Tag Archives: quilts

Rain

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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…

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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

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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

Sometimes…

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I surprise myself sometimes. I make silly little toys like Frankie and the act of making something so simple and cute makes me feel better. Or at least distracts me from how I am currently feeling. Toys are good when I have quilters block or if I just don’t feel like sewing a big job but still want to do some sewing.

So on Thursday I made Frankie (his girlfriend still needs stuffing) and he made his appearance in the shop this morning. He came home with me on Thursday night because for some reason in the mornings I am not the most organised of people. I quite frequently leave things at home when I need them (coffee mug, toy fill, mobile phone). So when Frankie came home, he got stuffed (haha!) and mum stitched his head closed.

For those of you who don’t know me I am the most atrocious of hand sewers. Mum enjoys it so she gets the work. It’s not so much that I won’t do it (and believe me there are a few quilts with the bindings sewn by me that look like a drunk spider crawled across it) but I don’t like to do it. Hand-sewing is not my forte and I don’t push the issue.

So Frankie is part toy, part cushion – definitely in the spirit of Frankenstein’s monster. His girlfriend will be finished on Tuesday so I’ll upload some pics of her. Her name is Bridie.

I am going to make them up as patterns/kits so if anyone is interested please email me.

Here’s Frankie helping out at the shop today –

Frankie looking at the halloween quilt.

Helping on the till

Looking at the new fabrics - Bella Butterfly.

So this week – new stock is pending, some cute things and something for the bunting fans. Maybe even slightly Hipster. 🙂

Australia Day on Thursday – please note we are closed. Any public holiday we are closed.

I have orders to fill and quilt tops to stitch. 🙂 But that’s par for the course.

I am also looking at starting a swap – anyone interested please email me frankensteinsfabrics@hotmail.com – I will send you the information. It will be patchwork postcards made and sent (like to a penpal) every two months. Anyone can be involved and are more than welcome. The more the merrier.

I’m off to be now to read my book.

Marni

 

 

New Products

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I love when new stuff arrives.

I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

 

1. Ant Maze (Aqua)

 

 

 

2. Ant Maze (Grey)

 

3. Backyard Party (Grey)

4. Backyard Party (White)

 

 

5. Birch Forest (Aqua)

6. Fun in the Vines (Green)

 

7. Bug Jars (Grey)

8. Bug Jars (Green)

 

9. Lots a Dots (White)

10. Samaras (White)

 

11. Snakeskin (Aqua)

12. Snakeskin (Grey)

 

13. Snakeskin (Green)

14. Snakeskin (Orange)

 

15. Windy Day (Aqua)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like to order any of the above fabrics please email frankensteinsfabrics@hotmail.com, ring 02 4325 2638 or come and see me in store. Just quote the number of the fabric and the quantity you would like to order. Remember we close at 4pm on the 22nd of December so all orders need to be in by midnight of the 17th of December so I have time to process them and get them into the post before we close for the festive season.

Happy Quilting!

Marni