Welcome to Sparkling Spring! - And to my New Federation Seven-Point Star Block

After what felt like a very long, cold, wet, winter it's wonderful to be welcoming the First Day of Spring!   Not a moment too soon!   

Here in Melbourne, the past few years have usually given us rather dry, cool, sunny winter days. So this Winter, I really missed the opportunity to spend more time outdoors.

On the bright side, I've been powering ahead with my hand-piecing, and feel like my technique is improving noticeably.   

I prefer to use the simple 'running stitch method' - no papers required, so it's much simpler and faster

I've also been having fun with Liberty prints and Kona Solids. 

I've finalised the design of my hand-pieced Federation Seven-Point Star block, which I originally drafted about 3 years ago.  

There are many variations of traditional 6-point and 8-point star blocks.  However, my research couldn't locate any reference to a pieced 7-point star block, (apart from one with appliqued pieces).  I'm not surprised, as the maths is pretty complex, even for me.

My starting point was trying out the measurements of the 7-point Federation Star on the Australian Flag, as outlined on the Commonwealth website.  Only, this is far more complex than it looks!   

The star diamond points are not symmetrical vertically (neither the edge lengths, nor the angles).  So, when I practiced a block, I kept mixing up the direction of the diamonds!  Not good.

So, after many months of trial and error, I came up with the dimensions that work for me - and I'm very pleased with the result.  The Diamond forms the star (for as many rounds as you wish to add), and the Triangle and Corner pieces turn your star into a Heptagon! (7 sides).   Makes a change from a circle, don't you agree? 

My new  Window templates are listed on my Etsy Store, and will soon be on my New On-Line Shop - SunsetSeams.com.au. 

These templates are hand-made and laser-cut for accuracy from 1/8th inch thick (3mm) Plexiglas.  (The same material used for commercial quilting rulers).  

The ones pictured are in "Pale Blue" - or choose from 5 other colours.   

I enjoyed designing, laser-cutting and using these handy templates for my hand-piecing. They make cutting the fabric pieces very accurate.   The pieces come together beautifully and there's no worrying about maths or angles.  You can draw along the outside edge for the cutting line, and the inside edge for the stitching line.  So convenient and portable!

Soon to come are my Border or Frame templates (4 templates to cut 7 fabric pieces), which extend the star into a Square 18 inch finished block.   Such a neat number!     Four blocks will make a 36 x 36 inch square quilt - perfect for a small lap quilt or wall hanging.  Or make and join more blocks for a larger quilt.   

I'm in the process of writing a pattern for this - (my first one - another new skill to learn!)

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On a totally different note.....

Due to all the unseasonal rain this winter, there hasn't been much vegetable gardening for the past few months. I know - ironic, isn't it?  If I had been disciplined and steeled myself against the damp and cold in April / May, I could have been enjoying some massive vege growth by now.   (Though my caution did pay off in the sense that I managed to avoid coming down with the flu or even a head-cold).

Well, as it was still August (as of yesterday), perhaps it's not too late to plant some cherry tomato seedlings?  Maybe the garden bed will reward me after lying fallow for nearly a year?   

Our family loves home-grown cherry tomatoes, and we've found the perfect growing spot against the shed, facing the north sun, which has produced prolific crops over the past 5 years. These tasty tomatoes are terrific to toss into salads, grilled with eggs, or can be frozen (to add to casseroles).  I think I've almost talked myself into getting out the tools??!!  It's a lot more likely now, since the weather is definitely warming up. Hopefully, my next post will show some progress (and photos).

Thanks for visiting! Have a great month!

Cheers,
Lisa   1st September 2016.

29 February 2016 - Last Day of Summer!

It's not often that this day comes around, so it's worthy of mention!  29th February!   Or at least, it's significant enough to prompt me to create a new blog post to commemorate the occasion.   At the start of 2016, I had the best intentions of updating this blog at least once a month - yet where has the time gone?  Are the days going by faster?  Or is life just accelerating?

This Australian summer, in Melbourne, has been unusually hot and humid. And uncomfortable.  Like most people, I do not sleep well in the heat, or function well the next day.  So it's with some relief that I welcome the start of Autumn tomorrow, on the 1st March - clear blue skies, balmy temperatures and a refreshing chill in the air - bring it on!

My newest  laser-cut Acrylic Template set is the "Double-Sized Window (Fanlight) Version of Ballet with Kaffe", with an added 1/4 inch seam.   See, the 10 x diamonds on the left create the middle of the first star.  Compare that to the "Double Size Window" of that same shape, on the right!   In the "Window Version", the Inside edge represents the Stitching Line, and the Outside edge is the 1/4 inch fabric cutting line.

See my Etsy store - Sunset Seams. for details of this 4-piece set, in a choice of 4 translucent colours.

Full details and instructions for this pattern are available from the stunning "Milliefiori Book 2" by Willyne Hammerstein.   I was lucky enough to view the original quilt, up close, at the Australian Quilt Convention in the Melbourne Exhibition Centre last year.  It's featured on the cover of the book - a stand-out of colour and contrast.   The original pattern pieces are very small - which creates the intricate, mosaic-like colourful tiles.  

Sadly.... these pattern pieces are a bit too small for me to use (I'm not very accomplished at English Paper Piecing).  So I decided to  re-sized them so that each finished edge is "Double" the size of the original.  (ie, the main measurement is 6cm, instead of 3cm).  For those of you who enjoy mathematics, you'll realise that this means if you followed the original pattern exactly, then the final quilt would be FOUR times the SIZE the original!   Pretty big, right?

Alternatively, you could use the larger templates to make a similar quilt FOUR TIMES as FAST!  For me, the bonus is being able to hand-piece the bigger fabric pieces (using running stitch) - without having to bother with wrapping or gluing fabric onto paper pieces.

Yes, that fabric is from my small stash of Tula Pink "Eden" range. I'm looking forward to adding more colours, as the motif grows.    Maybe it won't end up being a full quilt - (if only I had that much time!) - but it may soon reach my favourite lap quilt size (1.5 x 1.5 metres).  Here's hoping!

Now that I finally have a new mobile phone (after having remained stubbornly loyal to my old one for far more years than it deserved), it should be easier and quicker for me to upload photos to my blog, and so create more frequent posts. (Again, hopefully!)

Anyway... Thanks for stopping by!  Do check out my Instagram account @SunsetSeams, if you get the chance.

Cheers,
Lisa

Farewell to 2015

It has been a HUGE year...!   "So Much to Tell You", as per the famous Australian author John Marsden's novel title. 

Where to start? Not tonight, on New Year's Eve.  Sufficient to say that it's been extremely busy & successful (work-wise), and sadly eventful (extended family-wise) and unexpectedly challenging (health-wise).

Instagram has proved to be a wonderfully easy way to connect with friends & customers, so this Blog has been a bit of an orphan this year.

However, hopefully 2016 will be a vast improvement on last year, and I will use the Blog to share more personal insights about my favourite aspects of quilting, sewing and acrylic laser-cutting of templates.

Thanks so much to all of my lovely, loyal Etsy & website customers...and Instagram & Pinterest followers! You make my day!

All the best for a happy, healthy & safe New Year to you, your precious family, and treasured friends!

Cheers!

Lisa & Andrew Smallridge
Sunset Seams, Melbourne, Australia
31 December 2015

Summer Holiday Time!

Vacation time! After a long, busy year, we are taking time out to refresh and rejuvenate. Thanks to our wonderful, creative, loyal customers, both in Australia and worldwide. We love what we do! 

Emails may (or may not) be checked and answered, every couple of days (subject to patchy internet access, while we are travelling).  Thanks for your patience - all queries will definitely be followed up on our return, after 21st January.

Cheers, Lisa & Andrew, 4 Jan15

Reflections on Christmas Day, 2014

Another year has passed... and Christmas Time is a good time to reflect on what has been happening, and what is to come.

First, let me wish all my family, friends, acquaintances and customers all the Very Best for this Festive Season!  Thank you to all of you for your love, friendship and support this year - which has been Very Busy!    

I've really enjoyed participating in meetings, retreats and workships arranged by my Quilt Guilds: Patchworkers' & Quilters' Guild, Ivanhoe, Bay Quilters, Beaumaris, and Vic Quilters, Inc.  Thank you for the warm friendships, stimulating conversations, and wonderful inspiration - especially as these groups all feature a strong, lively 'Charity Quilt' aspect.  I'm proud to be a member.

Christmas Lights, on a house, on the street where we live.

For our business "Sunset Seams" - we have made Acrylic Templates for over 500 Etsy Store customers.... far exceeding expectations!  Thanks to everyone who "passed the word" via Blogs, Instagram, Pinterest and all those wonderful reviews on Etsy.  I am truly humbled by your generous comments, and am glad that I've helped to enhance your quilting and patchwork and sewing experiences.  We now have 31 separate items listed for sale (including multiple copies, and different versions with either No Seam allowance, 1/4 inch Seam Allowance or 3/8ths inch Seam)

Thanks so much for all the suggestions from customers for new template sets or variations of old favourites - hopefully next year I will list even more.

Hopefully, 2015 will be a time for more blog-posting.... I've been a bit lax, as Instagram is far easier to use!    However, I will try to be more diligent next year.  We are also in the process of commissioning a new Logo... which should be finalised early in the year.  This is a pretty exciting development for us, using a professional graphic design company in Sydney.  Stay tuned!

It's great to see "returning customers", and to see the fantastic final quilts from quilters who have used our templates.  Please email your photos to me at SunsetSeams@hotmail.com, and with your permission, I'd be happy to display them on this Blog.

Finally, I wish you and your loved ones Peace, Harmony and Good Fortune as we come to the close of this "eventful" year.... worldwide, there have been many difficulties and tragedies, but with hope and prayers and good wishes, hopefully 2015 will be a Great One!

Cheers from Lisa & Andrew, here at Sunset Seams.

Spring Quilt Show - at Beaconsfield 13th September

This Saturday, 13th September, I will be attending as a Market Trader at the Beaconsfield Quilt Show, in O'Neill's Road, Beaconsfield - 10am to 4pm, only $5 entry, and with funds raised to go the CFA (Country Fire Authority)... a very worthy cause, given how close we are, again, to the summer bushfire season.  As our on-line business is becoming busier, I only attend one or two Markets per year - so it's exciting to be preparing for this one.   Also attending, among others, are Sarah from Sew Materialistic and Karen from Mrs Martin's Quilt Shop.  Hope to see you there!

It has certainly been a busy couple of months since our (short) holiday in July, with LOTS of Custom Acrylic Template orders.  This keeps  me busy 6 days out of 7, and often late into night (which is when I usually communicate with the international customers).  Heaps of thanks to all the new customers who have found us (via word of mouth), as well as a very warm "welcome back" to our "repeat customers" who just love using our Acrylic Templates to help with their quilt-making.

On 6th August I was invited to give a short presentation to the Southern Cross Quilters group at Carrum Downs (SQuilters) - thank for your warm welcome, and lovely flowers - it was great to meet you all.  

Several quilting teachers  and a Quilt Shop have approached me to make up Class Sets for their workshops - usually between 10 & 20 sets of Acrylic templates.  These are all reasonably priced (discounts apply for 10 or more sets), and using custom-made templates does speed up the fabric-cutting process for the participants, so that more class time can be spent on learning the actual sewing technique.

Once this upcoming quilt show is over, I'll be working on some new template design ideas - stay tuned.  In the meantime, I've recently added Acrylic Templates for the traditional block "Flowering Snowball" to my Etsy site - these are available for both a 9 inch and 6 inch finished block.

See you soon, and remember:  Happy Quilting!

Cheers,
Lisa.

Sunshine in Winter

Sailing, snorkeling, swimming, seaspray, sand, seafood buffet, sleeping in, spectacular sunsets, sauna, spa, serenity... These are the special ingredients for our short but  stunning mid-winter, Semester break, at Queensland's Daydream Island Resort.

It's been a huge, busy, successful six months to date, thanks to all our wonderful Etsy & website customers, past & repeat customers, and supportive members of my two Quilt Guilds: Bay Quilters, Mentone & P's & Q's Ivanhoe.

After a short spell of "R&R" we'll be back after 15th July 2014, with more template sets, photos & some new original Applique templates. Stay tuned!

Cheers,
Lisa

February - Happy Valentine's Day

This is an experiment with "pinks" - called "Raspberry Cones". Reminds me of gelati, and candy-stripes and girly doll's clothes. Not a colour I would usually work with, however I found a few metres of pink and white seersucker in my stash...and used this as the background.

Originally this fabric was bought 25 years ago, to make a frilly bassinet set for my darling baby daughter (and several romper suits...she was a gorgeous china-blue-eyed blonde with alabaster skin). 

I may have slightly over-estimated, and bought about 5 metres!  Still...lovely to find another use for it now.

Happy Quilting!

Cheers, Lisa

January - New Beginnings - New Acrylic Templates

 Well, it's a New Year.... and time for some new additions to my Etsy Store.  Yep: after a lovely, relaxing summer break, it's 'back to work' for the team at "Sunset Seams".

First up is  the "Snowdrift" template set, which matches your copy of this pattern from Weeks Ringle & Bill Kerr , at Modern Quilt Studio.

Thanks so much to my good friend Lorraine at "Sew Shells", for allowing me to photograph her beautifully sewn blocks.  The long gentle curves look so effective, and allow the blocks to come together quite quickly.

The large pieces are a perfect way to show off your favourite feature fabrics.

  

 The pattern is in "Modern Quilts Illustrated" #5, available here.

(We can even personalise by etching your first name or initials on the templates!)

Stay tuned for the next instalment...

Happy Quilting!

Cheers, Lisa.

Merry Christmas! - Christmas Placemats!

This Christmas, I decided to make a family heirloom (well, traditions have to start somewhere!).

So I designed and created the following 8 quilted placemats.  Each has a red central piece (from a larger Christmas panel), and the border fabrics are from the same jelly-roll, bought in December 2012.  The black and red iron-on fusible bias binding was from a Stitches and Craft show purchase about 8 years ago.... yes, it is worth keeping everything!  Did you notice that each placement is different?  The backing and binding are a cheerful apple green, with positive words printed, like 'Family Love, Strength, Home and Good Health'

The placements held pride of place at our 'early' Christmas Family Lunch on Sunday 15th December... and will stand us in good stead for the years to come.  They were greatly admired by my husband, adult daughter & son, and my two step-sons, and added a personal festive note to our special day.

Today is a low-key celebration with phone calls to interstate relatives this morning, and a quiet dinner with my step-children this evening.... so my wonderful husband and I are now off to have our own private Christmas lunch on the beach!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

October Retreat - Patchworkers' & Quilters' Guild of Victoria

Where has October gone.....!    Time rushes past so fast, as the end of the year draws closer.   

Recently I had a wonderful weekend away with about 45 other Quilters at a gorgeous country venue in Arrabri (near Warburton, Victoria).  It was a terrific way to meet other members of the Patchworkers' & Quilters' Guild of Victoria, which meets monthly in Ivanhoe.  (aka P's & Q's).  Thanks so much to Caroline & Lyn for talking me into attending.  It was worth it!

That's me, second from the right.

Such a well-organised Retreat, with fabulous country cooking, hearty meals, peaceful surroundings, friendly fun and nothing to do but sew!   Above is my (modest) attempt at a "Traditional Quilt" class, thanks to Raelene for her patience.    I may not have made many blocks, but it was such a luxury to have TIME to think, and plan and then sew.   During the weekend I met many lovely, friendly ladies, and also enjoyed the presentations by the various shops which were invited.   Can't wait until next year!

One of the many admirable activities arranged by the Guild each year is the combined donation, preparation, sewing and quilting of  Caring & Sharing Quilts'   I was happy to help out with sewing on the borders for these three quilt tops (I can't take credit for the actual blocks), and really enjoyed "doing my bit to help.   

At the November meeting of P's & Q's, we had a visit from a female Sergeant of the Australian Regular Army (who had previously served in Mazurka, Egypt).  She was promoting the wonderful work of  Aussie Hero Quilts.  She advised us how the serving members overseas felt deeply grateful to receive a hand-made quilt, all the way from Australia.  The soldiers, sailers and airmen & women do a fabulous job serving our country in very harsh climates, and miss their family and friends at home.  (Can you tell I come from a military family?)  Do check out this site, if you can help.  I hope to make a quilt to donate over the long Christmas holidays.  Sadly, there will probably still be Australians serving overseas in conflict areas, for the next few months to come.

A fitting ending to this post.... on Remembrance Day.... 11th November 2014.  

"At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them".

Stay safe,

Lisa.

September Seedlings

Last day of September, nearly a third of Spring has passed!  These gorgeous seedlings have grown rapidly from seed, and will be turning into summer salads before too long. Lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, shallots, cucumber, parsley, coriander....can't wait!

Winter's Last Day - Sunny Marmalade!

This looks so yummy! One freshly picked orange makes one tangy jar... Do you like my hexagon- shaped glass jar?

As we bid farewell to the warmest Melbourne winter on record, we can't wait for longer, warmer days in the garden and on the beach!

Can't believe it's Spring tomorrow... Gives me a spring in my step.

Cheers, Lisa

AQA Market

Australian Quilt Association - Surrey Hills

A great day! Lots of interest in our templates. The 8-Pointed Star (Lone Star) was a sell-out, so that's the next template set to be uploaded to our recently opene Etsy store. "SunsetSeams".

Winter Solstice

The shortest day of the year, from now on, the days will be getting longer, here in Melbourne. We celebrated this with a blazing fire at midnight, in the icy open air, with red wine, and jazz music in the background.  A special evening, with my wonderful husband!

Patchwork of the Crosses (POTC)

Have you seen Lucy Boston's "Patchwork of the Crosses"? A very old pattern, for hand-piecing. Wonderful effects can be achieved with choice of colours and fussy-cutting. Like ornate, mosaic tiles. I made 6 sets of these 1-inch finishes edge templates for a quilt guild in Singapore last weekend. Can't wait to try a block myself!

Cheers, Lisa

Market Stall - Rotary Quilt Show

A very busy weekend! Two full days of displaying our acrylic templates and explaining our customised service. Lots of interest was shown, and plenty of friendly chats and laughs along the way.

Now, to get on with all the new orders!

Thanks, everyone. (Especially Lorraine of "Patchwork Passions", Cranbourne".

Cheers, Lisa

Cheers,

Bunting!

Isn't this gorgeous fabric? "Snap Pop" by Sandy Gervais, for Moda.  It actually called out to me by name (well, figuratively speaking), at last weekend's Australian Quilt Convention - my only fabric purchase.

I've never been tempted to make Bunting before, popular as it is, but this has changed my mind. Love those Oranges, Pinks, Yellows, Greens & Blues - a bit like the acrylic colours I use in the laser-cutter.  So cheerful & bright!

Enjoy this sunny, breezy, Melbourne Autumn day!

Cheers, Lisa

Steam Punk Templates - 2

Doesn't the "Orange" look terrific? It's my favourite.

This continues to be a busy week, with local & interstate orders posted today.  Tonight I'm working on the U.S. orders - at only $10 postage (plus $15 for 5 templates in the set) it's a popular purchase.

I'm really enjoying connecting with other enthusiastic quilters from the other side of the world.  Remember, it's easy for me to personalise your templates, by etching your name or initials on each piece.  Patterns can be purchased from "Jen Kingwell Designs" or through "Amitie.

Last weekend I managed to squeeze in a visit to the historic Royal Melbourne Exhibition Building, to see the Australian Quilt Convention. Saw some amazing quilts, intriguing gadgets and quite a few old friends.

As for next weekend,  I'm well and truly looking forward to our Melbourne Modern Quilt Guild sewing day - seems I can't get enough of anything "quilt-related" - just love it!

Cheers for now, Lisa