Hugs from Helen

I’m the October pinup girl!

Apple or Yellow Greens are the colour for this months Aurifil block designer – and I’m it!  I love my Aurifil threads and was chuffed when they asked me to be the October girl…

This year this free BOM quilt is based on the colours of the Rainbow – and we are up to October already – but never fear you can go back and find all the previous months quite easily here

Growing up on a farm there were plenty of memories for inspiration for this colour – and it just so happened that my greens in the Basically Hugs range for P&B Textiles were also perfect to use.

I, of course, had to include some English paper piecing (using EPP Iron-ons – iron on leave in epp papers) and a touch of whimsical embroidery using the 12wt threads.In the pattern I included a printable sheet for the templates you can print onto my Applique paper so you too can use the iron-on/leave-in method.

If you need help with the how-to’s of English Paper piecing I have several YouTube videos on my channel – go subscribe as there are more coming soon!Or I have a great Craftsy class which will take you through everything step by step…. if you click on the photo below it will take you to a 33% off link!

If you need help with embroidery stitches you can sign up to my free embroidery lessons right here.

 

So I hope you enjoy my block and would love to see them if you do happen to make it – Please share on Instagram (if you’re not following me its helen_stubbings)

and use the hashtag #stitchwithhelen so I can find you….

 

don’t forget to also share your blocks with Aurifil and you can win a full set of yummy threads… go here to see the details and follow Pat Sloan as she makes the blocks along the way.

 

happy stitching!

hugs from Helen

PS- forgot to tell you where to get it!

head to here to download the pattern.

Show n Tell Tuesday

Look at Sam Brown’s version of Nice People Nice Things made in Tilda fabric! wow…

Sam will be teaching this as a class at Loose Stitches in WA.

hugs for today

Helen

Kona Solids are in the house!

well, actually in the shop – and now on the website…

Over the two weeks we’ve been open at Quarter Inch, every single visitor has entered the Kona room and drooled. It is a feast for the colour senses….

Colour  is the visual perceptual property corresponding in humans to the categories called red, blue, yellow, etc.

Because perception of color stems from the varying spectral sensitivity of different types of cone cells in the retina to different parts of the spectrum, colors may be defined and quantified by the degree to which they stimulate these cells. These physical or physiological quantifications of color, however, do not fully explain the psychophysical perception of color appearance.

Wikepedia.

Here’s some peeks to stimulate your senses…

Lots of samples and magnificent quilts by Kat Jones.

Kat will be teaching these amazing techniques once our classroom has been built.

enjoy!

or pop in and see them in real life… and of course you may like to take a few home.

Would anyone be interested in a Kona fabric club – fat 8s each month? there are 300!

If the need is there, we can accommodate.

hugs for today

Helen

Razz-a-dazzle your year…

To start the year off with a bang we have a new Block of the Month all ready to go for you. I know many of you followed this journey on Facebook or Instagram with me, and we are finally ready to let you start! So get your stitching fingers warmed up – nightly therapy here we come!

Razz-a-dazzle!

The Quilt measures approx 48” x 48” so not too huge for you.

It features hand embroidery, Easy machine pieced dresdens in a snowflake variation and machine applique. I've used my simple gluestick applique by machine method to assemble so it comes together quite quickly.

There are 13 stunning but simple embroidery designs using 13 colours from the new range of variegated Cosmo Seasons threads. I feel quite excited about these as I helped develop the colours with Lecien – and they made my very own Hugs ‘n Kisses red thread which you know I love so much. (its #5006)

So the pattern is a BOM but you can get it as a full pattern set – or monthly with fabrics and more included.

In the full pattern only set you will get:

13 x colour stitch guides  with colour photos

13 x iron on transfers for all embroidery designs

The Quilting designs/templates I used

Cutting Layout and design guides and of course my normal  step by step instructions.

 

AND an acrylic wedge ruler – the Razz-a-dazzle ruler. Yes, this comes with the pattern set so you don’t have to find one – they are not overly common in this size.

The fabrics I have used in the original quilt are from the Lecien L’s Moderns and 1000 colours ranges. 39 fabrics in all – you could use your stash, collect your own styles and colourways or we have the original fabrics available as full kits or BOM mailouts.

For the machine applique method I used the Superior Monopoly thread and you can see my YouTube videos to see how this works – its so easy and accurate and quick!

I used Auriful 40 wt threads in matching colours to quilt all of my snowflakes and a blending 50wt thread for my background quilting. Auriful Australia have kindly made up special Razz-a-dazzle packs of the threads I used. And they are a wonderful selection of great colours that you may use often so are good for your thread stash.

 

I used  5” Applique paper pre-cut circles to perfectly applique my embroideries to the snowflakes. I didn’t include these in the pattern kits as you may have your own preferred method – or you may already have some applique paper you can use there – but you can order them separately. We have included them in our BOM monthly mailout option.

To see all the details and different options you can head to my website..

So, lets start the year with a bit of Razz-a-dazzle – stitching begin…

hugs for today

Helen

Scrappity Doo-dah online QAL

Are you on the EPPQAL Facebook page?  There is so much activity there as they await their next installment for the online quilt a long mystery… lots of different fabrics being used..

Did you miss out- or think you couldn’t fit it in?  well now we are ready with our Scrappity Doo Dah version – you can join at anytime. Just purchase your pack and then you will be signed up. Now of course eventually you might start seeing finished quilts (which may spoil your mystery) but you still have the fun of wondering what comes next! so what’s it all about?

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Learn the joy of English Paper piecing the Hugs ‘n Kisses way!

Join with us on this 26 part Quilt along – learn many shapes, techniques, a little gluestick applique and more.

$112.00  includes paper pack and the full set of patterns over approximately 5 months

This is now an Online quilt-a-long BOM type program. You can sign up here for a paper pack to join, and an optional fabric pack- or you can sign up with your favourite store and choose their fabric kit choices.

There are 26 parts to the program which will be delivered by electronic mail and download. The finished quilt measures approx 48" x 48"

What fabrics did you use?

I have used my Fancywork Box and Basically Hugs fabrics for my quilt version –which is what you will see on each email. The design is based on a scrappy layout and we have a fabric pack available to help you start – 8 fat quarters and 16 fat eights – this will be plenty to make your quilt top.

Hugs fabric pack – (optional)

Viewcart

$90 + postage. (please select other for postage- if more is required we will contact you before processing)

Other things you would have in your sewing box – but if not they are available from here.

Sewline Glue pen & refills

Hugs ‘n Kisses applique needles

Roxanne’s Glue baste it

Karen Kay Buckley perfect scissors

Bottomline sewing thread in neutral colours

Inkjet printer or Sewline ceramic pencil.

To sign up to the program you must purchase the Paper pack above.

Once you have  purchased your starter kit from us you will be subscribed to the program and you will get an email each time a new part is released. (approx every 5 days)

It will contain a link to download the pattern.  Please download and save this PDF pattern

to your computer or device. The emails are automatically generated and cannot be re-sent

if you lose them so please take care to save and file carefully. You will require a free Acrobat

reader to print the pattern files - available from https://get.adobe.com/reader/

I am sharing this journey so that you may get to experience the pleasure of using our unique method of English Paper piecing and needleturn applique. It uses our EPP iron-ons which are cut from our wonderful Applique paper. You can read more about this here 

http://www.hugsnkisses.net/index.php/shop/other-thingys/applique-paper-precuts

with many tutorials on my blog at http://hugsnkisses.typepad.com/hugsfromhelen/

or videos on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/user/helenshugsnkisses

I just know once you try these you are going to love them and never look back to removing sticky  papers again.

hope you can join us – and the several hundred others making this around the world!

hugs for today

Helen

Cornelian show and tell

I am beginning to see some amazing show and tell of finished Cornelian quilts. There is now a Facebook group for those making or dreaming of making this quilt – and lots of inspiring sharing is happening there.

This version was emailed to me by Ann McLean, owner of the Country Quilter just outside Ottowa in Canada. Her teacher Lynne Rochette made this amazing quilt.  Sarah Jane Smiley custom quilted it. She is the long arm quilter in the shop. (She actually is from New Zealand!)

Lynne tells me that Sarah is just a beginning longarm quilter! – look forward to seeing her work in the future then..

Ann will be running this as  BOM if you are in Canada or the US. (or anywhere really as the world is now a small place).

hugs for today

Helen

Are you are Cornelian quilter?

If so there is a great new Facebook group, with heaps of members willing to share, inspire, troubleshoot and just chat across the world. The variations in fabrics chosen is great to see. Its a free open group so why not go visit – you might not be stitching the Cornelian quilt yet – but we can all dream right?

hugs for today

Helen

Blooming Fantasy

it is with great excitement (For Laila) that I can finally announce that this stunning new Block of the month is ready…

Laila, my lovely lovely friend from Norway asked me over a year ago now if she could make something for me. I had had this quilt designed for a long time but had never gotten around to actually making it so it was perfect for her…. I knew Laila was a beautiful appliquer but wanted her to try this with my gluestick paper method… She resisted at first, being a lovely traditional needleturner – but once she gave in, she fell in love with how easy it was – and believe me you cannot see a single stitch out of place or pointy curve on the quilt.

Laila decided to try her first attempt at McTavishing out on the quilt – I had full confidence in her – and as you can see for a first attempt I would say it is perfect… A  few of life’s turns slowed the progress but finally (and there really was no rush) the quilt in all of its beauty was complete.  But just as I was finishing up my book, so the pattern had to wait – until now….

So here it is

‘Blooming Fantasy’ a ten part BOM project. It comes in a single package if you buy it pattern only. A large book of general instructions with all step by step instructions for the applique method by hand or machine, instructions to assemble the quilt, mitred corners, layering, Laila’s quilting ideas, binding and labelling. Everything you’d possibly need. Then there are ten separate monthly patterns with closeup photos of each block, a full size template/layout guide and applique template pages – you can copy and print these straight onto the applique paper included through your inkjet printer. OR – if you happen to have a Brother Scan and Cut, or Sillhouette Cameo- have them cut the shapes from applique paper for you!  OH and did I mention a whole pack of applique paper sheets is also included (20 sheets)?

Laila used her favourite Lecien basic fabrics in three colourways to make her version of the quilt…with a white background.

I played with differing colour options which I sent to her, but left the choice up to her…. this one uses my Basically Hugs range

I can’t wait to see what colourways everyone chooses to make theirs in…

Available now as a pattern only from here, several stores are planning on running this as a full fabric BOM, first off the mark is Jess from A Patchwork quilt.

hugs for today

Helen

Opus Tweet

Introducing…….. Opus Tweet

She is a 10 part Block of the Month pattern using our Appliqué paper (which we have included in the pattern for you), my Nice People Nice Things fabrics (of course any colourway would be lovely) and a little of my favourite embroidery embellishment.

I shall let the photos tell the story…..

 Opus Tweet patterns are available now for a great Christmas gift and 2014 project so you can make a start over the holiday break. Sew Bright Alpine Quilting also have fabric kits (Original fabrics) and Monthly programs ready to go.

by request we also now have our Appliqué paper in 1m lengths for those of you who like to do artquilts and larger machine appliqué designs. They are packed as 1m x 70cm lengths (28.5” x 40'”) and are available here.

There are some great tutes on my gluestick appliqué method on the right of this blog but did you see Lynette Andersons great YouTube demo last week using her Appliquick tools with the paper? If you struggle with my finger and thumb method then these tools may be for you.

I hope to be back one more time before we leave on our little holiday break… til then… its fabric design time for me…

hugs from Helen

may I introduce myself…..

well I thought perhaps I should reintroduce myself as I’ve been gone from here for so long….  hopefully you have been following me on Facebook on my travels and hence have not missed my posts too much. I will do my best to make it up to you in a few posts over the coming weeks…. but for today, for all of those who have been so anxiously waiting I want to officially release the much anticipated Block of the Month,

Cornelian…..

Many of you watched the very slow and long progress on this quilt as I stitched in my spare time from around October last year. It was truly a work of indulgence for me, and it is so nice now that so many of you are excited to join in the fun…

I embroidered it all by hand using about 20-25 skeins of variegated red thread. You can use the lovely Cottage Garden hand dyed #1007 Hugs ‘n Kisses red or the DMC 115 in a stranded or Perle 12. But it does take a lot!

  The quilt also includes over 500 hexies – but we include the fantastic new iron on precut hexies in the patterns so they are sooooo addictive – you’ll love them! You get to try all three sizes.

There is also a bit of appliqué involved in there – just very simple shapes – circles and the corner elements – and we include the appliqué paper in the patterns for you – just trace, iron on, glue over and then quickly stitch down by hand or machine..

My wonderful sister of course quilted this for me so exceptionally and that was at least half the reason the quilt won a blue ribbon – it is about to wing its way across the seas to the Portland MQX show so US friends, if you are heading there, be sure to take a peek… now of course you don’t have to quilt it like this to be as spectacular but if you really would like it quilted the same then I’d book it in now with Tracey… you’ll have ten months to finish it and she’ll have ten months to prepare to quilt them all!  If you’re not in the US it will travel in the Best of Australia exhibition next year to every state so you can all take a close look – of course I have given you lots of photos in the patterns so you can see everything you need there too.

 

I am thankful that you have all been so patient waiting for the pattern. I designed and made this quilt to test my new products (hexies and appliqué paper) and as we were still ironing out production processes and quality control I did not want to release this until everything was finalised and correct…and now they are – from our Australian printshop anyway… woohoo

so girls…. get ready to start stitching…. you can order as a full pattern set or as a monthly mailout from here….(no fabrics from me)  or find a store who is running it with various fabric options… I can tell you a few if I know where you are….and they are always happy to help you with your preferred colourway.

okay, promise I’ll be back VERY soon, lots of pics to show you of my travels, some sneeky peeks, a giveaway perhaps… and more…

hope you haven't forgotten me…for being so tardy on the blog..

hugs today

Helen