Tooting News

Our Sheila decided to make a banner with Coats Of Arms for families of  Caverswall Castle . They date from 1150 to 1933. I think it's been a most interesting project for Sheila... she has shared titbits of information with us as she worked on it... It's a very regal looking quilt... It also qualifies as a Fabulous finish... toot toot toot.

Fiona Too finished her table runner. Made using a Moda Charm pack, it's Laundry Basket one. It's been a fun and easy project... Like everything, other ladies saw it so several have started to make one for their very own selves... Toot toot toot Fiona!

Stitching News

There's a workshop coming soon for the Hidden Wells quilt.
Some ladies wanted to make it at a more steady pace so they're doing it in weekly classes. These are Monday Sheila's Hidden Wells blocks. She chose fabulous Festive fabrics and we're all loving the results so far.

Lady Judith got the last of her borders stitched on to this Jelly Roll quilt top... So she's ready to make her sandwich and to quilt it... but she purchased the fabrics for a Hidden Wells project instead... she chose luscious and beautiful Batiks... oh no... now I want to make a Batik one too!

Judy is a relatively new addict. She made two of the beginner cushions. Then made a Half Square Triangle cushion and as the last stitch went into that project (toot toot toot!) she swooped around the fabrics in Christmas Corner (Yes I made a Christmas Corner!!) choosing her Festive Tree Skirt fabric

Princess Jackie, our 1st prize winning applique-er, has done it again!! Wow is this ever beautiful. From the book Happy Quilts, a fantastic book.. it's got so many fabulous quilts and projects.. worth every penny or dollar to purchase!!!

Rose's Hare Quilt blocks are coming along nicely... the main blocks are about done and, in her usual style... Rose is winging it for the filler blocks and strips... she only just started that process and it's looking very exciting so far.

Queen Jacquie has been working on this project, amongst others, for a short while... during her last push to get it done... she realised she was short of 6" of the Bias Binding tape, the one that's fusible and expensive from Clover... would she need to purchase 10 more metres just to finish it? What a 'Cliffhanger'!!

Jean Bean managed to sit at her machine for short periods of time too. All of the centre stitching lines are complete so this project is on the home straight. Jean Bean's binding is already made... she likes to do that job quite early in the process.

Stitching News

It gets worse doesn't it!! These are the  only pictures found in the perfectly purple camera... We have had such a fun and extremely busy classroom this week, very inspiring with lots of new quilters, lots of new projects being started... which means lots of mathemisms need to be done, designs to be decided, fabrics to be chosen... busy busy... pictures need to be taken! but... that must have been the last thing on my list and it dropped off the end, ha!

Norma decided and purchased her backing. She got it all stitched together for homework so she came on Saturday to make her first ever quilt sandwich... she's made a beginner cushion and three little wall hangings... but this, she says... is her first 'real' quilt

Now I only have a picture of this project because Sister Suzie was choosing the layout for her table runner... it's easy to see the placement of colours in a photo, don't you think? It's a lovely and brightly coloured Charm Pack from Moda

I forgot to show you that I finished this quilt last weekend. It's just Hour Glass blocks in the centre and Flying Geese in the border... there are a lot of Geese Flying on the back too... I'll take a picture for you....

I also finished this table runner...
Made from mis-cut fabrics from my Hidden Wells project.
I used the 60 degree ruler again!

Stitching News

Jeannette Dilly popped in to show us her fabulous, finished quilt top... absolutely wonderful! Jeannette is a big fan of Bonnie Hunter's Mystery Quilts. Every year over at Quiltville.com we can join thousands of people, having their hands held by Bonnie, while making the same block units, with no clue what the quilt will look like when it's finished. The details for this mystery, should you like to make one... except you do know what it will look like, so not much mystery!... is still available free but only during January 2017.

Lady Judithis having fun making this kiddie play mat sized quilt for a new baby, I'm guessing there is a little princess involved... Judith needs to add the little embroidery detail, like crown jewels and eyes, before she makes a quilt sandwich.

Carol took great care adding her Faux Piped Binding to this Quick Table Topper... there were a few bits of fabric left over and an hour or so before the end of class... just perfect to make a set of cup coasters to match... and they are all finished so... toot toot toot Carol!

Stitching News

All Day Di's almost finished the applique on her calendar quilts, the numbers are only needing a few blanket stitches now... it's tricky sewing with a broken flipper... but Di is a trooper... All of these cuties will need to be sandwiched soon... 

Have you heard of this tradition, Ashbourne.. Shrovetide Football? 
PM Pam is making a baby play mat for a Up'ard family's new member...
Those larger squares have little footballs in many colours so it was a perfect fabric...
The top is ready to be sandwiched. 

Sometimes... often actually, the first class back after sewing prevention season leaves folk in a bit of a daze... Happy to be 'home' but out of sorts... our little stitching routines all upset! It's a great idea to make something simple... a Charm Pack from Moda will make a great lap size quilt... easing you back to your happy place... Enid chose Janet Clare's Wordsmith fabric... cute eh.

A fabulous and finished fanfare please... Toot toot toot for Judy...
It's her second cushion... she wanted to make a second one to make sure she could remember everything... she's working her very own self up to make a quilt but might try another cushion first...

Here's Judys cushion back... complete with covered zip...
My method is still amazing people...
It's really too easy to be true and Yes, I will do a tutorial for you, soon!

Evidently the classroom has been busy this week and this all my little purple camera had to offer when I downloaded so that I could upload for you... 

I will try harder... but I am not promising anything... I've tried that and it doesn't work!

More Beginners...

Sad News

Our Internationally know... Molly
Born in 2001 in Mexico City...
Abandoned to the streets in Huixquilucan and rescued by the Whiston family.
After 2 years she moved with us to Cascais in Portugal, where we stayed for almost 6 years... She moved again with us to Staffordshire, UK where we have lived ever since.
She had epilepsy all of her life but it was controlled by drugs so not a problem really. In later years she lost her hearing (curiously, this stopped her well known barking!) Her eyesight gradually failed but there was no problem with her sense of smell!!
During the last year, Dementia settled in with all it's complications, at times rather amusing but gradually it became tricky to live with.
Being lame in three legs didn't help at all...
So, we made the very tough decision this week, to let her go...
 Aged 15 years and 3 months
Missed muchly already, our Molly xx

Finally!!!! Stitching News...

It's always a bit manic in the first week back to 'normal'... You would think a month had passed by since the last class... the ladies have so much missed coming to play and they all seem to be in a very productive phase. Babies have been born! Birthdays are coming up and home decorating is planned... Seems all these happenings will need new quilts!
There's been much project planning, colour deciding and fabric choosing (which takes a bit longer now that I moved everything!!) and a lot of mathemisms have been done, some ladies are even learning how to do their own mathemisms, which is just wonderful!!!
I did find a bit of time to snap a just few pictures for you, here goes...

PM Pam started this one in 2016... it sounds such a long time ago when you say it doesn't it. All the stabilising quilting was done and the binding is on, as you can see... but Pam has decided to add a little more stitching in each block... she's pondering the idea of quilting around the Crafty Cats.

Another started last year, ha ha ha
Lady Judith's 'Little Black Dress' Moda Jelly Roll quilt. Judith is ready to start the borders next but we're not going to stick to the pattern for those... Judith (with a little help of course) is Pleasing her very own self and making up a different plan... PMS continues in 2017, whoop whoop!!!!

Monday Sheila has had a beautiful Batik Jelly Roll in her stash for a very long time.. waiting for inspiration to strike... It Strook!!! Oh what a wonderful idea... Sheila actually made this waistcoat for gifting but confessed that it fit her very own self... it might just have to be a keeper!!!

Free from Cabin Fever, where she says she was going 'stir crazy' without her frequent visits to my very own shop and classroom... Carol has a plan... an Ohio Star block which will be made into a pretty cushion, made in lovely Moda fabrics

and a co-ordinating table runner... The very popular, Quick Table Topper ...this link will take you to the pattern... it's not in the same place we used to click to... I searched it out though... it is exactly the same pattern. Fast, easy and fabulous.

Jean Bean is on a baby quilt roll.... This one is already sandwiched... You could call it cheating, using one large piece of extremely cute Makower animal fabric for the centre, but it will go directly over Jean's head... she needs three baby quilts, Licketty-Split... there's a lot of work in the Piano Key border...

PM Pam spied opportunity to make a quilt sandwich too, as a couple of ladies left class a little bit early... These are some of the lovely new fabrics that arrived Christmas week, last year!...I posted about them on my shop's Facebook page! I do that a lot these days... now that I know how to work it! ha ha ha

There's a workshop coming up soon for the Hidden Wells design but some of the ladies wanted to make the quilt as a class project. They were able to cut all the strips over Sewing Prevention Season so the strip sets could be sewn in class... we will be chopping these up again next week.

Rose started a new project too. Hares.
She had purchased a beautiful Fat Quarter Bundle and a pattern at the Festival Of Quilts last year (Yes the coach is already booked for our trip there in August 2017, and 2018 actualy) She's added a few of my beautiful Batiks into the lovely mix and this is the progress so far... Loving it!!!

It's 'Back To Normal Day'... 

Classes resume This Week

Sewing prevention season should be in 

your rear view mirror.... 

Right now... 

Just what are going to sew this year??

It's TIME...

Yooooo Hooooo....
Sewing Prevention Season has finished (really?)

My wonderful little Patchwork and Quilting shop... 
so very full of amazing and inspiring fabric and notions (and new shelves) is back to normal!

Open today from 9:30 until 4:30... hope to see you soooooooon
Happy New Year Everyone!!!
x

 A New Year, All aboard....

Will we enjoy the new ride?

Best fasten your seatbelts!