Angie's Patchwork & Quilting shop. I don't really buy fabric to sell. I buy fabric for YOU to choose from.
We didn't meet at Caverswall yesterday so there are no fabulous project pictures to show you.... Thought I would pop in anyway so as to show you what I'm up to today... quilting, one of my most favourite things to do... 
Irene finished her pieced backing so we taped it down and made a huge sandwich... hundreds of pins to keep everything good and firm during the quilting process... Irene is sending this quilt away to be quilted... it is a big one though and can play havoc with a dickie back or shoulders..
Arty Beryl is working on three projects at the same time. She spied a few free tables and took advantage of the opportunity to spread out her blocks, spin them, move them and swap them around, several times until she got them just right....
Self named 'Krafty Karen' continued to play with her lovely animal prints and bug fabrics. A few more blocks were stitched today and lots more combinations were decided... she took lots of homework and was chuffed about it!.. not a bit like homework from school though is it!
This is Dotty Maureen's project, I think you will agree, that it is fair to say, it is now MASSIVE.. exactly what she was aiming for. Considering this started out as a hand quilted wall hanging... I think she has done a brilliant job of incorporating the new fabrics... all those lovely chocolatey browns and creamy creams...
Lizzie had her deadline moved a month closer so she's had to work really hard to get the quilting finished, she just needed to choose a design for the borders, quilt it and trim up the whole top then make the binding... all done by the end of our day... so, it's sure to be completed on time. Isn't it just a stunning quilt!!
Jenni happily stitched her rows together.. she was extremely pleased to find that everything matched up with very little fudging, the colours are a bit off in my picture, the red is more luscious than it looks here.
Gillian's project, I told you about it last Friday when she started it, if you remember... it's coming on a treat. Gillian will make two more stars, different designs as she wants to challenge herself... you can just make out the beginning of an Ohio Star there, number 4 will be another complex one. This will be a lap quilt for Gillian's very own sofa and each block is 9", so it is a small-ish quilt.
I LOVE IT!!! The Juki TL-98 P Perfection.... Once you get used to the foot control, which in turn gives you control of the speed of this stitching beast, it's just a dream to quilt with. It is creamy smooth and solid, just like Bernina except that the 'hole' is much higher and a good bit wider. It makes real sewing machine noises too... no computer here, it's fun, fun, fun. 
Barbie had been given a new sewing machine, new to her obviously, I don't think anyone gives away truly 'New' sewing machines, do they? This caused a slight difference in Barbie's block sizes, the centre Log Cabin blocks were smaller than the Sawtooth border blocks. This could have been a disaster if someone hadn't invented the "coping strip"... once calculated and stitched into place, everything fitted perfectly.
Dotty has also used a few coping strips, each added pieced border has needed one, they are easy to work out, once you get your head around the math... Dotty is working on a 23" wide pieced border next, setting triangles and all...
Gilly was able to see the fruits of her work... she had stitched all the diagonal lines, trimmed up all the snowball blocks and not even laid out the blocks for a sneak preview... until I go there, I couldn't wait much longer... these are all laid out and it looks wonderful... imagine when they are all sewn up how fab it will be, next time Gilly??? ha ha ha
I've been playing in my Quilty Quarters!! Well, not exactly playing, working! I've been studying Juki manuals... I'm so used to my Bernina machines and not all machines work the same... duh... stating the obvious eh! 
We stared the day with Show & Tell... Karen very proudly held up her first ever quilt. She made it all by her very own self and is soooo happy with it! Doesn't it feel wonderful when you finish a project!! Do you remember finishing your first one... the best feeling....
Annie Pie joined two pieces of fabric for her backing then, with the help of Dotty Maureen, made her sandwich. This quilt is for a friend of a friend... really, it's a commissioned quilt. She must have decided how to quilt it as we didn't discuss that at all.
Chris The Foot, wearing one lovely summer sandal and one training shoe... the Doctor forbids the wearing of sandals on the poorly foot... that won't stop Chris... how funny eh. She trimmed... actually now I come to write this..., she quilted for most of the morning, on the bright square quilt, twas me, myself who trimmed up this fabulous Railfence baby quilt... I must have forgotten myself... that's just being too helpful! ha ha ha... anyway, Chris made the binding and had it all stitched into place ready for hand stitching as homework.
Arty Beryl continues to work wonders on her Crazy project, she adds lace of all sizes and velvet ribbon and fancy stitches with variegated thread... this is one happy lady!. She told me how fantastic she thought the Quilt Show had been, she was there at Uttoxeter on the Saturday and her head is sooooo full of wonderful ideas....
Annie Pie cut out loads of 6" squares, joined them together and added a 3" border. With the template for the Square Dance Quilt she started marking out the cutting lines... yes!! she cut it all up again... much to the horror of some ladies... I called them over to watch.. like a mini demonstration.. they were quite fascinated... as was Annie actually. She pinned each bit in place on a piece of wadding ready to transport home... this project doesn't like to be piled into a box... it gets all "Muxed Ip" ha ha ha
Dotty Maureen has decided to add another border of 22" hoping that it will take the quilt top up to a good double bed size, I'm sure it will. She chose a block using lots of strips so as not to over do the triangles... looking good so far...
Foxy Margaret was very quiet today and got lots of work done... a sore throat was the reason... not the project. She warns us all to bring ear plugs for next week as she will have a lot of chatting to catch up with... you have been warned! She started a new project which she will call " Harlequin Sun Lounger" which will be made from scraps... lovely scraps!
Karen had been shopping at the Uttoxeter Quilt Show too. Oh boy did she have fun!! She brought her fabrics in to get ideas for a bed quilt with an animal theme. We considered a few patterns but decided to design a special quilt... no pattern... ooooer.... we can't wait to see what Arty Janet thinks about this. These are the first two blocks, don't they look great! You can watch it grow right here.. how exciting!
This gorgeous quilt won the "Visitors Choice" and what a lovely lady the maker was!.... She was thrilled with her new sewing machine... the one she won as a prize... makes you want to enter a quilt next year doesn't it? 
This is the Artie Fartie quilt that I was telling you about, aren't the colours just wonderful, it's embelished with stitching and sheer netting stuff.. very clever and very lovely.... I spent ages looking at this one... Well, that's it for another year.... our most local-est quilt show is all done and dusted. It was fabulous, inspiring and fun. Quilters are, in the main, such lovely people.. of course there will always be the odd one or two!! he he 
I took only a few pictures.. usually, almost every quilt show actually, I take loads of pictures only to place them in a folder on my computer... probably only to open it once in a while.. this time I took pictures of a few favourites... the ones I kept going back to have another few minutes studying... 
and a few... ooooooh, I would like to make that or 'I bet one of my lovely ladies would like to make one like that' quilts ... some people don't like it when people do that, make one like theirs I mean... I actually think it is a wonderful complement to have someone want to make a quilt 'just like yours' 
This lovely, big bed was machine pieced and hand quilted... beautiful hand quilting I have to say... not that I am an expert, not at all but I know what I like... I was well impressed. 
The colours were fabulous, the designs were inspiring, the chatting was fun, the atmosphere was brilliant... I could go on... but I won't. Uttoxeter Race Course catering was great too... cups of tea and coffee were only £1.20... I know that sounds a lot but your average hot beverage price is well over £2 normally, the cakes were to die for and the food was praised all round, catering at quilt shows so often is very expensive and not always good quality... I would like to say... "Hats off to the catering company!"
I spent yesterday being very useful at the Uttoxeter Quilt & Embroidery Show. It wasn't my day for playing 'Angel' so I was a spare part, he he he... I covered for folks needing a 'moment', played shop for an hour or so while the owner presented her workshop, I chatted, greeted, giggled, pointed in the right direction and advised.... I told you I had been useful! Today I will don my white gloves, polish my halo and be a real and proper "Angel".. I never understood why my Mum (Gwynneth) decided to put the 'a' at the end of my name you know.... "Angel a"... see what I mean? 
We had a great day, as usual... very busy, lots of chattering, the atmosphere was really wonderful and happy. Some ladies have contacted me since to say they noticed a little extra buzz too, must be Spring Fever... hey ho, can't have too much fun now can we! Maid Marion brought in the most delicious fruity cake to celebrate her birthday, yummy. Now then.... Barbie's centre is finished so she was working on her Saw Tooth border blocks. She has been given a new machine and she's chuffed to bits with it! 
Annie Pie fussy cut her corner stones to get one of the lovely rose designs in the middle of each one... well worth the effort don't you think, with the red fabric in the sashing... another stunning quilt by Annie! 
Brenda Barbara brought in her finished beach bag, the one she made for her daughter... she made these to verrrry cute little ones for the grandchildren too... ahhhhhhhhhh how cute.. remember to look out for them on the beaches! Brenda started a new project.. a farm scene wall hanging... it's looking great.. picture of that next time. 
Dotty Maureen is working on her next set of border blocks... these are a variation on the Split 4 Patch that a few of the ladies made... they get split diagonally too, a very interesting effect... 
Gilly works in a very methodical way... each Snowball block has it's little corner squares attached with the very useful, binding clips... they were all stitched on by the end of the day and Gilly went home with homework of trimming off the extra bits. 
Lizi joined us too... it's great when your days off fall on a quilty fun day!!! She continued to work on her patchwork cushion and was able to complete the top. next time she can make the back bits and get them all quilted, this cushion will be nothing short of luxurious. 
Kate didn't want me to show you that she continues to work on her hand stitched blocks... she seems to think you will be tired of seeing how long it is taking her to complete them.... I disagree... I think it's good to know that we all have different lives and some things just take a lot longer than others.... lets call it.. "real life" .. ha ha ha... there are no rules about how long projects are allowed to take to complete! 
Margaret is happy to be almost done with her butterfly quilt top... there was something missing though... she pondered over many things and ideas... all she needed though, was to make the ends finish with an angle rather than a blunt line.... decission made and all was back on track... she's ready for a sandwich for next time. 
Mum made a sandwich with her 10 minute block quilt, Dotty came over to help her so it was done very quickly... I'm going to quilt this with a large meander... jig-saw style.. I love doing that! Music on full volume.... aha... now to find a minute or two..... 
Chris The Foot finished quilting her blue and white Railfence baby quilt and wanted to start quilting this one... we pulled out spare tables and set about sandwiching, Dotty helped there too. She will be a pinning champion at this rate! So, Chris has quilting homework.. this baby will be with us very soon... 
Shirley added the borders to the panels of her project... here's one panel complete, absolutely fabulous... she's very pleased with how it's coming together... how could she not be... tis gorgeous! We meet again next Wednesday 20th & Friday 22nd April, 10am - 3pm for more quilty fun, fun, fun. I'm sure you will agree that the ladies are all producing the most wonderful quilts. Most of the ladies in this group haven't even been quilting for a year yet... I am very proud of them... and they are all really lovely to work with!
Arty Beryl is making the most wonderful blocks... the kind you look at for ages and keep finding lots of different things to please the eye... both eyes actually, he he he. She embellishes each with the most beautiful stitchy free style patterns... Beryl could call this her "ooooh aaaah quilt" ... we would understand it perfectly! 
Dotty Maureen has added two of her coping strips and Half Square Triangle borders... she's going to add enough borders to get this project big enough to cover a double bed... so, a few borders to go yet.... 
Foxy Margaret is as thrilled with her bag this week as she was last week... only this time it is finished.. woooohooo. She thanked Dotty very much for all of her tuition... and started to cut some more fabric... to make another bag, the same... but different! 
Chris The Foot was shadow quilting inside each of the Railfence Zig-Zags. She's changing threads from yellow to blue... it's a little extra work but it will be worth it when she sees the end result, I promise! 
Arty Janet, cut it... stitch it... slash it, add a bit, stitch a bit, cut a few angles... ponder a bit... add a bit.... stand back and look for a bit.... these artistic ladies are fun to watch... making it up as they go along... you can almost hear the ticking and whirring of the brain... fun, fun, fun... 
Joan The Shop made her leaf quilt sandwich, with help from her chums that is... see this Caterpillar? she added this one tiny applique just to please us, isn't he cute! Joan is off to France tonight, she's taking her sewing machine in the hopes of some spare stitchy time... hoping to bring the quilt home finished... Good Luck Joan! 
Karen finished her quilting, trimmed the edges and made binding. She's very impressed with the whole process, corners included... there's a Tutorial for turning corners in my right side bar... take a peek if you like, joining the ends of the binding is quite clever too... also a tutorial... 
Shirley Lerly, back from the sunshine, got back down to work... all the fiddly bits are done now so it's time to join them all together, a sandwich is just around the corner....
Ruth needed to take a break from her stained glass quilt... it's driving her nuts.. so she says. Time to start another project. This one will be in country colours and will be the same design as My Mum's.. the blue and white one that turned out beautifully recently. 
We had a new lady join us... Vera. She made these blocks a long time ago and would like to make them into a quilt. These are all hand pieced and there are some tiny pieces... just lovely. It's a little tricky figuring how to put them together.. but we can do it, in time. 
