Knitmare on Elm Street

I am in love with this new Michael Miller design..probably not for the faint hearted though...

          the 2 prints below are knit pirates and quilt pirates..so cute....if skulls can be described as cute!!

they can be found over on the website.

They would look great as a quilt, and work really well with Ta Dot in Ebony aswell as Klona Cottons in black and grey. In the shop, customers have chosen these designs for projects including a blind and an adult skirt....I plan a quilt for 13yo's new room...however don't hold your breath..the friendship star started in January isn't finished yet!!

I never went away.....

I seriously couldn't believe that I hadn't even logged in to my blog since October..I really don't know where time goes, between Patch and the 5 boys (including my husband in that number I haven't produced an extra one!!) there isn't a lot left....but anyway, huge news!
It was always my plan/goal to have a real life bricks and mortar shop selling fabulous fabrics and sewing paraphenalia...but whenever we talked about having a shop it was implied that it would be 'later' 'when the kids were older' whenever 'that' would be. But then the months of running Patch from home ticked by, and while I was still loving every single thing about running my own business, the itch wasn't being scratched - my return to work wasn't...working. I need to be out at work, I've been at home 3 and a half years. I feel priviledged I was able to leave work after having baby no4 and be at home with my children but in order to keep sane......

.....this is going to be the new home of Patch Fabrics.
And we will be opening our shop in March.
The premises have been empty a long time and need a lot of tlc. But I love a challenge!
I get the keys on 1st February...but am going in this week hopefully to measure up so will get lots of before pics (brace yourselves!)
And you see that 2nd floor...its ours too! That will become our workshop space, or extra retail space if necessary in the future.
I am very excited. My head is buzzing with ideas, I have 3 notebooks full of scribbles and lists. I am placing
orders for necessary stock and waking up in cold sweats about getting everything done!!
Although I have lots of support from family and friends (well mostly - you know who you are xxxx) this project is me myself and I  - so the excitement is tinged with apprehension..but you only live once!
In the mean time the website is still live and kicking and has just been updated with new fabric

 

and fabric packs....

(click on the link to go to shop)
 ttfn
Claire x

Italiano

We have just listed some new fabric onto the Patch website..Its called Alfabeto Italiano by Michael Miller...

The blocks are sold as a panel measuring 55cm by 60cm costing £3.50, the other designs are sold by the FQ.
I think this would make a brilliant quilt...and I shall be starting one this week,
The squares on the alphabet panel could be cut out and then using the other 3 designs, squares the same size could be cut. It would make a really economical simple quilt top.

The piccolo (small alphabet print) design would be ideal for the backing too.
We have put together all the designs as a FQ bundle available here, or find the fabrics individually on the Michael Miller shop page.

Patch Gallery - Kids Zoo Bag

Made by a very talented customer (and friend).
This super sized bag was made from the book 'Kids Quilts in a Weekend '
with a  few tweaks to the pattern....including edging the inner pockets with fab gingham bias.
Made from Michael Miller Kids Zoo (my favourite as previously mentioned!!)
If you have made something from Patch fabric or ribbon and would like to show it in the Patch Gallery, please do email some pics to me at claire@patchfabrics.co.uk.
(likewise if you have already emailed me pics and I haven't done anything with them give me a yell and a kick at the same email address!!!)

Boys Pyjamas

I had a productive half term, getting new stock listed on the website and some sewing at last!!
I wanted to make some pyjama bottoms for the small chaps in my life from the book Making Childrens Clothes by Emma Hardy.
Tracing and cutting out the pattern in the different sizes took the most time ( the pattern is in 3 sizes 2-3, 3-4 and 5-6 ).

They were the first thing I have ever made that somebody can really wear...and I used Michael Miller fabric for all of them....

I chose Kids Zoo for R's (age 2) jarmies...my favourite print.
I made C (age 5) his from Dino Dudes and couldn't leave out my niece(age 18m) hers were made from Whats the Scoop....

I didn't make tops - they all have a Tesco plain white tshirt!!! I'm not ready for buttonholes or sleeves just yet!!!
The pattern was very easy to follow, I highly recommend the book if you are, like me, a dressmaking novice. To be honest, like most things I find, it is more geared to those of you who have pink flavour children, the book has lots of gorgeous tops and dresses. But there are several pairs of trousers and shorts that although photographed in girlie fabrics, could easily be made boyish!
Next stop a dress for my niece and then I may be brave enough to make a top for me...I have some gorgeous voiles coming into stock soon  (beginning of next week all being well) by Anna Maria Horner that will be perfect for summer tops for me.......

Wednesday 26th

The outstanding Michael Miller fabrics arrived today....

Cup of tea and donut anyone????
Available here....

I have also just clicked the send button for my big fabric order of more fabulous fabrics by other designers- very very very excited about this, I have also ordered some Anna Maria Horner Little Folks Voiles...cannot wait!!

Tuesdays News

These 3 fabrics are now in stock on the website.......
All Michael Miller, citron dumb dot, fuschia ta dot and my favourite Kids Zoo.
There are still 3 outstanding, apologies to those of you who have ordered, the volcanic ash held up some deliveries by all accounts, but the final three are held up further back in the making process I believe and won't be with me for 2 weeks....
those 3 are garden pindot, yummy (the donut one) and the spice retro mushroom print.
I have contacted those of you with outstanding orders and again...sorry!
I am expecting some new fabrics in June too, including this.....

This is one of the designs in Red Rooster's Giselle collection...
Some fabrics from Fine Line's Geraldine Collection are also on their way - along with the Christmas fabric I had planned to save until August before getting delivered (but I can't wait to see it and make some Patch Packs with it!!)
Other news is Amy, Heather, Kaffe, Joel, and quite possibly Denyse and Anna will be amongst some of the fabrics I will have over the next few months...I am just putting together an order.
There is most definately isn't such a thing as too much fabric!!!!

Friday

I have spent the morning adding some fabric bundles to the Patch Website....

 

                                                                        

You can find them here.........
I have also added some new colours of ribbon rosettes:

lilac, cream and violet - available here....

and finally the narrow stripe tape is now available in Royal Blue too.....

I plan to spend the weekend tweaking the website again...I need links and pictures on the homepage so wish me luck!!

Giveaway Winner......

Just a quick dash in today to announce the names that small boy picked out....

 


can you let me have your addresses ladies and I'll pop the ribbon in the post.

I spent a lovely day on Thursday, doing nice fabric- y stuff not techy stuff, and I have put together some FQ packs....

 I have some more ribbon packs to upload onto the Patch website too....

I think I'm going to have an open house sometime in the near future...so those of you who are close enough can come and see Patch products in the flesh!!
Probably be towards the end of May..on a Saturday...what do you think??
Need to think about that this weekend, sort out the practicalities!!

Hope everyone has a great weekend, I am hoping to do some sewing..its torture being surrounded by all this tempting fabric etc and not having any time to craft!!

FABRIC SHOP LIVE!!!!

After a very traumatic day, I have managed to get the delicious fabric loaded on to the website.
We are all systems go now!!
But let me tell you it wasn't easy...there was a problem with my pics...a problem with my cookies...a problem with the web hosts techy stuff...typical on the day I was child free and excited to do the boring part of the shopkeeping lol!!!
Anyhow..3 phone calls to some techy people, one takeaway tea for my boys, lots of sweary words, very sore fingers from tapping and a headache from screen gazing......I am there!!!
I know I have said before but the site is very much a work in progress, I have more techy stuff to do to make the home  page easier to use (some links and pics)
Bear with me!!!
There is more fabric coming soon...some I have made available to order as I know its on its way..and there are new designs coming in June, July, August etc etc!!
I'm off now to lie in a dark room!!!!
Enjoy x

Ric Rac Winner and a sneak preview...

Thank You to everyone for entering the Patch 'waiting for the fabric' giveaway...as I said yesterday it arrived!!
Here is the sneaky look at whats here so far.....there is some more due this week and more (clothworks and red rooster designs) in June, July and August...new designs that will be released then. I can get my paws on the Christmas stock in May too, but I might hold back until July or August.........
The first pic is all Michael Miller - yes still in cellophane as we have company this weekend so I will have little time to play and I just wanted to get it out of the boxes!!
(Yes I do keep going upstairs to open the cupboard doors!!!)

The stack above is all P&B Fabrics designs....as are the top 2 fabrics in the pic below, on top of more Michael Miller.....the rest of the MM I ordered should be with me next week....

 

I now desperately need those Ikea flat packs made up so I can get all the fabric in the cupboard and move the ribbon somewhere else, will be next week though I fear, due to afore mentioned company!!
(oh the bad timing lol!!!)
So before I begin my weekend off with family, we picked a winner........or 2!!!!

The first name out of the pot was.......

And then I realised that I hadn't made a note of which Sarah..as 2 of you Sarah's entered..you both are winners!!!! (dur....but it was early!!)
Sarah here.....and Sarah here.....

Can you send me your addresses please (claire@patchfabrics.co.uk) and I'll get your ricrac to you both  xx
Thank You everyone for entering...... I shall do another giveaway next week as promised.......

Finally, all this gorgeous fabric needs to find its way onto the website...so I may be gone for a few days while I take pics and do techy things behind the scenes at Patch!!