Sew Hip

Time for another post, I am back from the frozen north as my husband calls it, but actually it was really warm for a change!  It was so nice to come back and see Sew Hip in the shop window with our cushions, and to read all about ourselves inside.  Its even better to walk into the newsagents and see it on the shelves!  We have to brag a bit, so above is a photograph of the front of the magazine and below a picture of the `posh pants` bag also featured.  I have been making these bags for years, and they have always been popular.

Back to last week Debby must be worn out, although it was her week for working last week, she had a workshop to run, the evening class on Wednesday and my class on Thursday morning.  I have had a workshop today so she has been in again, and then on Thursday I am having a cataract removed from my eye, and being the coward that I am, I am having a general aenesthetic (don`t think I`ve spelt that right!).  I really cannot bear the thought of someone messing around with my eyes, and I know I wouldn`t keep still.  That`s another couple of days when I won`t be around.  I think she is still speaking to me, but if any of you come in the shop and see her in a huddle on the floor, it`s probably because she is so exhausted that she has fallen asleep.

Today we have had an applique workshop called Farmyard Heaven.  I think we all enjoyed ourselves, I certainly did.  Although none of the work was completed everyone was well on the way.  Everyone appliqued the pieces by hand, and by the end of the day were ready to put their borders on and start quilting. 

It was a small class as a couple of people had to drop out at the last minute, but we decided it was cosy!  I love the colours, it never ceases to amaze me how different they can all look. 

Debby and I are now working out dates and themes for our next workshops from May onwards, it`s never easy trying to think of themes that will appeal to people, but we have a  few ideas up our sleeves.  Then of course we have to make the samples, there never seem to be enough hours in the day.

Last Friday I went over to Radstock with Shirley from Stitcherydo, we went to see a quilt exhibition at the museum.  We took ages to get to the museum  as once we got to Radstock it felt like they were digging up the entire town and the queues were terrible.  When we finally got to the museum we discovered it was only open in the afternoons.  We decided to go over to Frome which was only about 10 miles away.  For those of you that don`t know Frome has turned into quite a trendy shopping centre, particularly if you are into vintage.  There is a little street called St. Catherine`s Hill, and the shops are great.  I spent a small fortune in a lovely wool shop called Marmalade Yarns, and then Shirley spent some too. If you get the chance I would thoroughly recommend a visit.  We had a nice lunch and then went back to Radstock which took some time.  The traders must be going mad.  The exhibition was very enjoyable and as usual very inspiring.  I particularly loved the older quilts on show.  The museum itself is a good place to visit, and the staff, all volunteers are very helpful.  It is a charity so there is a charge, but well worth it.

Thats it for another week, so happy stitching!
































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Busy week

Had a busy week this week.  On Monday we had a Sewing Bag workshop which seemed to go well, everybody went away with a completed bag and as you can see they all look completely different. 

Sadly Joan had to attend a funeral in the North East this week so I had no mate to help with the class on Wednesday evening or Thursday morning. Yet again the 'alone' signal must have gone out as one of the reps came in with samples that had to be ordered straight away but Joan will be pleased that I didn't go completely mad. 

We had a delivery today of these robot fabrics which are really cheerful and the fillers could be used with many of the other fabrics we already have.

This week  I have also been focussing on our website, all photos and text have been sent off (with the help of my husband)  although he did send the wrong ones to begin with.  So fingers crossed it should be finished sometime in April.

We also had a visit from Gary (plus Rose, his lovely wife) from Timeless Images who came over last Thursday evening to take some professional photos of the shop which will be useful for our website and promotional bits and pieces - exciting.  Good news is that he didn't want photos of us.

One of our customers bought in this lovely bunch of daffodils as a thank you for helping with her first ever quilt for her first grandchild.  We discussed what to do in the shop which she then completed at home, she would return for the next stage until finished.  She was really pleased with the end result and now just has to wait to find out what type of baby it is.

On Saturday 3rd March there is a Vintage Fabric sale at Trull Village Hall which starts at 10am, so if you have some free time it is worth a visit.  Unluckily (or luckily) I am working so will not be broke by the end of the day

Hope you all have a good weekend

Debby

News

Last week was my turn in the shop and as it was half term it was nice to see so many Grans or Mums coming in with granddaughters, daughters and grandsons.  Two gorgeous little boys came in with their Gran, they had made a bag and make-up bag for their Mum for Mothers day, they were really well made the bag even had a pocket for a mobile phone inside.  Its not often that I fall in love with children but these two were adorable and so polite. Just shows what impression I made on them, they went past the shop a bit later during the day and waved in at a customer I was talking to who they obviously thought was me.  No more information though as I don't want to ruin the surprise for their Mum.

Joan and I went to the trade show on Sunday and managed to get a huge roll of Steam a Seam Lite which was for display only so it came without a box (this was stuck to the wall) but who needs a box anyway.  We also came away with loads of ideas so hopefully we will have time to put some of them into practice.

The really good news is that Joan's cushions and bags are being featured in Sew Hip this week.  Whilst speaking on the phone this morning she squealed, I thought she had fallen but a copy of the magazine had arrived and the cushions were featured on the front page.  There is also a two page article on us and the shop along with patterns for the cushion and a 'posh pants' bag that Joan designed.  I haven't even seen it yet so its really exciting, it should be in the shops by the end of the week so keep a look out.

Debby

Not Quite Famous

Debby and I have had an eventful few days.  I have been to London and survived the snow!  Poor Debby has been to hospital and then back again.  We have had the first of our workshops, and had our photograph taken by a photographer for a national newspaper - more about that later!

Last week was my week off so I went up to London to stay with my son and his wife.  We had a great time as we always do.  I won`t bore you all with the details, except to say that we went to a little museum called the Geoffrye Museum down the road from Liverpool Street Station.  Its a museum of the home and is in what was once almshouses.  It has room settings of the middle class, or the `middling` class as they used to be called. The room settings show how our homes developed  over the centuries, and is absolutely fascinating.  I have to say there wasn`t a quilt in sight, but may be thats because middle class homes didn`t have them!  There were gardens but they were closed.  It was so cold we didn`t really mind, and you could look out at them from a little garden room which you could sit in and read books on the home and garden. It has a lovely shop and an excellent cafe. Anyway if you ever get the chance to go you must.

There was great excitement earlier in the week when we got our copy of a magazine which is going to feature our work next month.  The excitement was because on the page showing whats coming next month there was a photograph of our cushions.  We will tell you what magazine it is when it is out - we still can`t quite believe its going to happen.

As I mentioned we also had a photographer in the shop taking our photographs for a feature in a national newspaper in a few weeks time.  We were both a little nervous, but he was great.  We did ask if he could get rid of our extra pounds, and I was particularly worried about my roots (Debby had had hers done the day before!).  He was very patient, and put us as ease, but when we were being particularly trying he did say to us `I have photographed super-models you know` that soon put us in our place.  That said he did say it with a grin!

We had our second workshop this week with Anne Baxter and the feedback was as ever, great.  Anne is an excellent tutor with a really good sense of humour, and has the ability to put everyone at ease no matter what level they are.  I hope we will soon see the results of the day, so if any of you reading this went to the workshop we would love to see your finished projects.

We had an email from Anne-Marie in Holland this week who tells us that she has had our name included on the Dutch Quilters Guild list of shops to visit in Great Britain.  That was really kind of her, and hopefully we will meet some more Dutch quilters as a result.  Anne-Marie visited us last summer when she stayed in the area.

Above is a photograph of a table runner which went in the window this week for Valentines Day.  If you look carefully (actually you don`t need to look that carefully its pretty obvious) you will see that the photograph is the wrong way round.  I had a much better photograph of the whole window which was all Debby`s work, except I don`t seem to be able to turn it the right way without saving this blog as a draft and then going into the photographs to sort it out, so I hope you will forgive me.  I am in the shop writing this, and need to concentrate inbetween customers.  As you all know computers are not my favourite items.

I finished one of the quilts I have been making for a layer cake workshop, which is now hanging in the shop.  I have quilted it by hand, it just seemed easier, and with the cold nights it was very cosy.  I find quilting by hand very theraputic, and it stops me from falling asleep watching the rubbish on the television.  There is a red border which you obviously can`t see which is a pity because it really finishes it off.  I feel it needs more quilting, and will probably do some more at a later date.  I loved the layer cake it was called Ruby by Moda.

These lovely fabrics arrived last week and are from Sevenberry.  I have great plans for a window display with this fabric, but Debby may beat me to it.  They are very fresh and springlike, and just looking at them makes me feel better, but then I am rather sad like that!

These other new fabrics are from a new supplier and they are called Long Live Vintage.  They have been selling really well.  On the vintage theme I must tell you about The Textile Rag and Remnant Rummage sale which is taking place at Trull Memorial Hall, nr Taunton on Saturday 3rd March.  If you want to find out more visit thevintagebazaar.blogspot.com

It`s been a funny week, there have  been days when it has been so cold and grey you don`t think anyone will come out and you are busy all day, and then others when it is sunny, still cold, and you don`t see anyone.  Lets hope the weather cheers up soon.

Busy, busy, busy

I don`t know where the time goes to, it`s nearly two weeks since we updated our blog, so here we go again!
We have been busy with our accounts, or should I say Debby has been busy with our accounts, while I have made sympathetic noises and tried to look like I know what she is talking about, however she is not easily fooled.  Jamie the accountant and Debby have taken on a saint like status as far as I am concerned.  Every time an email has arrived from him I go into a state of panic daring myself to open it wondering what he wants now, while Debby calmly gathers the necessay information and duly sends it back to him, and he duly deals with it with no fuss.  I want to tell you that it is all over now, but I am not going to, because if I do there will be another email to worry about!

It has been my week in the shop although Debby came in on Wednesday as she ran a Jelly Roll workshop for a lovely group of ladies that meet at Puriton.  She took a couple of packets of biscuits with her which came back unopened, I commented to her how good they were, but she told me they had brought their own, and cakes!  Of course now I have opened one packet, and Debby the other and guess what all of them have gone!

I have been trying to get some of my projects completed this week.  I have one quilt  that just needs two edges of binding stitched down.  I have nearly completed another layer cake quilt which I am really pleased with, and which I will photograph next time.  I have made it in a Moda fabric called Ruby which I love.  I have another to make, but this time have used fabric which I wouldn`t normally use from another Moda range called Blueberry Crumb Cake.  Because they are for a workshop I feel I have to cater to different tastes, but it`s not always easy, I would much prefer to use bright fabrics.  I also started some applique panels earlier in the week.  I have got so far with them, but can`t make up my mind whether to stitch by hand or machine.  Unfortunately my machine isn`t working and my old one isn`t so good, but I will have to make a decision soon because again they are samples for a workshop.

We have had a few new deliveries in the last two weeks.   The photograph above is a selection from Moda,

which has been selling really well, particularly the fabrics with the hearts on.  Marie who comes to our Wednesday evening class has made a lovely heart themed table runner using some of these fabrics, and of course I just have to make one, bearing in mind we need a Valentine themed window.  I have cut it out, but that is as far as I have got.  Hopefully I will get it completed this weekend - watch this space! 

The two ranges above are from Stoff.  The checks and stripes are 60" wide, and proving to be very popular, we had a lady who came into the shop last week who bought some along with some greys that we have, and then put them together with a bright acid green, and they looked fantastic.  I love it when other people put together fabrics that I wouldn`t even have thought of, and of course I now want to make something using these colours too - it`s not going to happen!

One of my other projects this last week has been to make a small item for a new quilt magazine which is to be published soon.  I have made the project to go in the second edition.  I`m not going to tell you any more about it, because I can`t quite believe it will actually go in there, so until it does and I see it with my own eyes my lips are sealed.   There was some trauma involved with this because it was while I was making it that my machine decided to pack up on me and I had to complete it on my old machine, which does not stitch nearly as beautifully.  I am not as happy with it as I would have liked to have been, but it has now been sent along with the instructions, writing those were a whole other trauma - but we won`t go there, lets just say I will not be so critical of other instructions in the future!

We have ordered yet more Christmas fabric this week, this time from Stoff.  The rep came to see us and we were determined we were not going to order anything else, but needless to say we caved in.  They are very clever people these reps.  What they do is put the not so good stuff at the top of the case and you think well thats OK we will have some of that, but they save the best pieces for the bottom of the case, and they just keep coming, and we don`t ever seem to learn.

Hope you all have a great week and keep sewing!

Back to work

I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas and New Year break.

Over the holiday I managed to spend most of my time sewing which was a real treat, much more enjoyable than tapping on a computer keyboard. I produced over 70 star blocks (more than needed) but once I started I couldn't stop I had forgotten how relaxing it is.  Because the blocks are all random I spent quite a long time laying them out and moving them around until I was happy with the way they looked.  I stitched the blocks into rows and laid them in order on the ironing board and then proceeded to knock them off, I now cannot work out the original layout so haven't completely finished.

On our new system I was back at work on the 3rd January which was a bit of a shock and I thought it would be really quiet because all the sales were on at the time.  Surprisingly we had a steady of flow of people coming in and late in the afternoon it was lovely to see Anne Baxter who brought in some samples for her workshops.  Whilst we were wandering around the shop she asked me what was wrong with my skirt and it appeared that for the most of the day I had had the back of my skirt tucked into my knickers.  I nearly died of embarrassment, she then said it was lucky that it had been quiet! So the reason I had been busy was probably that everyone in Wellington was sending their friends in to look at the funny woman who couldn't dress herself properly.  This seemed to set the trend for the week really.

Over the last couple of months I have had trouble keeping my glasses on particularly when leaning over and I have been asking my husband to tighten the screws which he has been meaning to get around to.  On Wednesday afternoon I was serving a customer, my clothing was all in the right places but when I bent my head forward yet again my glassed dropped off but this time one of the arms decided it really had had enough and fell off completely.  Because I can't see without my glasses I had to sellotape the arm back on, not attractive at all plus they were then lopsided.  I felt like Jack Duckworth from Coronation Street for the last couple of hours of the day.

I thought I would also show you the gorgeous wall hanging that we have in the shop which was produced by Shirley Sherratt.  Everyone comments on it, the use of colour and the machine quilting, we have had several offers to buy it but I know Shirley will not part with it and I don't blame her.


Now to the bad news.  Joan and I have made the difficult decision to increase our prices on 23rd January.  We have absorbed every price increase over the last year but unfortunately cannot carry on doing so any longer.  We will continue to keep our clearance corner and our reduced baskets so hopefully this will help out with the cost of your projects.

Finally I thought I would also mention about all the quilting magazines Wellington Newsagents hold.  They have a brilliant range including magazines from Australia, America and France so are well worth a visit and are only next door to us.

Debby

Back in the swing of things!

Well I don`t know about all of you, but I feel that Christmas never happened, it seems to long ago.  I spent last week feeling thoroughly sorry for myself and spent most of the time on the sofa comotosed watching daytime TV - yes it was that bad.  Having got over my infection I then picked up some horrible viral thing which at one point the doctor thought was the flu,  but which thankfully I got over quite quickly. I am now back in the shop this week and it is a relief to get back to normal.  I am now working hard trying to make all the samples I was going to make last week! 

At the end of the week, I thought I must get on with something, but couldn`t be bothered to go into my workroom, and sit at the sewing machine, so finally started on my camelot quilt which I am piecing by hand. I managed two, and have 14 more to go.  They are quite fiddly to do, especially if you don`t feel too great, and they are not quite as flat as I would have liked.  This was worrying me slightly, but last night I was looking through a little book I have `The Quilter`s Book of Days`, its a perpetual calendar really, and I use it as a birthday book.  Each page has a photograph of a quilt and quotes about quilting, and  I just happened to come across this quote - `My top was perfect ... but when we flapped it out on the bed it had a big belly enough to hide a cat ...There seemed to be large pockets of air trapped underneath.  No sooner did we burp one side than the air pockets redistributed to another! ... Then I heard these immortal words: "Don`t worry, it`ll quilt out."  I thought this was very appropriate, because I had decided the very same thing.  If you are interested the quote is from `How Not to Make a Prize-Winning Quilt` by Ami Simms.   I am trying not to use too much pink, but as always am drawn to it.  I am determined that my next block will be blue, but I expect some pink will~s/Ac ' _PALike most people I have a huge pile of UFO`s but I seem to have even more ideas i, WZkvH;p would like to do, and I will probably give in to these first and they too will become more UFO`s.  I have several tops ready to be put together and quilted, and as always I keep putting if off as this is my least favourite job.  The plan is to get them ready next week when I am not in work - in fact I am determined this will happen and then I can get quilting.

I had a request yesterday from one of my daughter`s friends who has taken up knitting.  She couldn`t understand why the more she does, the wider the piece seems to become.  I gave her several suggestions, such as perhaps she has been casting on more stiches as she goes along.  Anyway I hope she resolves the problem, I am slightly put out that she is knitting and not stitching.  In fact my daughter tells me that lots of her friends have taken up knitting and stitching, and they keep asking her for advice.  We have had a good laugh at this, they seem to assume that because I have always done it, and now have a quilt shop that Katie will know everything there is to know and solve all their problems.  They couldn`t be further from the truth, she has absolutely no interest at all, although she loves to cook.  I have high hopes for my grandaughter Georgia who loves making things even though she is only 4 and I got very excited last year when my daughter-in-law asked to come on one of workshops, which she seemed to enjoy.  In fact I got so excited that I bought her loads of sewing bits and pieces, fabrics and a book on Sewing for her Christmas present, so I hope she was as enthusiastic as she appeared to be!

Debby is, I am sure enjoying her week off.  I will see her tomorrow when our first class starts tomorrow night.  We have fianlly managed to send out our workshop list up to the end of April, and hopefully there is something there for everyone.   We have been very pleasantly surprised at the response and have filled quite a few places already.  Debby started a lovely quilt top using a jelly roll and layer cake which is in the window at present, and she seems to have achieved quite a few other things during the holiday.  I am looking forward to seeing them!

 I had a telephone call today from one of the reps asking if he can come in tomorrow to show me next year`s Christmas fabrics.  I can`t quite believe that just two and a half weeks after Christmas I will be ordering fabric for next Christmas.  However what really scares me is the prospect of ordering the fabrics without Debby, I just hope she likes what I choose.  Normally we order together so it is a big responsibility.  I can usually tell if I have got it wrong as Debby will smile sweetly at me but in a certain way so that I know she is thinking what did she do that for - wish me luck!

On that note - happy sewing until next time.