Merry Christmas Everyone!

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas", and sound like it too with the Christmas carols playing in the shop as we fill Christmas orders for people this week.  If you're looking to treat yourself to some handy stash building fabrics, take a look at Antique Cotton by Pam Buda for Marcus Fabrics.  There are 25 in all, half are dark dense colours with tiny prints.  The other half are cream or off white with some fresh new shirting style prints.  Something for everyone!

Antique Cotton $26.00m

We had a really lovely day with the Applique Group on Saturday for our last get together for 2015.  The room was full once again and everyone was happily sharing news and ideas as they stitched.  Our guest speaker this time was Elli Henry who showed the group some of her favourite antique quilts that she has collected over the years and entertained us with the stories of how and where she found them.  Here's a sample of what she brought along.

Show and Tell was dazzling as always with a great mix of styles, techniques and fabrics.  And a couple of girls even brought along their Christmas quilts to share the festive spirit.  Here's a few of the beautiful quilts we saw.

Everyone in the group is focused now on our Exhibition coming up on the 12th& 13th March 2016. With all  proceeds going directly to Emma House Domestic Violence Services here in Victoria, we're all really keen to put on a fabulous show and raise as much money as we possibly can.  We'd love to see you there!

We're looking forward to hosting the Secret Sewing Sisterhood here on Saturday for their end of year get together here at Threadbear for a little festive merriment before we close for Christmas.  Of course, there's no show without Punch!  Sam is a HUGE fan of all things Christmas and especially presents.  He insists on ripping open the wrapping on ANY present, regardless of what's inside.  It all goes back to his first ever Christmas when he found a puppy treat inside a wrapped gift!  Now, every present under the tree or in a 50 metre radius is fair game, whether it has his name on it or not!  Have a very Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas cherries and more new fabrics!

With Christmas just around the corner, how appropriate it was to receive some beautiful red fabrics from French General, all in tiny little prints.  We chose just 18 from the "Petite Prints Deux" range in rouge, faded red, oyster, and indigo.  The faded red is quite spectacular with its strong pink undertone.  These really are a beautiful addition to any stash. 

#1 Petite Prints Deux $24.50m

#2 Petite Prints Deux $24.50m

#3 Petite Prints Deux $24.50m

#4 Petite Prints Deux $24.50m

#5 Petite Prints Deux $24.50m

 Just a reminder too that we close for Christmas on Saturday 19th December, so there are still 9 more Threadbear shopping days for this year.   Here in Castlemaine, Christmas is often quite a hot day and one of the many Christmas treats we enjoy are the mid season cherries!  Well Sam is certainly no exception.  He figures that Kurt just grows the cherries for him to pick and eat (pips and all) whenever it takes his fancy.  Now if only someone would lower those branches!  Have a great weekend everyone!

Duets with Eliza in Uptown Hyde Park.

When is enough fabric enough?  Well never of course!  Happily, more new delicious fabrics arrived this week so here's a look at a sample of each of three new ranges.
Firstly," Eliza's Indigo" by quiltmaker and historian by Betsy Chutchian.  We received more in this gorgeous range to complete our pick and choose from the full collection.  Choose from prints in rich buttery golden yellow, warm coffee bean brown, vibrant blue,creamy beige, soft greyish powder blue, and indigo.

#1  Eliza's Indigo $24.50m

#2  Eliza's Indigo $24.50m

#3  Eliza's Indigo $24.50m

Also arriving from Moda was our selection of 14 must-have fabrics from the utterly gorgeous new range by the Blackbird Designs girls ~ "Hyde Park ".  We have some of the ever popular sampler prints, sweet little spots, and the fantastic romantic floral which is just calling out to be used for broderie perse! Choose from soft sage green, duck egg blue, clotted cream, and rose pink.

#1 Hyde Park $24.50m

#2 Hyde Park $24.50m

#3 Hyde Park $24.50m

And if that wasn't enough to ring our Christmas Bells, in walked boxes of "Uptown Duets" by Faye Burgos for Marcus Fabrics.  Once again, Corliss has chosen bits from each of the "Gilded Rose" and "Tarnished Teal" colourways, that make up the complete collection. We have 14 very tempting fabrics that work beautifully together, or with other reproduction ranges. The pinks are deep, warm and rosy.  The teals are a true greeney teal complimented by taupes and greys.  And how about that diagonal striped print?  Fussy cutting on steroids!

#1 Uptown Duets $27.00m

#2 Uptown Duets $27.00m

As always we're looking forward to celebrating the end of the year and all that brings with the girls in our Applique Group next Saturday.  They have been enthusiastically entering quilts for the forthcoming Exhibition and if the photos they've provided are anything to go by, we are all in for a real treat.  Mark the date in your diaries ~ 12 & 13 March 2016 ~ ...you won't want to miss this one! 

With December upon us,  Sam has begun patiently counting the sleeps till Santa arrives with a delicious treat for him under the Christmas tree.  But with the number of sleeps Sam has every day, it's gonna take a while!

 Speaking of which, remember, there are only 14 more Threadbear shopping days till we close on 19 December for Christmas!   Have a great weekend everyone.