Quayquilter

End in sight

2012-02-19T23:42:00.000Z

Flowers with markings for stems.

Today I prepped the flowers for the lower right corner and traced in the lines for the stems. After three days at least of prevaricating and messing about I can see my way forward. I've abandoned the idea of flowers for the other bottom corner - I'll do two more stars. I think that will look better (and be much more straightforward!). I'm looking forward to clearing the materials away. At the moment fabrics are dumped on the (dolls) bed pending stars but I have tidied the table. I'm looking forward to the hand quilting.

Out for the day

2012-02-17T20:18:00.000Z

I and another friend and her daughter had a lovely time today with a friend we went to the Houston Show show with. Today we shared patterns and fabric, cutting up the Westminster fabric we had bought into thirds to distribute among us. Amazingly we had no duplicates so we have a very good range between us. I took a photo of our hostess's bed and back drop. Just lovely.
I also took a picture of a vintage circa 30's/40's quilt I own lent to my friend to replicate the pattern. The other quilt was made by our hostess from fabrics won by friend's daughter at Houston, given to her and returned as an appreciated gift.

My dresden plate quilt made in 30's/40's.

Gift of a quilt.

2012-02-15T19:57:00.001Z

Can you see the mistake?

I realise one of my Irish Chain blocks had a (non deliberate) mistake in it and although I have spares this is the one I want so I'll change it. Meanwhile after three attempts I've got the bird I want - green on a light background and have started to piece the top. I am facing problems here and there because of miscut fabric or not enough fabric but I am pleased. It's busy but not so much of a messy mish mash as I'd feared. Vases of flowers still to do.

Birds of a feather

Top taking shape

Millennium hanging

2012-02-14T15:57:00.003Z

I am helping a lady who lives in Faversham with her patchwork as she came mid course to our beginners' class. Our group Quayquilters is based in Faversham. To mark 2000 the group, mainly a core of 4 people, designed and made a hanging for the library. Library users contributed fabric. In fact Norma was the designer and it is brilliant - not the small fiddly needlework and crammed in images of many such projects but big and bold which can be seen from one end of the building to the other. It depicts scenes from Faversham's history in a lively ebullient manner typical of Norma's work. I spent 1999 to 200 in Kuala Lumpur so played virtually no part in this project apart from handquilting a cherry or two on the border. Faversham is surrounded by orchards. In the reference library hangs a more "patchworky" hanging. I don't know if this is the group's work or not.

General view

One of the Stuart kings, the Quay, the gunpowder factory explosion, sheep and brewing.

Matilda and Stephen warring monarchs, Thames barges and the murder of Thomas Arden by his wife and lover subject of a play by Thomas Middleton: "Arden of Faversham".

In the reference library

2012-02-13T21:15:00.003Z

Here are the Quilt Show BOM stars we swapped out more than a year ago. I first laid them out strictly according to match the original block designs. Then it was time to swap around, with the job made easier by three spares. We'll be meeting up to combine them next week. The border stars are so numerous they won't present a problem.

2012-02-10T12:04:00.000Z

I have made a row of little people to go along the top of the quilt. I shall have to pluck up courage and dot the eyes (and noses and mouths). They will have a bird to the left of them and a dog to the right. I planned to put pots of flowers in the lower corners but looking at this I think I shall have a tall tree bottom left and the flowers bottom right. It's all taking a very long time.

A Farmer's Wife

2012-02-09T12:02:00.001Z

It was Quay Quilters last night when Trish showed us how she had used the computer programme EQ to make her Farmer's Wife quilt. She had scanned in a plethora of fabrics and when choosing fabrics for blocks, as an exercise selected them using the computer images not the fabrics themselves. The EQ mock up revealed that her choice of sashing was not the right one so she was able to substitute before any wasteful cutting took place. Trish and I are part of a gang of four who sew together and work on the same projects. I only made sets of blocks and haven't got to the end yet and suspect I never will. Trish's blocks are so beautifully pieced and the fabrics so wonderful I felt quite moved on looking at it. Truly a magnum opus. I hope to take a better photo when we meet up on Friday.
Margaret, our treasurer, reported on our show from last year. With a change of treasurer and the bank repeatedly messing up it's taken some time but I was pleased to learn we made £1447 to donate to our local hospice. This is more than we've ever made before partly because of a very successful tombola and also because we charged for admission for the first time. It didn't stop people coming.

Crab & Winkle

2012-02-05T15:42:00.000Z

It was Crab & Winkle night on Friday. I had only my dyed fabrics to show. On the quilting front I am on the straight and narrow working on Isla's till done though I have had nearly two weeks of not doing anything for it. I saw her on Thursday and her first words were "Where's my quilt?" A hard taskmaster.
We discussed our show and I took a picture of Marion's very pretty cottagy Hidden Wells for my Hidden Wells file and also Maggie's two latest. Just so lovely and inspiring. Pam brought out what will be our second prize quilt a 60" square lap quilt made with a panel and a complementary set of fat quarters which was a large and generous donation from a friend of mine. She is handquilting it. One of Maggie's is a variation on the Katharine Guerrier Galaxy of Stars design but using strips to frame the stars. Indeed it's a completely different pattern, I feel. The other is just squares but using the lovely pastel fabrics so popular now in a very beautiful combination.

Raffle quilt in progress

Maggies stars framed with strips in progress

Maggie's squares

Dyeing to Quilt

2012-02-04T14:26:00.003Z

I've been slightly poorly last week and I seem to have spent two weeks centred on a one day dyeing dyeing session, collecting lots of stuff and mixing masses of salt solution. Then on the day itself we dyed our allocation then acquired extra dye so that last week I finished up surplus dyes and rinsed and rinsed then rinsed again before final washing and ironing. What I omitted to do for some items was to dampen the cloth beforehand. I have learned some lessons and got a good collection.

Some completed fabric

Fabric stewing in bags awaiting rinsing

The dye kitchen on my return home

Gradated greens

Quay Quilters

2012-01-26T23:03:00.000Z

Braiding

The topic at Quay last night was Peruvian braiding. Pauline talked about various kinds and attendant pieces of equipment, showed examples and gave everyone a card thingy so they could have a go. It was one of the most concentrated evenings I have ever seen with everyone beavering away keeping their attention on the correct sequence.
Pauline showed us a book by Helen Deighan on this subject, "Beautiful Braiding Made Easy".

http://www.crosswayspatch.co.uk/index.php/books/beautiful-braiding-made-easy

I was taking the beginners' log cabin session and Helen brought along a log cabin quilt she had made which had strips of varying widths to give a curved effect.

Helen's Quilt

Trundling along

2012-01-20T19:51:00.000Z

I am finding working on Isla's quilt quite hard going in some ways as I am used to lots of repetitive piecing and have been dashing off Linus projects. This quilt seems painstakingly slow and I'm not sure the result will justify it as it's a bit of a hotch potch though I'm trying to keep the colours moving throughout the quilt. I know Isla will like it as it will be a quilt full of activity like her. Today I have been making hearts. At least the technique is successful (see last post) but I've been moving and swapping around. I am going to have pots of flowers in both bottom corners and had planned background pieces to to go in both corners. I am now utterly miffed to find I've miscut - 8" not 8.5" - as I'm committed to this particular fabric because of what has gone before I shall cut off 1/2" from the top of the house, I hope 1/4" of sky above the chimneys doesn't look too ridiculous. I'll try blotting it out with masking tape to check. Oh dear! Just a thought - I could repiece the chimneys to go right to the top - I may do that.. .

The mess I am working in - not my usual practice.

2012-01-19T21:20:00.000Z

8 pointed star

Star and hearts

I completed the star. I couldn't use the outer fabric I'd originally planned as I realised it would be too much pink but I prefer the substitute. I've now started on the hearts. I thought the fabric choices would be enjoyable but again there is much furrowing of brows. The applique technique I was putting off is going well thanks to Karen Kay Buckley's workshop at Houston as I'm using her technique of pressing over templar which forms a sharp outline. I'm using spray starch rather than sizing which we can't get here.

I built four houses today

2012-01-18T21:30:00.004Z

I pieced four houses today though I'd cut out the pieces before. Gathering the various fabrics was quite thought provoking. They're not joined in a row yet. Next stop is a star and then it's all applique which I've been putting off.

U3A

2012-01-17T13:39:00.003Z

I'm not sure what this technique is called where you end up with self contained quiltlets which are then sewn together. The front and back can be different as with these rail fence examples. I've seen this demonstrated several times but Margaret's samples shown here are particularly lovely.

The front

Pinwheels on the back

Farnham Maltings

2012-01-15T17:16:00.002Z

I went with friends to Farnham Maltings where quilt shops sell off off their surplus fabrics and products. I needed more fabrics for Isla's quilts as my choices are now being constricted by the fact I can't cut background squares or even hearts out of some of the pieces I have left. Also to get sufficient contrast I needed some fabrics with coloured dots on white backgrounds. One of my friends bought some and told me just which stall to go to so I'm very happy.
As part of the day local groups display their quilts and there was a one woman show by Diana Taylor. Her room just glowed.

Partial shot of Diana Taylor's room

A Mary's Triangles quilt

My "Viewer's Choice" by Deborah Redman

Maggie's return

2012-01-14T10:24:00.003Z

It was Crab & Winkle last night. Maggie is back from her African sojourn so had lots to show us including her Hidden Wells quilt and wall hangings which she had brought back from her second home unable to remain parted from them. Whilst there she had made a quilt or rather quillow for her son's girlfriend who had laid down firm stipulations about gingerbread people, cottages and the like. It is a masterpiece of invention. Mary - the "other" Mary as I'm one too - has started a beautiful stars quilt so a very colourful evening.

Maggie's Hidden Wells

Maggie's wall hangings

Quillow cushion

Maggie's quilt for a gift

Mary's stars project in progress

Coming along

2012-01-13T17:31:00.001Z

Laying out trees one at a time

Aide memoire of the order. Trunks to be added and then trimmed to right length.

I'm working away at Isla's quilt and taking my time. Once I decided on the fabrics and arrangement of my line of trees I got down to the part I like best, sewing and ironing and sewing again. I foundation pieced the trees using fine leave-in washable paper
http://www.laurier.nl/E_frame.html?http://www.laurier.nl/E_home.html
and pieced the trunks and background. The arrangement of trees pointing inward may seem odd but they will hang upright over the side of Isla's little bed. The piano key border formed by the trunks will easier to bind as there will be no points to lose. I'm putting off doing the hands for which I have card templates but will try bagging out with thin interlining. Not yet though!

Quay Quilters

2012-01-12T23:03:00.001Z

Quay Quilters met for the first time in 2012. Show and Tell included Log Cabin projects as I thought that was the beginners' topic this week. In fact it's next time so this was premature. There were other Show & Tell projects too and it was a very busy and informative meeting as we talked about magazines and shared out a few.

Mags's Christmas bunting

Helen's Twisted Sisters variation

Trish's log cabin floor cushion

Usual Suspects

2012-01-10T17:28:00.000Z

It was the first Usual Suspects gathering of the New year (but not the last). It was great to see one of our members who has been poorly looking so much better and definitely on the mend. We were at Tracy's who had so many super projects in various stages. Belinda had some blocks made from fabrics supplied in a challenge workshop now combined and awaiting a wide border. I made a start tracing foundations for my chatelaine blocks and completed one.

Belinda's

Tracy's - love this pattern

Tracy's - started in Carolyn Forster's workshop

Tracy's again- made as a present

My effort that day! 15 more to do.

Moving along

2012-01-09T14:28:00.000Z

I meant to attach these frames yesterday but was called away to watch David Hockney on Countryfile (most inspiring) so I have the two last ones to complete. Then I intend to applique hands. Then it will be a nice part: making units of trees, houses, hearts and little people to go round though there will be some tricky bits getting them all to fit together. I tried putting green or lilac in the corners of this centre unit but it didn't work. As I'll use these other colours in the units to come this will mean a lack of continuity but Isla (did you think she was an Ivy or Irene or Iris?) wanted it PINK so PINK will be the dominant effect. I've never done anything pink for myself so this is fun.
Tonight I shall probably finish the minimal handquilting on Belsey Blooms a workshop UFO which will be a FO and destined for sale or donation so have to line up some evening handsewing pretty quick especially as I'm off to sew and chat with the Usual Suspects tomorrow. Bonnies are opting for some smaller projects after the mammoth Farmers' Wives so I shall hand foundation piece this chatelaine from Quiltmaker Nov.Dec.96 (page partly obscured by a bookmark and there are two or three pages anyway so I'm not disseminating the pattern). I've long had this tucked away in my file though I shall make it a tad shorter.

Silent Stars

2012-01-05T17:39:00.001Z

On Christmas Eve my Silent Stars quilt goes on the bed and comes off on Twelfth Night. This season I was preoccupied and forgot so it didn't go on till Boxing Day. This is one of my most successful quilts so looking at it is a treat! The name comes from the hymn "O Little Town of Bethlehem ....the Silent Stars go by...", a favourite. The pattern by Gwenfai Rees Griffiths was published over several months in the British P&Q magazine.

Onwards and upwards

2012-01-04T19:13:00.003Z

I'm making steady progress with Isla's quilt. Once I get past this middle part I shall be working on smaller units. At the moment every decision seems a big one. I know it's going to be a bit quirky and typically "me" in that I cannot work with coordinated fabrics but have to branch out into strangeness but there you go.
I have tracings of family hands which I hope to superimpose somewhere but have two more borders to go. I find I need to sleep on it at each stage.

Trying to decide

What do you think of it so far?

The first one

2012-01-02T19:40:00.000Z

Having completed some long standing projects it's now time to make a start on my granddaughter's quilt. She came to stay over New Year and when we took her and her brother back home I doublechecked the measurements of her bed. Her quilt will have an "I" in the middle surrounded by pieced squares then various frames, pieced and appliqued. I'm deliberating still about the quilt as you go route especially as I plan to do some machine blanket stitch applique which could serve for quilting as well but I have a nice piece of backing it might be good to use as is. I really like mindless piecing but will need to go slower with this. Also my fabrics are varied not hugely coordinated though I know PINK must be dominant.

Here is the centre laid out - it will be on point.

The centre on point square - it awaits the "I" but the girl in a swing will will still be able to be seen.

The last one

2011-12-28T13:47:00.000Z

I think this must be the last finish of 2011. I made a sample of courthouse steps to check the measurements and strip widths for the Crab & Winkle raffle quilt and made it 24" for a prison baby quilt. There is little visual stimulation in those surroundings so the snazziness should help. I turned the backing (from Merida in Mexico) over to the front to finish the edge.

The back

The quilting

Boxing Squares

2011-12-27T21:03:00.000Z

Boxing Squares 44" x 57"

On Boxing Day I sewed down the last bit of binding on this Linus project started with cut squares at the Quilters' Guild AGM and Conference in Exeter in April this year. I pieced the cheater pinwheels and this month added borders and backing from my own stash and quilted it very simply through the pinwheels with variegated thread. The squares turned out to be all sorts of misshapes but I compensated as I went along and made sure the rows lined up neatly. It's not a silk purse from a sow's ear but a serviceable one at any rate.

The back

Finishing

2011-12-23T13:56:00.000Z

"Spinners" 36 inches square

The back

My next "finish" is a workshop project which I have made 36" square suitable for a prison baby. We drafted the design and used card templates to measure the cut pieces. Often I'm a defender of templates but this day put me off them! I certainly think this design lends itself to foundation piecing. Anyway the quilt would not impress the Quilt Police but it is nice and puffy and the shot cotton on the back has a soft feel and the quilting on the back is effective though I only followed the design lines. So a result.
I attached the binding to yet another project and content I had enough handsewing to see me through a couple of nights of TV viewing I rearranged my sewing room moving the cabinet next to the wall to stop my quilting falling off. I am very pleased. I must just take care not to eat so much over this Christmas season that I can't get through the narrow access gap. I'm aware I have one piece of furniture too many in my sewing room but each drawer has its contents, quick to locate.
The arrangement of all the other rooms in the house is firmly fixed but the sewing room is in a state of intermittent flux. Each I think 'this is it' only to swap round again some months later.

She sells sea shells

2011-12-22T19:28:00.005Z

I have been getting on famously (famously as Georgette Heyer would say) with finishing off tops though in my haste I forgot I had planned to put borders on some of them such as this little piece made to demonstrate redwork though this of course is blue! I intended to add a navy border to echo the frames of the blocks but forgot so it only measures 24 by 31 but a good size for a wallhanging. I've done two redwork classes this year funded by a bursary I won in a lottery from my Guild, Oast Quilters and have to report back in March so this will form part of the presentation. It is an out of print pattern that a kind quilter on the Stashbuster list helped me source. I used double embroidery floss strands for the main pattern lines and single for details. A good carry along project.

The back

Note machine clasp stitch used to "tie" this section.

Detail

The Postman Cometh

2011-12-21T11:18:00.001Z

The Post Office really came up trumps on Monday with not one but two parcels. One was a delightful tree hanging made with Suffolk Puffs which is now replacing a picture in my hall. It was something of a mystery as I didn't know who had sent it but at the Usual uspects lunch yesterday I learnt we had all had one from our Houston co-conspirator.
The other was a cardboard box, no less, from the states and came from Nancy of http://nancynearphiladelphia.blogspot.com/ and her fellow Uvulati Quilt Group members who had had a cookie swap. They didn't want the 2 international members to miss out, hence the box. Sampling started forthwith. Also in the box were our Civil War 4-Patches swap units. Judi has donated hers to me and I shall have a nice time playing and plan a UK QOV.

The Farmer's Daughter

2011-12-19T16:45:00.001Z

Since I completed the Blue Heaven quilt I have turned my attention to bits and pieces of UFO's, I've made a list of them and it's rather daunting especially as there some sets of blocks not included. So my resolution for the New Year will be not to start anything I can't finish in the short term and to tackle the UFO list too.
Anyway some time ago I assembled the Farmers' Wives block made in 1930's fabrics into a top. As ever the quilting proved a stumbling block. Anyway I've bitten the bullet and machine quilted round the blocks and along some of the internal lines to produce a different pattern on the back.
http://thefarmerswifequilt.blogspot.com/

The Farmer's Daughter!

Block

Reverse

Another block

Another reverse

Yet another block

Yet another reverse

Bonnie's last Friday (9th December)

2011-12-16T20:09:00.000Z

Mavis with Advent Calendar

Earlier this week google was playing up. The blog posting reverted to a previous format and I couldn't publish what I had written so this is a second attempt to post pictures from our last Bonnies session of the year. I thought Mavis's advent panel was the most tasteful I have seen while Trish brought us the latest in her Christmas tradition of a new cross stitch roundel to commemorate each family gathering. Meanwhile I now have two small quilts to bind. The end of year finishing off is going well.

Trish's cross stitch

2011-12-15T14:21:00.000Z

My Blue Heaven 75x89 inches

My Blue Heaven detail

When the Book Group organiser came back from her house swap holiday in 2010 she announced her daughter had had a quilt on holiday and wanted one for herself. Anyway as I make some quilts with no home to go to I said I would make her one. First I lent books. Still no decision. Then I suggested she should come to our July 2011 quilt show and get some ideas. I then thought this might NOT be have been in my best interests as there were some complex quilts on display including a Baltimore and New York Beauty but the wonderful girl opted for squares with a plain border and cable quilting. The blues she pointed out were rather grayed shades. She was very firm in her requirements concluding ". .and I want it single bed size!" So my task was easier than I expected. I could have hugged her! I sewed "blocks" 4 squares by 5, the individual squares measuring 3.5". I bought a set of FQs to lend some unity to the project and then added lots more from my own stash. As we wanted the quilt to be finished in time for Christmas I machine quilted the centre but handquilted the border. It's now ready to go and I hope I've started a young person out on a lifetime of quilt collecting.

Quay Quilters' Christmas Challenge

2011-12-09T17:36:00.003Z

The challenge setter took a leaf from a display at Festival of Quilts and set us the task of making a Christmas "plate". The entries are shown here. I made an inadequate stained glass Christmas pudding seen in the lower photograph but I did make the effort. The Quay Quilters' challenges are the only ones I do as I hate challenges and I just satisfy myself with also ran status. It was good to see all the different ones and that one of the prizes was won by someone from our beginners' class.

The tree

2011-12-06T22:35:00.001Z

I got the Christmas tree today.It didn't look very tall in the garden centre but seemed bigger as I approached the car and I looked nervously at the house as I unloaded it but it fits with 6" to spare so I don't have to cut off the top like I did last year and disguised it with my Mexican tin angel. Also today I changed the bed and the quilt. I call this one my advent quilt. It's not exciting but pleasing. I like the biggish stitch quilting, the wool blend and I always have to point out how the chevrons of the fabric print meet at the corners. This was a bit of a struggle so I like people to notice.

U3A Class

2011-12-05T14:58:00.001Z

This morning was the last U3A class of this year tutored by Margaret. We start off with a Show & Tell and here are three pictures I took of students' work. Margaret made the beautiful wedding ring quilt in Saturday's post.

Sewing Room Treasures

2011-12-04T13:40:00.002Z

I remember our hostess displaying the frog quilt in the Oast Showcase a dozen or so years ago and she quilted around every frog on the background fabric to get into machine quilting. It's just delightful. The sampler quilt was made in classes long ago with Dinah Travis and Pat Salt, teachers who set many quilters on their way.

Oast AGM

2011-12-03T19:30:00.003Z

It was the Oast Agm today. I can't say I was particularly looking forward to it but as is the way I enjoyed the afternoon very much when I got there. I went with a bag full of stuff and came home having passed most of it on or returned items. I gave one quilt (jointly made with Judi) to Linus and one (jointly made with U3A members) to the Teenage Cancer Trust. I hope the recipients enjoy using them as much as we enjoyed making them. Apart from mince pies (and cake!) a feature of this meeting is the challenge, this year given the royal wedding the theme was weddings and there were some beautiful quilts, including double wedding rings of course. I voted for the small piece made by fellow Crab & Winkler, Marion, as I felt it best answered the idea of a challenge featuring the items celebrating each anniversary and displaying a great deal of ingenuity. I make a point of voting for the one I think is best not for one made by a friend so this was a genuine choice. However I haven't shown it here but instead some of the other entries.

Margaret's double wedding ring quilt which came third was immaculately made and joined quilt as you go and diiferent sections joined by lacing. Liz's displayed magnificent free machine quilting with feathered hearts and Ursula's which came second used lots of scraps in crazy pieced setting. This one was second.

Dream sewing space

2011-12-02T23:50:00.000Z

Today we visited the bungalow one of our Houston Party has just moved into, having completely remodelled it. The roof space has been transformed into a beautiful and tranquil sewing area where we spent most of the day comparing Houston purchases, acquiring things she is throwing out and oooing and aaahing over her projects and fabric collections. In all a lovely time.

Armadillo quilt

2011-12-01T23:30:00.000Z

Can you see the armadillo waving his legs in the air?

Two colour binding

November 28th I finally finished the armadillo quilt Judi and I worked on together originating in a cut and come again workshop with Edwina McKinnon. Edwina approached her project from an artistic point of view but Judi and I used bright scraps, many novelty fabrics including the one featuring the the armadillo. The panels were assembled and quilted separately then joined with strips front and back. I used a two colour binding to match the different binding strips.
It is destined for Project Linus.

Quay Quilters Show & Tell

2011-11-30T15:14:00.000Z

Margaret's tree

Ann's wreath

Ruby's cot quilt

Mavis's Farmer's Wives

I'm still catching up with my quilting activities. Wednesday last week was Quay Quilters when Margaret showed the Suffolk Puff (Yoyo in US) tree she made after Ruby's class and Ann her wreath though Ann isn't in the picture. After the show Ruby was commissioned to make a cot quilt for my neighbour and this is it. Piece de resistance, however, was Mavis's wonderful Farmer's Wife quilt made with blocks sewn at the gatherings of Bonnie Quilters, a small house group I've belonged to for nearly 30 years though we did machine knitting for the first decade or more. I'm only on block 80 or so and wondering whether to give up. I was never intending to make the whole quilt but to make groups of blocks and smaller quilts but I'm running out of inspiration. My latest assortment of fabrics are the dullest of Civil War types which doesn't help.

Usual Suspects Day

2011-11-29T14:29:00.001Z

Judy's super samples

Today I have packed up some of my quilts to show to a U3A group who have been studying the Amish this term. I lent the tutor a couple of books about Amish quilts. This represents quite an upheaval but it's good for quilts to be unfolded and refolded and I need to get them into the order I shall use them with winter ones on top.

Tracy's Christmas project

All packed up and ready to go

Belinda's Cindy Blackberg piece

It's two weeks to the day since the Usual Suspects met here so this is a very belated "Show & Tell". Judy and Belinda shared their work from Houston workshops, Belinda's from Cindy Blackberg's class and Judi's from Debbie Krasilik - I just love those chevrons. Meanwhile Tracy is getting ready for Christmas.

Last night I finished handquilting the border of the Blue Squares quilt.

Quilting retreat

2011-11-27T22:57:00.000Z

Stack'n'Whack blocks

Redwork coverlet hanging in the chapel anteroom

No sooner had I got back from Houston than I set off, the very next day, for a quilting retreat in Norfolk, a quiet country location with meals provided and sewing from dawn till midnight. I took along various UFO's though only finished one but the others are more finished than they were. However as I was due to do a redwork session for Quay Quilters I was pleased to encounter this piece hanging outside in the chapel entrance.

I framed these bluework blocks, pieced the ninepatches and made the centre top. Since coming home I've added a border to which I shall add more stitchery. I cut and made more kaleidoscope blocks and decided this was the right number of blocks for this top though I have plenty of fabric leftover. I'll add a border anon.

My bluework seashore top

Houston Workshops 02: Karen Kay Buckley

2011-11-18T16:10:00.001Z

Next up was a three hour hand applique class with Karen Kay Buckley though the final stitching could also be done by machine. This was a superb well ordered class with Karen keeping up the pace and using camera and screen technology so we could see the finer points of what she was demonstrating. The image was manipulated so we saw the work as she was seeing it not from the camera direction. I appreciated her class management skills. This method of applique pressing over heat resistant template plastic suits me better than needle turn. I do feel amused though that I got a dozen FQs in different colours and shades as per the requirements list only to use a few snippets. However, I thought this might be the case and got them cheaply from Jo-Ann's in useful bright tone and tones which will be good for Linus quilts. I suppose the tutor feels she has to give quantities to go on and complete a quilt whereas I am happy with a sample as I have enough quilts on the go anyway.
I spent loads from her helper afterwards - serrated scissors, perfect circles, needles and her DVD and am well satisfied with all.

Our classroom with our project hung at the righthand side

My fabrics purchased for the class

I used this much!

Houston Workshops 01: Lois T. Smith

2011-11-17T15:01:00.001Z

I spent the days before the show opening attending workshops and learnt from them all. First was Lois T. Smith and machine quilting which involved various approaches which combine into a wallhanging though I shall make a bag and dye it. We use both walking foot and free machining techniques and the Janome lady was kept very busy swapping our needles about. Although in my very first machine quilting class with June Barnes well over a decade ago we followed a drawn line with our darning foot, I have never fully believed in my ability to do this but I was delighted to stencil a leaf wreath in Lois's class and realise I could follow the line. I was teacher's pet, taking the register and attending to bits of things leaving Lois free to prepare and teach. Later when I was alone in the bar she and her travelling companion joined me and we ate and drank together and we saw each other every day after that while other people I never set eyes on again. I should also say the Janome lady herself felt she had learnt a lot too.

Home again

2011-11-13T21:30:00.001Z

I'm back after 2 plus weeks of intense quilting activity first to Houston for the IQA show then by contrast a retreat in deepest Norfolk where we sewed from morning to night. Both were great experiences though Houston is one I shan't do very often. We arrived on Friday in Houston and spent Saturday getting workshop supplies from a quilt shop http://texasquilterscottage.com/ and also cashing in JoAnn's vouchers as well as shopping at Walmart. On Sunday we enjoyed driving through the Texas landscape to the new Quilt Museum at La Grange ( http://www.texasquiltmuseum.org/Texas_Quilt_Museum/home.htm )which opened especially for us, then a short hop to the Winedale collection of quilts (and buildings) then on to the Copper Shade Tree at Round Top where amongst other high quality craft goods was to be found an exhibition of quilts by men, my favourite being Gerald Roy's http://www.pilgrimroy.com/ made from shirtings and similar materials.

Quilters' Cottage: this shop went on and on
like the Tardis!

Entrance to the Winedale collection;
Mr Karr kindly showed us round the buildings on site.

Barn on the Winedale site.

Show at the Copper shade Tree

The Texas Quilt Museum

Quilters' Guild Coffee morning

2011-10-25T19:30:00.000+01:00

Members of the Quilters' Guild from our neck of the woods got together this morning to chat, show and tell, make a heart decoration (I will make more), hold a raffle where the donations were wrapped - we all won something and most inportantly enjoy Pam's cheese scones and other baked goods.
Cilla showed us her quilt made in a workshop where participants sewed and flipped strips on telephone directory pages (oh bother I've just thrown a defunct one away!). It looks very enjoyable to do. The back was also stunning in a quite different contemporary way thanks to the fabric and piecing chosen and the quilting on the front formed a pleasing design on the back. Caryll who visits South Africa had used da Gama indigo fabrics and scrap golden yellow squares to make a lovely quilt all sewn by hand apart from attaching the binding.

Cilla's quilt

Caryll's quilt

Baskets sorted

2011-10-20T20:08:00.000+01:00

Here are my basket blocks sorted out with sets of six on the left and "rejects" for me on the right. Now the swap blocks are all packed up ready to post when I go to Houston for the show.

More baskets

2011-10-19T22:28:00.000+01:00

I've made another batch of baskets trying to make them more scrappy and differentiated. I'll get out my first lot and try to make a good selection for the swap, probably omitting the red and black ones.

U3A

2011-10-18T19:44:00.000+01:00

The U3A group were playing with half square triangles yesterday though in retrospect I haven't taken many pictures.

For myself I have walking foot quilted the inner part of the blue square quilt and this afternoon have been wrestling with marking the borders for hand quilting, the corners proving very tricky and I still have one to do.

Quilters' Guild Birthday Party

2011-10-15T20:18:00.002+01:00

Our table's sample

Carol's sample

Carol's work - detail

Quilters Guild birthday party today. It wasn't a very big affair but I like the fact that a cross section of quilters get to meet. In fact it was at this event last year that the quilting party for Houston got together and laid their plans. Anyway we worked on oblong Cathedral windows, showed and told, held a raffle where everyone one won a prize and ate birthday cake. We arranged our date for next year and laid plans for future events.

Add captionGillian's Show & Tell

Margaret's Show & Tell

Anne's Show & Tell - HST's

Made by Gillian's daughter,
Deborah Kemball

Banbury workshop with Sally

2011-10-14T18:36:00.001+01:00

Sally's sample blocks

Needleturn applique was a very good choice for a Quilters Guild Traditional Quilters' Group weekend and Sally Stott has great expertise gained over many years and with many teachers so we benefited from from our morning with her. We had a choice of projects and she demonstrated to small groups of four but in the meantime we all had plenty to do tacking our patterns into place so no longueurs. It was lovely too to see examples of her work.

Sally with her quilt

TheHawaiian pattern I chose

Banbury workshop

2011-10-13T15:06:00.000+01:00

One of the half day workshops was with Leslie Harwood who hails from the USA originally. Her class was the only machine one and the subject was precise piecing which was certainly a characteristic of her own work which was immaculate. We used foundation piecing to make a house block but the real purpose was to demonstrate a method which involved very little fabric wastage. Her accuracy and precision enabled her to make some exquisite miniature quilts which she passed round.

Leslie with her quilts

Leslie's miniature with delicate beading.

Leslie's bright houses

My class sample

Made with charitable intent

2011-10-12T19:47:00.000+01:00

Two small quilts just completed, the purple one made from surplus scraps from a 1996 quilt. For the bears I turned the back to the front in lieu of binding. It's less stable but has a nice soft feel. For babies somewhere. As I had just the right size of fabric I originally cut white backing for the Purple Star too but it looked awful and I found this perfect FQ which makes the quilt reversible.

Purple Star 15.5 x 18.5 inches

Back of Purple Star

Baby Bears 18 inches square

Back of Baby Bears

Usual Suspects Show & Tell

2011-10-11T16:14:00.001+01:00

Belinda's ongoing takealong hand pieced project

Belinda's partly assembled K. Guerrier quilt

Tracy's selvages

Having seen Belinda working on her hand pieced stars wherever she goes it was nice to see so many assembled on the bannister and the Katherine Guerrier scrappy stars quilt blocks too as all the ones done in her workshop have a different look because of differing fabric collections. Belinda's has inspired me to buy a lot more modern pastels. Judy has finished her quilt from donated blocks with super Ferret feathers. It's looking good. I'm collecting selvages too so I was interested to see how Tracy has used some of hers. It may be a good idea for kitchen cushions as I imagine the construction would be quite hard wearing.

Judi's quilt from donated blocks

Get Together

2011-10-10T19:59:00.004+01:00

Our framed blocks next to Belinda's Katharine Guerrier quilt

Today the Uusual Suspects got together unusually to work on a communal project. Its eventual destination will be as a fund raiser for Alzheimers - the plan is to cover the Scottish International football field with quilts either for auction or donation. http://www.annhillquilter.co.uk/alzheimer-quilt-project-free-quilt-patterns.html
Inspired by Nancy http://nancynearphiladelphia.blogspot.com/2011/09/inspired-by-mr-mussorgsky.html we used Cherrywood scraps for mile a minute blocks which we bordered with aubergine fabric. We plan to join them quilt as you go with grey and red sashing posts but not yet. Houston beckons.

Banbury Retreat

2011-10-09T17:43:00.002+01:00

The lady and the Cross

Traditional Quilt Group Banner

Just back from a weekend retreat in Banbury, Oxfordshire, home of the famous nursery rhyme" Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross/To see a fine lady upon a white horse/With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes/She shall have music wherever she goes.

UFO Night

2011-10-06T20:39:00.000+01:00

Last night at Quay Quilters most of us brought in unfinished projects. I was slow getting going with my camera so all I have is Mags' jelly roll quilt. She is stuck for a border not having enough jelly roll or background left.

Mags's jelly roll UFO

I cheated and took in an unfinished project of my mother's which is so far unfinished by me. One for my daughter??
Tomorrow I am off the the Traditional Quilters Group retreat - three different workshops by three different tutors and hotel accomodation in Banbury.

Heather's cactus pots

2011-10-05T13:57:00.001+01:00

I am making these for a swap. I was going to stop when I reached my quota but having reread the "destructions" I plan to sew a couple with more contrast and some with more mixed up fabrics to fulfil the requirements. I have been thinking of these as basket blocks but the Heather http://www.flickr.com/photos/heather-hasthorpe/ whose project inspired our swap calls them cactus pots which sounds more accurate. I notice one in the photo is upside down, a sign of how undifferentiated the patches are. We are using 30's repros with 40's allowed. However when I go on to make more for myself, like Heather I'll use a wider range of fabrics - plains and other oldfashioned prints. My mother has left me me quite a collection. I don't think Heather can have finished her quilt yet - it's not on her photostream.

U3A Class

2011-10-03T14:23:00.001+01:00

A Quilt by Margaret - colours not very accurate

I went to help at the U3A class this morning when students tackled half square triangles. Margaret brought two superb log cabin quilts she had made. Her work is so precise and her quilts definitely have her own individual stamp on them. It's a very nice easy going group of more or less beginners.

Margaret's Show & Tell

Ready to sandwich

2011-10-02T16:39:00.000+01:00

Here is the blue squares quilt laid out.
Now I have to sandwich and baste.

Saturday Quilt Show

2011-10-01T16:16:00.000+01:00

It's wonderfully pleasantly hot on the first day of October and I set off with Alan to visit a small local quilt show in Hawkinge on a hilltop overlooking Folkestone on the channel coast. Then a quick supermarket shop and picnic elevenses on the edge of the downs overlooking the Channel Tunnel entrance. Lots of activity with trains, passenger and freight, coming and going. Then Alan navigating and me driving along narrow deep Kentish lanes home.

Portland Quilt

2011-09-30T20:17:00.001+01:00

This is called my Portland quilt because I bought the fabrics while I was holidaying in Portland, Oregon. I was trying to freshen up my stash and rather than hoarding decided to break some out and use them for Marion's stack and slash workshop. This required 6 FQ's to make six blocks but as I had half yards I used double and made the border from the fabric I had a yard of. In setting out the blocks the orange spots were my deciding factor arranging as much as I could around the edge. I used Quilter's Dream Request wadding which is the thinnest quality and really enjoyed the handquilting though nowI wonder whether Perle Cotton would have been better. Today I washed the quilt to remove the marking and hung it on the line. If only more people in Portland would dispense with dryers and hang out their washing. They considered themselves so environmental but I feel this one step would outdo all their other efforts. It was wonderful drying weather all the time I was there in early autumn and whirligig washing lines take up very little space and clothes dried outside are so much nicer and fresher.

Back of Portland Quilt - does this count as a "Modern Day Quilt"?

Portland Quilt 54.5x70"

Usual Suspects

2011-09-27T18:08:00.002+01:00

We met at Judi's today for lunch (hearty soup followed by cheese cake and raspberries all very delicious) and hand sewed and talked our heads off. Judi had received some blocks gifted by Nancy of http://nancynearphiladelphia.blogspot.com/ whom she knows personally as well as online and has added more and set them in a random yet balanced way.
As you can see from my sidebar I (along with many others) follow Nancy's blog closely. The Usual Suspects have been inspired by her framed and sashed scrap blocks (September 25th post) and are planning to get together and make some of these for an Alzheimers project in Scotland where the plan is to make 40" quilts to cover the international football pitch there and then auction them off to raise research funds and also distribute some to care homes.
http://www.annhillquilter.co.uk/alzheimer-quilt-project-free-quilt-patterns.html

Oast Open Day 2011

2011-09-24T19:55:00.003+01:00

This rather blurry photo is of this year's U3A quilt at Oast Quilters
show and tell TODAY (I'm up to date at last!).
When I saw the member who does work with the Teenage Cancer Trust was there I realised I could hand it over there and then. However she must have left very promptly as she had gone when I looked for her so I shall hang on to the quilt for a while longer. It measures 53.5 by 62.5 inches, a good size.
There were lots of lovely Show & Tell items some dating from the outset of Oast which is celebrating its 25th anniversary but my camera wasn't at the ready till I caught up with these two contemporary items by Nancy A. whose quilts I love.

Nancy A's quilts

The morning speaker was Sue Pritchard who curated the Quilts at the V&A show last year. We learned it had attracted 140,700+ visitors putting it in the top echelons of exhibitions. This will help to put our craft and art on the map and encourage other museums to unearth their textile treasures.

In the afternoon Frances Pickering a very well known textile artist and maker of books, spoke. Her sketch books and little book artefacts were exquisite. If only I could make something like that. She is to teach two one day workshops. Strangely just as I can imagine my fingers rippling over the keys of a grand piano or the voice of Barbara Streisand emerging from my throat I could almost picture charming "books" spilling out fired by my creative vision. Perhaps if the chance to do a two day workshop crops up I''ll give it a go. In my dreams.

Frances Pickering's book works

Francis Pickering's sketchbooks

New arrivals

2011-09-23T20:03:00.000+01:00

I am doing a swap involving block units made from Civil war reproductions and lights including shirtings. To my relief these "classc shirtings" arrived today though I may need more . . .
The enclosed leaflet is about the sort of panels used in medallion quilts. Early designs have been reproduced using the giclee process and can now be purchased. It was interesting to see the origins of the ones on sale, whether in private or public collections. I'm sure these meet a need. However I have ambitions to make a reproduction of an English frame quilt drawing on humbler examples - just a twinkle in my eye as yet.

She sells sea shells. .

2011-09-22T19:52:00.000+01:00

I have sashed the bluework shell blocks and am very pleased - result greater than sum of parts. I like the clearcutness of it and am very grateful to the lady on the stashbuster list who supplied me with the now out of print unobtainable pattern. I saw a completed quilt made from it in in theLadies Circle years ago and liked it and then when I saw another completed one on the list I emailed the maker and she came to my rescue.

Vote now!

2011-09-20T10:50:00.000+01:00

After rounds of public voting the Quilters' Guild project "Unfolding the Quilts" has reached the finals (last 3) of the Lottery heritage award. The next round of voting is from 2nd to 26th September - to vote go to www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards and ask all the friends and family who have been recipients of your quilts too and let's raise the profile of quilting in this country and show we (mainly) ladies are a force to be reckoned with.

Note - only vote once otherwise you may be disqualified.

Hever and U3A

2011-09-20T01:33:00.000+01:00

It's very late so Monday's activity goes under the heading of "Yesterday. ." . I am helping with the large U3A patchwork group. All our machines were Pat tested this morning and we talked about a lot of basic stuff. Margaret showed us a couple of log cabin based quilts. I love the William Morris fabrics in the larger one and the illusion of curves in the wall hanging.

At home I sewed the border pieces for the blue squares quilt together but haven't attached them and I added sashing to the shells squares and laid them out. I'll use white for the sashing posts and add a navy button to tie them.

Sewing Day

2011-09-18T00:24:00.000+01:00

I'm still a day behind - all my posts seem to begin begin "Yesterday...though now it's after midnight so that isn't strictly true today.
Yesterday Crab & Winkle had a sewing day mainly to work on the second raffle quilt made with kindly donated fabric all from the same line. We finished the inner top and next up is a piano key border. I've been excused the latter but have taken home the remaining fabric - it seems inexhaustible. It may be for another small quilt and/or for sales table/tombola items.
And in between we worked on our own stuff - bluework in my case.

Bea's quilt top taught by Marion

Maggie's top awaiting more applique

My bluework shells shown to advantage on the tablecloth

Melanie's top to which we have all contributed

Our raffle quilt bfore we corrected the piecing error!

Pam's group quilt with more to do.

Setting up a show

2011-09-16T20:42:00.003+01:00

My Bright Stars

Yesterday I went to Hever Castle, home of Anne Boleyn, to deliver my quilt and those of two other Quilters Guild region 2 members for our annual quilt show. The castle sets up a marquee for us and their staff hang the larger quilts. This time the traders are in a separate tent and there are displays of poultry, bee keeping, trug making, felt and various other country crafts. I didn't get round to posting as I drank 2 gins on my return and slept for the last half of the evening waking up disorientated at 11.30. Not an experience to be repeated! In excuse I drank the gin my husband poured only for him to realise when he got round to his that he had given himself the diet tonic he doesn't like so I had to drink that one as well!

Margaret W's

Anne M's

Belinda's

Belinda's Twisted Sisters

Setting up

Home again

2011-09-12T21:21:00.002+01:00

http://en.gites-de-france.com/vacation-rentals-indre-et-loire-chinon-gite,gites37_b2011.1.G17951.G.html
I'm just back from France where we had a lovely time staying with friends in Fecamp, Normandy, and, mainly, in a super gite in Chinon, part of which was built into the cliff though the main rooms were were in a large old stone building. We were very comfortable and we enjoyed the picturesque surroundings. We could walk into Chinon along a terrace which was once home to troglodyte dwellers.
The new house on site was occupied by our hosts but their car was kept in a cave behind their house and of course they had just the right place to store wine! Our building is on the right of the picture. The dormer window on the right was our bedroom

The quilt on the sofa is one I was binding.

We slept here

Downstairs troglodyte loo.

Yes, I did some sewing while there - sewing down the binding of the U3A quilt and quilting the Portland quilt though finishing neither. In odd moments and on the long motorway drives I sewed more bluework squares. Unfortunately I washed the sun square before realising I hadn't yet sewn the frame so I'll have to remark it.

I started off repeating the shell designs done earlier but after three felt like a change so sourced more from Internet clipart all on a sea theme more or less and I'm using single strand hand dyed Oliver Twist thread from the hank, more manageable than embroidery floss but I cannot use different thicknesses.
Oliver Twists
More photos here:

France 2011

Folkestone Show

2011-08-28T23:31:00.001+01:00

Here are quilts in the side aisle of St Saviours, a super display area as it is very lofty and light, the walls are white painted brick and the floor has been renewed. Also chairs are in use instead of pews.

I was drawn to the squares quilt above because I'm currently making a squares quilt and it's not so easy after all. I love the fabric combinations in this one. The ninepatches on a single background fabric with no sashing is an idea to keep on file and I am collecting photos of quilts made from this outer space line because I have some of it myself.

Two to go to today

2011-08-28T00:08:00.002+01:00

Deal, Kent UK

Challenge items

A cover for a restored rocking horse

Young Oast display. Clever 7 year old's
squares quilt at rignt.

Tracy A's KG quilt

Di H's KG quilt

There were two quilt shows on this Bank Holiday weekend and we set off on a grand tour. First stop Deal for the Dragonflies show which is in rather a cramped church hall but lots of lovely individual quilts and exhibits including by young quilters, one as young as seven! I paid special attention to two started in the same Katherine Guerrier class I attended - they pop up everywhere. Pattern in her book
Scrap Quilt Sensation

Using Farmers' Wives blocks

2011-08-25T20:12:00.000+01:00

Once I got to the point where I didn't have enough of these fabric choices left I used the blocks I had in lilac, green and yellow to make this top. I think it needs a further wide border but haven't any suitable fabric so I'll complete it later.
If it turns out well I'll keep it on hand as a special present for some new baby.
I'm, also making steady progress with the blue squares - 6 blocks now joined.

Blue Squares

2011-08-24T20:40:00.002+01:00

1. Piles of squares according to value with fabric "key"

I have just started making a quilt composed of blue squares for a friend's daughter who experienced a quilt on holiday and now passionately wants one. I am always making quilts and being from a small family am somewhat short of recipients so I offered to make her one. I gave her some books and invited her to our group quilt show and she turned out to be a very good client as she knew exactly what she wanted - not what I expected her to want. Her brief was squares, blue (and the quilt she was looking at was rather old fashioned grey blue squares but but not suitable as it had a large applique superimposed) with a plain border and cable quilting. Belatedly I realised I might have made a mistake in exposing her to some very stunning and complex New York Beauties and exquisite applique made by group members so boy was I relieved. I'm using my stash of blues long hidden and cut up rather more than needed . A purchase of 5 FQs was the starting point to give some continuity to the whole. All were mediums and I added more then two paler piles and two darker piles. I am doing 16 "blocks" each composed of twenty 3.5" (finished) squares arranged four by five and assembled 16 piles on my table arranged as the blocks in the quilt will be. I took care to distribute patterns and values evenly. Then I took a middle pile C3 and set out the squares and sewed consistently keeping the arrangement intact by repeated chain piecing so all twenty were joined together in five separate rows then joined. I'm keeping a pressing diagram as I go along. Then the next block was set out with reference to the one just completed, sewn and joined.

2 Rows chain pieced horizontally and vertically

3 Two blocks done

4 and joined together

Usual Suspects Day Out

2011-08-22T20:52:00.000+01:00

Judi's acquisition

Today the Usual Suspects drove into the country to lunch with a member who has moved some distance away but meet up with twice a year, in the summer at her home and for our Christmas lunch at Reads. http://www.reads.co.uk/ Show and tell included three projects by Belinda reflecting her bright and modern fabric choices and Judi's purchase of a piece by Linda Kemshall. http://www.lindakemshall.com/

Belinda's Twisted Sisters

A completed quilt by Belinda

Quilt started in a Katharine Guerrier
workshop on Belinda's design wall.

Janome Day - last one?

2011-08-21T19:47:00.002+01:00

Today was a Janome day - lots of Show & Tell and people working on different projects and different sorts of projects. There is a strong machine embroidery element in the group which I find very interesting. However my diary is just too full so I have said today will be my last regular attendance. If I sell my Horizon I won't be able to attend - perhaps I would have to get a Janome Jem just to get in from time to time. It is such a wide cross secion of people whom I don't meet anywhere else. Margaret H. (one of numerous Margarets in the group) had masses of bias made with her electric bias maker in a wonderful selection of fabrics - these are for her Malvern entry so await next year for the result.

Eileen's bag uses the convergence technique and, inside, has divisions for the different sizes of rulers. Jenny made the day's project - a dress for Africa. (Cathy wrote "For further information, go to www.littledressesforafrica.org and scroll down the page and click on "Click here for Pillowcase Dress Directions", then on that web page click on the Youtube link to watch "Sewing with Nancy" make one of these quick dresses. The video is not very long at all.")

I'm afraid I didn't note the names of the members who made the scrap quilt top (designed and planned by Cathy) or the hearts and 9-Patches top.
I am combining my latest selection of Farmers' Wives for a baby quilt top and made good progress considering all the chat and sharing - I'll finish the inside bit and post it next week but I want to border it and need to source a suitable fabric

FQ Quilt

Eileen's ruler bag

Quilt top

Jenny's dress for Africa

Farmers Wives again

2011-08-19T23:29:00.000+01:00

I've added more FW blocks to the pile but I am running out of my pretty lilac. yellow and green fabric combinations.

45 Grape Basket

67 Pine tree

68 Postage Stamp

Ready to quilt

2011-08-18T20:04:00.008+01:00

My reference book!

I have been home alone briefly and took the opportunity to set up my tables in the living room, one folded up on top of the other to lend some height to the proceedings. I was sandwiching my stack and slash workshop quilt from an Oast workshop earlier in the summer. I think of this as my Japan quilt as I've taken the unlikely notion into my head that it has a Japanese feel to it. The top can be seen here on my post for 20th June called Portland quilt after the place where the fabrics were bought and I'll keep this name.
http://quayquilter.blogspot.com/2011/06/top-done.html

However the quilting will impart a Japanese feel. I like to draft sashiko designs on a larger scale. I drafted the Toridasuki pattern on a 3.5" grid and cut out card templates which I used to mark the design on the top using felt tip pens. I couldn't maintain the regularity of the original but that's fine.
I had to augment the backing with leftover fabric and think it will be all the better for it.

Cardboard templates for quilting

Quilt markings in grey felt tip.

My printed source

For wadding I opted for Cream Rose as I wanted something thin for summer use. It clung to the backing and it was hard to keep the backing fabric unwrinkled so I turned the two over and ironed the backing fabric onto the wadding. Once done this unit became very straight and stable - the clinginess working to advantage then I turned it back over and placed the marked top down over it. As I plan to hand quilt I tacked not pinned.

Meanwhile

2011-08-17T20:49:00.000+01:00

Pastel farmers' wives

Bright 30's farmers' wives

Teeny baby quilt 18" square

Additional FW's

Although I have been out and about I have been busy at home too making a small top for a baby in hospital and I'veswitched my Farmers' Wives from C19th repros to 30's pastels. I have a large collection of the latter but have selected coordinating groups to make sets of blocks from more or less keeping going till I run out of that particular seam.

Festival of Quilts

2011-08-17T01:11:00.001+01:00

Shopping is a major activity as there are only a few patchwork shops in the UK and they tend to be small scale so we rely on shows to view a wide range and seek out some specialized items. I was armed with a list which included a roll of blues from Worn and Washed specializing in recycled and vintage fabrics. The roll on the centre on the counter had my name on it.
Others beat a door to Farbstof for Heidi Stol Weber's very expensive and beautiful hand dyed pieces but I haven't ventured to purchase as yet.
I liked the various do not touch notices!

Festival of Quilts

2011-08-15T23:32:00.005+01:00

Popular Patchwork stand with a Katharine Guerrier project on show
http://www.katharineguerrier.com/

Jennifer Hollingdale's gallery

A class working on fabric choices for a quilt from a Kaffe
Fasset Rowan publication

I've just spent a very enjoyable couple of days at the Festival of Quilts at the NEC, our great big annual show show. I love the non juried aspect of the show though it leads to some strange entries on occasion and the care with which the work is displayed especially the gallery conditions for invited groups or makers. There were so many wonderful quilts not just the ones of professional standard but lovingly made pieces and intriguing details.

Unusually for me both my favourites were from the pictorial section. I'm drawn to the geometric side of quilting and as someone who has always loved painting feel slightly uncomfortable when quilts move into this field but I loved Cathy Corbishley Michel's "Endurance 1" using cyanotype printed photographs taken by Frank Hurley of the Shackleton expedition to Antartica. http://www.michelg.plus.com/QC2/QC2Gallery/ (click on the screen and the quilt is one of the first to be shown)
The pictures of the men who endured incredible danger and survived and the haunting images of the dying ship caught in the ice were well served by Catherine's straightforward presentation. Less is more.
This visitor's choice was "Life" by Annabel Rainbow. While some of the quilted writing was quirky and referencing a typical tongue in cheek attitude to weight issues, the age of the sitter and her unflinching gaze had a rather unsettling quality which made this piece a true work of art, I felt. I assume this is a self portrait and the like can be seen rather artily clad at quilt shows everywhere but it's as if she is stripped bare of more than clothing to face mortality and bodily deterioration.
http://www.annabelrainbow.com/2011_2.html (you need to scroll down a short way).

While I can't show pictures of individual quilts I can show some general views to give a flavour of the event. I came across Bonnie McCaffrey filming her report. I expect this won't appear on her site just yet but I enjoy her interviews with other quilters. http://bonniemccaffery.com/wordpress1/

Bonnie McCaffrey at work

Egyptian Tentmakers Exhibit

One of the galleries

More Whitstable quilts

2011-08-11T21:01:00.000+01:00

Sylvia Bowman: Twisted Sisters

Twisted Sisters detail

Denise Dusse: Summertime

Rosemary Jordan

Shirley Emery: Aromatic Pineapple
More quilts from the Whitstable Show. The pineapple lap quilt was my husband's "Visitor's Choice". I loved the Twisted Sisters done in V & A fabrics and the pentagon log cabins too.

Whitstable Quilt Show

2011-08-10T23:51:00.002+01:00

Maureen Corrigan: Beach Part

Val Tilley: Blue Heaven

Ellen Lehane: Hearts

I've been getting on with my quilting activities but no photos yet. However I took quite a few at the Whitstable Quilt show last weekend. The one draped over the piano is by Terry Escott a male quilter who sadly died some time ago. I always liked his work but despite the knockdown price no room for too many extra quilts in my house. We park at Tankerton and walk along the shore past the beach huts and through the harbour, stopping to swallow a local oyster for which the town is famous. The town was teeming and far out towards Sheppey Thames barges were in full sail.

Farmers Wives

2011-08-04T21:05:00.000+01:00

I have made a switch with my Farmers Wives and moved onto 1930's reproductions with no fixed aim in mind but pleased it's easier to see the template lines on these lighter fabrics.

57 Morning

56 Maple Leaf

55 Linoleum

A gift of a quilt

2011-08-03T09:16:00.004+01:00

Yesterday the Houston Quilt Show Party came for lunch and Marigold brought the quilt she has made for the Gift of Quilts project linked to the Olympic Games.

http://www.agiftofquilts.co.uk/

A set number was required and that has now been reached and there will be a draw to ascertain which quilt will go where and there will be an exhibition too. The book (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Olympic-Games-Quilts-Americas-Welcome/dp/0848715055) of the quilts made for the Atlanta games (http://www.planetpatchwork.com/oqfront.htm) is one of my favourites so I shall try to go to this. Marigold does beautiful work and her quilt is pieced with batiks with appliques of London landmarks in Liberty lawn, all nicely detailed with machine quilting.

U3A progress report

2011-08-02T18:01:00.002+01:00

Borders added

Blocks joined awaiting borders

I am getting on with the U3A3 quilt (made one three years running hence the 3). I very much enjoyed combining the units the students made. It was fun working with other people's colour choices and I love those Cherrywood fabrics.
I quilted the blocks individually and joined them in rows of three quilt as you go and then joined the rows. I'd allowed enough wadding (Hobbs 80/20 black) and backing for the border and added first the turquoise and then the teal stitching and flipping. I've now marked the frames and borders for a squares on point design and have ordered more thread. I quilted the blocks in Gutermann's Sulky 12 weight but will use the same colourway in 30 weight for the rest - a bobbin should go further and it will be easier to thread the needle.

Dyeing Day

2011-08-02T00:13:00.001+01:00

It was our dyeing day so to speak and we lined up buckets and set about dunking, stirring, mixing in plastic bags and laying out and painting and spraying so that Jackson Pollock would be proud. That was for the more adventurous among us - I like mine to be as matte as possible. Pam's garden is lovely, the mulberry tree was shady and it was a perfect sunny summer day. We all enjoyed ourselves.

Changing the bed

2011-07-30T23:30:00.000+01:00

My little bed has had a change of quilt.

Spools quilt, hand pieced and quilted.

Quilt Show

2011-07-29T21:34:00.000+01:00

My Visitors' Choice

Made by Helen Shimell for a raffle

detail

Medallion quilt by Chris Llewellyn

Jan Ward Kerrie's Quilt, a split 9-Patch from Westminster Fabrics

I went with friends to the annual Quilt Show in aid of the Heart of Kent Hospice. It's held in a restored barn in the grounds of Aylesford Priory. Lots of small charity quilts were suspended from the rafters and other quilts from a wide range of people were on show. My Visitors' Choice was No. 72 Carrie Nelson designed quilt quilt made by Chris Llewellyn using the Moda French General line of fabrics.

U3A Quilt

2011-07-26T10:45:00.001+01:00

http://www.u3a.org.uk/ By the way U3A stands for University of the Third Age where people teach for and learn for free apart from subs to cover costs and basic expenses. Check on the opening link to find out more. Our Canterbury Branch is approaching 1000 members and we are lucky to have lots of ex-academics and teachers.
Anyway the U3A quilt started at a taster day is making good progress. The layout has been decided, the blocks framed with strips and are now layered up ready to quilt. The one shown is 1C, a favourite and the top right block with extra backing and wadding allowed to accommodate stitching and flipping the borders later. I'm using Hobbs 80/20 cotton/poly in black as the colours are mostly dark and I had two pieces left over from full batts.

Quilt as you go block with room for adding border

Framed tumbling blocks

Layout

Choosing frames for the blocks

Janome Club day

2011-07-25T22:31:00.012+01:00

Cathy's West/East hanging

Shelagh's rosette table runner

Ruffler attachment

Another meeting of the Janome Club. Cityquilter commented on my last post that I was lucky to belong to so many groups. I am but I am finding the diary is filling up with just too many dates so yesterday I told Cathy the upcoming August meeting would be my last. She understood but kindly suggested she would keep me on the list and send the emails about plans for the next meeting but it was fine if I only went along once or twice a year. I'm very happy about this as it's a lovely friendly group with people from a wide area whom I don't meet otherwise and covering a wide range of activities and approaches including lots of machine embroidery. If I join something I always feel I must make a commitment so I think I've been to all the meetings since joining last year. I have learnt a lot. This time I was pleased to see another rosette table runner (Jeane Gentry pattern from British P&Q magazine) but enhanced by machine embroidery and fascinated by Margaret's electric binding maker. Also Cathy suggested stitches for machine applied binding which I hadn't thought of before.

Margaret binding maker

Crab & Winkle night

2011-07-23T00:15:00.000+01:00

C&W meeting tonight and a definite end of term feeling as it is the last day of the school term and lots of cards thanking Mary who works in a school. We ate cup cakes off a lovely cake stand which deserved a picture in its own right. However all I have here is Melanie's WIP, a single gerbera as requested by her sister in law. The petals are beautifully edged and finished and I like the mixture of cream neutrals in the background. This all seems to have taken shape amazingly quickly.
Maggie is hand quilting a beautiful piece of work intended as a quilt to adorn a bench outside her house - when someone is using it, not permanently. Again it seems to have appeared rapidly. I love the red spotted fabric and the unlikely but very effective combinations of pattern and colour.
Back late

U3A Blocks

2011-07-21T16:16:00.000+01:00

I've had a very enjoyable time taking all the sewn units from our U3A day and making them into 9 blocks to go with the two Crow's Nest blocks completed on the day and the hexagons still in progress. I did them one by one taking more extreme measures to combine them. I enjoyed working with the students' choices of colours and making things fit!

U3A Taster Day

2011-07-20T13:54:00.000+01:00

It was a busy start to the week. Monday, Usual Suspects met at my house and we sewed all day but on ongoing hand projects so no photos. Yesterday was a major effort day as six ladies came to my house for a quick run through aspects of P&Q from English paper pieced hexagons to stack and slash with templates, rotary cutting and foundation piecing in between. They were all super and you can see from the pictures they really enjoyed the day as did I but boy was I tired at the end. Today though all is tidy, my body restored by a Pilates session and I'm out for a meal tonight so after all recent excitements including our Quilt Show normal life is restored and I'm going to sew this afternoon.
Getting out and putting away quilts has focused my mind on the ones that are just tops. While I have my machine quilting set up I think I had better get round to one or two.

Charity Quilting

2011-07-16T22:59:00.000+01:00

I spent a day with a very nice group of ladies working on kitted quilts for the Fostering Network. I was looking forward to a days destressing and being told what to do after being the lead person for our quilt show. However this is not my sort of "charity" quilting as I like to make something which would be acceptable to my own grandchildren or children I know. I suppose this means the number I give in this way is relatively small whereas this group gives A LOT. So I accept this is horses for courses. However, most worrying was the attitude of the person in charge who semed to imply the recipients were not worthy of our going to too much trouble, that they wouldn't care for the quilts and if we met some of them we wouldn't much like them. If worthiness came into everything especially charity we would all get short shrift in some respect or other. So for ties I have used yarn which will felt attractively after washing and have added some machine quilting to make the quilt sturdier. The design is effective but I won't be going to this group again. I like to feel my tolerance is infinite but I'm reaching the conclusion it isn't and sometimes it's better not to test it too far.

After the Show

2011-07-14T18:53:00.000+01:00

Challenge items: Pauline's winning entry is bottom left and looked super when held up at the end.

Vanessa's challenge cushion

Helen's Celtic Quilt

My challenge cushion

It was Quay Quilters last night, a real end of term feeling and a splendid turnout of members, all of us I believe. It's a good idea to withhold the identity of the Viewers' Choice winner until the meeting. It was voted in by a wide margin and a very popular choice, Helen's Celtic quilt. I voted for a lovely Baltimore quilt by the same maker.
We also heard who had won the Challenge which was a small item on the theme of illusion. I never do challenges but for the group I feel I should make an effort, here combining my need for some new sofa cushions with making a challenge item. I now realise I should have created a more definite illusion by using two shades of each colour in each row though I would have found these difficult to source. My choice was Vanessa's cushion which used transparency and was a beautiful piece of work. Mags the judge gave a very good run down of her short list and the reason for her choice. When I saw Pauline's I realise I hadn't looked closely enough at the entries.

Ferret at Oast

2011-07-13T14:22:00.001+01:00

Add caption

Ferret spoke at Oast on Saturday and gave workshops on following days. Her talk was lively and amusing and her quilts are definitely one offs. The cattle quilt on the right of the stage won a major prize at FOQ and was all made on her longarm machine.
http://www.ferfab.co.uk/
The turning twenty quilt was a pattern she and her students grew to love!
http://www.amazon.com/Turning-Twenty-Tricia-Cribbs/dp/B000GQQYFI

Turning Twenty

Quay Quilters' Show

2011-07-07T22:37:00.000+01:00

Our show went very well better, I suspect, than any of us expected but we had some truly wonderful quilts on display both traditional and contemporary and lovely work covering a wide gamut of tastes and experience. We ate lots of cake and homemade biscuits and delicious lunches brought in by members. As well as enjoying seeing our work hanging up we have also achieved our goal of covering our expenses and raising a significant sum for our charity the Pilgrims' hospice.
You can check out a good selection at the following site:

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/580489473ZHRvJN

Here is my Bee Scene Quilt which combines traditional Honey Bee blocks with hand applique. It's hand quilted and has been on the go for fifteen years with gaps. I was pleased to see it hang for the first time. I used Hobbs Tuscany wool wadding which was like butter to quilt through and gives a soft and puffy feel to the quilt.

I still have unpacking to do but can now get on with making more quilts. The unpacking has been delayed a bit by a Helping Hands day today making a kitted up charity quilt.

Thousand Pyramids tied charity quilts

Bloomsburying

2011-07-01T23:39:00.001+01:00

Most of this week I have been deep in show planning and preparations but all week I have looked forward to this planned day out together to Charleston, home for many years to Vanessa Bell, painter sister of Virginia Woolf, and the love of her life, Duncan Grant. I suspect the farmhouse was a hugely uncomfortable place to live especially by modern standards but aesthetically had much to offer as surfaces were decorated and chairs and curtains were in fabrics designed by the artists. Our tour was much enhanced by our wonderful guide who held our interest with her enthusiasm, humour and personal touch.
An unexpected bonus was a small exhibition on a floral theme in the little gallery by designer Kaffe Fassett who visits Charleston for inspiration.

Gallery view

Looking the other way

Bell's painting of the annunciation in Berwick Church

Garden

View of studio windows

.

Tessellated tiles on museum stairs

As for the show I can see difficulties in regards to the hanging and possible solutions but can do no more until I see just how many stands we have. Once up all should be enjoyable plain sailing and the time will pass quickly. I shall be flat out but there will be a sense of loss when it's over. However at present I am quite wound up - I'll be doing some food prep. this weekend so I can contribute to the catering, lugging stands down from my loft and writing a big to take list and assembling it.

Janome Club day

2011-06-26T22:58:00.001+01:00

Ruth from Janome came today to show us various attachments and their uses and Jim from the sewing machine shop was in attendance. I bought a gadget to attach beads (and I don't do embellishment) and another very effective circle maker. Best of all I learnt how to use the cording foot which I do have.

Going round in circles

Janome circles sample

corded labels

Here we are

Margaret's "vase"