Fresh Figs

Dreamy Displays

A trip wouldn't be a trip for me if I didn't show you a tiny bit of what I saw inside the shops. Just a few sweet displays here....

these definitely work with my next line of fabric... in theme and in color... more on that a bit later....

Talk to you soon.

I did go with my kids after all....

I did go on vacation with my kids after all....

I usually shy away from posting a lot of pics of my munchkins. But our time wouldn't be completely chronicled without at least 2 or 3 shots of the littles.... Don't they look like they fit in?  A bit too brown to fit in completely in the British countryside... but pretty cute nonetheless!

Talk to you soon.

Figgy Pudding

This is one of the favorites from Spring Market in Portland. Called Figgy Pudding and named by many of you in our blog naming contest a few months back. It is a great scrappy quilt that can be started with any of your favorite collections. I recommend using 1 Layer Cake of your favorite grouping, this one was started with Dandelion Girl. Then for the extra fabrics you will need, I recommend using a selection of fabrics completely different from what you started with. That way when you look at your finished product, you will never even know that it started with one pre-coordinated collection. It will truly look like a scrappy creation from your stash or from your Grandma's attic.  I just love that look!

I do want to mention that we have discovered a small error in this pattern. Even after 2 people, pieced it and 2 more edited it, somehow a mistake still managed to get through!  Aaarrgghh!! Sorry.

For those of you who have it or are thinking of getting it, here is the correction. It does not effect the materials list, just how you cut it.

PATTERN CORRECTION

The cornerposts are supposed to be 2 1/2" cut [directions call for 2" cut in error]. You will need a total of 40 posts.

If cutting from 1/4 yds. change the directions as follows:

Cut (40) 2 1/2" post squares from your fabric leftovers. Choose a good variety of fabrics & cut several from each.

If cutting from Layer Cakes and Charm Packs, change the directions as follows:

From the (20) "circle" layer cakes, cut the final square (1) 2 1/2" [instead of the (1) 2" square as written in the pattern]. This will yield 20 posts. 

From the (5) 1/8 yds. designated for "circles", cut (4) 2 1/2" squares [instead of the (1) 2" square as written in the pattern]. This will yield 20 posts. This will give you an overall total of the 40 posts you will need.

Talk to you soon.

A bit more of the British countryside

I just can't seem to find one good descriptive word in the English language that describes what the Cotswolds look, smell and feel like. Storybook. Lush. Romantic. Cottage. Provincial. Charming. Inspiring. Childlike. Green. Earthy. Here are just a few of my favorite shots from our wanderings.... our favorite cafe, our hotel, traditional thatched cottages, houses on the street, village scene.

Talk to you soon.

Felt Like I needed to add a Quilt....

Felt like I wanted to add in a quilt or two... here are 2 of the patterns we released at Spring Quilt Market. My drifted back to these colors over and over as I walked around the Cottswalds. Fresh, saturated and yet nostalgic....

Made with Fig & Plum which will be out in September... stay tuned for more. Plum Rose [in Fresh Vintage #9] and French Quarter made with a fat quarter bundle... 

Talk to you soon.

A mini walk through the Cottswalds

As I walked around the British countryside known as the Cottswalds, I kept thinking about how I was going to capture what I was seeing. I mean I took 5 cards worth of pictures, many of them of my family, many of them of the traditional thatched roof cottages prevalant in that part of the country... but yet somehow I wasn't sure that I could explain what I was seeing. So I thought I would take a short late afternoon walk, after our traditional tea [now there is a custom I could get seriously used to... tea with scones covered in clotted cream... uuummmmmmm] and take as many small shots as I could. Here is the result of my walk and the hope that at least you might be able to imagine a tiny bit of what I saw....

Talk to you soon.