Saturday at the Quilters' Guild Conference

It has been a very packed day today which started with the AGM itself which included a presentation by the curator. After lunch I attended lectures by Gillian Clarke whose work is inspired by medieval times . I saw her quilts based on the work of the months pictured in a magazine more than a decade ago and  it was lovely to see then in the brighter colours of real life. On a sad note she had made a stunning wholecloth cloth using red thread on cream fabric. When on show there was a leak in the venue and the thread ran - something to bear in mind when embarking on a project of this nature. Karin Hellaby followed with an excellent talk on her quilting travels. Her Sew a Row  book with the cover quilt shown here is a very good introduction to useful techniques and her illustrations and explanations are second to none. I had a quick wander round various displays (photos later) before getting ready for the gala dinner which was in the Nottingham Conference Centre with lovely food and one of the best after dinner talks ever from the Chicago School of fusing - we laughed, learnt a lot and burst into song with actions and poured out to climb on the shuttle bus in joyful mood.

Museum presentation

Gillan Clarke's quilts depicting monthly tasks, male and female versions.

A cautionary tale

Karen Hellaby's Sew A Row quilt featured on the cover of her book

Karen Hellaby with another of her quilts

Lecture by Freida Anderson and Laura Wasilowski at the Gala dinner

Quilters Guild AGM and Conference in Nottingham

I'm spending the weekend in Nottingham, stopping off at NT property Belton House en route. It was jolly cold so I pinicked in the car.

Welcomed by Maid Marian and Robin Hood

and by Morris dancers - note the quilty waistcoats.

Part of "Chequered Fish" exhibition from the German Guild

Mind the gap

Because of fading fabrics no longer proceed from darkest to lightest

I think I've left too long a gap between posts so here are two pictures from  earlier. The log cabin was on my bed in March. The fabrics have faded and having been made in the mid 1990's it has a very dated look but it's a very comfortable soft quilt so it still gets its annual turn.

Quilt by June Barnes

On another note entirely is the June Barnes' prizewinner on a friend's living room wall. I love the subject of pots and urns and admire it hugely and having heard about it it's good to see it on display. By contrast the log cabin has never been on display as it has a mistake in it which might be glaringly obvious when hung up. Now I wouldn't be self conscious about such things but the time has passed. It is stitched in every ditch and looked like corrugated iron on completion. I felt obliged to iron it.

Back from Madeira

Following the levada

We're back from a lovely week in Madeira where we came across a painted lady taking it easy in the Hortensia Tea Gardens. We stopped off there while on a levada walk, levadas being the water courses which follow the contours of the mountainsides and make for virtually level stunning walks.

Since coming back I've finished the mitres on the ladybird quilt and sandwiched it with a red and white spotted fleece fabric. This afternoon I took my partially completed bag to a Bonny Quilters gathering and started hand sewing the sides and I finished it this evening.




Next time we meet we will revert to working on the next border of our medallion quilt. We have to finish the applique by then. Mavis has already done hers.

Mavis' quilt top so far

My bag

Remaining beginner blocks

I made two of most of my beginner blocks, one completed and one in progress so the students could see the construction process. After the class I finish off the incomplete ones. I still have to make a second "Hovering Hawks".

Dutchman's Puzzle

Whirligig

Ladybirds - nearly home

I've made good progress with my ladybirds quilt top. I decided to add borders and it is now a respectable 53 x 71". It was made "just because" and will either sell or go to a charity. I just have the mitres to do but decided not to rush them

Beginning blocks 6b

Hovering hawks

A nice easy one to finish the course comprising just squares and HST's and hopefully a useful method of accurately constructing the latter.



To construct a pair of HST squares we cut two contrasting squares 1" bigger than the finished size instead of 7/8". A diagonal line was drawn on the lighter of the two which were then placed right sides together. Sew 1/4" on either side of the drawn line then cut along it and press the two pieces open to form the HST's. These will be slightly bigger than the required unfinished size so trim back to the exact size making sure the diagonal seam line runs from corner to corner.

Sewing on either side on the drawn line, cutting along the drawn line and pressing open.

TRimming the units back to 3.5" unfinished size.



The bias square ruler helps to keep the diagonal line in place.

Beginning blocks 6a

6a is the whirligig block. The pair of geese flying in the same direction are foundation pieced and the four flying on the outer edges of the block are made sewing and flipping squares as for block 2b variation.


Lines drawn across the squares for lone geese

Foundation pieced units

Adding squares to geese and sewing on the line then flipping and pressing.

And again

Ladybird, ladybird . . .

 

Having completed all my "duty" sewing deadlines I thought I would take the time to follow a pattern I've had for a long time. The original intention was to make a baby quilt but the sizes were bigger than I expected. The squares finish at 3" and the ladybird blocks 9". The full quilt in the pattern finishes at 72x81". I am just doing a central panel and one round of ladybirds. I could have redrafted it for 6" blocks but it was easier to do it like this.

Beginning blocks 5b: four flying geese

1. Squares on corners of larger square

2.Sew on either side of the drawn line

4. Add squares to corners of these heart shaped units and
again sew on either side of the drawn line, cut apart
and press open



3. Cut along the line and press open.
 

5. Four flying geese

We used a quick piecing method for making four geese at a time. I believe this method was devised by Pauline Adams and it's especially handy for these sawtooth star type blocks. For the geese you need to add 1.25" to the finished size of the long side of the goose and cut a square of this size. We then cut four squares 7/8" bigger than the finished size of the HST's and draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of each.
Two of these squares are placed on opposite corners of the large square. Machine stitch 1/4" on either side of the drawn line. Cut along the drawn line and press out.
Place the last two squares on the remaining corners and again sew on either side of the drawn line and cut on the drawn. Voila you have four flying geese units. The corner squares of the block are rotary cut adding 1/2" .

Beginning blocks 5b: the square in a square

Ribbon Star

The central square in a square unit was made by measuring our drafted square and adding 1/2" to this size and rotary cutting it.  We added an inch rather than 7/8" to the finished triangle size and added them to opposite sides of the square in turn. Finally we trimmed the unit back to the correct unfinished size.

The pieces



Adding the triangles.



Trimming the block to size.

QQ Show and Tell

It's nearly time for our next meeting but here are a couple of items from our last Quay meeting. Di is holding up a strippy cushion and Norma is showing us her denim and silk quilt complete with handy pockets.

Another day, another bag

Yesterday Bonnie Quilters were continuing with a second bag, this one by Christine Thomas in an old edition of Popular Patchwork magazine. We made the Bear's Paw version a long time ago and for this one Trish has redrafted it for an Ohio Star block. I have used only two fabrics but three would have been easier. Trish's is the pink one and Mavis's is turquoise and navy. Anyone who knew us would know which was which.

Mine

Mavis's



Trish's

Beginning blocks 5a

We are continuing with foundation pecing, this time for the Dutchman's Puzzle block. The square unit was drafted and then papers layered and sewn through on the sewing machine. Two fabrics can be used for this  but I used three for my first version.

1 The first piece laid down right side UP



2 Second piece laid down right sides together and seam sewn on the reverse side.



3 Patch flipped over and press. Repeat on the other side.



4 Add the fourth patch and sew on the line on the reverse side.



5 And flip and press.



6 Add the fifth piece

7 And flip



8 Add the final piece



9 Flip and press and trim to unfinished size.  Make 4 of these units to complete the block.