Welcome to Precious Time

Let Japanese quilts inspire you....

Don’t be fooled by the title or cover of this book – it just isn’t for lovers of Japanese fabrics or Japanese quilts.  Most of the quilts in this book are not dependent on having Japanese fabrics – they would look just as stunning in Kaffe, French General or a blend of geometric prints to name a few.  The simple quilts and projects are designed to let your favourite fabrics take centre stage using the easiest methods to obtain maximum effect.  With each pattern Susan offers trusted tips and personal insights into her time in Japan and you find yourself not only being drawn into the quilts but also into the Japanese culture and way of life.   This book will bring the simplicity and sophistication of Japanese style into your home with these easy to make quilts.  This gorgeous book will be a welcome addition to your quilting library.

We were thrilled to welcome Coralee back to Precious Time. She came in to visit as well as purchase some fabrics while visiting her daughter, who recently gave birth to a beautiful baby boy – Harrison.  Coralee brought in two beautiful quilts to share with us.

 

Quilt:     Garden Party

Fabrics:   Garden Party by Blackbird Designs

Designer:  Blackbird Designs

 

 

Quilt:  Adaptation of In Molly’s Garden (not yet complete)

Fabrics:  Collection from Coralee’s stash

Book:  You’re Invited by Blackbird Designs

 

With Valentines Day just around the corner I thought I would share this quote with you.  

A rose can say "I love you"; an orchid can enthrall; but a weed bouquet in a chubby fist, thats the best of all!

 

Enjoy your weekend.....lisa

Back at work.......

  Hello…..I hope that you have all been keeping well and are busy stitching gorgeous quilts and keepsakes.  My apologies that I have been away for the past week – I had to have some time off work and there is always a list of things to be taken care of before you go, then of course you arrive back at work to a new list of things since you left. The rain has arrived by the bucket loads and the clouds are sitting so low that you can hardly see two feet in front of you today.  I don’t know where the delightful Spring weather has gone but can we please have it back.  Although I do have to say that this is very pleasant stitching weather.

 

Just before I left I was about to share the new books which had just arrived in store……so here are a few of them.  I have to say in my defense that I could not photograph them all and some of the images are blurred – the reason – a wonderful customer was buying them as quickly as I was unpacking them.  I will share the missing books with you when they arrive in our next order.  Man you have to be quick around here……

 

Kyleigh fell in love with the whimsical pink and black zoo print “Bundle of Jungle” and whipped up this sweet baby quilt to have ready in her cupboard. It was so quick to sew a pack of soft aqua’s and grey’s was then purchased to make a version for a baby boy for her expectant friend, who is in the minority nowadays deciding not to find out the sex of her bub. We can’t wait to see which quilt will be gifted.

 

Last year Kathy Doughty joined us for Quilting on the Downs teaching her fabulous quilt – Garden Party.  Our Dali Lama of quilting is of course the first to bring her finished top in for quilting – definitely putting me to shame as I feel this has been a year of unfinished projects for me.  I am in the midst of planning a Victorian sitting/sewing room (blame the Renovators) at home so I am hoping that I can turn my year around by having a haven to escape to. Kay is always an inspiration with her glorious quilts - the chant begins to go round in my head…....and if you haven’t heard Kathy will be joining us next year for Quitling on the Downs so as they say – keep watching this space!

There is nothing more exciting then arriving back and having the deliveryman come to visit.  So what did he bring – gorgeous of course –  was there any doubt.  This is the first time ever that we have brought the full range of Kaffe Fassett and friends as our collection was starting to look a little sad and in need of a lift.  There are new designs from Kaffe and additional prints from Brandon Mably and Philip Jacobs have been re-coloured just to further entice us.  They look absolutely delicious standing in the boxes awaiting the chop…....so to celebrate their arrival we are cutting fat 1/8 packs for a limited time.  You can choose to have the whole collection or just the blues…or greens…. or pinks…. or yellows……not quite sure how you just stop at one or two colourways so good luck with that.  It never seems to work for us.  So here is the collection so that you can enjoy the dilemma of which prints to choose…….

    

Parasols - Kaffe Fassett                                Wrinkle - Brandon Mably

 Rings - Brandon Mably

 
            Pom Pom Dahlias - Philip Jacobs                        Frilly - Kaffe

 

 Japanese Crysanthemum - Philip Jacobs  Primula - Philip Jacobs

  

Iris & Peony - Philip Jacobs                            Dancing Paisley - Brandon Mably

Beaded Tents - Brandon Mably

 Herringbone Stripe - Brandon Mably Tile Flowers - Kaffe Fassett

  Baba Ganoush - Kaffe Fassett Violets - Kaffe Fassett

 Luscious - Philip Jacobs

  Rings - Brandon Mably

I know that there have been requests for the latest class list, I will be working on that over the weekend, it should be posted on the website by Monday evening at the latest.  Thanks for your patience.

Have a great weekend..........love the ones you are with.   Lisa

 

 

 

Delicious new..........

Oh my gosh where to start.  You know you are in trouble when the deliveryman parks bum in at the shop to deliver your parcels. The doors opened and excitement turned to nervousness as box after box was unloaded. Majella and I look at each other with the same “deer in the headlight” look - what had we ordered?  The answer was simple – loads of delicious fabrics that are just waiting to be made into scrumptious quilts, stunning cushions and decorator items, a gorgeous skirt or a new bag for summer – the list goes on and on.  Also arriving in store were new voiles - they are so fine and just slip through your fingers - you will have to pop in to the store to see them, they make absolutely divine backings for your quilts. So here are the new fabrics – I hope they tempt you as much as they did Majella and I………….

Heirloom - from Joel Dewberrry......

 

Loulouthi - by Anna Maria Horner

 

New from Martha Negley                         Taza - from Dena Designs - I am in love with these soft shades!

 

Isn't this just the cutest combination of grey, pink and black for a baby girl. Such whimsy!

 

These delicious browns and pinks are from Judie Rothermel - The Cocheco Mills Collection from the American Textile History Museum.  What a mouthful!

 

Also arriving at the shop today was the new book from Kaffe Fassett – Quilts in Sweden.  Kaffe choose to display his quilts in the oldest open-air museum in the world, the picturesque Skansen Museum in Stockholm, Sweden.  The book is filled with beautiful quilts taking advantage of sensational colour stories from Kaffe, Brandon Mably and Philip Jacobs.  This is a wonderful book just waiting to be added to your quilt library. If you are a collector or lover of Kaffe's fabrics then keep an eye out for the new range of fabrics due to arrive in store shortly.  Majella and I loved them all so much that we just couldn't make our minds up so we ordered the whole collection.   I hope you enjoy the following snapshots from inside Kaffe's new book…….

It is so dreadfully cold here at the moment - I don't know where that gorgeous spring weather went that we were all delighting in just a few days ago.  The smell of fresh coffee along with the realisation that I have some of my mum's chocolate caramel slice (the best in the world) in my bag is dragging me away. There is also the small matter of what to make first from all the new arrivals - so a busy day ahead for me.

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” - Albert Einstein

Enjoy your weekend.......lisa

Books, books glorious books

If you read my blog last night I listed 5 things about myself to help you get to know me a little better.  One thing that wasn’t listed was my love of books.  How could you not love books, not only patchwork and quilting books…. I love novels, cook books, travel books, gardening books, interior and outdoor design…….the list just goes on and on.  I love being inspired by others creativity, their artistic flair, drawling over food I probably won’t ever cook, getting lost in places that I have yet the opportunity to see for myself.  If you saw the list it would be no surprise to know that I love escaping into the pages of a good romance/comedy.  So imagine how excited I was when Hughie (our lovely postman) arrived with a large box filled with books.

     

 

The one book that thrills me the most has no gorgeous quilts draped on the cover, it is not filled with stunning quilts photographed in beautiful settings, it is purely a reference book.  This is one book that every quilter needs - it is filled with tables, conversions and charts but the most wonderful tool of all is a guide to cutting side and corner setting triangles as well as half square triangles.   They challenge the most gifted quilter.  Sue Ross introduced us to this book the last time she was in town, she has had her copy for years and years and never goes to a class without it.  It is one of the best investments she has made in her quilting life.  A high recommendation!   

My lollipop trees are still calling me ever be it softly so I have decided to spend some time sewing them tonight.  I know I am under the pump on my Cold Wind & Auntie Green's but this is something that will make my heart happy tonight.  I know my friends, family and customers all ask the same question - where will I find the time?  So here is a thought for all of you who are in search of more.

You will never "find" time for anything.  If you want time you must make it.  Charles Buston

I wonder if it is as easy to find my glasses.  I probably left them in the car which means going out into the cold evening.  Yuk!  Unfortunately though I can't sew without them so off I go.  I hope that you have a lovely evening doing what you love best.

I look forward to seeing you in the shop soon...............lisa

Wedding, champagne & quilts.......

With the Royal wedding afoot it has me and probably a lot of you reminiscing about how quickly time passes and more importantly what we did with all that time.  For some it was spent buying a home and raising children, for others travelling, for most of us it was spent working so that we could do some or all of the previous. 

I can’t really remember a time that I wasn’t quilting or sewing and when I look back at my work I see a different girl in each of my projects.  My desires, loves and skills have grown and that is refreshing as well as invigorating. Quilting has evolved so much - I can remember making a quilt for my first apartment and my choice of fabrics were blue, yellow or apricot. Not only have the fabrics changed but so has the demographic of quilters.  As quilters we are blessed with choice of fabrics, designers and style of quilts that are available to tempt our creative desires.

 

One of the new designers to enter the quilting world is Camille Roskelley.  Camille designs quilt patterns and in 2008 with her mum Bonnie, joined the Moda family and began designing fabrics.  Camille has now published her first book “Simplify”.  It is filled with quilts for the modern home using pre-cut jelly rolls, charm packs etc.  The book is beautifully photographed and is filled with lovely quilts based on the theme of Simplicity.  This theme continues with the choice of fabrics and designs making this book a pleasure to read and look through – leaving only one hard decision – which quilt to make.  So here is a sneak peek at Simplify.  Make sure you have it on your look at list next time you visit.

 

So another month is almost at an end which means the next two blocks for Lollipop Trees are due.  With the short month, I am so thrilled to have them on the blog before it’s end.  Deadline achieved – ta dah - the next two blocks in this beautiful quilt. 

 

Our applique group celebrated a special birthday last week and as with all celebrations show and tell is imminent.  Izabella brought in her finished diamond quilt from the Kaffe class in February and our friend Kay brought Stevie’s Garden in for the evening as she continued the massive task of hand quilting this gorgeous quilt as well as her finished bordered diamond quilt from the Kaffe class.  (sorry about the size - I really must get some lessons for this new mac).Congratulations to both Izabella and Kay on their beautiful quilts – the pressure is now on for them to be quilted.

        Kay and her bordered diamonds all pieced by hand

    Izabella holding her very pink diamond quilt

 
 Stevie's Garden

 

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication……..Leonardo da Vinci

So I am off to Majella’s for the evening to watch the Royal Wedding and have a glass or two of bubbly. Have a wonderful weekend.........lisa

 

 

Quilt Completed.......and another one started

Well I did tell you all that I loved a new project.  But I am very pleased to advise that I have

finished a quilt and have the proof for you all to see.  This new quilt is titled Figgy Pudding, designed by

Fig Tree Quilts using Garden Party by Blackbird Designs.  I'm not sure about you but when I finish a

quilt I feel as though I have just been given a permission slip to start another one.  And you all know

how much I love a new project.  So when a parcel arrived filled with books, the kettle went on

immediately and I started to flick through them looking, searching, waiting for that new project to

jump out and talk to me.  There were so many beautiful books with so many beautiful quilts. Some of

which I have shared with you in a previous post.  But eventually one quilt grabbed me and said make me!

So I have started this new quilt and am loving the fabrics and the way they have so quickly made friends.

My list of unfinished projects gets longer, but there is nothing I would rather do then experience the

joy of turning today's fabrics into tomorrows heirloom quilts.

  

Books.........how I love them

My friend has been thinking about purchasing a Kindle - you know one of those computers that allows you to purchase books and store them like files.  As we are both lovers of books we have been debating long and hard the merits of books.  For me there will never be any replacement to wandering a bookstore, running my fingers along the spines hoping that one of them says pick me, read me.  There is a certain intoxication at turning new pages and a comfort at having a book beside the bed when you tuck yourself in.  So from one book lover to another I am happy to share with you some of the new arrivals to
the shop this week.  There are books for the beginner quilter, to the more advanced and a lovely
selection of books to tempt those who love arty quilts. Come and share the joy that Majella and
I have had these last few days of flicking in wonder at the beautiful quilts that await to be
made from these wonderful books.
The list of quilts to make grows ever longer........... keep reading & sewing..........lisa