Holiday Stitching

 I brought my Brandon Mably fish fabric quilt with me to Madeira so I could finish sewing down the binding while here.

I got Alan to take a picture of me standing by it below our balcony in the garden.

A fellow sewer saw me and offered to hold up one end. She made lots of clothes from interesting fabrics from different parts of the world including the blouse she was wearing and her husband's shirts. She also used her stitching skills in her work as a plastic surgeon (reconstructive not cosmetic).

I've also finished just one of the Drunkard's Path blocks. A lot more to do.

And the Madeiran environs provide plenty of inspiration too. Check out these clamshells.

Oast Quilters 4th March

 We had a lovely talk from Penny Bicknell about different sorts of Group quilts from early Round Robins to block swaps and artistic colllaborations and joint efforts with her mother where Penny did the cutting and finishing with her mother hand piecing the blocks, three of which shown here. My sort of quilt.

The smaller space where we met as the school hall wasn't heated made for a jollier atmosphere. As usual the Show and Tell was one of the best bits. Sorry I can't remember names.

I think , Trudi's

A project set by Liz C. - Julia's/

Canterbury Quilters group quilt
poses by Janet Clare jointed
template

Started from a mystery magazine project but
then redesigned

This one from Maria Spiller's
workshop has inspired me to cut my
crosses up rather than leaving them 
as I was planning.

Lovely large quilt

I got rid of magazines, all my remaing programme secretary bumpf and two quilts for older boys to Linus.

Tablecloth Quilt

Mad March Hare

On and off the bed

 

This quilt a long held UFO was finished in 2021. Many of the blocks were swapped with American quilters and the teal and brown fabric to go with it was bought in a long ago JEMS sale. The owners retired long ago. I will pass it along but meanwhile Maggie (Priory Lane Quilting) has done a good job of the quilting and it covers us up nicely.

Shortly destined for the For sale pile

This favoured "Stepping Stones" piece mostly designed by Jackie Taylor of White Cottage took its place this week. Definitely a "keeper".

However we've had a cold snap and now I've added another one on top. I thought I didn't like this started in a Jan Hassard class but now I'm so relieved Isobel and Sophie didn't decide to buy it. I like looking at the big stitch quilting I added.

Quilts for other people

 

I made three legacy quilts using units made by a dear quilter who died over a decade ago. They were passed to me by the friend who had the job of sorting out and disposing of her stash and the bag of pieces had been simmering away on my conscience since. Anyway last year with the help of Maggie Breakspear (Priory Lane Quilting) I completed two of the quilts and got in touch with the friend to ask for Margaret's daughters's address. I remembered Margaret who was in various groups, attended workshops and also she expertly sewed bags and smaller items saying she had never made a quilt . When I spoke to her daughter this turned out to be true and she arrived with her daughter, Margaret's granddaughter, to collect the quilts. She was so touched and tearful but happy.

Blocks before assembling and bordering

Top before bordering

The recipient

I'm mad with myself I don't have pictures of the completed ones. This is my only record.

Recently Sophie who had seen my quilts at the neighbourhood Arts and Arts and Crafts Show brought her mother to view and they bought three quilts.

Deja Vu for Sophie originally for my son but came back to rest happily with me
.

Happy New Year Logs made as a teaching sample

Jackie's Jellies from A Jackie Erickson workshop at Sisters Oregon

It transpired Isabel had lived in Malaysia when her children were small and she sent me sarong fabric to add to my collection from our time there 1999-2009.

First Lower Hardres Sewing Day of 2023

 

We had a good turn out of 12 today to sew together and enjoy lunch and cake.

I spray sandwiched my Fish Quilt with Judi's and Stephanie's help. Now to quilt it. Meanwhile Maggie basted the Letterbox quilt for me and I started hand quilting it on the day. It is so soothing.

Letterbox quilt

Basting

In turn Maggie shared two super pieces.

I gave her the giraffe piece - high quality decorative fabric- at Christmas and she has made such good use of it with to me surprising fabric choices which look great.

Simple, bold and effective.

A Grand Day Out

 

We're staying at my son's where the local train gets to London Bridge in 3 minutes just right for Saturday's visit to the Fashion and Textile Museum set up by Zandra Rhodes where there was a show of Kaffe Fassett quilts not from his books but by different makers from all over the world. There was a wide variety of styles showing the versatility of the Collective (Fassett, Mably and Jacobs). 

Hedge of Protection by Kitty Sorgen

I am a particular fan of Brandon Mably and am just finishing up a top made in his phenomenal Fish fabric which has a 36" repeat. I have yet another colourway of it to explore.

After this it was on to the Tate to view the Cezanne Show. I became a member especially to get in easily. The current installation in the Turbine Room was a textile piece, Cecilia Vicuna's Brain Forest Quipu.

Tops done and on the way

Oast Sewing Day

 Although Maria Spiller was not able to teach our workshop due to serious illness in the house I had done the workshop online the previous weekend so although I didn't actually teach I was able to convey the gist to those who had signed up and I made a same size 9 patch sample to help with this though I did cut one strip too narrow so my final version will be further improvised!

It was interesting to see how the method worked out with  different fabric choices. Meanwhile others got on with their own projects.

Maria H's

Various

Pam's 

Show and Tell

Getting on

 I am joining blocks for 3+  tops all at once with my Letterbox being the chief focus and the others in the way of leader enders. The Letterbox was slightly delayed as I had to do an unpick and substitution and a spot of swapping round but now the layout is as good as it gets and I'm joining rows. Two are pressed and on the living room floor.

In the evening I am paper piecing Quilt of the Crosses blocks. I am thinking the one I finished last night is the next to last.

Kaffe Fassett crosses

I have decided to make the Maria Spiller workshop small version of crosses as a practice before my larger project. I am using nine Kaffe Fassett layer cake 10"  squares

Squares cut in half at an angle
and strips cut 1" wide

Strips added to one half

Pressed ready to join

Pieced square sliced again and
another strip inserted to make
the cross.

Trimming the blocks to the
 same size

Mine ended up at 9.75" square

Nine blocks sewn together. I will do the next stage
at the Oast Sewing Day on Sunday.

I

I wanted my crosses to line up and not to waste fabric so to join accurately I made sure the quarter inch line lay where the fabric pieces met.