Hey Reader!
I tried something I've never done before - I sewed pleats! Look out garment world, here I come! Ha! I kid, I kid. I mean I'm super proud of trying something new and it actually looking half decent, but I have zero desire to enter the garment sewing world. I've seen enough Project Runway to know it's not for me (and I don't have a Tim Gunn or Christian Siriano to tell me when I'm going wrong ;) ).
Here in Australia, we have Book Week in August - celebrating all things reading. Libraries get in on it and of course the schools. There's a Book Week parade where kids get to dress up as their favourite book character. My only schoolkid is 16 and still wanted to dress up. Just like her birthday cake orders, she loves to give me a creative challenge. This year she announced, with appropriate dramatic fanfare, that she wanted to be the Phantom of the Opera. Which naturally requires a cape. Mum and her sewing machine to the rescue!
I had zero idea of what I was doing, I kinda made it up as I went. It's not going to win me any awards, except maybe this kid's Best Mum award which I'll take from my teenage daughter ;) At school dropoff, I very much encouraged her to walk in and do a dramatic swirl with her cape while the Phantom soundtrack was blaring from the car speakers as I drove off. But she told me no. Spoilsport.
Anyways, this all has nothing to do with quilting, other than for me to say, "hey you, go try new things! I bet it turns out better than you thought!" ;)
Now let's get on with the quilting show! *cue dramatic Phantom music*
Hello September!
September is my favourite month. Spring is officially here, and I'm starting to see the wattle blooming, and all the beautiful flowers around here are just starting to bud. Add in that it's birthday month and what more can a girl ask for? My birthday is in a few days (hello Featherweight!!!), and then my son's. Alas I won't get to see or talk to him on his birthday as he's still in basic training but we're going to gloss over that fact before it makes me sad.
But I digress, I promised quilting chatter! So the other birthday coming up this month - Make Mine Mini! It turns 3! Three years of FPP fun, my friends! That's over 72 fun patterns, so many chances to ooh and ahh over talented MMMer's blocks, and countless hours of happy sewing!
I've also had the fun of designing two new patterns for each of those months - and I love how it stretches me to come up with new ideas and to create something on all sorts of themes! When I started the membership, I really wanted to create a space where there were new patterns to inspire each month, make it feel like a lil treat to ourselves to have something new to create. Or simply stash the patterns away for when the time came to use them.
You know what my favourite part is though? When our clever makers share what they make and the fabrics they choose. That they tried something new. Or they found the perfect block to make into a gift for someone. To think that a little pattern that I dreamed up is being sewn by a talented person somewhere in the world and turned it into something awesome - it gives one quite a warm and fuzzy ;)
For this month, our birthday month, I decided to lean into the sewing theme. You know I love me a geometric sewing machine, so that was the start. I built a little sewing notions wreath around the idea and called it Tools of the Trade! Then I brought our little birdie buddy back, sitting all happy atop a spool of thread!
These two patterns are out now in Make Mine Mini. Both coming in multiple sizes, and both just waiting for you to come along and stitch them up!
Oh but it gets better! Because what's a birthday without a pressie? (That my non-Australian friends is Aussie for presents. We can't help ourselves with abbreviating words). How about a brand new alphabet?
Last year's birthday gift was the lowercase joining script alphabet, and this year we're completing the set! I've been asked quite a few times "is there an uppercase to match?" and now I can say yes! Yes there is! Here's how they look together.
This is a special 3rd birthday gift available just for Make Mine Mini members during September. Already a member? Go log in to the membership and download it and start planning all that texty quilty goodness.
Not yet a member but been thinking about it? Now is an excellent time to join us merry bunch of FPPers and add this alphabet set to your collection. Happy birthday to us all!
Fun Finds
Need a lil more quilty inspiration? Let me add to that by sharing some of the fun finds I've come across in my internet travels.
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Who doesn't love a good sampler quilt? This one has something for everyone!
I've teamed up with 15 other designers to bring you a modern and delightful sampler with a nature theme.
Pre-orders are open now, and even better, get in early and save over 10% on the full price!
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FREE BENTO BOX QUILT PATTERN
Love playing with colour, print and fabric placement? Bento Box is one of Ange of GnomeAngelβs free quilt patterns and a fun way to let favourite fabrics do the talking. Sign up to get the Bento Box pattern and explore more free patchwork from GnomeAngel.
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Twilight Tiny TVs!
βGenavieve from Thunderbird Handcrafted has been designing something a little fun - and it just so happens to pair perfectly with the Tiny TV pattern I designed! This one's for the Twilight fans amongst you - the perfect fabrics including an exclusive Twilight themed fabric panel, matching ice-dyed prints, stickers, labels and a tote! So much goodness for the Twilight fan in your life (and totally okay if that happens to be you ;)
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I was given a little nudge that it had been a minute since I shared a chook photo in the newsletter. How very rude of me! So I'm remedying that now with a pic of our silly cluckers on the Chicnic table! Sunflower seeds are their favourite! Obi Hen Kenobi didn't want to pose for the photo, so closest you get is a chicken butt.
I'm off to plan some more fun and mischief for our birthday month in Make Mine MIni. If you don't want to miss out, do make sure you join us. That alphabet is practically calling your name after all.
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Hope your September is off to a wonderful start with plans full of quilting and fabric fun.
Happy sewing!
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Kristy Lea
Mama, Designer, Quilter, Lover of Rainbows, Foundation Paper Piecing Fanatic, Crazy Cat Lady, Part-time Chicken Wrangler
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