Tales of a Goblin Queen

April news: Morris Seasons & more

Easter – a time of daffodils, new life, hope, and the earth warming in the spring sunshine. Lovely! 

Except that I just looked out the window to find it snowing. 

Ah well, it’s appropriate. While my Instagram feed has been full of images of colourful eggs, bunnies, and blossoms from around the world for the last few days, I’ve been in a very different headspace recently – the depths of a snowy English winter.

That’s because I’ve been working on the planning for my latest commissioned quilt project for Today’s Quilter magazine – Morris Winter. (Working title! I love saying that; it makes me feel like a movie producer. 😀)

Yes, I’m pleased to reveal that the promised follow-up quilts in the Morris Seasons series are in progress. The first one, Morris Winter (if you remember, The Grape Thieves was the autumn quilt), will appear in Today’s Quilter late this autumn. Morris Spring and Morris Summer should follow next year.

I’m really excited to complete the full series as it’s been an enjoyable challenge to design four quilts that are recognisably connected but, at the same time, unique and each evoking a different time of year

Of course, I can’t reveal the full designs in public in advance of publication, but if you follow along with me on social media this year, you’ll no doubt see glimpses and hints of what’s coming. (My lovely Patrons do get sneak previews of the new designs as it’s partly their support that allows me to create them. You can be one of them for a monthly donation – from just $1 per month – and I’ll love you forever for your vote of confidence!)

So what else is new this spring? Well, I’ve a couple of other things coming soon that I’m excited to share:

  • The pdf pattern of The Grape Thieves will be available to buy and download directly from my website;
  • Another new patchwork quilt design is in development that I think you’ll like; it’s part of a new collection I’m calling Victoriana. Because it’s not being published in a magazine, it’ll be available to buy just as soon as I get it completed and tested;
  • Free stuff! I’m making some downloadable printables for your sewing room (things I use myself and my students have found useful too);
  • More free stuff! I’m writing a handy guide to help you choose fabrics for your next quilt, even if you can’t get the exact ones illustrated in the pattern, want to change the colours or have no clue where to start.

And finally, I can’t wait to show you how I’m planning to tie everything together under a new name and identity. (I’m talking deep cover here. Just kidding! I’m talking brand identity, of course.) That’s coming soon too!

Meanwhile, I hope you’re all managing to stay safe and keep on keeping on through these extraordinary times.

Comments

Sue Thomas
6 April 2021 at 8:26 pm

I’m particularly interested in the fabric brochure right now. I have never quilted, but figure I could do something simple with the many fabrics I have in small quantities that I don’t need for their original purpose: dinner napkins, too-small stained or damaged clothing, a dress my mom never finished or wore. I’m thinking some of the shiny or rough fabrics would work as borders with plain cottons, but maybe not.



    fi
    6 April 2021 at 9:25 pm

    That’s an interesting idea, Sue. I think I’ll try to include something about that in the book too – thanks for the inspiration! 😀



      Sue Thomas
      7 April 2021 at 1:34 am

      You’re welcome! I’m thinking I could do pillow covers, padded dresser drawer liners, table runners, lampshades, basket liners, or other small projects. Just piecing squares and half-squares in sewed-together strips could let me enjoy some of these colorful fabrics that are unusable or excess in their current forms. It could be a more concrete expression of my current passion for colorblock squares in jigsaw puzzles.

      PS: Your patterns are beautiful!



Suzanne Stephens
26 November 2021 at 2:34 pm

That lovely quilt in todays quilter issue 82 is it available in kit form please thankyou.



    fi
    29 November 2021 at 3:12 pm

    Hi Suzanne

    Unfortunately, there’s no kit for Softly Falling Snow, but I’m sure if you asked your favourite quilt shop to help you choose fabrics for it, they’d be delighted to help. You can also get printable pages of the foundations and templates (which will save a lot of time preparing the foundations) from my shop page. Hope that helps, Fi



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