Caverswall Quilt Cave

Kate was, quite possibly, the happiest person on our planet yesterday... she has been working on these blocks for, what she says feels like, FOR EVER. Each one has been hand pieced and hand appliquéd. We spent some time choosing the block placement, to get the colours, shading and style of block evenly spread out, then Kate, practically dancing between table and machine, joined the rows together with white sashing... so happy.

Gilly has her front and back sorted out so she enjoyed sandwich time, she's going to quilt these Helmet Bag pieces with criss-crossing wavy lines. Her pins are placed just "so" so that if she just dodges in and out of them with her walking foot, the curves will happen all by themselves... a cunning plan eh? The wadding was made up from scraps joined together with a large, wide zig-zag stitch, we try not to waste anything you know. 

Brenda Barbara's project is still a secret so I can't show you yet, see the car fabric though (from my Table Top Shop, wadding in the van) that's the backing fabric... fun eh? those little scraps you see on top of Brenda's ruler, are a clue to her colour scheme for the quilt top... Two magazines on Brenda's table, she's been 'flicking'... choosing her next project... actually, I would be more accurate if I said she was adding to her list of 'next projects'.... fun fun fun.

Lynda, another lady very much excited to be adding sashing and corner stones to her quilt top. We had laid out the blocks, switching and changing them to get a good, even mix of blocks and colours. Lynda started to stitch them together with the black sashing... got a little mixed up and 'lost the plot' by sewing the wrong bits together.... not a problem really... we spent another few minutes re-deciding the placement... I do that all the time at home, he he he... next time Lynda will be working on the pieced borders.

My Mum Gwynneth, invented this backing... fab isn't it... She had a few blocks left over from the front. She had the fabric selected for the backing too... but it was a bit busy on it's own so, she whipped up a few more 'left overs' and came up with the backing as you see in the photo. I love to make pieced backings, especially if it means using up left over blocks and fabrics from making the top...
On Wednesday evening I presented my quilts with 'The Talk' to a lovely quilt group in Alsager, Stoke-On-Trent, they had requested that I take the full Table Top Shop too, it was a brilliant evening, cakes and tea included. The reason I'm telling you this... some of the ladies came to me after my presentation, to say that they had never thought to make a pieced backing for their projects... they had always gone out to buy a piece of fabric big enough for the job.... not any more they won't!!! ha ha ha

Right... our next meeting at Caverswall Quilt Cave is on Wednesday 6th July, 10am - 3pm , oooooh, when I got home after class yesterday, I had a big box of the most beautiful new fabrics waiting for me, they will take centre stage on my Table Top Shop, wadding, most probably under the table. Pop over if you want to see them.