Tuesday, 31 August 2010

Quilty Quarters

I quite like this border, it could even be better than my original plan of adding more 9" blocks... as it is, all but two of the centre blocks were gifted to me, so it's keeping it special....plus it would have made a rather large sofa throw.... I decided to add in a few squares of the pale yellow fabric on the 9-patches, with there being yellow in the main blocks, it works well... don't you think?
and it means that the blocks I had already done for plan 'A' can be made into another quilt.

I didn't get any red, white and blue blocks made... I actually got rather engrossed in this project and ran out of time... Brenda/Barbara e-mailed to say that she'd made 3 blocks, so I better get cracking, it's Uttoxeter Quilt Class today though, I wish I hadn't left these blocks to the last minute now!!!
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Monday, 30 August 2010

Quilty Quarters

Not a lot to report from my Quilty Quarters really. I've been making 9-patch blocks.. lots and lots of them. The Portuguese Tiles quilt border is no where near finished so I'm changing my plan a bit... I should have time to play today so who knows where it will end up.
I told you about this a while ago.... SPQ, that's Staffordshire Patchwork & Quilters decided to join thousands of quilters in making quilts for injured servicemen and women. They put out a request at the last SPQ meeting, 1st July, for us to start making 12 1/2" blocks. They asked that the blocks should be made in red, white and blue fabrics..... I need to make at least one block as it's an SPQ meeting on Thursday this week, 2nd September, I have the fabrics picked out, so that could be my first job... catch ya later....
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Saturday, 28 August 2010

Caverswall Quilt Cave

Helen is making great progress on her quilt. Adding the grey sashing with the black corner stones finishes it off a treat... a small issue though... some of us are sure that Helen had said that she was making this for a friend... seems she was heard yesterday saying that it was for her very own sofa??? ... I think I will investigate this further.... he he he

Joan The Shop continues making Daizies, I think it is the first time that Joan only brought in the one single project... she usually has several!
This is another of Annie's projects on the home straight. She bought a perfectly coloured King Tut thread to complement the quilt... it had all of the fabric's colours running through it.
This is a long time project of Maid Marian's. She told me that she had started it four years ago. It's an 'Eye Spy' quilt... a floor play mat if you like, these are great baby quilts because there are loads of pictures to study... for those babies who study... he he he I probably mean 'look at'... anyway, Marian finished off the corners, made a sandwich and spent the day quilting it... much to her relief!
This quilt is coming along very nicely too. Barbie finished all of the hand applique on the hearts so she was able to add the finishing touches. Bright purple corner stones make the other purples 'pop' while that darker floral sashing eliminates any purple 'overload'... I hope that makes sense to you? I get it completely!

My Mum came to the Quilt Cave good and early so we were able to make her sandwich, the one that should have been done on Wednesday.... she spend the day quilting it and only needs to do something in the borders to finish it off.
Lauren added another fabulously colourful fabric to her project, it has all the brights on a black background. She even treated herself to a new lamp for her sewing machine... it's amazing how much easier it is to see everything with a light shining down while you stitch!! ha ha ha
Dotty Maureen put her Shakespeare In The Park blocks together for us to see how it's coming along... lots of oooohs and ahhhhh's from the ladies. Maureen also brought in the quilts she made for the Festival Of Quilts, she hopes to encourage us to participate next year... hmmmm I wonder?
Annie made these Pineapple Blossom blocks for practice purposes... firstly to practice and perfect her piecing accuracy and secondly to practice Free Motion quilting.... There's no stopping this lady! I didn't notice the flower head pins yesterday.. those yellow ones actually co-ordinate very well eh!
Maid Marion has finished this small quilt now, yes Really finished it.. it does have a label... remember a quilt is not truly finished if it has no label, but we don't punish you for not adding one, he he he.
Maid Marian was reminiscing with Dotty about the class they used to go to when they made these Pirate quilts, they were laughing about some of the Pirate-y sayings all the ladies had been making up.... I guess you had to have been there
You can see more detail in this close up... great fun quilt for those kiddos, don't you think?

Now don't forget that our Quilt Cave will be a hive of activity next Friday, 3rd Septemeber, ONLY for those lucky ladies who have pre-booked because we have Jennie Rayment in town.
27 ladies armed with machines, lovely fabrics, a packed lunch, mugs and hopefully a few of tissues for the laughing tears, all ready to have a great stitchy day.
We are open as normal on Wednesday 1st September though and Kettle Corner is always open to quilty visitors!
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Friday, 27 August 2010

New Stuff For Sale

I've been to the wholesaler... I went to get a supply of these Sewline pencils and refils because everyone who has already purchased one, very much recommends them and my ladies all want one..... I always aim to please........

But, at the warehouse they had fabrics, bolts of beautiful fabrics... oh dear, now a few choice fabrics are available from my travelling shop!... With all the lumping stuff in and out of the van and the rooms I'll be growing big muscles if I am not careful! ha ha ha.
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Thursday, 26 August 2010

Caverswall Quilt Cave

Joan The Shop was making more of the Daiziez blocks. You don't have to worry about a quarter inch seam allowance for these blocks... just a straight line and it works just fine.... most people use the quarter inch though... force of habit!
Norma came, for her first time, with a bag full of blues and yellows, colours that she doesn't actually like she says... in fact she had recently given her own blue and yellow fabrics to a friend because she didn't like them!... So, she bough some more at the Festival of Quilts to make a quilt from a magazine... this lady could be a little complicated eh! ha ha ha
Chris joined us for the first time too, she is jumping in at the deep end and making a double size quilt as a wedding gift. It needs to be finished for next summer... a year? Yes... should be easy. First we had to figure out the fabric placement as she had forgotten her plan. 4-patch blocks first, each block needs four of them.....
Helen made more of her 6" star blocks, she has made the mammoth decision... to buy her own sewing machine... in fact A Bernina... so, she is admitting to her very own self that she has become "one of us" addicted completely! ha ha ha.. and all because Joan (her mum) wasn't quite ready when Helen came to pick her up one day in February! ha ha ha...
Wendy's Bento Box... she had a few colour co-ordinating issues last week... I just suggested that she be brave and join them 'randomly'... she took a deep breath and stitched together fabrics that she would never normally have touching... she loves it now and no wonder.... 'tis fabulous!!!
 My Mum (Gwynneth) has two tops ready for sandwiching, I know I said 'has' because they never actually made it.... but the wadding is cut and the backs are ready... Friday , for sure.... We will sandwich!!!
 Chris got all the pieces cut out to make up the practice block. This is a 'Quilt In A Day' project and has a template to cut one of the shapes. Doesn't it look great! We ran out of time before Chris could sew it all together because today we had to be out bang on time!.... never mind Chris can stitch them at home.
Irene cut out all the pieces for her Jennie Rayment workshop, she chose wonderful colours, bright yellow with brighter greens with a black background... Love it... can't wit to see it on the day! These fabrics though, I think, are for her Mystery quilt, yes, she's doing another one, with Barbara Chainey take a look, you might like to join in.

Pauline added pieced borders to her Railfence bed quilt so she was able to make a sandwich too, she chose a perfect King Tut thread which had all of these colours running through it, we love the King Tut threads!
Joan The Shop made a sandwich with her Peppa Pig quilt, she might bring it in finished on Friday?
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Wednesday, 25 August 2010

Workshop 2011

I know it is a bit early to start advertising, but I'm already excited about it so I have to tell you....
I was chatting to Dawn Cameron Dick at the Festival Of Quilts... and you know what??? I booked a workshop!!
In fact, I took it upon my very own self to book two!!! Wednesday 5th October and Friday 7th October, both 2011. It seems such a long time away, I know ... but each class can only be for 15 ladies so you should plan ahead so as not to miss out... he he he.
Dawn will teach Invisible Machine Applique with a talk about threads and needles, always useful! I will give more information much closer to the time so, don't worry if you forget.... there's a lot of sleeps 'til then.

One piece of useful information... It's our Jennie Rayment workshop next Friday 3rd September so our Quilt Cave will not be open to anyone without a booking... Sorry....
If you are disappointed about not getting a place with us... don't worry, you can go to the Staffordshire Patchwork & Quilters (SPQ) meeting at Christ Church in Stone, Staffordshire, on Thursday 2nd to hear Jennie's lecture. It costs £4.00 on the door and is sure to entertain you... I promise!!! 7pm start... don't be late.
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Tuesday, 24 August 2010

Bigger Holes On DSM's

We want bigger holes on our domestic sewing machines... don't we?? I very much want a bigger hole, wider and higher if possible.... I love Bernina sewing machines, really I do. I don't have the money for any of the new 8 Series Berninas, besides... I don't want all the additional extras, my Aurora does way more than enough for me, I love love love it...... it's just down to the hole dimensions now... then I will be happy.
At the Festival Of Quilts in Birmingham I spent all of my free time (remember I was a steward so most of my hours were spoken for) 'interviewing' machines and trying them out. Other companies do have more affordabubble machines with bigger holes so... I tried most of them.
There wasn't a lot of difference for me... and please know that this is all my personal opinion I know you might think differently.... I am looking for Quality, Bernina quality! Solid & reliable.. you know the stuff. The Pfaff Hobby Grand Quilter was great, I liked everything about it except the free motion foot, and there wasn't a choice of any other according to the saleslady. I liked the Janome 1600P, but it was a little smaller. The Juki TL-98P was wonderful, way too fast for me and I struggled to control the beast, it has a choice of really good darning feet too. Right, I have no money so ...... I didn't choose either of them.
Dotty put a spanner in the works yesterday!!!!
She brought her Juki for me to play with... I love it.. it fits in my table very nicely, I gave it a good old clean and started to play. I had great control this time as I wasn't perched on the edge of a sales counter.... great visibility, good high hole, wide hole, only does straight stitch but that's all I need for free motion.... besides I have my Aurora baby....I am pining now. If we live on bread and water for a few years.... ha ha ha.
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Monday, 23 August 2010

Well Done Dotty!!!!

Do you remember the cummerbund thing that Dotty Maureen was working on ages ago... and this Log Cabin Quilt and the other strange pictures I shared with you but couldn't let you see the whole quilts?? do you, do you?
These are the very quilts Dotty Maureen was working on... She entered all 3!!! On the way home from Quilt Festival at the NEC last night I persuaded Dotty to let me read the judges comments left on her quilts. Now, to be fair, we couldn't actually find the envelope for this musical quilt, they will be sent to Maureen by post.... but ....
Philippa Naylor was amongst the 5 judges who left comments on Dotty's other 2 quilts. The bright log-cabin and this cactus window quilt got brilliant comments... brilliant I tell you!!! a few ticks in the 'Excellent' boxes, loads of ticks in the 'Good' boxes and only one tick for 'Needs improving' and that was only for 'catagory choice'...
Ladies we have a budding quilt star!!!
I imagine she is still smiling about the fantastic comments...
WELL DONE DOTTY!!!!!!!
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Sunday, 22 August 2010

Caverswall Quilt Cave

This lap quilt belongs to Maid Marian, she needed to get it finished so I quickly did some big meander quilting on her borders to help her speed it up a bit, she added continuous binding... which she has never done before... she was quite impressed how it works... The quilt was finished, just in the nick of time!
Lacey Ann made loads of Flying Gees units which she will use for the first of her pieced borders, she used this no waste method to make four at a time. She too was impressed with what she was doing....
 Pauline finished piecing the four quarters of her baby quilt and joined them together. The slight variation in the seam allowances made it a bit difficult but it looked fabulous once it was done... at least this is a fun learning curve eh!
Helen's making almost perfect blocks now... all the little tips and tricks have proved to be very useful to her... only twenty six more 6" blocks to go and exams are finished so they shouldn't take her too long!
Barbie kept her head down all day to get all of these split hearts done. They will be hand stitched to their background, don't worry about the ones facing the wrong way... we saw them...
Lauren continues to make 12" blocks, each one is getting a co-ordinating border... this stripy fabric is great on the Churndash block, don't you think? Lauren says she is enjoying the fudging process, which is a good thing as most of us need to do it on a regular basis eh...
 I'm beginning to think that Joan The Shop is making the most difficult bag in the world... he he he, it is looking great but this is week three of the making process, and she's doing lots of homework. I think she'll get back to more of her Daisiez next week though.
 Annie ... what can I say.... she only started quilting ten weeks ago and, so far she has aaaaaalmost made a quilt a week! Mum asked if her bed was for sale to which Annie asked "Why do you ask that Gwyn?" ... response from my Mum? "Well, your obviously not using it!" ha ha ha. Annie took home instructions to make a Pineapple blossom quilt... let's see if it comes in finished on Friday....
 I can't finish without showing, once again, my frightfully chic quilting glove.... oh they make me smile every time I use them... free with €50 of fuel in Portugal!
We meet again Wednesday 25th and Friday 27th in Caverswall Quilt Cave...
It's the last day of the NEC Quilt Festival today (Sunday) so I'll try to get a few photos ... I've been too busy stewarding and playing on all the machines that are there... I LOVE sewing machines!
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Friday, 20 August 2010

Festival Of Quilts

I'm not posting quilty pics today but I did want to show you that the quilt I raved about in this post... is a winner!
There were lots of people gathered around it all day. I was a steward and 'guarded' this quilt for an hour. I stood next to it ready to pounce on any touchy touchy business... so I was watching the expressions on faces of those admiring it... very entertaining I can assure you!!
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Thursday, 19 August 2010

Caverswall Quilt Cave

This is a new invention of Irene's. It's a special device for turning tubes, like for bag handles.... I refuse to tell you what some of us were thinking while she demonstrated this ingenious gadget... Irene had to leave her kitchen roll at home in order to bring it along... darn it, now you know what the invention really is eh! ha ha ha... what a brilliant idea though.....
After my demonstration about making Daiziez last Friday, Joan The Shop has another project started, lovely... all of the daiziez will be white with yellow centres and the background will be a mix of pinks and purples... she was working on a very complex bag today though...
Mum(Gwynneth, for those who asked) has made enough Bento Box blocks for the centre of her lap quilt, it was a bit of a game deciding where to put each block to get a good mix. She stitched it all together during the day so now needs border fabric, a little worrying actually.... she shops in my stash!!! he he he
Wendy was telling us last week that she doesn't want to start any new projects... ehem... what's this then you ask??? A new project! A Bento Box curiously enough, he he he, actually, she just couldn't resist as she had the perfect fabrics sitting there begging to be played with. Great colours.

Lacey Ann popped in for a little advice. This is a little quilt that she has been working on at home... now instead of it being a wall hanging it will be a lap quilt... but "How?" she asked, out came one of my block books... lets see what she does with it, next week....
It's the Festival of Quilts for the next 4 days... I shall be there, apparently wearing white gloves and a sash.... like a Beauty Queen and an Angel.... all at the same time!! ha ha ha
The next Quilt Cave gathering at Caverswall Village Hall will be on Friday 20th, 10am - 3pm give or take...
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Wednesday, 18 August 2010

Uttoxeter Quilt Class

Lizzie says that she had an excellent class... she learned so much about traditional piecing, light's mediums and dark contrasts and a bit about design sizes.... oh, and lots of fudging!! These 12" blocks will be made into a sofa throw.
 Jenni made her sandwich, pondered for a while about a quilting design and thread colours then... went for lunch! ha ha ha. She came back refreshed and started to stitch, see she uses the shelf stuff in place of gloves... whatever works for you is fine.
Giggly Gillian has done a great job of quilting the first of her Christmas wall hangings. She stitched a few extra rows around the borders and quilted a star on each side of the tree top, trimmed it up and made the binding, which was stitched on just as our quilty day came to an end... well, we did add 15 or so minutes to it! ha ha ha. Gillian announced that she will soon be starting a quilt for a 7 foot wide bed.... ooooooooheeeeeer!!!!
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Tuesday, 17 August 2010

Quilty Quarters

I now know that this quilt could be made in only one day.... Mine isn't finished because I went out to the Alton Quilt group in the afternoon. This pattern is quite old and does not take into account the faster piecing options that are used these days... I have the last few pocket triangles to stitch on before I can finish the borders... it will be 'sandwich time' very soon.... but.... today is Uttoxeter Quilt Class, no problem.... when I get home... and after walking madam 4 legs and feeding the troops, and preparing for tomorrows meeting, and, and, and.... I shall try to finish it, he he he.
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Monday, 16 August 2010

Quilty Quarters

Brenda/Barbara wants to make an advent calendar like this one. The instructions are a little confusing, I made mine in 1999 so I can't remember anything.... so, even though I am not a person to start preparing in advance for the festive season.....
...guess what I cut out this morning. It's not like I had to go shopping for Christmas coloured fabrics... my large plastic box always has just what I need... I think they multiply when the lid is fixed on! I still have the very fabrics that I used in the original advent calendar too! You might notice that my advent calendar isn't quite finished.... he he he doesn't stop me using it every year, he he he
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