Marg Low Designs

My Summer Garden

This is my getaway folder. Obviously it hasn't had much use this year.

There's a pocket for my favorite gardening magazine, another for my sketch book and a zipper pocket for the pencils.

I'm sure we'll all be ready to getaway next year!

 

My Summer Garden was the final project in the Life's Pleasures Club.

You can now purchase the pattern here

My Summer Garden

Kits available $72 plus $10 P&H

The kit includes the pattern, materials, bag mesh, zipper, iron-on-pellon & buttons.

Threads & bag batting not included.

Blue

OR

Green

The second sample is almost finished.

I've been having fun embellishing fabrics with simple stitches.

And the birdie print used in the original sample.

This weekend I plan to check out my stash and see if I have other prints that lend themselves to some simple embellishing.

I've used the most basic of stitches, back stitch, daisy stitch and colonial knots.

I much prefer Colonial Knots to French Knots.

Unlike my French Knots, my Colonial Knots stay put!

Happy Stitching!

 

 

Garden Blooms

Life's  changed so much in the past few weeks, I haven't missed the hectic pace of preparing for AQC, which would be on now! I will miss seeing all the familiar faces and the girls who book into my Make & Take every year.  

The plan was to release the first pattern, Garden Blooms, from the Life's Pleasures Club at the show.

 

 

The felt appliqued bag is based on one I made myself a couple of years ago. You can read about it here.

I love the process of choosing the felt colours, cutting out the flowers and appliqueing them in place. The final step, embellishing the flowers is a real joy and a celebration of slow stitching. I stick with the basic stitches, colonial knots, fly stitch, daisy stitch and straight stitch. Then play around working different stitch combinations on each flower with Aurifil cotton and wool threads.

You don't have to wait for the next show, the pattern and kit are available online. Just click on the links.

Garden Blooms Pattern

Garden Blooms Kit

 

I hope you've been enjoying the Love & Hugs from Australia Stitch-a-Long.

If you missed out on downloading my Reggie Rabbit block you can download it here.

Download Marg Low Designs Love & Hugs from Australia

 

I have to keep reminding myself today's Friday as the days blend in to each other.

Have a lovely weekend doing whatever makes you happy!

 

a little of everything this weekend

The final Life's Pleasures Club pattern is written. It feels so good to know it's done. Now I can decide how to spend the rest of the afternoon and tomorrow.

Will I finish sewing down the binding.  I'm over half way now, so close to finished and I'd hoped to pack it for the trunk show next Friday at The Quilt Shop.

 

Then again I'd like to finish this sample of the final club project.

 

But the weather is glorious and my garden is calling to me.

 

I think I will try to do a little of everything!

 

okay this is a first for me

Okay, this is a first for me. My first post for the new year (I know, two months in it's hardly New Year now) is not going to be about my 2020 journal cover.

It was made early January and because that was soooo long ago it's been superseded by a new love! 

Here's a peek of the project I can't stop playing with, adding a stitch here, there and everywhere.

 

You would be right in thinking the design looks familiar. 

It's pretty much my 2019 Journal cover. 

 

I'm thrilled it's somehow found its way into the final project for the Life's Pleasures Club.

It's not too late to join. Just click on the link for the details.

Life's Pleasures Club

I promise to post a picture of my journal cover next time!

Life's Pleasures Club

Yesterday I posted about the classes I'm running next year, teaching each of the five projects in the Life's Pleasures Club.

Today's post is about joining  the club online.

 

Club Details

The club commences in February and runs for five months. A pattern will be mailed out the first week of February, March, April, May & June. (The classes are held every two months.)

The cost of the club is $85 for five patterns and includes postage. It does not include materials.  Kits will be available to purchase separately. Prices will vary per project.

You also receive an email newsletter with constructions tips and anything else I think is handy and interesting.

You may opt to pay the club in full $85 or in two instalments, $45 at the time of booking and the balance $40 the first week of April. A separate invoice will be sent at the end of March.

Please email me if you prefer paying by cheque or credit card.

The above price is for Australia only. If you live overseas and would like to take part please contact me for the cost including your country.

 

Joining is simple, just click on the link below.

Life's Pleasures Club

 

The first project is Garden Blooms

you know what it means

Australian Quilt Market was on last weekend and you know what it means, November is almost over, December is just around the corner and it will be Christmas Day before I know it.

But before I get too ahead of myself here is my stand from AQM. Yes it's a lot of work covering the walls with calico and then working out which samples will go where. It would be much quicker to set up if I designed big things! There was lots of interest in the Life's Pleasures club with shops from around the country and New Zealand signing up. I'll let you know where and how you can sign up for it next month,  and no you don't need to remind me next month is only a week away.

 

 

While pinning up the Christmas samples, it occurred to me, I need to do more than just think about making Christmas gifts.  Being me I'd love to design something new but I'm fast running out of time; much easier and quicker to choose a decoration I already have a pattern for.

 

 

This picture is helping me narrow down the choice.

Will it be a Sew Jolly decoration,

maybe the Pocket of Happiness with a gift voucher or

the Gift Tree table mat with a candle or Christmas tree?

Whatever I decide it needs to be soon, like this weekend.

 

The Sew Jolly kits are on sale until the end of the month.

Normally $12 each they are now $10 each Plus P & H.

 

Choose from the Gift, Pears, Santa, Star or Stockings

But why stop at one, why not make the complete set?

 

 

October Stitching

I've been stitching and sewing every spare minute in preparation for Australian Quilt Market (AQM) in two weeks time. This is a trade only show.

I am very excited to finally finish this quilt. I started it a couple of years ago, lost interest, priorities changed, whatever the reason the finished result is so much more than the one I first envisaged.

 

 

It was originally going to be all stars, but when I came back to it I started to play with the idea of fillers which has resulted in a modern looking quilt.

 

The colour choice was inspired by my Go Crazy Postcard.

 

Apart from the quilt I've been working on my club for next year.  The club for the last two years has been about finishing projects; now we're all ready for something new!

I'm having fun making new stuff. The projects are going to be things I need or use everyday. Here is a peek at a couple of the projects.

 

 

 

Life's Pleasures club will start in February and as soon as I've worked out the details I'll let you know, but for the moment I've having too much fun making stuff!