Mellow Yellow

And Bruised Like a Peach!

In the second half of January I quilted 3 tops for other ladies, finishing with this stunning piece by Margaret. The pictures don't do justice to the colour, but it was beautiful. The feathers were flying again and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I was so pleased with the overall result. Margaret's piecing was really excellent (but I like to take credit for the back!)

But that's not all I have been up to!
I am currently working on samples for my upcoming workshop for Connecting Threads in November and I can't resist showing you this little wall hanging I've just made with some classic Laura Ashley blues I recently acquired. 

You can barely see the hand embroidery in this picture - hand sewing is NOT my forte by any means. 

I must be doing something very wrong - it took about 3 hours and I ended up with a badly bruised thumb!!

Then I moved on to Jackie's LARGE log cabin. 

This one is pushing me to the limit on my frame - it is 88 inches wide. Although I can just get it on the rollers I cannot quilt right up to the edge. So, when I get to the bottom (I'm almost there after three days), I will need to take it off and shift it to one side and then the other to finish it off. 

It is a big job but I am enjoying it. 

And there's another learning curve with this one; as I am quilting the feathers downwards in the direction of the piecing (as opposed to horizontal rows as I usually do) I am having to start and stop when I reach the bottom of the frame. This means I need to continue from the previous section, so that you cannot see the join and I have finally worked out how to do it.

While I was waiting for the snow to melt at the end of last week, I revisited 'Project G' which I started last July. I think it is going in a different direction now. I spent much of the weekend rifling through my stash and picking out rainbow brights - not really my true colours to be honest. I think I have eradicated all the orange now!!!

Also, this week, I was honoured to be asked to speak to Amwell Quilters in Hertford. I told them all about my quilting journey so far and showed them the quilts I actually still have at home, (I have parted with so many of the quilts I have made or worked on  over the years). 

A lovely bunch of ladies - it's such fun to talk to other people who 'get it' !!

Happy Quilting Everyone!

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www.englishquilter.co.uk

Magnificent Morris

Stained Glass Window

At last, Valerie found the inspiration to show off her collection of William Morris prints in this classic 'stained glass window' effect quilt, and I had the privilege of quilting it for her! This simple layout is perfect to showcase the fabrics and Val's placement is just right.

All it needed from me was texture, interesting but not overwhelming, so as not to detract from this beautiful design.

Hopefully I achieved that with these feathered swirls. My reward was the back of the quilt!

I continued this style on Karen's quilt, 'Good Fortune' the latest Mystery quilt design by Bonnie Hunter. The piecing on this one was so intricate, by contrast, but also needed a large scale all over design so as not to make it too busy.

Karen had pieced large multi coloured squares for the backing, which looked just great!

Well that is two off the pile and I have already loaded number three for Margaret. My heart skipped a beat when I was pressing the backing fabric (which she had bought online) as I discovered this 3 inch tear right in the middle of it! Fortunately I was able to repair it with some iron-on Vilene. 

I am already well on the way with this one.

Meanwhile, I am working on my first sample for my November workshop for Connecting Threads Group  

'Something Scrappy' ..........OF COURSE!!!!!!!!

Happy Quilting Everyone!

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Ballycastle Twist

Wonderful Week!

I was so motivated last week, after the holiday break, that I couldn't rest until I finished this first quilt of the year. This one is for my sofa, to replace my early first attempt at feathers which looked rather like bananas!

Although it was a busy week in other ways I got it done in 10 days, putting that oh so satisfying final stitch in on Tuesday night! 

The layout is the same as the French General top I quilted for Janet S last year, which I thought was so striking with just two contrasting fabrics. My version, however, uses almost all the fabrics in Christopher Wilson-Tate's Regency Ballycastle 18th Century Chintz collection, in these delicious blues and yellows. I used most of 3 charm packs and 4 fat quarters to make the 144 half square triangle units, plus a couple of metres of the yellow print for the border. (That was the only one I bought on the bolt.)

The centre section is made up of 4 of these matching 24 inch quarter blocks. All the yellows and darker blues were placed on one side and the light blues, whites and creams on the other side. Then I rotated each section by a quarter turn, so that there is a sort of pinwheel effect in the middle, as you can see in the top picture. Hence the name I have given it: 'Ballycastle Twist'

I spent a whole day quilting the centre panel with waves of feathers with pebbled spines. They show up clearer from the back.

Then I spent all of Sunday finishing the border. Some ruler work for the semi circle outlines (filled in with freehand curled feathers) and curved cross hatching. Then lots of ruler work for the ribbed edge. 

I finally got a chance to try a double layer of wadding using my new wool wadding. I still think it could have more definition, again it looks better from the back. When I get some more time for myself I will experiment some more, and perhaps on a plain fabric.

But there won't be much chance of that for a while; I have had four requests this week to finish quilts for some other busy ladies. So I am really pleased to have got this one done - just for ME!

Happy Quilting Everyone!

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January Blues

I had to call Dibs on these!

I've only just caught up on my chores and got back into my sewing room tonight, after more than two weeks abstinence!

 Top of my long to do list is to make a start on a project for myself. These lovely blues, yellows and whites are from the new Regency Ballycastle Chintz 18th Century collection by Christopher Wilson-Tate for Moda and I've been itching to use some of them. This is one charm pack made into 4 and a 1/2" Half Square Triangle units, trimmed up nicely with my Bloc-Loc Ruler. (Such a useful tool, I wouldn't be without it).

I will need at least another pack and a couple of fat quarters for the design I have in mind. It will be a medium-sized square quilt to liven up my sofa a bit and will replace one of my first attempts at quilting feathers on the long arm - I think I can improve on that now. Christopher is bringing some of his antique quilts to Connecting Threads next month and I'm hoping to have it done by then.

Father Christmas really delivered this year and brought me all the toys on my wishlist!

There are so many new tools to try out, I hardly know what to do first; new shapes on the long arm, clever strip pieced Dresden plates or appliqué - so many ideas going round my mind!

But I have lots of other projects to pursue already, with samples for workshops and preparations for my classes etc - 2019 is already looking like a busy year. I can't wait to get stuck in!

Happy Quilting Everyone!

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Feet up for Christmas!

"The Midnight Elves have been hard at work!"

That's what Jackie said when I told her that I had finished her big quilt in under a week. 

This one was as big as the last one I did for Janet. 

A stunning large block in coordinating fabrics on a crisp white on white background. Jackie told me it was a kit, I think from the States, but I don't know the name of it.

At first I thought I would use a light green thread, but in the end decided that an off white would blend across the white and patterned areas much better.

This was another allover feather job, like Janet's. I used the piecing as a guide for the depth of each row, which came out about six inches. Janet's worked out at eight inches, so there was even more quilting on this one. Three spools of thread (approx 1500 yards).

The fine 'Bottom Line' thread in the bobbin just blended in to show this lovely texture on the back.

Now I am up to date for Christmas! 

But I have just received these beautiful new fabrics (and more) from Moda. It's the new range from Christopher Wilson-Tate of the Antique Textiles Company in Hampstead. It is called Regency Ballycastle and is inspired by the beautiful fabrics in the antique quilts from his private collection. I will be listing them for sale on my website soon, but not until I've taken out the 'must haves' for myself. 

I already have my first project for the New Year lined up!

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Happy Quilting Everyone!

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Still Quilting!

I'm Just a Girl Who Can't Say No!

I never like to make a promise I might not be able to keep, so I was a little cautious when new patchworker, Toni, asked me to finish this quilt for a new arrival expected before Christmas.

But I had finished Janet's beautifully pieced quilt and it came out just how I wanted (...and she liked it too!) It was a big job, but SO satisfying. 

I had to piece the backing and  try to line up the large scale pattern. I only just had enough length to work with. 

So when I saw these pretty fabrics, and how enthusiastic Toni was, I just couldn't resist starting it straightaway. She had made such a lovely job of this 'disappearing nine-patch' and I can tell she has got 'the BUG' big time!

I quilted a meandering pattern of hearts, flowers and ribbons across the main section and filled the borders with curled ribbons and petals.

We had a fun little sewing session when she came to collect it today and I was able to show her how to make and attach the binding. So now she has a head start on getting it finished in time.

I had also accepted another quilt top (as big as Janet's) from Jackie, but said I couldn't commit to doing it before Christmas. 

You guessed it! ............ On the frame and started already!

Those feathers just keep on flowing!

Happy Quilting Everyone!

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Tree of Life Reborn

And Feathers In The Wings 

It was such a pleasure to recreate this Tree of Life Quilt, when Val asked me to make one as a Christmas present for a family member. My first version (right) of this charming design by Edyta Sitar came about as a result of the Half Square Triangle exchange that I organised for Connecting Threads and Studio Quilters three or more years ago.








I found I actually had enough  Half Square Triangle units in my stash to get me started on the Tree Tops, as well as one of the appliqué birds!

This time I chose to make all the trunks with the same fabric (with a tree pattern print) and I liked it just as much as the mixed prints I used first time around.

And my quilting is much improved too!

Then it was on to Mary B's whimsical little quilt for her nephew's Christmas present. These charming pictures were cut from a panel. Mary had made clever use of additional borders to produce this original layout as printed panels rarely have the right proportions for a quilt.

Next up is that 'big one' by Janet S. It's all loaded and ready to go and the feathers will be flying!

Happy Quilting Everyone!

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www.englishquilter.co.uk