SewArmadillo featured designer

I have been hoping to do more blogging but finding the time is the hard part at the moment. My offsider at work is off sick so I am working more than I planned, and my website is taking a bit of a back seat for a couple of weeks. But I do want to keep up the Featured Designer - this week it is Bits 'N Pieces - a fun US pattern company. I love this one because they have fabulous button bracelets and dangles to hang off your scissors and keys and stuff. 

These are the button dangles - aren't they fabulous.

And this is a pattern called Southern Star - it is lovely - I saw a version of it in a show and it was spectacular. It's on my list of designs to do.

I took my camera out the other day, thinking I would take some photos of the gorgeous spring flowers and show off the fabulous weather, and it didn't work. I think it was only the card, hope so anyway. Haven't got around to changing the card yet.

New patterns

Everything is going well here, the changes are nearly done to the website and there are lots of new patterns arriving. This weeks Featured Designer is Annie Smith of Country Keepsakes - she does fabulous dolls. I love them all and would love to have time to make a couple (or more). Maybe I will treat myself to one later in the year, or make one for Sophia. 

This one is called Bibi and Bob, aren't they cute. These are medium size - about 17.5"

this one is my favourite, her name is Bellatrix, and she is a big doll designed to hang on the wall. 35.5" tall. She is top of my list to make for me.

And this is one of the recent ones - called Butterfly Dreams. A different style for Annie. And reasonably small at only 11.5"

There are lots more in the store, and for the next week there is a 10 % discount on any of Annie's patterns. I will do the discount manually after purchase. 

Everything else here is pretty quiet, the weather has turned cold again, but there are blossoms out everywhere, and they are gorgeous. I will have to get my camera out and take some pictures. 

I'm Back

It's a while since my last post. I have been upgrading the website, there are lots of changes. Hopefully it will be more user friendly. And there are a lot of great new products. We are having Featured designers each week. This week it is the turn of Don't Look Now - the fabulous pattern company of Kellie Wulfson. All purchases from this range get a 10$ discount - it has to be done manually because I haven't worked out how to do it on the site. Just buy normally and I will refund if you pay by Paypal. 

This one is called Pretty 'n Pink. It is one of my favorites. All Kellie's designs are done with raw edge applique and free motion quilting. I haven't made one yet, it is on my list of things to do.

Another pretty pillow pattern - called Willow

Fun for the kids - especially little boys - appropriately called Little Monsters.

And one that is suitable for anyone. I would like this one for me - I have a thing for alphabets and this would be a great addition to my collection, but I think I will have to settle for the pattern for the moment. It is called Animal Alphabet

And lastly for the moment, is Oh Christmas Tree - this one would be great in any home to decorate during the holidays.

Ebay Sale

Well it's Sophia's 3rd birthday on Monday and I can't be there - I sent her presents so I hope she will think of me a little bit. There are a couple of dinosaur coloring books so that should keep her happy and her Alphabet quilt (pics a few posts ago).

So I decided I would have a 3 day sale to celebrate. Only on ebay because we are in the middle of a major renovation of the SewArmadillo site. It should be finished in a couple of weeks and I will have a big sale there too. 

I have got lots of fabulous new stock in, including some great new Amy Bradley patterns and I actually got one made. It is called Scottie Love, and I have a thing for Scottie dogs so it was the perfect quilt to make. 

Mine is done with black and white backgrounds and Kaffe dogs, the hearts are actually gold, doesn't show up very well in the pic. My godson, Harry, his first comment when he saw it was did I realise I had one of the dogs wrong. Isn't he sweet. He doesn't understand about being a bit odd. 

This is the original pattern, it also has a version with only 9 blocks like mine, but still soft and pretty.

And this is my favourite Amy Bradley quilt - big and complicated. It comes in a book form and has a story for all the characters. If I find some time I may get around to making it for my gorgeous Sophia.

Flying Fish Kits

Wow, I can't believe it's so long since I posted. I have had so much new stock arrive that it has taken up all my time. But I'm back, with some fabulous new products. Today it's Flying Fish Kits. Wendy Williams is so clever, she does wonderful quilt patterns and gorgeous bag patterns as well. I haven't had a chance to make anything yet, but she is high on my list of want-to-dos. It will be hard deciding which pattern to make up - there are so many I love. I suppose it will depend on the final disposition of the quilt - whether I make it for me, for charity, or for a gift for someone in particular. I have posted some pictures on facebook if you want to see. I'm also interested to see what other people have done with her patterns so if you have made one, or know of one, send me a picture. 

This one is called Hot Chocolate and Tim Tams - I love the name and the quilt. I'm not a brown person so I would change the colors but I think it's fabulous.

And this one is a pretty little pillow called Cathedral Windows. Gorgeous.

New Stuff

I got some fabulous new stuff in this week, some great patterns including some cute toys from Japan. And the coolest leather bag handles and buttons. They are so great, they come in lots of different colors and styles. I'm trying to get them onto the website asap, but I'm giving you a sneak look at the buttons. And I'm putting them on my SewArmadillo facebook page. The bag handles will be up next week. 

These buttons I found while in Salt Lake City, there was a fabulous bag handle in one store we went to and I had to buy it. It was lime green and long enough to go over my shoulder with 2 big round buttons on the end to attach to the bag. I got home and contacted the company and now I stock their great range of stuff.

Most of the buttons come in lots of colors - I only got a few to start with, but they are wonderful. I can imagine using them on all sorts of projects, not just bags. When I get some things done with them I will put them up.

And this is a quilt from the fabulous Jaybird range. It will be on the website next week as well. I'm in the middle of updating my eBay store with a whole new look, and then it is a revamp of the SewArmadillo site as well. My web designer is working on it over the next week or so. She can't get too much done during school holidays because she has kids - I don't know how people cope (LOL).

I've done some sewing this week but mainly working. Belinda returned Sophia's birthday quilt to me to bind. It is gorgeous, I just hope she likes it.

New quilt - Red Boot quilt company

It has been a fairly busy week, with the end of the financial year. Didn't get half the stuff done that I should have. But I did finish this fabulous Red Boot quilt. Toni Alexander does some fabulous designs, I did one for Sophia when she was born, and I would really like to do some more.

This is my version of Starshine & Daisies - all done with 1930s fabrics - not sure that the colors are real accurate, but they are close.

Toni's original quilt

I have also finished this really cute dinosaur library bag for Sophia's birthday. Just because she likes dinosaurs doesn't mean she can't have girly as well. So the bag is bright pink pieced and the dinosaur is purple floral. The applique design is from a Make It embroidery transfer that I enlarged, and I have almost finished a stitchery dinosaur as well to go on a pocket, because every bag should have a pocket.

Pretty pink with a very colorful dinosaur. I forgot to put a button on for his/her eye, but I will do that before I give it to her.

This is the pocket, with his big button eye. And the lining fabric is a very pretty little floral.

So for the next week, all the Red Boot Quilt Company patterns will be on sale - 10% off, I will have to fix the price my end as I haven't worked out how to do it on the website yet. The fabulous Jen is working on that as we speak.