New Kits and Block of the Month Program
Another Two Kits are Up
We have put another two new kits on the website today. Simplicity and Paper Roses are shown here and the details are on the kits page. That brings the new kits to ten and we will now take a break while we get the new season fabrics into the store. We have a few holes in the shelves for the new ranges which are now overdue from our suppliers. Some are due in the next few days so we should have the details up on our new ranges page on a week or so. So keep an eye out.
A Few Less UFOs
The winter cold in Canberra has given the opportunity for quite a few of our customers to get to those UFOs ( Un-Finished Objects) completed. Jenny was in during the week with two of her UFOs from recent classes. We think she has done a great job on the Kimono quilt form Hitomi Fujita's recent course and a spectacular hexagon quilt from Daiwa Ceicys' Happy Hexagons workshop. Daiva is conducting her final workshop at the shop at the end of the month and there are a very limited number of places left if Jenny's quilt inspires you to have a go. Check out the current class list here
Looking for a Great Gift?
If you are looking for something different for a gift, we are now stocking the Scissoroo hand-crafted scissors, with the stylish kangaroo motif. These distinctive, high-quality scissors have been designed here in Canberra by Trevor Robertson and hand-made in a family-run workshop in the Italian Alps. They are not only stylish and functional, but their unique design features finger holes shaped to fit the finger and thumb of the user perfectly. Priced between $34.95 and $49.95, they are great value for money. Contact us if you would like a pair.
Our Favourite PFAFF Sewing Machines on sale
For those of you thinking about upgrading your sewing machines, we wanted to let you know that PFAFF is having a stocktake sale with substantial savings on some of our favourite sewing machines. You can save up to $800 on machines such as the Expression 2058 and 2048.
Most of the staff at the shop have a PFAFF in their homes and it is the only brand we sell and recommend. The sale will run through September, while stocks last, so if you are interested, come and have a play. We have never seen these machines at a better price.
Class List Updated
The class list was updated on 22 August 2008
Sashiko Class
Hitomi Fujita from Quilting Heart visited the shop on the weekend to demonstrate her sashiko by hand and origami techniques to our lucky customers. The techniques were perfected whilst making some gorgeous little kimono quilts.
Another Kit Added
We have just added another kit to our kits page. It is a traditional pattern with a twist from Kerry and is easy to cut and piece. And it is exclusive to Addicted To Fabric. That is a total of eight new kits and a new block of the month we have finished in the last few weeks - phew!!!
We only make limited runs of our quilt kits and rarely repeat them so when they go, that's it. Contact us if you are interested in any of them.
Funky Town Class
We hosted a great workshop here on last weekend – Beth Miller had a packed class out of their comfort zone cutting freestyle without rulers. They had a ball and by the end of the workshop Funky Towns was more like Funky Cities around the walls of the class as shown above. Beth will be teaching this technique again next year so let us know you are interested and we will let you know the dates. Just ask anyone who participated what fun they had and what they achieved.
New Nursey Quilt Kits
Like all shops when one of the team makes a quilt everyone then thinks of what they could make. So we have some fantastic and easy nursery quilts for you to consider, and there are still more in production. Both these kits are simple projects and look great.
We hear there is a baby boom out there so we are ready! Details are on the kits page
Two more brand-new kits
We are using a new contemporary pattern for novice quilters for the Oceans Eleven kit shown here with details on our kits page. It uses Batik-styled fabrics from our extensive range. The finished quilt looks bright and cheery and is great for males - not a pink fabric in sight. Ladybird Garden is one for the girls and you can use your favourite applique technique to make this simple yet delightful quilt, just in time for Spring.
Last Chance for Block of the Month Registration
Our latest block of the month is Aunt Millie's Garden shown a few paragraphs below. This quilt was designed by Becky Goldsmith from Piece O' Cake Designs and is filling fast. This will be the last chance to sign up for the programme as we will be cutting soon. The use of more than 100 fabrics makes the quilt particularly vibrant. With all those fabrics, the most cost-effective way to produce this stunning quilt is to be part of this programme.
New Kits Available using New Fabric Ranges
Two new kits have just been added to our kits page. Both are super-easy to make. The Little Owls quilt uses an appliqued owl motif and looks very cute on the wall. Nest is a kit made exclusively from layer cakes and jelly rolls and features the Nest range of fabrics, shortly to be released, from Tula Pink the designer of the popular Flutterby range. Nests and little birds - we must be yearning for Spring!
We will be adding five new quilt kits in the next week or two. The first is a new kit featuring Kaffe Fassett fabrics. The earlier Kaffe's Quarters quilts was so popular we wanted to add another easy to make, but spectacular quilt using Kaffe's latest zinger stripes. It's a real stunner and what's more, it is so easy it can be made in a day!
As with all our kits, we assemble limited quantities and rarely repeat them - so get in quickly if you like them. We put this on the wall a few days ago and we have sold five already. Click here for pricing and other details. Click on the picture for a bigger image
Brand new Block of the Month
Kerry has just completed this striking new quilt which will be offered as a block of the month over 8 months from September. Cost will be $40 per month. It has been up in the store for just one day and is attracting a lot of interest, so if you are interested in this project, let us know or drop in and visit the store to have a look at this beautiful quilt. This quilt can be made using your preferred method of applique. Click on the quilt for a larger image.
Our mid-year Sale
We decided this year to only have a three day sale and advertise it exclusively to our bag ladies, members of Canberra Quilters and regular customers. It was a huge success - we hope you found a bargain or two. We stacked up a serious range of very cheap fabrics that we took off our shelves to balance up our collection and then offered great savings on all fabrics and books in store. All sold well and we now have few holes in the shelves. Let me see! Perhaps we might fill the gaps with new ranges - watch this space!
What sale would be complete without some door and bolters pizes including a PFAFF sewing machine and top-of-the-range Ott Light? Plus some of our generous suppliers - XLN, SSS and Victorian Textiles contributed prizes. So well done to Valetta ( PFAFF Sewing Machine), Robyn (OTT Light), Robina, Melissa, Joc, Lil, Karen, Margrit, Lesley, Marion, Liz, Patricia, Beth, Finn, Judy, Narelle and Karin.
The Thursday Ladies Friendship Group Update
We peviously highlighted the work of our wonderful Thursday Ladies Friendship Group as they embarked on making 12 quilts for donation to the Grandparents Group, supported by the Canberra Mothercraft Society. We are delighted to record that they have just completed thirty quilts and these were presented on Thursday 3 July to Emma and Mary representing the Grandparents Group. They have done a fantastic job and everyone was delighted with the results.
Amy Butler Bags
Amy has released new bag designs including a notebook and IPod bag. Jenny checked them out at Amy's stand in Portland and we have rushed them to Australia . They are here and will be available for purchase from Tuesday 10 June, so come in and check them out. We have a great range of Amy's fabrics and others that make up into colourful and stylish bags. Bag patterns and classes are one of our specialities.
Anna Maria Horner New Range of Fabrics
Portland Quilt Market was huge - the organisers said their biggest yet! One designer that stood out was Anna Maria Horner's new offering. We are probably one of the first quilts shops to have her new range Garden Party. We put it on the floor this week. Have a look at it on the new ranges page and we have include a sample on this page to whet your appetite.
Kaffe Fassett wows us again
One compusory stop on our Market tour is always to see what Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably have been working on. Kaffe's fabrics are enormously popular at the shop and we stock and sell a huge range. We were not disappointed. Kaffe showed us his new 2008 range and we are delighted to report that all 68 fabrics have arrived and have just been put on the floor. We took this picture of Kaffe surrounded with his quilts from the new range ( he is a bit hard to spot amongst all that colour and pattern!). Check out the range on our new ranges page and we suggest you move fast - we often sell out quickly. We look forward to a new book from Kaffe later in the year and hope we will have a chance to host him in Canberra in the future. His last visit in 2007 was a huge success with our customers.
Children's Designers
One of the features at Portland this year is the fantastic new and innovative childrens' clothing designers using beautiful patchwork and other fabrics in their designs. We have brought back quite a lot of patterns for you to try and will be importing more in coming months. Some of the stands were quite inspirational so come in and have a look at the new patterns as they arrive!
Melly and Me
Wow, these designs have been popular! We have been delighted with all those cute animals that have walked out the door as both patterns and in kits with individual fabric selections by our staff. They are easy to put together and look a million dollars, made with bold and modern patchwork fabric designs. They have been particularly popular with our younger customers, but quite a few grandmothers have been joining in lately - they are ideal gifts. We continue to get new patterns in - including a range of bag patterns shown in photo opposite. Do come in and have a look at the range we have on display at the front counter.
Kath Hunt's Applique Class
Kath Hunt has just finished a six session class with her applique group working on their Indiana Shade Garden Quilts. They have produced some wonderful quilts and we look forward to seeing them all when the finishing touches have been added.
Kath is continuing techniques workshops with her previous students. She will be running new applique courses in 2009. So if you are interested let us know.
Grandparents Quilts
The Thursday Friendship Group at Addicted To Fabric have been holding a working bee to make quilts for the Grandparents Group, supported by Canberra Mothercraft Society in Canberra. They are completeing 12 quilts at present which is an amazing achievement in a short period. Well done to all concerned as it is a cause that has touched all our hearts at the store.
First Beginners Course of 2008 Finishes
The Beginners Patchwork and Quilting course finished in the last few days. Again, Wendy and her students have produced amazing results in eight short sessions and we have just gathered to admire the new quilts over a glass of wine and some refreshments. Well done to all for such an impressive first effort. We hope to see you at many more workshops and look forward to seeing what you all produce. A sample of the quilts from the course is shown above.
Melly and Me Patterns Available
We have a great range of the delightful Melly and Me patterns. Team them with some of our bright and bold fabrics, and you will create some eye-catching creatures. These are fun and easy to make. and they often draw the eye of our customers when they come into the store.
Techniques Class
The Thursday group is full at present and we have just two vacancies on Saturdays, so if you want to join in the fun, contact us at the store.
Canberra Mothercraft Society
Addicted to Fabric has been a supporter of Canberra Mothercraft Society for several years now. This organisation has been established in Canberra for over 80 years and are a group of quiet achievers who provide support programs for mothers and babies. Have a look at their webpage at: http://www.cmsinc.org.au/
Sue Ross has a big following in Canberra following her past classes at Addicted To Fabric. We are pleased to announce that she will be coming to teach her new quilt Whirlygig in May. We nowhave the quilt up in the store and have included the details of the class in our current class list. So if you are a fan of Sue's classes and want to get in early to ensure you have a place, contact us at the store.
New Fabric Update
Several new fabric ranges have now been added and we are processing more arrivals in the next few days. Check out the popular Amy Butler's new range Mid West Modern, pictured here. We just love it. Or how about the colours and designs in Sausalito - very modern (unless you remember the 1970s!!!) Details are on the new fabrics page.
Low Fat Cupcakes Recipe
During a quiet moment at Addicted To Fabric, Donna and Kate mixed some low fat ingredients of fabric, buttons and pins to bake a batch of delicious-looking cupcakes to add to our table of Moda Happy Birthday items. They look great, don't they and won't damage the hips at all!
Soon after, somebody borrowed one from the stand. We hope they did not bite into it too hard!
Winter Fabric Ranges
Our winter fabrics for day and evening wear are now in store. So it is a good chance to get all your requirements before the cold weather strikes or our stocks of popular fabrics runs out.
Block of the Month Program Kicks Off
The first group of our major Block Of the Month program kicked off on Thursday 6 March. The program, The Two of Us, is now fully subscribed. The first group received their first blocks and other goodies at the launch and Kerry Gavin provided some insights into her tricks of the trade to make this beautiful quilt. We will give you an update later in the year as the quilts progress
Susan Matthews Visit
We enjoyed having Susan Matthews back in the store when she taught creative raw edge applique and Drawing with Thread over an intensive four day session. Everyone had a great time and continue to be amazed at the skills they develop with Susan's tutelage.
We are now well into stride for the new year. The first beginners classes of the year are underway, fully booked. So if you are thinking of trying this wonderfully-paced, creative and enjoyable pastime, why not enrol for the next class starting on 29 April. See the workshops page for details.