When Moda and Benartex Fabrics call your name.....

Have you any idea of the temptations we face , working in a store like Hobbysew Belconnen?

Last night it was Mystery Block of the Month night. So I have 2.5 hours of teaching. I leave with 7 metres of fabric. Put baldy, I do not earn $55 an hour! Do the maths and you can see the predicament I am in!
But yesterday was my birthday and it was time to treat myself. Some our recent arrivals have been calling my name and last night I gave in to their siren's call.
The two ranges I have mostly picked my stash from are from Nancy Halvorsen and Fig Tree Designs.
http://tinyurl.com/2ynbk3
will take you to the Benartex web site where you can see the Winsome Baby Collection as well as other Nancy fabrics that we are passionate about in the store. We have received 4 full ranges of Nancy fabrics plus top ups and it is selling like hot cakes.
http://tinyurl.com/ywvchy
is the Moda website where the Fig Tree designers are based. The range is called "All Spice Tapestry". This is our second range from these talented ladies. Folklorique was our first and in fact it blends very well with this next range. A quilt I made from Folklorique has been hanging on the back wall of the shop for a little while now. Obviously they have struck a chord in me as it seems to be the fabric I can't say "no" to!
My plan for 7 metres of fabric? Applique! Did you realise I haven't made on single needle turn quilt this year? Diabolical! So for the next while, I will be working with pencil and paper. Ask me if I have put needle to freezer paper when you are next in the shop!

Paris Cats and Discounted Fabric

What's New?

Are you ready to spoil yourself? You will want to buy some of our gorgeous Paris Cats Collection. Ooh La La! It is not on special, but it is still very special!
We have 14 in the range and here are some tempters!
..
$22 per metre or $6 per fat quarter

If you have been watching television this week, you may have seen our adds on Prime. We have a special running with patchwork fabrics from $6 per metre! (minimum cut of a metre) In fact, by the time we sorted out a trestle table's worth, we even had some @ $4.95.
We took so many bolts out to mark down to $6pm that our regular range of discounted fabrics looked a bit sad. There was nothing else to do but to mark some of our full priced fabrics down to fill the gaps!!! So if you drop in, you'll find even more fabric at $9.95pm.

Dreamtime with Helen Godden

New!
Dreamtime
We are pleased to offer for the first time, this new quilt from ‘Best of Show’ winner, Helen Godden. This class will load you with new skills. You will use positive and negative images, fabric paints and free motion appliqué to create the essence of Australia in its earthy tones and images of native animals. A perfect gift to take overseas if you can bring yourself to part with it.

Sunday 18 & 25 November, 2 & 9 December 10.30am - 2.30pm
$175 for 4 classes
Materials extra
Plus $6 to Helen for paints
Helen is pictured below with her Canberra Quilters 2007 Best of Show winning quilt

Husqvarna Viking Sapphire 870

We have the news! The Husqvarna Viking Sapphire 870 is official!

The new Sapphire is just what the quilter ordered. It shares all the great features of the Sapphire 830 and 850 but has added extras that makes this Sapphire the one to have!

All the Sapphires have the Exclusive Sewing Advisor(ESA) and the Exclusive Sensor System (ESS). The first means you only have to tell the machine what sort of sewing you are doing and what fabrics you are using and with the push of just two buttons the machine will select the best stitch and tell you what tension you need, what needle, stabilisers and presser foot. It will pick the stitch length and width. Amazing!!!
ESS allows your machine to automatically adjust to the thickness of your fabric. You don't have to tell the machine whether you are stitching a sheer fabric or the three layers of a quilt. It adjusts automatically. More than that, with the needle down option, it allows you to turn the fabric under the needle in a pivot position without having to lift the presser foot. Cool! This is great for applique-ers and all quilters.

But what the 870 offers, as well as extra stitches and memory is a thread cutter that takes the thread through to the back and neatly trims both the top and bobbin thread.
!!!!
OK... I am going on and on... so I won't tell you everything now. You need to come and have a look at these machines and let us demonstrate them to you. The first shoppers have a great special offer available to them.
We have placed our order to get one to display and one for the first lucky customer. If you want to be the first, you had better come in soon as something tells me these sewing machines are going to be hard to keep in stock.

Thursday: Recipes and prattle

Hi There!
It's nearly a fortnight since our Husqvarna "What's New" event. Doesn't time fly?
Several people asked me for the recipes for the slice and the soup that I cooked for our morning tea and lunch. I have no idea who asked for what, so here they both are!
Chocolate Fruit Slice
5oz Butter (sorry... this is an old recipe of Mum's so there's no metric happening!)
6oz Sugar
2 Eggs
3 tblsp cocoa
3/4 cup walnuts ( I used macadamia)
1 1/2 cup mixed fruit (I only used sultanas)
1/2 tsp vanilla

packet of sweet dry biscuits like Granita or Marie....Smash them in a food processor.

Put everything in a saucepan except the biscuits.
Boil 1 minute.
Stir in biscuits.
Add 2 tblsp sherry

Line 11 x 7in tray with foil or better still, baking paper. Flatten mixture in and allow to cool. Before cold, ice with chocolate icing.
Cut into fingers.

Colonial Chowder
Onion chopped
3-4 Potatoes peeled and cubed
300gms Corn Kernels
3-400gms of your choice Carrots/sweet potato/ capsicum/celery/peas. Th more yellow/orange, the sweeter the soup
1500gms bacon chopped
1 can creamed corn
2 tsp chicken stock powder
2 cups water(Better still, use stock)
2 cups milk
2 tblsp flour
Fry bacon in 2 tblsp margarine.
Add potatoes.
Add vegetables, creamed corn and water.
Simmer until tender. (20 mins)
Blend flour with a little milk at first, add rest and then add to soup. Bring to boil while stirring.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

And now that we have turned the class room back from it's "luncheon for special guests" formation, my quilt "Mystery Medallion is hanging up there. We are offering it as a class on the first Thursday of the month, beginning in November.

Welcome!
We are pleased to welcome you to our brand new Blog!

We hope that you will bookmark this page and enjoy dropping in from time to time to catch up with all the goings on at Hobbysew-Belconnen.
At the moment it is in its infancy but hopefully in time we will be able to share tips, class lists and so much more here with you.
Pictured to the left is my quilt Charming Catherine Wheels. The kaleidoscope class has been a huge success. If you are interested in learning how to make Dresden plates with these addictive patterns, see if I have managed to upload the class list to these pages!