Nice people Nice things

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

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.

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.

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

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

Two reasons for choosing handbags this week!

firstly, you need to get yours out, take out your purse and go shopping because look what I’ve made for you!

Yes, your favourite NPNT designs on printed greeting cards. There are 6 designs in each pack, blank on the insides for your personalised messages. They are square (150mm x 15omm) cards and great for a Stitchers gift, Chrissy present, to write a heartfelt message when sending a gift, blog swaps etc etc… you can never have too many gift cards on hand.

To fulfil every need I have also made two different notepad designs. The notepads are A5 in size (about half a Letter size) and have 50 sheets. I am always looking for a nice piece of paper to add a note to when sending a gift, or for teachers notes or even my shopping list…. These are a great size, not too big, not too small….

And the second reason is after being inspired by this famous woman of the moment at Quilt Market in Melbourne over the weekend.

you just want to make handbags out of all her yummy fresh fabrics.. She has a free pattern for The Nigella Yoga bag here

or you can purchase many others here

or even buy them made for you here

After Miss M met Amy in Melbourne she may even have her own bag patterns or even fabrics one day as she was so inspired and enthused by her and Amy was just delightful as was David her husband.

There are more pics of market here and here if you’d like to join in the fun we had.

So, get out those handbags ladies, turn on some charm, put on the heels and go shopping!

hugs for today, Helen

You can purchase the Nice People NIce Things box of patterns from the Hugs’n Kisses website here or visit the stores page to find a local supplier.

Additional Iron on transfer packs which include transfers for all 108 designs are also available with purchase of the pattern to save you tracing. They will transfer 3-4 times and can be used for many many projects – or of course you may wish to make 4 quilts…