Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2018 i Australian Homespun

SPRUCE UP YOUR CHRISTMAS CARD/PHOTO DISPLAYS It’s all done with ribbon and cardboard, which has been cut to shape and taped. You can thank Daniela Augusto, of Curly Made, for the idea and the knowhow. Find her tutorial at christmasdisplay.curlymade.pt. PINT-SIZE PIN PEOPLE FROM PROVENCE France’s Provence region is the wellspring of so much art and design, probably because the scenery is the source of endless inspiration. Cézanne, van Gogh and Picasso all thought so, and so, too, does Nath Guidi, who is the creator of these beautiful and intricate doll pins. At just 10cm (4in) tall, these teeny-weeny dolls require a very steady maker’s hand. They are a mix of carded wool felt (faces, hair and sweaters), fabric skirts and tiny embellishments, such as pearls, embroidery and fine head…

• Drawing a light pencil line on the wrong side of the fabric squares works fine, but it takes a bit of time. I achieve accurate outcomes more quickly by just folding a square in half on the diagonal and finger pressing a light crease just before I’m ready to stitch. The crease remains visible long enough to allow me to stitch 1/4in on either side of it. • If you expect to be making many quilts with half-square triangle units in them in your future and you like to make your units oversize and trim them back, as I do, then I highly recommend investing in a Bloc Loc ruler. They have a groove on their underside that locks into place along the seam line as you trim the…

• Make sure that the slip stitches are worked slightly loosely. If they’re too tight, they will be harder to fit the hook into later and may also pull the edges of the rows. • When making the ‘spiked’ stitches in the rows below, remember to pull up the yarn to the current height so it doesn’t squash the rows together and ruin the shape of the clamshells. • As you progress, check things are on track by making sure that the middle treble of each clamshell ‘bump’ lines up with the middle of the ‘spiked’ trebles below.…

“My style is clean, bright, colourful and ‘yarny’.” Remember the rotten ol’ days when left-handers were ostracised for being the Devil’s children and teachers would rap them over the knuckles if they tried to do what came naturally – writing from the left? Well, Mandy O’Sullivan is one of millions setting the record straight, proving she’s not Satan’s spawn but positively godly in terms of success and creativity. “I always thought I wouldn’t be able to learn crocheting because I am left handed,” she says, “but after admiring the work of others in my local craft group, I was determined to give it a try. We learn to be a little ambidextrous, living in a right-handed world, so I managed to get the hang of it after a few sessions…

Japan – This is probably my No. 1 place of inspiration. Even though I’ve never been there. I have always loved Asian culture and particularly Japanese culture. They have such a rich history of design, art and craft. I very much look forward to seeing it in person, one day. Mexico – Another place that I’ve never been to, but I have a great love of their craft. I love their colours and am fascinated by their Day of the Dead craft. I also admire their embroidered textiles and pottery. Pam Garrison – She’s big and she’s the most amazing, multi-talented, creative person. She has so many different ideas. Sam Dearden, from Proverbial Daisy – I love her work. She makes the most beautiful fairy dolls, using a variety of…

• Craft Project – Charles Parsons: 1300 364 422, info@craftproject.com.au, www.craftproject.com.au. • Lloyd Curzon Textiles: (08) 8362 2451, admin@lcurzon.com.au, www.lcurzon.com.au. • Millhouse Collections: (07) 5351 1400, sales@millhousecollections.com, www.millhousecollections.com. • PK Fabrics: (02) 9557 2022, sales@pkfabrics.com.au, www.pkfabrics.com.au. • The Strawberry Thief: robyn@thestrawberrythief.com.au, www.thestrawberrythief.com.au. • Two Green Zebras: (02) 9553 7201, sales@twogreenzebras.com, www.twogreenzebras.com. • XLN Fabrics: (02) 9621 3066, info@xln.com.au, www.xln.com.au.…

You need to use strong magnets for this project. Ordinary kitchen magnets that you use to hold papers to the fridge door simply won’t be strong enough to hold the tick in place through layers of fabric. I used small round neodymium magnets, which are readily available in hardware and some electronic stores. I bought magnets that were 10mm ( 3/8in) in diameter and 5mm ( 1/4in) high. It is possible to buy magnets that are only 2-3mm ( 1/8in) high, and these would work even better in this project. If you have to buy magnets that have a larger diameter than 10mm ( 3/8in), you will need to increase the size of the tick to accommodate them.…

MATERIALS • 18 fat eighths of assorted print fabrics in ice blue, turquoise, grey and white (patchwork) – see Janai’s Fabric Tip • 30cm ( 3/8yd) white tone-on-tone print fabric (appliqué) • 1.2m (1 3/8yd) solid grey fabric (appliqué background and binding) • 30cm ( 3/8yd) white fabric with glitter (appliqué) • 1.9m (2 1/8yd) backing fabric • Batting at least 130cm (52in) square • Stranded embroidery cotton in white • Fusible web • Sewing machine with 1/4in and free-motion feet • Rotary cutter, ruler and mat • General sewing supplies Finished size: 115.5 x 113cm (45 1/2 x 44 1/2in) Note: Read all the instructions before you start. It is recommended that fabrics be 100% cotton, pre-washed and well ironed. Requirements are based on fabric 107cm (42in)…

MATERIALS For one crown • Fat eighth floral print fabric such as Liberty Tana lawn • Fat eighth natural linen • Cotton batting at least 20 x 60cm (8 x 24in) • 3m (3 1/4yd) of 20mm ( 3/4in) wide packaged Liberty bias binding – see Note • Hand-sewing needle such as a milliner’s (straw) size 10 • Paper for pattern • Compass (for Design 3) • Turning tool, satay stick or chopstick • Sewing machine with 1/4in foot • General sewing supplies Finished size: 15 x 48cm (6 x 19in) excluding the ties wide fabric). The yardage of bias binding required will vary according to the design you choose. It is recommended that fabrics be 100% cotton or linen and well ironed. Seam allowances of1/4in are used throughout. Instructions…

To help keep everything centred, make sure the pattern is aligned straight with the top of the hoop. Double check the measurements when you put in the centre hoop, too. If you’re unsure about the centre hoop process, do a practice run with a piece of scrap fabric. Put it in a 10in hoop, then cut the centre circle and clip almost to the marked line. Put the 4in hoop inner and outer hoops in place and pull the fabric tight. You don’t need to glue the fabric to the hoops for the practice one, but it will still familiarise you with the process.…

When using the fusible appliqué paper and English paper-piecing pre-cut papers, keep the paper as dry as possible and store it in the packets until required. You want it to remain stiff until you’ve glued the fabric over the edges, and the more you handle it, the softer it gets. Once you’ve glued, it doesn’t matter how soft it becomes – it is designed to remain in the work after the project is finished and once it’s washed, it resembles lightweight interfacing. If using appliqué paper for needleturn or English paper piecing is new to you, check out my step-by-step tutorials on my website, www.hugsnkisses.net.…

A  shford Wheels & Looms Ph: 1800 653 397, website: www.ashford.co.nz/yarn. Asia Discovery Tours Ph: (02) 9267 7699, website: asiadiscoverytours.com.au. B  atik Oetoro Ph: (02) 4943 8808, website: www.dyeman.com. Bernina Australia Ph: 1800 237 646, website: www.bernina.com.au. Brother Australia Ph: 1300 880 297, website: www.brother.com.au. C  arol’s of Midland Ph: (08) 9250 2722, website: www.carolsofmidland.com.au. Catharina’s Vintage Stitches Ph: (03) 5852 3356, website: www.catharinasvintagestitches.com.au. Ceebee Quilts Ph: 0429 727 636, email: ceebeequilts@outlook.com. Clover Mfg Co., Ltd Email: info@clover-mfg.com, website: www.clover-mfg.com. Country Hart Designs Ph: (08) 8632 3172, website: www.countryhart.com.au. CraftAlive Ph: (03) 9682 5133, website: www.craftalive.com.au. Craft Events Ph: (02) 9452 7575, website: craftevents.com.au. D  ragonfly Fabrics Ph: (08) 8948 0691, website: www.dragonfabric.com.au. E  chidna Sewing Products Ph: (07) 3390 3600, website: www .echidnaclub.com.au. F  abric Patch Ph: (07) 5442…

NSW – Sydney July 20-22 Clarendon CraftAlive show; Hawkesbury Showground, Racecourse Rd. Bringing together talented exhibitors, focusing on creative hand-finished products, DIY products, craft supplies, demonstrations and workshops. Open 9.30am-4pm. More information: Visit www.craftalive.com.au. August 10-12 Hunters Hill Hunters Hill Quilt Show; Hunters Hill Town Hall, Alexandra St. Opening night is on August 9 (7.30-9.30pm), entry is $6. Quilt and wagga (traditional, utilitarian quilt) display, handmade items for sale, quilt raffles, quilt shop and refreshments. Open 10am-4.30pm. Entry $6. More information: Phone Meg on 0419 432 538 or visit www.huntershillquilters.org. NSW – Country August 11 Dubbo Golden Oldies Truck, Tractor and Quilt Show; Dubbo Showground, corner of Wingewarra and Fitzroy Sts. Displays, competitions, entertainment, Grand Parade and food. Proceeds will go to a local charity. Open 8.30am-6pm. Entry $15, children…

• A pre-cut fat-quarter bundle of fabrics from one range is perfect for this project, and an easy way to ensure that all the fabrics will work together. However, you could also achieve fabulous results by using fabrics from your stash to create a scrappier quilt. • I found it helpful to plan and group the fabrics for all the blocks before I started sewing any HSTs together. This ensured that I wasn’t left with HSTs for the last few blocks that didn’t really go together. Once I’d decided on the combination of fabrics for each block, I stored the required HSTs in ziplock bags – one for each block.…

What you need: • Fabric scraps (as many or few as you want) • Four strong thin magnets – Mollie used 2mm ( 1/16in) thick neodymium disc magnets • Embroidery floss and sewing thread • Strong, large needle • Glue stick (optional) • Craft glue • Cardboard and paper • General sewing supplies What you do: 1 Trace the pentagon shape from the Pattern Sheet accurately onto paper, glue it to cardboard and cut it out on the line to make a template. Trace 20 pentagons on cardboard and cut them out carefully. 2 From the fabric scraps, cut a total of 20 pentagons a generous 1/4in larger all round than the cardboard shapes. To do this, Mollie applies a tiny dab of glue to the cardboard, sticks the pentagon…

Stuffing the swan correctly will give the softie a professional finish. Make sure that the bill and tail are fully stuffed before adding filling to other areas. Use a long wooden spoon handle or blunt scissors to push lots of filling into these areas. It will take a lot of filling to stuff the entire swan, and she needs to be very firm all over. When you are sewing the opening closed, pop in a tiny ball of filling just before closing the last couple of centimetres to smooth out the seam and make sure the swan is firmly filled.…

WORKBENCH – Found at a local second-hand store. I love it because it fits perfectly in the Hen’s Den, and I can spread out my work because it’s so wide. VINTAGE PAPER DISPENSER – It’s an old-fashioned, brown-paper dispenser, found at a junk shop. It was a bargain, and I use it to wrap all my online orders. PEGBOARD – Three pieces of large pegboard from Bunnings that not only look great but help to keep me organised and, therefore, sane. PENDANT LIGHTS – From Fat Shack Vintage. They were my one big-ticket item when I was furnishing the Den, and I love how they look hanging over my workbench. They are purely for looks, because there’s so much light coming in during the day that I don’t need them.…

Mum – My mother is a huge source of inspiration. She is super-talented, and we love bouncing ideas off each other. Sarah – My sister has also had a great influence on me and is a great inspiration. She’s the reason I continue to sew today and was the one who told me to start selling and blogging. Aunt Sue – She’s Dad’s sister and is also an amazing talent. I don’t get to see her as often as I’d like, but just fall about when I go to Melbourne and see her work. She wrote two amazing books on tassel-making and has travelled the world teaching. Yoko Saito – I did a two-day course with Yoko Saito in Florence three or four years ago. This was a turning point…

MATERIALS • Fat eighth cream tone-on-tone print fabric (hanger front) • Fat eighth red tone-on-tone print fabric (hanger back and pocket) • Scraps of fabric in red, pink, green and white (appliqué) • Fat eighth lightweight fusible interfacing • ThreadworX variegated stranded embroidery floss in Christmas Time (1085) • Stranded embroidery floss in red, dark brown, grey and to match the appliqué fabrics, felt and cord • Machine-sewing thread to match the backing fabric • 1.4m (1 1/2yd) red cord about 7mm (a generous 1/4in) thick • Eight small round neodymium/rare earth magnets – see Megan’s Magnet Tips • 20cm (8in) square of red stiffened felt (ticks) • Fusible web • Fibre fill • 7cm (2 3/4in) of hook and loop tape, such as Velcro, 10mm ( 3/8in) wide (pocket…

• I highly recommend using Applibond needles for hand stitching fusible-web appliqué. These needles have three bayonette cutting edges that pierce fabric with fusible web on it much more easily than standard embroidery needles. By the time you’re blanket stitching Santa’s nose, you’re pushing the needle through the interfacing, cream fabric, beard, face and nose fabrics, which can be a challenge. • I used stiffened felt for the ticks. If you can’t find it, standard felt will work almost as well. • I have a huge fabric stash, accumulated over more than 25 years of crafting. This project is ideal for using older fabrics buried 15 layers down in your stash, as a child won’t be at all concerned about whether the fabrics are the latest or trendiest. The red…

Where do you live and work at your stitching? I live on the beautiful North Shore of Sydney, in an art-deco apartment, which I share with a friend. We live close to a little library and across the road from cafes and restaurants. It’s a little village, yet only 20 minutes from the CBD. My ‘sewing room’ is whatever space I can find in my bedroom. But there’s a dedicated sewing space at my parents’ house. Have you tried your hand at many crafts? Yes, lots. A couple of years ago, I started cross stitching and bought a beautiful pattern I simply couldn’t resist. But, I didn’t realise that it was actually an ambitious pattern for a beginner … I think I’ll still be working on this project when I’m…

Where do you live and work? I live in a very cute, turquoise wooden cottage on the beach in South Fremantle, Western Australia – and when I’m at home, I work from a squishy armchair in the corner of my bedroom. I also do a lot of my sewing in the Strawberry Thief warehouse in O’Connor. What is your family structure? My husband is a clinical psychologist, so he keeps me sane! My 19-year-old son, Abraham, is a commercial drone pilot, and my 14-year-old son, Jude, is an aspiring chef/standupcomedian/scientist. We always have lots of animals in our house, too. Why sewing? My mother worked full time when I was young, so I grew up on my grandmother’s knee. She was a seamstress, so I was always surrounded by fabric…

How long have you been creating in fabric? I’ve been sewing for years. I remember making clothes and stitching things in junior high. Do you like to work in a wide variety of styles and designs? I do. I love to change up what I’m doing and mix media and styles. I love embroidery, quilting and sewing but also general crafting and jewellery-making. How did this fabulous wreath come about – what was the source of your inspiration? A few months ago, I had the idea for putting a hoop within a hoop and created my first hoop wreath out of a cork fabric. I love how much fun you can have stitching around the ring, and there are so many options for what to put in the centre. My…

How would you describe your particular craft style? I can never answer this question – and I’ve been asked it many times. I’d actually prefer others to answer it for me. I know that I’m a symmetrical person, so I struggle with tossed and random. I think you could describe it as contemporary fresh. Did your distinctive style happen over time or was it immediate when you started stitching? My style has certainly evolved over time. I started quite cutesy and naive in my drawing style and have slowly moved to more modern contemporary in my colours, drawing style and layouts. However, some of those earlier styles of design are still my most popular, so I need to remember that I have followers who love my earlier look and try…

How did you feel when you first started sewing? As a young child, I was always fascinated by the wonderful items my grandmother made. When she first introduced me to sewing, crochet and hand embroidery, I felt at home. It all seemed very natural to me, and I picked things up quickly, excited by what I could begin creating myself. Has your response to your craft changed much since then? Since those early days, much has changed. I guess the biggest change for me with my crafting came when I decided to begin a business based on my designs. All of a sudden, designing and making projects was coupled with an element of stress with publishing deadlines and designing projects with other people in mind and what I knew would…

Those old enough to remember the hippy-style macramé overload of the ’60s and ’70s, may recoil from the idea of the string craft making a comeback. But what’s on offer today is a much-refined version of the Make Love, Not War, incense-burning, garland-wearing, Woodstock-attending generation. And let’s face it, the concept has an irresistible retro appeal to it, incense or no incense. Take the macramé artworks of Renée Ognenovski and Renae Warden, for instance. (We are only showing you a couple of their designs here, but you can see oodles more on their The Neighbours & Co sites – theneighboursandco.etsy.com and www.instagram.com/theneighboursandco.) They are simple, clean designs generated for feature wall decorations. And their simplicity is what gives them the contemporary edge that was missing in earlier plant hangers.…

HOME, HOME ON THE RANGE “I live in one of the most beautiful valleys in the world ... in the mountaintops of Utah, on the west side of Utah Lake, USA. The view is awe-inspiring. My tiny cottage is filled with white painted beadboard, light-coloured furniture and pops of bright quilty goodness wherever you look.” HEARTFELT HANDCRAFTING “When you create from your heart, magical things happen, and that love and devotion show in your finished design. I’m a light-hearted, giggly and happy person. I hope that shows in my designs.” “Who knows where life will take me, but I will tell you this … I’ll have a piece of fabric and needle and thread in tow!” MY STYLE IS: “Light-hearted and whimsical, with a bit of humour thrown in for…

What does your craft studio look like? Is it simply utilitarian or is it a creative haven? Prior to having children, I had my very own dedicated craft room, but now I create on a tiny desk in the corner of our bedroom. It’s hardly practical, but I’m determined to be grateful for the space that I have. My fabric is stored in large cupboards in our main living area, and it has become quite the talking point for visitors! How many hours a week do you spend in your sewing studio? My sewing time is limited to whenever the kids are asleep, so afternoon nap time and in the evening. These are my most productive crafting hours, but even though I may not be physically at my sewing machine,…

How did you feel when you first started crocheting? Did you find it difficult? At first, I admit, I was a little frustrated. It didn’t go too smoothly, and my fingers wouldn’t go in the right places, but something must have eventually clicked, because I stuck with it. Has your response to your craft changed much since then? Completely! Now, it’s something I do almost every day, and it feels so natural and right. There’s nothing that relaxes me more than crochet. What is it that keeps you crocheting? Partly that there always seems to be something I want to make or an idea I still need to try out, and partly that I do love how relaxing I find it now. The rhythm of repeating the stitches is so…

How did you start your sewing career? My sewing and crafting résumé has truly been built from doing what I love, learning new skills and sharing all of that with others. It’s been a slow process, but God has blessed me with work that fits with these things, and it’s turned into a really wonderful career. What would you do without your stitching/ designing? It’s quite possible that I would go crazy. But I do know that I’d still be doing creative things, like cooking/baking, photography, maybe even painting. These are things that I do now, but they would become a bigger part of my life, to fill in my need for a creative outlet. What are the stitching tools you couldn’t live without? I’ve come to learn that I…

How long have you been creating softies? I’ve been creating softies ever since I first learnt to sew, but when I was pregnant with my oldest son, I was inspired to make some funky monster softies. Do you like to work in a wide variety of styles and subjects with your toys? Oh yes, I certainly do. I have made lots of different animals and dolls in many styles. I do think that my patterns all seem to have a certain style that is recognisable, though. I use a blend of gorgeous cotton fabrics and felt and love using florals and plains with fancy trimmings and ricrac. My softies are all quite round in shape as well, and they’re all well stuffed – perhaps they like their food, somewhat like…

PART 6 JACOB’S COAT AND FLOWER GARDEN SAMPLER MATERIALS • Fabrics A, D, E, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, DD • Template plastic and fine-point permanent-marking pen • Cardboard • Appliqué pins or glue • Erasable fabric-marking pen • Spray starch • Rotary cutter, ruler and mat • Sewing machine with 1/4in foot • General sewing supplies JACOB’S COAT – BLOCK 6A 1 From Fabric W, cut: • One square, 8 1/2in (background). 2 Trace the large ‘leaf’ shape from the Pattern Sheet onto template plastic using a fine-point permanent-marking pen. Cut it out on the traced line. Use it to make a matching template from cardboard. 3 Lay the plastic template on the wrong side of each of Fabrics…

AVAILABLE IN COMPLETE KITS CONTACT A ST OCKIST CL OSEST TO YOU. LIMITED SUPPLIES . BOOK NOW! STOCKISTS NEW SOUTH WALES Crafty Friends Stroud Ph: 0414 863 045 stroudvalleyharvest@hotmail.com www.stroudvalleyharvest.com.au Fabric Pixie Goonellabah Ph: 0415 826 994 deanne@fabricpixie.com.au www.fabricpixie.com.au Glendoon Patchwork Cottage Maitland Ph: (02) 4933 8433 glendooncottage@gmail.com www.glendoonpatchwork cottage.com Love Patchwork Harrington Ph: (02) 6556 0111 lovepatchworkshop@gmail.com www.lovepatchwork.com.au Nesting Needles Coffs Harbour Ph: 0400 055 989 lpeterson68@optusnet.com.au www.nestingneedles.com.au Sew Fab Narrandera Ph: (02) 6959 9819 leanne@sewfab.com.au www.sewfab.com.au Stitch Between The Bridges Tamworth Ph: (02) 6765 4138 stitchbtbtamworth@gmail.com find us on facebook Stitched n Framed Port Macquarie Ph: (02) 6581 3338 jenny@stitchednframed.com.au www.stitchednframed.com.au Two Friends Leeton Ph: (02) 6953 7718 twofriendsleeton@gmail.com www.twofriends.com.au Whatever Where-ever Craft Howlong Ph: (02) 6026 5489 / 0428 577 957 whateverwher eever@bigpond.com www.whateverwhereever.com.au VICTORIA Alice in…

01 Northcott ‘Spruce Mountain’ 22227-11, designed by Deborah Edwards Northcott Studio. Distributed by Lloyd Curzon Textiles. 02 Art Gallery Fabrics ‘Blithe’ Dear Deer Teal BLI-75602, designed by Katarina Roccella. Distributed by Craft Project – Charles Parsons. 03 Makower UK ‘Scandi 2018’ Trees M1963R (Red colourway). Distributed by Two Green Zebras. 04 Robert Kaufman Fabrics ‘Winter White 3’ RK1737488 (Ice colourway), designed by Lynnea Washburn. Distributed by Two Green Zebras. 05 Moda Fabrics ‘Winter Village’ 30550-14, designed by BasicGrey. Distributed by PK Fabrics. 06 Liberty Fabrics ‘Alpine Symphony’ HEIDI A (137cm wide). Distributed and sold by The Strawberry Thief. 07 Makower UK ‘Silent Night’ Birds M19781. Distributed by Two Green Zebras. 08 Makower UK ‘Silent Night’ Trees M19741. Distributed by Two Green Zebras. 09 Moda Fabrics ‘Wintertide’ 1454-22, designed by Janet…

There are lots of ways that you could vary this project to make it unique. Write your own wording on the list. Instead of ‘misunderstood’, for example, you could use ‘denied a chance to explain myself’ or ‘trying to save you a trip’. Another idea is to deliberately reverse the polarity on the magnet behind one or more of the check boxes: if you do this behind the ‘naughty’ box, it will be impossible for a parent to move the tick to that box, no matter how naughty the child has been!…

This hanger shape is probably one of the easiest you’ll ever have to stuff. Even so, it pays to take your time and make a really good job of it. It’s not just a matter of pulling big chunks of stuffing out of the packet and pushing them through the opening. Allow lots of time for stuffing, and discipline yourself to use only small tufts at a time – this will help avoid lumps and bumps in your hanger. Start by pushing tufts into each of the corners, then working backwards towards the opening. Only stuff the hanger lightly – if you pack it firmly, it will become quite rounded, and the tick and check boxes won’t be readily visible when the hanger is in use. After you’ve sewn the…

Such a fun and festive way to decorate your Christmas tree if you are the crafty, yarny type. Karin and Freja Schaefer, of Pysselbolaget, came up with this brightly beautiful idea. And here’s why: “Pompoms are easy and fun to make, and we love to find use for them year around. This time, we made ornaments for the Christmas tree by simply adding a soft-drink-bottle lid to each.” The best ideas are the simplest! Lots of other ideas to be enjoyed on their site, too – go to pysselbolaget.se.…

MATERIALS • Fat quarter light turquoise spot print fabric (background) • 25cm (10in) and 10cm (4in) diameter timber embroidery hoops • 90cm (1yd) light pink pompom braid (edge trim) • 25cm (10in) square of white felt (hoop backing) • DMC Stranded Embroidery Cotton in Blanc (White), Bright Red (666), Garnet (816) and Forest Green (989) plus a colour to match the light pink felt • Embroidery needle • 15 x 23cm (6 x 9in) red wool felt (bird body) • 13 x 18cm (5 x 7in) light pink wool felt (bird wings and tail feathers) • Scrap of black wool felt (bird beak) • Two 4.5mm ( 11/64in) black safety eyes • Fibre fill • Small amount of soft-green artificial moss • Erasable fabric-marking pen • Hot glue gun and…

MATERIALS • 1.4m (1 5/8yd) low-volume print fabric (background) • 25cm ( 1/4yd) low-volume print fabric (L1) • 45cm ( 1/2yd) low-volume print fabric (L2) • 15cm ( 1/4yd) each of two low-volume print fabrics (L3 and L4) • 75cm ( 7/8yd) red print fabric (R1 – blocks and binding) • 20cm ( 1/4yd) each of two red print fabrics (R2 and R3) • 15cm ( 1/4yd) of red print fabric (R4) • 55cm ( 5/8yd) red print fabric (R5) • Fat quarter of light green print fabric (Star blocks and appliqué vine) • 25cm (10in) square each of red, yellow and green print fabrics (appliqué) • 15cm ( 1/4yd) yellow print fabric (Star blocks) • 40cm ( 1/2yd) medium green print fabric (Border 1) • Assorted yellow print fabric…

Fat-quarter Favorites compiled by Karen M. Burns, US$22.99 This collection of 13 all-new projects will inspire you to dig into your stash of fat quarters – the ones you’ve been saving for ‘special’, the ones that you’ve fallen out of love with and even the ones that you can’t think of anything to do with – and get them into finished quilts. Eleven different designers have contributed projects, including Homespun contributors Peta Peace and Samantha Dorn (who debuted in last month’s issue, with her Inside Out quilt). All the projects are patchwork – only one has a touch of appliqué – and most are single/twin bed size or larger. However, as many of them are block-based, it would be straightforward to make more or fewer blocks to change the size…