Star borders

Yesterday I got the star border attached and that's it for now until I get back from Festival of  Quilts. More plain borders and one of HSTs to go.

Making progress

Two star borders sewn, one laid out and one by the machine ready to piece.

On the home front

I have a major project that has been in a box a long time with just the most of the centre complete. The HSTs and border stars to complete it are already sewn. To give me a deadline I've promised it as the raffle quilt for next year's Lullingstone show and aim to finish the top by the end of August if not before.
It's the first Quilt Show BOM designed by Sue Garman and 5 Usual Suspects made all the blocks and then swapped them among ourselves. This will be the third to be completed. I doubt the other two will be. 
On Thursday I added the bottom row to the centre and cut and added the narrow border.

On Friday I pieced and added two side HST borders.

Show and Tell at Oast Quilters

I went to Lullingstone on Thursday to set up and to help on Friday and Sunday. On Saturday though it was Angela Daymond at Oast. She spoke about natural dyes and had quilts to illustrate the colours. There was a very good selection of Show & Tell quilts.

Angela's work is in the foreground

More finishes by the same person

Canterbury Quilters' work

A first very impressive quilt

I think this a Violet Craft design

Star Rose pattern

Stephanie's Tula blocks

Last but not least

Friends at Lullingstone

Belinda's from the same Maggie Kingston workshop as Mary's below. This visitor's choice.

Mary I's magnificent Liberty twirling triangle hexagons

Judi Kirk's turning squares

Bargello also by Judi

HSTs by Pauline Baker of Quay Quilters

Region 2 Lullingstone Show

Jenny Rayment opening the show in inimitable fashion

The Region two Show has moved from September to July and from Hever Castle to Lullingstone Castle. The setting was lovely and the host Hart-Dyke family were very hands on. The craft stalls that used to be at Hever have moved with us and under the aegis of the Guild. Lots of quilts were submitted for display in the house and in a marquee. Set up took a long time because of the unfamiliar surroundings and the difficulty of fitting everything in but we did it.
Here are my quilts.

Kona Bay DNP

Westminster Chimes

Last of the retreat

On the last day I took these last two pictures of Marigold's strippy (we loved the sashing fabric) and Stephanie's Anita Solomon project from a Houston workshop made in a very clever way.

Marigold's

Stephanie chose super fabrics for a graphic effect

More from the retreat

Marigold's churn dashes

Isabels "propellers"

Mandy's cobblestones

and detail

Mandy's DNP

Isabel's applecores

Retreat activities

I brought a variety of things to do with me this time. Everything took longer than expected but I'm pleased with having moved so many things further along and having brought years old projects to the fore.
First up was a back for the Map quilt top I made here in April. I wanted to use up my leftover fabric and made some more blocks. It still isn't big enough so fellow retreaters brought back some lovely textured black from the shop to add to all four sides.

Back mostly complete

Top done in April

My Westminster strip quilt from a Jane Hall workshop at Houston was supposed to be an evening respite from more concentrated work but once started I couldn't stop not least because of the messy plethora of strips and fabric everywhere. It was done quite thoughtlessly and it shows but at least it's now out of the bag. I will make seven more blocks and possibly border it if I have something suitable in my stash.

Just testing for size

Lastly I am so pleased with Judi's help to have completed the last two blocks of my Roundabout quilt from Karla Alexander's workshop at Sisters which we sewed together. The fabrics were provided as a kit and now the blocks have been trimmed look great together. Just 6 by 7" oblongs to fill the gaps to do.

Block layout