Hello...is it me you're looking for.....

I'm SO sorry for my rather extended and unintended break from blogging...I could come up with all sorts of excuses, but I am sure as all of you know, sometimes something needs to give and for the last few months for me it was blogging.  However I am really happy to be back in my little happy place.

There have been quite a few changes to the business since I last wrote, the main one being that we no longer sell fabrics individually...... GASP I know a pretty major change to say the least.  Obviously this was a HUGE decision to make, however, the principal reason being to enable us to spend our time doing what we love the most, designing, sewing and prepping our Block of the Month and Fabric Clubs and our own 'in house' range of Kits, Patterns and Templates.  By no means has the business down sized, we still operate our online business out of our lovely workshop in Ruskington, our fabric stash is still as large and growing (three boxes have arrived so far this week!) and it's all waiting patiently to be used all in the brand new patterns and kits we have planned.  The list is long!  It does make me smile every day, when we arrive at the workshop  open the door and the excitement hits that I get to design and play with such a rather gorgeous and humongous stash.... I'm very lucky!

Mum and I are also able now to work from home more frequently, which helps hugely.  For mum, she is enjoying spending more time with Dad.... she did after all come out of retirement to partner me in Pretty Fabric and Trims...not that anyone could stop her....I did after all, inherit my fabric hoarding and sewing skills from her!  Mum is the chief book keeper, Block of the Month and kit cutter and wrapper.  Dad gets roped in too and as its a pretty big job every week keeping on top of all the clubs.  He also does Poppy's school run...they have a very close bond.

For me, as a working mum, our new business model has definitely helped to provide a more stable home/work balance....it's not by any means perfect, as I still work all the hours possible, but I've stopped (well mostly) feeling guilty all the time.  Jamie has just started his GCSEs years at school, as well as being incredibly busy with sport.  There have been some really big achievements this year for him in both Rugby and American Football, so we're extremely proud of him.  But as you know there are two sides to every coin and encouragement and gentle prodding is required for him to put the same effort in to his academic schooling....he'd much rather be outside with a ball.  Poppy is in her last year of Primary school, we're currently awaiting the 11 plus results to see where her future schooling will take place.  Although, as we are very lucky to have two fabulous options, she's pretty much made her mind up regardless of the outcome that the co-ed Academy rather than the all girls Grammar school is her #1 choice.....she's very much a tomboy, loves football, golf and Fortnite, so that's the stance I'm taking when she stated "why on earth would I want to go to a school with no boys!" hummmmm.  

On the sewing front, I have been super busy since I last posted....you may wish to grab a cup of tea at this point!

I've designed and sewn two versions of my latest quilt design 'Happiness is Home Sweet Home' and also hand quilted the red version.  The poor Ditsy version is my 'to be quilted pile'.   This is a fully subscribed new block of the month club that has just started this week....but don't worry if you missed out, there's more news about future Block of the Month clubs lower down.   If you haven't already, please make sure that you have resigned up to our Newsletter, there were some new regulations that came into force this Spring and if you didn't re-register you will no longer be receiving our monthly(ish) newsletter.  You can do so HERE.

I finally put my 'Flirty 30 Dresden Plates' together and sent it out to be long arm quilted...it's just awaiting it's binding and then I'll blog all about this in more detail.  

Not pictured...but the 'Queens Walk' quilt is also growing rather nicely....mum and I have enjoyed sewing this project together so much...again I'll post an update and also share some of the blocks made by our lovely customers too....they're pretty special!

Our first English Paper Pieced block of the month 'Pretty Priscilla', also started this summer, blocks are just starting to appear on Instagram which is rather lovely.

I've been working on two new quilts.  The first is called the 'Liberty Periodical'...oh my goodness I LOVE IT...can you say that without it being conceited?  What I mean is, the joy it brings sewing with beautiful Liberty Tana Lawns is just beyond words....this I think, is going to be my heirloom quilt that I pass on through the generations. (that and my first BOM A Little Happy Year!...that one will always be pretty special)  Once completed, it's going to be a new Block of the Month club starting in January 2019 and sign ups will open as soon as I have the quilt top finished.....remember sign up to the newsletter to be first to hear.

I also started a second Liberty quilt, this time I'm using Liberty quilting weight cottons, alongside some cherry picked fabrics from the 'workshop stash'.  I wanted to make a traditional English framed quilt, so I've kept the design relatively simple.  It's based around appliqued EPP hexagons, EPP diamonds and orange peels...all will become clearer as the borders are added.  This again is going to be a new Block of the Month quilt for Spring 2019.....we're planning ahead folks!

There are two new Christmas projects, a sweet 'Christmas Tree' Mini quilt and my first set of Felt Christmas Ornaments/Decorations.  I so enjoyed sewing both of these, it nice to work on a smaller project in between the quilts and to achieve a finish...very satisfying and who can resist Christmas happy stitches...not me for sure.

EXITING NEWS.......as a little happy thank you for all your continued support, I've designed a brand new Autumnal mini quilt, which I'll be sharing as a FREE pattern on here on the 24th October.  I'll be revealing the completed Warm and Cozy mini quilt in my next post.... but I hope you enjoy the little preview in my photo's above...... for the first time ever I tracked down some little pumpkins /gourds (Instagram Gold!) in of all places Aldi.....Andy didn't quite know what was going on when I spied them from across the aisle and set off at speed with the trolley.....it's why generally he does the shopping to save himself any embarrassment from a loony woman with pigtails. 

Finally, I have a new kit to share with you today.... my Happy Hexie cushion. It combines traditional hand sewn English Paper Pieced (EPP) hexagons, appliqued on to machine pieced squares, with lovely hand quilting in my favourite Aurifil 12wt thread.  It has an easy pillow slip back (no zippers) with a pretty lace trim.  The kit includes all the fabrics...which are just so pretty in soft muted colours, EPP papers, wadding and quilting thread.  All you need to supply is your choice of sewing thread, I use Aurifil 50wt in my usual #2311,a feather cushion pad and of course your usual sewing tools and EPP notions.  If you haven't tried EPP before this is an excellent project to give it a go and don't forget there is THIS little happy tutorial to show you exactly what to do.

You can find all my current patterns and kits on the new website HERE plus all the latest Block of the Month information.  

Right, I think that has pretty much filled you in on what I've been up to for the last 5 months.   See you again next time!

Happy stitches