Hugs from Helen

New English Paper Piecing iron-ons are here!

Today we can finally introduce to you our new EPP Iron-on pre-cut shapes!  This has been such a long process getting it right for you.

We know you have been loving our fusible hexies and have been working towards new shapes for you.

The Pre-cuts are cut from our ever popular Applique paper – 50% soluble, 50% non soluble natural fibre with a light fusible on one side – so yes, you iron on, sew together, and LEAVE IN the papers! im not sure how much easier and user friendly can it get?

 

 

 

I also have some step by step photo tutorials on my blog for some shapes with the rest to come and I’d really like to do some more Youtube videos on the new shapes one day.

We have about 14 new shapes but remember – any shape and size can be printed, cut, die cut (Brother Scan and Cut, Accucut, Baby, Sizzix, Silhouette) from our Applique paper.

If you’ve been following me on Facebook you would've seen me working on little mini quilts with some of the new shapes – Mini quilts are fun and easy to finish – without that large quilt to tackle the quilting on.. The First Five patterns in the series are finally on the website… some include applique as well (and I've put the applique paper in for you also).

Im working on a quiltalong – like a sampler project to try all of the new shapes, so watch this space – it will be quite a bit of work for me to do so I’ll need a minimum number to join in the fun – it will be all online – comment if you think you’d be interested…. I’ll be sharing on IG and FB also and best of all it will be FREE! (of course you may need to buy the papers to make it tho!)

 

hugs to all for today

Helen

Pattern Press news #162

Introducing you today to the Temora Traveller Bag

Using French linen and a lovely variegated red thread this sewing bag features stunning embroidery, gluestick applique, and easy iron on EPP shapes.
(Iron on Transfers, app paper & precut hexies included)

The project contains several techniques including:

embroidery

gluestick applique

iron on hexies

iron on clamshells

applique paper is included in the pattern and the flower and clamshells can be printed or traced straight onto the paper through an inkjet printer.

I have used Cottage Garden Thread #1007 Hugs ‘n Kisses red  Perle 12 thread – two skeins are required.2 x 20cm lace zippers are used on the sides so you don’t have to panic about inserting zippers!inside the sewing bag you will find a pouch with a 14cm spring clip closure attached with a magnet on the base. Pockets to hold embroidery hoops and a stitching project.

A hexie scissor keep, and a hexie pincushion scissor fob are also included again attached with a magnet clasp.

I used fabrics from my Basically Hugs range and Primrose Sands  and an Essex linen in the Putty Shade but any combination would be wonderful. Here’s a totally different version my pattern tester did

		Belle’s version VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

 

I also have an accessories pack available with the zippers, spring clips, magnets and threads if you want them all at once –selling fast, but more on order if you miss out.

hope you like it!

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

Love Thy Neighbour quilt

yesterday was dark and dreary in Hobart, wet, wild and windy also… perfect quilting weather so I delved into my stash – I had a quilt wanting for my lovely neighbour who has recently moved into a nursing home… not too big, not too heavy, warm and snuggly to make her room feel more homely…

We always have fabric that we no longer love, or was a gift or prize (in my case) that possibly isn't our favourite anymore… I know I have ‘lots’ of this type of fabric, not my first choice but perfect for someone out there…So I just had to make it work..as I had no shops open nearby.

I chose to recreate a quilt I’d  made in a swap group years ago, it still sits on my lounge chair and has worn well. It wasn't a pattern or a class so to speak we just made it as a group from memory. So I took a close look to remember how I made it and off I went.. with a few little changes…

And as I had my trusty phone nearby I took some quick snaps and thought you might like to delve into your stash and make one along with me… whether for a neighbour, a friend or just a fresh lap quilt for the winter…

So, I chose a colourway with darks and mediums… I only had four prints but you can use as many as you like, then you just need a contrast or plain for the ‘sashing’

From your plain or contrast fabric cut enough squares 6 1/2” x 6 1/2” to the size you want your quilt to be. Mine is five rows of seven blocks = 35 squares to cut.then from your coloured fabrics cut 70 various squares 5 1/2” x 5 1/2”

on the back of every coloured square mark with a ceramic or marking pencil diagonally from corner to corner

then using a ruler draw another line 1/2” from the centre line.

place a square right sides together onto one corner of your 6 1/2” plain square with two raw edges even. Stitch down the centre line. Just keep feeding them through (chain piecing) until you have completed half of your plain squares.

then go back to the beginning of your string and stitch down the second line which is 1/2” closer to the corner than the centre line.

press and then use your ruler and cutter to cut in between each stitch line – this will leave a 1/4” seam allowance on each piece.

take to the ironing board and press each unit open. Press directly outwards from the seam – it is a bias seam so you don’t want to stretch them out of shape.

You will end up with a half square triangle unit and a half unit thingy (not sure what to call it?).

put your half square triangles aside and take the other thingy units back to the machine. Repeat the first step with the other half of your coloured squares.

And that’s about as far as I got yesterday before a great band at the local pub called to me!

 

I will be back with part two shortly… in the meantime have a play with your layouts and if necessary (I have run out of the 1/2m lemon sashing) find another fabric to use as a border…see how they look when you put them together? a great criss cross lattice look.

 

btw, for those who will ask – this fabric was from Laura Ashley’s ‘Melrose’ collection and was gifted to me as a prize (not sure which show?) by Quilting Treasures in about 2009… see, don’t throw anything out ,it will one day be perfect for that Love Thy Neighbour quilt.

hugs for today

Helen

Fabric Heaven–a giveaway

I thought I’d officially tell you about my two latest fabric lines now that they are shipping into Aussie stores as I type.

…at market this year I had to be prepared to release two ranges at once – scary but exciting, and a lot of last minute sewing – twice as much as normal… but we got there… so here are the two lines and what Red Rooster had to say about them….

 

Primrose Sands

Primrose Sands is the name of a small seaside village in Tasmania, an Island state at the very bottom of Australia near Helen’s home. Helen tells us, “The collection started from my wallpaper photograph at my friends’ beach shack and was the inspiration for the main geometric print of rosettes. My memories of good times at the beach with my girls and our friends…the soft minty greens, romantic pinks, and silver grays with a pop of raspberry signified relaxation, peace, freedom, and perhaps a bit of romance…at the seaside in an Australian summer…bubbles, summer fruit, laughter, and sunshine…” Although the main geometric was inspired by a wallpaper pattern, the bright, bold colors were inspired by popular 1980s colors…pinks, reds, teals, and grays.

For each line I am contracted to provide a free pattern for you. These can be downloaded from the Red Rooster website and stores will make up a kit for you.  Sunshine and Daisies (below) is my free pattern for the Primrose Sands line…

Basically Hugs – available very soon

“My inspiration was my dream to have a wonderful ongoing basics collection that would be very usable for me as a stitchery and appliqué designer - and for stitchers and quilters throughout the world. I hope to build on these basics with future additions to create must-haves for all kinds of projects and quilter’s styles. For Basically Hugs, I began with the basic blenders and small prints that I love to use as backgrounds and for contrast in my projects. Some of the designs are from earlier collections - the fabrics that I use over and over again. The motifs are from my own drawings and pattern designs and include tone-on-tone heart stripes, a flower toss, a hearts and flowers toss, dots, a lacy stripe, textured burlap, subtle spirals, and rows of little hearts.”
Helen’s four colorways evolved from her earlier collections. There’s a range of light to medium grays, a selection of light to dark blues, another of light pinks to dark reds, and a nice range of essential white, cream, and beige prints.

Clambaked is my free pattern for the Basically Hugs range. Ask at your local store if they can do a kit for you.

Of course I have also designed a lot of other projects using the fabrics with more in the design line. I have been busy cutting kits for many of these also so if there is something you’d particularly like just ask.. (email)

Quilt measures 12” x 12“

A simple little banner to show you care. Suited to a 12” table stand. Applique paper included in the pattern pack.

Stitch with me

Tea and Cake

So Tweet

and others you can see on the website..

Now I might just have 5 charm packs (4” x 36 Basically Hugs fabrics) to give away.

Leave a comment here telling me what you’d most like me to design next to be in the running

For an extra entry, share this post on Facebook or your blog (and let me know)

And anyone who purchases any new pattern using the new fabrics over the next week will get another entry….

hugs for today

Helen

Tarraleah Stitched….

as promised I am back today! with something else to show you…

Last weekend I had the lovely pleasure (actually it was two weekends ago, how time flies) of travelling to country Victoria to the town of Warracknabeal to stitch with 110 lovely ladies, hosted by Del and Shirley of Quilters Harvest…

I had so much to show them I hardly had time to draw breath but gee we had fun… I was picked up by Gail at the airport and we also didn't draw breath on the 4 hour drive – we had LOTS to catch up on and lots to plan..

Ladies had come from far and wide – as far away as Perth to enjoy three tutors, myself, Gail and Jennifer Knol, share, learn, stitch, chat and of course eat the most yummy country food…it was great to catch up with old friends and meet many new ones..

My projects for the weekend were also the ones I designed specially for our A Stitching Affair retreat in June at the amazing Tarraleah resort – hence the name..

  

Two of the projects are now available as a pattern named

Tarraleah Stitched… on the website now and in your local stores very soon.

There is this delightful needle book with the simple stitchery on the front

and on the inside a little pocket, and some wool felt for inserting your needles and pins… and see the little magnet – she holds it all together..

the back is pieced 1/2” hexagons.. Then there is this gorgeous pincushion featuring six stitched designs on the petals around the edge and another 42 or so 1/2” hexies to make the top.

The nifty thing about this pattern is that it uses 6 old or unwanted cd/dvd’s – just don’t think about taking Jennifer's Bruce Springsteen CD though!!!of course there was lots of show and tell, lots of shopping and quite a bit of laughter to be had… all in all a great weekend…     

so for those who missed it – here’s your chance to share the projects… available now here…

and that brings me to the end of my teaching days and workshops for 2013… watch this space for some very important news in the next few days about next year however… places will be limited and you will need to be quick!!!

cheers girls..

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

I tought I saw a puddy cat

Today I’d like to introduce you to four new patterns that are finally ready to go….

This set of patterns I think would make a great wall art in a Childs’ bedroom and I think I may remake them, or design something to go with them for a bed quilt – think it would look fresh and fun!

I have made them using my gluestick appliqué method and we are trialling the inclusion of the pre printed appliqué paper inside the patterns. Then all you have to do is cut the shapes out, fuse to wrong side of your fabrics, cut out and glue the edges over then stitch them down. Some of these I even stitched by machine which made them very quick and simple.. I say trialling as the pages are not printed well in commercial amounts at this stage so the jury is out on whether we will be able to continue this… more testing to be done…

A little bit of embroidery has been added to accent the appliqué's and fill in the finer details..

So let me introduce:

Flutterby

Home Tweet Home

Tootie Owl

and Puddy Cat

 

obviously I have used my new fabrics – but Im sure they’ll look great in any of your favourites… the fabrics should be in stores very soon however so will be able to match them should you choose to…

I have also just updated the blog with a gluestick appliqué tute – yes, just over there on the right you can see it…

So, hope you like these little goodies…. the first 20 of each have the pre printed appliqué sheets so get in quick in case we change our mind on including these!

 

hugs for today

Helen

PS – I will draw the winners of the fabric panels tomorrow…its not too late to enter…

a little remiss of me….so a giveaway

   it seems in  the rush and excitement of pre market jitters I have neglected to actually show you my newest fabric range! Actually it was more rush than excitement with my fabric samples arriving only 6 days before I left for America….

so as you can understand a blog post about this exciting event was put to the bottom of the list as I sewed feverishly for 6 days and nights to get a whole booth display finished, written, photographed, added to catalogues, printed and packed to catch that flight…

so, thankyou to those who have asked, you have reminded me to show you all – not just those who have seen peeks on my Facebook page.

so, presenting my second range for Red Rooster Fabrics!

Nice People Nice Things

Yes it is based on a few of my drawings from the very popular Nice People Nice Things Block of the week quilt.

it is a small collection of only 19 different skus (fabrics) with a main panel type print, two conversationals and the rest lovely useable blenders.

The reds in this line are a little brighter and the blues have gone with a lovely tone of teal/aqua added in. This range can actually look totally different depending on what fabrics you pull to combine in a project from soft and pretty

to quite bright and fresh

  and even a little neutral -

 

  I think the cameo spot is one of my favourites… and I will confess I think it will always be exciting to see my name on the selvedge… yes I actually did that – is that being pompous? – I don’t mean it to be but I never thought I’d EVER have the skills or the opportunity to design my own fabrics..  

There are some goodies I designed just for you too! This is the free pattern you can get from stores when you purchase any of this fabric range – Hexie go-go – its a very simple raw edge method which means you can whip this quilt up in a day using a little of most of the fabrics..

I also whipped up these two table toppers using the feature panel print… ask your local store to get these patterns also for free for you…

 

and finally – yes, what you have been waiting for – a fabric giveaway…. I have several flats of the panel fabric to giveaway…

And I’ll include the pattern for the table toppers above also..

I will give away one flat (they are one repeat of the panel) for every ten comments on this post… So as I have been away from blogland for a bit – you may need to spread the word, share/link the post on your blog, tell your friends, share it on facebook.. the more comments the more chances you have of winning a panel…

 

Hope you love my Nice People Nice Things fabrics……and please send me pics if you spot them anywhere – OR you make your own masterpiece using them….

hugs for today,

Helen

slip stitch the opening closed

I write this in many of my patterns!  how many of you actually do it?… in my case its the story of do as I say not as I do….

 

 

this bit tends to get overlooked as I move onto my next project in a hurry…. its not a part I enjoy, you actually have to take care when doing it so that you cannot even tell where the opening was…and I just want to move on…

If the opening is inside a bag I am sure many a coin is going to get lost in the lining somewhere….as I've never actually stitched that opening closed!

The one pictured above however is inside a needlebook – so I guess I’d better put it on my stitching pile tonight and finish it off as it will be visible…

I’ll show you tomorrow!

Helen