Melly & me

Moved home!

 

Melly & me has moved

To follow my blog and keep up

with all that is new 

please come and visit me

at my new home address

www.mellyandme.com

mellyandme.com

Click here to visit mellyandme.com

P.S If you would like to order a personally signed copy of my new book "Snug as a Bug" simply select the product from the shop and then add details of who you would like the book signed to in the "Personalise your Product" box.

YAY

x

 

Sew Cute to Carry!!

Yes, Denny you are the winner!!!!  I just love this name and I knew I was in love the moment I saw your comment :)

Of course I have to still get the OK from the publisher but "Sew Cute to Carry" is my favorite.

The definite runners up of "Its in the Bag", "Sew Carried Away" and "Mobilicity"  You are all such clever cookies and I appreciate all of your help so much!!!

Denny please send me an email with your postal address and I will send out your winning parcel soon!

And check out what arrived at my distributor's this week.....

They will be making their way to stores over the coming days and weeks.  So excited that they are really real and they are really here!

Keep watching this space as there will be another exciting announcement next week....

Until then..

xx Melly

Q: "What's in a name?" A: "Everything!"

It's true that sometimes I obsess much too much about names!

When creating a new pattern, fabric line or book it feels essential that I find the perfect name that fits the feel of the project but also rolls off the tongue or makes me smile.  I often wish I was more clever at thinking up cute and witty names...

So you can imagine my dilemma when my publishers started to ask me what I would like to call the next book that I am currently working on (est. release Aug 2014).  This book is a bag book and will feature handbags, a shopper, clutch, overnight bag, nappy bag, messenger etc etc etc... So what do you call such a book?

I am thinking it is definitely time to come to you, my readers to help me!  PLEEEEEEASE!  I am lost! 

So my thinking came to the idea of running a little naming competition! Can any of you think of a name that is cute or clever letting people know it is a bag book without it being completely boring or generic??

The winner will of course get total bragging rights as well as a signed copy of my new book "Snug as a Bug" in a tripple pack with my past books, "Sewn Toy Tales" and "Kaleidoscope"!

So get yout ideas to me by commenting on this post or on the Facebook post.  I wont select a winner until next week so feel free to come back before then if genius strikes!

And while on the subject of books, here are some lovely pics of the projects that are in my other book that is literally just around the corner, "Snug as a Bug".  I hope you love them! This book is a smaller book with 5 projects and 48 pages.  All of the projects include full instructions and full sized templates. The book will retail for about the price of one individual pattern so is brimming with yummy value!

"Sebastian the Snail" as featured on the yummy cover...

"Little Lady Bug Bag"....

"Flower Garden Quilt"...

"Flutter-by Mobile"...

and "Bug an a Rug"...

Thanks in advance for your awesome title ideas for my bag book - I am excited!

xx Melly

Beauty amongst the mess.

Today has been one of those "proud mummy" days..  

A day where I found beauty amongst the mess which seems to be a bit of a theme at the moment.

Life over the last 10-12 months has at times been a little bit messy, sometimes awfully messy!!!!  But my gorgeous family are such a strength and delight to me.  My gorgeous kidlets that bring joy to my heart and the most amazing and supportive husband who is the greatest gift to me every day.

Well today was one of those moments where there was a specific joy and a literal piece of beauty amongst the mess.  I headed down to the studio (the mess!!!) to grab a template when I found this treasure to greet me!

My little Boo had been busy on her own little sewing machine down in the studio yesterday afternoon and because of how focused I was upstairs preparing dinner, I failed to ask her what she had been making.  Well it seems she had gone through my bin and found a thrown away red panel of sewn fabric and embellished and modified it to make this gorgeous needle-case!

It is probably too hard to see on this photo but she wrote "feel" on the bottom with an arrow to some appliqued flannel - awwwwww cuteness!  I just love the heart over circle applique, the spine she has added and the special tie - Oh my goodness, this girl is a designer in the making.  Everything about this makes me so proud and whose heart wouldn't melt at that sweet message!  My heart is full....

And while I am here sharing new creations, here is my latest new creation.
A new Creative Card called "Two Little Tweets".  For those of you unfarmiliar with Creative Cards they are a nice quick and easy project that is sold in a format much like a greeting card and is very easy on the budget!  This creative card is all ready to go so watch out for it at your favourite patchwork store!

Now to go clean that mess!  

x Melly

Weekend in Wagga??

How would you like to join myself, Rosalie Quinlan and Jodie Carleton of Ric-Rac in a great retreat which is heading to Wagga Wagga?  So excited to announce that "Urban Stitches" is going on a road trip! 

So if you are free on the 12th and/or 13th of October and fancy a wonderful day or weekend full of fun, friendship, food and great sewing projects then take a look here! or click on the Urban stitches button on the right hand toolbar to get the full brochure and information.  We really truly hope to see you there!

And in other exciting news here is a little look see at my new book cover!! "Snug as a Bug" is not too much further away and is a great small sized book containing 5 sweet projects. Oh I cant wait to get my hands on the first copy, the anticipation is killing me!

xx Melly

Percy & Herb

If you are a regular follower on Facebook then you have probably already become acquainted with my new little buddies.  

But if not, then I am super duper excited to introduce to you "Percy & Herb"

Percy the plane and Herb the helicopter are the perfect toy to make for those little boys (or plane loving girls!) in your life. And the other great thing about them is that they are a nice "quick and easy" project - you could whip one of these friends together in an afternoon!

I think I may have to make some more as I will definitely miss these guys a little too much as they fly away to shop sample land!!

I have just finished writing the patten so these guys will be printed off and ready to fly off to shops tomorrow!  I hope you will cross paths with them on their travels xx

Melly

Winners!!

Drum roll please.....

The winners of the giveaway are.....

Blog blog comment winner is Shez

 

And the facebook comment winner is Emma

Make sure you email me with your postal addresses girls and I will get your pattern packs off ASAP!

And for everyone else, thank you so much for all of your sweet words, they always mean so much and I genuinely read each and every comment xx

x Melly

P.S.  OH, and if you are wondering what that first picture is, it's the color way for my gorgeous "Snug as a Bug" collection and those snails are actually going to be cotton tape - EEEEEK!

Another newbie & a long overdue giveaway!!

I have to say I have been having much too much fun in my new studio!!  There is so much work I really should be doing on my computer, but the new space is so inviting that I keep finding excuses to sew.  Which is how my new little critter friend, "Kiki" the kitten came into being.  

Another fun new toy made from "Snug as a Bug" - I just love this sweetheart so much with those big eyes just begging for attention. I really wish I had time to make up a whole litter!

I have spent today finishing off the pattern which I've just sent off to my distributor, so she is all ready and raring to go - make sure you keep your eyes out for her :)

As I was writing the pattern I realised that it's been awfully long since my last giveaway so I really MUST get that happening in true "new design celebration" style.  So if you would like to have the chance to win a set of my 3 new patterns, "Baby Bug", "Miss Melly" and "Kiki" please leave a comment on this post.  There will also be another pattern set as a Facebook Giveaway so feel free to enter on both!  You can find me on Facebook here.

SO make sure you get your comments in!  I hope you enjoy my new creations and we both wish you oodles of luck in the giveaway! 

x Melly & Kiki

Related articles

Little "Miss Melly"

Little Lola

I know that I just cant stop talking about...

Must be a good indication of how much I am completely in love with this fabric collection that I have created with Riley Blake Designs.  I really do adore it and cannot wait the 3 more months until it is released.

But at least to keep the excitement going I can share with you a fun part of the collection.  One of the designs in my "Snug as a Bug" collection is a fabric panel which will look a little something like this...

The fabric panel contains all the pieces and instructions to create you own Little Lola Ladybug who looks a little something like this.... 

Or if you were to buy the panel in another color way she could look a little something like this...

Or even a little something like this...

And if you were feeling really buggy you could do what I have just done and make the whole family of Ladybugs which looks a little something like this...

LOVE!!!!!! 

Hurry up August!

xx Melly