Mosaic Rose

Mosaic Rose - made with fusible applique

I recently completed this cushion, (finished with the magic of an invisible zip) which is a fusible applique version of a cushion I made a few years ago with Needle-Turn Applique.

Original Mosaic Rose

The original cushion that I made (back in June 2010) looks like this.  You can see that one method, (fusible) ends up being a mirror image of the other, (needle-turn).

Close Up of the Needle-Turn Applique on Mosaic Rose

Here is a close up of the needle-turn applique.  This cushion was inspired by a really interesting cushion that I saw online, called the Orimono Pillow, available from anthropologie.  I really wanted the spaces between the applique to look like grout between tiles.

Mosaic Rose - pattern by Matching Pegs

I’m really happy with this incarnation of it.  Come December, you will be able to try your hand at making one too, either in needle-turn applique or fusible applique, when the pattern is released as “Mosaic Rose”.

Needle-turn applique is a skilll that requires a little practice, but it is very rewarding.  If you enjoy sewing the binding onto your quilts, then chances are that you would enjoy needle-turn, because the action is very similar.

Have you tried it before? What did you think?

PS.Thanks for the compliments on the blog make-over. I can now reply to you in the comments, so check back later if you ask me a question.

New Look for Matching Pegs and an announcement.

New look for Matching Pegs

Matching Pegs has a new look!  Over four and a half years after I started it, Matching Pegs has had a much needed overhaul, and I can’t be more pleased.  Luke, my clever husband, gave it a make-over, after quite a lot of consultation with me.  I absolutely insisted that there be pegs, and the pegs be coloured (he was pitching for white).  We went looking for just the right fonts and found the perfect one for my header – Corner Store by Jukebox type, which you can find here.

How Matching Pegs used to look

Once we put up the new look, I realised just how dated the old one was looking.  The new look allows for much bigger images, (although, in this screen shot of the old blog, they look bigger too, because we took the shot after we had started the makeover) and is designed to re-size smoothly on smart phones and tablets.

The side bar still has some tweaking to go – we have planned out how it will look, but we couldn’t wait to share what we have changed so far.  If you are reading this is a feed-reader, pop on over to my actual site for a good look.

Cupcake Monster Chef

This new look has been prompted by a new development, I am launching a range of my patterns this November at the Australian Quilt Market, which is a trade show for all the Quilt shop retailers, who are hopefully going to fall in love with my patterns, and start stocking them in your local Patchwork and Quilting store.  I have been working hard on all of my patterns, which tie in with the new look and logo, and have even had real life people testing them.

Melanie's Monster Chef

Meet Monster Chef’s Brother-From-Another-Mother, made by my good friend Melanie.

What do you think of the new look?

Sleepy Koalas – My baby boy fabric

Koala fabric - entry for Project Selvage 2011

This is the fabric design that I entered into Project Selvage.  Entry details called for a fabric designed for baby boys, which had to be “in repeat”.  To give you some idea of scale, in my design, each Koala is about 2″ high.  When I last looked, a couple of days ago, there were over 600 entries.  I am not sure how many entries, in total, were received before the competition closed on Friday (my time).

Sleepy Koalas, my project selvage entry

Once you had submitted your design, you could browse through the other submissions, and while there was a lot of stuff I would not pick, amongst the huge number of entries, there were plenty of really talented designers, with very strong contenders.  Most of the entries would be suitable for boys, but I think quite a few would not be suitable for baby boys – I think the second is harder to achieve than the first.

detail of koala fabric for Project Selvage 2011, showing Southern Cross

Somehow, this week, the judges will have to narrow it down to 75 semi-finalists which is going to be tricky.  I think it will be quite an achievement to still be in the competition next week.  I am crossing my fingers that I get chosen, but realistically I know the odds are not fantastic.  If I make it thorough, you can be sure that I will be calling on you all to vote!

Did you enter Project Selvage?  Would my fabric be something you would be likely to buy for a baby boy project?

Critters

A tiny peek at my fabric design

Have you heard about Project Selvage yet?  It has got me very excited.

Spoonflower and Michael Miller Fabrics have joined together to hold a competition to become Michael Millers next designer with their own fabric range.  To enter you need to design a fabric suitable for a baby boy.  I have spent all week working on my design, which you can see a tiny part of up there.

detail of moth fabric

The very first thing I did was come up with a palette of colours that felt comfortable and promising.  Next I started thinking about nocturnal creatures and the night sky (after deciding that I was not feeling inspired by monsters – sorry facebook friends).  I did quite a bit of work with moths, which looked great, but not baby-boyish.  Finally I hit on an idea I liked – a nocturnal critter that is really working with the colours and the baby-boy theme.  I spent several days fiddling with the repeat, tweaking the colours of each element and adjusting the line thicknesses, and now I think I am happy.  Hopefully I will get chosen to be one of the semifinalists and then I can tell you where to vote!

Lotta - wet and bedraggled

This critter is not nocturnal, and has been in a bit of trouble lately.

Here she is looking wet and bedraggled after she escaped and joined us, unexpectedly, on our walk to school the other morning.  Clearly, she felt that we should not go for any walks without her.  I only left her home because she is not allowed on school grounds, and I knew I needed to go in and chat to the teacher that morning.  Lotta and I have been having plenty of walks during school hours, because I have been trying to get more exercise, so it was not like she was missing out on all the action.

While we were walking (very fast) on another day, we startled a brown snake on the path, who in turn startled both of us.  Luckily it was in a hurry to leave, (they are very venomous) but I had horrible visions all the way home, of what it would be like if Lotta had been bitten – I don’t think a tiny dog like her would survive the experience, even if I got her straight to the vet for anti-venom.

It is just as well that she is strong enough to withstand bees though – she was stung yesterday on the paw, and was quite miserable for about an hour.  She has been snapping at bees near a particular bush for months, I am only surprised that it has taken this long for her to reap the consequences.   I am hoping she has learned her lesson – I hate seeing her miserable and in pain.

Anyway, I will show you more of my nocturnal fabric critters when the competition entries close, and the top 75 semifinalists are anounced for voting, at the end of March.  Cross your fingers for me please :-).

Get Cooking Little Chefs

I just opened my mailbox to see that the Kids Issue of Australian Homespun is out, containing one of my projects – A chef set for Girls and one for Boys.

I actually designed these a year and a half ago (when this photo of Rory was taken) when I was very close to having a whole book of projects of my very own published.  The opportunity fell through (thanks Global Financial Crisis) and I have been sitting on them ever since.  I am so excited to be able to share them in Homespun.

This was the prototype set, which you can see was made for a little friend, Kaitlin.  Doesn’t Michaela look young!

The strangest thing about having them published, is seeing them on other children, who are modeling them in the magazine.  If you want to make your own set, duck in to your nearest newsagent, and ask for Australian Homespun No. 89, Vol 11 No. 10 “The Kids Issue”.  You will find my project on page 82, along with a profile page all about me.

Please be sure to send me an email and photo if you make one of these yourself, I would love to see your apron and hat.

Happy Cooking!