August at Plush Addict

I've put a lovely selection together from blog sponsor Plush Addict for August, even if I do say so myself!  Something for everyone- quilters and garment sewers alike, plus some free projects to download.  If you read this over the weekend, there's free postage too, finishes Monday 26th Aug.

1. Andover, Libs Elliot Greatest Hits FQ Bundle.  All the colours of the rainbow with some quirky modern prints.  These fabrics are available as yardage as well as this mega bundle.
2. Andover Libs Elliot Greatest Hit Quilt Pattern- Free download
3. Art Gallery, Clever Little Fox Knit.  A lovely bold animal print,  Art Gallery jersey is always great quality, washes well and has good stretch recovery.  
4. Makower Forest Cushion Pattern- Free download- for fabric in 5. 
5. Makower Forest Green 10 FQ Bundle.   Forest animals and woodland scenes are always appealing, this is a lively colour palette and the same prints are also available in an orange colourway.
6. Makower Grove 18 FQ Bundle.  Nature-themed prints in a soft colour palette.
7. Makower Grove Messenger Bag- Free download Using the Grove fabrics and this circle panel.
8. Ringspun Stretch Denim in Medium Blue.  Also available in grey, black and light blue.  Suitable weight at 10 oz for jeans, skirts etc, 2% lycra
9. Cashmerette Ames Stretch Jeans Pattern, UK size 16-32/ USA 12-28.  This pattern pairs nicely with the Ringspun stretch denim.

July at Plush Addict

The new arrivals never stop at Plush Addict.  Here's my selection for July, a mix of quilting cotton, cotton jersey and bamboo jersey!  I've included some Christmas fabrics as they arrive in July and they're on special offer at the moment, 20% off until this Saturday- sorry I know that's not much time!

Clockwise from top left:
Dashwood Summer Dance 7x FQ Bundle.  This seems appropriate as we reach the peak of summer heat in the UK.  There's also a stunning teal Swallows border print ( a peek can be seen top right in Summer Dance the photo!).

Premium Organic Cotton Jersey Dark denim, also available in mint, rose pink and black.  This is a great value, organic jersey at £14.95/M.  There's 5% spandex for good recovery and spring back and this is a wide width 150cm fabric

Dashwood Christmas Party  Fabulous cats and Christmas print!  This is my kind of Christmas quilt fabric collection, fun, not too red and green and unexpected animals like tigers!

Solid Colour Bamboo Jersey in white and also yellow.  Bamboo with a spandex mix of 5%.  Great drape- similar to viscose jersey but with a bit more body.  Lovely for clothing including sports wear, antibacterial and very pleasant to wear in hot weather.  Bamboo is also a more sustainable fibre than cotton as less water is involved in creating the fibre.

Dashwood Merry & Bright Drawstring Bag Advent Calendar.  I made a similar set to these last year with a Dashwood panel.  You need backing fabric and lots of ribbon/tape for the drawstring.  If you prefer pockets, the Joli Noel is a very pretty alternative.

May at Plush Addict

Time to see what's new in Plush Addict this month:

1. Sew Over It Eve Dress.  I made this a couple of months ago and I really loved the result.  The bodice fitted well and the flutter sleeves look great and are so comfortable to wear on a hot day.  It's a dress that can easily become be worn at a special occasion with the right fabric, or an everyday summer dress.  It needs drapey fabric to work at it's best.  Plush Addict has just started stocking Sew Over It patterns and there's a wide selection.
2. Dashwood Viscose Rayon: Pink Floral on Grey.  This gorgeous floral would make a beautiful Eve dress.  It's got the drape and the multi-directional pattern prevents fabric wastage when cutting out.  It needs gentle prewashing and I would suggest the raw edges are overlocked before putting in the machine at 30.  Sharp pins and a new machine needle are a good idea when working with viscose.

1. Patterns By Annie Clam-Up.  There are quite a few Patterns by Annie to choose from at Plush Addict and I chose this one as I hadn't seen it before and it looked like a good pattern for gifts or swaps.  I particularly like the side panels to stop items falling out and all the different sizes. There's also an option to include a wipe-clean vinyl interior for a cosmetic bag. Annie's patterns are well thought out with lots of extra details, she's a designer that loves adding all the storage options!
2. Japanese Import Oxford Cloth Katusbi Apples.  This is a cotton/linen 80/20 blend and the fabric weight is perfect for cushions and bags.  This print is crying out to become a grocery bag! Free shopper's tote download here and a Kwik Sew pattern here.

January at Plush Addict

The lovely team at Plush Addict are busy moving into a new warehouse shop space in Peterborough but there online shop is available as usual and orders are being processed.  As usual, there are lots colourful new arrivals just in so for my January 2019 sponsor choice I've chosen a couple of rainbowtised quilting collections as well as a gorgeous dressmaking rayon viscose along with some hab-dash suggestions for handling/sewing this fabric as well as some garment patterns selected with rayon viscose in mind.

1. Andover Sunprints 2018 Fat Quarter Bundle 27 fabrics Alison Glass's fabric collections offer a giant blast of saturated colour with a multitude of prints.  Sunprints 2018 include a text print, florals, doodle outlines in different colourways. Also available as individual yardage.
2. Dashwood Studio Ditsies Fat Quarter Bundle 20 Fabrics Small scale prints in a wide rainbow of colours, Ditsies is a new cute collection and the designs range from leopards and birds to geometric dashes. Each print also available as yardage.
3. Dashwood Flying Birds Rayon Viscose  Wide width dressmaking fabric from Dashwood.  This print followed hot on the heels of their Dovestone dressmaking fabrics (also rayon viscose). This is a fluid fabric with great drape.  It does need gentle washing and careful handling.  I like to use Schmetz Microtex 70 needes as they are super sharp and pierce the fabric nicely.  Rayon can easily get caught or snag on thick or old pins so fine pins used in the seam allowance only are a good idea. 
4. Simplicity 8417 Pullover Tops with Sleeve and Fabric Variations.  I picked this pattern as it's a great style for the Dashwood rayon/viscose and there are so many variation within the pattern.  There are no closures to worry about, style options variations with and without bust darts, ruffles are still popular and there are some different ways to add them.  If you'd prefer a dress option, Butterick B6481 is a style designed with rayon viscose in mind and I couldn't resist this Jumpsuit Butterick B6220 (full-length version) which would look great in the bird print.  

All About My Sewing Box: New Sponsor and Giveaway/Discount Code

I'm happy to feature a new sponsor here, My Sewing Box which is run by mother-and-daughter duo, Angela and Amy, from a small office in Dorset.  I was in touch with them last year for a magazine feature and they kindly sent me one of their themed boxes- I made a quilt for Lottie! They are now expanding their business and have some very interesting plans, plus they still do their lovely boxes, so I'm going to share some of their story and show you around their online shop. 

My Sewing Box was set up in 2014 as an online selling fabric for quilting and dressmaking, haberdashery, wadding, patterns, sewing notions and more. Angela and Amy like to source great quality, well designed fabrics and present them in boxes, fat quarter bundles and yardage. This year, Amy has left her usual full-time job to spend more time on the business.  Together they cover everything from packing to putting together new boxes, hunting for new fabrics and products and sharing on social media. 

Subscription boxes are still their best selling product with sales overseas as well as the UK. There are one-off boxes too (perfect for gifts) and project boxes as well as lots of fat quarter selections. Anglea and Amy spend a long time planning future boxes and ensuring that all the contents offer enough variety for long-term subscribers.
Here are a few of my favourites...

One-Off Ultra Liberty Blue/Red Box
I love the contrasts in this box ( if you prefer a more pastel based mix, this is a good alternative)

Katie Jane One-off luxury fabric monthly box

Nautical One-Off Deluxe Gift Box

I really like the variety of scale in the different motifs and it's a classic red/white/blue palette.

Vintage sewing One-Off Deluxe Gift Box

Love the fabric bottom right!

Dog Box- all the materials you need to make a (beautifully modelled) double-sided bandana.

One-Off Luxury Pink Cats Box

Other highlights for me include a rather lovely jersey selection these are all by Domotex and are especially suitable for childrenswear.   

There are also pontes and drapey jerseys for adult clothing - this is a viscose jersey in teal. 

Amy and Angela are full of plans and as My Sewing Box has expanded they are now ready to leave their office space for new premises and this summer they will open a bricks-and-mortar store in Bournemouth. The aim is for a fabric boutique and creative hub where customers can spend time, get inspired and find wonderful supplies for sewing that something special. Their online shop and the boxes will continue and there are some new products on the way... 

Amy and Anglea are offering a discount for blog readers: 

10% off your order with code VERYKERRY

(excludes monthly subscription boxes, one use per customer. Expires end of May 2018)

Plus, if you follow me and My sewing Box on Instagram, check my feed out over the weekend for details of a brilliant giveaway- a 3-month luxury box subscription!  

UK only for the giveaway- discount code is for everyone!

Website: mysewingbox.co.uk

IG: @mysewingbox

Twitter: @MySewingBoxUK

Facebook: facebook.com/mysewingbox

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May at Eternal Maker

Visiting time at sponsor Eternal Maker, time to look at the latest arrivals...and a hint of summer.

Clockwise from top left:

1. Floret organic cotton bastiste, Leah Duncan for Cloud9.  Four colour ways of this dreamy cotton.  It's a light and semi sheer weight and the promo photos for this range show it sewn up in summery Japanese tops.  Gorgeous prints and colours.
2. Handbags at Dawn quilting bundle.  A selection of fabrics from which you can build your own bundle- have more of one fabric or none of another. Low volume and bright contrasts.
3. Colourful Primary quilted Pon Pocho, Nani Iro. Quilted double gauze, perfect for an almost instant baby quilt (add binding) or quilted clothing. 
4. Get Away Blouse Top by Liesl+Co (PDF digital download).  Simple style that would suit light weight woven fabrics. Anna has just started stocking a range of digital patterns including Liesl+Co, Oliver+S, Two Stitches, Jennifer Lauren, Named Clothing, Sew House Seven and Blueprints for Sewing.
5. Butterfly Floral Fly Away, Phyllida Coroneo for Dashwood Studio. Very pretty quilting cotton in a gorgeous lilac blue. 
6. Dress Up Dogs, French Bull Dogs in Aqua, Kokka Jersey. Cotton interlock jersey (very stable and well behaved for sewing).  Note width, 75cm/30". 

March at Plush Addict

Time to take a look at the latest arrivals at sponsor Plush Addict. For space fans, there are a lot of techy/space inspired prints!

From left to right, row by row: 

1. Makower Fantasy bundle.  Mix of neon colours, unicorns and rainbows in a bundle of 14 fabrics or individually.
2. Little Darling Cotton Jersey Robots.  Very cute robot print on 95% cotton 5% elastane jersey fabric. 
3. Makower Galaxy Bundle.  Space, science and technology themed fabric bundle.  Also available singularly. Also available in a brilliant Rocket Quilt kit designed by Lynne Goldsworthy. 
4. Robert Kaufman Essex Linen in Natural.  I am so pleased that Kellie has started stocking the classic Robert Kaufman Essex linen range.  Lots of other colours available
5. Dressmaking Numberprint Marker Paper.  For pattern drafting a tracing, this paper has blue marks every 20mm.  Available in 102cm width and 77cm wide.
6. Map Panel Print 90cm by Nutex
7. Michael Miller Sandpiper Bundle.  Beautiful seaside colours, nature and geometrics all combine in this print selection. 
8. Viscose- Pink/blue/black discs on Aqua.  Lightweight drapey fabric for dressmaking. 
9. Michael Miller Main Street Shop Receipts.  Love this text style print by Patty Sloniger.

October at Eternal Maker

Time for my monthly visit to Eternal Maker and my colour palette is definitely Autumnal!  I've included a mix of brushed cotton, lightweight chambray, linen cotton blend, rayon/cotton double gauze and quilting cotton alongside some pattern suggestions. 

From l to r, row by row:

1. Kokka, pressed brushed cotton,Rings in mustard.  The description of this fabric is very interesting; the circle ring image is pressed into the fabric.  Suitable for skirts, jackets and trousers.
2. Robert Kaufman cotton chambray-dot in indigo  Floaty chambray, great for dressmaking although you may need to line some skirts.
3. Girl and the squirrel Iris tee kit.  This includes the Two Stitches Iris Tee pattern (age range 6 months- 9 years) and fabric to make a Tee up to age 5 years.
4. Kokka Botanica black/monochrome linen blend by Ellen Luckett-Baker.
5. Deer & Doe Belledone Dress pattern.  Deer & Doe patterns are now available to buy from online stockists and Eternal Maker stock many of their designs  including this classic dress
6. Kokka pressed brushed cotton rings in charcoal
7. Sevenberry Landscape in grey.  Beautiful print on Japanese cotton.
8. Nan Iro Rayon double gauze, triangle blue (Kokka).  This is a new one for me, rayon (lyocell) cotton double gauze.  I'm imagining this is extra drapey and what a gorgeous print.  I'm also thinking, gathers, unpressed pleats tops and dresses- the Liesl Gallery tunic/top would be a easy choice for this and the Deer & Doe Aubepine would be perfect too.
9. Kokka, yellow/monochrome linen blend fabric by Ellen Luckett Baker.

August at Eternal Maker: Sale weekend!

My timing is just right again for a visit to sponsor Eternal Maker, it's sale weekend.  All prices reduced by 16% with the code SUMMER16 through till the end of Monday 29th August.

From left to right, row by row:

1. Bows on navy Pin cord by Cosmo Tex.  Fine corduroy, ideal for Rosari skirt!
2. Pauline Alice, Rosari Skirt Pattern.  Adaptable pattern with  1970s style and lots of length and pocket options.
3. Allotments in navy, Karen Lewis for Robert Kaufman, beautiful quilting cotton.
4. Summer Forest from Nature Trail by Bethan Janine for Dashwood Studio. Quilting Cotton.
5. Leaves from Nature Trail by Bethan Janine for Dashwood Studio.  Quilting cotton.
6. Tutty Fruity natural by Alexander Henry, heavier weight cotton- good for bags, cushions, making storage sacks.
7. Princess Castles organic jersey cotton with 5% elastane by Lillestoff.  Ideal for the Iris Tee.
8. Iris Tee- Multi size tunic 6-12months to 9 years, PDF pattern  Another great design from Eternal Maker's in-house pattern brand, Two Stitches.  Easy to make jersey A-line t shape with extra back detail.Can be adapted to woven fabrics.  Also available as a paper pattern.
9. Petrol solid double gauze  by Kobayashi, Japanese import.  Beautiful for dressmaking and a great mid blue colour.

Welcome to Seamstar!

I am happy to welcome a new sponsor, Courtney from UK online shop Seamstar.

  Here is a one of my favourite fabrics from her shop, Cosmo Fantastic Forest linen blend.

Alongside fabrics she has a rather excellent habdash selection including Friskars Soft Touch spring scissors which having had years of RSI, I can fully endorse.  I use these, they reduce a lot of hand ache and after years of use, they stay sharp.

Meanwhile more fabric, another linen blend, Nature Botanical, I rather fancy making this into a maxi skirt.

Seamstar is well stocked with a good variety of quilting cottons and alternative dressmaking fabrics like lawns and the lovely linens. including Meadow Purple ( I have used this to make a blouse in the past, lovely, like Liberty lawn!) 

and Seashell, love the blue and orange combo.

There is a rather excellent section, the Fabulous Forgotten Fabrics with some little gems hiding away inside including this beautiful nostalgic sewing print from Anna Griffin, very cute! 

there are handy links all over the site including some useful resources like the fabric cutting guide below.

Handy, so look for links and places to click, there are lots of resources and help for you, the perfect colour matching page is excellent- click on the colours to find out.    Courtney is currently adding more to the website and blog over the next few months so you may want to sign up for her newsletter to keep up to date with additions.  Since Courtney first opened in 2008 she has expanded her staff to an enthusiastic team full of ideas and ready to help and she is branching out into a monthly Craft Club subscription service, which includes a bundle of materials and a monthly make, as well as offering regular new free projects to make and sew on the shop blog. 

 I couldn't resist a hint of Christmas with this lovely cuddly flannel, practically begging to be the backing on a Christmas quilt.  I am looking forward to my monthly visits to Seamstar!