Karen Styles

OK... so what was in those fabric boxes!

2012-03-04T18:05:00.000+11:00

The boxes have been opened, and the fabric is on the shelves... but - they have been pulled off and put back so many times in the past few days by visitors to the shop! Before they all go, here they are pictured below.

Cocheco Mills IV

Crimson Bouquet

Prairie Crossing - part 1

Prairie Crossing - part 2

Little Pink Stars

Civil War Ladies

I hope you find something within these ranges to inspire you in your next project!

Until next time,

March Special Event with An Moonen

2012-03-01T07:00:00.000+11:00

On Saturday 17th March - An Moonen, author of 'A History of Dutch Quilts' will be at Somerset Patchwork for an informal afternoon visit (2.00-4.00pm); join us to meet and chat with An and purchase your own signed copy of her book. Already have a copy? - You’re very welcome to bring it in for An to sign.

Sunday 18th March - Quilt Study Group Victoria & Somerset Patchwork are delighted to present An Moonen who will deliver a special lecture : The History of Dutch Antique Quilts.
Time/Venue: 2.00pm, Box Hill RSL (Upton Room) 26-28 Nelson Street, Box Hill

Cost: $25.00 incl. afternoon tea. Bookings are essential, please contact Janet O'Dell (janet@techinfo.com.au)

Look how far Lynne has progressed with her 'star a day' quilt... I think she may be a little ahead of schedule!

Ooops, there have been lots and lots of boxes delivered today!

Let me unpack and sort them onto the shelves and I will show you what they look like very soon...

I'm not allowed to stop and peek any further just now... I must get back to work.

Until next time

Social Sewing at Somerset...

2012-02-22T19:44:00.000+11:00

The 'Social Sewing' groups here at Somerset Patchwork have been very busy this term. I think the Christmas holiday break has recharged the girls and there are some really exciting quilts nearing completion. This stunning hexagon quilt belongs to Jan from the Friday morning girls.

Look at all of those amazing fussy cut shapes!

Ann from the Thursday night girls has had a quick lesson in 'Clamshells' the Patchwork with Busyfingers way and is well and truly hooked!!! One tin is full of cut shapes and the other is quickly filling with glued shells ready to stitch.

Leigh from Tuesday night is working on her final border of Mrs Billings...you're almost there Leigh - keep going!

Jenny and Helen are the 'foundation' members of the new Tuesday morning Social Sewing group and they are looking for some new friends to join them. If you are free any Tuesdays from 10 am till 1 pm come along and join in the fun, we would love to see you there too!

Until next time,

Back to Reality

2012-02-20T20:18:00.000+11:00

Travelling and sewing go hand in hand these days, for a long time I would find waiting at airports and flying a very peaceful time mostly spent on reading or sleeping....but now I spend most of my travelling time stitching projects that 'must be finished soon'. Luckily for me I had enough stars prepared before heading home from Eumundi earlier last week because my flight was delayed 2 hours and there is only so much shopping a girl can do at Maroochydore airport!

These are the little stars that I was piecing. They will be used in my next Block of the Month 'Robins Nest'

Waiting for me back at the shop when I landed were lots and lots of boxes of new fabrics. Sue had a wonderful time playing with them and sorting them onto the shelves ready for my return! This first range 'Bridgeport' is from Jo Morton. Lots of lovely reds, lighter browns and darker browns.

These interesting fabrics are from the IQSC (International Quilt Study Centre - Nebraska), and are named 'Delectable Mountains'.

And these gorgeous reds and greys are from the latest French General range of 'Rouenneries Deux'.

I must finish something before I start looking at these new beauties!!!

Until next time,

Karen
When in doubt, wear RED shoes!

Beautiful Eumundi!

2012-02-15T20:30:00.000+11:00

Beautiful one day, perfect the next... isn't that the expression they use about our glorious northern state of Queensland. Early last week Paul and I spent a very relaxing few days at Sue Daley's B&B 'Kindred Spirits' in Eumundi. We had a wonderful time enjoying the tropical surrounds and hatching many new plans for 2012. Unfortunately Paul had to return home but I stayed on and was joined by some old friends (Leonie and Deidre from The Quilted Crow in Tasmania and Sarah from Quilt Fabrics Delight in South Australia) and some new ones too! (Marilyn from MK Sew-Able in Toowomba and Sharon from Avonleigh Country Quilting) Sue shared many of her finer points to perfect English Paper piecing and lots more with us all; our imaginations were running wild with ideas and many future projects. We did get up to some serious sewing (really we did!!!) while we were away, but there was also a good amount of time devoted to chatting, laughing and of course enjoying lots of good food and company!

You may have to look close to see, but there really is some sewing amongst the 'other stuff'!

What a perfect picture this was... we went swimming each day. It was just like a tropical resort.

Oh dear back to reality, keep watching as I bring some of those plans and ideas to life.................

Until next time,

Karen
When in doubt, wear RED shoes.

New Fabric at last!

2012-02-03T19:13:00.001+11:00

We have just had our first delivery of new fabric for 2012. It feels like such a long time since our last range of fabric came through the doors at Somerset! But here it is... 'Josephine' by Petra Prins, isn't it lovely, I can't wait to start stitching with this one.

The Friday girls are marching along with their 'Star a day' blocks. Today's stars belong to our over achiever Shirley. She has bought herself a diary and is entering each fabric chosen for that day. Shirley has even added a small comment about whats happening in her world on that day!

Today is 20/20 cricket Australia vs India and some time at home alone!

And now for another Mrs Billings update... Sue has added the 4-patch border and is motoring towards the finish line. Keep going Sue, it looks fantastic!

Keep stitching girls.
Until next time,

Karen
When in doubt, wear RED shoes!

How many Hexagons?

2012-01-23T22:05:00.000+11:00

Those two large boxes contained...... 100,000 hexagons! 50,000 of the little darlings in each. Did anyone come close to guessing that number? The funny thing is, we need at least that many again to complete the current block-of-the-month membership! Everywhere we turn at the shop there is another pile of hexagons.

This week we had another 'Midday to Midnight Madness' here at Somerset. Non stop stitching for 12 hours straight. There was lots of stitching, glueing, laughter and lollies! Most of the girls made it right through to the end.

Mary was preparing her final border for Mrs Billings, yes more hexagons. She is keeping track of each coloured patch she cuts and glues inside these bags. It is amazing the things we use to store our patchwork bits and pieces; zip lock bags, tupperware containers and fishing tackle boxes to name a few.

Lois has stitched a few more of her 'star a day' blocks from the chocolate box. I think she will be up to date very soon.

Aren't they lovely!

Jenny brought her 'Kings Crown' centre block in for show and tell from last weeks class.

Jenny was back again today working on a 'Carpenters Square' block in Linda Bears class.

And this block belongs to Tracey, who also joined todays Summer School class.

We are nearly at the end of classes for this January and thoughts are moving to first term. This next term is a short one, but we will try to include as many workshops as possible to keep you stitching.

Keeping watching for more Mrs Billings quilt updates, I know there are a few more out there getting close to completion!

Until next time,

Karen

When in doubt, wear RED shoes!

What do you do in January?

2012-01-20T19:07:00.002+11:00

Start a new project of course!
The Friday girls have decided that they will make a star a day this year... a three inch star! Small but very cute. The basic rules are make a block a day (except on your birthday and Christmas day), no repeat fabric in the stars and don't worry about whether they all match, the more varied the fabric and colour the better! Lynne has started with gusto and has even pieced her tiny stars into larger blocks.

Our Lynne is one very organised lady... I think she has prepared enough stars for the next couple of months! There are lots of pre packaged fabric for stars ready to be cut and stitched.

Lois is all organised too! Her stars are even cut into their shapes! I wonder where the chocolates have gone?

Miriam is working on a house block a day. Still very tiny and very cute... I think they are three inches as well!

And Sue is busy piecing her final border of Mrs Billings. Keep going Sue, the end is now in sight!

Wow, there must be something about these girls.. look how organised Sue is too!

I have had lots of guesses for how many of these hexagons were in the boxes a few posts back. Some of you are getting close but not quite... I will let you in on the total number next time!

Until then,
Karen
When in doubt, wear RED shoes!

Summer School Update

2012-01-19T15:40:00.000+11:00

Our Summer School classes have been very productive again this year... with lots of students learning lots of new things. The clamshell/applecore class was very surprised by the amount of stitching they achieved in a day, and just how easy it is when you know the tricks!

These two examples belong to Glenda and Julie. How do you like Julie's fussy cutting?

Beautiful 'William Morris' applecores!

Mary and Jenny brought along their colourful selection of threads! Yum, just like a box of 'Derwents'.

These clamshells are mine... I think they will turn into a 'Bed Sash', apparently that's the new name for a bed runner, sounds a bit more fancy doesn't it!
This January marks our 9th year of Summer classes and the weather has been very good to us so far, not too hot! There are lots more classes to come and hopefully I will remember to take the camera along and let you in on some of the fun. (Remember, I am still new at this blogging game!)

Until next time,

Karen
When in doubt, wear RED shoes!

Hexagons...hexagons... and more HEXAGONS!!

2012-01-11T19:08:00.000+11:00

This weeks big delivery at the shop was two very large and very heavy boxes from Sue Daley (Patchwork with Busy Fingers).

Hexagons... hexagons... and even more hexagons! I know that many of you are doing the Mrs Billings Coverlet Block-of-the-month, well this is what's included in your final months post!!!!

Just have a guess how many of those lovely little shapes are in these two boxes!!! Send me email and we will see who comes close. (I will let you all know the number next time.)

Until next time,

Karen

When in doubt, wear RED shoes!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-09T18:52:00.000+11:00

This week we had a visit from Helen, here at Somerset Patchwork. Helen has been very busy over the Christmas break working on her Mrs Billings and she has finished the hexagon rosette border! Isn't it beautiful, there's lots and lots of lovely fussy cutting.

Have a close look at the darling little elephants in the corner blocks! Thank you Helen for sharing your quilt.

Until next time,
Karen
When in doubt, wear RED shoes!

Christmas Family Traditions

2011-12-27T18:33:00.000+11:00

Christmas time is filled with many different family traditions, ours are very simple... but..., this Christmas my daughter Kimberley decided to start a new 'tradition'. We have talked often about making a Gingerbread House and this year the time was right. Isn't it beautiful! The gingerbread was made and cut to shape, lots of lollies were attached and a few more consumed during construction. Look there are even gingerbread men, red(?) snowmen (we forgot the marshmallows!), mini christmas 'bushes' (the supermarket was all out of mint leaves) and soft snow on the roof. Kimberley had a lot of fun making the house while I watched on busily finishing the binding on a quilt for my brother-in-law for Christmas.

Since I was a small girl my family have had a bit of a Boxing Day Tradition. Santa would bring my sister and me a 'creative' gift like a new jigsaw puzzle or craft pack or 'doing thing'. We would amuse ourselves with these activities while Dad sat and watched the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race or the Boxing Day test match, and mum would have some time for herself. I have continued this practice over the years to start a new project, dressmaking as a teenager, joining new Lego pieces together as a mum, encouraging my children to start something new too! These days the theme is usually start a new quilt! Last year it was Mrs Billings, the design plans had been in place for a while and the fabric selected, but, the serious stitching started between Christmas and New Year. This year I have had a few important things to finish first... 2 overdue wedding quilts and one for my brother-in-law for Christmas.

They are now all DONE... so... what do I start next! I have headed back to Kings Crown and drawn a design for the centre applique. I treated myself to some lovely threads awhile ago and have now found a use for them. The day has been spent quietly stitching, watching the cricket and planning the next major project for the year in my head. (I must get that down on paper soon!)

Oh no, while I wasn't looking a little mouse has come along and nibbled at the roof of our Gingerbread House...mmmmm. It's a shame they can't last for ever, I do think this will definitely be a new tradition for our family.

I hope you have had a wonderful Christmas and restful Boxing Day. Did you get a chance to start a new project too!

Until next time,

Karen

Summer School class samples

2011-12-18T19:30:00.001+11:00

The class samples for Summer School are in the shop now. Here is a quick look at whats on offer this January 2012! Oh that sounds so strange... where has 2011 gone to! The classes are filling fast so don't forget to look at the class list and give us a call if your interested.

'Kings Crown' class... this quilt is moving along quite nicely, except for the group Christmas festivities that keep getting in the way of my stitching!

'Kings Crown' - this is the centre block...still a few more stars to go, then they will be appliqued onto a large square.

There are a number of these pieced blocks surrounding the stars in the centre.

'Nearly Insane', what was Salinda Rupp thinking when she made this quilt in 1870's Pennsylvania? I know some of you have begun this gorgeous quilt, maybe you would like to continue, or would you like to start? We have copies of this book for sale if you can't make it to a class.

Gail Pan has created this lovely wall hanging for a class at Somerset. Perfect for beginners or advanced applique lovers alike. The project has lots of basic applique shapes to learn and/or perfect.

This is Linda Bears 'Carpenters Square'. A large 40" machine pieced block x four, creates a very interesting two colour finished quilt. The fabrics appear to interlace with each other.

'George Town Circle' with Michelle Yeo. Michelle will show you how to foundation piece this large circular block or you can piece this one by hand.

The 'Friday Sewing Girls' had a break-up Christmas luncheon last week too. Even Santa came for a visit! There was lots and lots of lovely yummy food. I think this was the last of the celebrations for now. Mmmm Jan's Meringue Roll was absolutely delicious!

Until next time,

Karen
When in doubt, wear red shoes!

WOW!!! Look what arrived this week!

2011-12-11T17:59:00.001+11:00

Wow! The John Hewson panels arrived this week. There are birds, birds and more birds, butterflies of many sizes, the large central 'Floral Urn' panel and two borders, one large and one small. These panels and prints are beautifully recreated and are very close to the original colourings. To see the complete John Hewson range visit the Somerset Patchwork website.

And as promised...what did I do with those fabrics? Here is the start to a quilt that was originally made by Susan Lorinda Brigham (Munroe) Shepherd in 1850. She had named her pieced quilt 'King David's Crown'. These tiny stars are only 3 inches in size!

After making the stars they are set into an interesting circle. It constantly amazes me how these women from our past could think up these intricate designs and transform them into the wonderful quilt tops we know today without the use of modern tools and just a little basic math knowledge! I admire their perseverance to get these quilts to work and sit flat! This circle of stars forms the central design and is surrounded by pieced 'Kings Crown' blocks. Keep watching...

This week I will be collecting lots of photos of the class samples for our January 2012 Summer School, and will post them as they become available.

Until next time,

Karen
When in doubt wear, red shoes!

Christmas Festivities have started at Somerset Patchwork!

2011-12-08T20:33:00.001+11:00

This week Christmas arrived early at Somerset. There has been a party nearly everyday! Linda Bear's Wednesday morning girls had a 'Mad Hatters Christmas' party with all of them wearing stunning headgear creations for lunch. There was even a glass or two of sparkling...mmm...something with strawberries and little umbrellas for special effect. Plenty of food was consumed to diffuse the bubbles.

Linda on the right with her 'Wednesday girls'

Kim Bastiani's Monday group, played ladies and had a sit down meal at the end of their class, there was even a place set for me! Thank you Anne and Jackie for making our delicious lunch.

Please note the fine china and perfect cutlery...lunch in style!

One of Anne's specialities...homemade strawberry sponge and cream...yummmmmm

Since finishing Mrs Billings I have had a bit of a creative dry spell, but I think the drought has finally broken. While playing with fabric the other day I came across this colour combination. A selection I have never worked in before. The books came out and the drawing started and now I have begun to stitch. There will be lots more photos to follow soon.

Until next time,

Karen
When in doubt, wear red shoes!

Mrs Billings x 2

2011-11-30T18:41:00.001+11:00

Jenny from NSW came for a visit to the shop this week and brought along her beautiful version of Mrs Billings for show and tell. She has chosen a collection of lovely florals. Check out the fussy cut hexagon rosettes! Well done Jenny we hope to see more soon.

This stunning brighter version of Mrs B belongs to Mary... some of you may have seen this one in progress a few months ago. Mary is relatively new to hand piecing, but, I think we have her hooked now!

Don't forget to bring your quilt in for show and tell if you're passing through Melbourne this summer.
Keep an eye on the Mrs Billings' Coverlet page for lots more of these beautiful works in progress.

Karen
When in doubt, wear red shoes!

Sue Daley is in town!

2011-11-27T20:53:00.001+11:00

Sue Daley came to visit us at Somerset Patchwork last weekend. We had a wonderful evening on Friday with Sue showing us all of her gorgeous quilts from her new book she recently launched at Houston. We will be getting lots of these in store as soon as they are available, keep on eye on the website for more info.

On Saturday Sue, Michelle Yeo and I taught a class called 'Triple the Fun', in this class the three of us taught different techniques all of which could be used in one quilt.

Some of the girls working hard! mmmm... they were fondly named 'the back of the bus girls, you know the ones, always in trouble and up to mischief!

On Sunday we had a more restful day playing with 'Clamshells' & 'Apple Cores'.

Working hard again! I think some of these girls were in ' that' group from Saturday!

Carolyn and Amanda's Apple Cores... Sue makes this traditional shape so easy using modern techniques

And Shirley's Clamshells... these wonderful shapes are all the rage at the moment.

A good time was had by all. I can't wait to have a little time to play with these shapes myself! Call in to Somerset for a visit to check out these shapes and many more of Sue's English piecing papers from Patchwork with Busy Fingers.

Till next time, yours in quilting,
Karen

New Fabric... Morris & Company

2011-11-21T19:39:00.001+11:00

There were lots of boxes...lots of heavy boxes...delivered during the week. We couldn't wait to open them all, so a quick peak was in order. Look what was inside!

These lovely florals are from Barbara Brackmans new 'William Morris' fabric range, Morris & Company. The beautiful florals come in large, medium and small sized prints in fabulous autumn tones. I think I can feel a quilt coming!

Lots and lots of heavy boxes...

All out of their wrappers and ready to play with...

Now which one will I choose!

Keep watching and see what I make from these,

Yours in quilting, Karen

Welcome to my new blog...

2011-11-13T22:37:00.001+11:00

Hello and welcome to my new blog. The time has finally come for me to branch out into new technology - well, new for me, anyway! So here goes....

There has been a lot of activity here at the shop lately; we have been preparing for some interstate and local Melbourne shows, planning special activities here in store and getting this months mailout of the Fabric Samplings Club ready for posting.

Loads of cutting, collating and packaging, turning piles of fabric into lovely parcels ready for the postman to deliver. I thought you might like a sneak peak of whats coming this week. It takes a little while to organise and we are always pleased when its finished!

Step 1 - Piles and piles of fabric ready to be packaged...

Step 2 - All ready for processing....

Step 3 - All done, now off to the Post Office with it!

This weekend we are hosting a special guest artist ...... Sue Daley is coming to town!
Sue will be presenting a trunk show this Friday evening with lots of projects and quilts from her newly released book.
There are still a few spaces available if you would like to join us.

A little bird told me that there will be some new fabric arriving on Monday or Tuesday this week, so...watch this space!

Happy stitching, Karen