Tooting For New Sue

Yet another finished quilt made by New Sue... it's getting to be a bit of a job keeping up with some of the ladies these days, it feels like they finish a quilt a week! This pattern can be found in the More Layer Cake, Jelly Roll and Charm Quilts book and Sue used an Independence Trail Layer Cake to make it... zoom in to see the lovely Quilting! Toot Toot Toot, New Sue

It's February tomorrow, Sue is good and ready with her little appliqué quilt, there's one for every month in the Heart to Art book 'Count On It'... I am so far behind having neglected to finish December! February is a very cute block... don't you think?

Speaking of February arriving.... There will be a first Thursday of a month next week which means there will be a meeting of Staffordshire Patchworkers and Quilters here's the link if you want to see what's on this year.

Bargello Bonkers

Princess Jackie's finished Bargello lap quilt... and what a stunning quilt it is. Very worthy of a trumpet fanfare... toot toot toot.. Jackie has already moved on to make her next project... it will, for sure, surprise you... the fabrics are not what you would probably expect.

Giggly Gillian is back from her travels, she's been aaaall the way to London!  Stuck at home on her return, with the snow, Gillian was able to finish her lap size Scrappy Bargello... Toot Toot Toot... she thoroughly enjoyed making this quilt and intends on making a lager Scrappy Bargello some time soon.

Lovely Lyn finished the centre of her Bargello quilt. She had wanted it to be a square but it was slightly longer than it was wide, a little creative thinking?... Oh boy can we be creative when we need to... usually a few 'Mathemisms' to do but that always falls on yours truly... anyway, a long story cut short, Lyn has taken the new quilt top, new shape, home to see if it now fits the bed it's going to be covering, this story will be continued...

Stitching News And Tooting

Raise your trumpets ready to blow... toot toot toot for Jenny Barlaston's latest finish... a kiddy play mat (quilt) ready for gifting, well ahead of schedule which must deserve an extra tootetty toot?
I'm not sure whether you will be able to see that Jenny used a delicious variegated thread to quilt with the Bernina number 4 stitch, elongated to suit. This quilt is hanging in My very own classroom if you would like to see it for a better lookey-look

Gail finished off a few lines of border quilting and added her binding. Later she practised her free motion quilting to see whether she feel she dare add a few highlights to the background of this, very pretty, little girl quilt... I think she decided not to, this time.

PM Pam, The Cushion Queen, finished her Tote bag made from Charm Squares that she started at the workshop on Saturday. Pam's embellished hers with funky buttons... seems the bag has been requested already... I wonder how many bags Pam will be making, not as many as her cushions I hope.

Ann Baker also finished her Charm Pack Tote. Ann's been sewing for a million years so she's very experienced, she's added posh pockets and fancy handles that are lined... just because she can, she doesn't suffer from Bag-lexia or Zip-phobia like what I do! ha ha ha... During the workshop Ann had played with her fancy stitches as she quilted the 5 panels.

Stitching News

Chris The Foot has all of her gift quilts sorted out now so she was able to do a little more piecing of her Stack-n-Whack Kaleidoscope blocks. She seems to think that she has a whole year in which to finish her quilt, with it being made of Christmas-sy fabric that is... I think she's forgotten just how fast the clock ticks!

Shirley Lerly is also working on her Kaleidoscope blocks... she's making thousands of them. During the workshop each quilter was able to choose what size blocks to make and, obviously, the smaller the blocks made the more blocks they got out of the fabric... it's not really thousands... it just feels that way... they're turning out quite lovely.

Fran treated her very own self to one whole day of stitching with the Friday Quilt Club Ladies... she's normally needed elsewhere after lunch so it was really a great treat to quilt all day long. She sandwiched this fabulous Charm Pack kiddy quilt good and early and took it home almost finished.

Maid Marion had finished her appliqué flower and had added some cute little bug buttons as embellishment, I hope you can spot the ladybird, the bee and the dragon fly? Something else I hope you notice is the Satin Stitching... variegated thread goes quite stripy stitched this way.

This Hunters Star block belongs to Dotty Maureen... she's going to be making a quilt  with only this block... I think it will look rather stunning... we can watch the progress and, once she's become a master of the Hunters Star block, she's going to offer a workshop on it.

Charm Pack Tote Bag, Workshop

It obviously takes more than an extremely deep (for these here parts at least), fresh fall of snow to stop quilters coming to workshops... I arrived good and early to clear a path to my very own quilt shop, just wide enough for the sewing machine trolley bags to arrive safely, if they came at all. 

Oh... They came, all breathing a sigh of relief as they entered my lovely, welcoming classroom, did I tell you how much we're loving my new floor of patchwork carpet tiles? We had a great day... stitching away as the rest of the locals battled the elements... we forgot all about the snow actually... here's a few pictures of the bags in progress, as they come back finished, I will snap a photo or two so that I can show them to you. Here goes...

I'll be repeating this workshop again in the future... I'll post the dates once I sort them out.
I must thank the most wonderful Sheila for helping out in My Very Own Quilt Shop while I was playing with Charm squares, she spent hours digging herself out of her driveway so that she could come and I am extremely grateful to her for doing it... Thank You Sheila!

Stitching News

This coming Saturday, in My Very Own Classroom, we will have the Tote Bag From A Charm Pack workshop. Inspired by all the sample bags that are hanging around in my shop, New Sue made this lovely little bag to gift. It needed to be finished before the workshop so she invented her very own Charm Pack Tote bag... I just need to mention that Sue's very pleased with the pockets on the inside, he he he... very pleased indeed!

This is Sue's latest quilt sandwich, the red fabric making the star-ry design is a Bella Solid called Tomato Soup... Sue calls this her Tomato Soup quilt, which amuses us all. The other fabrics were a Layer Cake... Moda's Independence Trail. There are 100's of bonus HST's (half square triangles) left from making this design... I wonder what Sue will make with them... surely she hasn't forgotten about them? I know I haven't... he he he

Princess Jackie's 'nother quilt, beautifully stitched applique and her very own design to boot... it's quite a large quilt so, as we had moved tables for New Sue's Tomato Soup quilt, Jackie spied the opportunity to make a second sandwich... the problem with sandwiching two quilts at the very same time?... not enough pins! It's a good job I have my very own quilt shop right next to my very own classroom eh!... and you don't even have to go outside to get there... yeeeeha!

Bargello Bonkers

We've all come to the conclusion that Princess Jackie doesn't actually sleep... Last week this quilt went home as strip sets, some had been cut, some not... only a few strips had been sewn together, just to see how the Bargello design works... This week the top was sandwiched... alongside another quilt of Jackie's... coming up in the next post... surely no time for sleeping?

Early Sue had said that she felt she had lost her quilting 'Mojo', just for a little while... it happens to everyone at times... but now, after working on her very own Bargello, made with only half of a stunning Moda Batik Jelly Roll, she feels she's found her missing 'Mojo'... she's on a Bargello Roll as there are more planned... but larger quilts!

Lovely Lyn, if you remember, last week had made a cushion cover with the Bargello design/method... she just wanted to have a go... It must  have been a very good 'Go' because this week, she also purchased a Moda Batik Jelly Roll and started to do the necessary stripping. There's a buzz of excitement about these, very simple to make yet superbly stunning quilts!

Stitching News With Tooting

First we shall Toot Toot for Afternoon Judith, she finished her little appliqué quilt started at the Hearts and Flowers workshop recently, mitred corners and all. Those colours are very cheery and summery aren't they... snow fell all day long though.

Tootetty Tooting for Morning Judith's single bed size quilt, this picture  isn't brilliant, the quilt is  scrumptious, for some reason the camera chose to highlight the paler purple... it's not noticeable at all on the real live quilt which is nothing short of fabulous and funky!

PM Pam bought a copy of the latest British Patchwork & Quilting magazine last week and has already made one of the quilts in it, the large Crazy pieced one (sorry no picture) as Pam had decided to make  her version of the quilt in Autumnal colours, she's making 28 Maple Leaf blocks to use for her borders.

Jean Bean started piecing her Chunky Log Cabin blocks last week thinking she was making a 24 block single quilt... the request grew! She now needs as many blocks again to make the quilt up to double size... it's lucky for Jean that the snow is forcing her to stay home sewing! 

Afternoon Judith purchased fabrics to make a large Pineapple Blossom quilt, great Quiltville favourite of my very own self, I love making these blocks, Judith did too, especially when I showed her how to stitch the second row to have all the HST's (Half Square Triangles) left over.

Happy Birthday To Me

So, Saturday 19th January was my very own birthday. 49 and counting! Thank you to everyone for the text messages and phone calls, visits and cards, and the bottles of wine... not opening them just yet though... testing? testing? Very testing!
My Dad made a Cherry Madeira cake, which was delicious.
I'm just telling you a bit about my Birthday because there's another, very special, Birthday only a few weeks away... My Very Own Patchwork and Quilting Shop will be One Year Old on Saturday 9th March... the time has flown by, it's been hard work with extreeeeemly long hours but I have loved it.
I've been pondering ideas about how to celebrate the event. I am still pondering really but I have decided on one thing... Bunting.
I'm wishing to have Birthday Bunting hanging everywhere. My shop has always got bunting hanging outside actually but this is a special occasion calling for extra special bunting. Most of the folk that come to play in My Very Own Classroom have offered to make a 'bit of bunting' so I'm going to be handing out a piece of stabilizer cut into my bunting shape, that will be the only guideline really as I do want it to be similar in shape and size. The theme will be Happy Birthday... that took a lot of working out!! I'll keep you up to date with any progress, hopefully with pictures!

Stitching News

We've had our share of snow here, Friday Quilt Club wasn't the usual hive of activity but those who did brave the roads had a great day.

As you can see, Helen made full use of every table around her. She's making a double size quilt for a friend using two Jelly Rolls, they're Independence Trail from Moda, which is proving to be very popular.

Jenny Barlaston braved it too, only because she had prepared her packed lunch in advance though, he he he. She also had loads of space for spreading out and was able to finish this quilt top and make a sandwich to go... So that was one sandwich to come with one to go home with, both completely different, he he he 

Joan joined quilted borders to her Fishy quilt and Gail started to practice her free motion quilting until her chauffeur came to collect her as the snow just kept falling and he thought she might end up staying the night... 
The roads cleared a bit in the afternoon though, so everyone got home safe and problem free.

Stitching News

There might just be a 'Snow Day Sew Day' or two coming up... ladies were flocking to Angie's Very Own Patchwork And Quilting Shop to buy fabrics just in case they get snowed in... I hope they remembered to buy other essentials like bread and milk as well... ha ha ha

PM Pam needed a few essential quilting supplies and she brought in her finished appliqué flower to show to us. Pam's decided to have a go at appliquéing some of the other blocks in the pack with a view to making a whole quilt... very exciting!

In class, Angie Not Me worked on her appliqué flower and was ready to learn how to make the mitred corners on the borders but we just ran out of time. Meanwhile Angie's's hand stitching all the Cathedral-ly Window-y bits on this 10 Minute Block quilt top, fabulous colours!

Princess Jackie came in search of essential fabric... borders, binding and backing fabrics for her Bargello... this quilt top was still being cut on Tuesday! With the 'Snow Day Sew Days'  coming up, this beauty will probably be finished next time we see it.

Lovely Lyn, with the help of Princess Jackie, proudly held up her Bargello cushions fronts... there was supposed to be only one cushion made in order tolearn how to 'Bargello' but, as happens to lots of us... Lyn made the second cushion because she loved the first... fabulous!

Stitching News

Rose eventually made her quilt sandwich. She had stitched the backing with one of the fabrics up-side-down which called for "team seam ripping" , it's so easy to do with some fabrics as they look just as good on the back side don't they... It was only a tiny hiccup though, Rose spent the rest of the day quilting. 

Fran needs a baby quilt in a bit of a hurry and, armed with this lovely Moda Charm Pack,  it should be quite possible. It took a little while to decide how to place all the squares and great concentration to keep the same order while stitching, ask Fran!

Early Sue has had this Batik Jelly Roll squirrelled away for a while with the intention of making a Bargello quilt... spurred on by seeing the other ladies making theirs, Sue took the plunge and started to sew the strip set... it was cut up and the Bargello-ing had started by the end of the day. 

Princess Jackie arrived with all her strip sets stitched, pressed and ready to go, all done as homework. She was able to start cutting them up again and undoing a seam or two, sounds crackers I know but that's how they're made. This Bargello quilt will match my new floor tiles a treat

New Sue pieced together this lovely set of Charm Squares (pre-cut 5" squares) She's making a  baby bag... for all the baby paraphernalia it's not for putting baby in... he he

Morning Judith called in to show us her finished appliqué flower project, a very quirky flower. She has plans to make another having thoroughly enjoyed making this one... that's what she said... I hope you've noticed Judith's perfectly mitred corners?

Princess Jackie has been working on this quilt at home, it's quite green really and I'm not quite sure how my camera took such a wishy-washy picture... silly camera.

Stitching News

One of the great things about doing a workshop in Angie's Very Own Quilt Shop Classroom, (and yes I'm saying so, all for my very own self! he he) is that if you need more help after the workshop day, you can book a normal weekday class session and I will try to  help you. That's what some of the ladies did. Here's the fruits of their labour...

Afternoon Judith's, finished!

Ann Baker's, just needs quilting... see the mitred corners, they turned out perfect!

PM Pam's as she quilted it.

Jean Bean started a new project and these are her fabrics. She has two of the Log Cabin blocks made and needs 18 more... Jean was very pleased when she noticed that
'chunky logs make the quilt grow fast!'

Recently retired Chris... (Does that mean she has loads of spare time?...
"Oh No It Doesn't!" ... oooh you answered that very quickly, he he he)
enjoyed her first class, she took to rotary cutting very easily and sewed perfect, straight, 1/4"  seams, fantastic skills for perfect patchwork. 

Stitching News

Gail merrily quilted all day... She stabilized all the blocks by quilting the sashing first and will decide how she wants to quilt the individual blocks once the inspiration hits her. For now though, Gail could finish the quilting of the borders, cut the crusts off and add the binding if she wanted to.

Chris The Foot came to play, she added the final lap of border to her bed scarf so it's ready to be sandwiched. This quilt is approximately 37" wide and, about, 108" long... 2.7 metres ... it was quite tricky to photograph!

Sporty (Late) Sue joined all of her stunning Jelly Roll blocks together and proceeded to add the most fabulous pieced borders... you can see that this quilt is going to be a beauty can't you? Next time I'll get a picture of those borders for you... Sue invented them, all by her very own self.

And last, but not at all least, Barbie made up a pieced backing by making up another braid strip, this time with 3" x 8" strips, it looks great, picture below... she just about had enough time to make her sandwich so, guess what Barbie will be doing with every spare moment of the next few days?