Coquetterie cosmetic wallet PDF pattern

Many moons ago, I posted about stitching this cosmetic wallet. After many hours (and a considerable amount of wrestling with Adobe Illustrator!), the PDF pattern is at last 'shop-ready'.

Of all the projects I have designed, this remains one of my favourites. It incorporates some things that I love to work with: linen, embroidery, botanical fabrics, and a vintage buckle. I was aiming to replicate the ethereal feel of antique French monogrammed linen with this project.

The wallet is able to be folded for travel, and unfolds (above) to hang conveniently for easy access when you reach your destination. 

It has specialised compartments for storing all your makeup needs: two clear vinyl pockets;

three elasticised pockets for storing compacts;

seven narrow pockets for brushes and pencils, with a felt cover that flips down to protect your brushes;

and an elasticised lipstick keep.

I made the wallet from a jelly roll of Moda's fabric range 'Etchings' by 3 Sisters which conveniently has a very French feel about it.

I especially enjoyed the embroidery on this project. The pattern includes a full alphabet for personalising your monogram.

Writing this pattern up was quite a task, and the instructions are very detailed which is reflected in its higher price.

The tone and meaning I was hoping to convey by calling this pattern 'Coquetterie' was variously: ‘vanity; concern for one’s appearance; a knack for fashion; flirty; playful behaviour'. So flirt and play to your heart's content with this pattern.

Bloom x

Flannel panel quilt

The new school year has commenced with a bang. With the first of our three children heading into her HSC year, there is an imminent sense of a whopping great mountain ahead to be conquered, mostly for her, but for us all as a family! 

During the parent orientation for my youngest girl, starting Year 6, the following clip was shown:

Man, if I wasn't feeling the pressure of parenting teenagers before seeing this, I am now! I mused that it would be interesting to gauge the state of mental health of Generation X parents; the ones like me who are floundering to keep up with the extraordinary pace of change. I only hope the medical authorities are making ample provision for us all when we finally crack under the pressure ... or perhaps it's just me :)

I think I'll just go crawl into a corner and quilt for a few years! It seems the only sensible alternative, surely :) To this end, I have finished the flannel version of my 'Spin to Play' quilt.

It is made with a 3 x 3 panel of 'Pretty Paisley' flannels by Lesley Grainger for Robert Kaufman which is cheerfully heavy on birds, blooms and hearts.

These fabrics were kindly given to me by Marally Craft, who will also have a limited number of kits available.

Fabric details: (left to right, top to bottom):

1. Brown on Tea Dye Stripe from Alpine Fabrics;
2. Green circles from 'Love Birds' by My Minds Eye for Riley Blake Designs;
3. Red and white spot from 'Pretty Paisley' flannels by Lesley Grainger from Robert Kaufman Fabric Company;
4. Aqua paisley fabric from 'Pretty Paisley' flannels by Lesley Grainger from Robert Kaufman Fabric Company;
5. Orange fabric from 'Mumbo Jumbo' flannels by Laura Berringer for Marcus Fabrics;
6. Dark brown fabric from 'Shaded Oaks' flannels by Holly Taylor for Moda;
7. Yellow and white spot from 'Pretty Paisley' flannels by Lesley Grainger from Robert Kaufman Fabric Company;
8. Red circles from 'Love Birds' by My Minds Eye for Riley Blake Designs;
9. Pink paisley fabric from 'Pretty Paisley' flannels by Lesley Grainger from Robert Kaufman Fabric Company.

The backing is a bright and happy check from 'Della' flannels by Valori Wells for Free Spirit.

Quilting details:

Machine quilting was once again beautifully done by Belinda of Eucalypt Ridge Quilting.

The quilting design is 'Song Birds' by Anne Bright, which conveniently repeats the bird, blooms and heart motifs. 

This little quilt is cuddly, comforting and and just the ticket for one overwhelmed, Generation X-er to crawl into the corner with! 

'Spin to Play' panel quilt - the details

This post is for those of you interested in the fabric and quilting details of my 'Spin to Play' panel quilt.

Fabric details:

Panel fabric: 'Animal Party Too' by Amy Schimler for Robert Kaufman. One full panel includes the eight images shown. Very cute, and great for boys or girls.

Arrow fabric: 'Scarlet' from Celebrate Seuss! by Dr. Seuss Enterprises for Robert Kaufman

Coordinating fabrics (left to right, top to bottom):

1. Blue, Green & Yellow Check from 'Button Up Bears' by Kylie Kreations for South Sea Imports;
2. Yellow spot fabric from 'Animal Party Too' by Amy Schimler for Robert Kaufman;
3. Green spot fabric from 'Little Critters' by Diane Eichler for Red Rooster Fabrics;
4. Red Daisy from Delighted! by Amanda Herring, The Quilted Fish for Riley Blake Designs;
5. Black print from 'Folklorika' by Kim Schaefer for Andover Fabrics;
6. Ground cover in blue from 'Pretty Bird' by Pillow & Maxfield for Michael Miller Fabrics;
7. Shell Swirls in blue from 'Classic Jurassic' by Viv Eisner for Wilmington Prints;
8. Leaf fabric from 'Animal Party Too' by Amy Schimler for Robert Kaufman;
9. Unknown mustard stripe.

Quilting details:

Machine quilting was done by Belinda of Eucalypt Ridge Quilting who I can't recommend highly enough!

The quilting design is 'Foxy Friends' by Anne Bright. It has the perfect critter mix for this quilt :)

Kit availability:

Marally Craft will have a limited number of quilt kits available with identical fabrics. They can be contacted via their website or phone: 02 6362 3860.

Pattern availability:

In the Bloom shop as a PDF download.

'Spin to Play' panel quilt

I finished this bright and happy little quilt over the school holidays.

  

One of my local quilt shops, Marally Craft, generously provided the fabrics for me to play with. The quilt incorporates a pre-printed panel fabric, with eight cute animal images from Amy Schimler's 'Animal Party Too' range.

 

For some fun, the central panel has some appliquéd detail, and a rotating red felt spinner!

I'm guessing the spinner is strongly weighted towards 'play' :)

I will add some further details about the fabrics and quilting in my next post.

I have written up a pattern for the quilt which is now available as a PDF download in the shop.

I'm busy stitching the bind onto a more girly, soft and cuddly flannel version of the quilt. Hoping to have it finished this week.

It is back to school time in Australia, so I'm looking forward to some serious stitching time in the next few weeks. Thankfully the weather has cooled a little, after what has been a scorching Australian summer. My thoughts are with the many Aussies who are suffering terrible loss through fires and floods. Bloom x

Hard copy patterns available

After what seems like an eternity wrestling with Adobe Illustrator, I have this little icon to show for my troubles.

Thankfully, the icon is of more significance than the making of it. Due to demand, I have arranged a limited print run of some of the patterns available in my shop. If you prefer to purchase hard copy patterns and have them arrive in your post box, then this option might be for you. My patterns also remain available as PDF files delivered to your email. Bloom x

Sewing machine cover PDF pattern

For those of you who have been waiting patiently for my sewing machine cover pattern, 'Beyond Measure', it is ready and available at the shop! This pattern was originally published in the November 2010 issue of Australian Homespun magazine.

The cover is a tailored design, closed at the ends to keep the dreaded dust at bay. It has piping trim, simple running stitch embroidery and pearl button embellishment. The 'measuring tape' twill ribbon can be purchased at The Home Patch, who readily do mail orders. They sell the ribbon in metric & imperial markings.

I made the cover twice, changing the patchwork panel from the hip and happening 'Hope Valley' by Denyse Schmidt to the more subdued and elegant fabrics from the 'Martinique' range by 3 Sisters. It gives the cover and entirely different look.

I live by a theory that ANYTHING + LINEN = SUCCESS.

'Hope Valley' and 'Martinique' are such different ranges, but against the common foil of linen, I think they both sparkle.

I have designed a companion set to this machine cover. It will be released as a PDF pattern in a couple of months, subject to my contract with Homespun magazine.

Thank you for your support of my fledgling little pattern business, especially the lovely souls who purchased my 'Abracadabra' quilt pattern. I appreciate your support sincerely!

Announcing .... 'Abracadabra' - a PDF layer cake quilt pattern

Boris, my supremely talented (if kinda weird looking) assistant, would like to announce the release of my very first pattern for your purchasing pleasure!

With a swish of my magic wand, I am very happy to present to you, my 'Abracadabra' PDF quilt pattern:

My pattern magically transforms a single layer cake into two quilts.

Quilt #1 is a single bed size quilt, and combines layer cake fabrics with a crisp white background.

Quilt #2 is pieced from the same layer cake, and is a smaller cot sized quilt. I have used a linen/cotton blend as the background for this quilt.

The small quilt includes a nameplate to personalise the quilt for your special someone.

The white quilt has been beautifully quilted by Belinda Betts of Eucalypt Ridge Quilting in a design called ‘Playful Paisley’ by Anne Bright. (Please say 'hi' to Belinda at her relatively new blog. I am in awe of her quilting!)

The little quilt I have quilted on my domestic machine using straight lines.

If you would like to purchase the PDF pattern for this quilt, please visit my shop - SHOP I say!! All purchasing details for the pattern can be found there.

Being my very first pattern for sale, I am hoping that any transactions happen smoothly. Fingers crossed! Actually, Boris, where's my wand? Perhaps I can cast a little magic over the process!

I am by no means expecting to make my fortune with this venture. If anyone other than my mother buys it, I will be thankful! I am just trying to recoup some cash to pay for all my fabric purchases really!

Hope you like it,
Bloom x