Shabby Roses, three ways!

You've been very patient waiting for me to format the Shabby Roses Stitchery pattern in ways that best suit you!

Today I can happily tell you, "I've done it!" \o/

Ist option...

As an instant PDF download.

The file contains step by step instructions and lots of close-up colour photos to help with the hand embroidery.

2nd option...

As a paper pattern, posted to your door.

This is a full sized pattern (A3) for tracing, and the pattern contains all instructions to stitch the design.

  

3rd option...

Pre-printed on white hanky linen.

The design is ready to stitch, and all you need do is gather  your threads.

The design is 10" x 15" when stitched.

You can purchase the instant PDF download HERE

You can purchase the Paper Pattern HERE

HANKY LINEN PACKS ALL SOLD.

You can purchase the design on pre-printed linen HERE. (I only have 7 of these, so be quick if this is your preferred option!)

Have a lovely weekend!

I will be stitching a free design for next Friday, and enjoying the leftover plum pudding I made last night.

What are you doing this weekend? Are you cooking something yummy?

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

A week at Elefantz...

Monday...

Traced out the blocks I drew last week for a brand new BOM to be released after Easter, 'Daisy Days', and started stitching block one. If you love this new design half as much as I do then it will be very popular! 

Eight days of the week in eight blocks -  I started with 'mondaisy'...

Tuesday...

Last week I was out window shopping with Blossom and I bought this beautifully vibrant card just for the colours and the quote. I adore colour, and it makes me happy to have bright things around me...

When I bought it I had a plan to frame it. Inside was a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, and it so touched my soul that I wanted it in the frame as well. I wrote it on a piece of the silver envelope and placed it in the corner.

"Intense love...it does not measure, it just gives."

A piece of inspiration, in colour and word, to inspire me in my sewing room.

Wednesday...

Blossom's day off work, so we went out for coffee, and to browse the new Myer in Townsville. A good twenty minutes was spent drooling over the Royal Albert display...

(lots of birthday hints were dropped by me)

 

...and some innocent childish fun tickling Elmo in the toy department...

 ...before a long, slow walk through Blossom's favourite place, the shoe department!

We thought some new thongs (flip flops to our American friends) were in order, so why not go for bling and bows?

Thursday...

Woke up with a fresh idea for using the Shabby Roses Angels blocks I designed and stitched last year. My creative self had hit a wall with the final layout so I packed it away for a few months, praying inspiration would arise one day. On Thursday it did!

I drew up a small quilt plan, and trimmed the finished blocks to suit...

 

 

....then realised I needed a verse for the centre. An hour was spent doodling some sentiments, until I felt sure I had said exactly what I wanted the quilt to say.

"...angels are all around ~ blooming in the hearts of our friends..." 

 (© 2013 Jenny of Elefantz)

 

 Another week and this should be finished and  ready for the pattern to be written. \o/

Friday...

Sunshine and Sophie in the Sink...

 

...she still drinks her water from a coffee mug in the sink. 

 

And the rest of the day? Finish some stitching, and plan the menu for our housewarming dinner tomorrow night. 

~~~~~

I have received many emails asking where the pre-printed linen and pattern for my new 'Shabby Roses' stitchery can be purchased.

Your local quilt shop (if they have ordered it) will only now be getting this pattern delivered, but if you cannot wait that long, Under The Mulberry Tree have them in stock, ready to purchase.

Visit HERE.

NOTE: If you own a quilt shop, work in one, or frequent a favourite shop, AND the shop stocks any of my designs, please leave a comment below with your shop name and website. I will add it under my 'Pattern Stockists' button here on my blog so those who want to purchase my designs can click straight to your store. :-)

If you want your store to order this in for you, have them email Creative Abundance at 
nel@creativeabundance.com.au
 

Have a wonderful weekend! May you smile, laugh, and gather armfuls of joy!

Oh, and drop by next week for something sweet that I'll be sharing....

Secret's out!

As I shared HERE last year, being a one-woman show is incredibly wearing time-wise, and the final acceptance of that truth brought about my decision to publishing the final issue of my e-zine, Elefantz HOME last November.

At the time I thought I may continue it as a quarterly, but you know, when you close a door, God gently presses another key into your palm and a new door appears, beckoning you on to a new adventure.

So, did I walk through, or turn and flee?

Being an adventurer at heart, I turned the key, swung wide the door, and ran with arms wide open along a new and exciting path!

You see, I love designing. I really, really do. I get such a kick out of seeing something that has formed in my coffee saturated thoughts come to life on paper. But time to allow those ideas to properly flourish was not available last year, with the constancy of a monthly magazine to write and publish, as well as projects for other publications.

I felt drained, rushed, and unable to give the time needed to breathe real life into my sketches.

Enter the lovely Jacques & Nel of Creative Abundance.

They flew to the opposite end of the country to spend time with Mr E and I last November, and I saw the hand of God with that very special key I needed to open the next door of my career. Prayers answered, new friends made, a way to design and stitch to my heart's content...blessed.

So guess what came next!?

My sweet Shabby Roses Stitchery was made ready for you!

 

 

 

We know how time consuming tracing a stitchery of this size can be, so the clever folk at Creative Abundance have released my design on pre-printed linen!

I can hear those sighs of relief, ladies. ;-)

 

For the many, many blog readers, and Facebook followers, who have patiently waited for the release of this pattern, I can now say, "It's ready!".

If your local quilt shop already stock patterns by Rosalie Quinlan, Ric Rac, May Blossom, Melly & Me (or any of the many wonderfully talented designers in the Creative Abundance family) they may already have it ordered or in stock. If they don't, then kindly ask them to order it in for you.

The pattern is JE006.

Creative Abundance distribute worldwide, so wherever you are, you can find a way to purchase it. \o/

*****

Next design on my finished project list is another large stitchery, and during that great tennis match between Li Na and Vika Azarenka last night,  I made the final stitches...

~Romeo Roses~

 

Next week I'll write the stitchery instructions, and sometime in February it will be ready for purchase. Hmmm, just in time for Valentines Day. Seems quite appropriate! 

*****

Yesterday was Australia Day and our family celebrated with lamb and pavlova. Perfect Aussie foods!

It was too hot in the tropics to do anything much, so I fine-tuned the sketches of my new BOM, while Mr E and Sam repaired Sam's car and Blossom went to work for the day. Well, at least the food was good and well received after their hard labour!

What did you do on Australia Day?

Stitch, knit and crochet...

Still packing up the sewing room because as I go through all my bits and pieces I am culling what I don't need, gathering ideas, and taking notes.

I also took a LOT of hours today sketching, fine tuning, and redrawing my next design until it was 'just right'. I showed Blossom when she came home from work and you know what she said?

"Mum!! This is gorgeous!"

Well, there you have it. The official seal of approval.

It's anther big stitchery. LOVE doing 'just' stitcheries.

After dinner I traced it on to white handkerchief linen, and tomorrow in the natural light I will choose the thread colours. 

This will keep me occupied in between packing, Christmas, New Year, and moving. \o/

****

Have I shown you my finished "Shabby Roses Stitchery" yet??

In the New Year I'll have all the information about purchasing the design! Thanks for your patience. 

I think 2013 will see me focusing mainly on large stitcheries - the kind that you can really take your time with and enjoy. 

****

The other crafting interest that has kept my fingers from idleness is crochet. Just very basic stuff, though! I finished my third face washer yesterday while watching a movie with Blossom and Mr E.

Now I'm working on a red and turquoise granny square, using a smaller crochet hook and finer cotton. I hope to make THIS mandala when we've moved and my crochet skills have improved.

Blossom, on the other hand has been knitting! She has finished one dishcloth, and is half way through her second...

She loves the wonderful wool and pattern Stephanie sent from the US!

Blossom also got very excited when the mailman delivered Stephanie's latest pattern, 'Peek-a-Boo Street'...

 

The little houses reminded her of England, so during my packing up I picked through some spotty and striped fabrics with the idea of making this quilt for her next year. It would be lovely to post a new quilt to my baby girl when she is settled in Derby. 

Stephanie's pattern is available HERE in her shop.

****

The linen pincushion set I've been stitching with the Weeks Dye Works thread is ready to be made up now, but that stage will have to wait until I resettle after we move. I love how the colours 'pop'!

I used my creative license to use different stitches than the pattern...do you do that too?

Time to pack up for the night.

Sweet dreams...

My shabby kinda world...

As I shared HERE, my first love in design is stitchery, and I have finally gotten around to doing something I've wanted to try for over a year.

Remember my lovely Shabby Roses quilt design with those twelve large stitched and appliqued blocks?

I designed and stitched it first in 2009...

  ...and then I remade it in 2011, with brighter fabrics, and a different block layout. 

The finished quilt is 50" x 51".

WELL...I have often wondered how it all the blocks would look, scaled right down, as a stitchery?

Last week I played around for a few nights, re-drawing each block to around 2" in size. Then I placed them in borders and drew up a tiny scale quilt layout to house them.

I think this has been the most nerve-wracking of all my Elefantz designs! The blocks are too small for any applique, so how to bring them to life with pastel threads alone?? But I love a challenge.

This week I've spent my evenings watching favourite episodes of Agatha Christie's "Poirot", drinking Twinings 'Prince of Wales' tea (in the new cup that Blossom bought me), and stitching my dream...

It's looking beautiful...

The entire stitchery is 9.5" x 14" - like I said, tiny little blocks...

So far just backstitch and satin stitch...

But later on there will be chain stitch in the borders.

The Shabby Roses Stitchery will be my first paper pattern release in January 2013.

What do you think so far?

*****

In my previous post I asked what you thought this new Elefantz HOME design was, and the very observant Vicki got it right!

It's a bunting!

A birthday bunting in fact!

 

The pattern for the Birthday Bunting will be in the final issue of my magazine, due for publishing on November 30th.

Also in Issue 18 will be the Shabby Angels mini quilt, No Place Like Home cushion, and Cal's Cow Pyjama Bag (still being made)....

 

 

I'm not accepting new subscriptions anymore as this will be the last Elefantz HOME issue published, but the magazine WILL be available as a single purchase for non-subscribers on November 30th.

I think the four designs in this issue are some of my very best, and all of them have a sentimental attachment.

*****

I'm so excited about life after I close the magazine and say goodbye to its monthly deadlines.

You see, a new adventure awaits...

Are you wanting a new adventure too?