Stitching News

My blooming computer has decided to practice PMS! Pleasing My Self is for creative people, not blooming computers. I don't want it to do things without my choosing. These days I'm not even turning it on daily as it annoys me so much. "Auto Pilot", Copilot is not needed here!
Anyway, enough grumbling and a few pictures.
It's been very busy in my classroom and quite productive in between all my fun trips.

This is another on Pam's rather long list of baby quilts. She was very happy to make this one using pink-ier fabrics. So many people want neutral baby quilts these days. Neutral as in, neither boyish nor girly. This baby came early and she said "I'm a girly quilt please Pam!"

Julie had taken a brief break from classes. She hasn't stopped sewing at home though and on day one of her return to us, she surprised us all by needing to make a huge sandwich! Isn't it fabulous. Made with a Batik fabric Jelly Roll

Cheryl Cheryl has also been missing her classes. Sometimes life makes us stop what we really want to do doesn't it. Work, life and a huge family wedding did that job very well. She's back with us now and this beautiful Batik Jelly Roll quilt needed sandwiching!

Mary designed this quilt using her computer and a spread sheet! It's her first large quilt sandwich. As is quite usual, Mary hadn't quite realized how big the quilt was, even though she knew, ha! There will be quite a few hours of stitching to keep Mary busy for the next few weeks.  

Jackie is very pleased with her Log Cabin project. This is the centre, complete and looking fabulous, just as Jackie had planned. I couldn't quite get it all in my picture, but you know I will, one day! There will be a Piano Key border added to each side next.

Farmer Lynda is making this lovely Llama baby quilt for gifting. She knew what colour baby it was going to be given to before she started, can you guess? It's a design Lynda has made before, the pattern is an Elizabeth Hartman, of course. The little heart applique was a little bit of PMS!

Princess Jackie is working on a few different quilty projects, all at the very same time. This pattern caught her eye as a perfect gifting quilt for a cat lover. The pattern's called Cat Scratch, a purrrrfect name for it, don't you think. Jackie has a plan to make this  quilt double sided. More cats!

While enjoying home sewing, Julie has been learning lots. YouTube is such a helpful tool! The video tutorial for this Lone Star was done by the Missouri Star Company, Julie says it was a very good job there's no limit on how many times it can be paused and rewound to watch again, ha ha ha, I think we all do that!

Joanne made a splendid skirt! Not having sewn any garment since she was at school. (We won't be mentioning how long ago that was, a few years should cover it!) She is super chuffed that it worked, and rightly so. Beautiful Art Gallery Rayon fabric makes for a lovely, light and floaty feel. Toot toot toot Joanne, it's finished and it's fabulous!

This is a scary picture! It's what I've been wasting my time doing just lately. Inspired by some of the ladies on my last retreat and by Beano, who's also dabbling in dressmaking. I'm sure it is easy... If only my body wasn't quite so bumpy, ha ha ha

Back To Normal

 

I'm home from my trip with sewing shenanigans!

It was a lovely break from every day life, except for the sewing bit!
I met some lovely and very talented ladies, from all over the place.

Back to real life now...
My shop will be open as normal for a while, at least for most of May and June.
Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays 9:30am to 4pm, with out of hours shopping appointments available.

We've started to take deposits already for the August Sewing Retreat at Hillscourt in the Lickey Hills.
A £50.00 deposit secures your place on that. The deposit is non-refundable, I'm sure you'll understand why that is.
I might be working on this very same project when I go, it takes ages to make all those little half square triangles and, because I messed up my mathemisms, I now need to make 100's more! Hey Ho, it's a good job I love it!

Sandwich News

The weather has been rather glorious in these here parts for a couple of weeks. When the sun shines, and the rain stops, it doesn't half put a spring in your step, boosting the mood and the want to get stuff done is strong. Like refreshing your very own self with some lovely new batteries!!  Wonderful!

Josie was able to sandwich her lovely wall hanging. The pattern is in the book, Material Obsession. It's an older book, now out of print but readily availabubble on t'internet as used copies. The patterns and instructions have lots of creative opportunities, to practice PMS (pleasing My Self) and Josie did!

A bit more PMS for this sandwich too. Christabelle is making this quilt for gifting to a very special little lady. Chris used lots of different patterns and books from her very own library. She's drawn lots of the applique designs herself too, all have a special connection, isn't that a lovely idea. 

Pam's list of commissioned quilts for new arrivals, and babies on the way, is growing at a speedy rate. This very cute one, is at the top of Pam's list as baby arrived a bit early. I bet it's being quilted as I write this! Pam is very happy to be in such demand, she just hasn't got enough hours in her days, and doesn't fancy working nigh shifts, ha!

My shop will be open tomorrow, Tuesday 15th, as normal 9:30am until 4pm. Then it will be closed for the Chocolate holiday... Until the following Tuesday, that's the 22nd April.

Stitching News

Firstly, I'd like to remind you all that I, as my shop, will be taking a little break for some fabulous family fun. Yes, more shenanigans and I only just got back from a lovely break in Bath!
My shop is always closed on Wednesdays, Sundays and Mondays.
Friday, the 18th is a Bank Holiday. So I am technically having only 2 days off, which adds up to 6 days all together, Have I confused you???
For your diary then, my shop will be closed from Wednesday 16th April until Tuesday 22nd April, when it will be open from 9:30am to 4pm.
My lovely shop will be open as normal, and as advertised, for the whole of this week now though. 

Rose finished her fabulous dinosaur gifting quilt. It's an Elizabeth Hartman design. Rose added the colourful sashing around each dinosaur because she wanted to! Pleasing her very own self, which is always encouraged in my classroom. Rose only needed to buy the background fabric for this project, all the other fabrics were carefully selected from her stash, which has made her realize just how large said stash has grown to be, I don't see a problem really!

Oh, and the backing was a special purchase, it was too perfect to miss out on. Toot toot toot Rose, your fanfare for the fabulous finish.

Shirley came to make a sandwich. This quilt top has been sitting waiting for quite a while. I think it's called procrastinating. But now, it is done and ready to be quilted. A simple design will be chosen. Everyone says that but inspiration will take over, if it wants to.

This is Jan's Firefly sandwich. An Elizabeth Hartman design. They really are very popular patterns with my customers. The very detailed patterns are relatively easy to follow, once you get your head around all the cutting instructions. Now Jan will quilt, not her favourite part in the process, getting started is the hardest bit. I promise.

While I am here, please make a further note that my shop will be closed:-
Tuesday 29th April, Wednesday 30th, Thursday 1st & Friday 2nd of May.

Open 9:30 - 4pm on Saturday 3rd May.

No apologies folks, life is for living & sewing isn't it!

August Sewing Retreat

Our next sewing retreat is booked for Thursday 21st August - Sunday 24th

We were well looked after during our March retreat, the food was lovely with good variety. 
The sewing space was excellent. A huge conference room with good light and plentiful, solid tables, and believe me, we were using almost all of them by day 3!

The cost for the whole retreat, 3 Nights & 4 Days @ Hillscourt Hotel will be £555.00
That's to include single occupancy, en-suite accommodation, unless you prefer to share.
A full breakfast menu, lovely buffet lunches and 3 course evening meals.

Most importantly, you'll have unlimited access to the sewing room in the company of like minded people. 

£50.00 will secure your place. This is a non refundable deposit.

I tend to book retreats for weekdays as there's usually more choice on availability, but this time I've been able to secure a long weekend treat for us.
I've started to take bookings already, if you fancy the idea but have questions, just contact me and I'll do my best to help.

You can email, angiequilts@gmail.com

or
07807530441 for either WhatsApp or the old way, talking!

Stitching News With Tooting

 Polish your trumpets, readers!!! Very toot-a-bubble photos coming up!

I know, you won't believe it!!! Gail actually finished her Shakespeare In The Park Quilt. I found evidence of the first blocks being made in March 2020. That was Covid year, so that's a good excuse eh. The top was sandwiched in October 2023 Of course, Gail has made quite a lot of other quilts in the meantime. Toot toot toot-itty-toot Gail, a fabulous, finally finished and amazing quilt.

Princess Jackie's explosion of colours in her Gypsy Wife quilt. She says she's learned such a lot about accurate piecing and 'scant' quarter inch seams. All those strips are only 1 1/2 inches cut, so lots of long straight seams were great practice too.

As is Jackie's 'thing' a splendid pieced backing. You can see just how much quilting has been stitched too. Toot toot toot Jackie another absolutely fabulous and finished project.

This is Gail's latest project, a lovely cushion complete with a hidden zip on the back. 

It's totally toot toot toot-a-bubble, it's fabulous and it's finished! 

Stitching News

Just a little catch up for you. Lots of busy classroom days with little time for picture faffing.

Judy made a set of place mats, for gifting. The idea was to use up all of the purple fabrics Judy had accumulated from another quilt. But like all best "Use Up The Bits" ideas, she ended up needing to buy more fabric, ha! Well worth it though. Toot toot toot Judy, a full set of fabulous and finished mini quilts.

It's never too early to start those festive projects, there is definitely going to be another Sewing Prevention Season this year, my calendar says so! Though some of us will be away on a wonderful sewing retreat !!! These little trees will be Christmas Tree Ornaments, Judy often makes little fundraising projects.

Jan made this lap size bonus quilt. She has now, happily, used up all of the remaining Autumnal fabrics from a 10 Minute Block bundle and all of her left over backing fabric from the same quilt. A handy piece of left over wadding was just the right size too. So, technically, this lovey lap quilt was free. Toot toot toot Jan, a fabulous and free-ish finish.

Merlot was a bit shocked to see how big her quilt was on the sandwich tables. She made this gifting quilt top Lick-etty-Split. It's for gifting to a special young-ish fellow. Louise has incorporated some extra special memories with family photos, printed on Cotton Poplin Photo Fabric, (I have packs in my shop!) A big quilting job, it's probably finished by now?

Bev is taking a break from her Tilda piecing project. It is huge and the piecing is a bit tricky and needs to be very accurately done, a break will be good. Bev treated her very own self to a new book and got cracking on the centre block, almost immediately. Such excitement, applique gives instant satisfaction, like painting by numbers.

Mrs. Lou Lou is making good and steady progress on her Elizabeth Hartman, Fab Farm blocks. How cute are those Piggies! The patterns are very clever, but there are lots and lots of tiny bits that like getting lost!

Back To Normal

I am trying to get back to normal. Things keep cropping up to disturb the boring humdrum of 'normal, everyday life'. Not bad stuff mind, just stuff. I'm easily distracted, ha!

Dawn, a shop customer, has been enjoying making kiddo quilts using my Eye Spy Six Packs. She popped in to show this one, her latest quilt She says it is her favourite so far, but really, they are all lovely and very colourful. Toot toot toot Dawn, fabulous & finished.

This is Sarah's sandwich. It's a chess board quilt. The little dots are the poppers to hold the pieces in place. The pieces are like little coasters, you can see one on the side. What a fun idea.

Our Norma spent her retreat days working on this, her Boho Hearts quilt top. She's learned such a lot while making all the different blocks. Lots and lots of long seams, needing straight sewing, were a challenge. Didn't she do well! It's booked in with Amanda from Stone for professional quilting. Norma doesn't enjoy the quilting part and being happy is the most important thing about quilt making.

I made these Llamas ready to be made into a reading pillow, complete with a book pocket on the back. I used the Elizabeth Hartman  Little Llamas pattern. There's a little man going to be 5 soon and he loves a good book.

Another reading pillow top. Bet you can guess who it's for! Our little lady will soon be 7 and she reads sooooo much, a reading pillow will be well used. The Unicorn is also an Elizabeth Hartman pattern. It's huge so I needed 26 inch cushion stuffers!

We had a very enjoyable retreat, such a lot of sewing was done. It was lovely to meet and get to know new people too. Great food and we had such beautiful, sunny, warm weather.

Unfortunately, and I am sure you will understand why,  Hillscourt Hotel has increased it's prices. I'll keep you posted on that for our planned August retreat. It's very disappointing but with everything getting more expensive, we have to accept that our fun will cost more too.