Sample and new magazine

Hello all.  Hope you're keeping nice and warm in this drab damp weather.

Well.  As you know I'm a fan of sampling before I make a piece. 

So here is the starting point for a sample - its very yellow.  

I promise to show it you when I've made some progress. 

Whilst at the Festival of Quilts I subscribed to a new magazine called Love Patchwork and Quilting and issue one has now landed.  It's great to see more contemporary fabrics being used.  If you get the chance do have a look - here's a little preview.

Promise to post again soon.

I've been busy - honest.

So - just to prove I do sew, here's the quilt I'm entering at Trentham - that's not at Trentham now. Unfortunately the snow fall earlier in the year resulted in the roof collapsing on the building used - so Margaret has been an absolute star and has managed to find a new location - very near to the original. Please look at her website for full details.

And here is my entry for Malvern - like the previous quilt I've got to sort out a sleeve and a label.

And to prove what a great day I had on Saturday at the Bramble Patch dyeing fabric with Bren - here's whet I ended up with. I'm rather pleased and have a cunning plan to do some more.

And I can't tell you how excited I've been with this edition of The Quilter ( you get this when you're a member of the Quilter Guild). It's got soooo many great artists in it and articles too. So we've got Edwina Mackinnon, Ineke Berlyn, Laura Kemshall and Sheena Norquay.

And I'm hoping this edition of Selvedge will be just as exciting.

I've been doing stuff - honest

Hello all. Hope you're all well. 

Sorry I haven't posted (again). Here are the excuses: I had a really busy week at work after my last post and then was booked on a 5 day residential course last week. So the weekend (when I should have gone to Rocheberie Schoolhouse Quilters) was spent sorting out lots of 'stuff' rather than having more fun.

But in spite of this I did manage to scan in a picture I'd found in a magazine and then print it onto Lutrador and craft vilene (as you can see below). The printer (HP Photosmart C7280 All-In-One) was an absolute dream and just took the different media and printed. I know this is how it's meant to work - but I'm sure many of you will agree how it often doesn't.

Not too sure what I'm going to do with them - but I'm sure my next class will give me lots of ideas.

Thought you might like to see Flo - in her favourite position - on our bed asleep. Can you see the tail is starting to swish - she really doen't like to have her photo taken. 

And I was so happy to come home to my copy of Selvedge. Oh it's such a delight to read and look at the pictures and the ads. The next issue is about quilts - I'm sure it'll have lots of news about the forthcoming exhibition at the V&A. I know sine the sad demise of Borders it's not as easy for everyone to get a copy of Selvedge off the shelf - I think Waterstones might be tsrting to try to fill this gap - so do try to have a look at a copy and see what you think.

Anyway - I'm off now to do all those jobs I haven't been here to do for a week. Have a great weekend.

December already

Is it just me or has December come around really quickly again? I always know it's on its way - but I'm still suprised when it arrives. At least I think I've got all of my Christmas presents now - I just need to wrap them and write the cards.

And talking of Christmas cards bnelow is a photo of the cards we made for each other in our Bramble Patch with Bren. They're all so different. I was really sorry to say goodbye to all the girls as I won't be joining the class next year - but I think I will be back there in 2010 - boy does that sound a long way off.

And arriving on my doormat in the last few weeks - the new Selvedge magazine - beautiful as always.
And here's a bag a made for a friend's birthday...From this book...

And hot off the press (a late birthday present) is Keri Smith's latest book. It's a good fun book. Have a look if you get the opportunity.

And here's what I have to cope with when I'm trying to bind a quilt. Flo decided, in spite of the pins in it, it would be a good idea to curl up and go to sleep in it.

Take care and I'll be back soon.

Getting ready to dye

For a change I'm getting ready for my next class at Bramble Patch - instead of my usual rush of just stuffing things in the car in the morning.
I don't think this photo is great but hopefully you can make out the circle I've drawn and then stitched on the calico.



I'm then going to pull the threads to manipulate the fabric and then we'll see how it tray dyes.

The aim is to use the fabric on the back of this quilt - here's a sneaky peak....

Yes it's very pink...

And I just had to include this photo of Flo - who was very cute and wrapped herself up in her quilt. That's a paw poking out of the front and her bum sticking out of the back.

I've also been thinking of ways to try to crack on with sketchbooks. I know it;'s not unusual to have a bit of a inferiority complex - especially when you look at some. But I'm determined to get over it. One thing I've realised is that I don't have a clue how to use a number of very basic artists materials - such as watercolour paints and I have no idea about mixing colours. So that's what I think I need to start with. The book I bought from Trentham by Gwen Diehn suggests you concentrate on one type of material and master it rather than using lots of different materials and really not mastering any. So tomorrow I'm going to give it a go. Wish me luck...

Oh I almost forgot that the latest Quilting Arts magazine arrived this week - it's great.

Photos at last

Sorry for the last lot of photoless postings - I think a photo really helps on blogs.

So here are my latest magazines - Selvedge:

And this morning my new Quilting Arts magazine arrived - I can't wait to sit down after dinner and have a good look at it:
I also bought some fabric - here's a little bundle:
I did buy a pile from the sale at Kisko - but it needs washing and ironing still - so I'll let you see that in dribs and drabs.

And now the class from last week:
Some of you may recognise these two. Part of the class was for us to critique an artists work - and here are two of our class doing a Ant and Dec style presentation.

I also took my work in for some constructive comments - I already had an idea what I needed to do - but it's reassuring when others agree. So it was a very quick bit of screen printing -

in brown:
And black.

When I got the pieces if calico back home I tea dyed them, cut them up and added them to the final piece.

And here we are - with the words tacked on.

I'm much happier with the result now. There's still quite a bit of work to do - but I can see the end in sight. I'm just pulling together all my entry forms tonight to see about deadlines and exhibition dates. Yes I know - I'm a control freak...

I hope you've noticed I'm doing quite well (so far) with doing something towards my creativity everyday. How are you all getting on?

Hope you all have a nice weekend.

Christmas

Not too heavy a post today as I'm sure some of us may still be experiencing the excesses of Christmas.

Well - as you can see from the photo above I managed to cook a rather good turkey. A combination of a good quality 11lb turkey, good tips from Jane and a quick addition from a Gordon Ramsey cooking programme I saw on Christmas Eve. I'm very proud of my first roast turkey. The rest of the dinner was very good too (even though I do say so myself).

I'm also really pleased with the pressies I got. And I can share a little tip with you all. The reason I got a subscription to Selvedge magazine was because I said I wanted it on my blog and DH read it - what a great ploy - I'll be using it again LOL.

I also saw a great exhibition today at Warwickshire Museum - Gold Thread and Fire. It's not a huge exhibition but very interesting. I wish I could afford to buy a few of the items.

Here's the square in the village this afternoon at about 3.30; it's just getting dark and the lights are on. It looks so pretty.

And finally here are a few pictures I took of the Michaelmas House window. The animals I think are French and sooo cute. Lots of different textures. If I find out what the make is I'll let you know. Oh and their sale starts on January 3rd.

I do hope you all had a great Christmas break.

I'm back...

Sorry about the delay with my postings - but as you know I've been a bit busy - just like you.

I'd like to say a huge thank you for all the kind words of support for me and my mum. I'm pleased to say she's had her op and it went as planned. I visited her yesterday and she was comfortable - which I think is really all you can expect at this stage.

I'd thought I'd share with you a few things I've bought over the last few months. First is the beautiful Selvedge magazine - I'm hoping Santa might be bringing me a subscription.

Next is my Quilting Arts - such a beautiful cover. I'm still waiting for number 29 - I'm sure it's got stuck in the post.

And a copy of The Quilter - which you get as part of your Quilter Guild subscription.

And a treat now - 'Finding your own visual language'. Since my course with Brenda I've been more adventurous with the books I've selected and don't look at the ones with just patterns in now. This looks a great book and hopefully over the holiday I'll be able to have a better look at it. Have any of you got this and used it? I'd love to hear how you got on.


Now - I did get rather excited when Santa and his sledge came down the road - I ran out shouting 'Santa - I've been a good girl'. My husband is still laughing about it now.

I'll have to go now to check on my infamous Jamie Oliver Pork goulash - I'm cooking it for our Quilting Christmas party tomorrow night. I had to miss last week as I got a stinking cold - I've got rid of it now and I'm just left with a hacking cough.
Hope you're all OK and not too stressed with the time of year.
Take care.

PIF...

... has arrived from Karol Ann of Sew much fabric, so little time, sew true.It so lovely to receive items in the post - and even nicer when you know they've been hand made. A lovely needle case, a card and a beaded key ring.

Thank you so much Karol Ann.

For those of you who haven't joined in yet I still have 2 spaces for people who'd like to receive packages from me in the next year. So far I've only got one response from Sally at Feather on a wire, so if there are 2 more of you out there please do drop me a line. The only thing you have to agree to is that you'll mention this on your blog and that you'll PIF 3 things. Come on.... (please)

Have any of you seen the Toplots part of E-bay? The idea is that you can bid for unique items - such as a day quilting with Janice Gunner. Have a look - there are some great lots.

I aslo picked up a copy of Selvedge - it's sooooo nice.

And I finished my Buzz Saw quilt top. I promise I'll share it with you very soon when I've got it sandwiched. It's not perfect - but I do like what it looks like.

Now I know it's already October, and I have started making little gifts for pressies - but honestly I went to out local large garden centre and it's packed with Christmas decorations and everytuing else Christmas. I'm not a grumpy old women (well not all the time) but I think it's just a bit too early. What do you think?

Hope you're all OK - have a great evening.

Hello...

... sorry I didn't realise I hadn't posted for so long.

Not been up to too much lately. We had our class at Bramble Patch and our tutor, Bren Boardman told us about an exhibition she has on in Rugby - have a look at her site for more info. I'm hoping to be able to go along next week.

Tomorrow I'm off to a Quilters Guild Region 11 day at Kenilworth - I'm even baking a cake for it - bit of a rare event. I'm not too sure what to expect as I haven't been to one before - but as it'll be full of quilters I'm sure it'll be great. I'm going with a couple of the girls from our group so it's bound to be a great day. We're also going to hand over the neo-natal quilts we made for their challenge - it'll be great to see what other people did.

I also got the latest issue of Selvedge yesterday - it's such a lovely magazine. Please do go and have a look at one if you haven't seen a copy before.

Did any of you notice Patti's blog being reviewed in the latest British Patchwork and Quilting magazine? She didn't know it had been included so I've posted her a copy of it - I hope she'll receive it early next week.

Sorry they're aren't any photos - but I'll take one of my cake (if it looks OK) and some of tomorrow's event.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

As promised .......

As promised here is the pattern I'm planning to follow (from Popular Patchwork) but adapt for my orange and blue scheme. As you can see it's a diagonal pattern. As I said before I think I need to plan this very carefully otherwise it will end up a real mish mash.
The weather this Bank Holiday weekend isn't going to be great and DH is working Saturday and Sunday so I've got the perfect excuse to sew and only stop to eat. I'm really cracking on with the huge quilt - I've only got about 7 blocks to finish before I have to contemplate the borders. I'm going to machine some of it in the ditch - as it's at the edge it'll be manageable.
I also need to make some more bits for the sale table for the festival in June. I bought some magnetic catches for bags today - but I'm not entirely sure how you put them on... so any help would be great.
I also want to say again a big THANK YOU to all of you for looking at my blog - I'm still getting very excited when I see a new red dot appear in another country so thanks.

Class preparation

Tomorrow is another of my 'Exploring your creative potential' classes at The Bramble Patch with Brenda Boardman.
I've included a couple of snaps of work from the last class where we used thermofax screen printing method. It was amazing to see how every student used a different image for their screen - I was the only one who used text.
The first image is gold text on plain white dyeing fabric. The second sample used red text on a piece of fabric I'd dyed in the class the month before. We all used different fabrics to test the results we'd get - for example muslin, tulle. I was really pleased with the results and hope to be able to try this method again. It was idiot proof - must be if I can manage it.
I'll post photos of the results of tomorrows class as soon as I can.

Oh... I also managed to get the next copy of Selvedge... I'm going to curl up with a cuppa now and read it.

Magazines

I thought I'd share my views on a few magazines I like and what I like about them.The first Qulitmania is a French publication but is luckily for me in English language. It has great articles about international quilters and also good projects. The projects are graded and seem to use different fabrics to the ones I see in the UK.
I bought this from The Bramble Patch.

Quilting Arts is an American magazine I bought from The Bramble Patch. It's different to other quilting magazines in that it's focused on design element and getting you to think and see things differently. This one also has an international feel about it with articles by and about artists from all over the world. It also explains techniques that I've certainly not seen before.

Selvedge is just beautiful and really is a piece of art in itself - it's really special. The articles are easy to read but do make you think about other aspects of textiles. The ads are almost as exciting as the articles. I bought this one from Borders. I just like to sit and look at this one.

I would recommend getting all of the above magazines (I'm not on commission- honestly). I know I should be doing lots of other things but they really are a delight to look at, and we all deserve a treat - don't we.

I'd also like to say how much I've enjoyed seeing the red dots on my Cluster map grow and pop up in new places - it's really exciting and reassuring that there are people out there.....

Easter Sunday

Another beautiful sunny day - not like a British Bank Holiday weekend at all.

I thought I'd share some of my favourites magazines with you today. The first one Selvedge is one I've only recently discovered. It's a real delight. It's a bit on the pricey side (7.50) but it's a real quality publication. I'm hoping to be able to subscribe as it does work out allot cheaper. I got my copy from Borders, Leicester.

Another magazine I have started to look at is Quiltmania. It's French - but luckily is in English. It has really good articles about artists from Japan and France and exhibitions across the world. I've enjoyed looking at the projects and work published in this one. I've been buying my copies from The Bramble Patch. This shop is a real treasure. They have a great range of stock and very helpful staff. I've attended a number of classes here - the facilities are great and they have a fantastic range of teachers. I would highly recommend a visit if you haven't been before.