Uttoxeter Quilt Class

What a rubbish start for my return to work... I only took these two photos! Note to self... must try harder with photos!
Lizzy started a new project. She loves to make one block quilts and favours only using three fabrics/colours, good for her PMS (Pleasing My Self) She's decided to make 10" Churndash blocks using the delicious Batik 'not too pinky' pinks and got a lot of the cutting done ready for it.
Giggly Gillian also started a new project using browns and sea blues with lovely creams and slightly gold-ish creams. Lots of large HST (Half Square Triangles) randomly stitched together, this should be a quick finish as the HST's are made from 7" squares.

Marisabel saw my now famous 'Tea Bag' and wanted one for her very own self. She was very happy to find this coffee cup fabric so, she studied my Big Quilted Panel Bag tutorial (right side bar) and made all the parts she needed, she practiced free motion quilting on her new Juki machine too, she did a great job! Today she finished quilting round the coffee cups, trimmed up all the pieces and completed the bag, top stitching too, oh, she will put the handles on at home... one happy lady!
 Jenny continued quilting her gorgeous red and cream quilt.
Lovely Lyn was making the corner blocks ready to put her Lilly's Colours top together and Messy Maureen added binding to her cheat quilt then chose her next project... ready for when we meet again. She's going to make a red, white and blue quilt with the blocks set on point to resemble a diamond, ready to raffle it off for charity during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations next year, isn't she good!

We meet again on Tuesday 23rd August, 10am - 3pm, the class is fully booked again... and I will take more pictures!!
I will take more pictures...
I will take more pictures...

Quilty Quarters

It's finished... I absolutely love it. Love the little tiny 1/4" inner purple border too, do you like it? Just a hint of seasoning and the whole thing comes together beautifully... not that I would say this quilt is beautiful... I'd describe it as 'stunning' Toot Toot Toot.
I had a good old root in the Quilty Quarters cupboards and drawers... found a most gorgeous backing fabric. It needs a few strips of fabric before it's big enough but I rooted for those at the same time... and came up trumps!! I cant wait to get this quilt top sandwiched and finished.. alas it will have to wait, the pins are all STILL in the fishy bubbles. Have been doing my chores, like a whirlwind I tell you... woooosh... I'm off again.

Quilty Quarters

I'm quite pleased with my progress... The wonky 9-Patch blocks are fast to make and, as I've added a few lighter colours, they seem to be lifting the darkness that was bothering me. I need 12 wonky blocks, wonder if I can make them today, the last day of my holiday time...
The holiday hours have slipped by very quickly for me, that's the only downside to fun, the hands on the clock seem to whiz round faster, probably because there's no need to keep looking at it eh...
I still haven't quilted the fishy bubble quilt, good job I have quality pins that won't rust in my fabric, at least the quilt sandwich will be good and flat when I get round to it, it's been hanging over my banister for over a week now, stops it getting dusty!! he he he,
 

Quilty Quarters, Bargello

To make one like mine, all you do is...
Cut 3 strips WOF (width of fabric, salvage to salvage) 1 1/2" wide from 10 fabrics, this gives you 30 strips (you can cut 6 strips of 1 1/2" wide if you're using fat quarters) 
You sew them together in strip sets, keeping them in the same order, join the three strip sets together to make one large one, sew the ends of that together making a loop (left of this photo is the looped piece).
Are you still with me??
Then you cut the loop into strips of varying widths. (following a chart)
Next you'll un-stitch a bit, move it up or down a bit, and stitch them together again, easy!... right side of the photo.... really, it's much easier to watch than to read about it.
I haven't cut all the strips because I need to do that for the demo next week at Caverswall Village Hall, we are visual learners you see... it's looking good, don't you think?
More from Quilty Quarters tomorrow...

Quilty Quarters With My Mum

Mum came over to play in my Quilty Quarters. She had finished adding sashing to the Friendship Star blocks and needed a little more fabric for the borders. We decided to get the backing sorted out ready to make her second sandwich next week... Mum folded up the backing then spent a few confused moments wondering where she had put the top... she was standing on it, ha ha ha, she had forgotten about measuring it on the floor, we had a giggle about that.... then we realised that there are more 4 more days until we can get to the Quilt Cave tables...

So, as I am on holiday my poor Mum had to clean a floor space so that we could get busy sandwiching, on hands and knees... I mean it about my holiday... I didn't take a week off to do housework!!! ha ha ha, I will be paying for it on Monday when the whole house will need more than a 'cat lick'!! Sandwich completed Mum left me to get back to her very own Quilty Quarters and start stitching.
We did some other stitching too, I will be showing those pictures tomorrow... think 'bright Bargello' the ladies last Friday saw what I chose to demonstrate the Bargello, I don't think I posted a picture for you, you had to have been there... until tomorrow then...

Quilty Quarters

It's all stitched up. At this point it measures 36" x 42" plus seam allowance, blocks are 6".
I decided that this quilt needed to be finished... much as I love the colours, love the fabrics, even love the design... there is a problem... it looks like I made a scrappy quilt and that is bugging me quite a lot! I love scrap quilts, they are my most favourite thing to make, but this quilt has been cut from my yardage stash... good yardage, fabrics that I really like, so I'm not going to make a big quilt with it after all, it will be a scrumptious sofa throw and will look fabulous on my black sofas... now that that decision's been made, I can work on the borders, today, I have a plan, I've been book rooting!!

Quilty Quarters & News

Two little wonky star blocks... that's all I have to report on my stitching progress... but it doesn't mean I wasn't playing in my Quilty Quarters. My Mum came over to play with me and we made a rather delicious backing for her pink and green Pineapple Blossom quilt. We will make the sandwich on tables next week though. We rooted A LOT, to find a great fabric to sash the 24 Friendship Star blocks... would you believe that yellow with white dots was the winner?... wait 'til you see it.

Other news... My tickets have arrived in good time for the Festival Of Quilts at the NEC... I get to spend two days in white gloves with a rather bright, fetching sash draped unfashionably over my shoulder, chatting and giggling, one subject could be... patchwork and quilting! ha ha ha, Usually we get to meet folk from all over our quilty world... I love being 'An Angel'!! I hope you will stop by to chat... remember... I'll be the one wearing white gloves with a bright coloured sash! ha ha ha (me and twenty others!!)

Quilty Quarters

This is a holiday stitching update for you... You're probably looking and wondering where the progress is... you would think I had hardly had any stitching time... sort of true, I have been deciding, wondering, frustrating, swapping and changing, all in my Quilty Quarters, not exactly stitching but making progress all the same.
See the little wonky blocks alongside the main blocks... I decided to cut up some of the darker blocks to use them as possible star centres... I'll probably be working on them today.
I want to quilt the Fishy quilt but I have so many little piles around the room... one flick of a big quilt would create massive confusion for me... it doesn't take much! ha ha ha