Lily Rose: the Oval Frame

Its early morning when I take these images, apologies for the light quality. Today I'm working on the oval frame. I selected a gold fabric for my frame as I am after an antique patchy look. This is a fabric from my stash, its a few years old now but I always knew it would come in useful for something. I'm really pleased I didn't throw it out of my stash during my latest clear out in December. 

As you can see, I have created an oval frame from my template. Here I have selected my fabric. It's really important that your template is accurate, you don't want to have your oval cut at the wrong size. I'm actually gluing my template down onto the fabric to prevent warping. I only use Elmer's disappearing purple glue for this as its not a true 'glue' but rather a starch which makes it suitable for this purpose. You can also pin the template down accurately if you don't have the Elmer's.

Cut away the inside of the oval, 1/4 inch away from the seam (that is, the template)

I made my oval 'template' from Stitch n Wash fusible (that I had stuck together to create a big sheet before cutting out the oval template). This allows me to turn the edges of my seams and go ahead later and add batting (optional) without having the remove the template. I did this for ease and stability. And also, I happen to have a lot of fusible at the moment. If you made your template from paper, you would remove it now, and turn your edges over carefully according to the crease lines made by the paper when it was in position. This is another reason I can't recommend any other glue than Elmer's, because with the Elmer's, your paper template (if that is what you used) will release easily and won't skew your fabric or shape at this stage. 

With the fusible down, I don't need to remove it and this is what you see here. So I clip all the way around the oval carefully and not too deep. This allows me to turn the fabric without any buckling or creasing or ripples. 

Clip and turn all the way around. Your oval should be smooth with no bubbles of other turn indications on the front. When you place it over your paper pattern, it should fit perfectly.

It's time for me to make breakfast now - is a quilter's work never done??- and then I'll be returning to take take over the table once again and make my patchwork HST blocks.

Downsizing Fabric Sale

Well, it's come to this. I have more fabric than I could possibly use in a lifetime. Specifically, in my lifetime. And its been hard for me to accept this as, over the years, whenever I've considered selling any of it, I've fallen in love with it all over again....and simply couldn't part!

But enough is enough. The fact is I have too much fabric and I'm making a start on selling it. In fact, I have too much stuff generally. And I'll be putting those items up for sale as well, including threads and tools. I'll be updating my sales items every few days and will leave them up until they sell.

I have created a specific page to deal with selling these items, and you can view it by clicking here, or simply linking from the top of my page.

Wish me luck!

WOW: Back to Work on Lily Rose

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

I don't actually like deadlines, but they do have their advantages. The biggest one for me is that when I have to get a quilt done, I usually do it. I've been looking at my diary for the year ahead and its occurred to me that if I don't make and finish Lily Rose this month, then I won't be finishing it before 2016. And given that it will be on display in April this year, that just won't do!

My biggest problem is that I take too much on. I always have 'hungry eyes' concerning my quilts. My biggest solution is that I'm a perfectionist, so even when I'm creating at the last minute, I can't settle for less than perfect and this means that my quilts are always a high standard of workmanship- whether I make them in leisurely afternoons over the course of a year... or in a week or two. 

What about you? 

Last minute race or slow and steady pace?

An InLinkz Link-up

Marsala: the Pantone Colour of 2015

What do you think about Marsala as a colour?

It's the Pantone Colour of the year for 2015. Back in November, I decided that whatever the Pantone yearly colour was, I would use it in my next quilt.But that's not going to happen. My next quilt, released on the 15th will be Oma's Blues which is inspired on the theme of a blue based quilt. Still, I am thinking of ways to use this hue.

Personally I love the shot of it in the banner above as it looks slightly metallic and full of life. In fabric however, I think it might look too muddy or muted. I'm really not sure. Below are the recommended marsala colour pairings.

I think number 5 is my favourite as I am often drawn to warm, woodsy, autumnal tones. Instantly when I see these colours, all I can think about is a quilt full of leaves. Whether or not I want to spend time on such a simple design, I'm not really sure. 

This might be one 2015 resolution I'll put on the back burner for now. 

You can see these images and learn more about the colour selection process over on the Pantone site by clicking here now. 

WOW: Esther Doesn't Know What Day It Is ...

WOW = WIPs On Wednesday

Well, I just realised it was Wednesday a few minutes ago. I even happily posted a post about my Christmas table cloth this morning, all the while thinking I was doing really well to finish a WIP before Christmas and even find time to show it off before Wednesday. Except that I totally didn't know that it IS Wednesday today.

What can I say? I have festivity brain. I don't know if any of you are out there reading this, but for my regular WOWers, here is our usual regular linky. And further proof that I really do need that 2015 calender I keep putting off buying...

Have you forgotten anything this week?

An InLinkz Link-up

My Christmas Tablecloth

I'm happy to share that I did get my fabric edging sewn down around my tablecloth in time for Christmas and went ahead and used this tablecloth on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and now it's folded away again until Easter. So, that's another WIP crossed off my list and just in the nick of time too!

Here I am ironing it on Christmas Eve. Because of the size of my table, its easier for me to iron and starch it on the table itself. I always starch my tablecloths because starching creates resistance to staining. Small spills simply bead off and you can blot them away without any washing.

I re-used my stencils from my 'Red December' quilt and used them on a white wholecloth. I arranged them into position according to my eye. To ensure accuracy, I ironed my fabric into equal lengths and followed the iron seams so that I could iron down my stencils into position nice and straight.

On washing, my ironed in grid lines simply eased out. When I fold my tablecloth after washing now, I still iron down the centre. This makes it easy to place on the table (we use a very large boardroom table and positioning can be a real pain). Once in place, I simply iron these guidelines away.

I always knew we'd have a candle for Christmas and Easter, so I created a space for it in the centre of my tablecloth. Like so.

I love how versatile stencils are, you can create whatever you need to your hearts content. And I alse really love finally getting things done. Especially when they're as long overdue as this tablecloth was.

And all before WOW too :) See you tomorrow...

Have *YOU* Downloaded Love Entwined?

If you haven't, please do so now. Its free to members of my Yahoo BOM Group. It will be taken out of the Group (and no longer available for free) on January 1st, 2015. If you think this is one of those quilts you'd like to make, please get onto downloading it now. 

In the last 2 years, I've been preoccupied with Love Entwined, and this saw some of my other patterns get pushed to the side. There simply wasn't any time to release them.

In 2015, I am planning on releasing numerous patterns as I've been clearing out my design folios and am ready to see my quilts 'go live'. It's going to be a busy, vibrant year for new quilts across different themes and styles, so if you've been thinking about joining my Yahoo BOM Group, the time to do so is now.

Go ahead and join, its free. And if you know any other quilters who aren't members yet, let them know about our great online quilting Group too. Some members work from home keeping touch with our Group with updates and pics. Others find each other and meet up in real life to make the quilts they've fallen in love with. Whatever your style, this year there's bound to be a quilt for you.

Members of my Yahoo BOM Quilting Group receive all released patterns for free during the month of release. After that time, the pattern is removed and available for sale in my Etsy shop. Join in and never miss a pattern by being a member.

New EU VAT Laws

Update: 31 Dec 2014

Thanks to Erica Spinks's comment, I came across a platform that takes care of the EU VAT and this will allow me to continue selling to all EU countries. I have moved all my digital data over and am ready to sell. For me, this means business as usual, regardless of the buyer's location.

For Australia, I don't know what this means or why there is so little information available to us regarding this matter. From what I understand, the law applies to ANYONE selling to any of the 28 EU countries. If you sell a digital product to any EU customer, you are liable for the tax due on that item. There are thousands of small businesses in Australia that sell digital items to the EU. Yet, there has been no official advice regarding this matter from either the Small Business Commissioner, Small Business Victoria or ASIC.

Why exactly do we have a Minister for Small Business when small business can't rely on or apparently expect advice concerning such matters? Who knows.

One thing's clear though: ignoring these laws won't work as it looks like these laws will apply to stretch to actual 'goods' from 2016 also and that will effect even more small businesses.

...................................................................

There's a new law coming into effect on the 1st of January 2015. It basically concerns anyone selling digital download products (such as my quilt patterns) to a customer in any EU country. It requires the seller to collect tax on behalf of that EU country and follow through with paying those taxes through an expensive, time consuming tax policy process.

There's been some discussion concerning this law in the UK in regards to UK sellers providing digital downloads to EU members, but as of today, there has been no information concerning the requirements for people selling outside the EU to EU members.

From what I understand, anyone selling a digital download product to a customer in the EU will have to pay regardless of their (the sellers) location. However, I have heard nothing specific about this where I am located, in Australia. I know of several US based shops who have stated that they will not be selling to the EU because of this law, but I have found it very difficult to get timely, accurate advice concerning this matter for Australian citizens.

This is concerning given that the law comes into effect on January 1st 2015.

I didn't know about this law until it was brought to my attention by another quilter on her blog and since then I've been at a loss to explain how it is that, with millions of e-book sellers out there who will be effected by this law, there has been so little discussion concerning its application in real life.

I am moving what patterns I sell over to an Etsy based store as I can't control digital sales by country on my present sales platform. Etsy have made a vague statement regarding this law, but so far haven't been specific and haven't addressed the implications for sellers outside the UK. I am waiting to receive more info from Etsy regarding this matter.

It looks likely that I will not be selling instant digital downloads to quilters in the EU. How this will be implemented, I don't know. I am assuming and hoping that Etsy will allow sellers to select which countries an item is available to sell to.

To all my EU customers who are interested in purchasing a pattern from me after January the 1st, you will still be able to do so, however instead of an immediate digital download, I will send the pattern on to you via email. This changes the product classification from a digital download to simply a digital product. Its annoying that we have to take a step backwards regarding technological advances and conveniences but it is presently looking like this will be the easiest work around.

For all my blog readers and quilters who have ever considered buying a pattern from me, please read this: my patterns will always be available for free during the month of their release over in my Yahoo BOM Group. Make sure you're a member (its free) as its a great way to ensure that you never miss out.

2015 is going to be a big year for me pattern wise, especially after the LE pattern lull of 2013 / 2014. Please become a member if you aren't already one.