What a week!!

Last weekend I entered my first ever quilt show. The show was my local Agricultural show in Milton on the South Coast of NSW.

I was very very nervous being that I've only been quilting for 5 years, but I was excited too. I have worked so hard on my quilts and it was my first opportunity to have my quilts judged. So after finally finishing the hand quilting on one of my quilts the night before, I entered my quilts and waited patiently for Friday morning when I woke up bright and early and dragged my whole family up to Milton to see my quilts hanging.

As I entered the pavillion I was greeted by one of the white glove ladies who had recognised me from the shop I work at and was chatting away whilst trying to look at my quilt. I was in shock to see that my Tummy Time quilt was hanging right at the front next to the Best in Show Quilt! A stunning quilt with some perfect stars which was machine pieced to perfection!

I was still oblivious to the fact that there in front of my eyes was a certificate with the number 1 on it.  

I was looking right at this certificate and I didn't notice the number 1 until it was pointed out to me! I started giggling like a school girl :)

 I just can't seem to get a decent photo of this quilt. It really is so much cuter in person.

Anyway, then we went searching for my 2nd quilt and guess what, I got another certificate, this time a number 2 was on it :) 

I was so proud of this quilt and was a bit disappointed when I saw it hanging. It looked like it needed a good iron, but I was rapt to receive a second place ribbon.

 This quilt, called 'Reflections' was made in a class with Sheena Chapman. The circles were made with out pins and was totally free formed. I then traponto'd (no idea how to spell that tehe) the circles and then hand quilted circles all over the quilt. Its the most unique quilt I've ever made and probably the most fun I've ever had too.

Anyway, something else pretty big happened this week. My gorgeous baby Niece finally made her appearance into the world! Of my 4 Nieces and Nephews, this is the first time I have ever seen one of them when they were so little. I have always lived so far away, they are usually walking before I get to meet them. Here is the gorgeous Miss Heidi.

 This is my 2 neices together, Leah and Heidi. Aren't they just adorable!

I made a special project for this gorgous girl and as soon as I get my cover version finished I will show you some pics :) But for now I'm going to cuddle my gorgeous girl, who just seems to have grown so big, practically overnight!

I hope you had a good week too!

Hugs Paula

Sheena Chapman Quilt Show

 I had the most fantastic day yesterday. My Patch Fabrics was once again holding a workshop with the awseome Sheena Chapman.

Sheena has a really fantastic style and so I thought I would take some pictures so I could share a mini quilt show with you.

We had 8 girls in the class. This is a 3 part workshop with 1 class being held each month for the next 3 months. If you would like to see the pictures bigger just click on the pictures.

 We made a heap of string piecing and will then cut them up. Every quilt will be different and will combine Sheenas style and techniques and the makers own ideas mixed in.

Here is Sheenas Argyle Cut quilt. I'm sorry but I have forgotten most of the names of Sheenas Quilts, but they sure are eye candy :)

 And a close up of some of the details.

 This circle quilt is the inspiration for my quilt which I did in Sheenas last class. My quilt is nearly finished and I'm hoping to enter it in my local quilt show next weekend, so I need to get busy and finish it :)

 A few of the girls were also working on the circle quilt. This is a really fun technique where you make curves and circles without pins!

 Dianne was a part of the 'My Patch Sarah Fielke Workshop' a few months ago and she brought along the quilt that was inspired by that workshop. I think its gorgeous!

 This is the design wall that Dianne and Sheena put together at the end of the day. Dianne had this beautiful fabric that was made for Japanese Obe's... Just gorgeous!!!

 Heres another of my favourite Sheena quilts. This one is called Fandango. Isn't the use of a good solid fabric just stunning!

 This is Sheenas Ferris Wheel Quilt. She started with the purple ferris wheel fabric and designed her quilt around that.

It is really fascinating to me that the really busy cream spot fabric actually reads as a neutral in this quilt, so cool!!

Heres another quilt that is mainly based on string piecing. Just lovely!

This is quite a soft quilt for Sheena, but I love it!

Again more pin free curves, so much fun and really quite easy when you see it demonstrated.

Sheena uses Grey as a neutral alot too. A girl after my own heart... I just LOVE grey!

This quilt is one of my favourites! It has amazing details everywhere you look. The tulips are my favourite.

Heres a close up of the tulips. Again pieced in the same way as the pin free curves, they are just gorgeous!

Heres a simple tumbler block made special by the use of light and dark tones.

So cute!

And last but not least my absolute favourite! This is a wallhanging and is totally free piecing. No templates or pins, just a bit of string piecing and an idea. I am definatey going to recreate this one!

Sheenas hand quilting is just so inspiring!

I hope you enjoyed a look at the amazing work of Sheena Chapman. A truely gifted quilter and teacher!

I'll be back in a few days to share my version of Sheenas circle quilt, (just as soon as I finish the hand quilting)

Hugs Paula

My New Pattern - The Charm Square Bed Quilt

I'm so excited to have another new pattern being released this week! This time its another quilt that is really beginner friendly.

The idea behind this quilt is to give you one pattern that will suit every bed in your house.

Basically this pattern includes instructions to make every size quilt you will ever need from a cot size quilt right up to a King!

This quilt can be made even easier by using precut 5" Charm square packs.

 Heres my Chloe being a supermodel :)

 My girls had so much fun tickling each other so they could keep smiling while Mummy took a thousand pictures hehehe.

So here it is the cover of my new pattern. Remember to ask your local Patchwork shop to order it in for you from Pattern Press or visit one of my retail stockists on the left side of this page.

I hope you like it!

Hugs Paula

My 2 new patterns available soon and a giveaway!

I'm so ridiculously excited :) I have finally finished my next two patterns and they are being printed as I type. Yeah!

As you may have guessed I'm a huge fan of the Sweetwater girls, I love love love their fabrics and purely out of coincidence I have made up my first new pattern using 2 of their ranges. 'Pure and Sunkissed'

This is my first quilt pattern and I'm so proud of it! It is call the 'Love is all around' Quilt. This quilt is designed for every mum or grandmother who I have heard say "They just grow so quick!" I wanted to design a quilt that was fun and cute for a baby, but was still suitable for a toddler, teen and even adult, so this was what I came up with.

 This is the boy version and is a cot quilt size, but is easily 'upsized' by increasing the size of the blocks! I used 2 Charm packs for this quilt, but you could easily make it with 2 layer cakes for a huge quilt!

I also designed a girl version and decided to make this one in just 2 colours, I really love how this one came out and as we backed it with flannel this quilt is soooo cuddly!

The 'Love is all around quilt pattern' will be available from Pattern Press and your favourite quilt shops in the next week, depending on the volcanos and how it affects distribution.

My second new pattern is just so much fun! My kids love to count down to everything! They countdown to Christmas of course, Easter and birthdays, so I decided to design some toys that make counting down so much fun!
So here it is, the 'How Many Sleeps - Countdown Cubes' Pattern.

 First up of course who doesn't count how many sleeps there is until their Birthday? ;)

 And of course Christmas,

 Heres the Easter block with a cute little egg with bunny ears!

 I love the Halloween block, but for those of us who are very patriotic, I'll be putting up a free design for Australia Day soon, so if you don't celebrate Halloween you can just replace this block with the free Australia Day block.

 Its always fun to count down to holiday time,

 And finally the ultimate countdown is to the New Year!

As well as being fun, these blocks are really educational, teaching kids number recognition and how to count backwards.
I'm also really excited about the 'How many sleeps - Countdown Cubes' because they are my first pattern that will include iron on transfers of the embroidery designs. How cool is that!!

To celebrate I think we need to have a giveway!, So if you would like to win a copy of either of my new patterns, just leave me a message on this post and I will draw a winner when I get back from the Trade show in Sydney next friday the 24th of June at 9am. Don't forget to tell your friends! If we get lots of entries I might give away some of my other patterns too! So tell everyone you know :)

A huge thanks goes to my Mum, Lesley! Without her, neither of these patterns would have been finished! She is so amazing, her embroidery skills are out of this world, and is always quick to offer her 'unpicking skills' when I make a boo boo ;)
She also helped piece the quilts and did a fantastic job of quilting them too. So Thank you Nan, Your the best! Check out her ebay shop for gorgeous Batiks!

I hope you love my new designs as much as I do!! Remember to ask your favourite quilt or fabric shop to order in my patterns from Pattern Press.

Hugs Paula

A sneek peak and the kids workshop project

I have been working away and have almost finished my next pattern, YEAH!!!

So I thought I'd give you a little sneek peak.

Huge Thanks goes out to Nan (my mum) for doing the amazing embroidery!! She is so incredibly talented!

I've also been working on the kids workshop projects, this is what the 11 and ups will be working on.

I made this gorgeous little cushion with the amazing Sweetwater range from Moda. I am so addicted to this range and I think I really need to make a quilt for my bed with this range, it is just so stunning.

Anyway if you or your kids are interested in joining in a workshop on the school holidays give Val a call at the shop on 02 4455 4087.

Hugs Paula

PS. I'm looking for some test sewers of my next pattern. If you have young kids (0 - 2) could you please email me or leave a comment on this post with the age and gender of your kids and I will get back to you soon with the details. paula.storm@gmail.com

My Patch Fabrics Grand Opening!

Ok get ready for a marathon post with tons of pictures!

One of my gorgeous friends who also happens to stock my patterns is Val, Val has been running an ebay shop for some time but has also decided to take the leap into a Bricks and Mortar shop. YEAH!!!

My Patch fabrics opened its doors this morning and it is AMAZING!

 Located at the top of the hill in Milton NSW, My Patch is choc full of the most beautiful fabrics patterns and samples!

These chairs are so beautiful! I just love the fabrics!

Here my Twiga the Giraffe pattern in yummy Amy Butler Love fabrics

I was getting a bit artsy with my new camera hehehe, this is Heather Baileys Effie

My little supermodel hard at work :) Emma is sitting in Vals Sit Me Up Donut Sample.
How cute are those fabrics! Also available in pink shades.



This is Val.



I nearly bought this pattern(sorry this isn't on the online shop yet), but I went with this one from 'Make it Perfect' instead
(I love Toni's patterns), I'm going to make hats for the whole family :)



This is a tower of Fat Quarters folded in triangles. I want one of these instead of a Birthday cake this year! ;)

Heres my Sammy Seahorse Pattern made up in the Sunkissed by Sweetwater fabrics, I love these sooo much! I have some meterage of these, might just be a new pattern coming out in these soon :) The swirly print in my absolute favourite!

 

Heres another arty pic. This quilt is amazing! the hand quilting is soooo gorgeous. I'm not sure where the pattern is from but Val you did an amazing job on it!



A big basket of yummyness (I don't care if thats not a word hehehe it fits)



Heres Val, my Mum Lesley and Emma who we put to work immediately! ;)

This is Dot Swoope (right) who brought in the first quilt top to the shop for show and tell, Dot made this amazing quilt at a workshop run by Val and taught by Sheena Chapman. This quilt is made without a pattern and is totally freeform! It is just stunning! Well Done Dot!



Here's the display with my patterns and samples. I must admit it brought a tear to my eye when I saw that my patterns where alongside my idols Melly & Me and books by amazing artists like Amy Butler, Heather Bailey and Material Obsession! Thanks Val!

If you want to contact Val, her shop number is 02 4455 4087 or check out her shop on ebay.

One last exciting piece of news, Val offered me a job! Now to decide, do you think I could cope with being around amazingly gorgeous fabrics, patterns and samples all day long and being able to sew when I'm not busy.... hmmmm such a tough decision ;)

Hugs Paula