August newsletter

Li’l Bloke’s 163 View St Bendigo 3550

Hours: Monday- by appointment, Tues- Fri 10-5, Sat 10-2, Sunday- closed

Contact: Ph/fax 03 5443 9195 For overseas customers 61 3 5443 9195

email: lynettehyland@gmail.com Blog:lilblokes.blogspot.com

August 2010 Newsletter By the time you receive this email I will be on the Spirit Of Tasmania for a brief interlude... returning Friday. Shop will close at 3 from Tues-Thurs next week.

1. Hope Competition from my ad in Homepsun Magazine.

This competition involved people writing in for the chance to win a “Hope” doll designed by the talented Gini Simspon of Cat and the Fiddle Designs from the USA. The doll was beautifully made by Chris Laubsch who has made several of Gini’s doll designs for my shop. Thank you to all who entered. The winning entry is as follows: Congratulations Marg. Please email me your postal address so that I can send the doll to you.

I would like to win the “Hope Doll” to donate to our local hospital for fund raising. Our Cancer Centre in the Latrobe Valley is very pivotal to the area. The Latrobe Valley has a very high incident of Cancers in all forms, and it is very important for the Community to be able to raise this money for all the extras. Until we got the new hospital 4 years ago people had to travel to Melbourne and in many cases this was a hardship for many.

There is always Government funding for building works but so much more is needed for other things such as equipment etc. The main aim is the comfort of the patients. Some patients travel many miles to get to the hospital for their treatment, and times like this can be very hard, so it is imperative to make them as comfortable as possible. I myself am in this area of care as my Husband is suffering terminal liver cancer, and just living locally can sometimes be difficult. I am very passionate about what I can do to help and the Nurses on staff are all “angels” and wonderful carers.

Marg Dixon (Churchill)

2. Blog- check it out:- lilblokes.blogspot.com I hope to update this more regularly and to begin including the shop stock especially fabrics. It is currently just showing pattern designs (and many more need to be added). These include my own designs, Cat and the Fiddle, Annie Smith & Sweet Meadows Farm cloth doll designs. Please email me with particular requests as to what you want added first.

3. Shop stock....a little shop with everything patchwork !! patchwork tools, books, notions, braids & laces, and buttons, buttons, buttons. I stock many other designs including the best from Australia and overseas.

4. Workshops I currently hold local workshops on Wednesday evening which are suited mostly to locals. It’s “an anything goes” type workshop with the 6 participants most likely doing 6 different things. I am prepared to take workshops elsewhere. Please contact me if your group would like me to take one.

5. New Mystery: “Picnic Time For Bears”

Please find attached the first stage of my new Bear Mystery “Picnic Time For Bears”

The quilt will be at least a “queen size topper”. Stage 1 will be available from mid September.

Australian price:-There will be 5 stages each priced at $68.95 (No charge for p&h) = $344.75 overall.

Overseas price:- $62.70 per stage + p&h ($313.50 overall +p&h)

As always with my mysteries, the first notification is always the cheapest price. This is due to the fact that initial sketches/plans/patterns have been drawn up but the quilt could easily grow and evolve. As this is a mystery quilt a photo of the whole quilt cannot be provided at this stage.

People signing up now (by the end of September) will be locked into the above introductory price even though this will most likely rise. Price includes all materials for quilt top and binding including threads & buttons. Many parts of this quilt also contain a weaveline backing.

* Note: some of the buttons on the flowers will vary as I have used some antique buttons from Trev’s aunt’s button collection...and these cannot be replicated.

It is also advisable to get involved early to ensure fabrics in kits are identical to mine.

Stage 1 Size26 x 30 “...it’s a large block

6. Aussie designers: Amongst some of my stock are these favourite Aussie designers: Hatched and Patched, Lynette Anderson, Birdhouse, Don’t Look Now, Kerry Gillespie, Janelle Wind, Bronwyn Hayes, Natalie Ross, Wattlebee Designs, Country Keepsakes, Hugs ‘n’ Kisses, The Quilted Crow, Gail Pan, Rosalie Quinlan, Melly and Me, Leanne Beasley,Teddlywinks, Busy Fingers etc .

7. O’seas designers: Amongst my favourites are Sue Spargo, Renee Nannerman, Chitter Chatter designs, American Jane, Fig Tree Quilts, Blackbird Designs, Liberty Star,

8. Tip for this newsletter:

When using a light (in color or weight) background fabric, use weave line or whisper weft as a backing fabric. This assists with the stability, reduces fraying, and conceals the carry of threads when doing embroidery e.g. I have used it in the new mystery.

Weaveline is 100% cotton and currently retails $14.50 per metre.

Whisper weft is polyester and currently retails for $8.65 per metre.

9. Future emails:

a. Should you have a friend who you think might like to be on my mailing list, please feel free to forward this on, then if they email me I will have their email address.

b. If you do not wish to receive further emails please contact me also.

Although I have been doing mail order for almost 17 years, my little shop will celebrate 10 years in October. I will have prizes for my email customers !!!