Branda Barbara's Sandwich

What an absolutely stunning table topper!
 More than that though...  this quilt is big enough to drape over the sides of Brenda's table, by a good 12" or so... that table need never feel a cold draft ever again... 
It's a big hexagon shape quilt, 1.4metres across the shortest width, and it proved a little tricky in the mathemism department to make the backing big enough for it in the most economical way... made a little more tricky with a directional print fabric. 
We did it as a team effort... High five team! 
The sandwich is ready for quilting so Brenda's got lots of homework to do.

Sporty Sue's Posh Bag

 Sporty Sue spent her Bank Holiday stitching time finishing making an extreeemely posh hand bag. She purchased the pattern at the recent Uttoxeter Quilt Show along with the beautiful fabrics, the base fabric is a luxuriously soft Linen.
The pattern is available here At first Sue found the instructions quite tricky to follow, wordy patterns get some of us that way... We Love Pictures!... piecing tiny bits always feels a little more intense... but now that the bag is finished, Sue realised it wasn't really too tricky and it all came together beautifully.... I do believe that there are plans to make another.

Quilty Quarters

For an hour or so yesterday evening, on Bank Holiday Monday... after playing at being a Domestic Goddess, cooking, washing, cleaning and enduring garden weeding games for two days, I was able to play in Quilty Quarters, wooohooo. 

It's a wonder I remembered where it was! 

Continuing the 'Is It Too Early To Start' series in my very own quilt shop classroom, very soon there's the Christmas Tree Ornament workshop and I wanted to prepare for it... no better way than to make another triangular tree so that everything is very fresh and all 'Top Tips' can be shared with the folk attending the day.

 You would think that owning over a thousand bolts of fabric on my shop shelves and all the fabric I have stashed away over the years it would be easy to choose the fabric for a little triangular tree wouldn't you? 

No... I still don't like to use favourite fabrics because... if I do... I won't have it any more!!! How crackers is that? 

So, I rooted through my bits box... I've joined thin strips to get them long enough and have fussy cut the triangular centres... I've managed to use nothing but scraps for the three tree parts... I even joined wadding scraps... what a thrifty project it's turning out to be!

Am hoping to get it finished today so there very well might be a picture to share.

First though... 

I have to go shopping...patchwork knickers, really and truly, are not very chic at all! ha ha ha

Joan The Shop... Here We Go Again!

After completing the enor-mouse Chocolate fish quilt (did you see that little play on words... how cool was that!! Enor-MOUSE!!!) Joan had decided that maybe she would work on something a bit smaller for her next project... 

So, she's making her way through the Essential Sampler Quilt Book by Lynne Edwards. It's a Quilt-As-You-Go project and Joan is really enjoying making the blocks and learning lots of useful new skills... Each block does represent 'smaller projects'... BUT... I just noticed how big the quilt is going to be once all the blocks are quilted and joined together, then borders attached... 

She's going to end up with another enormous quilt!!

Just to put our minds at rest though, Joan assures me that the 'Cheese' fabric will not be used in any of her blocks and she is quilt quite sure that the mouse lives no longer... I blooming hope so!!

Oh Christmas Tree Workshop

On a most beautiful, summery, warm day with bluest of blue skies, we kicked off with the first in the series of the "Is It Too Early To Start?' workshops. 'Oh Christmas Tree' is a workshop done backwards... we start with the end then go back to the beginning... It's a traditionally pieced tree with Paper Pieced (foundation pieced) baubles... At first Paper Piecing can seem tricky, some folk get it instantly and for others it takes a while to click, but they all look lovely in the end. We'll see the progress as it happens.
One great thing about a workshop in Angie's Very Own Patchwork & Quilting Shop Classroom (in my most very humble opinion!! he he he) is that we will be there to help you after the workshop day, you can book for a class to get a little extra help any time there's space!

Stitching News

Di Butterfly finished quilting her baby play mat. She used one of her decorative stitches for the borders with a most delicious variegated thread from Superior Rainbows (full range available at my very own quilt shop!) It's time to trim those crusts off and to add the binding.

Edna Too spent quite a few minutes pondering her border fabrics, it was a tricky decision . As class is held in a fabulous quilt shop, Edna was able to open out several fabrics then lay the table topper centre on top, to get a 'feel' of what it would look like... she went home with her sandwich ready to be quilted

Karen's walking foot had been delivered so she was able to get cracking with her quilting. Karen's shadow quilting the zig-zag design, as most beginners do with the Railfence design... it's easier than stitching in the ditch (better known as Ditch hopping in these here parts!) We save that skill for the inner borders.

Eileen luxuriates in her quilting classes. She was telling us what an absolute joy it is to have 4 tranquil hours away from babies! Oh yes!
She finished her Railfence Table runner centre and border fabrics have been chosen ready for the next luxurious 4 hours away from the kiddos!

Brenda Barbara popped in after a stint at work to purchase fabrics and, lucky for us, she brought  in her  Spinning quilt to show us. WOW those oriental fabrics look fabulous in this project don't they?. It's all perfectly pieced too!

DiButterfly made a quilted cafetiere jacket... how posh is that!
The coffee cup fabric was fussy cut and Diane used the alphabet on her sewing machine to label each cup of coffee... all  'furrin' to give memories of her holidays!

Stitching News

Marilla does all her stitching by hand. She attended our Stargazy Daizies workshop recently and found it a bit of a challenge to be using a sewing machine... it's not a hand stitching friendly project because all the seams get sliced through at some point... some more than once. Marilla enjoyed making the Daisiez so she retrieved her sewing machine from the deep dark depths of a cupboard, dusted it off and has continued making delightful Stargazy Daisies.

Shirley Lerly was joining her Kaleidoscope Stack-n-Whack blocks, together with sashing strips and corner stones, into rows. On-Point settings seem a little more tricky so laying the blocks out helps it all make sense... at least that was the plan!. 

Mary stitched on her last borders, made a delicious Batik Beauty sandwich and got cracking on her quilting. Top tips on how to tie off and thread ends through were provided by My Mum Gwynneth, who swears by the self threading needles for the job.

In between being very helpful to everyone, My Mum Gwynneth made a sandwich of her very own and started the quilting. This quilt is the result of the first Mile-A-Minute and Crumbs workshop I held in My Very Own Classroom...
It's fabulous isn't it?
To think that all those bits of fabric could have been thrown away!!

Annette started to make the pin-wheel blocks for a new project. She's never done anything with triangles before and was feeling quite nervous about them... she went home happy having seen how easy they are to make...
Everything is easier once you know how eh.

My Wife Beth made these butterfly blocks last week. She had wanted to put a block of four in each corner of her quilt but, as we quilters do from time to time, she changed her mind and made this cushion with them instead. Beth has sewn little ribbon strips onto the butterfly bodies... that's a great idea!
Toot toot toot Beth... that's a Fanfare for a Finished project!

Stitching News With Tooting

Early Sue's Beautiful Batik Bargello Quilt... Finished, and ready for gifting.
Toot Toot Toot Sue, it is a stunning quilt.
Made from only half of one Batik Beauty, Jelly Roll.
The other half, plus a second Batik Jelly Roll, will be making a much larger Bargello quilt... the next one though, will not be gifted, Sue's making it all for her very own self!

Jean Bean spread out her blocks to see how the quilt will look and... how many more blocks she needed. Jumping with joy when she counted up 'ONE' more block to make... after revision though, we saw she needed the one plus one more row making a total of nine more blocks to be stitched.

Lovely Lyn persevered with her Flying Geese blocks until she got them flying perfectly goose-y. This is one block unit that requires a very accurate 'scant 1/4" seam'... only if it's perfection you want... otherwise don't worry about it... perfection is only important in Patchwork if it's important to you...
It is important to Lovely Lyn so... my goodness... we work at it!

This is also Lovely Lyn's project, it's the quilt that the Tuesday ladies are working on together, sort of... they're all making their own quilt, at their own pace, in their own colour and fabric choices, keeping a close eye on each other and pinching sharing top tips... more progress as it happens!

Stitching News

Karen added some left over Batik fabric strips from the Railfence design to her backing fabric, making it not only long enough but, also, much more interesting and fabulously double sided. We set about making her sandwich. A long shank walking foot is in the post so quilting will commence later this week too.

Mary made her Railfence table runner with beautiful Batiks.
Looking at this picture I spotted how well my very own shop co-ordintated with Mary's quilt.
 The Moda Bella Solids highlight the top right corder, the orange of the Fiskars scissors handles, the yellow chair, the  Pin Cushion thread tidy etc...
 all topped off by Mary's purple sleeves! he he he

Sarah No Clue didn't really want a table runner. She wanted to chop up a pirate themed bed sheet to make a cushion... so that's what she did. The red spot fabric will be stitched on for the first border... no further decisions have been made, yet.

There have been lots of bolts emptied since Friday... I have shelf space, phew! Thank you for your help with that... The 10% Opportunity will remain until the 1st June, just as I promised it would.  I was very sad to see some of my favourite fabrics being carried out of the door, never to be seen again!.. I believe I have fabric separation issues... he he he.

Stitching News

Not quite tooting time for Jolly Jo but we can OOOOH and WOW all the same. This is one massive, very heavy and deliciously wintry quilt. Both Jolly Jo and Sporty Sue had to climb up onto the car park wall while I stood well back to get the whole quilt in shot. It only needs binding to be made and stitched on... about 200 miles should do it!

Julie finished the top of her Chrisstmassy Railfence table runner. She actually made two but with the stripes in a slightly different order. Next time Julie comes, we will be making sandwiches.

Brenda Barbara's beautiful table topper. She stitched on a 2" strip of the minty green for an inner border and that will be framed with a wider turquoisey-blue border, to get it wide enough to look very posh on Brenda's table... absolutely stunning!!! 

Joan The Shop is thoroughly enjoying making her Sampler Blocks. It's quite a challenge making sampler quilts with Layer Cakes as you basically only have a 10" square of fabric to work with... which reminds me...
I finished My Layer Cake Challenge Quilt and forgot to show you, next time maybe.

Spinning Summertime Workshop

Shelving Crisis... 10% Opportinity

A few weeks ago I had to confess about having run out of shelf space.
It didn't stop the fabric arriving though, woooohooo. I ordered few more little trollies... they're full already... hmmm, 'oh dear' and 'yeeeha' at the same time eh?
There are many bolts with small amounts of fabric left on them and, as I really need the shelf space for incoming fabric orders, I've decided to do this...

From now, today, right here in this very early moment... until Saturday 1st June, I will take 10% off the price of each piece of fabric, no matter the length... so long as it empties a bolt... 
you may take the cardboard bolt centre with you too if you like!
Another opportunity... 
Perfect Occasions and Fabric Freedom fabrics have £1 discount per metre when you purchase one whole metre piece or longer... empty the bolt and receive 10% discount on top!

Stitching News

Fran finished her fabulous lap quilt... toot toot toot!
This design is proving very popular with our quilters, it's from the book
Two From One Jelly Roll.
Fran won her Jelly Roll in the Bunting Raffle at My Shop's very own birthday celebration in March. The great news is... she still has half a Jelly Roll to play with after completing this quilt.

See this is the exact same design. Jean Bean isn't using a Jelly Roll though, we calculated the yardage (in metres though...he he) so that Jean could stick to her chosen colour theme. I think I heard Jean proclaim that she needs about two thousand more blocks?

Maggie had made herself a little sample quilt with one of her left over Kaleidoscope Stack-n-Whack blocks. She wanted to practice different ways of quilting it before she commits on the big, beautiful, actual quilt... good idea eh.

Marisabel spent the day making her fabulous sandwich. This job can be painful if you suffer from a 'dickie back' so... pin a bit and rest a bit, pin a bit , drink coffee, pin a bit... eventually it gets done and you get to enjoy the company of lovely ladies... not to mention adding projects to your 'To Do' list.

Wendy used the Square Dance blocks to make a brilliant tote bag, which in turn has inspired others to want to try the pattern. Luckily there's a Square Dance Quilt workshop on Saturday this week, the 18th in fact... two places remain if you would like to see how the design works.

A Special Visitor

After the initial shock came the tears, big hugs and squeals of delight... I turned around from what I was doing to come face to face with Birte!!! I had absolutely no idea that she was coming. She had travelled over land and sea to come spend the day in my very own quilt shop. I realize that this won't mean anything to most of you, but ladies who quilted with us in Portugal will most definitely have their memory stirred!

I really don't like using people pictures on my blog, especially if I am on them he he... but I made an exception this time. Helen has visited twice too, and will be coming again in June/July... Isn't it great to have good friends!!

Stitching News

Lady Judith continued making the various sized Stargazy Daisiez blocks.  She needs lots as the quilt will be double bed size. It's going to be quite beautiful and will be gifted at an upcoming wedding... if all goes to plan that is.

PM Pam spent her day working on blocks for the Snowman Collector quilt.  We were chatting and wondering why we don't get bored stitching round little shapes, given that it's quite a mundane looking thing to do... in reality though... it's quite the opposite, a very calming and satisfying thing to do.

Karen finished piecing her exquisite Railfence table runner centre and, as you can see, added fabulous borders with perfect fabrics. I purchased the full range of Moda's Colour Weave fabrics recently and they're proving to be a perfect addition to many projects.

New Nurse, AnnBacan was able to grab a moment from her wifely duty of  Hubby Carer to visit and show us her latest finish... new hips are great but they don't half mess about with quilting fun... ha! Toot Toot Toot AnnBacan, every stitchy minute counts!