Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend!

Play Time!

Some projects get done from start to finish in a matter of days and others will stop and start over many months. That's a good thing  - sometimes you need to take a break to regain your inspiration. I started making these diamond log cabin blocks about 2 years ago, with no real plan in mind, and I have dabbled with them from time to time when the mood struck. This last month it all came together in my head and today it is finished!

Not only have I had the benefit of a lot of practice, since starting it, I've also got some great new tools and they've all come out to play! I got this large curved ruler at FOQ 2017 and the little pointy one ('Taj') was a Christmas present, both used for the first time. 

And here are the Micro Handles I bought last year. This was only their second outing. 

They were just what I needed for the detailed work like this tiny pebbling.

But it can put a strain on the back, leaning in close over the frame, so I have just invested in this very expensive saddle stool which turned out to be really helpful.

 I can't really experiment so much on other people's quilts so it was good to do one for myself. I took my time over it, step by step, and really enjoyed it!

I gave myself quite a challenge binding it with frilly corners too!

And, in keeping with the pink theme, I pieced this baby quilt for Ann's nephew's baby girl expected in May. 'Drunkard's Path' has been on my to do list for ages and I love how this layout looks!

 

 

I did it the old fashioned way, with pins! It all came together in three evenings and I will quilt it next week, with feathers I think!

Happy Quilting Everyone!

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www.englishquilter.co.uk

Pretty Productive!

Round The Bend 

Making some progress with my diamond log-cabin project at last, but still pretty much making it up as I go along. I extended these three-dimensional Dresden Bloom units into semi circles last week and then spent Saturday night setting the centres in place. But then I was awake half the night mulling over what to do next! I think I have a plan now, but haven't had time to try it out yet!

Although those units were quite fiddly, I found them very satisfying to make, and quite relaxing. Maybe it was just the pleasure of playing with my prettiest fabrics.

By contrast, the project for Studio Quilters this month was rather more taxing. We were making  'Curved Flying Geese', all foundation pieced (my least favourite technique - they really do drive me round the bend!). As I was leading the demonstration, though, I had to get my act together in advance.

Using leftovers from my Ballycastle Twist quilt, I made four quarter circle segments and prepared the different stages of the curved piecing setting backgrounds ready for the demonstration.

So, even though it was outside my comfort zone, I took a deep breath and we all got stuck in!  The aim was to get at least one quarter block assembled so that we could work through the whole process. And everyone did brilliantly! 

To me, the curved piecing process was the easiest part, and they all squared up perfectly.

There were some lovely fabric choices and I really look forward to seeing what everyone makes with them. Will it be a full circle set in to a cushion? Or maybe a serpentine curve. 








Perhaps a scalloped border like the one I made for my Spring Halo quilt.

 Now I'm going to return to those Dresden Blooms to see how they work out.

Happy Quilting Everyone!

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www.englishquilter.co.uk

Free to Quilt: Rule the Waves

Free to Quilt: Rule the Waves: Waiting for Wadding I've been tied to the house all day waiting for a large box of wadding to be delivered. It looks like it&#39...

Rule the Waves

Waiting for Wadding

I've been tied to the house all day waiting for a large box of wadding to be delivered. It looks like it's not going to show up, which is rather frustrating since I am completely out of stock on the polyester. But I've been far from idle today and have just finished this rather sweet seaside quilt, pieced by Carole from Connecting Threads. The layout didn't suit an all over edge to edge pattern so there was a lot of ruler work, stitching in the ditch and continuous curve around the half square triangle sections. 

Then I managed to get some waves, bubbles and curls in too, to pick up the nautical feel. The delicate aqua and sand colours were very calming - it's going to make a lovely present for someone in Carole's family.

True to my word, last Saturday, I showed great restraint at the Knitting and Stitching Show at Olympia, and only spent 'pin money' - literally!! But as always after a show, I came back with a desire to use some of the fabrics I already have. By the evening I was sorting through my basket of most treasured fabrics and starting these tiny half inch log cabins. 

The deep pink centre is my absolute most precious fabric!

I only bought a half yard about 8 years ago and  first used it in my Hunter's Star quilt at the top of my blog page. Since then I have used a little piece of it in all my favourite quilts and I am down to a short strip and a few tiny slivers! Funny how some things are hard to let go of! 

Now they are building up nicely as I am using wider strips on the outer rounds. This is going to be a real 'Jan' quilt! But I  really shouldn't get distracted like this. There's the Laura Ashley project and the Diamond Log Cabin to be finished.

Also I need to work up my samples for the curved flying geese demo at Studio Quilters next weekend. I am going to use left overs from My Ballycastle Twist quilt and make a  centrepiece for my little table in the dining room. So it has to be blue!

Tomorrow I'm invited to speak and show my fabric at Chiltern Quilters in High Wycombe, which should be fun.

Happy Quilting Everyone!

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www.englishquilter.co.uk

Petal Power

Like Falling Off A Log

Last week's big job was finishing off this really pretty top for Margie. I quilted the pieced blocks first, with continuous curves in variegated thread (using my brilliant new Elvira ruler). Then I echoed all around the appliqué to anchor the whole piece. The fun part was filling in the soft creamy calico background with 'petal feathers' and flowers on the edge. The piecing and appliqué was such a charming design and the fabrics so pretty; it really called for a very feminine quilting pattern.  

Once that was done, I resolved to start a scrap quilt. 


 So there I was, fiddling with 1 inch strips of scrap fabric making little half log cabin blocks, when the man from ParcelForce turns up with 40 metres of brand new fabric! 

I am never going to get on top of it at this rate! But seriously I am trying to use up some of my scraps in a creative way, to make quilts for charities like Project Linus, alongside making things for myself. Here is the bright and colourful quilt I made using those new log cabin rulers. They made light work of the cutting. I also managed to incorporate some Flying Geese blocks I made a while back.

I decided to try a different quilting design on this one, so I watched a couple of videos and decided on this double bubble pattern. It was quick and fun.

And here's one of those beautiful new fabrics that arrived; all neutrals from Laundry Basket Quilts' new collection, 'Sonoma' for Andover Fabrics. I've got my eye on this one! 

Next up was making that quilt tote using my large and small Dresden plates and sample blocks. Hand appliquéd no less! 
I really had to think how to assemble it so that I could centre up the plates and get the blocks on the side and bottom sections of the bag. 


Talk about make life difficult for yourself! 







But I worked it out in the end and now I have three big bags to carry quilts in. I love how it turned out. I even found a large button in my box in just the right colour. That's always satisfying.

Coming up next is a seaside themed quilt top to finish for Carole M. I need to study it to decide what to do with it. Then there is the first green quilt to come out of dear Mary Say's stash that I shared with Studio Quilters. 

But I am off to Olympia this weekend for The Knitting and Stitching Show, with a 'minimal' shopping list. It remains to be seen what I will actually come home with !!

Happy Quilting Everyone!

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www.englishquilter.co.uk

Brotherly Love!

New Toys and a Surprise Parcel!!

My big brother is officially the best! He never judges me and is happy to indulge me with weird rulers and tools for my birthday and Christmas, as long as I order them from my computer and not his. (It doesn't do his street cred any good to have quilting ads pop up on his screen!) So when the doorbell rang this morning, I thought it was the rulers I had ordered for my Birthday next month. But instead it was this bundle of the prettiest fabrics ('Porcelain' by 3 Sisters for Moda), which I had ordered so long ago I'd almost forgotten about them. I think it's safe to say that not all of these will make it out of my sewing room.

Then the rulers arrived as well - 2 Log Cabin rulers by 'Bloc-Loc'. They were ridiculously expensive, but just what I need to help me tackle my scrap stash. I've tried them already - I know he won't mind me not waiting for my birthday. I need to sort out my scraps again.

Meanwhile, I have finished Jackie's mammoth Log Cabin with feathers flowing all around the 'barn raising' layout.

Now I have moved on to Jackie's friend Margie's pretty appliquéd top, which is almost as big. 

I've made a good start on it today, about 6 hours in the loft so far. It has given me a chance to try out another new toy; a long arm ruler called 'Elvira' by Angela Walters. This one was a Christmas present from my daughter, and it makes continuous curves much easier - I already love it! 

Last weekend the ladies of Studio Quilters met at our cosy new venue and set about making these sweet little rabbits designed by 'Tilda' and kindly cut out for us by Gill Picken (who made sure I got a pink one!)

They were a lot fiddlier than we thought. The thin limbs were a bit tricky to turn out and stuff, but we all got them done for the photo shoot. 

And here is the result of another new toy (which I actually bought myself for Christmas.) More Bloc-Loc rulers, these are called 'Bloomin' Cogwheels'. Basically they are for Dresden Plate or fans made from pieced strips. 

I had already started these clever little blocks with the same fabrics and now I think I will put them all together and make another big quilt bag. 

But the big highlight of the week was the Show and Tell evening at Connecting Threads group in Elstree. Christopher Wilson-Tate of Antique Textiles Company in Hampstead treated us to a fabulous viewing of a selection from his vast private collection.

This incredible example was first displayed in the Great Exhibition of 1851. It is made from hand pieced 1/4 inch hexagons - approximately 45,000 of them!

I don't think I will be trying anything like that soon!

Happy Quilting Everyone!

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www.englishquilter.co.uk

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!

Thank you for visiting my blog and for leaving your comments. Please share on Facebook, Pinterest  etc.

www.englishquilter.co.uk