Romance on the Prarie

As promised, here's some more of the new fabrics we received last week.  Firstly, Tender Romance by Renee Nanneman is looking so, so beautiful on our shelves.   The ever popular Bumble Bee print is back in light toffee on a cream background, or black on faded red - perfect for fussy cutting or as an applique background. We especially love the old fashioned red in this range and the bumble bees are just gorgeous.

#1 Tender Romance

 The Border Print features medium sized blousey roses and birds and comes in two colourways: faded french red and cream, or rich clotted cream, taupe, & ivory.  There are 15 fabrics in all, in a mix of tone on tones, fresh shirtings, and  soft toffee and cream background prints. All very delectable.

#2 Tender Romance

#3 Tender Romance

#4 Tender Romance

From Kathy Hall comes Little House on the Prarie ~ Walnut Grove, a collection of 18 fabrics ranging from bold border stripes, through to delicate shirtings.  The colours are rich and dense and include inky blue, deep mustard, burnished red, madder, putty, gold, creamy beige & steeley teal blue.

#1 Little House on the Prarie ~ Walnut Grove

#2  Little House on the Prarie ~ Walnut Grove

#3 Little House on the Prarie ~ Walnut Grove

 Here is just one novelty print from "Vintage Made Modern" in soft black on a linen-look background.  Perfect for all kinds of small projects, bags, or quilts.

Vintage Made Modern

 We are busy preparing for the Threadbear Applique Group's 2nd Exhibition being held 12 & 13 March 2016.  ALL proceeds will be donated to Emma House Domestic Violence Service, and will be used to upgrade facilities at one of their refuges. It's shaping up to be every bit as good as the first exhibition, so why not plan a weekend in Castlemaine and come along to see a wonderful display of applique quilts by this talented Group

After a busy day on the job here at Threadbear, Sam always enjoys a visit from Gracie after school. Once he's had a long chat and a play, he's always straight up on her knee for a big snuggley cuddle!  Have a great weekend everyone.

Christmas came early at Threadbear!

It felt a bit like Christmas morning this week as we unpacked box after box after box of new fabric.  All the new ranges are on our website and well worth taking the time to look through. Meanwhile, here a few to tempt you, with more to follow next week.
First we unpacked or next shipment of Cloverdale House by Di Ford-Hall.  With lots of ladies still wanting the red pillar print,we've now been able to fill our orders and still have plenty for the shelves. Click here to view the range on our website.

Di Ford-Hall's Cloverdale House $23.50m

Ediyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts never disappoints with her beautiful colour choices and mix of prints, and Color Daze is no exception.  We did a pick and choose from this large range, adding some handy teals, rich clotted creams, and warm golden browns to our shelves.  The signature print in a few different colours is great for fussy cutting or broderie perse.  

#1 Color Daze $24.50m

#2 Color Daze $24.50m

#3 Color Daze ~ cheater cloth $24.50

Reproduction Fabric Enthusiasts will love love love Margo's Mignonettes all in irky greens, brassy yellows and pumpkiny cheddars from Margo Krager.  Just 11 fabrics are in the range, but all are stunners.

Margo's Mignonettes

Margo's Mignonettes

 This week the lovely  Gayle of "Made in a Pleasance" came by to bring us new stock of her gorgeous handmade cards that are always so popular with our customers.  Here are just a few of her beautifully made and quirky Christmas Cards now in stock .  We just love them!  Phone us at the shop if you'd like to order any cards for a special friend or family member.  

And speaking of Christmas, we are looking forward to once again hosting the Secret Sewing Sisterhood for their Christmas get together in December as a perfect way to wind up the year.  Threadbear will close for Christmas Saturday 19 December and will reopen Monday 4 January 2016.  

As the festivities get underway and the Christmas shopping and preparations get into full flight, we will all need a little down time with a good magazine or some stitching.  Hot off the press is the latest Quiltmania magazine, Issue #110.  We've posted it to all our regular subscribers, but we still have some copies available. 

All the festive preparations are already tiring out Sam who is clearly ready for yet another nap!  Have a great weekend everyone! 

Cutting ~ Cutting ~ Cutting . . .

With so much gorgeous fabric around we are having a cutting frenzy!  As we are always restocking our pre-cut fabrics, we had a great time selecting and then cutting new Dear Jane packs.  While we've named these DJ they are handy for any project where you want lots of variety but not much quantity.  In these little packs are twenty fabrics each cut at 8" x 10".  

Muffins ~ $20.00 each

As always we cut Fat Eighth packs of each new range that arrives in the shop.  This is a great way to 'taste' an entire collection!  Here are old & new ones on our shelves:  Petite Prints, Hannah's Heritage, Sticks & Stones, Loire Valley, Storytellers, Tree of Life, Scrap Happy, Roswell Mill, Alice's Scrapbag, Mille Couleurs, Threads of Time, Kindred Spirits, Flying Geese, Ophelia, Isabella, Hint of Print, Sophie, Friendship Ring, Mill Run Shirting.  
 

Fat 1/8th Packs

We also have Starter Packs for some of the quilt patterns we stock  ~  Civil War Bride, The Caswell Quilt, Miss Matty's Parlour, Phebe, & Sutton Grange are currently in stock.  These give you a start on the quilt using fabrics chosen by us.  Each pack is a selection of Fat 1/16ths in keeping with the fabrics used in the quilt of your choice.

Starter Packs

There are also baskets of Fat Quarters cut especially with Fussy Cutting in mind.  Some are repeat designs perfect for cutting hexagons while others are great for Broderie Perse ~ it's up to you!

Fussy Cutting Fat 1/4s

Just two new fabrics have arrived this week ~ a lovely deep mustard and a soft lemon from the Steel Collection pictured here with the pretty floral from Roswell Mill.

Steel Collection ~ $24.50 per metre

Here is the final 'early' release block from the Celebrating Mary Brown quilt ~ the Owl Block.  The complete quilt pattern is due to be launched early in the new year ~ and that's not very far away at all.

the Owl block ~ pattern $9.50

Lisa from Hay, NSW called in again to say hello and showed us her small quilt made from stunning fabrics cut from old Japanese Obis - the broad sash worn around the waist of a Japanese kimono.  This photo does not do her quilt justice ~ the colours & textures were sensational.  Thanks, Lisa!

a close up of the Obi fabrics

Lisa's Obi quilt

Well you can tell it is summertime when Sam prefers to laze around in the shade rather than be inside on his soft chair!    Hope this weekend brings you some time lazing around and sewing!

What a hard life I lead!

 

Fresh & Pretty this week . . .

Fresh & pretty it is this week!  Another 'Isabella' ~ this one by Erin Studios.  New to our shelves are seven pieces in limey greens, girly pinks and tealy blues.  All gorgeous and would also look great after a 'drink of tea'.

Isabella ~ $23.50 per metre

Isabella ~ $23.50 per metre

Our release of 'Celebrating Mary Brown' patterns is nearly complete with number nine this week.  Here we have the 'Star Flower' block ~ not too complicated but with plenty of scope to search through your stash for just the right fabric!  So that means next week is the final of our early released blocks but never fear, the quilt is very nearly finished so the complete pattern, including all of these early patterns, will be launched early in the new year.  You will hear about it first right here on our blog.

Celebrating Mary Brown ~ Star Flower ~ $9.50

What a lovely weekend I had!  It was so nice to be included in the Ballaarat Quilters biennial exhibition as a stall holder.  Lovely quilts, great company and a beautiful venue ~ thanks girls!
 

Ballaarat Quilters

This month as Thanksgiving draws near in America I'm reminiscing about my dear old grandmother, Nellie, so thought I'd share with you her peg bag from the 1930s.  She would think it hilarious to know it is framed hanging in pride of place in my sewing room!

Nellie's peg bag

And how lucky am I to return home the other night to find a old quilt hanging on a new hanger made by Kurt!  Very nice.

Pieces of the Past

From all of us at Threadbear & Sam, have a great weekend! 

How could anyone resist those eyes!