In Stitches of Williamstown

Techno savvy?

Having a bit of a moment this afternoon I listed to a detailed pod cast (thing) about making your blog work.  So you'll note a few changes.  I'm tweeting.  I've added it to my blog.  When I tweet you see it (on the right hand side of my blog)  When I blog it tweets.  So feeling fairly proud of putting some of what I learnt into action. 

You can also follow me on typepad by clicking the "follow me" link on the left.  This lets you see what other sites I'm interested in and comments I've made.

And I've learned how to add a poll to my website so you can let me know what type of projects you like to work on by clicking on the poll.  Thought it was a good way to start to get interactive.  I'll come up with more polls soon - but thought this was a good and safe introduction.  The poll is on the right hand side of my site half way down.

And don't forget you can leave a comment at any time by clicking on the comment button which is below every post.  you do have to enter your email address but it doesn't get published so don't worry about others getting to know your email address etc.  It's easy.

So come on, let me know you're reading my blog and what other things you'd like to find out about.  Would you like more tips and hints?  Would you like more giveaways?  Would you like to find out what I'm designing.  Let me know what you think by adding a comment.  I'd love to hear from you - and would love to blog about things YOU are interested in!  I miss the shop, I miss the contact with my customers - so please stay in touch.

Feeling clucky

Have you checked out Anna Maria horner's blog recently? See link below right. Got to feel clucky at the photos of her adorable baby ... I mean fabric! Her new range is awesome.
Pictured here is melly & me's version of clucky.

Time for a slumber party?

Two terrific new designs by Aussie designers = Make it Perfect and Natalie Ross in Stitches

 

Send the kids to bed in style with a pair of funky, cool, slumber party jammies! With a comfy elastic waistband and fun drawstring tie, they will be guaranteed a good nights sleep.

The matching drawstring bag makes a great gift bag which can later be used to hang on the end of the bed as a neat place to keep their jammies when they aren’t being worn!

And Natalie has a perfect Slumber Party Quilt pattern too...

So now they can be decked out in style.  Patterns of course available through my website www.institches.com.au

Enjoy!

Laura x

Who's a pretty girl again?

The parrot fabric from Saffron Craig is back in stock again after lots of requests.  Repeat is 50cm.  It's featured in the picture here...(in the centre).  Really bright and fresh and bursting full of Australian summer!  Enjoy.  I'll pop it on my website www.institches.com.au tomorrow.

I still have a couple of kits left for the quilt if you are interested let me know.  I'll pop these on the website too.  This is a really quick and easy quilt - good cot size and very fast to put together.
 

Summer in a pan!

Got to love it that summers approaching. Lamb on the Barbie and oven roasted ratatouille. Enjoying the warm spring evening.

wondering if I can succesfully post to twitter?

...or whether technology will fool me again.  why do I always do this 5 minutes before trying to pick up the kids from school???

Last of the flower sugar. Be quick!

Brown owl

Just arrived. I'm pondering what to do. Love the owls just peaking out.

What do you want to learn?

Since I closed the shop I've had lots and lots of requests to teach - but what do you want to learn?

• beginner quilt (nine patch? churn dash? modern?)
• bag (beginner? advanced?)
• quilt as you go?
• drunkards patch?
• blanket stitch applique?
• softies?
• hair accessories?
• borders?
• binding?

Please give me some feedback through the comment button below and I'll schedule some classes.

What about the concept of a patchwork party where you get a few friends together and I run a class for you?

Let me know what you think.

fabric covered boxes

Hey - take a trip over to the black bird designs blog - they've got these neat covered fabric boxes in a tutorial.  These would be perfect to gift wrap a special christmas pressie.

Last year I made some fabric bags for christmas presents.  Which were really well received.  why not have a go...

here's some instructions so you can have a go at your own bag....View this photo  View this photo

for some strange reason I've saved these as jpgs as I thought you would be able to view these rather than the publisher original.  If you zoom in you should be OK!  email me if you're struggling with the format....

Enjoy... Laura

turning 40 menu

Had a dozen people for dinner on Saturday to celebrate my lovely husbands 40th.  Menu was great and stress free so thought I'd share...

 Pre dinner: Union Square Cafe Bar Nuts from Nigella bites.  Sourced the nuts from the wholesaler in new Street altona which has just the freshest nuts.. very moorish - I used walnuts, macadamias, brazil nuts, cashews, almonds and hazlenuts.  All that nutty goodness with rosemary, cayenne, sugar, salt, butter.. what could be better?

Starter: asparagus tomato and knock out sauce salad (aka christmas salad from delicious magazine)

Asparagus is awesome at this time of year.  But the best bit of this is the dressing. You have to seek out the yellow soy bean sauce and the stem ginger but they give the most awesome kick!  If you can't get buffalo mozarella then baby bocconcini works just as well...

Main was fillet of beef bourguignon  - if you live in Melbourne and are near footscray market it's  a must for this as the meat is great - and affordable ($22 per kg! for eye fillet!). For 12 I doubled the recipe and ended up cooking all but the beef on the hob until the veges were cooked.  Then an hour before serving i popped the browned meat on the top of the saucy vegetables and roasted for an hour. I kept the beef whole (2 pieces each about 1.6kg) - I didn't slice it as per the recipe.  So it wasn't really casserole style which means it probably wasn't a beef bourguignon at all!  But what was really nice was the beef was rare and very tender rather than overcooked.  There was not a single piece of beef left - it was just devoured (a good sign i think!).

Next was a real Normandy treat - Le Trou Normande (otherwise known as apple sorbet with a splash of fiery calvados) - a real palate cleanser.  Apple sorbet was made well in advance and before the meal I served it up into pre cooled espresso glasses - so that all we had to do on the night was splash on the calva.  This pic is from the recipe (not mine!)

On to Cheese - which was from our local deli the Pickle Barrel

Then what could be more perfect for dessert than Nigella's Brownies I got the recipe from her feast book - or was it the domestic goddess one, anyway .  Made them heaps and they always taste fantastic.  Had thought about steaming them as recommended in Ben O'Donoghue's column in this months delicious -but they were so gooey as they were - they didn't need this treatment.  The recipe says it makes up to 48.  We could have got 24 our of the tin and they are disaappearing faster than my wasteline wishes...  Yum.

 
  
Then tea... how very british!  Only 1/12 wanted coffee!

This was really a stress free entertaining menu.  So enjoy!
 

New cinderberry stitches release

Cinderberry stitches has just released a new pattern - the very stylish paris collection.  Come on girls what are you waiting for.  This is a gorgeous bag, would make a fantastic christmas present and is achievable in time for Christmas.

Pop over to Natalies blog for more pictures, remember patterns are available from my website

How many pets can you have?

If this pic is anything to go by then you can have as many as your heart desires. Here we have a team huddle midway through an afl game. This was just one huddle. There were just as many on the other team. And that was b4 the party! My eldest turned nine on sat & the word had sure spread as to what her heart desired.. There are very many little pets in our house now. And the good thing... They're small!

Cool image

Amy butler launches her new range.

What makes me happy?

I'm definately happy when surrounded by some fabrics. A combination of colour and that surging feeling of creative inspiration. Wanting to do something. Make something. Kaffe Fassett fabrics amongst others really push me down this path. The strength of colour seems to increase the intensity of feeling. At first I was hesitant. Worrying probably more about what could go wrong than what could be right! Retrospetively I initially made too many safe choices. But i needed to go through this to get to where I am now... Ready to throw caution to the wind and revel in these fabrics that just make me happy. How can it fail!

Itty bitty buttons

I now have covered buttons galore. In all the small sizes. From smaller than a ten cent piece to about the size of a two dollar. I'll pop a pic to this post soon.

A myriad of uses. I like to use them for hair accessories. And they are terrific for coordinating buttons for bags. Either functional or decorative. Sometimes it's that little attention to detail that makes something look so proffessional!

Very simple to use. Try them. You might like them!

Laura x

In stitches of Williamstown
www.institches.com.au
www.laurainstitches.typepad.com
Po box 830 Williamstown VIC 3016

How now brown owl

New fabric from Aussie designer Saffron Craig. Limited amount available.

Craft expo

Were you there? I had a fantastic time meeting everyone and secret pleasure everytime someone squealed with delight in response to something on my stand. And there were squeals a plenty! Very reassuring!
For all those that were interested in my button demo I have got new stock coming in in all the sizes! On urgent request.
For those who met Georgie, my lovely uni student helper, you'll be pleased to hear she won a Bernina sewing machine for her apron which she only had an hour to embellish. A sewing enthusiast embarking on her journey. How exciting.
I never did manage to talk Martin into entering the apron comp! Just as well for Georgies sake!
Did you have a go at the bead boudoir? Did you discover new tecniques at the discovery desk? Did you paint on the mural? It was very hands on.
To all those who bought from my stand a big thankyou. Nice to know that others enjoy a funky fresh new approach to sewing! Enjoy.
Laura x

Martin lends a hand

....and even surprised himself with what he knows... He either listens or it must be osmosis!

Saturday Sampler - it's a winner!

Hi - Anne won 2nd prize at the Royal Melbourne Show with her Saturday Sampler!  Well done Anne.... so ladies, I know there were more than 50 of you that embarked on this epic ... how many are finished?  Feel free to send in a photo for me to share...  I've seen a few, but not many... perhaps this might be the inspiration you need?  Laura x

Play school pattern giveaway

Winner of a competition with much better odds than the melbourne cup !!!- JKelly - I'll be in touch by email.  Bec send me your mail address by email and I'll find a free pattern of mine to send out to you too!

I'm struggling under the weight of kids art work - my two produce new masterpieces at an alarming rate!  What do I do with it all - too much of a sentamentalist to throw it all away.  Any ideas about keeping it under control would be very welcome.

I've got one free pattern to give away - designed by Make it Perfect - this would make a terrific gift for Christmas - the pencil roll would be terrific for slightly older kids too.  Please leave a comment below by Sunday 1 November and go in the running to win (random winner).

Funky and Fun - Art is cool!

This play shcool pack is available soon.