Stitching News

What better way to start than with a toot toot tot fanfare for Brenda Barbara's fabulous and finished festive table runner... beautifully Christmassy... and there are placemats to perfectly match... I bet the binding is being stitched on those by hand as I write.

Di Butterfly was able to make a quilt sandwich with her Jelly Roll Hexagon quilt... she want's to do Big Stitch hand quilting... she says winter will be wonderful with this on her lap as she stitches... quite right.

Di butterfly is a very organised lady. She wanted me to show her how to do big stitch quilting so, she made this little sample sandwich and drew the Hexagons on it... excellent prep... but what I was most impressed with ... can you see?
She used her alphabet on her Janome to write 'Sample'!! 

Sporty Sue was able to use as many tables as she liked at Friday Quilt Club... everyone else was on holiday... what a treat to be able to spread out. She's getting on fabulously with her project

So... just as I thought all Christmas Workshops were about finished...
I've had to add this one for the 29th October.
A special request from a customer ... and you know I love to offer great customer service!!!
So... this is the Quick Table Topper pattern with Faux Piped Binding.

Stitching News

Toot toot toot.... toot toot toot... A tooting fanfare for a fabulous and finished tooting train quilt, toot toot toot... If ever a quilt needed extra tooting!!! 
What a great way to use up the border print without purchasing metres too many, New Sue pleased her very own self... we love that! Is that Santa photo bombing? ha ha ha... I really only just saw him there.

And could there have been a better choice for New Sue's quilt backing? I doubt it...
Toot toot toot Sue... You made and extra tooting-able, fabulous and finished quilt.... It's on it's way to the USA... all aboard... ch, ch ch ch ch chooowooo

Gail really liked the design Sue used so she made one too.
We love to see the same pattern made in different fabrics... no trains for Gail though, and it looks so completely different... Gail chose to use two fabrics to make it easier... now that's using your 'noggin'!

Stop.... this isn't for tooting yet.... Rose has a little more 'free-wheeling' to do and the hand stitching on the binding but I couldn't resist a little preview of this quilt... Who would have thought that Moda William Morris fabric could blend so extremely well with a beautiful, and quite funky Batik fabric for such a modern quilt?

PM Pam, as predicted by my very own self, brought in her Farmers' baby quilt top, good and finished. We did a little pondering for the backing... some pattern matching was involved too... It's ready to be sandwiched on Saturday next

And there sits the top and the fabulous backing on the corner of Pam's table... It doesn't take Pam long to decide what to stitch next! She made a great start on the units for her new project... A beautiful Batik quilt with some very clever fabric placement... you will see it soon enough...

Did you say "ooooooh"
Jackie has been busy, making little 9-Patch blocks
 and a few tiny-weeny ones too.

Perfect.... Just what the Roosters needed
I cannot tell you how bright this quilt is... in real life that is.
Rose suggested we need not go on holiday any more... just sit next to Jackie's quilt and you will feel the brightness of the holiday spirit.. ha ha
It's Rooster Sandwich Time!

Fran Cupcake had the wonderful idea of adding applique Oak leaves to her Autumnal table runner... A little later there were Acorns stitched to the corners too This is a lovely project... Fran's going to/planning to keep this one just for her very own self!! 

Finally... Stitching News

Sally Snow proudly held up her fabulous and finished Liberty fabric sampler quilt. She's been working on it, on and off, for several years... you know how life gets in the way sometimes don't you! It's done, that hurdle has been climbed over, phew! Toot toot toot Sally... onward and upward now...

Aileen got a bit of a shock when she came to sandwich her American themed quilt...
The shock? How huge it was... The enormity of the quilting task hit home... but she won't worry too much about it... she only needs this quilt to be finished for Christmas... 14 weeks is it?

PM Pam needs a Lick-ettey-split quilt for a soon to arrive little tiddler...  Said Tiddler will be born to farmers so this fabulous animal print fitted the bill perfectly. Pam's going to border the blocks with the black and white spot... perfect!

Kate's Lynda has been working on this quilt for a while... the inbetween-y bits have been spent making bags and going on holiday! Just when she thought she'd finished... Lynda noticed a whole row stitched upside-down!!! grrrrr It had to be re-done.

Sally Snow purchased a quilt kit, a long time ago... now that she's finished the Liberty quilt she wanted to have a go at the kit. She's never done applique before so it was a little learning curve. All 9 shapes were stuck down and blanket stitch has been practiced.

Lynda's Kate is also making a kiddy quilt... She's being very thrifty and using up lots of her very own, brightly coloured scraps... not good for a fabulous and very well stocked quilt shop! ha ha ha but great fun to see it coming together.

Longport Lynda is hosting, or attending ( I forget) a charity sale so is in the last few days of making stock. These bags always sell very well and, I think it is safe to say, Lynda is Quite the expert at making them by now.

Table runner set... an adapted pattern from this pattern/tutorial.
Fabulous, but not quite finished...

All is well again with the Whiston Clan so, fingers crossed... life will be returning to normal and I will be a better blogger for you ...except that... the blooming menfolk of this clan have a work holiday week... So guess who will be changing her name to Cinders!!! ha ha ha

Do I need To Explain?

No, but I think you will be wondering....
Where am I?
My family needed me and I had to go.
I haven't been in my shop and the lovely ladies taking care of things didn't manage to use the pretty purple camera...
It's only a blog...
Hopefully, I will be taking pictures tomorrow... as things return to normal.
Hope you are enjoying a lot of stitchy time!!!!

x

Stitching News

Sporty Sue had to suffer frustration this week... she was itching to get to stitching time for her new project, but life kept stopping her... still... once installed in my Friday Quilt Club, she cracked on with the process for a whole 5 hours of uninterrupted fun and was able to complete one whole section... and doesn't it look great.

Gail came running to my Sandwich Saturday session at the very last minute... Don't you love it when a cunning plan comes right... She was without transport for the day but with her fingers tightly crossed for an early vehicle return so she could come to make her quilt sandwich... dreams do come true!!!

It's been a busy time in my very own quilt shop. Yet more bolts of fabric were delivered... I have though, had to call in a joiner this time... I see how I can add a few inches of shelf space but I'm not skilled enough to perform the shelf butchery needed to achieve my goal! ha ha ha In a few weeks time the 'operation' will take place... of course I will share before and after pics for you.

Stitching News

Sometimes, quite often actually, folk in class, and shop customers, ask me for ideas... about colour, settings, technical "how to's" , mend-it's... and so on... If nothing else, it helps them decide what they DON'T want to do.. he he he. Mostly my customers are happy with the ideas... It's fun sometimes to give customers a little challenge... as I did with Princess Jackie's Cockerel quilt. more on this cutie next time...

Princess Jackie, our first prize winning applique-er allowed me (when she wasn't actually looking!) to take a picture to show you how neat her blocks are from the back... all ends tied off and sorted out. I think these guys would look great embroidered... don't you?

Gail cut all of the different units she needed for her next project. Lots of people like to work this way... cutting everything up so it's like sewing a kit together. This pattern has Gail making Flying Geese with the stitch and flip method so there will be lots of little triangles left over, we'll have to wait to see what she makes with those!! 

PM Pam brings a few projects to work on each Tuesday, as do lots of others... I think some ladies take less luggage for a two week holiday! In between everything else, Pam's working her way through Christine Porter's Sunbonnet Sue book and having lots of fun choosing the right fabrics for each block

Carol made a handy-dandy sewing machine mat. She used fabrics left over from other projects... I can't encourage that... not as the owner of a wonderful quilt shop full of lovely new fabric!!! ha ha ha. The sewing machine desk tidy has lots of pockets, including one to keep your pattern in to stop it from getting lost... How many times do patterns get lost as they whoosh off the table with a flick of fabric!!

There's a thread catcher and a pin cushion to match... 
Do pop in if you would like to see for your very own self... 
it all folds up with a big clue as to what time it is!!!
It's always Time To Stitch!!!

This fabric has been delivered
Cats, cats and more cats....
It's very popular too... 

Fanfare For A Fabulous Finish!

I know.... close your mouth!!!! ha ha ha
Wow is this an explosion of colour and happiness
Oh how I love PM Pam's quilt. I love the beautiful Batik fabrics (all from my very own wonderful shop) I love the colours Pam and Jean chose and I  love design too, this link  will take you to the fabulous and free pattern if you would like to make one for your very own self... it is Super easy to do and it's a great introduction to how a Bargello design works, Pam and I both agree on that point!

And with the very small amount of fabric left over from your fat quarters, you could add these quirky little strips to your quilt backing... Pam's Quilting design was super simple to do and look how amazing it look on the back... 
Thank goodness for the walking foot!!
Toot toot toot-etty-toot Pamela! this is most definitely a Fabulous Finish!

Now... I am just thinking aloud here... I will tell you what I am thinking... between me and you, obviously... we can't really have everyone knowing this... would you like to make this design but you have no idea how to go about choosing the right fabrics... or maybe, you don't feel confident about colour... maybe you are great at choosing fabrics and colours.... if you only had enough fabric to choose from.... I can help you with all of these dilemmas you know... pop on over to my very own shop and taste the excellent customer service we offer... but only if you want help, we also allow you to play with my fabric to help you get exactly what you want... so long as you leave my shop happy, I am happy! I love feeling happy!!!!!

Stitching News

Wow.... Jeannette Dilly finished her borders... with a most perfect quarter inch red strip using my rather clever (and cunning) method of accuracy... What a stunning quilt top, soon to be sandwiched and quilted, I am hoping that you will be seeing this at our Uttoxeter Quilt Show in April 2017

So, Jeannette moved on to another quilt project. The 4-Patch Posie design isn't just for floral fabrics... as you see here, they make great fun blocks with fussy cut novelty fabrics too... 4-Patch Pooh Posies!!!

Sister Susie took great care in choosing her border fabrics... she wanted them just right. We tried many different red fabrics until we got the exact one for the inner half inch... we do that you know, we let you get them aaaaaall out until you are happy... then we quietly chunter as we put all the bolts back in place!! ha ha ha

Margaret very proudly announced that she had made her first Draw String Bag... isn't it cute... and with that little Ballerina pocket, even cuter!! Toot toot toot Margaret, it qualifies for a fabulous and finished fanfare!! Now get on and finish all the others you purchased fabric for! ha ha ha

It's well known, in my very own quilt shop, that I am no fan of the Disappearing 9-Patch quilt. I always think that there are so many better and more exciting designs we can make with the chosen fabrics... (in my opinion of course) but this setting that we conjured up for Cynthia... now then... this setting has changed my mind... I really, really love it!

Loulou almost ran into my lovely shop ready for Friday Quilt Club... she was on a mission to get started with her stitching as this project was about to be gifted and time had run out... This is Loulou's first EVER hand stitched binding... yeeeeha! Toot toot toot Loulou... for your Fabulous and Finished quilted wall hanging!

Sporty Sue arrived with an old pile of fabric... well, quite old... it was a kit she purchased about 3 years ago... we pondered over the pattern and I decided I didn't like it! ha ha ha, well, it looked a bit like a Disappearing 9-Patch... I asked Sue whether she had seen the beautiful Batik quilt that our PM Pam had made and, luckily, she did... so that's where we went...Oh I LOVE LOVE LOVE this easy design... and it is a great introduction to making a Bargello design

Stitching News

Princess Jackie, our first prize winning applique lady, has been at it again. Boy does she know how to choose a great pattern... here's a link if you would like to make Roosters  for your very own self. So many colours in these fabulous and fun cockerels... Jackie is making decissions about the setting now.

 As if there wasn't enough colour in Jackie's project.... Boom!!! here's Pm Pam's now... you could be wearing your Bikini (really!) in the privacy of your very own home, pour your very own self a Pina Colada and stare at Pam's quilt and convince yourself (your very own self of course) that you were in a tropical place!!! wooohoo... I'm getting a bit too hot already!! has ha ha

And relax... here's Jean Bean's creative corner... those tiny little centres have grown and will soon be finished blocks... some of the blocks need to be made in reverse so that needs a little more concentration... brain power... and lots of it apparently.

Sue's Been Busy Stitching

Well, there won't be any points given for those guessing what New Sue did during my shop shut down for the wonderful Bank Holiday break that I gave to my very own self.... She was stitching up a storm... Lets start off with a toot toot toot fanfare for her fabulous and finished quilt... gentle colours and quite tricky planning to keep those tiny pieces in the right order.

This is Sue's Train quilt top... yes top, though it left the shop sandwiched as Sue organised everyone to make space.... so it's probably quilted by now!! Isn't that border fabric fun... choo choo! This one is going to be gifted to a little fan of trains, you probably guessed that though eh.

Sue's pretty petal, Stack-n-Whack Kaleidoscope quilt top... complete and quite beautiful... such a fun way to chop up fabric!!! The backing has been chosen... I had a perfect and beautiful Batik fabric for Sue, she decided on a gentle green tone which will look great. This large sandwich will be made soon.

Last on this post is a Log Cabin project... also in Beautiful Batik but not all from my very own quilt shop... there was a bundle purchased during our annual pilgrimage to the Festival Of Quilts.... these four blocks were sandwiched in class as it's a cushion sized project... gotta love 'cushion sized' projects eh!!!

Stitching News

Enid made a beginner cushion recently... not at a workshop though, she came to a few  weekday class sessions to make hers. Now she wants to make a quilt and really likes the one I made called Floribunda... there's a picture of it on the sidebar. We chose Enid's fabrics and set about making a test block... didn't she do well... she surprised her very own self... 

Jean Bean set up 'creative corner'... it's a steady and gently paced part in my shop... no rushing goes on there (not until the week the quilt is due for that is!!!) but... there has been a whole block made and several little block centres have been started! Do you know the story of The Tortoise And The Hair... not that Jean is racing with anyone but her very own self.

Carol was like a kiddie at playschool... carefully choosing her 'painting' colours then tracing and snipping and gluing ans sticking... then stitching and clipping.... She's making a soft play book with a pattern from our Kids Quilts range.

Annbacan had a brilliant idea.... She wants to make a kiddie cube...
All of the sides will have interesting things on them... fish, letters, Winnie The Pooh... there will be a zip and it will be washabubble... that's a tall idea eh...

Fish number two stuck in place. Both splendid fish were drawn by our resident artist... Jean Bean... who can work at the speed of light for other people... she drew them licketty-split after listening to Ann's brilliant and quirky cube idea.... Ann was delighted