Bundles, Bow Ties, and Birthdays

First things First ~ Football Friday 30 September,  Threadbear will be open 10am - 2pm.
We have been busy this week packing box after box after box of fabrics, patterns and other goodies to take to Adelaide for the South Australian Quilters Guild's Festival of Quilts~Show & Expo.  It will be well worth a visit with a huge display of quilts, 30 shops, plus demonstrations and free workshops, so get your best girlfriends and get along to Morphetville Racecourse in Adelaide Friday 30 September ~ Sunday 2 October.  Here's just a sample of some the new fabric bundles we've put together this week for the show and the shop.  From our pretty floral shelves are some very tempting fat eighths in sets of four; perfect stocking fillers or little thankyou gifts for friends.

 Also new this week are these gorgeous 4" rolls of 1800s prints and shirtings which work so well together in small pieced blocks for a really authentic antique look.  For added inspiration, we've attached the pattern for this miniature Bow Tie quilt which Corliss has been working on over the years.

Quiltmania Magazine Issue #115 arrived on Tuesday and has been sent to all our subscribers.  But as always we have some copies available on our counter.  There's are some great patterns, a feature on two well known Melbourne Quilters and a terrific report on the recent Sydney Quilt show with loads of photos of the winning quilts.  Phone us to order your copy.

And because we KNOW you all love to see quilts, here is some more show and tell from our recent Passionate Piecers Group meeting.

Patti's own design and ready for the Goldfields Quilters exhibition in October here in Castlemaine

Pam's great use of colour and print was much admired

Dresden Plates in 1930s fabrics are always classically beautiful

you can't go past a classic design

Jenni shared this fabulous quilt in black white and red

Libby's beautifully crocheted "quilt"

It takes two - me and you

Well our very own BIRTHDAY BOY had a great time this week just lapping up the attention and birthday wishes.  He even agreed to pose for a special photo in his party hat to mark the occasion.  Happy Birthday Sam ~ from all of us here at Threadbear and all your special friends out there - hip hip hooray and here's looking forward to the next 9 years.

 Next week there won't be a blog post while we are busy in Adelaide.  We hope to see many of you there .  But wherever you are we hope you find plenty of time for a bit of stitching and fabric therapy. Have a great weekend everyone!

******SPECIAL BIRTHDAY EDITION SAMMY OUT-TAKES******

yeah..can you get this hat off me now....

where's the Treat gone---I can smell it, I can taste it, I just can't see it....

Pheasants Galore

Yes folks, the Pheasants are back!  We love this stunning reproduction chintz from Margo Krager's Pheasants & Traceries collection.  We sold all we had in July but were able to reorder and took delivery of another couple of bolts this week.  The print is approx 12" high and wide and lends itself equally well to a blocks, broderie perse, or borders. 

Pheasants & Traceries $25.50m

Megan's newest work in progress features the irky gold, teal and pink print (although she has a handy amount of both colourways in her cupboard at home!).  Both  are equally beautiful and versatile. To gi9ve you some idea of how each works with a mix of colours and prints, here are a few we grabbed to show you and hopefully inspire you to incorporate a bit of this amazing chintz reproduction into your stash.

Also new this week is a gorgeous border print from Paula Barnes' Red Rose and Vines collection.  It's quite an orangey red with tan and black print and would make a fantastic frame around a special quilt.

Red Rose & Vines $28.50m

Red Rose & Vines $28.50m

Threadbear's Passionate Piecers met last Saturday and were treated to a special trunk show from Margaret Hall who shared with us some of her beautiful antique pieced quilts collected mostly from America over the past 30 years.  Thanks again Margaret for your generosity and the inspiration. Here's a handful of Margaret's quilts to wet your appetite.

This week Sam is counting down the sleeps until his B I R T H D A Y ~ next week he turns nine!  Sammy is expecting loads and loads of birthday wishes and presents, and treats, and pats and treats, and attention and treats.  Loads of them.  So he figures the more he naps this week the sooner his birthday bonanza will begin.  Stay tuned for the Big Birthday Wrap next week, and have a great weekend everyone! 

Courtyard in Spring!

New to Threadbear this week are these stunning border prints and paisleys from Courtyard by 3 Sisters for Moda.  We have the border print in three colours ~ soft latte brown, light goldy-tan, and faded vintage pink (or as Di Ford calls it, Granny's Undies pink).  With 6 repeats across the width of the fabric, this print will make a fantastic final border or suit a strippy quilt.  And like we always say, when you see a great border fabric that you love, buy it because they never last long. We also chose the paisley print in gold-tan and latte brown ~ perfect for fussy cutting.

#1 Courtyard $26.50m

#2 Courtyard $26.50m

#3 Courtyard $26.50m

#4 Courtyard $26.50m

Spring has sprung here in Castlemaine ~ the flowers are blooming in the courtyard, the bees are buzzing, and the spring rains have arrived. With the change of season, we got the urge to freshen up the shop and move fabrics around to make room on our shelves for new arrivals. After two days of moving almost every bolt in the shop, we have swapped and changed things around and the shop is looking fabulous.

 There are three important things a Spoodle needs in his life - food, snoozes, and plenty of pats.  We all know Sam gets plenty of snoozes, but this week he was particularly peckish and dinner just couldn't come around quickly enough.  So,  he took to snoozing next to his dinner bowl.

As for pats and attention - well Sam was just a little miffed to see that Poppy would be closing today's blog.  Yes our little alpaca baby, Poppy, is now 4 months old and has begun her halter training which is kind of like Alpaca Pre-School!  Her fleece is spectacularly soft and she is of course the most clever Alpaca you'd ever hope to meet - and the cutest!  Have a great weekend everyone.

French General, but what...no footy?!

Ooh La La ~ Le Marais...Take a look at this beautiful toile print from French General which we found still in stock in the warehouse recently.  The beautiful faded french red sits so well on the pebble/bisque background.  This stunning traditional print has 60cm repeat.

Le Marais $26.50m

Also from French General are these delicious little treats - just three from Madame Rouge, reproduced from scraps found on the floor of a French Seamstress' workshop and all in the traditional shades of mustard red and pink of the south of France. 

Madame Rouge $26.50m

These next few fabrics come from a range with a far less enticing and romantic name.  Audrey Wright brings us Orphan Train of Memories ....no french chateaus here Ladies!  We selected just three from the range with a delicate little print.  Choose from soft blue, pink, or warm milky brown.

Orphan Train of Memories $28.50m

Preparations are now well underway for our trip to Adelaide for the Festival of Quilts 30 September ~ 2 October at the Morphetville  Racecourse.  We are cutting and folding like crazy which means that there is loads of newly selected and cut stock in the shop also.

New Fussy-cut Fat Quarters to fill the basket

This afternoon we found Sammy sitting patiently by the door waiting to go home and cheer the mighty North Melbourne Kangaroos to victory on the TV.....it seems nobody told him there is no AFL footy this weekend.! .  Have a great weekend everyone!