January meeting

The weather here in South Leicestershire has been awful, and with the temperature gauge at -3C I wasn't sure how many people would brave the icy roads, not to mention the icy car park, but we quilters are made of stern stuff, and the hall was full!  We even had several new members, which is always lovely!  Sarah Showers had brought the Quilters Guild Contemporary Quilt Collection, in a suitcase!  The A3 quilts were on the theme of 'Childhood' and were fascinating.

As you can see, all the quilts were completely different, some pictorial and others very abstract.

Some people had lovely memories, of holidays, deckchairs, books, tv programmes, but others had a tough time, notably the girl who was sent to boarding school at five and three quarters and had a miserable time.  

Everyone enjoyed being able to inspect the quilts at such close quarters and discuss them.  With white gloves being provided we could also turn them over and stroke them, which isn't usually possible!

Sarah also made a plea for people to come to a workshop to make some book covers or book wraps for the Quilter's Guild Tombola at the Festival of Quilts in August.  The covers can be made from any technique and are really easy and fun to make.  The workshop will be on 9th March at the Walcote hall, so please come along if you can.  The money raised will go towards the Quilt Museum in York, a very worthy cause.

Lots of people had brought the last two blocks from the Mystery Quilt, and the next set of instructions for 'The Big House' was eagerly collected.  

Muriel and Liz had a Jelly Roll Race.  They did the method where you join the strips into a long string, take the two ends and join the halves together, then take the two ends again and join the two sets of two strips etc, until you have a rectangle.  (It's easier to see than explain!)  Liz had concertinaed her strips, while Muriel had rolled hers which tangled up and slowed her down, despite the services of Nik and Gill.

So the winner was Liz, who made the top in one hour!  Way to go, Liz!

June had some special raffle prizes (as usual) in a box decorated with crystal beads.  Very suitable for such a frosty night.

I started off show and tell with my Flutterwheels challenge quilt which has been two years in the making.  It's an homage to the Sundial Quilt in the V&A, and made in reproduction fabrics.  I love it.

I have been making another mystery quilt posted by Bonnie Hunter.  It's called Easy Street, and if you want to make it, the instructions are on her blog for free!  Click here here  and then click on 'Easy Street' on the top bar if you fancy it.  I have made half the blocks she suggests, as her quilts are always very big.

Nik went for the full size, and her greens are much gentler than mine.  A stunning quilt.  She'll be able to quilt it on her long arm - can't wait to see it finished!

I wasn't the last to finish my Flutterwheels quilt, as Bunty has recently finished hers.  (Stephanie is the last apparently!)  The earthy colours look gorgeous.

Bunty has also finished this quilt which has been waiting for a while to be quilted.  It's beautiful, but I hate her because she says she has no more UFOs!  What kind of quilter has no UFOs?  A very organised, talented and clever one!

Ruth saw this cute design in a magazine, and fell for it.  She hasn't got a child in mind as a recipient, but I'm sure there will be one coming along soon to enjoy it!

Paula found these Mile a Minute blocks in the Linus box and has bordered and made them up.  The wide border really sets the blocks off, and the yellow binding is a masterstroke.

This is Ruth's jelly roll quilt.  It was a Christmas theme, and looks very warming.

This lovely quilt is bound for a charity (I've forgotten which one! Sorry!)  Liz quilted it beautifully with feathers. Dorothy is so proud of it, she's still stroking it!

Di brought this quilt she made for her brother in law to prove that she can make big quilts.  She came under some flak for taking the quilt over the coldest weather of the year!  I hope they don't freeze to death without it!

And here is something gorgeous which Di has made.  It's a kit she bought from Brenda Walker, and has some cute sheep on it.  She says it was a joy to make, and such a useful size.

The meeting finished in good time, and nobody got stuck and needed a push.  Phew!