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Quilt Finished...yipee!

My brochures are all printed and ready to come with me to Spring Market, the biggest wholesale trade show in the US. Look they even have my booth number on them so should you be a store owner and are coming to Pittsburgh be sure to come and say hello. The brochures look great and I have used the cute picture of the new stitcheries from Crazy Christmas on the front.

Brochure 09

H&F were kind enough to hold up the almost finished (needs binding) Crazy Christmas quilt, they have given it their seal of approval.....hang on 'where is Felix?' you ask...hmm good question, hiding underneath I think!
Crazy magic & Hugo
As you can see I have gone with the blue for the sashing and am pleased with the softer look. I am going to bind it with this red reindeer fabric which is so cute and the red is such a wonderful rich colour.
Reindeer fabric
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Felix on the roof...

This morning I finally discovered where the sad meowing noises were coming from! Who knows how Felix got onto the roof but there he was!

Felix on roof

In between meowing to get down he was happy to sunbathe!
Felix on roof1
I tried to lift him down but even when standing on the step ladder I could not reach him.
Felix on roof2
Eventually a tall person came home and lifted him down easily. 
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PS. Thanks for all the votes for red sashing or blue, I am using the blue and am going to have red as the binding....its looking good so far. Many of you must have been asking for these patterns at your local shops already as I have had an enquiry from a shop in Canada, one in Europe, the UK and two in the US, thank you I am humbled and thrilled.

Hedgerow fabric..

Finally my advance yardage of 'Hedgerow' has arrived, the fabric feels gorgeous, I love everything about it and now to make something.....
Hedgerow fabric pile
Whilst you wait to see what I am going to make you could make this is the simple quilt which goes with the fabric, its 48" x 48" finished. 
Hedgerow cover
You can download the free quilt pattern from the Henry Glass website.
bye for now
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Winner..

Just a quick announcement, the lucky recipient of the BOM pattern set of Friends For Christmas is Barbara 14th April 2009. Barbara I have emailed you and requested your postal address so I hope to hear from you soon.

Last week I was sent this picture from Mary at The Rabbits Lair, they are making their Friends For Christmas quilt using gorgeous fabrics from Jo Morton, I think its looking great so far.
DSC00407
If these colours take your fancy you might want to email the store and reserve yourself a place.
I was feeling a bit left out hearing about all the snow that some of the girls in the US have got at the moment. So Teresa has sweetly made this snowman for me, where are his eyes Teresa?? and do I see an arm missing? The good thing is that he has a very lovely scarf with a limited edition H&F pin.
6051305
Why not drop over to her blog and let her know what you think about my snowman. I think she still has some of the H&F pins for sale and while your there you could enter her fun game, its very tempting and I may just have to join in too.
bye for now, I'm of blogsurfing...
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Breast Of Friends

Yesterday, I picked up my copy of Australian Homespun magazine and guess what?? Its got the block I designed for the Breast Of Friends quilt in it.
Bof
Bof1
The team at Homespun invited me to answer some questions about my design process for this block, you can read all about it here. Be sure to leave them a comment otherwise they will think I forgot to send you all there!
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PS. There is still time to leave a comment on the 'New Free Pattern' post for your chance to win a set of Friends For Christmas.

Crazy Christmas..

I'm so excited about these blocks that I cant resist showing you a few more. These are some of the stitchery blocks for my new BOM Crazy Christmas which I will have ready for release at Spring Market mid May afterwhich I will be able to tell you which stores are going to be offering it for you.

Crazy Christmas group

'H&F Go Sledging' (month 11) is my favourite block today, yesterday I was in love with the 'Carol Singers' (month 8). Dont you just love what Hugo looks like in gumboots!
I have trimmed all the stitcheries down to the right shape and today I am sewing the crazy patch parts.
Whats this?? 
Arkpunch
Yes, I love what Debbie had done with the punchneedle ark so much that I really need one myself, so in my spare time I have printed out the pdf file and have started punching the lions. Once you get the rhythm its quite quick and very addictive.
Hope your enjoying whatever it is you are doing today, I know I am.
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PS. There is still time for you to visit Debbie to find out what her secret aging medium is and then to let me know the answer for your chance to win a BOM set of Friends For Christmas. Please leave your answer on the post prior to this one.

New Free Pattern..

Its early Easter Monday morning here and its still raining! During the last couple of weeks the very talented Deborah St. Germain of Woolen Sails and I have combined our talents to create this free punchneedle pattern for you. Debbie has chosen the threads and made this gorgeous hanger by cleverly combining a few of the Noahs Ark Blocks.
Noahark
Here is a closer look, see how intricate some of the detail is.
Noahark
Debbie has used a combination of three and six strands of embroidery floss in her punchneedle, she tells me that three strands are great for the intricate detailed parts and six gives you a more primitive look. The piece has then been cleverly aged, why not pop over to Debbie and leave her a message to tell her what you like about the punchneedle ark and see if you can find out her secret method to age something. Does she use parisienne essence? a dye of some sort? maybe its a recipe form her grandma, then come back and tell me her secret and you could have a chance to own a set of my Friends For Christmas 6 month BOM pattern.
Main quilt
You must leave us both a message for your chance to win the pattern to make this quilt.
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Here is the Download Punchneedle  pattern for you, be patient while you wait for the file to download. I hope you enjoy making it and do let me see the results, If you are not into punchneedle it would look fantastic as a stitchery or enlarged for applique.

Guest blogger and new BOM..

I was very excited to be the invited guest blogger at Stitchin' Heaven, where the girls are accepting sign ups for A Kittens Tale BOM which they are starting in August.

Yesterday my cousin and her husband arrived from Canberra, we had a lovely dinner at home and the moon peeked out from behind the rain clouds, I took this quick photo but really I must learn how to take nice night photos on my camera!
Moon
Today I have been busy stitching as my advance yardage arrived on Thursday, did you hear me cheer? It looks and feels lovely and I am very happy with it.
My xmas fab   
I am busy stitching 'Crazy Christmas' which I have shown you some very teeny tiny sneek peeks of and now I can unveil one of the completed blocks.
Month 4
There are 12 different stitchery centered crazy patch blocks which will alternate with plain centered crazy patch blocks. I will be launching this new 12 month BOM at Spring Market which is mid May, there are a few shops that have shown some interest from my sneek peeks so if your interested be sure to ask for it at your favourite quilt shop. 
Happy Stitching
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H&F news..

Its almost time for our guest dog Miss Lulu to go back home and we will miss her, she has fitted in well with our family and given us lots of things to smile about. H&F both eat their food quite quickly in the hope that the other will leave them some, Miss Lulu is a delicate eater and enjoys every mouthful, as you can see she has to keep a watchful eye out for the poor hungry H&F who are eagerly awaiting any leftovers...good luck boys!

Whos food:

I am surrounded by bits of paper and as yet unfinished blocks for my new Crazy Christmas BOM, be patient just for a while longer as there is nothing that I can show you just yet!!
Tomorrow I am going to pick up another new quilt featuring H&F, cant quite decide what to call it yet, suggestions would be helpful?? I have these two names in my head but I am not sure which if either I like?
1) 'Sounds Of Music'
2) 'H&F Band'
How about you send me your thoughts and at the same time vote for 1) or 2)
Heres one of the completed blocks.
Month 6
I cant show it all as I have been naughty and not written the pattern yet! I only have 36 days until I leave for the Spring Market in the USA so I had better get a move on, trouble is with all the noise H&F have been making whilst learning to play all the different instruments its been hard to concentrate!
Dont forget to vote for which name you prefer for the quilt and/or send me your own suggestion. Thanks
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