gail pan designs

Cottage Garden Threads

I have been using these gorgeous threads in one of my new patterns and I thought you would like to see them!

They are hand dyed here in Australia by Pam (pam@cottagegardenthreads.com.au) and come in about 30 different colour ways. They all have gorgeous names like "sweet pea", "raisin", "damask rose" and "ash".

I have used "larkspur" and "ash" on this pincushion

and "damask rose" and "ash" on this one.

They are available at Foothills Fabrics and threads, Candleberry Country and I think Siw from Quiltegaarden will also be stocking them (look in the left or right sidebars for links)

I have also made this which is made from the range "maid of honor" by Bonnie Sullivan.

I will have both of these at AQM on the weekend.

Cheers
Gail

Did you know...

it's only 7 weeks until Christmas...........

you still have time to finish your Christmas wish BOM

this is Carolina's

and this is Louise's

and you still have time to make this quilt

this is from Simone

I hope you like this little show and tell, I have added more photos to the Christmas wish album on the left.

Cheers
Gail

Oops...I'm back with some winners

So can someone tell me where the week went? I had plans to post on Wednesday and now it's Friday...........

first I will draw 3 winners from my previous post........

Fiona wins a copy of "sweet home pocket bags"

Angie wins a copy of "a Christmas welcome"  and

Debra (Oct 25th 8.42am) wins a copy of the "pretty hexagon baskets"

I hope you enjoy the patterns, please send me an email with your details and I will post them on Monday!!!

I would like to share this photo of May Kristin's  " A Christmas wish" BOM

it is absolutely gorgeous and I was very excited to see it in "real life"!!!

May Kristin and her friend Anita joined us on the Hurtigruten cruise and it was wonderful to get to know them both. May Kristin has some photos to share of the cruise if you would like to see more.

and if you look on the left I have made an album with some finished "A Christmas Wish" BOM's. If you need some ideas on how to finish yours, have a look.....and if you would like me to add your finished quilt, please email me a photo...I would love to see them all!!!!

Back soon

Cheers
Gail

New patterns

Now that I am back from Norway I can release all my new patterns. I have added them to the my patterns photo album on the left .

Here are a few

this is called "sweet home pocket bags". It includes a needlecase, pincushion and stitchery folder. The folder is big enough to hold a 6" hoop as well as all your other stitching needs.

This is "A Christmas Welcome", a nice wallhanging to brighten up your Christmas

and "pretty hexagon baskets" which have been very popular when I have taught them. Makes a cute hexagon basket for anything you like...mmm..maybe filled with chocolate!!!

They are all available from any of the stores listed or try your local patchwork shop!!!

Have a great weekend!

Cheers
Gail

Ps if you would like to win one of these new patterns just leave a comment, I have one each to give away.....

a big adventure part 2

here are some more photos from our trip

Hanne kristine and her version of Laila's garden

Siw has made my "Busy Little Christmas Elves" in blue, taupe and red Japanese fabrics and it looks stunning, here is the middle block. You can also see some of the quilting done by Merete.

here is another "corner" in Siw's shop, needless to say Leanne spent a bit of time looking in this corner!!!

a photo from the cruise ship "Hurtigruten"

here is the classroom on the ship, lots of room to play!!!!

and lastly for today, all the "roly poly santa's" that were stitched on the first weekend....we even had a few finished bags!! You ladies can certainly stitch!!!

Have a good week!!!

Gail

A big adventure!!!

Leanne and I are back from our big adventure to Norway!!! WOW!!! What a great trip we had. It was so nice to meet lots of lovely ladies, those who I sort of knew through the blogs and others I got to know after a weekend of laughs, stitches and great food. All in a great shop of course...Quiltegarden in Trondheim. We had a wonderful hostess, Siw, who was fantastic and welcomed us very warmly!!

this first photo is part of the beautiful town of Trondheim..gorgeous...and not too cold!!

here is Siw, on the left with Anne Heidi and Laila on the right.

Berit, Tine, Leanne and Annika

Another blogger, Laila, also came, it was so great to meet her. If you pop on over to her blog you will see her finished top of "Laila's Garden"

We had such a fantastic time, if you go over here  you will see a link for the TV news....eek!!! we were filmed for a Norwegian show.......very embarrassing and I am sure some of the ladies have photos of me that are not so flattering!!! 

Solvi's blog also has some great photos so pop on over!!!

And finally a photo of one of my projects..."Laila's Garden".

Here are lots of blocks all together.

This pattern is available now so ask at your local quilt shop, or look at my list of shops on the left side.

Thanks to Siw, her family, Inger Marie (you are an angel!!), Anne Marie, Liv Gur and Heidi for their fantastic job of organising the weekends and the cruise (that will be another post!!!)

Back soon with another installment!!!

Cheers
Gail

3 more sleeps!!!!

until Leanne and I fly out on our big adventure to here. To say we are excited is an understatement!!! We will get to meet lots of lovely ladies from Norway and Sweden and I think also England and The Netherlands!! We can't wait......!!!

While I am away from my family for almost 3 weeks (how much mischief can they get up to?) I will be busy teaching 6 new patterns, doing a little sight seeing, maybe a little bit of shopping and getting to know Siw and her family.  oh and taking lots of photos!!!

I also will be taking my sketchbook with me for any inspiration that may come my way. In such a beautiful country as Norway I am sure there will be lots of things to inspire me.

These fabrics will be waiting for me when I get home

they are from the "maid of honor" range of fabrics by Bonnie Sullivan (Lloyd Curzon are the Australian distributors) and are just beautiful.... so I will be thinking about a new project!!

I also have 2 new patterns out this week

this one is "bluebirds in spring" and has a pincushion, sewing pouch, sewing bag and needlebook.

this one is a large quilt and is called "love in a mist" with some needleturn applique.

Ask your local quilt shop or try Foothills Fabric and Threads or Under the Mulberry Tree online. They will be in stock this week.

I am off to pack!!

Cheers

Gail

PS Leanne....don't forget the chocolate!!!

a little bit of show and tell

I thought I would show you a couple of photos of projects that I have designed but made by 2 great ladies.

the first one is block one of my "seasons" BOM. Lee has done a fantastic job on this blue version, I look forward to seeing the rest...I LOVE it...blue is my favourite colour!!!

this second photo was sent to me by Suze. her daughter Naomi requested my midsummer garden quilt......but in KING SIZE!!!! WOW, this is spectacular....how huge is this quilt....Naomi loves it!!! and so do I.....I am  in awe of Suze who put so much work into it!!

hope you enjoyed the show!!!

Cheers
Gail

A Christmas Wish finished!

Well, here is my version of "A Christmas Wish", finished and ready to hang in my home for Christmas.

Download A Christmas Wish BOM finishing instructions if you would like to make the quilt like mine. I have used scraps for all of it (but I still have more!!!) 

here is an example of the quilting, I have used perle 8 thread in ecru. I have quilted the last border in the same way as the smaller block borders.

I would love to see photos of finished quilts, sooooo when you are ready, send them in!!!

here is Janna's

and visit here to see Tudy's.

Back soon with more!!!

Cheers
Gail

Block 9...the last one!

Wow, I can't believe how the time has flown by and here we are in September!!

Here is the last block of "A Christmas Wish"....I hope you have all enjoyed stitching the blocks and I can't wait to see how you will put it together. I will be back in a couple of days with a photo of my finished quilt and instructions to complete my version.....however you may put it together however you like!!!!

Block 9...magic  oops here it is....Download Block 9 magic

 

I had a fantastic night on Friday at my book launch. Thank you to all who braved the cold and rain....especially Vicki and Sharon who came from Geelong.

Nicole and me

Sue, Dianne and me. Sue did a great job of proof reading the book and I am so thankful for the work she put in.

I then packed up my samples and headed down to Berwick on Saturday morning to do a workshop with Marcia and a great group of ladies.

Here is Janna

and what she worked on

this is part of a new pattern called "bluebirds in spring" (this time they are pink!!!) which will be out soon.

that's about it for now....have a great week stitching your last block!!

Cheers
Gail