It's all sunshine and lollypops here today.
Time to share a little work in progress - this is what I am working on in the studio.....just a little DMC pearl thread hand quilting with this tiny fairy friend.
She appears quite content.
Enjoy your day x
Natalie
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Okay.
Can you hear me squeal?
Can you hear my heart beating out of my chest?
I could not be more excited right now to announce....
That noise you just heard? it was me shouting it out to the world.
My next collection is called 'Enchant' it's still about 6 months away from arriving in stores but I have been given the green light to share my excitement and can now begin showing you more of what is to come.
I see foxes.
I see cottages.
I even see a tea party.
It's Enchant-ing.
Working with Riley Blake Designs is a dream come true.
They are absolutely awesome.
Come dance with me,
Natalie x
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Now for some foxy eye candy...
I am working on new designs and loving the process of pencil to needle & thread so much. I adore how these stitchings are coming together, they feature some new Cinderberry creatures and a few peeps you have already come to know, enjoy & stitch.
The actual drawing series for these designs were sketched months ago, before I went to Houston last year. I have just been waiting for the right moment to tell you about them and get myself stitching and swooning over them. It wasn't too hard for me to love these fellows, the red guys with their pointy ears and long whiskers.
I will keep a lid on the name of the design and what I am putting together until I am 100% certain of the direction of these foxy guys. I have a few ideas in mind but need to play with them until I get that right mix. This is how I design and I often change my mind and direction mid project. You have to let the design tell you what it wants to be...I know (cuckoo) but true.
But that doesn't stop me from showing you, afterall I want you to enjoy them like me.
Introducing - Red Fox for obvious reasons.
Sometimes they sleep & dream
Sometimes they wake and look for mischief
Either way they are my new stitching love.
I will keep you posted what's in store for the Red Fox, it's fun, fresh and different. Why yes, I do love my foxy fellows.
Till then,
Natalie x
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Time to spill the beans and tell you what I have been up to the last few months. You know when I am blog quiet, something BIG behind the scenes is brewing up.
I have been hard at work reformatting all designs in the Cinderberry Stitches pattern line, I guess that doesn't sound very exciting so I will show you in images what that means....
It will be the same....but oh so different - a better kind of different.
Yes you read right.
ALL stitchery patterns are now being produced with iron on transfers, this is something I have wanted to offer for quite some time and now you get to skip the non-fun part of tracing designs onto fabric (you know how much I love details in drawings) and get hand sewing as quickly as possible.
The best part is - you are sewing directly over my drawn lines, you sew excatly how I draw making the final results perfect in every way.
Can you believe now even my 'older' much loved patterns like Truly Scrumptious & Christmas Mice will come packaged with iron on transfers...love, love, LOVE.
But that's not all.
Did I say crystal clear 'zip lock' bags? Abso - cinder - lutely!
I have had a lot of feedback in the past about our pattern packaging and have sourced an amazing product that I love, it's re-usable so no matter how many times you take it out of the packet, it will slip right back in without sticking to adhesive strips (sound familiar?)....plus it is even better than 'crystal clear' you have got to love that.
But the best news of all is our new Cinderberry Stitches headoffice based in Geelong - we are now in total control of the product we produce and distribute which makes me beyond happy.
So please pass on the word to your favorite patchwork store, let them know how much you would love to see Cinderberry Stitches products in their store....because once you start, you will want more ;)
For all the details on ordering stock & wholesale information for your store come and visit me here and I will tell you more.
See - it's the same but different.
Till then,
Natalie x
ps....pop back soon for the new pattern cover reveal, I wonder what the new colours will be - promise it will make you smile!
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Market tip #1 - If you are going to take your camera, ensure the lens is clean and free of your childs finger prints before you begin snapping away. There is nothing quite like a built in fuzz lens you don't know about until you get home.
Seriously though the pictures I have are not wonderful, the finger prints on the camera lens has effected the color & quality of the images.
Some images have been taken with my iphone & others with my fingerprint filled camera so I will try and mix them up for you. AQM is in about 3 weeks time so I will get a chance to take the photos again, this time with my good SLR camera (fingerprint free).
So here we go, this is Quilt Market through my eyes & blury camera....
Friday morning Helen and I made our way down to Market with a suitcase full of samples to get the Cinderberry Stitches "Woodland" display ready at the Lecien booth. Initially it was just a temporary (rough) set up as the samples had to be removed again for schoolhouse later in the day - we snapped some pictures of the display so the set up second time would take less than half the time.
Samples were taken down and packed up for the Lecien schoolhouse session & off we set to room......
It was pretty much standing room only left in the Lecien schoolhouse as we each introduced our fabric lines, about that time I changed my name to Natalie Nervous. After introductions and a few deep breaths I was sharing my story about the Woodland collection and showing some of my newest designs and samples.
Below is the first quilt I completed with my fabric, it's called Woodland Utopia and I love how the collection is so crisp and clean against the white borders and sashings. You can find the design over at the Lecien USA website as a free pattern - it's fun, quick and very easy to make.
I wish I had close up shots from schoolhouse of my Lecien Sista's Brenda, Lynette, Rosalie and Sarah's new lines but I am afraid I didn't get the chance to snap away while up the front - this one is courtesy of Katy from I'm a Ginger Monkey. (thanks Katy)
(Image source - I'm a Ginger Monkey)
Once schoolhouse was finished it was time to head back to the show floor and set up the Woodland display & balance on a chair for the second time - it all want back together like a puzzle. Love it when that happens, like it was meant to be.
Here is the floor plan, can you see the little red circle? - that was me.
My entire display (excluding the book shelf) came out of a suitcase and was held together with T-pins and fishing line, nothing exotic just a little Woodland magic.
So here I am below on the eve of quilt market - hours before Sample Spree with the booth display complete, wondering what everyone would think in the morning when market doors opened.
So here is the tour of my Woodland display - from pretty much every angle.
(Refer to my Market tip #1 - colors are not true to life)
There was a mushroom village scattered over the white bookcase and a set of owls watched over the display, I believe they enjoyed the view.
I stitched up a gorgeous 'Uptown Girl' reversible hooded jacket - designed by Toni Coward from Make it Perfect. These jackets are a must have in Isabelle's wardrobe, in fact I can imagine it stitched in each colorway of the Woodland collection.
More mushroom houses lined the book shelves.
There are also a few new things you will not have seen before and I will talk more about them in future blog posts - I wonder if you can find them.
Look out for Sew Deer, Hedgehog Happy Hour and Hedgehog Happy-ness.
This quilt above was probably the most photographed and talked about quilt in my little Woodland display. It's called Hedgehog Happy-ness and I can't wait to show off some better images over the next few weeks, yes it's new.
If you are wondering, they are indeed dozens & dozens (40) of hedgehog balloons being held by little elfin girls = Happy-ness
These 'Slumber Party Jammies' are again designed by Toni Coward from Make It Perfect. Indeed my daughter was happy to see these come home from Market and can't wait to sleep in her favorite pink pair of jammies. They were hung on a make shift clothesline with Australian made pegs.
The lovely Pam Kitty Morning made a gorgeous quilt for the booth called Sugar Shop using a combination of Lecien basics (red & white spots) and Woodland which I adore, thank you PKM, it was just perfect!
Here I am with Nireko and Brenda toward the end of Market - I miss these two already, they are the sweetest ladies.
So that's all for now (let's call it part one).
Fingers crossed there will be more images of the booth popping up here and there on 'Market re-cap' posts in blogville. With better, clearer and true to life photographs......please, if you have any shots feel free to email them to me!
In the mean time I am going to clean my camera lens and make sure this does not happen a second time, more market fun to show you next time.
Till then,
Natalie x
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Yes, it is true.
It has been a week packed full of so many different emotions, let me take you back to the beginning of the week. Monday I was sitting at home knowing it was going to be a big day and hoping the UPS tracking system was correct, the vision you see is me sitting on the couch stitching away and watching out the window for any van, truck, car or horse & cart that might pull up out the front.
It was similar to watching grass grow.....I kept stitching - what else is a girl to do?
About 3.40 a white van stopped and reversed up the driveway, this is it! I believe I asked my friends to hold me up incase I faint. Remember to breathe Natalie.
The reason for the excitement was this little box, FULL of fabric - not any kind of fabric.
It was mine.
My Woodland has arrived.
Clearly no one wanted that box to pop open until it reached the destination. I paused for a moment and snapped a picture to remember what it looked like, squealed, danced and rang Mum & Isabelle so we could all squeal together. The box wasn't even open at that stage, funny if it was just filled with cardboard.
So in the excitement of the moment I rememered to breathe and ripped open the box and there is was, the fabric I designed. I was lost for words for a couple of seconds.
My Woodland.
It was worth the wait, I ADORE!!
I have spent the last day or so with Woodland - starring at the selvage, fondling and playing, folding, cutting and beginning to create something special for Lecien (and you) from all this goodness and occasionally feeling a little overwelmed by the moment.
Wow, that's me there on the edge.
One of my favorite little ones in the collection.....I have not seen the scrap basket looking this sweet, how can I not take a photo?
And right now, this is what is waiting for me in the studio. Lots of squares, lots of sewing.
For now this is your little taste of Woodland, of things to come - me designing beautiful fabric so you can play with it too. When I get the green light I will share the line in full and explain how it all came to be, the story behind Woodland.
Lecien & I = Perfect match.
I have some sewing to do now,
Natalie xo
PS. Promise to draw a winner in the morning for the Mush-roomie Flip patterns, I have not forgotten - just been side tracked ogling fabric, forgive me - please?
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It was wonderful to hear this week that the first parcels have been delivered to those ladies who have joined the Stitchery of the Month Club @ Under the Mulberry Tree.
Hmmm..Stitchery of the Month Club? Let me tell you more....
You will receive "six stitcheries over six months from some of Australia's top designers" - including Leanne's House, Rosalie Quinlan Designs, Melly & Me, Janelle Wind Collection, Holly Woolfe and (me) Cinderberry Stitches. The club is beginning this month so you still have time to participate and join in the fun.
Sew Deer as my design has now been posted out I can share it with you - the pattern project is exclusive to Under the Mulberry Tree and will be added to the Cinderberry Stitches line next month.
Little fawn is wondering what all the fuss is about....
*sigh*
But I guess among these three deer is simply the safest place to be.
Sew Deer will be the first in a series of patterns that will be available in kit format - which means the design is pre-printed onto beautiful linen and packaged with all the COSMO embroidery threads you require to complete the project.
That should get you stitching even quicker than ever before!
and the little buttons, they are handmade too...
Here is a closer image for you - I really like the added element to this design. You could even write your own letters for the buttons to spell any words you like....think - children's names, Christmas themes, welcome signs, the list is limitless.
Sew deer, I promise the Stitchery Club will be awesome and be sure to let me know when you recieve yours in the mail, ok!
Till then,
Natalie x
PS....do you like my regular posts now, or are you sick of me yet? :)
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Ok, it's time.
I'm about to spill more beans. I've got something to tell you that I have been keeping quiet for quite some time and for some strange reason it makes me incredibly nervous :)
At the beginning of last year I set myself a 12 month goal. I like to set my standard high, just out of reach, more or less the almost impossible. At the time when I wrote it on scrap paper it was more on the side of the 'unreachable dream' if you understand what I mean.
There were only 3 things written, not much I guess.
From memory the list went something like this:
- Write a book.
- Go to Fall Quilt Market (Houston).
- Design a fabric line.
12 month goal, sure sounded like a 5 year plan at the time.
Anyways, I stopped thinking "If I ever..." and started saying "When I..." then took one step at a time in the direction for me to reach that impossible pie.
By now you know two of the things on the list are ticked off, first there was the trip to the USA, then there was the release of my book Cotton Floss. But there is something else I have been keeping quiet for a while and this week I was given the all clear to tell you (before I implode with excitement).
Yes, a fabric line is coming.
Here is a peek at the selvedge = awesome
What!! - Who with? - When???!!!
I am currently working with the amazing bunch of people @ Lecien on my first fabric line 'Woodland' set to launch at Fall Quilt Market in Houston later this year. Right now I am playing with strike off's and tweaking colors so they are 'just right'.
You have no idea how hard it was to keep this a secret for the last 7 months.
See I told you this year was going to be huge.
Please, come happy dance with me :)
Natalie x
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(Revised 13/04/2010 book pre-order list now includes USA!)
Well now I have spilled some beans I can start sharing more goodness from Cotton Floss. So today I will take you on a trip backwards to the book photo shoot journey so you know where I have been.
The images for the book were taken over a series of 3 or 4 photo shoots and I ended up with loads of photos to sort through. The days were humid, filled with a little stress, a gazillion mosquito's and two other special peeps - but they were also fun, enjoyable and such an amazing moment, there I was photographing Cotton Floss.
It was important to me that Cotton Floss was an extension of my blog, of me, my style so I chose to take all the pictures at the Lymer ranch also known as Mum & Dad's place.
I did have helpers - my assistant stylists Mum and the little one.
We ended up with 400+ photos (of course not all could squeeze into Cotton Floss) but over the next few weeks I will share images here and there of the journey - some are even those extra shots we just couldn't squeeze in so consider them as behind the scene views, because each one tells you the book story.
There are 12 projects in Cotton Floss and I hope you fall in love with each one like I have.
Maybe it's the way this little village of toadstool houses sits and looks at me. But it's these little pin rests that make my heart sing - maybe shout even.
Bless the little cutie patooties....I wish I was small enough to live in there.
They came to the shoot with their own candy, I surely did make myself sick on those sweets and ate them by the handful. I classed them as a great stress relief product at the time, they also made my dentist very, very happy.
The best news is you don't have to wait long to get your hands on a copy of Cotton Floss. Publishing date is set for early May so only about 3 weeks away. If you wish to get in early and pre-order your copy you can do so at these stores (Aus) Cookies & Cream Craft or Quilt Fabric Delights - awesome. If you are in the USA you can pre-order at Daisy Cottage Quilting (a pre-order page will be up on her site soon) - double awesome.
Next time on the Cotton Floss journey I will tell you about 'The Big Bag'...
Hmmm...yum
Till then,
Natalie xo
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Well they say a picture tells 1000 words...I'm lost for words and can only think of 6.
It's finished and ready for print.
(*squeal*tear*smile*sqeal*)
Natalie xox
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