Craft Book Competition

Just came across this craft book competition and thought I would share it. I would love to win this signed print from Mandy, it is so sweet. Mind you the craft books would be great as well. Click on the graphic for all the details...and good luck.

It's been ages since I have posted here, truth is I have been working on an exciting new project which has taken up even spare minute I have. The exciting thing is that all will be revealed shortly...so stay tuned.

Warmly Lenna

New book find Secret Garden

Click here for more information about this book

Every now and again I come across a special book that I just fall in love with, Secret Garden by Johanna Basford is such a book. Truth is I cannot claim to discovering it. A dear friend of mine stumbled across it and brought it with her when she called in for coffee a few weeks ago.

From the very first page I was hooked and vowed then and there that Secret Garden was to become part of my book collection. If you enjoy hand embroidery, then this book is definitely for you. Packed with the most amazing line drawings, this book will delight and inspire you.

As I turned each page my mind immediately began spinning as I thought of countless ways some of these designs could be adapted for hand embroidery and then incorporated into a variety of projects.

Here is a sample of what you can find in the book:

The author, Johanna Basford has done a stunning job in bringing this book to life. The back cover of the book gives a perfect insight into what readers can expect.

I am very proud to have Secret Garden in my book collection and will be keeping a keen eye on this author in the hope that there will be more to come.

Click here for more information about this book including free shipping worldwide.

Until next time.
Warmly Lenna

Quilters' Easter Showcase, Brighton Tasmania

The Quilters' Easter Showcase was a wonderful day at Brighton, Tasmania last Saturday. Approximately 260 quilters gathered together for a day of sewing with friends. Wonderful quilts were shared and admired during the "show and tell" and a variety of stall holders were in attendance with lots of goodies to sell.

Stitching Cow was amongst the stall holders and it was wonderful to see some familiar faces from last year and to meet some new quilters as well. Our two table were packed and overflowing with fabrics, patterns, kits and some amazing timber sewing accessories that have been hand crafted by my father who dabbles in wood turning.

Here are some of the lovely timber sewing accessories that were on offer.

Timber Darning Mushrooms

Timber buttons

The exciting news is that I still have a few kits and timber sewing accessories left. Rather than hoard them in my attic, I am thinking about offering these for sale via this blog, some of them at a reduced price. So stay tuned!

Warmly Lenna

Quilters' Easter Showcase Brighton Tasmania 2013

Things have been busy here at Stitching Cow in preparation for this year's Quilters' Easter Showcase, being held Saturday 23rd March at the Brighton Civic Centre 10am-3pm, Tasmania.

People of all ages interested in quilting, patchwork and associated crafts are invited to come along for a great day.

Activities on the day will include:

*More trader displays than ever, a chance to meet up with old and new friends from all over Tasmania (including Stitching Cow)
*Free workshops by well known experts, chance to Show and Tell.
*Lots of Lucky Draw prizes throughout the day and the QES-13 Challenge.
Bring along your lunch and a mug – tea and coffee provided. All this for just a $5 entry fee.

Patterns are being printed, fabric kits have been cut...and this year I have something extra special to share with you, but that's a secret!

For now here are a few photos of some of the piles in my sewing studio at the moment. I'll be taking all these and much more.

Lovely Tilda Ribbon

Tilda fabrics

Hand dyed fabric bundles

Patterns and fabric kits

"Kiss of the Sun" one of the quilts I will have on display

Hope to see you at the Quilters' Easter Showcase at Brighton, Tasmania this weekend.

 Come to my stall and say hi.

Warmly Lenna

Bunny Patterns to Sew and Easter Craft Ideas

With Easter just around the corner, you may have bunnies on your mind. Or perhaps you are thinking about doing some Easter craft with the kids and need some inspiration. Either way, I have some ideas to share with you.

If you are thinking about getting the sewing machine out, then these bunny patterns might just be what you are looking for. I've put together this collage of bunny sewing patterns from Stitching Cow. These bunnies would make a wonderful accompaniment to any Easter gift.

 

Click here to find these bunny patterns and more

Or if you are running short of time, check out some of my favourite finds here:

I have always wanted to have a go at painting some Easter eggs to decorate the table, here are some ideas or you can purchase this set by clicking the link below.

1 Dozen- Painted Wooden Easter Eggs 

Or if stamping is your thing, you might like to add this one to your collection.

Inkadinkado Wood Stamp, Easter Basket 

And isn't this Easter ribbon lovely?

1.5" Easter Egg Grosgrain Ribbon

Perhaps this cute little guy would make the perfect Easter centre piece. How adorable!

 

 White Bunny With Easter Egg Ceramic Salt & Pepper Shaker 

Either way I hope you have found some craft inspiration to make your Easter extra special this year.

Happy Easter craft making!

Warmly Lenna

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt Book

Click the graphic for more information

Something that I wanted to share with you:

"The 1922, The Farmer's Wife magazine posed this question to their readers: If you had a daughter of marriageable age, would you, in light of your own experience, have her marry a farmer?" The magazine at the time had 750,000 subscribers, and received over 7,000 letters. The best answers to this question are included in this book, along with the traditional quilt blocks they inspired." Amazon

This book intrigues me, how lovely to be able to read the answers to this question. Being raised in a small country town with a close knit farming background, I would love to hear some of the responses that were written by woman back in 1922. It would also be interesting to ask the same question now to compare the answers.

You can check out the book for yourself by clicking the link here, although my advice would be to read the reviews, they appear to be mixed depending on whether you bought the book for the reading or for the quilt blocks themselves. Either way I think it is a lovely theme to have entwined throughout the book.

Here's the link to the book The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt

Enjoy
Warmly Lenna

In Patches Sewing Bag and Needle Case pattern

Sewing Bag and Needle Case set by Little Green Cottage

Do you need a beautiful sewing bag and needle case set?

If there is one thing in common with sewers it's the fact that we all seems to have lots of projects happening at the same time. Whether you passion is patchwork, quilting, hand embroidery, knitting or crochet there are always projects in progress ( I refuse to say unfinished!)

A few years back after examining my piles of projects, I vowed "to not begin a new project unless the one at hand was finished". This was my personal rule to live by. Naturally this rule did not last long because I like to dabble in so many different areas. When the weather turned cool I turned to knitting, crochet and hand quilting. In the warmer months I turned to sewing and hand embroidery. It's just the way I am which means the rule had to be modified to read " I can only have one project in each area at any given time".

Years down the track, I am pleased to report that this has worked for me. At times the sticking to the rule has pushed me to finish a lagging project, just so that I can begin the new one I have fallen in love with. In keeping with this new agreement I have found the need for lots of bags.  That way my half finished project, the pattern and supplies are all together ready for me when I want to grab them and resume where I left off.

This is also the case when taking my project to a sewing circle. Sadly we do not meet regularly any more...but when we do, my bag of goodies is ready to go!

With this in mind, I hope that you like this new sewing bag and needle case pattern that I have just added to the Stitching Cow website. This sewing bag is made up of simply patchwork which has been crosshatched quilted and then embellished with  a small amount of hand embroidery.The co coordinating needle case is the perfect addition.The pattern for this design is available as an e-pattern or paper pattern, whichever you prefer. Perhaps this sewing  bag is just the home for your latest sewing project!

Let me know how many projects you have in progress at the moment, just so that I can feel a little bit more normal about my situation.
Warmly Lenna

Basket of Flowers Caddy, Fabric Box and Needle Case set

Looking for some new patterns to enjoy?

Just released on the Stitching Cow website are these three coordinating projects to add style to any sewing room.They include a sewing caddy designed to hang over an armrest, a fabric box and a needle case with matching pincushion. Decorated with pretty flowers, these projects combine hand embroidery, simple patchwork and applique.

Make them up in your favorite fabrics.

Head on over to the Stitching Cow website and take a peek at these new patterns.

They are available as e-patterns which means you could begin sewing them today!

Click here for these patterns and more.

Warmly Lenna

Tilda Books on Sale

 Click here for Tilda's Fairytale Wonderland: Sale price 41%off

There's something special about Tilda books, especially when they are on sale!

Perhaps it is all those beautifully coordinated, dreamy fabrics, or the original projects that make Tilda books so popular. But whatever the reason, I simply love them.

 

Click here for Tilda's Summer Ideas Sale price 39% off

Just look at these two fabric dolls in their matching Summer outfits. What is not to love. 

Clear instructions and full-size templates make each project quick and easy to achieve. Create adorable Tilda angels, give them personality with facial details and then create dresses, dungarees and accessories from your favourite fabrics. Helpful instructions guide you through making toys, from tracing and cutting to stuffing and sewing.

Click here for Tilda's Spring Ideas Sale price 33% off

 

Or perhaps some inspiring Spring projects are just what you need to get the creative juices flowing.

This book includes a gorgeous collection of fresh, Spring-themed sewing projects using the latest Tilda fabrics and embellishments. You can choose from a stunning variety of sewing and papercraft designs, including bags, soft toys, fabric boxes and unique decorations.There are also lovely little storage boxes, cute sewing kits and Tone's personal favourite; the pinwheels. The projects are accompanied by clear instructions, gorgeous photographs and colour illustrations; perfect for crafters of all abilities.

Hope you enjoy these Tilda books on sale.

Warmly Lenna

New Noahs Ark Quilt

Looking for a quilt to make for that special child in your life? This Noah's Ark quilt is sure to be a hit with the little ones.

The tale of Noah's Ark has always had  a special place in my heart, so it was no surprise that I designed this quilt. The scene of all the animals gathering two by two and then embarking on a huge timber Ark always conquered the imagination and brought a smile to my face.

Designing the quilt was easy, it was choosing just the right fabrics that proved a bit more difficult. Even though my fabric stash is HUGE, a did not seem to have the fabrics I needed for the soft colours of the animals. I wanted the animals to be as realistic as possible, so ideally the fabrics needed to be uneven and mottled in colour.

Thankfully my dear friend Janice came to the rescue. Unbeknown to me, at the time of my fabric searching Janice was attending a hand dyed fabric workshop. All inspired after her workshop, my Noah's Ark fabric problem proved the perfect opportunity for her to put into practice what she had learned. It was ideal!

And so my Noah"s Ark quilt slowly but surely emerged and now it is ready for all to enjoy! This Noah's Ark quilt pattern is available as a complete set of 10  paper patterns, or as a monthly epattern program. Janice has been busy hand dyeing more fabrics and I have a limited number of fabric sets available for this quilt.

You can read more information about this one of  a kind Noahs Ark quilt by visiting the Stitching Cow website, click here discover other purchasing options as well.

Take a few moments to watch this special presentation that I have put together for you. Please be patient while the video loads then for best results watch in full view. Enjoy!

Noahs Ark Quilt Video Presentation

Gingerbread Men Felt Christmas project

Here's a quick and easy felt Christmas project for you, so simple you could whip up a set of these in a night. These sweet little Gingerbread Men are made from wool felt and embellished with small black seed beads, ribbon and Ric Rac.

They would be the ideal project for Christmas swaps or for children wanting to do some Christmas sewing.

Click here for more information about this pattern

Tips for Hand Quilting

I just had a lady email me wanting some advice on hand quilting. She was having some difficulty and hoped that I would be able to give her some tips and shed some light on how to hand quilt without breaking the needle.

She wrote " Just wondering if you could help me. I am hand quilting using Luixins small quilting needles but keep snapping them. Yesterday I snapped 4 in a matter of minutes. Any suggestions?"

Those of you who hand quilt will know that quilting needles are very short in length and are fine. When I first started hand quilting I used any old needle I had lying around, I was totally ignorant and as a result my hand quilting was very average, the stitches were on the large side and I could never get the stitching on the back to look any good. As time passed I was fortunate to attend a workshop that changed my hand quilting style forever. You can read about the hand quilting  technique I learned by clicking here

I came to understand that the needle used for hand quilting is important and that I fine needle is a must.

Which takes us back to the question at hand "How do I stop my quilting needle from breaking?"
Here are the hand quilting tips that I sent back to her:

 There are a few reasons why your needle would be breaking:
- your batting is too thick for hand quilting, a thin cotton or bamboo batting is recommended
- your backing is too thick, a light weight good quality 100% cotton fabric is recommended
- do not quilt through the seam, hand quilt 1/4" from the seam line or diagonally through blocks
- incorrect technique, not taking the needle up straight before punching through all layers,
before forming the stitch.

I hope that these hand quilting tips have also been helpful for you and that you can now tackle your next hand quilting project with confidence.
Warmly Lenna

Free quilt blocks - Autumn Block Party at Quilting Gallery

Today is the day to reveal my free block for the Autumn block Party over at Quilting Gallery, and you're invited to join in on the fun.

How does this work?

Michele from the Quilting Gallery explains: "Over the next 15 weeks, 45 fabulously talented designers will be making 12" blocks and tutorials for you to make. You can pick and choose which blocks you want to make. In addition to the blocks, there will be Super Deals for Quilters from our favourite online retailers. Be sure to check each designer’s post, as many will also be offering give-aways on their own site that everyone can enter.
Visit the Block Party Headquarters for more info and upload your completed blocks to the Flickr group."

When the lovely Michele invited me to be one of the designers I eagerly accepted. A tree in Autumn with a Bluebird hovering above immediately came to mind and here it is.

Tree in Autumn Block

Click here to download this free block

 Helping Hand Tutorial

Trace the pattern onto the right side of your chosen fabric. Turn the pattern over and trace a mirror image of the tree onto the fusible webbing.Turn the pattern back to the right side and trace the shapes for the Bluebird and each leaf shape. Remove the backing paper and arrange the shapes onto the background fabric so that they match the drawn pattern outline.

I used six different fabrics for the leaves, arrange these fabrics evenly around the branches.

 Use one strand of embroidery floss to applique each shape in place using
a Blanket stitch.

Take a few minutes to watch a video I have put together for you, I share a tip which will save you heaps of time when working Blanket stitch. Keep the video playing to watch some of my other videos.

Once your applique is complete, trim back your centre panel and sew on the buttons.
Lastly, cut your borders strips and sew to your centre panel.
Press seams away from the centre.

 Your block is now complete.

If you have enjoyed making this block you will be thrilled to know that I have lots of other free patterns, helpful video tutorials and inspirational ideas for you over at my
Stitching Cow website.

Click here to visit the freebie section now

My designer profile and the Quilter's Super Deal of the day are on the
Quilting Gallery website.
Visit the Quilting Gallery here

You may want to check out the other fabulous designers of the
Autumn block party this week.

 Tuesday, Sept. 4th
Pat Sloan
Http://blog.patsloan.com

Wednesday, Sept. 5th
Benita - Victoriana Quilt Designs
http://www.victorianaquiltdesigns.com/

Hope you have fun stitching your way through these blocks.
My youngest daughter has claimed mine for her bedroom.
Warmly Lenna

Mini Friendship Embroidery Swap 2012

My lovely friend Michele over at the Quilting Gallery is having a mini embroidery swap and you are invited to participate. I have designed this cute little Friendship embroidery for the swap which is quick and easy to sew.
 To find out how to join in on the fun, simply click the link here. It will take you to the information page.


click here to find out more about the embroidery swap

Although be quick because enrollments close this Wednesday.

Don't worry if your hand embroidery skills need a "freshen up". I have some embroidery stitch video tutorials over on the Stitching Cow website that cover all the stitches used in this design.After watching them you will be able to embroider this design with ease.

Click here for the embroidery stitch videos

Hope you enjoy the swap.
Warmly Lenna

Five new Christmas patterns to share with you

Christmas always seems to catch me by surprise. I usually only get to make a fraction of the gifts I set out to, so I vow that this year will be different.With Christmas a few months away, now is the perfect time to start planning. If you would like to get started as well, check out some of these ideas below. Hopefully you will find a project to enjoy.

Simply click on each graphic for more information about each Christmas pattern.
All are available as e-patterns which means you could make a start today...how exciting!

Cathedral Window Christmas Decorations

Little Birdies

Redwork Heirloom Christmas Stockings

Felt Christmas Cottage and Tree

Little Felt Gingerbread Men

Noah's Ark Quilt Coming Soon

Coming soon to Stitching Cow a brand new Block of the Month quilt pattern 

all about Noah's Ark.

Stay tuned.