JulesQuilts

Christmas Stockings

2011-11-08T23:24:00.001Z

I've been busy making Christmas stockings.

Side one


Side two

The stockings are double sided.

More pictures of them in the making can be seen here.

Riches to Rags

2011-10-05T16:01:00.001+01:00

I'm off to Furness Shoreline Quilters Guild this evening to give a talk - Riches to Rags. This talk covers the first part of my exciting quilting journey. I will be taking along lots of quilts for the audience to have a good rummage through after I've finished. The bags are packed with quilts all I have to do now is figure how long it will take me to get there!

And now for a little eye candy:

This is Frosty a double bed sized Stack n Whack quilt I finished in June.

The Quilted Sheep

2011-04-28T11:32:00.005+01:00

The reason for my prolonged absence is due to our new venture - The Quilted Sheep.
My daughter and I have taken the plunge and opened a quilt fabric and wool shop in Milnthorpe, Cumbria.
Hence we have had a very exciting but busy year planning, organising, buying etc.
As the quilter I am looking after the quilting side of the business whilst Charlotte takes care of the knitting.
So there will likely be even less posted on this blog!

Scraps

2011-02-20T13:03:00.002Z

I've been in my scrap box again and for once I've finished what I started! When I get my act together this will be shipped to Jan MacFadyen in Australia for the Oz Comfort Quilts - Queensland Flood Relief Quilts.

I used Jan instructions for making it Quilt As You Go, though I joined the blocks differently by using one strip of fabric on the front and another on the back.

Farfield Mill

2010-06-17T15:09:00.003+01:00

We went to the preview of the Turning Point Exhibition 'Trees in the Park' at Farfield Mill nr Kendal on Friday. The exhibition was fabulous I recommend you go and see it if you are in the area.

I haven't been to the Farfield Mill before and was delighted with it, it does requires further exploration as we only got a tantalising little glimpse of it on Friday. Charlotte (my daughter) and I will be checking it out in full the near future.

Clutter tidied

2010-06-16T00:04:00.004+01:00

These remote controls have been driving me crazy for months, they are forever cluttering up the sitting room either making a mess on the coffee table, are left lying down the side of the chairs or settee or are somewhere on the floor just waiting to cause an accident.

A bit of ingenuity and a couple of hours cutting and sewing and ta da we are all tidy now!

Blue

2010-04-06T17:25:00.002+01:00

Ummm my scraps are very blue.........

More scraps

2010-04-05T11:03:00.003+01:00

I spent most of my spare time on Saturday pressing scraps I now have a huge pile waiting to be cut into strips!

I had some time to cut a few yesterday, I also made another block - two down twenty-eight to go!

Scraps

2010-04-02T23:25:00.005+01:00

Scrap box

I have been totally uninspired for some time but this week I have been in my scrap box.
I've decided on a pattern, and am now busy processing my scraps.

Pressed scraps

I couldn't resist making up a block to see what it would look like!

Here it is the first block completed

Happy New Year!

2009-12-30T12:08:00.002Z

Wow it's been a while, life just got silly, hopefully it will calm down a little now.

I have done virtually no quilting just a little quilt and pillow for my niece's doll's cot. It was for Christmas and as usual I did it at the last minute, then consequently forgot to take photos, oops!

Deciding that I had to do something creative I dug out a black work cushion I have been wanting to make for several years and am doing a little of that each day. Have put the camera batteries on charge so I can take a picture later.

English Rose

2009-09-02T17:27:00.001+01:00

Here is my finished piece for the Good Ol’ Summertime quilt swap.

It has been sitting in my wip pile for some time, I didn’t know what to do with it and was half thinking of making it into a cushion.

When I went through the ufo/wips last week it hit me it would be perfect for the swap, and I suddenly knew exactly how I wanted to finish it. Its amazing how quickly one can finish something when inspiration strikes.

It will be winging its way overseas early next week I hope my partner likes it.

Size: 16” square

Techniques: Patchwork, appliqué with satin stitch edging, quilting all done by machine.

Plum Jam

2009-09-01T15:12:00.001+01:00

We’ve had a bumper crop of Victoria plums on the tree in the garden.

So I’ve been busy making yummy plum jam….

Recipe: Victoria Plum Jam

3lb plums

2 3/4lb sugar

knob of butter

Put the sugar in an oven proof dish and put in the oven on a low heat.

Halve and stone the plums. Put in a jam/large pan with approximately 1 pint of cold water. Bring to the boil then turn down the heat and simmer gently until the plums are cooked and squashy -approx 15 minutes.

Add the warmed sugar and stir to dissolve. Turn up the heat and boil rapidly for approx 10 minutes then test for set. When setting point is reached take off the heat and stir in the butter to disperse any scum. Ladle into warmed jam jars put on lids and leave to cool. Enjoy!

Good Ol’ Summertime Mini Quilt Swap

2009-08-31T16:35:00.001+01:00

Bank Holidays are always a good time to play catch up, so I’ve been busy with my camera. I finally got around to taking pictures of the cute mini quilt I received, a few weeks ago from Kristine, for the ‘Good Ol’ Summertime’ Mini Quilt swap.

Kristine was hot off the starting block and had it made and mailed out to me before I had even begun to think about about what to make. She also sent me this cute pack of notelet cards.

Thanks Kris the quilt and the cards are great.

UFO’s or should that be WIP’s?

2009-08-25T18:52:00.001+01:00

Today I have also been sorting through all my UFO’s (unfinished objects) or WIP’s (works in progress). I thought there were about six but horrifically there are 20, you can see them listed in the side bar. humm….

This is just one of them I blogged about it here last year when I started it! The attic windows play mat, the child I was making it for is now walking, so I guess she won’t be needing it!

So my challenge is to try to finish at least three of them before the end of the year. Or should I finish one before I am allowed to begin a new project, a tactic I have used successfully in the past. Maybe I should do both……. decisions decisions…..!!

Finally a Design Wall!

2009-08-25T18:06:00.002+01:00

Today I finally made myself a design wall, using about 2 ½ metres of fabric in the process.

About a month ago (after some nagging from me) Tony, my lovely partner, put up hanging brackets and found a long length of wood to use as a baton for a design wall, all it needed was for me to add the fabric.

I took down the temporary design wall, part of an old bed sheet to which everything needed to be pinned. It was also rather narrow, being just about wide enough for a cot quilt!

Since then I have been procrastinating about making a new one, because I thought the flannel fabric, which had been hanging around my studio for at least a year, would need piecing. However, when it was unwrapped I discovered it was over 100" wide, and just needed cutting to size and a hanging sleeve added!
As the new one is made of flannel fabric, blocks and fabrics should cling to it without the need for pins, and as it is a much better size it should be able to take a double bed quilt.

Time taken to measure cut, sew and hang – approximately 30minutes.
Time taken to think/procrastinate about it - approximately 4 weeks........ho hum is there a lesson here?!!

Receipe for Fairy cakes

2009-08-13T17:48:00.002+01:00

Oven temp: 190
2 x bun tins lined with paper cases

Makes 24
Ingredients:
6oz butter
6oz castor sugar
6oz SR flour
3 lrg eggs

Throw everything in the food processor and zap until all smooth and unlumpy
spoon into paper cases
bake in oven for 20 - 25 mins until risen and golden

When cool decorate with icing and sprinkles
Eat and enjoy

Banana Cake Recipe

2009-08-13T17:37:00.003+01:00

Oven temp: 170
7 inch cake tin, line base with waxed paper

Ingredients:
4oz butter
4oz castor sugar
6oz SR flour
1 lrg egg
2 ripe bananas
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsps milk

Method:
Lightly mash the bananas
Dissolve the bicarb in the milk
Throw everything in the food processor, zap until everything is mixed all smooth and unlumpy
Pour into cake tin and bake in oven until risen and golden, approx 1 hour

When cool cover with icing and decorate with walnut halves (if liked!)

Cooking up a storm

2009-08-13T17:05:00.002+01:00

I've been Little Miss domesticity again!

Banana Cake waiting to be iced, its supposed to be banana and walnut but we don't like wallnuts so I miss them out!

Fairy cakes iced and ready to eat!

Spring Blooms Mini-Quilt Swap II

2009-08-06T15:34:00.007+01:00

Look what arrived in the post 2 weeks ago.

Toni made and sent me this fabulous wall hanging, for the Spring Bloom mini quilt swap.
She also included this fantastic beaded keychain made by her as well.

Thanks Toni I love them both.

The quilt is hanging on my design wall at the moment; I just need to decide where its permanent home will be. My keys are hanging off the key chain and have been for two weeks now.

Spring Blooms Mini-Quilt Swap

2009-06-25T17:33:00.004+01:00

This is the quilt I made for the Spring Blooms Mini-Quilt Swap which I joined earlier in the year.

This picture does not do the quilt justice, the orange square in the middle of the flower does not show a dark colour behind it, there isn't a dark colour behind it. I couldn't get a really good picture of it and as time was running out I have to be satisfied with this!

The quilt is machine pieced and quilted from an adapted version of this pattern 'Ladybug Playground' from Seattle Bay Fabrics, scroll down the page it is at the bottom.

It measures about 12" x 20" I cannot remember the exact measurements, I didn't write them down...

It was touch and go whether it would get finished in time, but a little burning of the 'midnight oil' and it was finished packed and mailed on Monday afternoon. Monday being the deadline for posting. Phew! I hope the recipient will like it, I cannot put a link to her blog yet as it is a mystery swap, but as soon as she receives the quilt I will.

I haven't taken part in a quilt swap before so this was a little scary, isn't anything new?! But it was good fun, so.... flushed with my success I have just joined the In the Good Ol’ Summertime Mini Quilt Swap also organised by Michele. Details for joining here.

Sunday - My Day!

2009-06-21T13:06:00.004+01:00

On Sundays I try, whenever possible, to spend as much time as I can stitching or doing stitching related things. Today I decided to tackle the fabric waiting to be washed. Later, I will put up an embarrassing roll call, of just what I had stuffed it into 2 carrier bags.

Here's the coloured stuff, the white is already in the washer.

Now I have a confession to make..... after banging on about being frugal in an earlier post, last weekend I caved and bought more fabric! Obviously with very good reason!! :D

To cut a long story short, and having designed a quilt which I want to make in hand dyed silk. Back in April, the lovely Pat and Peter of Just Sew in Penrith gave me a bag of silk fabric to look through to decide if it was suitable. It was well past time I returned what I didn't want so I went to the shop! No point in wasting a journey, so I bought 8 metres of fabric for dyeing, I'd run out! I'd also run out of white on white fabric so I bought some of that too, 5 metres in fact! Oh yes and the 6.5 metres silk! eek!!

See, I need to stay out of fabric shops..... I've recently seen some fabulous fabrics on the web........

More Panda Fun

2009-06-09T21:30:00.003+01:00

I have had very little time to sew this last week! But I have been sneaking to my machine in the odd 15 minutes I have managed to 'steal' and have been busy making the turnstile blocks for the Panda quilt. This is where I was at lunchtime today........

And finally this evening I have finished the turnstile border yee haa!

I have used a slightly different layout to AJ that's because I am using fabric from my stash, and didn't have enough of either the green or the turquoise fabrics! Now I just need to add the final borders and quilt it Yah!

Scrap and stash busting

2009-06-02T22:09:00.002+01:00

I am in a very frugal mode at present, and am trying to use only fabric from my stash and/or scrap box.

This is partly because of the credit crunch, the wish to be greener, and also because I can barely move in my studio for the amount of fabric I have, this last is what I am convinced is stifling my creativity. My frugal self is objecting strongly to me buying yet more when I cannot accommodate or have yet to use what I already have, and is drowning out my creative spontaneous and spendthrift self.

So whilst Ms Frugal reigns supreme I am working with what I already have. When I ran out of cream fabric this afternoon (see earlier post) Ms Spendthrift was all for running off the the local fabric shop to buy more, and to be honest at one time that is exactly what I would have done. But Ms Frugal said 'No, lets have a look and see if there is something else we can use', and sure enough I found a different but similar fabric to complete my project. So I saved some money, now lets be honest here too, a lot of money was saved coz once inside the fabric shop it would have been more that the 'needed' amount that would have been bought!! I also saved on a car journey helping to keep my carbon footprint down too!

The fight with the Panda continues!

2009-06-02T21:28:00.005+01:00

Week 5 (in my case day 2) Turnstile Borders

The saga of cutting out pieces the wrong size continues! Last night I foolishly decided to cut out the fabric for the turnstile border, even though I was tired.

Consequently I cut the first set of cream/white triangles too big and have to trim them all, cut out only half the required number of the second set of cream/white triangles, and have now run out of that fabric. A bit of jiggery pokery was called for and fortunately I found I have a very similar fabric which I am adding.

On a more positive note I have successfully sewn 5 of the turnstile blocks here are two of them!

And here's pic of week 4 adding the top and bottom border, this was one area I managed to do successfully without any foul ups!

Panda quilt along

2009-06-01T16:37:00.004+01:00

Am now up to week 3, AJ has just posted the 6th and final week here so I'm half way there!

Panda quilt along - head and body together

2009-05-31T23:08:00.004+01:00

He still needs his back legs and his ears finishing off, will do that tomorrow, its now time for bed!

Panda quilt along - progress

2009-05-31T23:00:00.004+01:00

Happily everything went much better after supper. I managed to cut the pieces out without mishap, so he now has a body!

Panda quilt along

2009-05-31T17:31:00.003+01:00

I saw a really cute Panda quilt along on AJ's Blog and have been tempted to join in... Thought it would be fun to spend the afternoon playing catchup..... I'm only 5 weeks behind!

Have learnt that I can't follow clear precise instructions even if they come with very good diagrams/pictures?!

I cut out the face, cutting several pieces the wrong size in the process!

When I began to piece it and realised I had no back ground fabric, and was consequently 2 pieces short. The only fabric I liked and had enough of needed washing.
(Note to self wash all the fabric recently bought... eeek there's yards of it!)
Then the picture went horribly wrong, I managed to lose the ears in the background, had to place it on a white background so you could see it.

Not sure this panda likes me :0)

However, here's my progress so far.

Will now have a break, go make some supper, then back to the attack this evening perhaps.....?

Little Gem/Twilt

2009-05-28T12:27:00.004+01:00

Why as someone who doesn't 'do' flowers am I drawn to flowers of late?

Its half term my youngest son is at my brother's, I had an entire day to sew so I made another stash busting twilt for the Little Gem tombola.

Size: A4 (approx 11 3/4" x 8 1/4")
Techniques: piecing, machine quilting with a multi-coloured thread
Fabrics: all from my scrap box so perhaps that's not stash busting, the greens are hand dyed the rest commercial prints.

Twilt Tuesday

2009-05-12T16:19:00.002+01:00

Ooops I put the link in but forgot to say Twilt Tuesday is an idea of Shelley Swanland for more info pop over to Shelly's blog, then why not join in? :)

Finished it!

2009-05-12T15:44:00.005+01:00

Twilt Tuesday. Must confess I didn't finish it today finished it at the weekend but only just got round to taking a picture, does it still count?! :)

'Curves Conquered' is now all finished the quilting is done, the label made and attached along with the binding and hanging sleeve. This one is going on my wall.

Size 15.5" x 19"
Techniques: curved piecing, machine quilting with glittery metallic threads, my first really successful attempt using these threads
Fabrics: Commercial and hand dyed fabrics all from my stash, which makes it a stash buster quilt too, woo hoo!

Thinking of having another go at some more pieced curves now.

Curves Conquered - update

2009-05-05T16:17:00.002+01:00

Have spent the weekend quilting the sample I began at the Anja Townrow workshop last weekend and have sewn the binding on this morning, it just needs hand stitching in place. Now I know this will come as a shock to people as(I constantly tell your) I am no hand sewer but I do like to hand finish my bindings. I find it is the only way I can get everything stitched down and kept in place without any flappy bits! I am saving this last bit to do next weekend when I have the delightful pleasure of watching lots of sweaty 13 yr old boys run round a field after a bag of wind... yes my son has a football (soccer to our friends from across the pond) tournament on, I can hardly wait, just hope the weather bucks up a bit. Spring and summer appear to be over and now we are back to autumn, its cold, windy,and raining in buckets, out there!

I digress... Anja is a great one for quilting with more unusual threads not just run of the mill invisible or cottons. I have lots of metallics in my stash (who doesn't?) but have never used them for quilting before (they invariably shred, get tangled, break needles etc.). So following Anja's advice I was able to use them successfully, and I now have a quilt with bling or should that be a bling quilt?!

I managed to quilt it with only one broken needle caused by the one thread that wouldn't behave itself, but I refused to give in and forced it to become part of the quilt, it was of course the one I wanted to, and did, do most of the quilting in!

Busy Weekend

2009-04-28T15:44:00.005+01:00

Saturday we had a great Regional day at Braithwaite Near Keswick, with speakers Eileen Blood, and Anja Townrow. Lots of people there plenty of things to enable us to indulge in a bit of retail therapy including a visit from the Guild President Margaret Hughes. Who happened to be having a couple of days off in the 'Lakes' so she popped in to say hello, which was really nice of her.

All this excitement was followed by, on Sunday, an excellent workshop with Anja on curved piecing . You can see my pieced but yet to be quilted sample above. As someone who doesn't do curves (I applique drunkards path) this workshop was a revelation. I finished the piecing at home yesterday, which is unlike many pieces I begin in workshops that never see the light of day again!

Beaded Necklace

2009-04-24T14:20:00.002+01:00

This is what I have been making since Sunday in any spare minutes available.

Unfortunately my pix do not do it justice. You can see it at the Bead Merchant its the deep purples.

9-Patch

2009-04-22T21:26:00.002+01:00

This is what I have been doing creatively today.

Yes 2 x 9-patch blocks I didn't have a lot of time, they measure 6" when finished.

Not sure what I will do with them yet, I may even make some more, today I just wanted a little playtime:0)

Yet another little gem

2009-04-20T13:37:00.004+01:00

This is the latest little gem.
Size: A4 (approx 11 3/4" x 8 1/4")

Techniques: Fabric weaving, machine quilting embellishment.

These are great for experimenting and playing with new ideas and techniques without too much commitment. I think am getting a little addicted:-)

Another Little Gem

2009-04-19T12:38:00.006+01:00

Here is my latest Little Gem 'Pink & Pretty'.

Size: A4 (approx 11 3/4" x 8 1/4").

Techniques used: machine embroidery, applique and quilting.

Delights of dog walking

2009-04-15T17:56:00.002+01:00

I remembered to take my camera when I took the dogs out today. We take them down to a long ago abandoned quarry, now reverted back to nature, and around the fields, hence the pics of the flowering hawthorn and gorse. It all looks very beautiful, the hawthorn is incredibly pretty and delicate unlike its thorns!

I took the camera with the intention of taking a pic of a flowering tree, wouldn't you know it that is the only thing I didn't manage to get a half way decent pic of, will have to take the camera again tomorrow and try again, hope it is still looking as magnificent.

Gorse

2009-04-15T17:54:00.000+01:00

Hawthorn

2009-04-15T17:52:00.000+01:00

Finished Little Gem

2009-04-11T21:03:00.004+01:00

Here it is in all its glory my own Little Gem - 'Sunflower'

My Little Gem

2009-04-11T14:54:00.003+01:00

As promised I sarted a little gem, I cut it out, and using bondaweb, I glued it down, then life, stuff and small boys though perhaps I should call them teenagers at 12 and 13, required feeding. On a side note just how did my baby get to be 13 so fast, it was only yesterday he was a toddler... wasn't it?!

Then my nephew needed taking home, relatives had to be visited with as I was in the area, and before you know it its Saturday already and my little gem sits all alone and lonely on the ironing board!

Now to cheer it up I'd best go find some wadding, backing fabric, do some quilting!

Littel Gems

2009-04-08T15:38:00.002+01:00

I really need to begin making a Little Gem I have been procrastinating about doing this for weeks now. How hard can it be to make an A4 journal type quilt?
I have been procrastinating about a lot of things lately come to that, but my 'Get up and Go' seems to have got up and gone!

Click on the link to find out about the CQ Little Gems fundraiser.

In the meantime I really must go and start one.

Eye Candy

2009-03-10T20:32:00.004Z

I know I know I don't 'do' pink, but they just go so well with the green

I've went shopping only went for a look and maybe get a new stamp, but I couldn't resist these fabulous buttons. Couldn't you just eat them?!
Buttons are soooo tactile I remember as a child routing in both my mother and my grandmother's button tins they had a unique smell which mine doesn't. Maybe I should put them in a tin, at present they are in a plastic container.
Now to think of a use for them other than drooling over them of course!

Austrailian bush fires - what we quilters can do

2009-02-14T11:45:00.004Z

I have just read Jenny Bowker's blog about what we as quilters can do to help quilters in Australia after the devastating fires in Victoria. Please read Jenny's post and see if there is something you could send.

Thanks to Freida Oxenholme for posting the link on the cqgb yahoo group, I now feel I can help in a very small way, so I'm off to rummage through my stash!

Re-organising the house

2009-02-13T21:05:00.003Z

Today we had the dining room chimney swept, and have had a fire going all day to warm the chimney and the room. Why am I telling you this? Well I finally bit the bullet and decided to rearrange the house. What was the dining room has now become the sitting room, the sitting room has become the dining room and (this is the best bit for me) I shall be able to use it as an extension of my sewing studio.

Some time ago I blogged about how my studio was too small or maybe my stash is too big, but lets not go there. After lots of thought, discussion, and procrastination we decided to have the chimney swept to see if the fire was viable, the house is old and cold the central heating does little other than take the chill off so a viable fire is a necessity.

As the fire seems to work just fine I have spent the day cleaning and moving furniture, the sitting room is now organised so I can go and flop later. The dining room is getting organised
and if I can rearrange the furniture some more tomorrow I will hopefully finally get a dedicated design wall. Ooooh I'm soo excited!

Why we have not done this before is a mystery as the new sitting room is much cosier and will be much easier to keep warm. Oh the wisdom of hind sight!

The dining room/studio is usually reasonably warm during the day as it gets plenty of sunshine but will be quite cool in the evenings, so I will have to organise my time accordingly.

Two steps forward one step back

2009-02-07T00:08:00.004Z

Look what my little piles have morphed into, long piles of fabric.

Oh how I have cursed my original P&Q teacher today as I sat unpicking yet another seam. When she taught me to quilt we weren't allowed to proceed until every point matched as it should, and so we learnt the delicate art of unpicking, something in which I now consider myself something of an expert! As I removed each piece from the machine I held my breath as I checked the points did they match? Well most did but some were not quite there. All I could hear was Babs saying "would you like me to help you unpick that bit" grrrr, of course then I had to unpick and redo the offending bits!

The progress of the quilt

2009-02-04T17:13:00.005Z

As you can see I'm a messy worker (I thought I'd tidied up before taking these pix!) I just shuv things out of the way as I go. I am always impressed by the tidy way most people seem to work when I am doing workshops, unfortunately it seems I'm just not made that way!

The tree outside the gate.

2009-02-04T16:28:00.002Z

Welcome Signs of Spring

2009-02-04T16:23:00.002Z

There are lots of snowdrops flowering in the orchard and the hedge bottom.

The daffodils are pushing through too, does this mean spring is on the way? It doesn't feel like it!

There's snow on them there hills!

2009-02-04T16:15:00.002Z

Snow on Caldbeck

We had a good covering of snow on Monday, which it is mostly gone now but as you can see its still covering Caldbeck.

Puppies

2009-02-04T16:07:00.002Z

Trixie

Tigger

The puppies are now 11 months old and still as excitable as ever especially when out for a walk. Cathcing them on camera is not easy, we have a lot of pictures of their bottoms!

Cerise quilt - update

2009-02-02T23:44:00.004Z

Tonight I've been playing 'cut a few, pin a few, sew a few, and press a few'! I find it takes the tedium out of cutting out my fabrics.

Apologies for the colour of the cerise it is much more palatable in the flesh as it were.

Marmalade - update

2009-02-01T14:53:00.003Z

Cooked and resting before bottling.

Toast and marmalade for tomorrow's breakfast me thinks yum yum!

A yield of almost 7lb of scrummy marmalade, I know its scrummy coz I cleaned out the pan!

As you can see I recycle any and every jam/honey jar that crosses the threshold! I know you are supposed to use those waxed disks and cellophane on the top but I don't, I used to until one year I made some jam then discovered I had non in so I just put the lids on, all was well so I haven't bought any since. I do discard any lids which are going rusty though.

I will freeze all bar a couple of jars, as I find it keeps longer and tastes like it was just made, I freeze my homemade jams too.

More quilt progress

2009-02-01T13:23:00.002Z

Cut and ready for stitching.

Strips stitched together, pressed and ready for cutting.

Progress of the quilt

2009-02-01T13:03:00.003Z

It began quite well and I cut out fabric strips, then looked at the fabric I had left - I was going to run out, but when I planned it out I had (shamefully?) enough fabric in my stash to make it.

Back to the drawing/working out board.

I use Quilt Pro to draft up most of my quilt ideas. Initially I had designed an 88" square quilt, however, once I started to manipulate the design I thought it would be fun to make it up in several different ways, so perhaps a smaller quilt would be a better bet. But did I inform Quilt Pro that was what I was going to do when I got it to print out the rotary cutting charts? Don't be silly, that would be the sane and sensible thing to do. Fortunately I hadn't got too carried away before it dawned on me something was wrong!

Making Marmalade

2009-02-01T12:14:00.003Z

Delia's marmalade

By chance I spotted Seville oranges in the local green grocers so am now making marmalade (its in the simmer for 2hrs stage).

I usually remember that Seville oranges are only available for a very short time in February and consequently find when I enquire about them that I have just missed them!

This morning I was out with the food processor, it has a juice extractor thing which takes some of the hard work our of the process, unfortunately the bit that collects the pips and other gunk doesn't hold 2lb of oranges worth. Which meant some of the juice didn't go into the bowl for collection, instead it went all over the kitchen worktop! Hope it doesn't affect the marmalade too much I scraped what I could catch into the pan, and wrote a note in Delia so I shouldn't be making that mistake next time.
I never used to write in books I was brought up to think of them as in some way sacred, but of late it has occurred to me as they are my books and are available in such vast quantities that it really doesn't matter if I write helpful notes that save me some hassle, work, and my sanity!

I also decided to save more work by throwing the skins in the processor for chopping up, Delia is of the opinion that they should be quartered and then cut into thin strips, we are having chunks in ours this year!

The makings of a quilt?

2009-01-29T20:46:00.005Z

I've put together these fabrics for a small pieced quilt.

Now to get on with it! But first I have to go and wash the cerise fabric.

Cuddle Quilt finished - go me!

2009-01-28T16:47:00.004Z

After a very slothful Festive season, I finally switched off the TV and did something creative!

That is I finished this cuddle quilt which has been sitting in a box in the corner, all cut up and ready for sewing, since the summer of 2005! It's made using folded Japanese technique from recycled jeans, denim and fleece scraps, and measures 48" square.

Fabrications

2008-12-21T23:11:00.005Z

Woo ooh... The instructions for making my quilt 'Hawaiian Snowflake' have been published in Fabrications Magazine you can see a small pic of it on the front cover too - the blue and white one.

There is also a pic of Pink Parfait in the review of the Scottish Quilt championships back in September. So I am double excited!!

Winter sun

2008-11-30T21:20:00.005Z

The sun trying to break through the freezing fog.

Even the bin looks beautiful!

2008-11-30T21:18:00.000Z

On a cold a frosty morning.....

2008-11-30T21:12:00.003Z

This weather even makes the weeds look good! Oh and there's a tit on the fat ball feeder!

2008-11-30T21:08:00.002Z

We have had 2 nights of very heavy frost it has barely got above freezing during the day, this is the atmospheric view that greeted me this morning.

Negatively Positive....

2008-11-29T18:09:00.007Z

Finally finished the cushions (pillows) I mentioned a few posts back, they have been sitting in my projects box for quite some time!

They are the result of my messing around with positive and negative blocks, two different methods of applique and 'quilt as you go'. For the white on blue I used bondaweb the blue on white other was just pinned into place. The motifs were stitched into place and quilted at the same time using a machine buttonhole stitch.

I used the MicroStitch gun, for the first time, to hold the layers together instead of the usual pinning or tacking (basting). It was brilliant, apart from.... I used muslin as the backing fabric and the tacks slid back between it and the wadding when I was trying to remove them so I had some fishing to do before I could finish off the cushions.

And it would have been easier to get the tacks out if I had one of the tack removing tools, but so far I have been too tight to buy one, its now on my Christmas list:-) If you had a lot of tacks to take out, on a large quilt, it would be far easier, quicker and safer as you have to be really careful not to accidentally cut the fabric as you go, they are tiny and quite difficult to get hold of. Babs steered me to Lady Sew and Sew who has deal which works out well as you get the extra tacks, she also suggested I get the removing tool at the same time, should have listened.....

teabag folding

2008-11-17T21:01:00.004Z

All are 3 1/2" from point to point

We did some teabag folding in the afternoon, something I never imagined myself doing but amazingly I loved it...

These are my first samples and no where near perfect please don't look to closely!!!

folded patchwork - log cabin

2008-11-17T20:57:00.000Z

Log cabin 4" square

Folded Christmas Decoration/Coaster

2008-11-17T20:45:00.003Z

Square in a square 3 1/2"

On Saturday I went to a Quilters' Guild members day where Janette Fairer taught us how to make folded Christmas decorations, though mine will be coasters, I'm not a big fan of decorations!

Reversible quilts...

2008-11-05T11:34:00.003Z

The Pot holder was originally a block for a Project Linus quilt, but as ever I cut that one too small (how does that happen?) and faced with either cutting all the other block to match or making another I made another, so this one became an orphan.

The block was made using the reversible quilting technique in Sharon Pederson's book - Reversible Quilts - Two at a Time.

Pot Holder

2008-11-05T11:21:00.003Z

As ever I didn't finish all I wanted to but I did finish the pot holder.

which is reversible

Real Sewing?

2008-11-02T14:13:00.004Z

I got to do some sewing yesterday..... 6 buttons on my partner's shirts oh the excitement I could hardly contain myself. And what does he do to his shirts to require 6 buttons replacing all at once? OK I'll fess up the pile has been building on the table for a number of weeks.... well possibly months.....

Have done no other sewing for weeks, the machine has been put away whilst I do 'design work' which I love doing, just so long as I can jump in and make whatever when I am happy with it. But as this design work is for C&G I have to get approval from my tutor, it also has to be presentable, not my usual scribble, which I understand but the tutor wouldn't! It kinda takes the fun out of the whole process!

Got a couple of WIP's out after my success with the buttons and will finish them today and post pics later. Now when I say WIP's I do use the term very loosely they were experiments ie me trying techniques nothing very exciting, two of which I will make into cushions and one into a pot holder:-)

Feel obliged to leave you with a picture as I have written nothing of interest so here we have it:

Hydrangea's from the garden

More Halloween Frivolity...

2008-10-31T21:42:00.002Z

Halloween II

Flushed with my success (it was finished) with 'Halloween' I had another rush of blood in October 2001 and began my Bat Quilt 'Halloween II', I think there were going to be more but this was as far as my 'series' got:-)
I found the most amazing pumpkin buttons in two sizes, probably on The Button Lady's stand at one of the quilt shows, they make perfect eyes, although they are a little uncomfortable when you lean back on the settee!

When I look at the back of these quilts I can see the fabric I used on Halloween must have been a border print, the back of both that and II are made from the same fabric. As you can see at the time I was playing with fancy quilt backs!

Detail of Halloween see previous post

Halloween

2008-10-31T20:29:00.004Z

Don't you just love Halloween it is such a great time, and one is able to make the odd frivolous quilt!

I bought some fabulous halloween fabric many years ago when I first started quilting, actually it was probably in 2000 which now seems like many years ago, that is when I bought the fabric, not began quilting if you see what I mean, I had by then been a veteran quilter for all of 18 months! Anyway you know the sort of fabric I mean - the kind you have absolutely no idea what you could do with it, but hey you just HAVE to have it! It was a scrumptious Debbie Mumm halloween fabric and it was in the sale need I say more?! It sat in my stash for several months I only had a small stash back then, this was during the time when I felt it was necessary to use or at least have a project in mind for all of my fabrics... yes I can hear you laughing and you're right it didn't last long, hence studio now being too small!

I'm rambling sorry....

Halloween (back of)

Back to halloween fabric... Back in the day you had to spend £25(I think) to get free shipping with Amazon I was buying a few books and hadn't quite made the £25, now we all know there is no point in wasting £5 in p&p when you can spend £15 on a good book is there? So I had to have a look for something for me and I came across one called Stack n Whack by Bethany Reynolds I had no idea what is was about but I loved the name and it did have a picture of a nice quilt on the front!!!

There is a point to this I promise!

So I had the fabric and then this book arrived, great choice of book by the way I loved it, still do. Obviously I had to make a quilt out of it, there was enough of the Halloween fabric to make one so off I set. Did I mention this was at the beginning of October and we were moving at the end of the month? Thought I could do a little packing interspersed with a little sewing... now come on you all know it makes sense! All it needed was the border when we moved out.

Halloween

Once we had unpacked and I was able to get back to some quilting I decided to put some embroidery on it, having got a fancy sewing machine with an embroidery unit for my birthday that year. I finally finished the wall hanging in February 2001.

Delia's pumpkin soup....

2008-10-31T20:21:00.003Z

Aha is this where I went wrong - I didn't follow Delia's recipe? It it looks better than mine, sounds better that mine and it no doubt tastes better than mine!!! Ah well there's always next year:-)

All Hallows Eve......

2008-10-31T15:29:00.005Z

Ummm pumpkin soup - a delicacy requiring something of an acquired taste me thinks, at least the recipe I followed does! Note to self - next year give pumpkin pie a whirl!!

Fortunately we had this hideous beast to keep the wandering spirits at bay.......

Friday already....

2008-10-17T16:42:00.003+01:00

Oh no it's Friday again and I haven't posted all week, I made a mental note to myself after last Friday's epic posting session that I would try to post at least twice a week, so much for good intentions!

We have been entertaining Tony's niece this week, she is great fun, being a vampire (my son's description!) she does like to keep me up at night talking and sewing. Not that I did much sewing was too tired after the first evening, though I did finally manage to design the centre of a wall hanging for City and Guilds, something I have been putting off for weeks! All I have to decide on now are the corners and borders, but that will have to wait until next week.

We have a Regional Day at Braithwaite Hall on Saturday with Janet Cook, Janet is also doing a workshop on Sunday. I can't go to that now (boo hoo)as my niece is being Christened and duty calls! Will just have to indulge in a purchase or 2 tomorrow to make up for it..... well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

More Little Miss Domesticity!

2008-10-10T23:28:00.003+01:00

Today I decided if I tidied my studio I would have more space to work?!
Also thought I would declutter it at the same time umm... Now when it comes to the rest of the house and everyone else's stuff I can declutter like a woman possessed, but in my studio? nooo its just too painful, come on I'm bound to find a use for anything I throw out 2 days/weeks after it has gone to the tip!

So I tidied a couple of shelves it looks better on those 2 shelves but I also took everything off my desk and dumped it on my sewing table, can no longer see the top of the sewing table, but the top of the desk looks great I even got the polish out and polished it! Now I AM going to declutter this stuff, hence the mad flurry of blogging!

Perhaps when I get up in the morning the decluttering fairy will have been and sorted it all out for me... speaking of fairies my partner seems to think we have a washing up fairy who comes in and does our at night whilst he is snoring in front of the telly. Being 'creative' (bah) I cannot possibly wash up after eating its just too soon after the time spent in the kitchen cooking, and apparently if I don't do it no one else can, ah what it is to be indispensable...NOT

Back to the studio, personally I think it is too small and I should have a larger space, do we really need a sitting room do you think?!

Pix from Edinburgh

2008-10-10T23:14:00.005+01:00

Flying High by Sally Bramald

Detail

This little quilt won the wholecloth category (I think)the workmanship is superb, its the one I would have liked to have made or at least taken home:-)

Remember Me by Maggie Davies

Now I know I'm not a flowery quilts person but this little quilt really caught my eye, its painted beaded has fusible ribbon applique the detail was wonderful (note I for some bizarre reason didn't take a detail shot) oh yes and its much better in the flesh!

Harrogate Embroidery show

2008-10-10T22:31:00.003+01:00

Last weekend I was back in Harrogate again at what used to be called the Madeira show think it might be ichf now, whatever..... it is a touring event Iwill look for a link to their website and post it later. It is ichf

It is a great show there is some quilting but it is mainly embroidery and lots of colleges and schools have displays of work from their textile students. I looove this show, the best bit (for me) is the fashion show were some the work (clothes and head wear) of the students is shown very professionally by them on a catwalk, it always has a vibrant and exciting a atmosphere and the work is superb. I always feel uplifted after a visit.

I was lucky enough to steward on the Contemporary Quilt group stand for a couple of hours in the afternoon. This enabled me to have a really good close up look at the journal quilts that had been loaned by the members for the event, they were stunning. They are part of an ongoing challenge to make one 12" square quilt a month for 12 months, each participant had submitted 4 quilts. It was great talking to folks and hearing all their complimentary comments, if you get the opportunity to steward at an event go for it, it is great fun. Since you are on the stand you see so much more than if you just visit, perhaps it is because you don't have so much else going on in your mind or to catch your eye and have time to just look.

Pix from the garden

2008-10-10T22:13:00.003+01:00

Hydrangers and nasturtiums

I don't know what this bush/wannabe tree is, but it grows in front of our sitting room window and is always overloaded with berries. The birds provide us with plenty of entertainment as they fight over them during the late autumn and winter months!

I'm not much of a gardener these days I used to do lots, never seem to have the time or inclination these days, must be old age! I have chosen these pix carefully so you cannot see the abundance of weeds and nettles growing alongside and amongst our plants!

Edinburgh Quilt Show

2008-10-10T21:59:00.005+01:00

I went up to the Edinburgh quilt show in September and was thrilled to see Pink Parfait had won second prize in the theme category 'A Touch of Tradition', so spent the first hour I was there in a bit of a daze wandering around with a silly grin on my face!!

After I had some lunch and calmed down I was able to have a good look round, although a small show it was well attended with lots of quilts and plenty of traders. Its not as overwhelming as some of the larger ones and doable in a day.

Orchard's harvest!

2008-10-10T21:43:00.004+01:00

We are very fortunate to have a rather old orchard, with an abundance of both apples and wild life, and since we began putting out peanuts we regularly have a woodpecker come and visit. If only I were able to catch him on camera but he seems to be shy!

I have been making Mrs Beeton's apple chutney.
As ever with me nothing goes as straightforwardly as it should! After getting deep into making chutney I discovered we didn't have enough malt vinegar, I added the little cider vinegar we had but drew the line at using the balsamic, as I was still short I used the half a bottle of red wine that had been rattling about the cupboard for some time. It turned out great not so acidic as normal, we decided we preferred it made this way so the recipe has been altered, sorry Mrs B:-)

Also found a recipe for apple and cinnamon jam/jelly, but I got a bit carried away with the cinnamon will not be quite so heavy handed next time, still tastes great though.

Have also made Delia's Christmas mincemeat which smells delicious am almost tempted to use it now, though have been good it is bottled and stored under the stairs out of sight out of mind?!

overloaded apple trees

2008-10-10T21:37:00.002+01:00

Domesticity

2008-10-10T21:26:00.003+01:00

Have been little miss domesticity of late hence the lack of blogging.

We have a bumper crop of apples both cooking and eating, so have been busy baking with them all.

But will be as round as a barrel if I don't stop making apple crumble, I hate to see the apples go to waste and I looove apple crumble!!

Now for some quilting!

2008-09-25T17:37:00.008+01:00

More City & Guilds work.

Broderie Perse sample pinned ready for stitching

Shadow broderie perse sample all pieces are glued in place waiting for the net to go over and then get quilted.

I don't think you should be up there with those scissors Stripey Kat!

2008-09-25T17:32:00.003+01:00

NO Trixie NO!

2008-09-25T17:17:00.002+01:00

Don't Panic, all is well! Trixie was just giving Kitty Kat a wash, phew!

Cat n Dog

2008-09-25T17:05:00.004+01:00

Kitty Kat

Tigger

Busy week

2008-09-09T11:17:00.005+01:00

I've had a very busy week with no time for sewing or blogging!
Thrilled to report that Pink Parfait won a Judges Merit at the Great Northern Quilt Festival at Harrogate at the weekend, huge grin :-)
Now have to get back down off cloud 9 and go do some quilting!

C & G mola sample finished

2008-08-28T15:40:00.004+01:00

I've finished that is I've done as much as I am going to do until my tutor points out the extra bits I forgot to do/show!!

The Mola fish was good fun to do and I was looking forward to doing the Hmong one, but I used a floppy cotton for the top which frayed before I cut it, wouldn't stay in place even when I tacked it. Thankfully it was only a small piece and I only had to complete a quarter of it:-)

City & Guilds Mola

2008-08-26T12:31:00.005+01:00

I've also been busy with C&G work have finally started doing my Mola sample which as quite taken me by surprise; I'm enjoying doing it! I don't as a rule like hand work am never quite dexterous enough to get the bits under for applique and usually have stray bits of thread sticking out or even worse bits that are not meant to fray fraying, which get worse the more I try to fix them. I bend and break needles and generally have my fingers in the wrong place, which are abused by the needles getting revenge they stab me and invariably I end up bleeding. This does not mean that all of the above have not happened with the mola sample, they have, maybe I'm becoming a masochist?!

It's not finished yet and in fact I have since done more to it will post again when its finished. Oh the bit in the corner is showing the stages.

Green Dresden Plate

2008-08-26T12:14:00.006+01:00

After making the sample Dresden plate I decided the spokes were too thin and so have redesigned it, it now has 12 spokes instead of 16. I made it up but don't like the colours I used think it needs a bit more umph, it looks dull and I don't do dull :-) Will maybe make another with the gold coloured fabric instead of the green in the curved spokes or maybe not.

I once again figured how to draw using EQ4 which I have had for sometime but rarely use its just so complicated after using Quilt Pro, but am too lazy to find out how to draw a successful Dresden plate using QP and I had instructions for EQ4 :-)

New Specks

2008-08-19T22:51:00.002+01:00

Today I picked up my new glasses varifocals, arrg what have I done? I can no longer see a thing:) well ok that's a slight exaggeration, I can still see but everything keeps going all blurry, how on earth does one cope with these things? I know I know I have to give them about a week then apparently I will wonder how I managed without, I keep giving in and putting my old ones back on at least I can still see with them!

I have done no sewing for days, have been procrastinating and have spent sooo much time on the computer, will have to ration myself if I am ever going to get any more done.

Got out my City and Guilds course work thought I ought to maybe do a bit more I might eventually get it finished then, but that sent me hot foot back to the computer to do some essential(?) research. Its taking me rather longer than most folks as I do a bit then get distracted and do other more interesting things then go back and do a bit more. Problem is the gaps between doing bits are getting rather long and I'm embarrassed to say I've been doing C&G part I for the best part of this century:-) Its a correspondence course so I don't have to have anything finished to take to class each week, beginning to think maybe I'm not cut out for a correspondence course, suspect I might just lack the bit of discipline needed to get on and do it.

So now I'm off to bed will start it all again tomorrow...

Dresden Plate

2008-08-15T22:25:00.004+01:00

Woo wooo go me - the templates worked!
I figured I'd best make it up in calico to check that it worked - no point in wasting good fabric is there?:-)

Great, now on to the real thing, well tomorrow morning getting too tired now and will just make a mess!

Drafting patterns

2008-08-15T19:35:00.004+01:00

Why oh why can I not to just sew a pattern why do I always have to alter and redesign everything? I have been trying to draft a pattern for a Dresden plate most of the week, hopefully I have finally succeeded .
I do have a pattern from the first sampler quilt I made but this time I have to do different sized blocks so the DP will not fit. I have instructions on how to design one but am pants at drawing, cannot draw accurately and am too annal to accept good enough oh no for me it has to be perfect! That's why I love quilting software but only use it, as with all my software, for stuff I need/want and I hate having to take time out to have learn new things on it! So have had to drag out the instruction manual but that is less use than a chocolate poker - at least you can eat a choc poker:-) Why can it not just answer the question how do you draft a Dresden plate block? - I guess because it is too difficult for a sometime user like myself, I know should use it more often, but time I need more time.....

Pink Parfait cushions

2008-08-11T20:10:00.006+01:00

I made samples with the leftover bits from Pink Parfait, I used these to try out machine and hand quilting, I've now turned them into these cushions.

They are both the same colour, but I could only find one insert the right size so had to photo them separately. The one on the right is actually a truer colour.

The Menagerie Expands

2008-08-06T14:04:00.006+01:00

Number two son has been to my brother's for a few days great I thought I would get loads of time to sew, only to discover the puppies required a lot more of my time and attention, hadn't realised quite how much time he spends with them. I digress, he came home with two kittens, I'm not really a cat person but have to admit they are rather cute!

They are the very devil to photograph they will not stay still!

The pups are somewhat unimpressed the kittens spit at them and poor Trixie got her nose scratched for getting too close, Tigger is keeping them at a more respectable distance!

Outside my comfort zone

2008-08-06T13:40:00.006+01:00

Today I have been wrestling with more colours outside my comfort zone, pink was pants but this is worse. I've always been a blues and purples kinda girl but I bought some autumny fabrics a good while ago with the intention of making another sampler quilt, my first quilt was a sampler back in the eons of time, today I began to make the blocks. I have auditioned and cut out enough pieces of fabric for several fan blocks none of which look right. I like autumn colours but am unable to instinctively put them together in a pleasing way they look dull, boring, one will be SCREAMING out over the rest etc.... However I persevered and am reasonably happy with the result, still not sure about the orange in the corner though. (She persevered should go on my gravestone!!)

I sewed it together several times only to see I hated the result and had to cut more pieces and I thought another sampler would be a breeze:-) Is this why we begin with samplers we know nothing the quilt police have yet to find us and we just go with the flow? Now I know I could just go with the flow and stick with what I have stitched but.... it will bug me and I will constantly look at it thinking that's not right how can I fix it etc. etc....

Inchies

2008-08-01T23:08:00.004+01:00

I've discovered Inchies!

Yes I know I'm a little behind the rest of the world, but hey I don't get out much...
For others who are as yet uninitiated - first we had fabric postcards then Artists Trading Cards ATC's now we have Inchies, which are basically one inch quilt squares often with lots of embelishments. There are also Plus Size Inchies PSI's (1 1/2" square) this is where I have started. Though having finished one (have 2 more waiting in the wings) I think I might like to have a go at an inchie. Watch this space....

I did cheat somewhat though as I used a scrap from a fabric bowl I made in February (did you guess?!)> I say a scrap but imho it was a large piece I couldn't bear to throw away, and hey what do you know I have a use for it! I cut it into 3 x 1 1/2" pieces, satin stitched around this one, then added beads, sequins and some chavvy little bells that have been hanging around for a couple of years., can't remember why I bought them but wouldn't you know it I only have four, I ask you, what can you do with four?

Teacup swap blocks

2008-08-01T22:47:00.005+01:00

Oh my goodness its the 1st of August already where has the year gone? I barely remember July. BUT I have done some quilting so all is not lost!

I got a bit carried away with the teacup blocks... I made 12 in total. I gave myself the deadline of the 1st of August then I would have time to post them without it costing me a fortune and they have a chance of actually getting there on time. They have to be in the USA for the 31st August, I am so organised I hardly recognise myself! I have to send a fat 1/4 to the hostess to cover the cost of returning the blocks, but have nothing suitable so will have to go on a fabric shopping trip, that's going to be hard... not!