Aja's Quilt

 I have quite a few bits and bobs of photos backed up and will pick and choose what to post at this late stage. New year's resolution to keep up with blogging as I like to read it and refer back.

A major preoccupation at the end of 2024 was a "commission" from my daughter in law. It was a 60x70" piece and as close as we could make it copy of one she had seen on the net, largish angled pieces and insertions and improvisational in appearance. She selected solid colours from a fabric colour chart.

I wanted to contact the original maker but it turned to be a commercial design to be reproduced to order so I can't show it here.

I will content myself with a picture of the two colour binding, blue on the front and aqua on the back and the back was a lage scale vibrant print I've had for some time.

I had to sew 1.5 inch strips together
and the join them lengthwise

Sewn and pressed

The back

This was such a challenge but the outcome was very exact - I drafted a full scale pattern laid out on the living room floor - and I'm so pleased I rose to it. I usually go for the easiest option.

Letterbox Quilt

Letterbox Quilt 73.5x79

 I have so enjoyed making this quilt. I will check out the book that inspired it. I have referred to it in earlier posts. It includes long held scraps of fabrics Laura Ashley scrap bags and dressmaking pieces including my first maternity smock, brushed cotton, viyella, wovens  and shirtings as well as ditsy cottons and lawns.It is a keeper holding memories of earlier times and was made as such. So many of my quilts are made to explore a technique, made in a workshop, to use certain fabrics and made to sell or give away.  Sometimes one of these turns out to be a keeper and sometimes a keeper is disappointing.

The back

Marking proved impossible. Chalk and soap threatened not to rub out or show at all. The wide back was plainish and I could mark slightly wayward flattened clamshells as I went with a frixion pen. I had bigstitch quilted in the ditch first so I could keep reasonably straight. For the rest of the quilting I used regular quilting cotton as I didn't want anything to interfere with the piecing too much. I enjoyed every cosy minute.

Once done I ironed away the markings. I left on excess wadding and backing. I had tacked all round the edge in perle thread at the outset as a guide for quilting so was happy to take it the launderette for washing and drying.

Then I trimmed and bound it using what I had, not "perfect" but cheery. I have the sleeve ready to attach and then will label it. I often incclude a snatch of poetry. The words to the Beatles song "Please, please Mr Postman" suggest themselves.

This is the third quilt finished this year and I have two more "significant" tops awaiting borders.

Saturday morning

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

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

Pieces cut and labelled ready to go.

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

SSRA Arts & Crafts Show

 

Polina with her quilt

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

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

And quilt now on the bed

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

Socialising

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

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

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

Demonstration

 

Hexagon diamonds

Meanwhile at home I have been tidying

and culling my shelves.

Just two so far.

So far so good

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

Chevrons

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

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

The few remainders will go on the back. 

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

Chichester Area Day

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

By Marilyn McInnes

Looks like stained glass

Display of a challenge by an art quilter group.

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

From Rachel D'Ambrosio

From Suzanne

More folded patchwork, a contrast

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

Colourful Shweschwe fabrics on Trish's stand.

And another one

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

Lots of recycled fabrics here.

Detail

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

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

The quilting thread

Pennies from Heaven again

 

This time minus most tags

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

Detail

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

Forest Friends

 

Hazel Hedgehog

Mr Fox

Trish and I at Bonnies are working steadily on our Forest Friends, not sure about the other two.. Hazel Hedgehog is now complete despite a lack of concentration on my part. Paying more attention, Mr Fox was a breeze. 

All thanks to Elizabeth Hartman's brilliant pattern writing.

I bought a quilt

 This lovely quilt dates from 1996 but the design and fabrics are timeless classics. I bought it from friends of Cilla, a lovely lady and wonderful needlewoman and quilter, who died last year.

I am so pleased to have it as a lovely item for my collection and as a remembrance of her. It was just right for my bed at the retreat.

Seasalter Quilt Retreat

 

I had really been looking forward to our November quilt retreat and it didn't disappoint with lots of sewing, shared food and the entire series of Rivals on the smart TV.

Maggie cooking up lots of spider webs

Tracy's tiny fourpatches

I have finished my Woolies Penny Squares. Now to think about a border.

I

Oast UFO Day

 All I have from the  UFO day is Debbie's lovely hexagons and my table companion's blocks from the Flying Geese Oast Sewing Bee day. They were taught by Liz Coleman and I was intrigued by the one combining flying geese and meandering geese.

More from the Mini Showcase

 

Jenny Hoyle's, my visitor's choice

Liz Melville and Canterbury Quilters

detail

Liz Melville

Sue Jennings' giraffe, my best of show