Nice people Nice things

NPNT in Norway

Just thought I’d pop in and show you one of my favourite store blogs in Europe. Kathrine always has the most beautiful photos of her store on her blog and I just HAVE to see it one day…. Can’t someone invite me over????

anyway, if you have really been wanting to do NPNT over in Norway or close by look at Kathrine’s stunning version here

hugs, Helen

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Block of the week

on May 28, 2009 at 4:06 pm Comments (6)

Dad bonus block

Well its been awhile and I know many of you are making great progress on your quilts, many of them finished. We also have new people joining us all the time so do keep visiting and sending in your progress.

As promised I have finally managed to finish a block request for a ‘DAD’.

download your bonus block here Dad bonus block

And Cathy, because you requested it for your friend, I am going to showcase your work to all, because it looks fantastic. Go visit Cathy’s work and say hi here. Here’s her finished NPNT quilt.

hugs, and happy stitching

Helen

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bonus blocks

on March 31, 2009 at 9:56 am Comments (11)

Happy new Year

HI to all npnt’ers and a Happy New Year to you all. I trust you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year break even if just the few days…. How many got some stitching done?

If you are itching to stitch you may want to check out the free Summer Holiday mystery project I am running on my Hugs ‘n Kisses blog.

Catherine sent me these photos of a smaller version of the quilt she has finished for her sister for her 30th birthday. She has included family photographs which is a lovely idea and has used the Dandelion Girl fabric by fig tree quilts for moda.

As stated last year I must have missed a couple of weeks as there are a couple of blocks not yet featured on the blog.

So here is the Dessert block…. now dessert would have to be one of my worst habits… yes I am a sweet tooth. However I was quite restrained over the Festive season and did not have too many desserts!

So do you have a favourite dessert recipe you could share?

hugs for today

Helen

PS – I have over the past year I have put photographs of NPNT blocks up on this blog to help with colour choice, inspiration and ideas. It has come to my attention that they may have been downloaded and traced and shared between many. Please respect my living as a designer and my Copyright of these designs and use them only as intended. This practice is not fair to all who have purchased the patterns nor to the many stores who are running programs for you all. If you know of anybody who is doing the wrong thing please politely point out to them not only the laws they are breaking but what it may do to designers in the future. If you want us to design lovely things for you then you must support us by respecting our Copyright regulations.

Published in:

Block of the week

on January 9, 2009 at 11:18 am Comments (5)

Happy new Year

HI to all npnt’ers and a Happy New Year to you all. I trust you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year break even if just the few days…. How many got some stitching done?

If you are itching to stitch you may want to check out the free Summer Holiday mystery project I am running on my Hugs ‘n Kisses blog.

As stated last year I must have missed a couple of weeks as there are a couple of blocks not yet featured on the blog.

So do you have a favourite dessert recipe you could share?

hugs for today

Helen

PS – I have over the past year I have put photographs of NPNT blocks up on this blog to help with colour choice, inspiration and ideas. It has come to my attention that they may have been downloaded and traced and shared between many. Please respect my living as a designer and my Copyright of these designs and use them only as intended. This practice is not fair to all who have purchased the patterns nor to the many stores who are running programs for you all. If you know of anybody who is doing the wrong thing please politely point out to them not only the laws they are breaking but what it may do to designers in the future. If you want us to design lovely things for you then you must support us by respecting our Copyright regulations.

Published in:

Block of the week

on January 9, 2009 at 11:18 am Leave a Comment

Christmas

Well we have come to the most obvious block of the week. It seems I must have missed a week or two during the year as I think I have 3 or 4 blocks to go but as our summer holiday break started yesterday and my kids are asking ‘mum, why are you working this is supposed to be our time’ I will quickly post our block for this week and wish you all the best for the coming Festive Season. We are taking a week off in our camper trailer at the beach so I will return with the remaining blocks in the new year. I am also working on an exciting mystery blog project over at www.hugsnkisses.typepad.com so add me to your blogroll or subscribe to the feed so you don’t miss out. Join in with me over the holidays – or for the Northerners the perfect winter quilting project as I take you step by step through a mystery quilt project using the lovely Ava Rose Fabrics.

Until then, to you and yours, our love and hugs

Helen and family

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on December 23, 2008 at 12:05 pm Comments (3)

Beauty

Before I show you the block of the week look what the mail man brought to my door this morning!!!

oh excitement…… 20 copies of my book – supposedly for family and friends – yes they’ll all get one and a few leftover for some of those preorders. I have another 40 on the way but with Christmas mail they may take a little longer.

‘Faux Applique’

Published by the American Quilters’ Society has been released.

You can see more and read more on my other blog .I have put them on my website here and they will be in your local stores soon hopefully….. US friends can already get them here.

I know there are many NPNT’ers who are waiting for this book, particularly some from Country Chix at Kadina where I recently taught the Blessed Beauty project..

I’d love to see some pics if you’ve finished girls…..and Blessed Beauty is my segue into this weeks block – how was that…?

why not add some Colourque to this one…

This has been a long, exciting and interesting journey for me and I thank you all for sharing it with me. I thank you for your patience, your encouragement and your passion for my projects and techniques – the one and only reason for all of this – you. I cant wait to start seeing some of your creations…

hugs to you all

Helen

Published in:

Block of the week

on December 15, 2008 at 4:10 pm Comments (1)

Bonus Grandpa block

As promised now that I have my laptop fixed here is a bonus block to match your Grandma….

Here is a jpeg or you can click here to download and print a PDF of the block at correct size. Spread the word on your blogs that its here for the taking…. from me to you

hugs, Helen

Published in:

bonus blocks

on December 10, 2008 at 4:39 pm Comments (11)

Grandma

Grandma’s are very special things….. I got to catch up with my one remaining grandparent last week when we went interstate for the family wedding… She has been a great influence on my life being a dressmaker, embroiderer, knitter, crocheter and now quilter. She taught myself, my brother and sister to knit, crochet and do fancywork. And in the last few years has taken up patchwork and just loooooves any stitcheries I can throw her way.

She now lives in a home in one small room but still manages to fit her sewing machine and her large craft cupboard. I use a lot of my seconds transfers and put them onto scrap fabric and send them to her to stitch. She stitches about 20 at a time and makes them into quilts which she then very easily sells to staff and family at the home… so I am pleased I am able to give something back to her now…

Here is Gran at the wedding last week.

now I must say we were all exhausted at the reception and just wanted to go home to bed but old Gran was partying on and we couldn’t have her up later than the grandkids so had to hang in there until we could ship her home to the motel.

I don’t expect she’ll ever see this post as we haven’t manage to computerise her yet…. but there is still time isn’t there?

Now I don’t want to discount grandfathers here…. I know there is none in the quilt but I promise as soon as I get a chance in the next couple of nights I shall do you a bonus Grandpa block..

hugs, Helen

Published in:

Block of the week

on December 8, 2008 at 11:37 am Leave a Comment

Some finished quilts

My lovely friend Sue in Townsville sent me some pics of her finished project – she is a high achiever and probably made 3 or 4 of them!!

She wrote

‘I made it just in time. The quilt is a present for my mother’s 80th birthday and the party is this Sunday 7th in Brisbane. I am sending a few photos and I decided on a pillow case gift bag to place it in. I really did enjoy completing this quilt throughout the year.

Thanks again for your creative flair. Bring on the next project.’

What a lovely idea the bag is… and another idea to use with your blocks.

I am working on another year project due out mid 2009 so watch this space….

hugs

Helen

Published in:

Stitching

on December 1, 2008 at 1:17 pm Leave a Comment

First Kiss

I have just returned from a trip to South Australia where I taught 3 classes at two wonderful stores to many wonderful and talented women with many lovely panels Coluorque’d on the beginning of the journey to wonderful things. I also met lots of avid NPNT fans, many who have almost finished…. I think 12 blocks to go…read more here…

But the main reason for our trip was to attend the wedding of my cousin Carly. Carly and her sister Renae were flowergirls in our wedding 17 years ago. My husband Rohan has recently gained his registration as a qualified Marriage Celebrant and it was fitting that he performed his first ceremony for Carly and her new husband Nathan.

It was also lovely that all of our family were together which is a rare occurrence when we all live so far away. It always amazes me however how cousins who barely know each other manage to come together as if they have been best friends for life..