New venture!

I have started to run a beginner's course locally, and this is the project. 10 ladies are learning the basics of patchwork and quilting by making their own versions of this little quilt. It's surprising how people's fabric choices make the quilts look so different!

Time to say 'Aaaah'!!

These are 2 views of a baby quilt I just finished. The nursery theme is 'jungle' so these fabrics spoke to me! The new owner is just 4 weeks old!

I do like to make a pieced quilt back sometimes!

Applique block done

Just completed my block for the group's raffle quilt, which will be ready before Christmas, hopefully. The block is one by Robert Callaham -"Hamstel Road Memories" - and I've done this a few times before, but always for someone else's quilt. One day, I've promised myself I'll do one for me! I'm really getting into hand applique at the moment. Since I went to a couple of talks, one by Shirley Bloomfield, and the other by Clare Kingslake, I've learned a couple of things that have improved my work, like using silk thread for the stitching, because it's pretty much invisible!

Hello again!

Well whatever happened to May, June and July???? May was taken up by our am-dram society's production of 'Calendar Girls' - very good, lots of fun, can't believe it's been over 2 months ago now!!.June and July disappeared, and here we are in August. I have been sewing, but not completing much. However, here are a couple of the samples I have made for the Quilt Judging Course.

They are both about A4 size - the top  one has a monoprinted background, with a black swan and tree applique, the other is dyed and printed velvet, heavily quilted, so it's really tactile.

 

I have also made some cushions for the living room, and a new apron for me, as the old one was so skanky.

 

Also, the pattern for the Mystery Medallion Quilt has been uploaded to the new improved Quilters Guild website! (Exciting!) www.quiltersguild.org.uk

Round Robin project - 12 blocks received

Last week, our group held the Reveal of the latest joint project - a Round Robin of blocks. And the picture above shows the 12 blocks I received when my bag was opened. Absolutely thrilled, but I'm not sure yet whether I will add more blocks, or a border, or simply join them, quilt them, and bind the quilt. I'll let you know when it's done.

Bunting made!

Have just made some bunting for a couple of young relatives - I believe they like it!
 

More Farmer's Wife blocks

I've made a few more blocks for the Farmer's Wife Quilt. I've used a variety of techniques - machine and hand piecing, rotary cutting straightforward shapes, using freezer paper templates for more complex ones, and foundation piecing one block so far.

 

24 blocks done so far!

Three nice things

Not much time for sewing in the last couple of weeks - still, 3 nice things have happened.
First - a lovely picture of  'Queen of Spades' was published in Workbox magazine, which was a complete surprise!
Second - we spent time over Easter moving rooms, and my sewing room is now a bigger room, with 2 windows - much better! Not completely sorted yet though. How I ever managed to get everything in the little room, I have no idea!
And thirdly - I spent a super evening this week in the company of Weston Quilters. They made me very welcome and appreciated my talk, which was very encouraging. Thanks again, ladies and gentlemen!

Farmer's Wife Quilt

As you may know, I love a sampler quilt, so when our group decided to embark on making the Farmer's Wife Quilt, I had to join in. The project has been going for a few weeks now, and I have started my blocks. The colour scheme I have chosen is quite non-traditional - bright reds, oranges and yellows, with flashes of burgundy and purple as contrast.

The full quilt uses 111 different blocks, but I don't know how many I will manage. I may not make a large quilt - might make a couple of smaller quilts instead.....we'll see!

Books, books, books

 

 

This is a little quilt made for the challenge set by Midsomer Quilting last year. The theme was 'Book', and the size was 12" square. I made this one using a digital image of me and my mum combined with shelves of books. The books were made using painted and waxed paper fused to fabric then fused to the background. I learned this technique while on a residential course run by Di Wells in Cornwall. All the quilts displayed may be seen on the Midsomer Quilting website - www.midsomerq.com.