Jennie Rayment's Coming!!!!!

I just got off the phone with Jennie Rayment.... She has allowed me to book her for a whole day on Friday September 3rd. I haven't firmly decided what we will have her teach yet, but I am blooming excited about it!!! I hope you are too?

Uttoxeter Quilt Class

Well... you will all be quite pleased to know that the first thing we did in class was to make another sandwich for Liz... that very, VERY phoofy batting/wadding turned out to be a devil to quilt. Their fabulous Bernina Aurora was OK with the actual stitching but the batting/wadding was so thick, it was impossible to manoeuvre... just as I said it would be... (I confess... I'm grinning!!)
Ian got out their new camera which proved to be very useful in documenting the event...
Both students eventually settled down to their quilting, after a few minutes discussing various possible designs and how to.
The next projects are already being thought about... Ian is designing his own quilt using my EQ5, so that should be very exciting.
We meet again on Sunday 20th June, 10am - 3pm
I wonder whether these quilts will be finished by then? Either way, I will be teaching my favourite (not!) Paper Piecing.

Quilty Quarters

Entering my quilty quarters to make a start on the twenty or so blue and white Portuguese Tile blocks, this new fabric caught my attention, t'wanted to play with me!!.... I've had a kaleidoscope ruler and the book by Eleanor Burns for such a long time now.... so I played, for hours. Not enough fabric to stick to my original plan so I'm working on plan B instead, given that there was no plan B... it's looking interesting. Dotty Maureen came to visit and enjoyed a quick lesson in stacking, ready for whacking!

wooooops, the phone rang..... luckily, I've been meaning to re-cover my ironing board for ages... he he he.
It's quite horrible in the other areas too to be honest... starch is wonderful, but it makes a blooming mess on your cover, yes I know this was not the fault of the starch.....

Uttoxeter Quilt Class today, 10am - 3pm, good job I use a different ironing board for classes eh!... no time to be playing with fabrics right now!

All Day Sewing

What a fantastic hall, we had so much room to work, at least 2 tables each and as many chairs as we needed to store stuff on, and Brenda Barbara loves filling chairs! he he he

The kitchen is great, the light is perfect, it has good access for the disabled, even special parking right by the door..... ..oh yes.... we're staying here!!!
I've booked Caverswall Village Hall for our future Friday Sewing Days, we have room for many more quilters.... it works out cheaper too! There is a small stage, so we might even get some guest speakes to entertain us in the future.... I'm very excited about the future of this.... can you tell? he he he, We should practice by having our 'Show & Tell' on the stage, he he he.

Shirley Lerly didn't have to move everyone off their worktables to make a sandwich... we just got 3 more tables out of the cupboard!! Great quilt eh!

Brenda Barbara has started her next quilt. She's going to make a sofa throw....

with the Chunky Churndash pattern, these are two of her blocks laid out so we could choose which one we liked best... difficult decision...

Joan The Shop was very chic, matching her clothes to her next project... accidentally of course...

so, her next project is the Log Cabin (Lilly's Colours) this easy design is very popular and each quilt looks so different with all the different colour choices.

Messy Maureen turned up to surprise us, she told me she was going to take a break from our meetings so she could enjoy the outdoors in our lovely weather... but she's been three times since then, he he he, proof that our quilty days are too much fun to miss?... me thinks so! Maureen is working on small gifts to sell for charity... today... loo roll covers, very useful.
Maureen wants to start making Christmas things to sell for charity so if you have any Christmas fabrics that you don't want any more, she will be happy to take them from you.

We were treated to "Show & Tell" all provided by Joan The Shop. I have alread received a lot of e-mails about Joan's hexagon quilt while she has been working on it, I think it's a 'people's favourite', the centre is all old, recycled fabric, hand pieced the traditional way, papers and all.... the borders are super modern batiks, machine pieced. The whole thing has been machine quilted... mixing up methods???.... we don't let the quilt police bother us!!!

this is the label we came up with, it's a twist on the wedding thing/ditty, something old, something blue, something borrowed, something blue... you know the one... I love Joan's version! I bet you love it too eh?

Alicia's Peppa Pig quilt... Joan has learned soooo much making this quilt. from piecing "fudginess" to free motion quilting, applique techniques to colour and fabric content... a lotalot of learning... and fun!

and what a great backing. Alicia has been using this quilt and is absolutely loving it, she's not quite 2 years old, Joan has photos of her grand daughter fast asleep in this pink, pink, pink Peppa Pig quilt!

A Fabric Sale

Not just fabric on sale actually.. it's 5% off your final bill... once they tot up your account they discount 5%... so it includes notions and other supplies too..... ooooh, I almost forgot to tell you where this sale is... I was protecting you!!! ha ha ha
It's at Pollyanna Patchwork in Eccleshall, Staffordshire. I went there yesterday. The sale lasts until closing time on Saturday.
YES I did treat myself to these two fabric purchases... they are for immediate use so it is OK... isn't it .... had they been just to add to my stash I would not have bought them... I promise!

It's Friday today, so that means All Day Sewing, 10am - 3pm... if you planned to come please remember that we are meeting at Caverswall Village Hall today, not at Heath House Farm in Forsbrook as usual.

Linda's Quilts

I met Linda at a meeting of the Mexico City Quilt Guild about 7 or 8 years ago, we've both moved away since then but we've kept in touch via e-mail. She sent some pictures that took me down 'memory lane'. A group of ladies meeting every Thursday for stitching, lunch, chatter, laughter, tears... oh, you know how it is! The ladies in this picture are Elaine and Anitta, not Linda. During one meeting I was hand quilting my Mile-a-Minute quilt with 'big stitch' quilting, using perle cotton. The group asked me to show them how to make one. This picture was taken the day after our workshop meeting at Elaine's house... where the fun had continued.... This is the mess that only 2 ladies made, there were about 8 or 9 of us at my home the day before so you can imagine the chaos, it was an unforgettable day... fun eh!
Linda's email says " Since you taught me the technique, I've included the 'mile a minute' quilt I made for my Mother's 90th birthday. Because her memory is fading, the quilt is called "Scraps of Memories" and I included many fabrics from her own quilting stash." here's the fabulous backing, what a brilliant way to use up extra blocks!!!.... Linda is a very experienced quilter, in fact... I can blame her quite safely for the seed of my need to purchase a Bernina 440 QE! 'twas Linda who first told me about the marvelous machine.
Thanks for the pictures Linda, and my trip down memory lane!

Uttoxeter Quilt Class

AJ' (Angela that's not me) finished quilting her project... she trimmed it, cut binding strips, joined them and machine stitched them to the quilt. The hand stitching will be done at home, cosily, in front of the TV. AJ needed to make another Mat & Ruler bag.... unfortunately she bought a new mat and it's quite a bit bigger than her old one... doesn't fit in the original bag... good job they are fun to make eh!

Messy Maureen's Scrappy quilt is finished. She had hand stitched her binding down at home, she is very proud of her quilt... and rightly so! She made a label and strategically placed it to cover a small repaired tear in the backing, we quilters are so cunning aren't we?

.... this is the back if it (see the clever label placement?), what great fabric for backing. Each picture is different and, after studying the pictures, Dotty Maureen noticed that each one was a proverb... like, "you can lead a quilter to fabric and for sure she will sew"??? ha ha ha..... no that's not right... it was "leading a horse to water but he doesn't want a drink... you know what I mean, oh, please forgive me for amusing myself...!! ha ha ha

Jenni finished hand quilting on the Saw Tooth border triangles, she is adding a bit more machine quilting to the main blocks now (with her fabulous Bernina Aurora sewing computer) ... she's on the home straight!
I do declare that I heard Jenni say that this quilt will be finished next week, woooo hoooo.

I work really hard to try to make, and keep my blog interesting... I can't tell you how big my happy smile was when Lizzie pulled out her pattern to make a new bag!!! it was printed off from my bag tutorial... very proud!! I have to go somewhere to learn how to make printer friendly pages though, poor Lizzie has all the side bar bits on the pattern too, he he he... sorry Lizzie.

.. anyway, she didn't seem too bothered. This bag is going to be a gift for a friend so there is a bit of a hurry for it, once all the cutting was done, the sandwiches made and the handles were stitched, Lizzie took the rest home to quilt and finish... great colours for a bag me thinks.

Lizzie's husband/chauffeur/house boy... came to collect her and was very happy to have this picture taken with proud Lizzie and her Pineapple Blossom quilt sandwich... I bet he didn't think about how he will be neglected while she quilts it! he he he.

Sadly.... We don't meet again now until June.... which is NEXT WEEK!!!!
Tuesday 1st June, 10am - 3pm.

My Portuguese Tiles

Right, that's the centre done. Looking good eh?
As you can see I found a perfect fabric for my first border, it has lots of different shades of blue flecks on it.... but then production stopped, for hours, and a few more hours.
After pulling out loads different fabric for audition and mulling over way too many ideas, I made my decision....
I didn't like any one fabric as a border, so it has to be pieced.
All the pieced borders I considered were just looking too regimental... so, out came my favourite Marsha Block Party book of 9" blocks and I will be working on making loads of different ones (about 22) over the next few days, traditional piecing..... even the triangles!
I'm going to make them "by the book"... no shortcutting... back to basics.
Look out blue pile... I'm coming back in!!! ha ha ha

Dotty Maureen's Gift

Dotty Maureen told me that she has many wonderful neighbours. Some are very special... one lucky lady will be gifted this lovely, double sided quilt made especially for her... because she is special..
Dotty has been happily working on it for ages . The four little squares in the middle of this side have the names of Vicky's children embroidered on them. I don't think you will be able to see them from this picture though, what I nice idea eh....

Uttoxeter Quilt Group

Liz making a sandwich with her very phoofy batting/wadding.... "it was such a bargain find" she says, I did tell her that it might cause her a few problems but this lady knows what she wants so.... we sandwiched it. It is very soft so lets wait and see how she gets on with the quilting....
Ian made his sandwich with 80/20 batting/wadding.... playing safe? No, they didn't have enough for him to use the phoofy bargain stuff... I think he should consider himself very lucky, he he he, for sure he will find it much, much easier to work with!
It was a very, very hot day, the room stayed cool all morning and as the sun came round in the afternoon it warmed up a treat, so much so that Ian ran out to buy ice-cream for all of us... very refreshing!
Giggly Gillian joined us for a while too, she needed to play on her new Bernina!!

We will meet again next Sunday, 30th May 10am - 3pm, would you like to join us? I can't promise ice-cream though! ha ha ha

My Portuguese Tiles

This time last year I was preparing to leave Portugal. At my farewell doo my favourite quilty ladies gifted me with these blocks, something to remember them by.... like I would forget them?? They were happy times..... They're blue and white with bits of yellow to represent the famous Portuguese tiles, which you can't miss if ever you go there.
I've decided to make the quilt, for goodness sakes.... almost a whole year has flown by and I haven't done anything with them! They were all different sizes so it was a little tricky. I made an extra block to complete the 10" block row, I've decided to make 2 x 5" blocks for the space that remains... then I will get out my stash of blues and invent a border, which I will start later today...

It's Quilt Class at Uttoxeter today 10am - 3pm, so.... as the song goes, Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work I go.

Forsbrook Quilt Group

Twas a bit hot in our meeting room at Forsbrook! phew, it's a converted roof space so, no wonder eh! All the roof windows were open so we could hear tweety birds singing for us.
Anyway, lots of progress from my Ladies. No pictures because I forgot my camera... duh!

I would like to draw your attention to next Friday's meeting, the 28th May, because there is a venue change... we will meet at Caverswall Village Hall, 10am - 3pm as usual. You will need to bring a packed lunch, sorry to those who love their Paninis from Heath House Farm where we usually meet.... but tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided as usual, maybe even better than usual? but don't hold your breath eh, he he he
This is a huge venue so we will have lots of room if you want to come join us with your own stitching project.
angiequilts@gmail.com for more information.

Amazing! From Malvern

WOW!!!
I don't know about you, I only know about me and how I see things.... So... I think hand piecing and hand quilting are extra special..... I have no desire to stitch by hand though, I love playing on sewing machines... but I really appreciate the hand work, the hours that go into the projects. I will stand looking at hand work for a loooooong time.... WOW-ing.
This quilt, it's applique and embellishing, trapunto and quilting is all done by machine... WOW.
This quilt had a queue of people waiting for a closer look, others had people waiting, but this queue was EVERY time I went back.. and I went back a lot of times... WOW.
That's why I mentioned about the hand piecing, because this quilt had me feeling the same way... that it was so special because it was soooooo... ya know.... WOW!!!! and done by machine, unbelieveabubble isn't it. I went to talk to the lady who made it, even the little flowers are done by machine....
The lady is Pauline Ineson, she does classes and I could make a quilt just like (?) this... how cool would that be... one small problem... the course is one workshop per month... over 2 years! So, that's not going to happen is it... I asked whether I could go to learn how to make just one block, or two, I could make posh cushions (that no-one would be allowed to sit on!) but alas... you have to sign up for the full two years and the whole quilt, it is almost 2 hours drive from my house too.... not bad in this lovely weather, but in the winter and darkness... nope... I shall continue WOW-ing about it from a distance me thinks!
Click on the pictures if you want to WOW with me, amazing!
I would really like to make just one block, the fushias I think. I can buy the book and teach myself... not the same... I like to be shown how to do things... he he he, lazy?

More From Malvern

Already a whole week has passed since I went to the Malvern Quilt Show. I promised you more of my pictures, I hope you enjoy them. They are all small size so please click on them to see more detail. Not writing much about them, I have had 7 sleeps since then and I am not known for my memory! he he he