Quilty Quarters

I've been sewing. That's why my blog has been neglected. I find there's more sewing time if I don't turn the computer on. It is fun looking at stuff but it doesn't half use up a lot of time. That, plus it annoys me when it pleases it's very own self what it's doing... It's an alien!

Anyhow. This is finished! A big square quilt made to use up left over fabric samples that a rep left for me a looooong time ago. I think they are a collection designed by Alison Glass. I quilted with straight lines and walking foot. Well, when I say walking foot, I mean the little arm thing that is pulled down on the Juki UX8. A bit of luxury.

This is the back, you can just make out the quilting following the front patchwork design. It's made up of two different Moda, digitally printed, ranges. A fabric rep. had given me two sample sets, ages ago. I took out all the staples, chopped off all the cardboard toppers and sticky bits of information then joined them together. I have to say, I am very happy with the outcome. It's finished and I think it is fabulous so, toot toot toot to me, ha!

This is a huge quilt measuring about 84 x 84 or so. I'm doing quite easy and random quilting. I'm chanelling the Wild and Free, ha ha!! A great stash busting quilt, not that you can tell anything left my mountain! It's Wild Flowers, Grow Free by Rachaeldaisydesigns There are loads of lovely quilt patterns on the site. I have a few more of her patterns in my 'one day' pile.

As promised, I did find time to make sandwiches.

 This is a Colourful Black one. It will be quilted next, just with straight-ish lines. I'm thinking it really doesn't need anything fancy, the patchwork is so perfect!!

It's actually quite bright in real life, can you believe it?

And sandwich number two. I am taking quite a risk with the backing as it is only just the same size as the top. No room for how it sometimes gets smaller with the quilting. I'll not risk Free Motion then. I made the top to use up a pile if tiny but beautiful batik scraps. This is also a colourful black quilt. My kiddos like black.

I think you'll have noticed that I have been away again. Just a few days by the sea with chums to sew, and chatter, nothing new there, it was just wonderful.

I made another 480 Half Square Triangles. 

All perfect because I made them a tad bigger and trimmed every one.

Don't ask me why I love doing it, but I do. These are all preparation for making more of this block

I think I need 20 of them. 

It's a good job I have another retreat to go on, in just over 3 weeks!!!

Stitching News

Raise your trumpets folks, it's tooting time!

This lovely quilt's been made using a Jelly Roll and a Jelly Roll book, I can't recall which one though. Clare has a friend who does the quilting, on her long arm machine, so that helped with timing, which is brilliant when there's need for haste! The quilt has now been gifted, toot toot toot It's a fabulous and finished triumph Clare!

Princess Jackie is next up for tooting. Isn't this a fabulous quilt for a cat lover. The design is called Cat Scratch. It's quirky and fun too. Jackie has really enjoyed making it, she's quilted more scratches in the background, she says it was easy doing little straight lines. This is the pattern info 

An amazing backing too, Jackie never avoids the extra work needed to make a great backing. A richly coloured, double sided, totally toot toot toot-able quilt, fabulous and finished, bang on time for gifting.

Our Pam has excelled her very own self. This might be her speediest finish to date. It was a special request from a very special lad to gift to a baby who will be here quite soon. Pam sprang into action and completed it Lick-etty-split. Obviously it's needing binding in my photo, so you will just have to take my word for it, it did get finished! Applause for Pam xx

Christabelle found a pile of 60 degree triangles, all made from a Jelly Roll. I think the collection was called Trade Winds, by Moda so we know it was started a while ago. She brought them in to my shop and I instantly remembered why she'd made them. We did design mathemisms by drawing on the table. It's easier to draw actual sizes and the pencil marks clean off with a bit of Jif and elbow grease.

This is Chris's project too. It's going to be a gifting cushion,. The piecing is a little tricky and with Free Motion Quilting it will be fabulous. I think the design is from a Tilda book.

This is Christabelle's finished quilt top. Adorable. Most of the fabrics are from Tilda, one of the Fat Quarter bundles I think. It's all measured up ready for a perfect backing fabric hunt on Sunday when we're off to the Festival Of Quilts for our annual pilgrimage.

There are still seats available on our coach. All the details have been highlighted in an earlier post. I do have a couple of spare tickets now, due to cancellations. You can contact me for further information.

Stitching News, Beginners

I've had plenty of folk making the beginner cushion during regular classes but this was a workshop. It just means that no-one else was in class making other projects, which can be the most wonderful distraction! Both of these ladies had a great day and went home with excellent basic skills to continue making other projects. They had finished cushions, with my very easy and quite impressive, covered zips on the back, having learned lots of top tips along the way. 

This is Karen's

Beautiful, bright fabrics

This is Karen's

Very pretty fabrics

You're probably thinking I have lost the plot, but it's true, they were a pair of Karens! The ladies had a lovely day. They've booked to come again soon, hungry to learn everything, I did explain about the slippery slope to our wonderful dark side!

Stitching News

Quite a lot of photos to follow. I hope this is a good catch up for you. 

Jean Bean has continued making her Stack-n-Whack Kaleidoscope blocks. Aren't they looking fabulous? The tiny pink highlight strip is perfectly 'popping' all of the other colours, and there are lots of lovely colours! 

Gail was very lucky to find just the right amount of just the right fabric to make the binding for this lovely quilt. There's a longer story involved but I'll be writing a separate blog post about that with more lovely pictures, it will be very soon, when the tooting moment arrives.

It seems quite a few folk are determined to finish some of their shelved projects. Rose had kept this quilt for working on during retreats, a few years of retreats actually, but now, with the top complete it will be finished.

Joanne wanted to 'have a go' at Half Square Triangles. I don't know why people are hesitant with triangles but, it's a fact, they do cause stress, ha! By the end of class Jo could see the stress was all for nothing, they really are very easy to make, accurately.

Sarah has been waiting for weeks to find time to make her latest sandwich. Work really does get in the way of quilt making. Doesn't matter now, she is over that hurdle so the quilting stitchery can begin. Sarah noticed that each of her quilts seem to be getting larger, it is a thing!

Clare had decided on the layout of her Moda Jelly Roll blocks at home, where she laid them out to check, and label them carefully to be stitched together in class. The direction for pressing the seams was quite important. A white-on-white border was added after this photo. A successful days work.

Farmer Lynda is making two projects at the same time. One is a sweet Sampler quilt following the instructions from her new book and this lovely Hexagon pattern, by Jen Kingwell, is the other. All Lynda's blocks are made for the Hexie one and she's sewing them all together, it will be quite large, but done't tell her, I don't think she's noticed yet!

Joanne came to make her lovely pastel sandwich. This is her first large quilt. Jo's going to stitch both on her new Juki and Big Stitch Hand quilting. Pleasing herself and doing just what she wants to, always encouraged in my classroom.

It's tooting time for Rose next. This adorable play quilt has been made for gifting. Rose has used a few elements from her applique pattern collection with the addition of a little free thinking, more PMS!! Toot toot toot Rose, another Fabulous and Finished, original baby gifting quilt.

I had to show you the back too.

My wonderful shop just happened to have the perfect Elephant fabric!

Bev added another lot of 'sticky stuff' applique shapes to the next border. It's all ready for blanket stitching. That's a job she's saving for our next retreat. Not long away now, so it's time to get our plans together. This wall hanging will need pride of place when it's finished.

Oooooooh and Cheryl managed to sew all of the segments together for this Boho Heart quilt top. Isn't is wonderful. See how Cheryl chose all those lovely pastels for the strippy bits, just lovely! She's going to consider whether or not to add a border or not. Tricky!

This quilt belongs to a shop customer who purchased most of the fabrics a few weeks ago. What a fabulous design, I love all the circles making the sheep (!) body bits. I think the idea is something to do with football, don't all shout at me, ha!T oot toot toot for the fabulous finish

And in my very own Quilty Quarters?

 This top is now complete and backing is being decided. 

The fabric I wanted to use is not large enough.

 Mathemisms and clever thinking are required.

I'm just about finished quilting and adding the binding to this project.

More about Quilty Quarters soon.

June's Sunday Sewday was a success. It was good to catch up with everyone with the last sewday being in February.

Our next 2 Sunday Sew dates, taking us to the end of 2025 are:-

28th September

26th October