Lynette Anderson Designs

Follow My Heart...

I know as I write this letter to you that my fabric collection 'Hollyhock Cottage' is about to arrive in a store near you and yet here I am busy playing with my next newest collection which is called 'Follow My Heart'...I love it, there are blues the colour of my eyes and rich rich reds the colour of love (oh la la). I have mixed the blues and reds with taupe browns and rich creams giving a warm cosy feel to this collection.

Perhaps the red, white and blue mixture is making you feel like making something patriotic?? Personally I think this fabric collection is calling out to be made into log cabin blocks which if I get any stitching time over the weekend I may just rustle up a few blocks. 

‘Follow My Heart’ is a collection of simple prints featuring hearts, tiny flowers, dots and the alphabet with a sweet feature print that depicts my favourite things....my beloved dog Hugo and a couple of his feline friends, Fatcat and Felix.

Cate has designed a fabulous quilt for me which will be the free pattern that you can download from Lecien's website (it's not there yet as it's too soon) but why not take a look at the free patterns that are already available for you to downlaod for free that go with my other fabric collections.

Bias Stem tutorial...

I know we all love a tutorial, pictures are so much more helpful than words! So today I thought I would show you how I make my bias stem (vines). This tutorial may be handy for the ladies who are currently working on Fernhill, my mystery button club quilt.

I have started with a fat eighth (half a fat quarter) of fabric, depending on how much bias vine you need to make and how wide you want the bias you may need a bigger piece of fabric. 

Bias vine is cut on the cross (bias) of the fabric. Make a fold somewhere on your fabric, as you can see I have folded up a corner of my fat eigth. Put a crease in it with your hands, then open out the fabric and cut along the crease line, this will be at 45º to the straight edge.

For this bias I am cutting my fabric 1" wide which will end up approx. 3/16ths wide

Continue cutting strips 1" in width from the fat eighth, 

you will get approx. 3m or more of bias vine from just one fat eigth of fabric!!

Depending on the type of pattern you may need to join the pieces but for most of my patterns I tend to arrange the bias vine so that the ends are hidden under applique and then you dont need to join all of the strips.

I love using these bias bars, these ones are called 'Perfect Stems', the pack comes with 5 different width bias bars allowing you to make any width bias you want.

Lets get started....fold the fabric in half wrong sides together and stitch with a 1/4" seam down the length of the bias strip, you are making a tube.

Using your Perfect Scissors, cut off the seam allowance as close as you dare to the sewing line!!  Make sure you cut off the seam allowance with the cut edge not the folded edge or you will be cranky!

Insert the bias bar into the tube of fabric,

twist the seam to the centre back

Using a hot iron with stream (if you like steam or not if you dont) press the fabric covered bias bar

Continue pushing the bias bar into the tube of fabric, making sure the seam is at the back, pressing as you go. Remove the bias bar from the tube.

Press the fabric tube (bias stem), if you have one of those bouncy fabrics that wont stay pressed then a light spray of starch should do the trick :)

I think thats it...I hope you can now make some perfect bias vines for your furture projects. The Perfect Scissor and the Perfect Stems are available in my online store.

Three friends, chocolate and vintage haberdashery...

Yesterday I had the best day, on the way to meet two of my Melbourne based designer friends I passed a couple more of these gorgeous Mali elephants. 

Whilst standing admiring the elephants Gail (Gail Pan Designs) and Natalie (Cinderberry Stitches) waved to me from across the street. I hurried across the road and after a hugging session we giggled as we took this photo of ourselves in this rather lovely huge old mirror.

As we headed off for our big adventure...girls day out we had to go in a rather old lift...which surprisingly had a lift attendant who was sat comfortably on her stool knitting!

Walking along a rather sadly in need of paint corridor on very faded carpet we wondered if we had come to the right place.... but as we passed this doorway and this wonderful display greeted our eyes we knew we were heading in the right direction...Harold and Maud was the name of this shop, Harold is the rather interesting moss covered moose head you can see...it was a very quirky shop with some quite odd things inside.

We spied our destination....Luccello come on lets go in the door...yes this is the door...

It was hard to know what to look at first, there were colourful displays everywhere....there were boxes and boxes of the very lovely Valdani threads....I wanted them all...

wooden bobbins, felt wool balls, threads, wool fabrics, pachwork fabrics, Liberty print fabrics...

old buttons in boxes and on cards (which I may have bought a few of!)

I did buy a few bits and bobs and there is one special thing which I bought for myself.....but I cant bring myself to open this lovely packet to show you yet...maybe tomorrow...

Some two hours later we three friends emerged from this wonderful store and decided it was time to go in search of something to eat and drink....I introduced the girls to the wickedly nice Max Brenner chocolate experience!

Gail, Nat and myself had a great day and have promised to try to catch up more often...if your in Melbourne I can promise you this shop is more than worth the visit.

The Patchwork Teahouse...

On arrival at The Patchwork Teahouse I was given this wonderful coffee, it was the best way to begin my morning..thanks Gary and Marilyn x

The Patchwork Teahouse is located in a gorgeous old building, which over its lifetime has been home to many businesses but I think its perfect for this wonderful teahouse and patchwork shop. The tables had been set up ready for my workshop. Attention to detail and customer comfort is a priority here, there was even a nice light for every student to use..

Once the ladies had arrived and introductions were made we started the morning with homemade scones and jam a house speciality.

Marilyn and I have been friends for many years, it was so nice to catch up with her and her lovely customers :)

I took some show and tell as the ladies wanted to learn about and see my new fabric collections.

Kerry brought her pretty 'My Garden' quilt which just needs its borders to be finished. I love the soft colours that Kerry used.

Here I am holding up a completely different version of 'My Garden', the lady who made this was away on holiday but kindly sent it in with a friend for show and tell. Can you see how clever she has been and made the blocks into pockets all of which hold something for the garden. (Please note the top row of this quilt/pocket is not from the original pattern)

The time in the class flew by and before I knew it I was heading back into the city to put my fancy dress on ready to enjoy and evening out with Vince!

Thanks for a great day Marilyn and thank you Liz from Teddlywinks  for being a great assistant X

bye for now

Mail Elephants in Melbourne, Australia

Here I am in Melbourne with Vince, yesterday we went to the NGV to see the Napoleon exhibition.

It was a really interesting exhibition with a large variety of things on display including painitngs, uniforms, crockery, jewellery and there is a really lovely sewing box.

As we walked around the city yesterday (warm and sunny in the morning with a heavy thunderstorm after lunch!) we kept spotting these gorgeous decorated elephants. There are 50 of these life sized elephants around the city which have each been individually decorated, they are here to celebrate the zoo's 150 birthday.

I love this ones slippers!

There is a phone app that you can download to show where they all are and as we have enjoyed seeing them I think a visit to a few more tomorrow may be rather fun!

If you cant get to visit Melbourne, then you can view all the elephants here and have fun picking your favourite for the chance to win a trip (Australian residents only).

Show and tell from you...

First show and tell for today is from Florence who has completed the stitching her first 5 months of Fernhill the button club, its looking lovely.....bet you cant wait to see whats next......

These shops still have places left if you would like to take part in Fernhill, Europequilt, Tranquility Crafts, Hettie's Patch, Rabbits Lair, Country Pieces, Esmes and The Christmas Shoppe.

If you cant get a place in Fernhill, we are taking bookings (not sure of the start date yet) please email Emma to put your name on the list.  emma@lynetteandersondesigns.com.au 

The second show and tell is this wonderful bright, very pink version of my friendship pillow which Sandy made for a swap partner...lucky swap partner. If this gorgeous pattern takes you fancy and its not already in your collection then you can buy a copy here x x

Third show and tell is a finish from one of the students who attended my class in NZ a couple of weeks ago. This is Shepherds Cottage bag and I absolutley love the colours that Leeanne has used.

Leeanne is a long arm quilter by trade and if you pop over to her blog you can see how clever she is in the close up quilting detail on her bag. If you want to make your own bag, you can buy the pattern here.

On wednesday this week Vince and I are heading to Melbourne where he is attending a dental conference!! I get to dress up in my fancy clothes and go to the wonderful dinners in the evenings with him but by day I get to do my own thing... so on Friday I am going to The Patchwork Teahouse where I am teaching for the day...are you joining me? Places are limited but there may be a space or two :) Saturday I am catching up with two girlfriends who also happen to be designers.....cant wait to see them both.

Bonus Pattern for pdf project club members...

I adore my little thimble bag and so I decided to share how to make it with the members of the LAPC. Not a member yet??? Starting in September for just $35 Join up today and get 4 exclusive pdf patterns per year plus the bonus thimble bag pattern and start recieving 10% discount on all online orders.

Surprise finished class project....

I was so excited to get a picture of a completed project from my Sunday class, thank you Joanne for you and your mums company on Sunday and for your 10 out of 10 yoyo's. The journal cover has been made using fabrics from my 'Secret Garden' fabric collection and this pattern.

It was my last day of teaching and I had a room full of enthusiastic ladies, I do apologise to the ladies from Saturday as I didnt download the photos and I have lost the camera card...somewhere in NZ!

I cant wait to see this bright batik version and Kim has promised photos when its finsihed...

We had some great show and tell, there was this lovely 'Stitched By Me' 

A wonderful almost finished Scandinavian Christmas....

Its been a busy day in the office for me trying to get up to date with whats been happening in the office and in the Little Quilt Store, I am busy planning some workshops so if you live close by or are coming to the Sunshine Coast for a holiday let us know and we will send you the schedule x

Fabric Flowers...

I am home safe from New Zealand and will show more photos later but there was a shoebox waiting for me on my desk when I got home this afternoon...it was filled with these gorgeous fabric flower brooch/hair decoration. Melinda a local textile artist has hand made each of these flowers using 'my fabrics'....

Melinda has made three different colourways, the flowers which are approx 6cm in diameter can be worn as a brooch or there is also a clip so they can be worn in your hair or if like me you have short hair they look great on the front of ballet flat shoes (of course you need two flowers for that idea!)

You can see the flower brooches here and of course buy them if you want! But hurry there are limited supplies.

NZ Workshop day 2

As you enter athe driveway at Grandmother's Garden there are a myriad of wonderful displays in the garden.

This wonderful branch creates a arch at the entrance to the car park, I bet its really beautiful once the leaves are out.

Inside is an aladdins cave, at every turn there is another lovely display and a wonderful collection of fabrics. Gorgeous old crates were filled with my Secret Garden fabrics....

Gail, one of the lovely ladies from the sales team at the store is a big fan of mine and she has a wonderful corner filled with a display of my quilts, pillows, tablerunners and needlecases.

Gail has just finished making the sweet cottage drawstring bag from my book Country Cottage Quilting, her choice of fabrics is great and I love that she has given the little house wool windows instead of doing the backstitch.

It was great to see the lovely colouring in this Friends For Christmas quilt, which is well on its way to be completed :) You can still buy a set of the patterns here.

At the end of the day most of us gathered together for a group shot.....although I see Gail is missing!

Ahh, there you are......

As you can see we had a great day together and I hope that these ladies will get their homework done! 

bye for now