Hunter Star

I subscribed to "Just Hands On TV" last month, it's too early to say whether or not I will stay subscribed.  The idea was that instead of paying a ridiculous amount for a couple of quilt magazines each month I would invest it in a subscription to this web site and be able to view lots of quilting videos - "New videos uploaded every Friday!"  I've been disappointed with a few "new videos uploaded" as they seem to be either very short indeed or an advert for something they are selling and only two each Friday, just narrowly scraping into the 'plural'.  That said last Friday there was a very good workshop on dyeing fabric in plastic bags - that subject being of great interest to me at the moment.  So, I'm reserving judgement on JHO TV and will give it a bit longer and see if there is enough to keep me interested.

Anyway, back to the point of this post.  There is a competition on JHO TV where you make any kind of star block and send it in - your name goes in a draw and the blocks are used to make a charity quilt.  Couldn't sleep last night so went looking for quilt blocks patterns and found this brilliant site which has loads of free block patterns and absolutely excellent straightforward instructions for making them up.  The site is Delaware Quilts and there is an alphabetical list of block names, then the blocks are listed in finished sizes so it's easy to locate what you are looking for.

Above is my first effort - a block called Hunter Star.  I was very pleased with how it went together but devastated when I measured it to ensure it was the stipulated 12 1/2 inches - it is only 12 1/4", which means my seam allowances must have been just that bit too big.

I've got quite a bit of this leftover fabric so I'm going to make more blocks and create my own Hunter Star quilt.  I daren't send my non regulation sized block off to the quilt experts - but I can easily jiggle minute differences in sizes into something acceptable.  The prize is a sewing machine and I really don't need any more.........  Who knows if I make enough blocks one of them might just turn out to be spot on size-wise.

There were many places in this block where lots of seams intersected and points met.  The Horizon was coaxed carefully over these using the O2 foot, stitch no 93, pressure 4, stitch length 1.8, slow speed and a very firm hand.  It performed acceptably but not outstandingly.

Short Break in Norwich

Paul and I have just had a couple of days in Norwich.  We decided to stay over and start exploring the city - up to now we have not been able to stay long when dropping off or picking Jon up from uni and it hasn't been the weather for sight seeing really.  What a glorious day for wandering.  We headed towards Magdalen Street where there were three fabric shops - fabulous home furnishing one, a dressmaking one and another which sells sewing machines.  I'm taking measurements back to choose curtaining from Anglian Fabrics for our living room which is on the list for a makeover.  If you're interested in dressmaking you wouldn't be disappointed in Anglian Fashion Fabrics selection.  On the other hand, Sew Creative in Magdalen Street had a few bits and pieces and some machines - they also told me that Sew Creative at Wroxham Barns had closed - very disappointing.

We have lots more explore on future visits, it's a lovely place - lots of history, good shopping and places to eat.

 We walked around the cathdral and through the grounds then along the riverside.

HOWEVER despite the city Sew Creative telling us that Sew Creative Quilts had closed, we went to Wroxham Barns anyway and found Sew Creative very much alive and well in bigger and better premises and under new management.  If you're a quilter GO THERE.  It's not massive but it has a wonderful selection of quilt fabrics displayed in ranges so it's easy to pick and choose and know everything will be co-ordinated.  I bought a fat quarter pack and some yardage from the Phoebe range as I have some little girl quilts to make.  Their sample quilts felt soft and light so I asked for the same wadding they used so I can try it for myself.  Their web address is http://www.sewcreativequilts.co.uk/  and they are situated a few miles outside Norwich amongst several other crafty type shops, garden centre and childrens' play area.   Click here to find out what else is there.  Don't confuse it with the Sew Creative shop in the city - despite what their website says they do not have a selection of quilt fabrics - just some Christmas stuff and a few fat quarters on a shelf.

Peacock Quilt

Finished at last - the Peacock Quilt for Daisy (my eldest son's girlfriend).  I hope she likes it, it took some doing! 

Happy Christmas Daiz!

Two Block Quilt

This is the pieced top which was started at Quilts for All, Hutton Buscel at the September workshop.  It is a fairly simple project to cut out and put together and I like how the bright pinks and yellows have come together.  Need to buy in more supplies of wadding and have a trip to the qulit shop to choose a backing fabric to finish it off.

Quilted in the Pink!

Off with the standard foot and on with the Open Toe Accufeed - it would be nice to just press a button but you have to remove the shank and screw on the Accufeed, less than a minute and the results are well worth it.  I chose a wavy line for the quilting to contrast with all the rectangles.  I spray basted the quilt but I don't think I need to - next time I'll try pinning and be more environmentally friendly.  The Accufeed keeps the layers so precisely together I should be OK.

First printed label I've made, in fact it's the first quilt I've ever labelled.  I'm told that all quilts should bear a label, so maybe I should get into the habit.  I used MS Word and made the background the same colour as the backing fabric.  Found a giraffe in clip art to tie in with the backing fabric and then wrote a few words.  I got my printable cotton sheets from Crafty Computer Papers - it's supposed to be washable and I will be washing the quilt as soon as the binding is on to get rid of any remaining adhesive so fingers crossed.

Colour is a little better today but I'm in the shadow - shouldn't complain about the eye piercingly brilliant sunshine!

Crisis has arisen as this quilt is made of left overs I have nothing to bind it with.  After a frantic search late last night to avoid a mad dash to Scarborough Sewing Centre today, Paul produced the bag of new fabrics I bought for the upcoming September workshop.  The background I chose for that is lemon so that ties in well with the backing so fabric shopping trip avoided - what a pity!

Busy Quilting Day

Decided to add some diagonal lines - after looking up how far apart quilting needs to be on Hobbs Heirloom batting 80/20 I found it needed to be about 4 inches, so did a bit more to make sure there isn't a problem when washing.

Here's the African Quilt - it's been hanging around awaiting some quilting for quite some time.  I have done one way diagonals which run alongside seams - in one direction only.

 Above shows the backing fabric

The diagonal quilting shows up more on this photo.

That's all done with these two except the binding.

I completely finished another one today - no photo yet.  It is pieced folk art village fabric on one side and I've backed it with some very bright Clarice Cliff design fabric.  This fabric was bought in Guisborough about 15 years ago.  It lined a little jacket I made Rachelle as a toddler - she wore it many times before growing out of it.  The left over piece which has been sleeping in the stash all these years was a perfect size to back this little quilt.  Photo will follow.

Butterfly Quilt

The Butterfly Garden is quilted, I used the Horizon's Accufeed and it is excellent.  Just simple lines inside the sashing strips.  I may do some diagonals across the squares.  Just needs binding now, but that will wait.  I have more tops to quilt while the table is at its full extent.

April Quilt Workshop

Off Centre Log Cabin was today's workshop at Hutton Buschel.  Turquoise and brown is the colour theme I've chosen.  Made half a dozen blocks at the workshop and the rest of the time I concentrated on getting all the fabric cut.  All I need to do at home is sit and piece it together.  It's an easy one, don't think it will take long, then it can go on the pile waiting for my new sewing machine to arrive and be quilted using all those bells, whistles and gizmos it has.

Jelly Roll Quilt Update

Having only the first page of instructions for the jelly roll quilt, putting the strips together has been a bit of a challenge.  Thanks to the Crazy Shortcut Quilts book I managed to work out what to do with the strips, but I was a little disappointed to find that I would have to hand stritch all the strips at the back.  This is not necessity, but it will look better than me trying to machine in the ditch and hope the underside is caught in.  Better take longer than rush and spoil it.  I really love the colours here and it is a big quilt - bigger than intended but there was enough fabric to make an extra strip so why waste it.  I think this will be going on our bed and it will really brighten the room up.

The photos are of the front - the back is unfinished - there's a lot of handstitching in front of me.

Jelly Roll Workshop

It was rather like a journey to the North Pole, as Jenny drove North the snow got heavier.  Anyway, she did a grand job and got us to Hutton Buscel safely.

Here are pictures of the finished blocks laid out - I'm trying to make sure none will end up next to a similar coloured one.  It is quilt as you go and it will look completely different once the sashing is in place.  I was worried about the bright coloured jelly roll, but now it is cut up and pieced I have changed my mind and love it.  More photos when I have the sashing completed.

Christmas Magic Nine Patch Progress

What started out as this Original Nine Patch has now evolved to this.   The top is pieced, ready for borders.  I'm really pleased how the clours and the design have gone together.  The overcast sky has not allowed the camera to capture the true richness of these colours.

Popular Patchwork magazine

Treated myself to a subscription to Popular Patchwork magazine, starting with the December issue. The subscriber offer is first three mags for £1 just now. I've bought a few issues over the last year and enjoyed the read so I might as well save a bit and have them delivered. First one will be posted out around 6 November - postal strike permitting.

Christmas Magic Nine Patch

Sneak preview of the nine fabrics which will make my Christmas quilt. This is a sewn block of nine, but it doesn't stop there. I am making a Magic Nine Patch from the lovely book given to me by Joyce, a friend of my Mum. Will update when I get some more done.

Star Blocks ready for piecing

This hasn't been too hard to do - it's gone together quite quickly and came out to size. So no working out to do for the setting triangles, I've just followed the pattern. There is a pieced border for this quilt so that is still to do - but it's all cut out ready.

Barbara's Last Workshop at Hutton Buscel

Excellent workshop by Barbara Slee, her last one at Hutton Buscel. This is one of the blocks I completed today, I really like my colour choice this time - it looks cool and fresh. More later when I get further with the quilt top.

The Search for Perfect Piecing

I've been working on the perfect quarter inch seam and accurate matching of points. It's getting much better the more I practice on the quilts I am making, but I have found a thread and needle which I think makes a big difference.

I am piecing with YLI Soft Touch 100% Cotton - it is very fine so you don't lose fabric as it is pressed and turned. The needle I have chosen is a Schmetz Microtex size 70/10 - extra sharp point. The sharpness is particularly useful when machine quilting through wadding and two layers of fabric.

The YLI Soft Touch doesn't need to be colour matched to the fabric, I'm using Natural for lighter fabrics and Grey for the darker ones. A 1000m cone will last me a long time and costs less than a fiver on Ebay. YLI also have some scrumptiously coloured varieagated machine quiltiing thread - the picture is some of the spools I received as part of the "free gift" when I bought my 4900QC just over 18 months ago.

For more information than you'll ever need to know read Thread of Truth all about thread and needles. Unravel the mysteries about weights and sizes.

I'm not really pursuing perfection - nothing's ever perfect. I want a quilt that's pleasing to look at with no glaring errors, no wavy edges and almost all points matching. That's good enough for me, stressing out over minor imperfections takes all the pleasure away from the finished object.

Poppy Quilt

Here's the poppy quilt, under the presser foot being machine quilted. I bought these pre-cut squares from Land of Oz Fabric Treasures about 18 months ago. They were one of my earlier attempts at patchwork and I'd sewn them together into blocks and then they were retired to the cupboard, I suppose when I started the monthly quilt workshops almost a year ago.

I dug them out yesterday and finished putting the top together - sharp intakes of breath as I saw gathers, tucks and definitely no matching points. I've loads still to learn, but after seeing this, I know I have made progress over the last 12 months, because I can piece a whole lot better now!!

It 's quite a large lap sized quilt and with the soft cotton batting inside it will be very snugly. One thing I will remember from this is that a black quilt calls for black batting. It's currently covered with fluff which I hope will brush off.

Just the binding to do now.

Around the Twist

The piecing is done, I love this quilt top! I don't have the backing yet and I need to decide whether to add a border(s). I'll think on it for a while and go back to my other unfinished quilt, the Northwind Scrap. I'd love to get both tops done by the end of the year and have them backed and quilted before I start the 2009 round of Workshops in February.

Fabric Basket Tutorial

I've not posted for a couple of weeks - real life getting in the way. Anyhow, reading through some blogs today I found this tutorial at Pink Penguin - looks like a good way to use up bits and bobs left over from quilts and have some nice storage in the sewing room.

Two Block Quilt - top finished

My Two Block Quilt top is done and pressed. I've hung it up and hope to get the wadding and backing in place some time over the next week, maybe it will have to wait until the weekend. I'm pleased with this, my points are so much better than some of my earlier quilts - no where near perfect of course, but I think I've progressed. There will be no borders, but I intend to use the mitred binding technique which Dianne at Hutton Bushcel explained to me. I've found instructions in one of my books and it makes sense now someone has demonstrated - albeit with a couple of tissues!!