Marg Low Designs

Craft & Quilt Fair - Sydney

The nice thing about geting ready for a show is trying new fabric and button combinations for kits.

A perfect combination -  Barb's Moggy decoration and a piece of the new fabric.

It's easy finding two fabrics that work together, but finding the third can often be elusive. By chance these three fabrics were stacked near each other. The steel colour was just right but the white - well it was a bit too white. With no time to think about it I tea-dyed a piece. A much better match, don't you think?

When I first started out, I was always tea-dying something, fabrics, calico, felt, ribbons etc. and then I stopped. Perhaps my tastes changed, the fabrics I used were already antique looking enough or maybe I just got lazy! Looks like I'll be buying extra tea bags on the next visit to the supermarket.

 

fabric, fussy cutting & a show

Winter is well and truly here, 8 deg C and it's mid afternoon. I guess if you live in the northern hemisphere you're thinking that's not that cold, but here in Albury it is. It's been awhile since the last post but I haven't been idle and preparations for the Sydney Craft & Quilt Fair are well under way. Each day I keep thinking I must be getting close to the finish line, then I think of something else that needs doing. At some point I will have to stop adding to the list.

Then these fabrics arrive.

Such a tempatation. Who wouldn't be distracted from the job at hand for a little dreamtime about what to make with these.

Jan called these happy fabrics and aren't they! I ordered them thinking they'd be perfect for my Dressy Hangers pattern. 

Last Sunday Jan, Sue-Anne and I travelled to Threadbear, for a fussy cutting class with Di Ford. It was a fabulous day and Di was very generous sharing with us the way she sees patterns within fabrics and how to cut them. While stacking these I realised the large floral and geometric print could be just right for a little Di inspired cutting.

First things first though, there's a show to get ready for and these fabrics need to be cut and kitted.

The stripe will be ideal for a red version of Tis the Season Table Runner.

a new baby, a new quilt

One of my oldest and dearest friends has just become a Grandma and I'm as excited as her. I've been thinking about a quilt from the time I learnt a baby was due in May. So a couple of Friday nights ago, I got out the box I keep the 'baby' fabrics in. I wanted to go with something fresh looking but found these instead. Something soft, that said 'baby girl'.

I added these from my general stash. Oldies but goodies.

Cut them up into these.

 Sewed them into these.

Realised I should have done my maths first and worked out how many stars I needed; five too many for the size I wanted to make. Then unable to choose which five to leave out I made another five. So the little quilt for a new born is now closer to cot size!

And here's where I stopped. The fabric I thought would be perfect as a border - isn't. Luckily I  have fabric left over from the stars to piece strips together. A job for this week.

From Me to You club - Stuck on You

My favourite projects are the ones that can be started and finished in class. Last Saturday, Cate made not one but two!

The girls were stitching the 2nd project in the From Me to You club, Stuck on You. Little stitcheries with a magnet inside for use on the fridge or filing cabinet.  Kerry was adding her granddaughter's name for a cute name tag.

They're also the perfect spot for your needle. One of the girls was delighted with this idea since her husband has a habit of finding them with his feet!

I stitched mine with the  Aurifil Cotton Mako 12 thread and the class girls have been using this, DMC threads or a combination of both.

Lyn brought in her notepad from the first class.

Lyn didn't stop at one, making more at Easter for her colleagues, as gifts of chocolate were banned. What a great idea and so much better for the hips!

You can still join the club through my on-line store or by email.

Friday Girls Sampler Quilt

Yesterday was Friday Girl Sewing. Reluctantly I mentioned the sampler quilt as I'm going  to deviate from 'the rules' and include fabrics left over from Stonleigh's fabric club for greater variety. Look what Helen and Michelle pulled from their work baskets.

Michelle's blocks. Michelle has tagged hers and plans to include the block names on the quilt label.

Helen's blocks.

I love them and want to redo mine!

Jan picked the next four for us, Big Dipper, Combination Star, Double X No. 3 & Indian Hatchet. I can't remember if we set a deadline, but to be on the safe side, I guess they need to be made for next Friday.

kits & christmas

Right now I can't decide if I should be focussing on preparations for the Sydney Craft & Quilt Fair in June or working on the projects for the Christmas in July workshop at Avonleigh.

Receiving an order of buttons from Barb made the decision of what to do easy.

Yes, Simple Pleasures Kits. The fun bit is chosing the fabrics and threads and then it resembles and feels like a production line!

I've been fitting in a few minutes here and there on one of the workshop projects. I'm very excited about it and as you can see it combines the things I love - a little stitching and crazy patchwork in my favourite colour!