Quay Quilters Exhibition

Well done to everyone who exhibited in this wonderful show last week. The standard was exceptional and there was a mix of traditional and modern quilts and other items.

We really enjoyed our visit to see it and everyone there was so friendly. 

The retailers had some wonderful bargains and helped me find the perfect fabric for my next handsewn project.

Thank you all! I hope I get to see your next show.

Quay Quilters, Faversham, Kent.

There were some superb quilts on display............sorry I cannot give credit to the people who made them but I thought I'd be able to read the labels on my photos. Alas I cannot!

Detail of the centre panel

 Fabulous colour shades.....

 and the flowers are all hand stitched 

 This was the raffle prize I would love to have won. 

All proceeds went to Pilgrim's Hospices

 This bag was so unusual and quirky in design, love it!

 Lots more photos of this fabulous exhibition by Quay Quilters to share in my next post.

Celtic Hearts & Hometown Quilting in Kent

I've just returned from a super visit to Kent, where I stayed with my lovely friend Dolores. We enjoyed great quilting time together and her hospitality was the best!

We managed make good headway in planning the quilt she will make for her daughter, who has recently moved into her first home of her own.  

We were given instructions for the colours and also told that it must incorporate a Celtic design as a centrepiece. As I had recently learned how to make a Celtic Braid runner we applied the same techniques and chose a continuing heart design to symbolise the everlasting love Dolores has for her daughter. 

Here it is, not quite finished, with only one side of the binding stitched so Dolores just has to finish the other side. 

Dolores and me proudly showing the result of our efforts

I was treated to several super jaunts and first we visited the lovely city of Rochester. It was decked in  colourful bunting and buzzed with atmosphere as there was a graduation that day, however, this meant that we could not visit the cathedral but I'm sure I'll go back one day.

This gorgeous shop "Hometown" is well worth a visit and is an Aladdin's cave for quilters.

 The staff are so friendly and helpful and this simple frontage opens into a temptingly beautiful layout of nooks and crannies which will so easily help make a pleasurable dent in your bank account. 

Filled with irresistable quality fabrics of every theme and colour we left our menfolk for quite some time....patiently sat on a bench nearby watching all the graduates and their proud families.

 A good range of books available,

 Lots of lovely sewing notions, cards and home accessories...

 Dolores also wanted me to show her how to make some of the easy items I have recently posted on my blog. Diane of the Cheshire Quilter sets me a challenge each month and the results are going to raise funds for Hope House Hospice so we made a few of these.

Cute round zipped pockets for keys or small change

 Handy triangular and oblong pouches

 Tissue pouch and decorations

A happy, sunny, interesting, fun, productive trip but most of all it was so lovely to catch up with a special friend. Thanks so much to Dolores and her lovely fella.

Coming up soon you I will share our trip to Quay Quilters fabulous exhibition so be sure to pop back soon.

Holly, Poppies and Friday Smile

I am still feeling a little uneasy admitting that after my years of never acknowledging Christmas until December arrives I have made several items in the last couple of weeks.

Here's Holly a very festive little ted>

Doesn't Holly look sad before I stuffed her?

Joining in with Annie's Smiles, although I'm a bit late, I know she doesn't mind.

This certainly made me smile.....(although if you've read my last post I'm still on cloud nine because of that lovely treat)

Nature throws some treasures and this is one that is growing in my garden right in the middle of a lavender bush. It was so lovely last night after a shower of rain ....

and this morning it had dried off and opened to reveal it's gorgeous centre. Very Georgia O'Keefe!

There's another one to follow sprouting from a crack near the front door to look forward to. 

All from  free seeds on the wind!

 Here's my Block of the Month swap for Diane of the cheshire quilter blog.. it's a Monkey Wrench and I do hope she likes it.

 I join in the challenge each month for Diane's group and this month it was Christmas again!! Diane had set another fun project which will help stock the craft stall in September with the funds going to Hope House Hospice. 

Pop over to Annie's for more smiles... it's never too late and you could add your own too.

A Treat from Black Sheep Wools (& Fabrics)

I am so thrilled that I won the Sewing Bee at Black Sheep Wools (& Fabrics) especially as everyone else's project was good enough to win, but this time (I who never usually wins anything) was amazingly fortunate to be the lucky one and here is the generous prize I received. 

Thanks so much to Black Sheep for such a lovely parcel of goodies which will be so well used, and thanks to to all the kind people who voted for the bag I made at the Bee. The pattern will soon be available on Black Sheep's website if anyone fancies making one and there's a wide range of fabulous quality fabrics in store in all the bright colours I used in my bag. 

Here is the wonderful Coats bag of treasure I was given...

The purple fabric is a bolt of almost 7 metres (by FreeSpirit) and Lesley didn't  even know that it's my favourite colour! 

Wow! plenty there to make sashes, binding and back a quilt.

That's an Amy Butler jellyroll on the left too....

Lesley hands me the super bagful of goodies in the fabric department....

There were lots of sewing notions, .... 

  also a £15 gift card and I didn't take long to spend it on the turquoise fabrics which were perfect for a project I intend to make.

I'll come down to earth now and make plans to use it all. 

Sewing Bee Time to Vote

Last week I shared a fantastic day at Black Sheep Wools

with a group of super people for a Patchwork Sewing Bee. We all had a wonderful day of stitching fun and here are photos of all we made between eating and gabbing and laughing. 

What's more it's a competition so it's time to vote, 

if you would be so kind to pop over to Black Sheep's Blog http://www.blacksheepwools.com/blog/ ........ 

take a peek and vote for your favourite via pinterest, facebook or instagram and have a look at their fabulous shop. 

It's an Aladdin's cave of yarns and fabrics.

If you do manage to choose mine then many thanks but they are all exceptionally gorgeous so it could be a really hard job choosing. 

Here's my Japanese twisted (or Windmill) bag in bright Kaffe Fassett fabrics by Rowan. 

Ali's super shopper

Diane's Handy Pots

Lucy's cushion

and Rachel's Pinwheel shopper

www.blacksheepwools.com.... no longer just wools but fabric too. Stitchers Heaven!

Crossed Swords Table Mat & Friday Smile

Last night I finished hand stitching the binding on this CHRISTMAS table mat. Yes! It's for Christmas... me who doesn't do anything connected with the event until November and then I don't do much!! 

After enjoying making the Celtic Braid a few weeks ago I wanted to try something in a similar technique.  

So we have Christmas in June and aren't those peonies stunning?

I recently visited the Waterloo Quilt Exhibition where someone had made a lovely quilt with hand stitched panels of traditional Sashiko Japanese designs and this reminded me of the crossed swords formed at the end of the traditional English Morris dance.

It's amazing where inspiration strikes, from this 5ins hand stitched panel and these crossed swords,

I played around and drew the layout for this panel. 

It is 12ins each side and 24ins across the widest point.

The result is this table centre.

 I really enjoyed making it but I think I will now modify it to have voids between the swords to make it easier to apply the braid at cross points.

Leave me a comment if you would like the pattern layout, I'm willing to share.

It gave me pleasure to make this piece and when I browsed my photos for the images of the crossed swords I spotted this old pic I just had to share...

It was taken whilst on holiday in Ireland outside a Cobblers in Dingle. Love those boots!

It's my Friday Smile and I am joining in with Annie this week....

Pop over to see more and have a smiley weekend!

A reminder that the fabulous Gresford Festival of Crafts will be held next week. don't miss it as it is such a good show. Lots of quilts and other crafts in the church, fabric sales in the Millennium Hall and good food and drinks in the Old School House of this lovely little village just over the border in North Wales.

I'll be there on Thursday with lots of Quilt Cornerstone members.

Full details....

2015 Festival of Crafts 

June 16th - 19th 2015

Tues - Thurs 10.30am - 8.00pm

Fri 10.30am - 6pm

Admission £2.50
entry to both exhibitions 

All Saints Church,
The Green, Gresford,
LL12 8RG

and

Wrexham Quilting Circle
Gresford Memorial Hall
LL12 8PS

Refreshments, tombola, fabrics for sale, plant sale.

Refreshments at Church House, Gresford 

For further information contact Jayne Mumford 01978 750250 

All proceeds to charity