A Wonderful Retreat

We enjoyed another great retreat at the Hillscourt Hotel. They looked after us very well and we got on with our stitching. It's as simple as that, insert a very big smile! We set up our machines and projects, discussed all manner of things that had happened during our retreat prep and the journey over. Someone always gets lost but we won't talk about the M6 Toll Road any more. After a couple of hours sewing we all went for lunch so I snapped a photo of our sewing space... Lots of space with excellent lighting.

It all looks very tidy and organised here but by the last day we had covered the area and all of the tables in fabrics and sewing projects. Our supplies were very well spread out, as we always do, " Have space, will spread and fill!" The room had a few design walls this time, they were very useful. My intention was to take a few more pictures as the days went by, but I forgot. 

I remember telling you that I had been knitting. I got this far with the jumper then stopped because I don't like the sewing up part.

Day one of my sewing retreat was spent sewing the jumper parts together. 

I'm very pleased with it and I'm hoping it fits Faye.

Sewing, is sewing! It is a fabulous and finished project too.

The rest of my retreat time was spent making up these blocks. I only need 20 in total and I have 7 completed. All the units are made up and triangles have been cut ready, so it's really just the sewing them together, but I do like pointy-points to be very accurate, so it takes time. I think two more retreats should see them all finished. I'm in no rush.

I've just noticed the Jumper co-ordinates very well with my design wall!!

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Right... with all this talk of sewing retreats, I should remind you that our next one still has a few places, should you be interested? The details are:-

Sewing Retreat October 2025
Hawkstone Park Hotel, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY4 5UY
The hotel is set within a Golf Course, quite lovely.

Arriving Monday 6^th from 10:30 am until late-ish afternoon on Thursday 9th

The total cost is £485.00 with a £70.00, non-refundable deposit when you book. 
We have started to collect the full amount now though.

The retreat includes Single occupancy accommodation, unless you prefer to share.
Full Breakfast menu, 7.30am - 9.30am
Lunches @ 12.30pm & 3 course dinners served @ at 6 pm 
Tea and coffee, biscuits & bottled water and there is, of course, a bar.

There are no restrictions to hours of sewing. If you can sew for 24 hours, go for it!

Please feel free to tell your sewing chums, so long as they are independent workers.
This is a 'Sew your own thing' relaxed retreat.
You don't have to be a quilter to join us, any sewing is just fine, especially little jumpers!

Catching Up

I seem to be doing that a lot lately don't I? Catching up. No apologies though, having fun is obviously disruptive. I'll try to get organised before the next retreat, which is only 5 weeks away, then I'll be back to square one and trying to catch up again. 
There are a few photos, so here goes: -

Christabelle came to make a lovely quilt sandwich. It was another Sandwich Saturday, on a Friday. This is a free pattern from Tildas World called Daydreamer. Not the easiest piecing you will ever encounter, it says on the pattern "Difficulty rating *** " but Chris is always up for a challenge, it paid off didn't it.

Sharon Leek finished her Stained glass Window quilt. It's been on her 'To Doo' list for a while and she is super chuffed with it. What a lovely bright projects it is. Those beautiful Batiks are perfect against the black sashing. Sharon quilted this during our July retreat. Toot toot toot, it's  totally toot-able, fabulous and, best of all, finished! Though she might very well add a bit more quilting.

A requested workshop.
A few ladies wanted to learn about triangles and, if there was time, a bit of applique, so I booked them in on a Friday, that's what Fridays in my classroom are for at the moment, special requests and sandwich Saturdays. Lots of top tips were noted whilst all sorts of making triangle methods were practiced. From the simple and traditional way of cutting squares in half and sewing them together, to lots of other ways we've learned over the years. People are very clever thinking up different ways of achieving the same thing, like the No Waste Flying Geese (this one is my favourite method)

 Here are a few of their results, all in blue fabrics from my home stash. One day they will run out!

I think the ladies enjoyed the workshop. They went home looking happy, and tired!

You'll be thinking that you've seen this sandwich before, and you have. It belonged to Princess Jackie. She had done quite a lot of quilting on the original sandwich but she wasn't happy with it. It was riding and not staying put. So, she un-stitched it all and came to a Sandwich Saturday, yes... on Friday! to remake her hexagon sandwich. This time Jackie will quilt with Big Stitch quilting, by hand, using Perle Cotton #8. It will be beautiful and it will keep her knees warm while she stitches!

Shop Closed

 My shop is closed now for a few days, open again on Tuesday 26th August. 

This is why!

The next retreat will be from 6th to 9th of October.

This time in the Hawkstone Park Hotel, Shrewsbury, Shropshire

I'll be taking further names and deposits when I get back from the Lickey Hills retreat, all sewn up, content, happy and ready to get planning this next one!

Back soon x

Stitching News

Another long break in between posts, but I have been busy. This time I have been knitting instead of turning my computer on. I won't put pictures of my knitting though, this is a quilting blog. I might treat you to a finished jumper picture or two though. Just know, I undo a lot of my stitches, ha! I just got to the bit where I have to sew the raglans together? so I've put it down, just like procrastinating really. I might need YouTube later. 
I've only taken a few photos recently. My shop seems to have attracted a lot of new customers so I haven't had many opportunities for remembering photo taking. I always give excellent customer service you see, I cant just say, "hang on a minute missis, I need to take pictures", not when there is serious quilt planning in progress.

Chistabelle, very kindly, sent a photo of her finished gifting cushion. It's a very different colour way to  usual Tilda projects, isn't it, very lovely though. The pattern is from the book 'Quilts From Tilda's Studio' and once you own a book you can please your very own self on fabric and colour choices. There's a bit of excellent Free-Motion quilting to see, if you zoom in a bit. It's Fabulous and finished Christabelle, toot toot toot.

Cheryl Cheryl has a few relatively free days that she wants to use for quilting, so came to make up a quick sandwich. Beautiful and bright, don't you think. The pattern is called Churn Baby Churn. That's the linky thing if you'd like to click on it. There's a large Churndash block on the back, you will see that when tooting day arrives.

Joanna, very proudly, held up her first ever, large quilt, standing on my photo step! It's probably the same feeling as being on a medal podium at the Olympics!! There's walking foot quilting to stabilize the quilt then Joanna hand quilted around the, hand appliqued hearts with Big Stitch quilting, using Perle Cotton #8 and a lovely, sharp, John James, Chenille needle (Auto correct want to write senile needle, ha ha ha) Toot toot toot Jo.

 

This is Gail's first completed block. She's been asked to make a Stained Glass Window quilt, so she's going for it. Using beautiful Batik fabrics makes for a very bright quilt, especially with all the back sashing highlighting the colours. The 'thing' with Batik fabric though, which is very useful, normally is that you neither have a definite right, nor wrong side. It's a very long story, in brief though,  a couple of bits got turned over so they didn't fit properly, not until we had spent hours re-gigging! So the very fact that Gail has one complete block, and sent me photo evidence, is rather splendid indeed.

Just a little reminder that I'm off on another Quilting/Sewing retreat soon so My Lovely Shop will be closed for a few days. 
Open as normal for now, then closed from Wednesday 20th until Tuesday 26th of August.

You could still join us on the retreat, there's plenty of space.

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