Frazzled and dazzled

Alsion Bramley's talk this month was called 'Frazzled and Dazzled' and we were definitely dazzled (and she was a bit frazzled as she had come down from Yorkshire, just for the evening!).  Her quilts are nearly all made from silk, and the colours were fabulous.  Here she is in front of one of her amazing quilts.

 

 

This piece is her latest one, called 'York'.  It was so carefully researched that Sylvia was able to point out where she was proposed to and the hotel she stayed in with her husband!

 

 

Just to show that she can use a more realistic palette, Alison brought these two quilts.  Beautiful. 

 

June had been putting a lot of thought (and work) into the raffle - as usual.  This month's theme was a detective one, where people could choose an open or shut case!  Great fun.

 Lots of people had enjoyed making the latest block of the mystery quilt.  They all look so different, and I particularly like Carol's bright yellow house and Elaine's gingerbread house!

Gwyneth and I used the very same brown fabric for our roofs, strange that we did that when our styles are so very different.

 Most people used Andrea's idea of topiary trees, and don't they look gorgeous?

Very good going that 13 people had finished their block and were willing to show and tell.  We're all eager to see the completed quilts!

I'm always trying to finish UFOs, and this one has been around for a long while!  It resulted from some bargain charm packs which were bought at Malvern some years ago.  I enjoyed making the pinwheels, but felt it had rather an 'old lady' feel.  That's why it didn't get finished, until now!  I'm sending it to Ann Hill for her Alzheimer's fundraiser.  If you haven't sent a quilt yet, look here to find out what and where. 

 

Here is another of my UFOs, again from a while back.  I agreed a swap with some Canadian ladies which didn't quite work out how I'd anticipated!  I'll spare you the details, but suffice it to say that the resultant blocks were very difficult to put together. 

 

Here is a gorgeous child's quilt - I love the bright nine-patches.

 

Ruth had been given some raw silk, which was beautiful, but not in her preferred colours, and not a large amount.  In the end she has made this beautiful bag, with a black velvet top.  She said she's used it all up, which is a good use of something special.

 

Ruth has also been experimenting with some curved rulers which she bought from Creative Grids last year.  Unfortunately they came without instructions, but she managed to get some and produce these lovely items.  Clever.

 

Bunty made a confession - she was actually fibbing when she said she had no more UFOs last meeting, as she discovered this one, hiding in a cupboard!  She's no slouch though, as it's a UFO no longer!  Good use of scalloped borders there.

 

Jan is a star: she produces lots of charity quilts, and is an expert at using scraps.  This one is for Project Linus.  Thanks Jan, it's lovely. 

 

You would never be able to guess who had made this quilt, as it's a very scrappy quilt made by Stephanie, who doesn't do scrappy!  It was a challenge fabric swap which she embraced wholeheartedly, including putting in some Scoobidoo fabric which I got the blame for!  It's for her grandson, and I'm sure he'll love it.

 

She has also been busy knitting with 2-ply wool!  This shawl is so fine that it will go though a wedding ring.  (Not sure if she's tried it yet!)

 

Here is the Jacob's ladder quilt Paula made at the beginners' workshop last October.  Her colours are perfect and the design stunning. 

Liz brought these three quilts which had been made by Jane for Project Linus.  Jane found her scrap box was getting very full, so made lots of Mile a Minute blocks but sorted the colours out, so she ended up with a pile of pink blocks, a pile of blue, green etc. 

She was a t a loss as to where to go from there, but having made several Granny Square quilts, decided to use the blocks for that design.  She chose some 'reads as a solid' fabric from the Linus box, and sewed away.

Result - one empty scrap box and three lovely Linus quilts, which have been beautifully quilted by Liz.  Fabulous!  Thank you Liz and Jane!

Liz had brought along the jelly roll quilt she made at the last meeting - all layered and quilted!  You can see the spiral design she chose which goes perfectly with the bars on the quilt.  What a clever lady.

 

And here is Carole's New York Beauty quilt.  She used calico foundations to piece the points, which have all come out needle sharp - and what delectable colours!  The clever pieced border sets it all off too. 

If you fancy some quilty inspiration before the next meeting, book a ticket for The Journey of Quilts - a talk on the work of Headley Court for recovering servicemen and woman.

It is on Tuesday 12th March at 7.30pm at Jubilee Hall, Market Harborough Congregational Church.
Tickets are £5 including light refreshments and are available from "The Quarter Inch" St. Marys Road, Market Harborough, Sue Sharp 01858433396 or Ruth Wallett 01858 525346.
All proceeds will be divided between the Teenage Cancer Trust and Quilts 4 Injured Servicemen .

Information

Poor Di has not only lost her computer, but also the contacts for the Round Robin!    So here is all the information you would have received personally.
A trip has been arranged to go to the Spring Quilt Show at Duxford on Sunday 10^th March. Pick up points are in George Street, Lutterworth 9am, White Lion, North Kilworth 9.10am, Market Harborough bus station 9.30am & Church View Road, Desborough 9.45am. We will leave Duxford at 4pm. Advance tickets are available at £6 for adults & £5 for seniors plus £12 for the coach & driver’s tip. Men are welcome to join us – maybe to visit the Imperial War Museum at Duxford – pay £14 on arrival for this option. If you’d like to come please give Ruth a ring by Monday 18^th February- 01858 525346  Please bring cash or cheque to the 21^st February meeting.

CHARITY For those who do not already know another way we support charity is to collect fabric scraps, threads & wadding at home then leave the bags of it just inside the main door & they are whisked away as if by magic by member Chris. She works in the Leukaemia Research shop in Lutterworth where our “rubbish” is turned into cash to support this very worthwhile charity – they have raised thousands of pounds this way so please keeps your scraps rather than them ending up in landfill sites.

Also, the table with the plastic box full of rummage is the box of delights donated to Project Linus, which aren't suitable for making children's quilts.  Please take anything out of the box (one man's trash is another man's treasure!) and leave a donation on the saucer.  the money will be used for buying wadding for this worthy cause.

COME & SEW DAY

Walcote hall is booked for Saturday 9^th March & you are invited to come along for all or some of the day to sew with your Piecemaker friends.

Lynda has lots of Linus quilts which need layering, quilting & binding – can you help? Just bring yourself, a sewing machine and/or a hand sewing kit & lend a hand for charity.

The tombola at Festival of Quilts this year is for book wraps/covers. Sarah has already shown some examples which can use up orphan blocks, stash fabrics & embellishments. She will bring patterns, fabrics & embellishments to give us a head start. We just ask that one book wrap is donated to the tombola with any more made to keep or give away as you like. Again bring a machine &/or a hand sewing kit plus any materials you have.
Drinks & biscuits are available all day, so just bring a packed lunch if you plan to stay all day. What a lovely way of spending your day & it’s FREE!

 

 Finally, do you recognise the quilt above?  I was surprised to find it hanging in the coffee area of Saint Mary's church in Lutterworth.  Apparently it's very much admired by visitors (although some of the church members were unhappy about the autumn trees with ghosts and witches on them! You can never please everyone!)   Can you spot your tree?

Book wraps workshop

Saturday March 9^th 10am to 4pm

Bookwraps Making Day at Village Hall, Walcot

At Festival of Quilts 8^th - 11^th August,you will have a chance to win a gorgeous Bookwrap creations.

Before that we'd like your help to create these fabric covers or wraps for notebooks, diaries, address books etc which are easy to make and can be made using very little fabric. They can be patched,decorated, quilted, stamped, embroidered in any way you choose and will help us raise funds for the Quilt Museum in York.

They are a brilliant way of using those UFOs in your cupboard or a safe way of experimenting with techniques you fancy trying, very little is wasted even if it goes wrong!

There is no requirement to include a notebook when you send your Bookwrap to us, but we do ask that you make the Bookwrap for a standard sized notebook. eg. A6, A5

 There will be patterns to use, some fabrics and ribbons and threads to play with ; examples to look at and demonstrations, if you'd like one. Tea and coffee will be provided along with cake, but please bring a packed lunch.

You will need to bring a sewing machine and your usual sewing kit, mat and rotary cutter, some fabrics, wadding/ pelmet vilene and threads. The minimum you need is 15” x 8” of 2 different fabrics (one will be the lining) wadding and some yarn or buttons for a fastening  This makes 1 A6 size Bookwrap – you can probably make 3 in a day! Or a larger piece for an A5 cover.

Can I still help if I can't make the 9^th March?  Yes of course. Make a Bookwrap at home – you can find a pattern in the Winter edition of the Quilter magazine or use your own ideas. You can also find ideas and patters on our Bookwrap Gems website http://bookwrapgems.wordpress.com

 Once finished put a slip of paper in the Bookwrap with your name on it and send it to:

Bookwrap Gems, 103 Desborough Road, Rothwell, Northants NN14 6JQ

Hope to see some of you on March 9^th.

Sarah Showers

PS. There will also be an opportunity to sew for Project Linus.  All materials will be provided, and all help appreciated!
Lynda Hill

 

Celtic letters workshop cancelled.

Just to let you know that the workshop with Alison Bramley has been cancelled due to lack of numbers.  Ruth will be issuing refunds for all those who have paid.  Shame.

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!

Mystery quilt

Here is a message from Andrea, Bunty and Ruth:

"Hi All,

We hope you had a good Christmas and New Year and are now raring to get back to your sewing!  We hope you have enjoyed making up your Letter Home and Hearts blocks but please, if you have any problems, do ring either of us so we can try and help.  We have some interesting techniques coming up in the next few months and hope you will enjoy them.   Please bring along any completed blocks to the meeting on 16th for a show and tell with everyone"

 

Trip to Duxford

Ruth has alerted me to the fact that an outing has been arranged to go to the Quilt Show at Duxford in March for members of various groups.

The outing is arranged for Sunday 10th March.
There will be pick ups in Lutterworth George Street at 9 o'clock, North Kilworth's White Lion at 9.10, Market Harborough bus station at 9.30 and Desborough at 9.45.
The cost will be adults £6/seniors £5 plus £12 for coach & driver's tip.
The coach will be leaving Duxford at 4.30.
Men are invited to join us.  Contact Ruth if you would like to book a place.