Melba magpies

I purchased this little bundle of joy from Linda @ Gum Valley Patchwork just recently. They are from Emma Jean Jansen's latest range 'Melba', inspired by her time living in Melbourne as a student. 

'Melba' is manufactured by Ella Blue, a fabric house developed by Australian designers. Ella Blue is such a breath of fresh air in the Australian quilting fabric market. They are producing high quality quilting fabrics, at refreshingly competitive prices - AU$16/metre compared with the AU$24 and AU$28 price tags that Australian quilters are used to paying.

I also found a couple of Ella's Basics at a local quilt shop. It's a real treat to find some text fabric with local names! I was not so happy that this shop insisted on charging me $24/metre instead of the RRP $16. Hmmmm ...

I have been collecting a few text fabrics lately. I think they are a calm foil for busier fabrics.

As a sometime proof reader, I couldn't help but notice the typo in this one:

Can you spot it?

Enough whingeing! Have a great weekend everyone. Bloom x

Some summer sewing

One of my 14-year-old daughter's good friends has ventured to boarding school in Sydney. This friend has been very kind and supportive to my Olivia as she has struggled with her health. So it was an obvious choice to make her a snuggle quilt to remind her of how much she will be missed.

(Sorry that the photo is dark and awful. I'm having issues with my SLR lately, but that's another story altogether).

It is a simple raw-edge layer cake quilt, our 'go-to' method when a gift is required in a hurry! Olivia chose 'High Street' by Lily Ashbury, a very happy collection of fabrics. 

Image source

She sewed it together herself across the summer holidays ...

... but somehow ran out of time to do the binding. Hmmm, guess who got that job?!

Not that I minded. Thankfully, I belong to that half of quilters who find binding meditative and relaxing!

Her friend was very thankful for her gift, and thought the quilt was, and I quote: "the most awesome present ever ... and I'm not even faking"! Sweet!

Here is a photo she sent of it on her bed at boarding school. 

She says she wraps herself in it when she is feeling homesick :) Now that would warm the heart of any quilter, young or old!