Stitching News

 It's been a hive of activity in my classroom this week. 

Gail will have her Christmas stocking finished in good time for gifting. The binding is on and just needs to be hand stitched to the back...we won't see this project again. Such a lovely stocking, I think this is Gail's number 4... I bet it's not her last either.

Norma has been inspired by my Churndash blocks and decided to make a start on some of her very own. She has quite a stash of beautiful fabrics that are perfect for the job. Of course I'll help her with the cutting, excellent customer service, as always. These blocks are 12" finished.

Farmer Lynda has her Chuffing Cat's On The Fence Quilt top finished and we played with the left over strip sets to make a great backing... it all morphed into an amazing idea and Lynda went home skippy-happy with the plan. Do you see where it's going??

Jan's first, fabulous and finished project...Toot Toot Toot ... Perfectly pieced and looking lovely. Jan's very please with her new Table Runner and she's learned so much in it's making. She's already started Table Runner number 2.

Jan has also purchased a new book and started another, larger quilt. These Quarter Log Cabin blocks are keeping her on her toes as she wants them all to be accurate and as perfect as possible... and ' by George', they are! (who is George by the way?)

Fiona added a strip of festive fabric to a Moda Bella Solid in Christmas Red to make the WOF (Width Of Fabric) long enough for this table runner and then she was able to make a sandwich. She's going to quilt it with both walking foot and Free Motion quilting... exciting stuff.

All Day Di not only made a festive sandwich as soon as she arrived for class, she quilted this whole sandwich in the one day too! She chose perfect striped fabric and cut the binding aaaaand got it all ready to be stitched on. That's a lot of productive sewing for Our Di!

I've taken delivery of the New Juki UX 8 sewing machine in my shop. Boy is it spectacular.
It's allowed visitors, should you be tempted...
I sold that one so I'm waiting for another Juki UX8 sewing machine.

Visiting has to be suspended for a few days...

Retreat Stitching News

I took a lot of pre cut and pre-prepared projects with me for the retreat sewing. I can't think and decide about stuff too much when I am in a room full of laughter and chatter and it takes very little thinking just to sew bits together... we do only sew bits together don't we.

I planned to make this project as a shop sample so it was one of the first jobs to be tackled. You know I always have the Eye Spy Six Packs cut for you... Some customers ask for ideas on how to make a larger project and adding sashing strips is super easy. It made up in one afternoon, all the sashing had been cut to size and I was able to make the sandwich at 7am the following day, so as not to need to clear anyone from a table. It still needs quilting, it's been added to the list!!.

The traditional relaxed, early morning, after bath, feet up photo...

This time I had a very posh cafetiere coffee which was de-lish-us.

One could get used to this!

I rarely make the same quilt twice, but I did love this Tomte quilt that I gifted to the grand ones... so I made it again, possible as a keeper. During a video call treat, Faye wanted to know whether she can have it when it's finished, she's obviously forgotten all the fun she had with the one she already has... those 3 year olds, they remember nothing, ha!!

This is a link to Tomte Quilt, 2020... it's a fun read and all the same process

Then there were Churn Dashes... I absolutely love these blocks. I love my fabric choices and all the clash-y colours to think this will be a quilt backing too.... loads left to do at this point...

Just a different angle. I just kept pinning them to the net curtain and each added block added more joy! Had to make lots more 9 inch blocks and 26 x 6inch size ones too... they are all made. Now I have to find time to decide on the placement and the filler bits... which will involve 3 inch Churndash Blocks.

More pictures will follow.... I hope... you know the old Life gets in the way excuse don't you, Ha!

Retreat Stitching News

We had a wonderful retreat. I don't understand how us all being so relaxed can make us feel so tired when we got home... just weird. I've got quite a few great pictures, some I just can't share!

This is Christabelle's retreat picture... She wasn't able to join us in person so she had her very own personal retreat at home and stitched along with us all, what a smart idea! She got loads done too. A very bright project to use up left over fabrics from her other bright quilt.

Farmer Lynda made a coiled fabric pot, which she thoroughly enjoyed, a few smaller things that also pleased her and the whole of this Cats On The Fence quilt top was done too... a lot of stitching and pressing and measuring then cutting then stitching it all together again... and she hardly complained about all the work! I'm so proud of her and her 'Chuffing' Cat Quilt!

Lou Lou was really happy with her festive project, she does enjoy applique. This is one of several projects she will make from her lovely new book. She also worked on a baby quilt, everyone helped her remember about finishing that one.

Wow... Susan's quilt top... It is enormous, each of those flower blocks is about 32 inches... there are 3 people holding it up here and there are borders to add. Such a beautiful design... not the easiest though, but Susan is up to a challenge. 

All Day Di also finished her Cats On The Fence quilt top. It's slightly different with a subtle change of fabric for one of the zig-zaggy bits. Di was amazed at the lack of unpicking during the process, it went together very well, which made her suspicious, ha ha!

More photos will follow....

Preparation, We're Off

During our last Quilting Retreat, back in March 2020, people were messaging us about 'The Covid', about the 'Loo Roll' and shelf emptying situation in the supermarkets... we thought they were crackers, we were oblivious to it all as we don't really pay much attention to the news, we are on our jollies!!! We were in a little quilting bubble having a wonderful time.
At the end of the retreat, we booked and paid our deposits for the next retreat in September 2020.
Obviously, when we got home the reality hit us all... such a strange feeling. 
Then Lockdown happened... you know how that went!
So many of our little 'Bubble', including my very good self, have had life changing things happen since then, not all Covid related.
Thankfully, here we are at today, October 2021... finally we're off to our favourite place once more. Not all the same Bubblers will be with us, life does get in the way, but a great group none the less. Fun will be had and laughter, there's always laughter, is a great tonic, boy do we have a great time.

It's always tricky for me deciding what to take to sew.
I always TRY not to start a new project, ha!
So this weekend the packing, cutting, prepping, sorting, deciding and organising all got done... there are 4 new projects!!! Shhhhhh.... I know right!!

I cut this lot last weekend, little units of Churndash blocks

15" Churndash block inspired by an internet search

 which I'll tell you about when we get back... 

I need to get permission from the quilter who inspired the project first

I couldn't resist sewing one set of units together

It took all of my will power NOT to sew any more

It's going to be a fun retreat project

These aren't sewn, just cut and placed on my design wall, That sounds very artsy fartsy doesn't it. It's a brushed cotton sheet held up with sticky Hook And Loop tape, with a Clover design wall stuck to it (which they don't seem to make any more) I'm a make do genius!!!

Right, I have to load up the vehicle now, it's nearly time.... 

Heigh hoooooooo, heigh ho... it's off to work I go...

Stitching News

I was rubbish at remembering to take photos all last week.

Sometimes it's just too busy in the classroom and too exciting to remember picture taking.

And I'm not going to apologise for that!! But I am sorry, he he he

Shirley finished her Dinosaur quilt top. She decided not to have corner stones after all and it looks great, especially with all those dino-bones in the sashing. There are dinosaur footprints being prepared to make a quirky backing now.

A Jelly Roll had been sewn together in strip sets of 4, 

then left, stored, been forgotten about and now, given away, to Pam.

Pam unpicked one strip from each set, making 3, a much better size for cutting up. She pressed and stitched them into a quilt top, which is what you are looking at here.... You'll have to Wait to see where this is now going... It's exciting!

Sister Susie needed to make her sandwich so she can crack on with quilting it all through next week when there are no classes. It didn't take long with Fiona Too helping out.

Farmer Lynda is prepping her projects ready for the sewing retreat. She purchased the kit from the Festival Of Quilts last time we went so this is about 3 years in the waiting to be done. 

Naughty... a fun word!!

 Please remember that my shop will be closed all of next week,

Stitching News

There are some beautiful projects coming together in my classroom. Busy days pass by so quickly... in the blink of an eye, it's another week later....
Anyhow... I did get some photos. not the best quality, I know.

We had a Sewing Saturday in my classroom and Deb was so chuffed to have got so much done on her table runner! She learned the importance and benefits of cutting the block units as accurately as possible, and learned a little bit of fudging too.

Cheryl just needed to add the binding. It's a Single Bed quilt so it's a long way round. She did it all by machine, very successfully. So this is a call for a fabulous and finished fanfare, toot toot toot

Fiona is having a tricky time with this table runner. Not for want of trying... it's the blooming wonky panel pictures. They have made it all very trying... but it's almost done now and it will be fabulous.

Di is putting this on the back of a gifting quit. It's a great idea and now that she has committed to a year date, she's going to have to finish this Christmas project soon. All the letters are stuck on so she's a marathon of blanket stitching to do next .

Lorna has decided she doesn't like Foundation Paper Piecing after all... though she has to continue with these planes... I've started so I'll finish!! ha. I don't think there can be many to go now and Lorna is actually working on more than this one quilt so that breaks it up a bit.

We need another Fabulous and finished fanfare now...

Di's Woodland gifting quilt is finished and ready for delivery to it's lucky new owner...

This is the back of the Woodland quilt, how fabulous it is. Little man is named Obie... He has a little label in the corner too. I'm not sure whether I told you the story of Di's label did I? Trilobal Polyester is beautiful to look at but it will melt if you keep the hot iron on it while you natter!! 

Congratulations Lady Lidl A splendid quilt and worth all the frustration!

Our Pam was so excited when these Makower Advent panels arrived in my shop. She has 3 little dogs in her family and this year they'll all have fun waiting for Santa. Toot toot toot Our Pam, they are fabulous and finished in good time for filling up the pockets.

New Sue finished the centre of her latest gifting quilt. The design is from a book, which I've forgotten to note down, but it's basically a Snowball block alternating with a 9-Patch block. Very effective and, if you like to piece and play with scraps... would be great for you.

While you are here please note that
My shop will be open as normal this next week but closed from 2pm on Saturday 16th October until opening again on Monday 25th October, which I believe is Half Term.
We are going on our September 2020 Sewing retreat, only just over a year late and we are all very very very thankful to be going and super excited to sew, for a change!

Bits & Bobs

Not so many photos have been taken this week, I've been quite occupied with all the deliveries. You can get into my shop now though, I have cleared a pathway through the boxes. More new books are due in next week, and a few other little things... Like a-blooming-nother roll of wadding!

I sometimes save fabrics for customers, especially when they're not sure about quantities needed. Now, normally I would put a little label on the fabrics to say who they are saved for and for how long I need to wait before putting them back on the shelf for sale. 

Obviously, I either forgot for these fabrics or the label has fallen off and gone missing.
It was over 2 years ago that someone asked for these fabrics to be saved. Not a normal 2 years though, I wouldn't have saved them for that length of time under normal circumstances, but as it was Covid Lockdown for my shop, I've waited. 

It's time now to put them back on my shelves (not that there's any space on my shelves!) but I want to give whoever it was the opportunity to say whether they still need the fabrics, I would hate to spoil a project. So I will wait until next weekend. Was it you? 

I've had this photo sent to me, Farmer Lynda is Wrapping her Pot Cord ready to make a Pot on our upcoming Cromford Sewing Retreat. She's been busy cutting strips anything from 3/4" to 1 1/4" wide so had plenty to go at.

This is also Farmer Lynda's work. I have quite a few folk making this lovely Christmassy panel and they are all making great progress. As the longer darkness hours draw in, we are all aware it's very soon going to be Sewing Prevention Season!

As I mentioned, it's soon going to be time to pack our sewing projects for the Cromford Sewing Retreat. I started these borders back in 2017 at a Westhope College Quilting Retreat, so much has changed since then but they need to be finished and stitched to the centre, I've forgotten the original plan so I'm winging it!

I Need Your Help Please

Please can you help me?

If you have purchased a Juki sewing machine through my shop could I please ask you to get in touch with me. email angiequilts@gmail.com

WhatsApp or call me on 07807530441

I just need your name and the Juki Model and Serial Number (if possible) with an approximate date of purchase please.

This information is VERY VERY important to me.

Thank you,

Angie