UK Quilters
Recently I was exited to be able to join what was the second (somewhat delayed) annual retreat for an intrepid group of quilters collectively known as ‘Lady Chattey’s Quilt Lovers’. Thirteen ladies travelled to Denham Grove hotel in Uxbridge, a popular choice for quilting retreats; to chat, relax and sew. Running from 1pm Friday to…
Had I known at the time of writing these diaries that we would have to endure further lockdowns, I might have kept the stitching up, I did consider it at one point. As it is, I would have struggled because my health and mental wellbeing got worse. Day 79: Cross Stitch, brown shaded perle thread.…
Repair, Reuse, Recycle, Renew Good quality towels tend to come at a price, especially if you are looking at bath sheets. You want them to last a long time and quite often, the binding on the edging starts to fray long before the body of the towel begins to deteriorate. In this climate of making…
Re-reading my diary posts and knowing what I know now, I can see how my energy levels are getting worse. I had no way of knowing how in a few months time I would be basically sleeping twenty four seven and be in much more pain. Day 72: No sewing. Diary Entry: I achieved my…
As promised, or threatened, the October book in the UKQU book club is another quilting mystery book. It is called The Cat, the Quilt and the Corpse and is the first book in the Cats in Trouble Mystery series of eight books featuring Lillian Hart who makes quilts for a living. The books are written by…
Last time we looked at making mini quilt sandwiches and the different ways to quilt some of the blocks for our Puzzle Quilt. Once the quilting is all done it is time to join the blocks or sections together. Lay the blocks out first and move them around so you don’t have two of the…
Continuing the diary catch up from last year, re reading it reminds me how things can change in the blink of an eye. Day 65: Running stitch with variegated thread sewn in the round to resemble back stitch. Diary Entry: Could not walk properly today, or lift or bend. I had to get my husband…
Its always good to see new, improved products arriving in our sector – like this new wadding from Vlieseline. We have asked two of our bloggerati to test drive this too so watch out for their reviews turning up shortly. Replacing the original 279, the luxuriously soft, 279 Soft Cotton Mix is a…
Hexagons are the easiest shape to use for patchwork using the English Paper Piecing (or mosaic patchwork) method. There are many ways hexagons can be combined into different patterns, but the most common is the double rosette set into a background path, known as “Grandmother’s Flower Garden”. As shown here, one hexagon at the centre…
I was sent a sample pack of Around The World by Makower UK. Sample packs usually have 10″ squares but this one was a bit different- they included a full panel! It had the panel of a world map, and nine 10″ squares of the coordinating fabrics. It’s a lovely children’s design – the map…
Continuing with the posts of the final sections of my lockdown diary. Day 58: Thorn Stitch, hand dyed cotton thread. Diary Entry: A day of blah, low, tired, not sure really, just could not seem to find the energy for anything much. Not sure if it’s the coming down off the meds or just general…
A year has passed and I am continuing to play catch up with posting these blogs. Day 50: Encroaching stem stitch. Four strand thread, two blue and two black. Diary Entry: Not much to write about other than housework which I cannot , not do due to OCD. I spent most of the day in…
Juliet Nice
Denise Inkson
Jane Galley
Nina
Chris Franses
Sylvia Priest - webmaster and quilter
Carolyn Gibbs