOs that I can finish and put up for sale. I have also discovered many of my beading projects from the last few years – I will get them all sorted and loaded onto my jewellery FB page. Some of these will be for sale too if any one is interested. I’ll reveal the page details when I have it all sorted. 🙂 Plenty of things suitable for gifts and perfect timing as Mother’s Day isn’t far off.

A customer brought her quilt in today for me to quilt. So I am busy with another on the machine at the moment. I like seeing what people are making. That’s inspiring in its way too. I especially love other people’s take on colours and patterns. I’ll put some photos up soon of these customer quilts. I’ll make a new page in the tabs for them.

Oh… just some housekeeping – we will be closed for the Easter long weekend. And Anzac Day as well.

It’s funny but I’ve been really looking forward to winter this year. I have ordered some hand-dyed yarn to knit myself a scarf. The lovely Belinda at Fairythread is doing a custom dye on some cotton for me in my favourite halloween colours. I’m still in the process of making my vintage halloween lap quilt for this chilly season.

I’m off now to do some more writing for my beading magazine.

Marni