Happy Hallow Designs

New into the shop today!

Happy Hallow Designs are a fantastic range of Christmas Treats. They are a range of easy to make and fast projects just in time for Christmas. We have several different designs including table runners, tree skirts, wreaths and decorative Santa's and in the shop we have samples of some of the patterns so you can see them all made up.

All the patterns are $15.50 and there are also a couple of kits.

Goodies from Houston

10 Boxes of goodies arrived today from America, 4 Boxes yesterday. It's like Christmas, even though I sent alot of these boxes there is nothing better than opening them all up to see the items inside. There was so many boxes that the post office didn't have space inside for them.
Now we just have to find space in the shop.

Michele Hill at Berrima Patchwork - March 2010

It is with great pleasure that we announce that Michele Hill will be teaching 3 workshops and a lecture/book signing in March 2010 at Berrima Patchwork. Michele is the author of William Morris in Appliqué
Michele lives in South Australia and began her quilting journey in 1986 designing her own quilts in 1996 with William Morris and architecture being her greatest inspirations. Each of her appliqué patterns have a strong connection to one or more of Morris’ original designs. As a teacher Michele is passionate about encouraging her students and fellow quilters to create original designs and share their passion for quilting with others. Michele is an award winning quilter and is a member of the Quilters’ Guild of South Australia.
For more information on Michele please check out her Website http://www.michelehill.com.au/

For Further information on Michele's Classes please contact us on 48771382 or email at

sales@ berrimapatchwork.com.au

Houston International Quilt Festival - Hollis Chatelain

I was fortunate to take a class with Hollis Chatelain while at the Quilt Festival in Houston. Hollis is one of the top quilters in the world and has won numerous awards with her quilts. She is a very giving teacher and very approachable. Check out her website www.hollisart.com(Also while you are there check out a project of Hollis' called Imagine Hope www.imagine-hope.org which is bringing awareness through art)

At the Houston Quilt Festival this year Hollis took out The Master Award for Thread Artistry with Protection, a quilt that is a wholecloth with the images created entirely by threads, and First Place in the Art-Painted Surface with Exodus.

The class I took with Hollis was a one day class Painting Images with Dyes which was teaching us how to paint on wholecloth using Procian Dyes. It was very overwhelming at first, putting your first stroke onto the cotton knowing you can't remove it, but under Hollis' guidance we all completed the project with flying colours!

Here is a picture of my painted piece (the drawing was a design by Hollis) and the class

(Below) Tanya was who I was sitting next to in the class, she is from California, Here is a picture of her piece that she was working on (once again a design by Hollis)

Houston International Quilt Festival - Noriko Endo

Two of the classes I attended while at Houston were with a Japanese Quilter Noriko Endo

I missed out on a place in her classes last year and was determined to get a place in them this year. Noriko is an award winning quilter. Here is her website http://www.norikoendo.com the site shows several quilts. Her main method of creating a quilt is using a confetti method - cutting up very small pieces and laying the onto a piece of backing and then quilting over the top. Her quilts are amazing and if you get to see one in person you need to take time to see all the little details she places in her quilts.

The first of the class was called Impressionist of Japan - Silk dye and Naturescape. In this class we learnt how to dye the silk fabrics and to create a impressionist quilt using the various silks, silk threads, fibres and silk ribbons. Using silk thread in the machine you quilt all the layers together. Below is a picture of the piece in the first stages ( I went a bit crazy with my colours). I still have a lot of quilting left to do on it so that will have to be done when I return back to Australia.

The Second Class that I took with Noriko was Confetti Naturescapes. In this class you use a photo as your inspiration and create your piece using small cut up pieces of fabric. I couldn't believe the amount of work we completed during the class. Below is a picture of the class room and a picture of my piece, once again there is still a lot of work to be done on it but it is coming along nicely.

Quilt Market - HOUSTON

Quilt Market is every quilters dream. A trade only event it has suppliers, designers and distributors of everything quilting. Quilting supplies, fabrics, decorative crafts, textile arts, needle crafts, books, notions, patterns, quilting machines and computer software is all on show.

Quilt market runs for 3 days and is very exhausting and enjoyable. With over 2000 stalls it takes a long time to see everything. Many demonstrations are held by large distributors and book companies, free samples and the opportunity to talk directly to creators of products is just part of the Quilt Market.

So what new products have I ordered for the shop?????

We are excited to be introducing several new companies and ranges into the shop.

Happy Hollow Designs creates a cute range of Christmas Santa products. I have some samples from their range and they will be in the shop so you can see what they look like once they are finished. They are all easy small projects so there is time to have them finished for Christmas!

Purse-O-Nalities of Palm Harbour: October's Bag Club featured one of the patterns from this company. Linda is the owner and designer and it was lovely to meet her face t o face after talking to her via email. Her range of bag patterns are well written, easy to follow and very fashionable. We hope to be working with her over the next few months and if there is a particular design/style of bag you are interested in let us know at the shop and we will talk to Linda about the possibility of designing something similar. Linda has given me some free patterns which will be giving away soon.

Roomates is a range of patterns created by Donna Babylon. These are funky patterns - easy for kids to make which are cushions/pillows. Included in this range is The Fancy Flip Flop Pillow, The Rock Star Guitar Pillow and Fluterby Butterfly Pillow

Other new suppliers include Square in a Square designed by Jodi Barrows, 13 Brand new quilt as you go patterns from Prairie Sky Quilting, New Bag Patterns By Pink Sand Beach Designs and many more.... These are just a few of the new products/suppliers.

To add to our existing products there are new hand printed panels by Block Party Studios, New kits by Rachel's of Greenfields, new patterns from: Jamie Kalvestran of Scrap Bags; Amy Bradley; Daisy & Dell; Country Quilter; Indygo Junction; Cozy Quilt Company.

Barri Sue from Bareroots also has a new book out. Here is a review for it "For all those times when a store-bought gift just won’t do, you’re bound to find that perfect, pretty something in Barri Sue Gaudet’s Quilt a Gift. Featuring dainty embroidered borders, sparkly beaded embellishments and many more thoughtful touches, these are the best kinds of projects for anyone who loves making, giving and receiving something heartfelt and homemade. Choose from 25 sweet-as-can-be appliqued and pieced patchwork projects—some quick and easy, others requiring a bit more time and care—brimming with country charm, including: • a lovely selection of last-minute hostess and housewarming gifts featuring home and heart motifs, such as an adorable welcome sign that takes about 2½ hours to make • heirloom-quality baby blankets and pretty-yet-practical pocket carry-alls that will be used and cherished long after tiny clothes are outgrown • all sorts of Christmas goodies—gift bags with embroidered holly sprays, fun Christmas tree ornaments, even an advent calendar featuring some of the cutest snowman, angel and reindeer appliqués ever. With ideas for everything from birthday decor to wedding and Mother’s Day keepsakes, you can make the act of giving and celebrating extra-special!" I have ordered it for the shop so it should arrive in a few weeks

Samples from Barri Sue's New Bareroots Book: Quilt a Gift

New Books are also on show at Market and there were opportunities to meet the authors and to see demonstrations from their books. I will be posting a lot of reviews on these new books when I return as I was fortunate to obtain copies of several of them.

Above (left) Author Pat Sloan, and Authors Rebecca Yaker and Patrica Hoskins of One Yard Wonders (This is a brand new book not yet released, I was reading it last night and it is fantastic!)

As you can see it has been a full on 3 days and I'm not even halfway through my time here in Houston. But no time to waste, classes started today and the Quilt Festival starts on Thursday with a preview night on Wednesday. Time for sleep now, more later. xx Tamsin

Schoolhouse Series and Sample Spree - HOUSTON

It is the day before the Quilt Market opens, and today was filled with the Schoolhouse Series and Sample Spree. The Schoolhouse series was created by Marti and Richard Michell and occurs before every Quilt Market. There are 244 different classes offered which cover a wide range of topics. The emphasis is on introducing new product or techniques to shop owners with the aim of providing educational communication between suppliers and retailers. There are a total of 15 sessions - 11 which last for 30 minutes and 4 which last for 15 minutes, each session you have the option of about 16 different classes. It is an extremely informative event and you need to have a pen and paper at the ready. At the end of each session everyone runs out into the hallway rushing to get to their next selected session. During Schoolhouse I had the opportunity to see a presentation and new collections from designers including Kaffe Fassett, Alex Anderson, Lonni Rossi and Gloria Leonard Hall. Gloria is a new designer for Andover Fabrics and her collection Feed sack Melody originated from authentic Feed sacks. Gloria has an amazing knowledge on fee sacks and showed many samples of the original feed sacks that inspired this fabric collection.
Harriett Hargrave's session with CT publishing was on her new book which was co-written with her daughter Carrie called Quilter's Academy Volume 1 - Freshman Year. It is a new book about to be released designed for beginner quilters. This must-have course guides you step by step through the basics of quilt making, from setting up your sewing space to binding and finishing your first quilt. There will be 6 books in this series.
There were many other sessions that I attended, too many to write about but I did see some new products which will be in the store so stay tuned!

Pictures above: Kaffe Fasset with one of his new quilts and Alex Andersen with a bag made from her new fabric collection.

Gloria Leonard Hall new designer for Andover Fabrics (left) and Inside one of the session - Lonni Rossi from Andover Fabrics

(Above) Harriett Hargrave with Quilters Academy Volume 1 - Freshman Year

SAMPLE SPREE

Tonight was Sample spree. What is sample spree? It is pretty much what it says, it is the opportunity for shop owners to purchase samples of products e.g fabric, notions, patterns and so on from some of the wholesalers. Many of the fabrics are samples from ranges that will not be in the shops for several months. The samples gives us the opportunity to create samples, design quilts prior to ordering and receiving the ranges of fabrics. The event starts at 8pm and lasts for 2 hours. Some people start to line up at 3pm, I was not one of these people. However about 30 minutes prior to the doors opening the lines are starting to get longer and longer. Here are some photos of the line up to the ballroom where sample spree was being held and then inside the ballroom. Notice all the bags everyone is carrying, everyone staggers out with several very heavy bags.

Cowboys and Quilts in Houston Texas

Hi everyone from HOUSTON!

I arrived here yesterday and today I had a relaxing day on a tour run by the show called Cowboys and Quilts. The day took in 3 of the local quilt shops and the George Ranch Historical Park. The Feathered Star was our first shop located in Katy, Houston (www.thefeatheredstar.info/) The shop is in an old restored house and they have had the shop for a few years. The shop has a beautiful lay out with a range of fabrics including Daiwabo Taupes some amazing Japanese sample quilts and an array of Christmas samples.

The second shop we visited was the Quilting Cottage (www.texasquilterscottage.com/). This shop is located in Old Towne Richmond, Owner Debbie Bertrand opened the doors of Quilters Cottage in March of 2006. The shop is located in two "antique" houses, they stock a range of fabrics and I don't think I have ever seen so many batik fabrics in one shop before.

The third shop we visited was The Quilters Emporium (http://www.quiltersemporium.com/) where we were treated to a show of new fabric ranges from Avlyn Fabrics by Karen Combs (creator of Patchwork Illusions and designer and author http://www.karencombs.com/)

Now don't forget that the tour was called Cowboys and Quilts so at lunch it was time to head out to the Ranch - The George Ranch Historical Park (http://www.georgeranch.org/) . The park is a 23,000 acre WORKING ranch. They have set up historical buildings on the ranch where costumed presenters tell you about the history of the ranch and what life was like living and working there. You can visit the 1830s Jones Stock Exchange and buildings through to the 1890's Davis Victorian Mansion and the 1960s Ryon Prairie Home. The George Ranch Historical Park's history follows family lines beginning in 1824 when Texas was still part of Mexico. The first Texas pioneers settled near the Brazos River. In the years since, the Ranch has passed through four generations and grown into one of Fort Bend County's landmarks. The family's original "home place" is at the core of the George Ranch Historical Park where the legends and legacies of those who shaped this place come to life every day.

So it was a busy and enjoyable day. Tomorrow it is down to business with lectures all day and sample spree tomorrow night. xx Tamsin

Bernina and Berrima Patchwork

We have some very exciting news. Berrima Patchwork has joined with Bernina Australia to bring Bernina Sewing Machines into the Southern Highlands. They have some very exciting Christmas Specials coming up so if you are looking for a new machine now may be the right time! Bernina is the preferred machine of several of our teachers including Deborah Louie (who is a “Friend of Bernina”) and Kay Haerland. Both of us (Sue and Tamsin) have used Bernina, Sue for over 35 years and I started sewing on my Grandmother’s Bernina machine which is older than I am! We know these machines and how reliable they are and the high standard that Bernina ensures of their products. We are thrilled that Berrima Patchwork will be part of the Bernina family.
Bernina is located in Steckborn, Switzerland, was founded over 100 years ago and remains family owned and operated to this day. Bernina focuses on the premium segment of the market. Swiss precision is at the core of every Bernina sewing machine. It's this exceptional quality that makes sewing on a Bernina so easy and the projects so beautiful. Customers have exacting standards and know that they can expect excellence and reliability from every Bernina machine. Bernina makes machines for sewing artists, which is why they can inspire and encourage creativity in everyone who sews.