Torquay

I'm attending the Quilters' Guild Conference in Torquay this weekend. Today I attended lectures and sussed out as much as I could of this very confusing building.The two morning speakers were wonderful hand quilters and like me (or should it be but like me?) learnt with templates made from cereal packets. One also like me wielded compasses and set squares. (Pictures posted with permission)

Linda Pardoe who until revently made all her quilts entirely by hand : this is an early piece.

The arena where we'll have the gala dinner tomorrow.

Another wonderful early quilt by Linda Pardoe.

Art Deco piece by Linda Pardoe.

Jo Colwill with her Baltimore style quilt behind

Jo Colwill with a quilt made with samples left at her
Cowslips shop.

With a quilt patterned in a recent Todays Quilter magazine

And a  disappearing nine patch

Mavis's Masterpiece

Here is Mavis's version of the quilt we have all been making. The pattern by Piece O' Cake was her choice but as she only works on one thing at a time she started long after everyone else but hers is now complete while I am still deliberating about borders.

MAVIS (ON LEFT) WITH HER hAND aPPLIQUE QUILT

More from the retreat - mainly Heather

These are Miriam's exquisitely EPPed tiny hexagons

Cross inserts sample from Heather

Tiny pineappiles from Heather

6" miniatures by Heather

Still going

Mandy's top with impeccably caculated and pieced "frames" and more to come.

Carrie's Log Cabin Star  top now all the blocks have been joined.

Jackie's ninepatches with appliqued centre

This is julie's; Peter Rabbit is beautifully embroidered and these pieces were cut from
expensive curtaining.

Stars etc

Friday was the day I chose to enjoy my Secret Santa treat from Tracy.
I laid out my star blocks in sections then rearranged elements before layering them up with serviettes inbetween ready for sewing.

Star blocks all numbered ready to go

A single block

Busy here

Now the projects are appearing thick and fast.

Pat made this one for her husband.

From Sue

Kathy's beautiful bag

Further doings

My work table - can you see what it is yet?

Julie's bright wedding quilt

Miriam's EPP piece

Isabel's text and liberty quilt

Carrie's extra large log cabin quilt blocks - a partial view

More from here

We are all working hard here.

Julie's longarmed by her and ready to bind.

Detail

My quilt which is going to my daughter. I brought it to how as I pieced the blocks here and I am sleeping under it.

Block made by Isabel inspired by some Judi made at
an earlier retreat.

More of Isabel's blocks.

Quilt Retreat

Here I am again away for five days of nothing but sewing.
It's very enjoyable to look and share the work of other retreaters.

Isabel's top

Julie's top made largely from tash

Detail of little bee on Julie's quilt

Monday doings

Sheila's srrip quilt

Monday morning was my last U3A of this session and there was a slight end of term mood as class members laid out their projects. Once it was over I set off down the road to join Usual Suspects at Maggie's for lunch where there was more to see and wonder at.

This is Maggie's destined for lots of border quilting

A Week of Finishes: Sunday

I didn't rest but completed my U3A runner sewing sample. The two sides are very different so I made a binding from two contrasting strips of sewn together lengthwise. iit will go on our group sales table and if unsold to a charity shop. The coming week will be more about continuing with existing projects  than finishing.

I prefer this side

Here you can se the doulble sided binding.

A Week of Finishes: Saturday

I had some scraps leftover from the Fancy Forest Quilt and thought I would use them up making a second version of Margaret's bag. It;s a bit of a mish mash - I should have liked to include more of the blue solid in the crazy piecing but  as it was I used every last scrap.
I also applied facing to a Linus quilt but left it in stages of completion to illustrate the method to to the U3A Monday week.

Folded strip attached with quarter inch seam to right side of quilt, raw edges together

Flipped over and pressed

Secured with a one eighth inch away from edge line of stitching
 through all layers of seam allowance

Folded edge pressed to the wrong side

Sewed facing with a serpentine stitch through all layers. On a different quilt I should do this by hand.

A Week of finishes: Friday

This is Block 4 of the pattern but the last one I made

My finish today seems a small one but there was quite a lot of sewing in this final block of my Piece o' Cake quilt especially as I felt the red blobs were a bit crudely sewn so I replaced them taking more care. I laid out the blocks ready to join quilt as you go in the arrangement dictated by the pattern but made a small change in the interest of colour balance. Can you spot it?

Version 1

Version 2