Fun with precuts

 Our September meeting was very well supported.  Maybe it was after the holiday season, or maybe it was our speaker, Carolyn Forster who was the attraction!  Carolyn gave us an excellent talk about using precuts, from charm squares to layer cakes, with jelly rolls on the way! 

This quilt is one using up ends of jelly roll strips and other scraps making flowers.  Very pretty.  

There was no raffle this time, but Madeline and Di will be taking on this responsibility from the next meeting.  We are hoping to maximise charity profits by using donated items as prizes.  If you have any surplus fat quarters, patterns or other quilty goodies they would be very pleased to receive them. 

People seem to have embraced the Inspiration Challenge.  Show and tell was exceptional this month. 

Here is a beauty from the Jennie Rayment workshop. 

This is a clever pattern of stars and Xs.  Great colours too. 

Lots of hourglass blocks here making a stunning design. 

Lots of bright colours here. 

This cute quilt is for an 18 year old! It’s a special keepsake made by Sue from the recipient’s baby clothes. 

This photo is a bit blurred, but is a cottage wall hanging. 

This is a quilt made from some drunkards path blocks which have been waiting for a while to fulfil their potential.  With a few borders, they make a very acceptable Linus quilt. 

Here is a challenge item made from purple fabric.  Fine embroidery. 

This is an embroidered item.  It’s a mixture of quilting fabric and wool.  Beautiful. 

A very pleasing scrap quilt. 

This quilt is made from one simple block which rotates alternately.  It can be a real brain ache to put together! 

Paula took these yellow blocks which were made at the Linus evening and has put them together beautifully. 

This lovely sheep hexagon quilt was also made by Paula.  The yellow makes it look so fresh. 

Jan used scraps to make this clever shapes quilt.  Ideal for a budding mathematician. 

What a clever design!  The black and white fabrics really make it pop. 

Another finish from Paula.  Clever use of 2.5” squares. 

Gwyneth took a bag of assorted farm scraps, and by adding her own tractors, has made them into a fabulous Linus quilt. 

Lovely toning fabrics here. 

The beautiful colours and design remind me of a Ricky Timms Convergence quilt. 

Rail fence is always a classic. 

A panel to delight 5he heart of any car fan. 

This is (apparently) a purple quilt - or as near as this person could manage! 

Pat made this very pleasing quilt at a retreat. 

Maria is ahead of the game and has her Christmas quilt all ready! 

This mosaic quilt is hand pieced.  Great scalloped binding. 

The next meeting will be the AGM and we will also have a members’ sales table.  If you have anything you would like to sell, bring it along with a label with your name and the price you want and we will do our best to sell it for you.  Also, it is the last opportunity to complete your Inspiration Challenge.  The prizes are all ready! 

Project Evening

 Our August meeting was an opportunity to work with clear plastic and make a handy bag.  Lots of people had a go, and some came along for the social. 

This group is engrossed in their task! 

Chris already made her pouch, so she’s able to advise. 

Ann was the guru, and was able to help everyone. 

This group are more keen on the social.  Why not? 

Here are some of the pouches made on the night.  Ann had over estimated how much plastic we would need, so people who wanted to make other items were able to take some home with them. 

At the last meeting I encouraged people to take a Project Linus kit and make it up.  Here is a simple one made of 2.5” squares.  The green border really works here. 

This is another Linus kit made from strips.  It’s a great design for using up 2.5” and 1.5” strips. 

This is a cute baby quilt made from a panel. 

Gwyneth made this quilt as a present for someone.  I’m sure you can guess his name! 

Madeline made this fabulous Jubilee quilt from a Bramble Patch kit.  She very much enjoyed making it, although she said the embroidery on the map was a little taxing. 

Lesley made these paper pieced tulips as a new technique.  Like many of us, she thinks it’s a great method, but rather tedious.  She’s made a great job of them. 

This log cabin quilt has been waiting to be completed for a while.  It’s an attractive and unusual arrangement of this block. 

Here is an accomplished version of a Jenny Rayment design.  Great colours. 

I love optical illusion designs.  This is a shadowed square.  Very effective. 

Maria has done these lovely Christmas embroideries for the challenge.  Perfect.

These next four quilts are actually only two, they are double sided!  They are beautifully quilted with rulers.  Stunning. 

And last but not least, two more challenge items.  Julie made these handy key rings as gifts.  The studs were a new technique for her. 

And here is a clever knitted blanket.  The hearts look quite dimensional.  I’m sorry the challenge sheet wasn’t at the meeting for people to tick.  I’ll make sure it’s available at the September meeting, as the October meeting will be the last opportunity to bring items to show and tell.  November will be the prize giving!  

Lots of vintage quilts.

 The June meeting featured a talk by Carolyn Gibbs who talked about vintage British quilts.  She also brought lots of vintage quilts from her collection, and showed us frame quilts, mosaic quilts, whole cloth and strippies as well as Welsh, North Country and Scottish quilts.  

Here is Carolyn, with some of her patterns. 

Here is a dramatic red and white strippy.  The beautiful quilting doesn’t photograph well. 

This strippy is unusual as the fabrics aren’t plain coloured. 

This is the ultimate in mosaic patchwork, made entirely from silk ribbons! 

A different mosaic quilt. 

A log cabin quilt.  This design, while British, could have originated from Canada or the USA, it’s not certain. 

This mosaic quilt is sashed with Turkey Red, the first red dye to be run proof and fade proof. 

This frame quilt dates from about 1820.  I knew that Carolyn had a collection of old quilts and had brought one I have, to show her.  When this quilt was displayed I couldn’t contain myself, as it was so similar to mine!  We displayed the quilts together and you can see for yourself! 

My quilt, in a sorry state, is on the right.  Both are frame quilts with very similar designs, but mine is just a little younger.  Carolyn was able to date it to around 1830, as there are blue/green fabrics, which used a dyeing technique not known until 1830!  The quilt had been given to me by its previous owner, and I decided to gift it to Carolyn, as I knew she would appreciate it and be able to share it with lots of admiring people! 

And then there was the show and tell!  This is a block from a vintage quilt which took my fancy.  I thoroughly enjoyed choosing the colours for this one. It was my new technique challenge as I used the Vilene and glue method of preparing some of the applique shapes.  I usually just needleturn. 

This is Vicky’s new technique.  She used Quarter Inch Tape to help with the HSTs.  She said it was a good method. 

This is Gaynor’s attempt to reduce her scraps.  She was able to confirm, yet again, that they don’t ever reduce! 

This hasnt photographed well, but is a ruler quilting sampler.  It was made using quilt as you go, but the maker has vowed never to use that method again! (I’m with her!) 

Here is my purple quilt.  It’s made from purple and neutral 2.5” squares.  I make 16-patches and join them together to make it easier to handle. 

Here are some more challenge items made by Jan. 

This gorgeous quilt is a gift for a dog.  

Jacquie has been busy making this stunning sampler.  It’s her embroidered challenge. 

This is another machine quilted sampler.  Lovely fabric choices. 

Gaynor finished this UFO for Linus.  Thank you. 

Jacquie made this quilt, which looks very complicated! 

There were other show and tell items which I haven’t had chance to share.  Keep ticking off those challenge cards, as November will soon be here!