Stitching News

Starting off with a fabulous and finished fanfare! Susan popped in to show her beautiful Batik Jelly Roll quilt. That there delicious, Moda Grunge looks so good against all those brights doesn't it. Toot toot toot Susan!

Rose has been commissioned to make a large, nautical themed cushion and she's already on it. The beach hut applique is almost finished then Rose will be adding lots of personalized embellishment, the bit she loves!

Another Fabulous and finished fanfare is needed now for Our Beano! Once again this quilt has no binding, it's had the facing treatment, Jeans new favourite thing. 

This is the back of Jean Bean's fabulous, and quite splendid, gifting quilt.  She's made three quilts in total, all very similar but a bit different. There's even a lovely label so it's ready to be delivered. Toot toot toot Beano!

Karen has moved on to project number 2 already, the first being the beginner friendly cushion from last week. This week we made a table topper using our good old Rail Fence design. A very forgiving design making it perfect for a new addict.

Christabelle made her enormous, absolutely E N O R M O U S quilt top into a sandwich ready for quilting but now it's just to large and heavy to tackle in class. Well, she could but it would be scooting everyone else's work off the tables, not a friendly gesture! 

So Chris got out her lovely Anna Maria Horner project which was started a while ago. Chris had put it to one side so that she could work on quite a few gifting quilts and projects. Luckily, as always, Chris had made lots of notes in her wonderful project diary so it didn't take long to get back into the swing of it. The blocks are so beautiful, I'll try for a better photo next week.

Lorna was very happy to be announcing that she will soon be welcoming the patter of tiny feet. Like any grand-quilty-mother, the new bundle will be needing hundreds of quilted projects, whoop whoop! 2 sandwiches have been made so far.

Deb is determined to conquer Free Motion Quilting. I tell everyone, it's easy, you just have to practice, practice, practice, and you know I am very wise, don't you? Practicing on smaller projects is very satisfying. Here's the evidence, one fabulous and finished iPad case, with wonderful Free Motion Quilting, toot toot toot Deb!

Next Thursday, that's 29th February, My shop will be closing at 4pm instead of 5pm, just for this one week, I'm off out gallivanting with chums, AGAIN!

I say 'just this one week' because the following week, Thursday 7th March, my shop will be closed for all of the whole day! It will re-open on Tuesday 12th March. Quilting shenanigans are a foot.

Stitching News

It's been a very busy week again at Chez Angie's, (not really where I live, but it does feel like I do) What with the fabric deliveries (yes! that is a confession) Also, delivery of new patterns.
When I say 'new patterns' they aren't strictly new. People see the wonderful projects that my customers are making and request the same patterns for their very own selves, so I order them in, special... Great customer service!
I've welcomed new customers this week too, which is so lovely. My very own Brick and Mortar shop has been open for over 12 years and they only just found me!
Such a 'dinosaur' of a shop really. No web Page!!!! How very dare I?? How old fashioned is that!! Don't answer, I know...
So, this is year 13, though I was ticking along for years before I opened my shop, with a big white van, doing a mobile shop thing alongside classes, absolutely necessary and really exhausting! 
You might be surprised to know that some of my ladies have been coming to classes for all of those years. That could mean (a) that they love it, it could mean (b) that I am a rubbish tutor and they still don't get it, ha! lets hope it's the first one.

Gail is one of those customers, luckily one that loves it.

She has a new Great Grand baby coming soon and a quilt will be needed, of course. Noah's Arc quilts are perfect for tiddlers. Lots of bright colours and animals, a great, winning combination

Most of the applique work is done and Gail is starting to join all the elements together. There's a little bit of embellishing to do, like eyes, which will probably be the very lovely French Knots, wonderful little tactile things they are.

Bev is surprised at how much she is enjoying quilting around every little detail on this pre-printed panel for a kiddie play mat. Every little window, little wheel, shop, track and house, EVERY one. All those ends to tie in too, but it looks so lovely! The binding is on so Bev can stop quilting at any point, maybe when her eyes cross?

Di is making this kit up as a favour for a friend who chose it, especially for Di to make! Luckily she is enjoying it. After carefully quilting with Stitch in the Ditch of each colourful Batik fabric, Di was able to stick the black shapes on and chose to blanket stitch around them all.

When folk come to class to learn the very basics of Patchwork and Quilting, I choose to teach a simple, beginner friendly and very forgiving, cushion size quilt. It doesn't have to be made into a cushion, but most choose to once they see it. 

One such lady made this beginner friendly cushion, all in the one day, and was very happy with all the skills she had picked up. Everything is super easy, once you know how. Karen chose diagonal lines for the main quilting and did a great job with the Stitching In The Ditch on the inner border.

The funny thing is how impressed folk are with a covered zip for the back. Also super easy, once you know how! Karen gets a toot toot toot fanfare for her first fabulous and finished project.

Sue also finished a cushion, equally as impressed with her new skills. She took two half day classes to complete the job instead but had the same end result with slightly different quilting design. I do love Shadow quilting, don't you?

One very lovely backing with hidden zip.

Toot toot toot Sue, fabulous and finished!

Just a brief note about our next retreat.
Thursday 7th March to Sunday 10th March 
We've had the retreat fully booked since October last year.
Life has taken over a bit for some ladies and, unfortunately, we have had a couple of last minute cancellations.
I realize it's very short notice but I thought others might be interested.
If that person is you, either call me or just email me for the little details. 

Stitching News

That was a busy shop week. I think the longer daylight hours are getting people buzzing about their projects again. Snowdrops and Daffodils are popping up everywhere in these here parts, they always make us feel positive, don't you think?  They put a spring in my step for sure. Happy little things they are.
I've kinda failed you on the project photo taking, bla bla. Just a few this time. 

We have quite a few ladies making this Woodland quilt pattern, it's called Lookout. Elizabeth Hartman patterns are very popular in my classroom. This particular row of trees belongs to Farmer Lynda. She's feels very enthusiastic about making them. Lynda's Bunny is very cute.

A closer look at him. What a smart fellow he is, or she is, who knows! Bunny is playing out at night time! Little tinker, ha!

Princess Jackie came to class without her project to work on. Luckily she had her Stargazey Daizies quilt pattern in her box of tricks so she purchased a few fabrics and made a great start. I'm sure you will see more of these Daizies over the next few weeks, they always start a trend in my classroom.

And I AM STILL trying to finish my quilting on the Hidden Wells Quilt. 

It's a Whopper but in small bites of time, I am making good progress.

Our next Checkley Sunday Funday Sewday will be 25th February. I have a good long list of bookings for it. Have you booked a spot?
After February we won't meet again until the end of June because of another sewing retreat at the beginning of March, Easter bank holiday falls at the end of March and Uttoxeter Quilt show in April. Then there's Bank Holidays in May too! So 30th June it is.

Stitching News

That week flew by didn't it! Gosh, we have hit February running. Longer, lighter days are coming and I've seen the little pops of Snowdrops peeking through the sodden ground, which always gives me a boost of joy. As do quilty things!

Norma's taken delivery of her quilt from Amanda in Stone. The design is a free pattern called Roaring Waves. We've cut the strips a little wider than 2.5" as the pattern calls for. Norma's beauty was quilted with wavy lines going down through the design. It looks really lovely. We had all been thinking to quilt across the design, now we might re-think. Norma chose a great fabric for her binding.

Norma's really enjoying making this elephant project, it's going to be a wall hanging quilt. Norma says it's like doing a Jig-saw. Each piece is fused in place and stitched with our favourite Juki Blanket Stitch.

This project, also the Roaring Waves instructions, belongs to Deb. She loved my fabric choices so we gathered them up, like making a kit really. Deb added a couple of Fat Quarters extra as she wanted a longer finished quilt. Since this picture Deb purchased all the fabrics again to make the quilt much wider. Pleasing her very own self, and there won't be a need for borders to be added! 

Mary had gotten her very own self in a bit of a pickle piecing these beautiful Batik fabric squares. Luckily, as with most fabrics, we just unpick a few stitches and the whole project can be back on track, lick-etty-split. Which is exactly what happened and no-one would ever know. Of course I know you won't tell.

Thank you for the lovely comments in support of my new attitude to work/life balance. I must say it was great fun to be out gallivanting. I was happily tired after though, who knew I could stay awake so late/early, ha! I'm hoping I toughen up as I do more of it! Watch this space.

Stitching News

 Judy sent this photo of her quilted runner. Isn't it fabulous! 

This was her first project with curved piecing and she was determined to get it all accurate. There are quite a few methods you can use to get lovely smooth curves and after trying most of them, Judy decided she like my way! whoop whoop for me eh! Finished off with a splendid facing treatment rather than binding, it's a totally toot toot-a-bubble, fabulous finish!

I know this quilt picture is sideways on. When you have little people holding quilts up, it's much easier this way, ha! It's Shirley's Fabulous and finished Autumnal Leaves, pattern from a Jelly Roll book, complete with Faux Pipped Binding. Toot toot toot Shirley

This is the back of Shirley's quilt with the ladies stretched up high. 

It's much more purple-y than it looks on my photo. 

We do love to make an interesting pieced backing.

Judy has taken delivery of this huge quilt, fresh from Amanda in Stone. It really is a whopper, which is why Judy chose to employ Amanda in the first pace, a no brainer really. We measured up for the binding, that's the next job

This is the back, like I said, we do love a pieced backing and this one was made using lots of left over pieces. Don't you love that pink spot! We can give a gentle toot toot for Judy, it's only needing binding but we won't be seeing this quilt again for the grander Fabulous and Finished tooting.

Please remember that, after today, my shop will be closed until Tuesday, unless you make a shopping appointment on Saturday afternoon, like some folk already have!