Can you believe the year is nearly over. I have had to get my head around what to do next year so for those of you in the Perth area we have some very funky classes for you!

booking are now open & places are filling fast. Booking can be made with Jemima here

Summer Dresses & Tops

. . . sounds tricky but its really quite simple & the shirred top is a great project that you will whizz through in one class!

Quilting Skills & Funky Felt Cushions

all dates, costs & details can be found here

Hope to see you next year

x x Claire

Spring is here and Retreat is looming! Next weekend I will be running my first retreat along with my Sew-Along partner Jemima. We are taking 24 fabulous ladies away to the country for a weekend of peace, quiet & productivity and I can’t tell you how excited I am!

There will be some familiar faces, treasured customers from my Hot Possum days & some brand new faces! We have decided to open up our Sew-Along pattern catalogue so we will have ladies making quilts, handbags, & a whole host of Christmas projects. My husband is under the impression that I am going for ‘retreat’ myself but I am sure that I will be running my little butt off! . . . Bring it on! We are planning another retreat for autumn next year so if you missed out on this one there will be news soon of what we have planned for the next one.

I have had quite a bust few months. I was at the last Perth Upmarket which is always a fun day & always a treat for my stomach . . . cupcakes, fudge, cookies . . . . YUM! Upmarket is the place where we meet most of our new Sew-Along class members & this terms classes have filled quickly so I’m sure there are going to be Christmas sacks full of some beautiful handmade goodies this year.

I have been working on some new cushion designs which will appear on my Etsy site in the next week. If you can’t wait for the pattern to arrive in the mail then I now have PDF patterns for sale for you to download straight way then you can get started almost as soon as you have ordered it!!  Isn’t technology amazing

So onward with this terms projects . . . if my kids let me get to my sewing machine in the next few weeks, hopefully my new range of lap quilts, cot quilts & bed quilts will finally get finished . . . not a lot gets done in the school holidays!

happy stitching x x

The quilt at the top of this post is Sew-Alongs ‘Spring carnival’ that we re teaching in this terms classes.

I have a few design projects on the go at the moment . . . lots of ideas in my head for new quilts

. . . it’s been quite a while since I designed something on a larger scale!

This is what I have been working on today, it has a very special destination so tomorrow I am going shopping . . . as this is my ‘not-buying-any-fabric-but-using-up-my-supplies’ year,  I am actually very excited about hitting the fabric shops!!

keep you posted on what i find!

x x

This design is the property & copyright of Claire Turpin Design & cannot be copied without permission.

this is just gonna be a quickie as I have to get back to it, but just wanted to show you a sneaky peak at what we have been up to.

Jemima & I are are busy preparing for next terms Sew-Along classes as well as our up coming Retreat (I know, how very exciting! . . . more news on that next week)

She came laden with lists today (I would like to add that mine is MUCH bigger then hers but that’s probably because she is far more organised then I am & she never has things sitting around long enough to even make it to a list) . . . anyway it was a good productive day & we gots lots sorted, lots made & lots planned.

. . . working as a team definitely has it’s benefits,  Jemima is fabulous at getting me organised (thank you thank you thank you) but even better then that,  if get my creative hat on & design something she promptly gets it made. How fab is that! . . . if it was left to me it would still be an idea in my head!

. . . can’t get better then that!

This is a sneaky of something we have in term threes Sew-Along classes. The design will be available as a pattern after the class.

Class details will appear on my Classes page when they become available.

Ok – so now i have your attention!

I saw an interesting post on someones facebook last week that made me laugh out loud & made me smile with inner delight all day. The lady in question is a very sucessful designer & she posted a picture that she had manged to snap of her husband . . . wait for it . . . sewing!

oh, how my heart did sing! and my, did he look cute!

so what I want to know is why are there not more men that sew? In all my years of teaching I have NEVER had a man in class with me – and believe me I would welcome them with open arms. When I had my patchwork shop we did use to have ONE male customer that used to come in & buy fabric but the only other men that used to come in were the ones that were dragged in with their wives.

Is sewing really too girly I wonder? I think not . . . some of the best patchwork designers are men as are fashion designers. They may well bat for the other team but not all of them surely?!

My father-in-law sews his own ‘swimmers’ (but heaven knows why as they are cheep as chips to buy!) & he is a sheep shearer by trade – you don’t get more blokey then that!!

The lady who posted the picture makes reference to how much she loves that man & I’m right with her. If I came home to find my husband hand sewing me a little love message rather then spread out on the couch with a beer in his hand & shouting at the footy then I too may well be blogging & facebooking about how much I love him . . . or maybe I would be running for the hills!

Instead I find my self upstairs on my computer, away from him . . .& the beer . . . & the footy taking comfort from the gentle hum of my sewing machine!

food for thought  . . .

perhaps I’ll give him some fabric & a pattern for his birthday next week?

maybe not . . .

. . . better stick to an angle grinder!

x x x

(FYO – the photo is NOT my father-in-law!!)

I have just returned from a glorious few weeks away with my family camping in what has to be one of the most glorious parts of our country. The beaches & bays around Margaret River, Meelup , Eagle Bay & Bussleton are simply breath taking. I have to pinch myself that a girl from the cloudy UK has ended up being somewhere so perfect.

Amongst all the beauty & laughter of the holidays there was a bit of sadness when I learnt that a very dear lady that used to sew with us every week in the shop passed away. If there is one thing that I have gained through my sewing journey is the wonderful people that I have met along the way – Georgina was one of those ladies. We shared some wonderful times in the shop & at sewing groups at her house. She would entertain us all with her stories & delight us with her recipes (we always took turns to do lunch) She was an absolute treasure & a joy to be around. Many people walk through your life & it may only be for a short time but some very special people leave their mark & you never forget them. She will be missed by everyone who knew her.

This photo is for Georgina as I know she’d appreciate that this is the only way to eat a lamington on Australia day

x x Claire

p.s I have had to close down my comment section as I have 1800 spam messages for body enhancing medication to erase!!!!

A few weeks ago I was invited to go on a ‘retreat’. There would be a group of girls sewing & a group of girls scrapbooking. It was going to be the first time in twelve years that I would leave my family to do something just for me. I have over the years spent the odd week in Sydney on business but they were weeks spent at craft fairs, on my feet all day, & totally & completely exhausting.

This wasn’t going to be like that.

This was going to be a room to myself. A bathroom to myself. Food cooked for me. Nobody asking me to do anything for them. Nobody having any requirements of me what-so-ever. It was going to be bliss . . . . pure soul food!

It was the best thing EVER!

My girlfriend & I made the ‘long’ journey from Perth to Rockingham on a friday afternoon & arrived just in time to be ushered in for dinner. Dinner that I didn’t have to think about, prepare, cook or clear away. We then set ourselves up in our own little corner of a large room to sew & mingle with a group of like minded people.

Its amazing how much you can acheive when you are uninterupted. Over the next day & a half I made a quilt for a double bed, a dress for Heidi & a bag – I even taught my non-sewing scrap booking friend to sew her first bag! The days were calm, peaceful & productive. I met some lovely, gorgeous & inspiring people. I learnt that Parlan is better then Pellon (thanks Janelle & I’ve got a bolt on order!) & I passed on the knowledge that Clover pins are the only way to go.

We also got to see some ‘real’ quilts as there were a few other quilting groups there!!

I also discovered that there is such a thing as a muffin fairy as miraculously warm muffins arrived in our own private kitchen social area every morning at 10.30.

I also learnt what it must be like for a man as I could quite happily work right up until someone told us that dinner was served. Oh I want to be a man!! (you may have guessed we are a camping family not a stay-in-hotels family – although we might be now!!)

I got to get up when I wanted & I got to have a shower without stepping on a four year old.

I also got to explore the Rockingham Spotlight – twice! . . . . note to self: must remember to pack all the cotton that is needed!!!!!

The very best part about it all was that I came back a happier & calmer person then when I left.

I now realise just how very important it is to look after ourselves as it makes our jobs as mothers & wives a much easier & happier experience.

Bring on the next one x x x

Finally . . . .

finally I have a shop up & running! There have been a few teething problems but I think I am there. My Etsy shop has made its first few sales & although the whole process was relativley easy to set up it was quite complicated & confusing for my little design brain to figure out . . . but with a bit of help from Jemima its there.

Yay!!!!!!

There has been quite a bit going on in my artsy crafty world lately & if my power cord for the camera would descide to reveal itself I’d have more photos to share with you but it has obviously gone on a holiday.

PERTH UPMARKET

Upmarket was a great success, just about killed me & I’m sure my adrenal system will take more than a few months recover but I was delighted with the response. My new patterns flew out the door as did my made cushions. My Red Riding Hood paper collage found a delightful new owner so I didn’t even mind letting that go (even though I had already worked out where it was going to go at home) I have to now ramp everything up for the next Upmarket which is at the end of November.

Upmarket wouldn’t have been possible without the help from my ‘support team’ so big thanks to Claire, Ali, Jo Jo for your late night at the printers, my health guru Paul at Capacity Health (yes I”m drinking lots of water!!!!), Matilda & her beautiful garden, Sheena Cooke Photography & my kids for being happy to eat a lot of omeletes & Jemima- big love to you all x x x x

photos to come!!!!!!

Wanna see whats for Sale?

you can buy at my Etsy shop –  just click here

Rainbow Squirrel Applique

Ooodles of Poodles Applique

Pip and Ellie Applique

Happy Rabbits Applique

A Family of Owls Applique

Rosies Garden & the Gnome

everything is available as a pattern or a kit, if you’d like a kit then drop me an email

x x Claire

Before I sew another stitch – or un-pick one, as that seems to be what I have become most skilled at lately, I thought it was way past time that I made another post. With the up-coming Perth Upmarket looming ever so close my sewing room has been a hive of activity lately.

I’m trying to kill two birds with one stone, so as well as making a mountain of goodies for all of you to buy, I have also been trying to get everything ready for the photographer to take some amazing photos for my new patterns. I have the loan of a girlfriends beautiful house so hopefully we can get some great shots in & around her garden & hopefully having a professional take the photos will produce better results then my little pocket camera!

With my design brain stuck in a very strange place, I had a strange notion to do a rainbow squirrel! (I know, where do these ideas come from?!) He is still a work in progress as I am not sure whether to turn him into a wall hanging or a cushion . . . perhaps I’ll do both. I think he needs a few acorns stategically placed as treasure at the end of his rainbow tail & I need to do a Spotlight run to find brown thread – not a colour I am used to working with!!

I’ve also been putting together a Carousel / fairground design & these two lovely performing dogs (minus their eyes) are part of what I have been doing. It was originally a commission for a lovely customer & her daughter & the two dogs are her poodles. They should of course be black, but you know me, can’t stay away from a bit of colour!

There has been plenty of designing going on too for Sew-Along classes & I decided to make a christmas Angel for the tree. I made a few prototypes, un-picked a few, sewed a few more & finally settled on this one. We had a bit of a face book discussion on what to call her with some great suggestions, I particularly like ‘Carol’ but we haven’t had a ‘board meeting’ yet to finalise it . . . I’ll keep you posted. My middle daughter took over one of the earlier prototypes & she spent a leisurely afternoon with me last sunday raiding my scrap buckets & she made her angel a very funky dress as well as a bed & some fine living quarters! It is quite encouraging to see that the sewing gene has been passed onto one of my girls. She just needs to remember to put the foot of the sewing machine down before she starts sewing as it very nearly took all the fun out of the ‘mummy daughter’ experience for mummy!!!!!

Christmas Angel for next Terms Sew-Along

Bellas Angel complete with patchwork dress, pillow & box bed!

Anyone wanting to learn how to make Cushions & handbags, we have some treats for you in class next term. I made a fab handbag yesterday in less than hour but it took me about 4o minutes to unpick it when I realised I sewed the bag handles in the wrong order! Grrrrrrr!

And before I sign off for today, has anyone else noticed that the ‘in’ thing to do in blog land is to make a post about sewing rooms – so I think that I might just go upstairs,  tidy up the scraps, fold my mountain of fabric into colour co-ordinated arrangements, pin lots of inspirational pictures to my pin board & take a few photos . . . on my little pocket camera of course!

x x

I my have seemed a little quiet lately but behind the scenes it has been anything but! I have signed up to do my first market which is a little daunting as I am used to simply designing & producing patterns but this time I have to get a few bits & pieces made as well! Eeeeek!

I’ll be at Octobers Perth Upmarket (which wasn’t very well planned as its my birthday that weekend & we are all out to see the very lovely Josh Pyke on the Saturday night so it looks like I’ll be the designated driver! Bummer!).

If you have never been to Perth Upmarket, it is a fabulous collection of very creative Perth artists & designers & I feel very privileged to be allowed to be amongst them.

This is a new design called Pip n’ Ellie – I’ve done it as a paper collage but I think it may appear in fabric as well.

Apart from the teaching I have been doing with Sew-Along & the paper art classes I have been doing at Paper Fusion there has been lots of new designs on the go . . . then when you do lots of new designs you need lots of new fabric . . . Uh oh!

Isn’t it all just yummy! This little collection came from Materialise in Shenton Park . . . I always get into trouble when I go in there . . . I only went in for a few spots!

I am all prepared now for a busy weekend creating . . .what shall i do? . . . mmmm thinking a few ‘rainbow squirrels’ might be in order!

by the way . . .

Sew-Along are currently booking for our Kitchen table class on Saturday 3rd september. Make two projects in once day . . . yep, it can be done!

Septembers evening classes & day classes are also booking – details on my classes page.

x x