L is for Lion

Guess what?  My gorgeous friend Jodie has just released a new pattern.  It is another in her "Alphabet Animals" range, and this one is "L is for Lion". Naturally I just HAD to make it!!

Like all of Jodie's patterns, the instructions are very well written, easy to follow and easy to make.  The lion is all hand sewn & is made from felt.  It didn't take very long to make him except that I underestimated how much felt I would need for the mane and I ran out, so the making of "Lentil" was spread out over a few sewing sessions.

"Lentil"?  Yes, I named my lion Lentil.  Why did I name him Lentil?  Well, let's just say that I had no stuffing pellets so I had to use something else to weight his bottom...can you guess what I used?

A close up of Lentil's head.

Lentil has made a new friend.

If you haven't already guessed why I named my lion "Lentil", here is a clue.
The discussion on Instagram came up with a very funny hashtag #WhatsInYourBottom

Would you like to make your very own "L is for Lion"?  The following link will take you to Jodie's online shop where you can purchase a digital PDF download of the pattern:

L is for Lion
by Jodie Carleton
Ric Rac

http://instagram.com/jodiericrac

52 Quilters - Week 27 - Fiona Forsyth - My Influences

Inspire - to have an animating effect upon one's mind or emotions; to stimulate to some creative or effective effort; to elicit or create.

Who inspires me?  My tastes have changed as my skills have developed and I have found myself headed in different directions from when I first started quilting 3-years ago.  However when I sat and thought about it, I noticed that the majority of my work is centered around some of our fabulous local Australian designers, so I thought that I would introduce you to some of them.

Emma Jean Jansen

I have been a huge fan of Emma's for a number of years.  She's a Ballarat Girl (so is "just down the road a bit") & a fellow cat lover.  I have made "The Daisy Quilt" from her "The Linen Cupboard" fabric range; I still have "Harlequin Stars" and "Peace Quilt" waiting to be made and "Outback Blossoms" is currently on layby together with her new fabric range "Matilda". 

 http://www.emmajeanjansen.com.au/

https://www.instagram.com/emmajeanjansen/

Jodie Carleton - Ric Rac

Jodie is a gem!  She is guaranteed to make me laugh until the tears stream down my face every time I see her or talk to her!  She is also a Ballarat girl (& so lives "just down the road a bit") and I have had the pleasure of meeting Jodes quite a few times now.  She is a school librarian turned toy maker & now fabric designer for Ella Blue Fabrics. I have made a number of her toy patterns for myself & for gifts.  Her "Cats Pyjamas" fabric range is my absolute favourite and I have made PJ pants from this range together with some other items.  Her newest fabric range "Bunny Trail" is totes adorbs!! 

http://vintagericrac.blogspot.com.au/ 

https://www.instagram.com/jodiericrac/

Leanne Beasley - Leanne's House

I am yet to meet Leanne in person, but she is based near the Dandenong Ranges where I used to live in Melbourne.  Leanne is famed for her embroidery patterns (distributed through Creative Abundance) and she is now a fabric designer for Ella Blue Fabrics.  I have made up quite a few of her patterns including the BOM "Journey of a Quilter" and am 3/4 of the way through "Mrs Beasley's Sampler Quilt". I have also made her "Hearts and Happy Flowers Bag".   I still have her original "Leanne's House BOM" waiting to be made. I also have all 12 editions of her "Vignette Magazine"

http://www.leanneshouse.com/

https://www.instagram.com/leanneshouse/

Rosalie Dekker - Rosalie Dekker Designs 

(formerly Rosalie Quinlan Designs)

Rosie is one of the loveliest people that I have ever had the pleasure to meet!  I first met Rosie at Bendigo's Craft Alive in 2004 & I attended an Embroidery Masterclass with her.  I look forward to catching up with her each year when she travels up to Bendigo for Craft Alive.  I have sewn a number of Rosie's embroidery patterns & I have quite a lot of her fabric hoarded away in my stash. Rosalie has designed 7 fabric ranges and is now a fabric designer for Ella Blue Fabrics.

http://www.rosaliedekkerdesigns.com/

https://www.instagram.com/rosaliedekkerdesigns/

Four of my Faves courtesy of @EllaBlueFabrics
Jodie, Emma, Leanne & Rosalie

Jen Kingwell

I am a mad Jen Kingwell convert!  Last year I attended one of her classes which was hosted by Cotton Factory in Ballarat.  It was here that I learnt many of the techniques used to make her "Circle Game Quilt".  I am currently making "Georgetown on my Mind" and have more of her patterns in my sewing queue. Jen owns "Amitie Textiles" shop in Melbourne and she is now a fabric designer for Moda Fabrics.

http://www.amitie.com.au/

https://www.instagram.com/jenkingwell/

Claire Turpin

I have to admit I have only recently found out about Claire Turpin Design but have fallen in love with her patterns.  Her "Kitty Cats" pillows are on my lust list; as is her newly released "Catface" applique quilt.

http://www.claireturpindesign.com/

https://www.instagram.com/claireturpindesign/

52 Quilters - Week 27 - Fiona Forsyth - My Gallery of Quilts

Today I thought that I would share some of my quilts with you.  I only have a few larger sized quilts which are finished, so I have selected a sample to share with you.  I enjoy machine sewing; foundation paper piecing; hand sewing; needle turn applique; English Paper Piecing (EPP); and embroidery.  I am still not confident in Free Motion Quilting so most of my quilts have been hand quilted. A few I have had professionally quilted by Linda at Ladybug Quilting in Bendigo. 

Please click on the links to see more information about each.  Quilts appear in no particular date order...

Millefiori Mystery Quilt - pattern & fabrics by Sarah Fielke.  Machine sewn and appliqued by hand.  Hand quilted in Perle 8.  Photo taken in Maldon

The back of my Millefiori Mystery Quilt is a Drunkard Path Quilt using the same fabrics by Sarah Fielke.  Hand quilted in Perle 8.  Photo taken in Maldon.

The Daisy Quilt - pattern by Emma Jean Jansen.  Made from "The Linen Cupboard" fabric by Emma Jean Jansen for Ella Blue Fabrics.  Yet to be quilted.  Appliqued by hand.

Savanna Safari - made using Cotton & Steel fabrics.  Foundation Paper Pieced using patterns by Tartan Kiwi and Quilt Art Designs.  Photo taken in Kyneton.  Quilted by Linda at Ladybug Quilting.

The back of my Savanna Safari quilt features a leopard running through the grass.  Quilted by Linda at Ladybug Quilting.

Here's a close up photo of Mr Lion - a foundation paper pieced pattern by Tartan Kiwi.  Quilted by Linda at Ladybug Quilting.

The Circle Game Quilt - pattern  by Jen Kingwell.  Made from Kaffe Fassett fabrics.  Mostly hand sewn using a combination of techniques & hand quilted in Aurifil.

The Circle Game Quilt - photo taken in Echuca

Norma's Kaffetastic Kaffetivating Circle Game Quilt - a lap sized version of the Circle Game Quilt by Jen Kingwell made from Kaffe Fassett fabrics which I made for my friend Norma.  Hand quilted in Perle 8.  Photo taken in Port Melbourne

Four Squared Cats - pattern by Jodie Carleton.  Made using "The Cat's Pyjamas" fabric also by Jodie Carleton for Ella Blue Fabrics.  Yet to be quilted.

My completed Zesty Hexies quilt top (yet to be quilted).  Made up from way too many 1” hexies for me to count!

a close up of my Zesty Hexies top

a close up of  my Zesty Hexies quilt back 

Although not a quilt, I couldn't resist sharing my one and only bag with you.  The pattern is "Hearts & Happy Flowers Bag" by Leanne's House.  The front panels are hand embroidered and it is made from various Lecien fabrics and the "Hearts & Happy Flowers" fabric range by Leanne Beasley for Ella Blue Fabrics.

The Cat's Pyjamas

It's not often that I totally squeal with delight when I see a new fabric range being released, but when Jodie Carleton posted a photo of her new fabric range - The Cat's Pyjamas - I was hysterically happy!!  I *KNEW* I had to buy this range and I *KNEW* that those green kitties would make a lovely pair of pyjamas for me.

"The Cat's Pyjamas" by Jodie Carleton for Ella Blue Fabrics.  

I have only been sewing for a few years and I have never made any items of clothing - this was going to be my big debut onto the fashion scene. Queue nerves! Although my mother is a dressmaker by trade, I was determined that I was going to make these myself so I bought a "Simplicity" pattern from Spotlight (I knew that Simplicity have a good reputation for easy to follow patterns).  

Simplicity 2116

My Mum insisted that I brought the pattern and the fabric over to her house (where she has more room) so that she could supervise me cutting it out and to make sure that I didn't stuff it up.  She also explained to me how to do "French Seams" because I wasn't willing to try to thread her overlocker (one of them has 4 needles, the other one has 6 and I have never sewn with an overlocker before).  Once the pattern was all cut out I took it home with me to sew together at my leisure.

It was much easier and quicker to sew together than I imagined.  I even made my own cord for the waistline out of a matching solid green fabric (forgot to buy elastic DOH!).

I purchased a cheap white t-shirt from Target (it was only AUD$4.00) to go with the pyjama pants.  I added some matching ribbon to the sleeves and fussy cut a pocket to sit above the left breast.

Drumroll please...

Close up of the pocket of the t-shirt
(and some shameless publicity for Cotton Factory Ballarat where I bought my fabric).

Close up of the top - the sleeves have matching ribbon sewn on the edges.

My new pyjamas

And this message from Jodie absolutely made my day!

http://www.ellabluefabrics.com/collections/the-cats-pyjamas/

I have more of this fabric range waiting to be played with.  Jodie has since released a free pattern which is now in my "To Do" pile to be made.  The following photograph is copyright & courtesy of Jodie Carleton.  Please click on the link below to access her FREE pattern.

http://vintagericrac.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/free-quilt-pattern-i-blame-iron.html

Jen Kingwell class

Back in March I had the opportunity to do a class with Jen Kingwell (of Amitie Textiles in Melbourne) which was hosted by Cotton Factory in Ballarat.  Alison from Cotton Factory had hired a local hall for the class so that we would have plenty of space to spread ourselves out as there were about 20 students enrolled (people had travelled from New South Wales, Tasmania and various parts of Victoria to participate).

 

The class was based on Jen's quilt pattern "The Circle Game". In the class we covered several techniques including; hand piecing, machine piecing, English paper Piecing (EPP), foundation piecing, and applique.  Jen also demonstrated her hand quilting techniques.

 

Jen Kingwell & myself.  Jen autographed a copy of her new book "Quilt Lovely" for me.  Squeeeeee!!!  #FanGirlMoment



Squeeeeeee!  Jen autographed a copy of her book for me. #FanGirlMoment



 

Hand piecing in class.

A view of our class room

Another view of our class room

Me with the gorgeous Jodie Carleton from Ric Rac

Jodie & Jen

Isabella Golightly - the Bilby Lady - flew down from Sydney to join our class.  I took Greeny the bilby along to catch up with his "birth" mother.

Greeny wasn't on his own, Katharine had her bilby in class as well so they got to hang out & do "Secret Bilby Business" whilst we sewed.

Sue Clark, Carlie Lincoln & Kendra Watson - friends of mine from Melbourne

 

Me & Carlie.  Carlie was my first quilting friend and kindly took me under her wing when I started out.  This is the lovely lady who encouraged me to start foundation paper piecing!

I finally got to meet my dear friend Alison White in person!

Jodie from Ric Rac brought some of her selvage art for us to admire.  This is her selvage chair & her selvage dress.  Also on display was a selvage parasol which I forgot to photograph.  Jodie has kindly talked me through the process so I am hoping to do some work with selvages later this year.

English Paper Piecing in class.

Alison from Cotton Factory caught in the act of photographing Jen Kingwell's "Midnight at the Oasis"

Jen Kingwell's "Midnight at the Oasis"

Alison from Cotton Factory holding up Jen Kingwell's original copy of the quilt "The Circle Game"

The Circle Game pattern by Jen Kingwell & her new book "Quilt Lovely"

We worked on a number of blocks during class which I will feature in upcoming blog posts.

 

Rather than drive all the way back to Bendigo after such a long day, I stayed overnight in Ballarat and spent some quality time with some of the other out-of-towners who chose to stay over.  My next blog post will be the "After Party" - I mean the after class photos...