Saffrons Blog

Hello to all the new quilters coming to my blog for the first time as part of the Quilters Festival. I am a fabric designer based in Sydney, Australia and for all of those who are readers of my blog thanks for popping by (big special hug for reading my blog—it means so much to me).

I find the Bloggers Quilt Festival such a fun event as I am reading through blogs linked to Amy’s Creative side. Some people are showing their favourite quilts and others their latest. This quilt falls into the baby quilt or wall hanging quilt category.

 I thought I would show you one of my new quilts I designed just recently using my latest range of fabrics called Magical Lands.

While designing the Tree Pods, one of my favourite fabrics, I had a wonderful feeling of being a child and running over a hill, up and down and up and down. So I wanted to make the pods look like small hills in this wee quilt, trying to capture that lovely feeling of spontaneity and freedom, at least in an artist's way.

I hand-stitched it with lovely cream pearle thread so the quilt feels soft and snugly. This particular quilt is already sold. I had a friend pop by as I was showing it to her and she tucked it under her arm claiming it. My lucky day! Nice to see some reward for a quilt I loved making.

Here is another quilt I made using a similar design pattern using my Imaginary Flowers.

Thanks again for popping over. Big thanks to Amy. Where are you coming from? Please leave a link so I can visit you.. 

CitricSugar commented on 22-May-2012 01:50 AM

Love your fabrics!

Kirsten commented on 22-May-2012 12:33 PM

Beautiful as always!

Jessie Aller commented on 22-May-2012 01:57 PM

Hi Saffron! I already love your blog and your fabric, but this time I'm visiting through the BQF. I just love your Festival quilt. Putting red and pink together seems to be difficult for us Americans ( or do I just speak for myself? let me know, other
commenters, if I presume too much!) but you pull it off beautifully. I'm putting a bundle of Magical Lands on my must-have list for the year...

Our good friend John Bokor won the prestigious NSW Parliament Plein Air Painting Prize.

We are all very excited about it. This is the third time his work has been hung so we are all so elated that he won.

This is the winning painting titled "Quiet Street, Bull" and John will be giving an artist talk this Sunday at Parliament House.

Kirstin Bokor commented on 16-May-2012 03:24 PM

Thanks for mentioning it Saffron.

 Download this free Mother's Day card, I wish you all a fantastic day on Sunday!

mothers day card 2012 (94 KB)

I took my mum out for the entire day on her birthday, just the two of us. Birthdays have a tendency to stretch over a week in our house, as I so love to celebrate life.

We started out with breakfast in the French cafe down the street.

Then to Mosman for a spot of shopping and to Von Troska to buy Mum some wonderful new clothes. Digitally printed silks and cottons featured highly as we are print crazy. She came out so pleased and wore her favourite one straight away.

Lunch was at the awesome Ormeggio at the Spit. We ate three courses with accomplishing beverages—French champagnes and wines, my shout. We had a ball and both smiled all day.

Katrina's entrée consisted of New Zealand king salmon crudo, salmon caviar, squid ink mayonnaise,
crispy mandarin and dried sea lettuce. It was the highlight of the meal.

My entrée was a linguine with mussels, parsley purée, young garlic and chilli. While Mum had slow cooked Melanda Park free range pork shoulder, warm pork terrine, radish, fried kale, plum sauce. I would like this as a main next time.

Dessert was "egg on the nest" – mango purée, coconut mousse, milk chocolate and vanilla fairy floss. WOW.

The view of the gorgeous yacht club in soft autumn light.

I can't remember ever having such a pleasant dining experience and was not surprised to read the restaurant has a hat. 

In the late afternoon with full bellies we cuddled up with a cup of tea and watched Limitless until Dad came home from work and whisked her off to yet another restaurant where she ate another three courses.

Awesome day. So grateful for my awesome Mum..

Kim commented on 09-May-2012 08:38 AM

What a lovely daughter your mumma has!! Tis lovely to see your happy mothers face again! xx

Kristyn Allan commented on 09-May-2012 08:39 AM

Aw I want a birthday week!

Miranda Burnett commented on 09-May-2012 08:41 AM

We call them birthday festivals!

Such a sweet song and animation. Hope you are enjoying your Sunday. It's beautiful in Sydney.

More about Kathryn Calder here.

Today I am talking to Nikki, one of the most extraordinary crafters I know. She is so busy! I always look forward to chatting with her when we run into each other at shows. What a dynamo of energy radiating positivity. Alas she is a Melbourne lass and I don't see her enough. I was thinking yesterday if only I could sit down with her for a chat so I emailed her my musings and she replied.

Nikki, do you believe in Magic?

Not of the wave-your-magic-wand variety, but I think that optimism can triumph over reality, and that's a bit magical when it happens.  I also believe that the good we put out in the world comes back to us, and it often saves us when there's no other safety net... as if by magic.  

Whats your favourite colour for winter 2012?

N: I'm loving anything near RED at the moment.  From raspberry to tomato... It's all looking pretty edible right now.

What is your favourite thing that you make/sew?

I am loving this pattern.

Nikkis patterns are stocked all around the world. 

Nikki commented on 04-May-2012 08:54 AM

Lovely to chat, Saffron - and yes, it'd be lovely to be able to sit and chat more. And now I'm REALLY sorry I didn't press that dress beofre I photographed it!!!

We have a print small run of our favourite Owl Sofies for you to enjoy. There are only 20 of each colour available. They are digitally printed in lovely colours such as candy pink, apple green, storm grey, twilight blue and tomato red.

Perhaps the pink is your favourite? I'll be it will be popular as it is the first time our owl comes in pink. My girl calls her Hootabelle and she is very much loved. She seems to have such attitude.

My personal favourite is the grey with the lime green spotty wings. Very vogue.

For the boys theres' a midnight blue but maybe green is your colour?

Then of course there's the red, which coordinates with the Owl fabric range.

Easy to make

To make up the owl simply cut it out and sew it together, by hand or machine. Then trim the seams and turn inside out and stuff. Its a good start to sewing with the young ones.

You can watch a video here.

Hoot hoot, which one do you like?

Bec commented on 28-Apr-2012 09:05 PM

OHHHH SAFFRON!!! Theyre Gorgeous! I dont know Whats with the owls..?? But Theyre such a crowd favourite! And these are so so cute!!! i bet these fly out the door... They are divine. My Fav is the Grey one for sure! Hope you have been keeping well. xx Miss
ya xx

Congratulations to Jane Green who is the lucky winner of the Silver Nutmeg & a Golden Pear Designs. Jane we will send you an email shortly.

Thanks to everyone who entered. Unfortunately there can only be one winner.

Please pop over to visit Silver Nutmeg & a Golden Pear Designs. 

If you are in Tasmania please pop by to see them at the Salamanca markets in Hobart.

Courtney is happy to take custom orders. 

Courtney commented on 26-Apr-2012 09:13 PM

Yah!!! Thanks so much Saffron!!! X congratulations Jane I'll be busy making India's new dress & hair bands this wkd!!!

The ABCD soiree is hosted by the wonderful Steph and Lisa.

They arrived early to decorate the venue for the seasonal ABCD meetup.

How do I round up three hours of catch up into a brief blog post? Well, we ate cake and chatted, caught up on our lives and shared stories. It went by in a flash and memories linger.

This cake was incredible!  Alison Lawson Cakes, to be remembered.

The room looked like this:

The tables looked like that:

Our pictures were snapped by Anni From Milk and Honey.

The goodie bags for 28 people was full of food and handmade goodness. Everyone who came made 27 for each of the bags. I thought I should share a few.

Grrl + Dog please have a look at her work.

Free Range Living an emporium of beautifully handcrafted Australian hand made and eco friendly gifts, fashion and home wares. Love my clip. 

Such a wonderful illustration by the talented Andrea Smith.

You can find Steph at MooBear Designs and OverIt. Such an inspiration. Love my bracelet, made by upcycling her Nana's vintage buttons.

Down That Little Lane. Yum.

So much to share. More food, more kindness and love. Thanks to all who I chatted with and shared goodness.

More details to be found on Bondville.

This is the ABCD Facebook link. 

airport shuttle bus adelaide commented on 20-Apr-2012 09:28 PM

A family member referred me to your site. Thnx for the details.

courtney commented on 20-Apr-2012 11:25 PM

Wow!!! Looks like an amazingly great fun day!!!

Steph commented on 21-Apr-2012 09:07 PM

Such a lovely evening and could have stayed chatting well into the night. Thanks for our wonderful goodies Hun and a surprise blog appearance hehe YAY... Much love and light Steph