A little bit of advice...?

Dear ladies 

I received this on Facebook and thought I must share it with all the lovely sewing ladies out there.  Now I know where I have been going wrong all this time... 

If I had the technical skills, I would enable a sound track to play Andy Williams crooning  " Hey, little girl, fix your hair, put on your makeup" !






Love Vickie, Fromemaid 

Interview with Lu Summers by @scissorsandthread

At the recent Fat Quarterly Community Retreat in London I took a class 
with Lu Summers, designer of the new Summersville range for Moda which 
launched this April. I took the opportunity to ask her some questions . . .* 

Lu Summers
Photo by Scissorsandthread

*How did you get started? Do you have a design background?* 


In a previous life I studied at Norwich School of Art & Design specialising 
in print making, ran a patchwork and quilting shop with my Mum for 5 years, 
had 2 children, opened an Etsy store where I sold paper collages and later 
screen printed fabric before designing for Moda. 


*Do you have a favourite print from the line?* 


Fall in red and Scandi in red 


*What do you think your line Summersville looks great in or with?* 


Obviously it looks great in quilts but it has been brilliant at retreat 
seeing it in different things such as a rucksack and baby trousers. It 
looks great paired with solids but I think people should mix it up a bit 
and try it with different solids than the main prints such as bright 
orange, dark teal and charcoal grey. 

photo by Lu Summers

*What sort of things do you make?* 


I make quilts but for walls not beds but I would never describe them as art 
quilts 


*What is your favourite thing that you have made?* 


My big improv quilt. I have taught this style as a class a few times now 
and made some mini improv quilts too. 


*You are teaching your Portholes technique here at retreat which won Best 
Group Quilt at Festival of Quilts 2010. It's has a really unique look – how 
did you come up with the design?* 


My Mum told me about it over the phone, I said it would never work so I 
tried it and it did. I did circles and have also made quilts usually 
flowers and stars with the same technique. 

photo by Lu Summers

photo by Scissorsandthread

*Do you have a sewing or quilting tip?* 


Use your iron more! 


*Summersville features some great graphic prints – where do you get your 
inspiration from?* 


Living in the countryside but I also have a fascination with industrial 
estates and urban areas 



*Is that something we are going to see more of? When are we going to see 
more of you?* 


I have designed my second line for Moda which is at the Mill at the moment 
and I am waiting for samples. It launches in April 2013. 


*Now for some quick fire questions!* 


*Favourite colour? *Red 

*Fabourite food? *Sausages 

*Summer or winter? *Summer 

*Favourite tv show? *Mad Men 

*Marmite – love it or hate it? *I like it but I don't love it! 

*Favourite film? *The gangster one with Tom Hanks (we think she means Road 
to Perdition) 

*Favourite band: *Maroon 5 

*Chocolate or crisps? *Chocolate 

Photos by Lu Summers @flickr


Check out Lu's blog http://blu-shed.blogspot.co.uk/


A big thank you to @scissorsandthread for the interview and to Lu Summers for taking part. You can find out more about scissorsandthread on her blog http://scissorsandthread.blogspot.com


*Summersville is available in both Millie Moon shops in layer cakes, jelly rolls, charm 
packs and in yardage and on the website www.milliemoonshop.co.uk * 

Anyone for tennis?

What a year for celebration!  We've had the Diamond Jubilee, it'll soon be the London Olympics and in the meantime Wimbledon starts on June 25th.  


Now, I've not got the best record with tennis, my friend Lisa and I used to spend our PE lessons hitting our ball into the outside swimming pool.  My Mother In Law is coming to stay this week and loves to watch the tennis tournament on TV.  I usually just dip into it through the Sports News headlines at 10pm.  I prefer the cultural traditions that occur such as; the queues around the block, the crowds singing in the rain, applauding the rain covers being removed and play being stopped by an errant pigeon- to the actual games!  I'm not so good at sitting still doing nothing during the day because I have a little haberdashery devil sat on my shoulder telling me I could be sewing!  I think a good compromise might be for me to keep the elder Mrs. F company  watching Wimbledon using appropriately themed fabrics and trimmings such as these juicy little numbers we have in store.  Mmm, strawberries, now that's something I can get excited by!

Pretty lace trim bias binding

strawberry bias binding

lots of strawberry printed cotton fabric

By Vickie, Fromemaid