Hanging diamonds Linus

We are setting up for our Quay Quilters show tomorrow and are planning to have a small display of Linus quilts. I've just finished this one and am sewing down the facing on another.

42 x 46"

Detail

I used up leftover fabrics
on the back

Birthday treat starting with Abbey Patchers

My husband selected this for Visitors' Choice

Started in a class with Sarah Fielke

I took this hanging over a pew because I am also making a quilt of the crosses (QOTC)

This is the Star Rose design. I did hand pieced block in a workshop with Tracy Aplin

Looks a Eydta Sitar design

I loved the effect of the fabric choices

There were several lovely frame quilts

My birthday proved a wonderful treat and after croissant and crumpet for breakfast we visited a quilt show in an ancient church. This was followed by a lovely lunch at a seaside hotel and a walk along the beach. We ended up at the Turner Contemporary Gallery in Margate where there was an exhibition of seaside photographs.

Botany Bay

The Turner (and Alan) in Margate

Back at the ranch

In the midst of outings I am making Linus quilts and using long held stash in the process including on the back.

Minus borders

With borders - top done

Area Day afternoon

Paper folding

Paper box base

The final version with embellishment. Pam supplied all materials. Felt flowers and leaves.

In the afternoon we gathered round tables to do a prearranged workshop. Mine was with Pam Bowles and we practised with paper before going on to make a little box from a provided kit. We also cut out felt leaves and made pretty flowers to decorate it. 
On a screen scrolled pictures of quilts by members and from the Hever shows while others hung around the room including a wonderful colour study by Mags James and journal quilts by members of the contemporary group.

I wish I knew who made these journal pieces

By Mags James

Quilters' Guild Area Day

I went to a very enjoyable Area Day in Aylesford where Pascale Michelski was the morning speaker. She loves drawing and is a painter and work reflects this. She started with applique but now paints on silk and adds applique and stitching. She has a very distinct and imaginative style. Amazingly she has only been quilting for two or three years.

This was in the Hever Challenge 2017

A hare and flying sausages!!

Homework

At home I caught up with improvised samples from Janet's Oast class; they'll go in with hand dyed samples from earlier classes.

Asterisk

Wonky Star

Oval porthole

Circular quilting

U3A Open Day

The class of 18/19 came up trumps with lots of work brought in for our display. 

AGM Round Up

I only went to a couple of lectures at the AGM and both were great. First Sarah Humphreys who started quilting age thirteen and whose early quilting journey echoed my own starting with very traditional basics (like me)  to being the the first winner of the modern group category (not me!) at Festival of Quilts.

Sarah's winning quilt

 Then as a lovely finale a double act from the "old guard", Judi Mendelsohn and Lynne Edwards. They'd constructed their talk very cleverly choosing first quilt, quilt they were  most proud of  etc. They are good friends and very funny so played off each other as they alternated who went first. 

Lynne with a signature Cathedral Window piece

Judi with a quilt made with felted pieces of her mother's knitted Kaffe Fasset patterned jumpers

Gala Dinner

Elaine, Stephanie and myself

Ruby Coaster

All present

In honour of the Guild's 40th birthday and ruby anniversary we wore red and the coaster which we all got take home with us also had a ruby theme. A nice custom is to pass them all round the table and everyone there signs their name.

Around the displays

Quilt on the Modern Group Stand

From the contemporary Group display

Quilt by Hilary Beattie, a prize in the Chinese auction

A "happy village" on the fringes of the Lake District  by
Hilary Proctor based on Karen Eckmeier techniques. 

A foretaste of the Quilters' Guild BOM.

Modern Log Cabin Workshop

Sarah's sample piece

Today at the Quilters' Guild AGM I did a very informative and enjoyable workshop with Sarah Humphreys. We made three blocks in all: wonky, curved and improvisational with a side look at one with back ground fabric replacing some of the locks.
We learnt lots of strategies both for making the blocks, setting and quilting options. Here are mine, hand dyes again and they'll go into a quilt with lots of other workshop samples.

Wonky

Curvacious

Improvisational

The day finished with a very interesting very unique and quirky and amusing talk by Irene MacWilliam. Her work is very concerned with human and environmental considerations but also lots of plays on words. 

Irene's work

Travels

Burghley House

In the bedchamber

I arrived at the Jubilee Campus Nottingham for the Quilters' Guild Conference today but on the way stopped at Burghley House, seat of the Cecils who advised Elizabeth 1 throughout her reign and who have held on to their lands and property. I admired the colours of the bed coverings embroidered centuries ago.
And on my bed a humble but richly coloured (for now)  DNP.

Done and dusted: charity quiltsB

Red and Blue Crazy Linus 49x57"

U3A Cherrywood Quilt 02 58x74"

Back of Linus quilt showing machine sewn facing and fleece back.