I ♥ Suzuko Koseki

I had such a lovely day yesterday, thank you for  all the good wishes and some great comments on the giveaway-click here if you want to enter.  One of my best presents was from Damian a great big pile of fabric, from Japan and most of it designed by Suzuko Koseki.  First peak...

A little mini pack of red prints, I can't quite put into words how much I like these fabrics.  I bought Machine Made Patchworks- also known as Patchwork Style a couple of years ago, the original non translation version and I was enraptured by it.  I had never seen fabrics with text, I had no idea where to get them or who had designed them, I didn't even know the book and the fabrics were by the Suzuko Koseki as all the text was in Japanese.  I had just got into sewing again with Clothkits and Gossypium and any text I found on fabric kits or labels I saved so I could create my own text fabric.  I searched ebay and found a few odd fabric panels from America of repro food packages and signs but not the real thing.  I knew there was more out there but I didn't know where to look... break for another set of pictures.

Close up on a fav...

Gradually on blogs like True Up I picked up more info, the name Suzuko Koseki and recognised the prints but only found the odd one at Sew mama Sew or Purl Soho and never what I really wanted.  Eventually, through Ayumi at Pink Penguin I found a Japanese shop with a fantastic range, Cotton Garden and with translation tools, the patience of the shop owner and Ayumi checking my email translations, plus a tortuous set of attempts paying by credit card and my bank getting all worried about Japanese transactions in the middle of the night- we succeeded.  I have had to wait a few months to see them, but wow, they were worth it.   Text, labels, kitchen images, squares, grids, lines,vintage style prints- my mum was perplexed by the misspelt words- these are the fabrics of my dreams!  If I could have fabric shop stocking these prints, I would be utterly content.

I felt I hadn't spent enough time with these fabrics yesterday- it was a hectic day.  I wanted to sit, look and touch them in their neat folded piles.  I would have quite happily laid down naked and covered my body in the little folded stacks whilst Damian took pictures- he was game- but do you know there wasn't time!
I have been trying out some print combos together as you can see in the pics, but all in all they render me speechless x

I have just added a flickr group I ♥ Suzuko Koseki- are you a fan?  Come and join...

Birthday, 100 posts and a giveaway

Today is my birthday and it is a big one, 40.  I am trying not to think about the 4 decades bit too much and some lovely pressies from Damian and Lula have already made it a lovely day and it is only 8.10am.  I'll post more some pics later when the light is better but in the meantime, my present to you to celebrate my birthday and 100 posts is a GIVEAWAY!

Would you like 3 FQ- American Jane vintage style polka dots, Alexander Henry 'Orchard'  from the Farmdale range and a cute tea and jam Japanese  print?

Would you also like a vintage apron in the most amazing fabric?- I think I would cut it up but it is not for me to decide!

It looks even better close up

Leave a comment, leave your email address either in your profile or in your comment and tell me about a birthday present you have received or given, good bad or inbetween.  Extra entry if you are a follower.  I will choose a winner random number style.  Giveaway closes Wed 13th Oct, winner announced 14th Oct.  Good luck to you all x

****4th Oct- I have noticed quite a few entries have no way of contacting a potential winner, please please please include an email address for contact, if I can't get hold of you how can you win?  If in doubt, check your profile to see if your email is available****

Going through the google reader catching up I was surprised to read my blog name for a Versatile Blog award from Lynda at Hookin' with LaaLaa.  

I don't know where this originates from but the I give a  big thank you to Lynda, and now I have to drum up 7 interesting facts about myself.

1. I have Botox injections to prevent migraines.  Four in my forehead and six in the back hairline of my neck very 6 months.  Yes they hurt- 10 injections in one go makes you brace yourself just a little- but it works and I am very grateful for them.

2.  I am a rubbish traveller and wish I was better.  In my head I would like to go everywhere but in reality I have only been to Paris when I was 17 and Amsterdam at 32, both of which I loved.  I am working to improve this.

3.  I once did a presentation to buyers at Topshop as a knicker designer- the sort that you buy on offer 2 pairs for £6. 

I was not successful- it is all about bottom line, excuse the feeble pun, and the company I was with couldn't compete with China.

4.  Apart from needing to sew and make things to stop...

I also need music.  I can play- with varying degrees of success, piano, flute, clarinet, saxophone, guitar and recorder.  I love listening to music, like a good aroma it can take you to a time and place and everything is unchanged- hearing Jeremy by Pearl Jam on the radio did that to me last weekend.

5.  Vintage fabric does funny things to me, especially if I find it in a thrifty, bootsale sort of  place, better than any alcohol or drugs.  I get serious withdrawal symptoms.

6.  I was introduced to  Nina Simone after a gig in Wolverhampton in the 1990s, shook her hand and ate a meal with the band.  This was a serious incident of hanging on to my sisters coat-tails and I can't believe it ever happened.

7.  I have worked with children of various ages for a long time. The thing they want from you most of all is your time- playing board games, going to the park, eating a picnic- all that counts for so much more than money.  Sounds a little whimsical and trite but true.

Thank you to the Graphic fairy's wonderful blog for the vintage lady/scarf and the Alice in Wonderland image.

I am passing the Versatile blogger Award love on to...

Wynn at Zakka art

Kaelin at The Plaid Scottie

Kat at Zakka Inspired

Anne at Film and Thread

Hesta at Green-Glamour

take a visit to their lovely blogs, and they can take the award if they want to continue it.

This was post number 99, you know what that means.  Be back next week for a giveaway- vintage kitchen inspired x

Blocks

Finally, I got my own block finished for Ringo Pie bee, a box of vintage thread spools, I think all sewers have a box or a jar of these, you can see one of mine in my header pic.  This has been one of those things I had in my head but it took me a while to get it all done.   I used freezer paper and pieced all the bits together so that each spool was a mini block.   Damian is now fully trained in rotary cutting and as each bobbin is at least 5 pieces it really helped- he even managed to keep his fingers intact- he can be a bit blade happy with a scalpel (paper cutting not self harming) at times.    There's a bit of new fabric-a bit of In the Kitchen by Alexander Henry, some given- the bobbin fabric is from Ayumi, some stash and some vintage.  

Let's hear it for the piecing thread YLI soft touch- threads don't often get a mention- it's all about the fabric, but this is great for piecing, it is thin but strong enough and allows me to piece with small stitches without losing bulk to the seams.  I need all the help I can get with accuracy!

Ayumi knows what I like and it all comes through in this block- kitchenalia, vintage fabrics, text, and so many of her likes to- she is representing the international element of our bee by the embroidered labels-  I love it!  You've got to read the story behind this block- a funny tale of milk cartons and soap!  Click here   She has two new cute projects and pics of her fabric stash in the new Stitch magazine, you can see more on her blog here.  There are some great contributions in Stitch from other designers, especially Kevin Kosab of feed dog designs.  He has a great tutorial on his site for making a mini all purpose applique board.

UK readers- you can buy this from a UK supplier, The Contented Cat, I have bought all my issues from them and they are very helpful, this copy came the next day.

Thank you to all who wished my hands and arms well, they are on the mend x

Vintage Lovelies

A little pile of vintage lovelies to look at.  Bought these in the last week and the pink animals piece was in a cupboard clear out at a church! Tea towel is already in use.  I love the sun shining through it

Nearly weekend, enjoy the rest of your working week!

Ringo Pie - Collections for Kerry

I am in a new quilting bee with some amazing company- Ringo Pie.  I feel a little flustered been in there with such great creative people and I am calling the first month.  Officially October but many have made an early start and I am blown away by their creativity and response to my design idea.

My theme is Hoarding- I cannot seem to avoid this in my life, just buying two of the same thing kicks off a mini collection so I asked for them to do a block displaying a collection of their choosing- free size colour.   If possible I asked them to include a new bit of fabric, an old/vintage bit and some fabric borrowed or given to them. The end result will be a collectors cabinet quilt.  I love kitchenalia so Amy's canisters were a hit!

 by Amy of Badskirt

I did Eng lit at Uni years ago and it is impossible to go through life without reading Penguin Books and at least one of these titles- breathtaking block!  So simple but so effective.

Lynne of Lily's Quilts

And Marit of quilt it chose something we all can't get enough of, fabrics- showcasing 36 different squares and a subtle K for Kerry

I cannot quite comprehend that they will all come to me.  I love them all!  I am working on my own contribution, a box of spools/thread

  I have had a bad rsi flare up which was ok till I had a massage yesterday and now everything is on fire.  I am going slow, slow, slow so they recover.  Thank you to Damian for being a top blog assistant xxx

Listening

Cookie courtesy of Lula, great fun icing activity, very easy to use and nicely messy Easy Writer Pens by Dr Oetker. 

I beg you to listen to this link, it is such a beautiful song - Slow by Rumer.  I have had it on my listening links on the side of the blog but just in case you missed it, give it a try.  Her voice is smooth and silky and the song glides and oozes velvet loveliness.