Sawtooth strippy, a North Country quilt

Turkey red baskets

Silks from Old Vic costumes

Wonderful postage stamp quilt

Made by Barbara Weeks inspired by Lucy Boston's original (detail)

The open day at our Guild was great. In the morning a member showed her collection of vintage quilts and the afternnon speaker, Barbara Weeks, discussed the varieties of contemporary and innovative quilts and the various techniques and media used but to remind us of traditional roots she showed her lovely version of Lucy Boston's "Quilt of the Crosses", I think done over papers, octagons and squares.

Photo Shoot

 

Rosemary's quilt

I set up my Photo stand and took pictures of the quilts I have made so far this year, an unpreposssessing bunch but I have two nice ones in the pipeline. However these photos are of acquisitions: a Stack'n'Whack quilt made by deceased group member Rosemary which I bought at our show, a 1920's/30's bluework quilt top bought at Houston to illustrate a demonstration and a lovely red baskets top given to me by Judi which I plan to quilt one day.

 

Bluework incomplete top

Vintage redwork top

Basket detail

Stars all around

Today has been particularly productive. It started with some admin but I got to work on the star borders by 11 and completed the top by lunch time. In the afternoon, having realised I have several yards of Kona white I cut and sewed on the binding for the sea shore bluework and started making a back for the star quilt incorporating leftovers and spares, my new modus vivendi.

Starry quilt top

Beautiful star

Sarting to piece the back

Seashore bluework

A result

I was going to post this under the title "road not taken". I made a corner block and auditioned it but thought no, no, no. However as I had cut out all four and drawn the foundations I thought I would make them up anyway, perhaps to go on the back. When I laid them out to take the photo (for another website where we post one photo each day, for which I try to keep off the quilting but sometimes needs must) I thought "I think that's OK after all" so now it's all plain sailing. I've spent time watching the Olympics parade today but should finish up the top tomorrow.

Church Hougham

I went to a village event at Church Hougham a hill top village between Folkestone and Dover which involved quilts on display in the church, a marquee and for sale on various stalls. A Union Jack quilt hung over the altar accompanied by a crowned statue of the Queen (in her younger days!).

Interesting use of stripes by Avril Windrow

Wonderful William Morris quilt by Angie Buhlman

I love squares and blue, red and white and this is by Heather Parsons

Wonderful fabrics but no name

Church display - note the maypole arrangement at left

 

 

On Wednesday I went across the road for one of our intermittent street tea parties, only three of us this time and I was very pleased to see the quilt of mine that Josy had acquired at our group show on her sofa fitting in with red cushions on her suite.Meanwhile I have been making more Simplex stars using partial piecing. All done and joined now. Now for inner border and corner blocks.

 

Friendship stars

 

 

I've completed more than enough stars for half the border. They look like a North Korean display team all dancing to the same tune. The next batch will turn the other way.  

This evening in front of the TV  I finished the central block for the Quay Quilters' group quilt. It will be trimmed down to size before joining quilt as you go fashion.







This morning it was the first U3A class and this is the Show and Tell section.

Peppa Pig duvet cut up to make a quilt.

Braid quilt by Margaret

Barbara's bed quilt

Bid's challenge quilt.

Simplex star construction

Fabric piles for simplex xtars

It's a bit frustrating but having got to the binding stage with the bluework I have an idee fixe I must bind it in white so need to delay before I can lay my hands on a match.Which having said I'm sure I ordered some Kona white recently so must check.


Border choice

Simplex stars

Today I selected the inner border for the batik stars. I auditioned red, dark purple, aqua etc before settling on this aqua with gold and other muted colours which I hope relate to the centre of the quilt. Now I am making simplex (friendship) stars for the border as one of the swap conditions was "no simplex stars please". The ones I have done so far are all aligned the same way which makes a nice secondary pattern - they look like can can dancers side by side but I shall do some which revolve the other way and either intersperse them or use on different sides.
I've selected fabrics to go with the star blocks and arranged in four piles: purply, orange, pink and bluey. Instead of HST's for the simplex stars I've used a single piece of fabric for the black trapezoids and used a special ruler to cut them. These come out too long so I've trimmed after piecing and cut them shorter on the next go round. This method involves partial piecing arund the central square so not so simplex after all.

Sewing machine sequence

Machine tying seaside bluework



Quay Quilters' group members demonstrate ideas and techniques to each other and for my little presentaion I chose redwork despite very limited knowledge. I attended a couple of workshops and made two little quilts with a seaside theme but in blue, not red. This one is 37inches square and I used a perle thread rather than stranded embriodery floss which was easier though I couldn't vary the width of the lines as you can with varying numbers of floss strands.
I quilted in the ditch around the blocks and diaonally across the nonepatches.

Stitches - I'll cut off the tails.

In the blue blocks I am using 5 little white "ties" using a clasp stitch and the memory sequence function on my machine whereby it cuts the thread after a single stitch. Easy and effective.

Working on the backlog

Batik Stars

I have been trying to clear a lot of my backlog of projects in various stages so that I can concentrate on one thing at a time or one thing and perhaps one or two ongoing group efforts but I won't engage in these unless I can complete promptly. Likewise workshop projects. Anyway here are some very nice batik stars on Kona black background  from a 2003 (?) swap. I had 14 in all but resisted the urge to make the total up to 15.  Instead I'm omitting two, one mine, a pale green that stood out too much. The orange interlaced star is mine. As you can see there were some expert piecers in this transatlantic swap notably friend Judi whose block is top centre. I had all sorts of clever ideas to make the quilt large by framing square in square star borders etc but looking at it I can see a modest size is best and I want to capitalize on the fact that unusually these blocks of different designs can be pieced without sashing. I will add an inner and then outer border. Then it will go to my friend Maggie who is embarking on her longarming business. She is to be my secret weapon when it comes to finishing up.
Now to watch the paraolympics opening show. 2.25 million tickets have been sold for these events. Populous China managed 125000! Pleased about the change.

Festival of Quilts

Cotton Patch's wonderful stand

Last weekend I had a very enjoyable time at the Festival of Quilts held annually at the NEC in Birmingham UK. This is the UK's biggest show wihich attracts visitors and entrants from all over the world but especially Europe. I show some general views here. I particularly appreciate the white walled galleries featuring the work of individuals or groups. The Pauline Burbidge retrospective was a wonderful chance to see her work from early art deco inspired pieces to her latest work passing through various phases inbetween.

I have been having problems uploading photos from my computer to my blog. I get a 'server returned invalid response' message but if I upload items into Picasa and then download I can do it from there. Very roundabout and very mysterious. If anyone can shed light on this I should be grateful.

Stands for demonstrators/designers/teachers.

Gallery

Outer wall of a gallery

Photographers at work

Main  non juried show

Out for the day

Valerie's star quilt

We had a lovely day visiting with Marigold today with lots to look at and talk about, Festival of Quilts debriefing for a start. And Valerie has been finishing off projects including this super star quilt. I love the unexpected mix of fabrics which works wonderfully.
I took photos of Marigold's work but for some reason the blog refuses to accept them This is a first. I get a triangle with an x in it!

Central block of our group quilt

I completed my Quay Quilters' applique before setting off for Somerset but have yet to quilt it. At Montacute House, a National Trust property I was allowed to take a photo minus flash of this 17th crewel worked bedspread.

Wonderful hedge at Montacute House

The backing was later and the crewel work had been lifted off the old backing and stitched down on a new one. Make do and mend.

At a Quilt Group near me

Quilt group day today. At Bonnie's this afternoon Fran showed off her "Farmer's Wife" quilt while at Crab & Winkle Mary has finished a top from silk samples for her son who will be off to university this autumn.

Clear out

Still clearing out various incomplete projects and this is not the most successful quilt to say the least. It was made to test out a pattern. I've been winding off some some Shetland yarn before selling off the cones on eBay and I have some pale yellow just right to tie this. It will felt after washing. Then the "quilt" will go on the sales table at our group show next year where the most unexpected items find a new home. If it doesn't it will not reenter my house but stay in the car boot till I'm with reach of a charity shop.

Great day at the Olympics today apart from the girl cyclists. They were remarkably philosophical but rules are rules.