Saturday morning

 The Quilters' Guild Traditional Quilt Group Zoom is cancelled till tomorrow so I had some unexpected time free, time to make  Mr Cottontail from Elizabeth Hartman's Delightful Desert pattern especially as Alan was making lunch.

He's very bright in colour, perhaps not so much in brain (the rabbit that is - Alan is the opposite, bright of brain and wearing muted colours).

Pieces cut and labelled ready to go.

Now off to make an "At Sea" little quilt.

SSRA Arts & Crafts Show

 

Polina with her quilt

I still had quilts measured, priced and labelled from the Hospital Fair but I repriced them lower to sell and share, far below cost. Measurements are the fiddliest part so at least that was done I sold four plus the two runners and two mug rugs. 

I also met two Ukrainian grandparents. She was very interested in textiles and as I learnt her granddaughter is too. I explained I had given quilts to some other Ukrainian children uprooted from their homes and persuaded them to choose one for their granddaughter.

And quilt now on the bed

They returned later with gifts of homemade preserves (the blackberry jam is going down fast ) and best of all sent a picture of their beautiful granddaughter with her quilt. I am so pleased this piece made with Malalaysian batiks has found a good home. It is sandwiched with Hobbs Tuscany poly wadding which is so light and cuddly.

Socialising

 We had a very nice meeting at Chartham Hatch and some Show and Tell from Tracy, all hand sewn I think. She is a powerhouse.

Then the Queen Beez had a get together very enjoyably sorting out out fabrics for our next joint quilt. Lots of strips to cut at home. Mary brought us fancy pouches from her Dubai trip. I'm using mine for felt tip markers . .

At Quay Marion gave a great demonstration on making moon pouches with a thorough handout plus there was some show and tell.

Demonstration

 

Hexagon diamonds

Meanwhile at home I have been tidying

and culling my shelves.

Just two so far.

So far so good

Our Lower Hardres Christmas meeting was lovely and was quite a bit of Show and Tell including from me but I was so caught up in it all I didn't take pictures but I belatedly managed this one by Judi for her son. Such an an appropriate choice of fabric and design and as ever immaculately pieced.

Chevrons

 A generous layercake was given away with a quilt magazine subscription. In the pages it showed a simple layout which I followed but using grey instead of white.

Still some squares to so I cut them in half to make rectangles. Then I cut some of the rows in half to intersperse/

The few remainders will go on the back. 

Just when I thought that I was done with chevrons what should I find in the cupboard but a very chunky 24 fat quarter pack of the fabric. Enough!! It is going on the raffle or tombola stall when we have our quilt show in 2026.

Chichester Area Day

 For the second year running we went to the Quilters' Guild Region 2 Area Day in Chichester, staying in a nice holiday rental.

By Marilyn McInnes

Looks like stained glass

Display of a challenge by an art quilter group.

I enjoyed looking at the quilts on display and joining a couple of demonstrations, folded patchwork with Suzanne Boulter who had zillions of examples and with our new very lively and keen Regional Organiser, Rachel D'Ambrosi who has done an amazing amount of EPP with leave in nonwoven templates.

From Rachel D'Ambrosio

From Suzanne

More folded patchwork, a contrast

In addition there talks by Sarah Ashford on the Rajah quilt and very interesting to me Trish Grammar on Shweshwe fabrics. I have made a couple of quilts from indigo blue ones.

Colourful Shweschwe fabrics on Trish's stand.

And another one

Clamshell quilting in brown YLI cquilting cotton thread on a wooden spool.

Lots of recycled fabrics here.

Detail

 I have finished hand quilting my Letterbox Quilt, another "keeper". I quilted in the ditch around the blocks on the front and stitched along the edge. These lines served as markers to keep me fairly straight as I quilted clamshells on the back. Little to see on the front which is what I wanted.

I think I will take it to be washed and mostly dried in the launderette before binding.

The quilting thread

Pennies from Heaven again

 

This time minus most tags

This woolies top is now done bar the border. The extra fabric I need for it has now arrived from Old Mill Quilting so I shall get round to it anon. I plan to big stitch hand quilt.

Detail

This is an aide memoire to remind me which way up it goes.