UKQU | Chris Franses | Activity https://ukqu.co.uk/members/chrisf/activity/ Activity feed for Chris Franses. Wed, 03 Jun 2026 22:29:55 +0100 https://buddypress.org/?v=10.6.3 en-GB 30 hourly 2 f1b37af2fb0a1433dff0c9d87ff3c3a5 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Applique revisited https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=377581 Sun, 13 Mar 2022 13:54:07 +0000 I’ve been having a sort out of my cupboards and finding all sorts of half-finished, or even barely-started bits and pieces left over from 30-odd years of teaching. My most recent find has been a bag full of applique…

]]> 0 6fd7062f37837aa267f0ff4858f47927 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Log Cabin https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=13407 Wed, 05 Jan 2022 06:00:03 +0000 New Year, new term, new students; but hopefully into the second month and second of our monthly classes we’re all beginning to settle back and relax a little.

We always start the year with simple rotary cutting f…

]]> 1 a13c1216418dce6340c908ec17a8d627 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Eye, Eye https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=366889 Sat, 01 Jan 2022 08:26:48 +0000 Back in August 2020 (seems a very very long time ago now, doesn’t it?!) I had a bit of a fright. Well, ok, I admit it – a major panic. I can panic for England, if not the UK, or even Europe, given half a chance, and…

]]> 2 93f24c212f5cb6d138e345da6f945a2b Chris Franses wrote a new post, Corn and Beans for Christmas https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=365257 Sun, 19 Dec 2021 13:03:10 +0000 I’ve been burbling on recently about units and blocks and grids and other arcane patchwork stuff including blocks that don’t appear to have a grid but are pieced on the diagonal instead. I thought I would have a loo…

]]> 0 df31e2635d17c1bdbc5846989013a39e Chris Franses wrote a new post, What is . . . this block and how could I make it? https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=360608 Sat, 18 Dec 2021 06:21:50 +0000 I’ve been burbling on recently about units and blocks and grids and other arcane patchwork stuff including blocks that don’t appear to have a grid but are pieced on the diagonal instead. I thought I would have a loo…

]]> 0 338804d9cee364b3f1a933b9343853d9 Chris Franses wrote a new post, What is . . . . a block? https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=354184 Wed, 27 Oct 2021 05:35:51 +0100 Those of us who have been patching (or quilting) for far too long blithely use all sorts of terms that may not be quite so obvious to those just discovering quilting. One of those is ‘block’. A related term is ‘un…

]]> 0 1d07f9aa685c3a0a3031faa5e3b2dc50 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Puzzle Quilt - Joining the blocks and adding borders https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=346586 Fri, 01 Oct 2021 05:30:20 +0100 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…

]]> 0 0349eb1745cd980614839b19bdce9c6b Chris Franses wrote a new post, Puzzle Quilt - Quilting the blocks https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=345944 Tue, 14 Sep 2021 14:20:11 +0100 When we started out on this Puzzle Quilt adventure I suggested that it would be a Quilt-as-you-Go (qayg) project. This means quilting the blocks (or several blocks) as you make them and then joining them together. I…

]]> 0 4a2fb7f7e9843c9463547683cedfe690 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Building Blocks - basic units https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=341234 Wed, 01 Sep 2021 05:43:27 +0100 In a previous post I looked at some of the queries that have popped up on the UKQU Facebook feed about blocks and quilts and where to find patterns or sizes. I thought I would take this a step further (and also back)…

]]> 0 a198b0d5bcae77a152e1fe160ad33010 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Puzzle Quilt Block 8 https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=339470 Wed, 18 Aug 2021 05:26:56 +0100 The final block for the Puzzle Quilt is called Hartford Hope and is a variation of the Hope of Hartford block. It has quarter-square triangle units (which we have come across in several of the previous blocks) and…

]]> 0 c18604c274e3a9a5bedeccc7b5576261 Chris Franses posted a new activity comment https://ukqu.co.uk/blog/2021/07/16/what-is-this/#comment-11269 Mon, 09 Aug 2021 11:23:31 +0100 Thanks, Carolyn. I do enjoy trying to work out how things go together!

In reply to - Chris Franses wrote a new post, What is this . . . ? A query that frequently crops up on UKQU Facebook posts is ‘What is this . . . block/quilt design called?’ and is usually followed by ‘Where can I find the patte… ]]> 3365af26f440261596ee990e1e24dc8c Chris Franses wrote a new post, What is this . . . ? http://ukqu.co.uk/?p=335763 Fri, 16 Jul 2021 04:49:55 +0100 A query that frequently crops up on UKQU Facebook posts is ‘What is this . . . block/quilt design called?’ and is usually followed by ‘Where can I find the pattern?’ or ‘How can I make it?’. Sometimes these queri…

]]> 2 55e922c97ed6ca19cef28a8a625c3595 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Puzzle Quilt Block 6 https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=333417 Thu, 10 Jun 2021 11:51:19 +0100 Block 6 of the Puzzle Quilt has arrived. This month’s block, called In A Spin, introduces another unit – Flying Geese. But first a few words of apology and explanation. Last month I said there might be a random ext…

]]> 0 a656575c93a7b9701e4a2c21232d180e Chris Franses wrote a new post, Puzzle Quilt Block 5 https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=328637 Wed, 12 May 2021 13:39:21 +0100 Block 5 is called Mystery Flower Garden. It includes the quarter-square triangle units we had in last month’s block (London Roads) and another unit consisting of two quarter-square triangles and one half-square t…

]]> 0 660839944c87a90def3ce08cbec362ae Chris Franses wrote a new post, Puzzle Quilt Block 4 London Roads https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=327408 Tue, 20 Apr 2021 07:56:50 +0100 We’ve reached Block 4 of the Puzzle Quilt and you will be half-way through when you have made these ones. This time the block is based on a 9-patch grid (the earlier ones were 4-patch) and has two new units to t…

]]> 0 53bcda2952e131840775d6da22512e70 Chris Franses posted a new activity comment https://ukqu.co.uk/joining-wadding-bits/#comment-11076 Wed, 14 Apr 2021 09:04:27 +0100 Thanks, Maggie. Of course, having sorted out the wadding and assembled a backing I now can’t find the thread I was sure I had!

In reply to - Chris Franses wrote a new post, Joining wadding bits I had to join some strips of wadding together to make a big enough piece for a quilt top I had just finished and I thought I would take some photos to show how I… ]]> 594a69667c4ccea67887c0b725bca63e Chris Franses wrote a new post, Joining wadding bits https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=325550 Sat, 03 Apr 2021 05:28:34 +0100 I had to join some strips of wadding together to make a big enough piece for a quilt top I had just finished and I thought I would take some photos to show how I went about it. There are lots of different ways to…

]]> 2 560a3355b2afee1d2a964d7987be5dd3 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Puzzle Quilt Block 2 Schoolgirl’s Puzzle https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=319827 Fri, 12 Feb 2021 13:40:56 +0000 Like last month’s block (Clay’s Choice) this month’s is based on a 4-patch grid and is made just from squares and half-square triangles. Take care when you are making these triangle units – accurate cutting and acc…

]]> 0 c3aeaa6c8aa65bbc9ad7f91f070241f9 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Puzzle Quilt Progress https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=316238 Thu, 28 Jan 2021 06:09:36 +0000 I have chosen my fabrics . . .
This may not sound much but I have had my stash tipped out all over the floor, I’ve rummaged through it. I’ve held up various fabrics together and wondered ‘do they go?’ and ‘how much…

]]> 2 4641f78a11a3a22ec9b1e457d310c716 Chris Franses posted a new activity comment https://ukqu.co.uk/puzzle-quilt-block-1-clays-choice/#comment-10803 Mon, 18 Jan 2021 14:39:27 +0000 Hi. Sorry to hear that – I know the website does sometimes have problems with ‘overseas’ stuff. In the meantime I am also posting this quilt-along on my own blog – Meadowsidedesign.wordpress – and you should be able to download it from there as well if the UKQU download isn’t working for you.

In reply to - Chris Franses wrote a new post, Puzzle quilt block 1 Clay’s Choice Welcome to the first block of our month-by-month Puzzle Quilt. As explained in previous posts the idea of a puzzle quilt is to make two (or more) i… ]]> c432b08c5c41731a37e0a66ceab0c444 Chris Franses posted a new activity comment https://ukqu.co.uk/puzzle-quilt-block-1-clays-choice/#comment-10802 Mon, 18 Jan 2021 14:36:41 +0000 Thanks, Maggie – I hope so too!!

In reply to - Chris Franses wrote a new post, Puzzle quilt block 1 Clay’s Choice Welcome to the first block of our month-by-month Puzzle Quilt. As explained in previous posts the idea of a puzzle quilt is to make two (or more) i… ]]> b685d1a5cc712d21dad9017f8c6929d6 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Puzzle quilt block 1 Clay’s Choice https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=314303 Thu, 14 Jan 2021 11:06:43 +0000 Welcome to the first block of our month-by-month Puzzle Quilt. As explained in previous posts the idea of a puzzle quilt is to make two (or more) identical blocks but move the colours around so the blocks look…

]]> 4 2c4ba0d9e0ae5947c62a0c346986ef53 Chris Franses posted a new activity comment https://ukqu.co.uk/designing-quilts-writing-patterns/#comment-10736 Tue, 05 Jan 2021 10:26:19 +0000 Thanks, Maggie. I hoped people would realise what a lot of work goes into writing a patterns and that is why we (often) ask to paid for them!

In reply to - Chris Franses wrote a new post, Designing quilts, writing patterns What actually goes into writing a quilt pattern? It should be easy, shouldn’t it? Especially if your design uses traditional blocks. So why do p… ]]> 6cfb9b6e221650f7198b67a87b1d9871 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Puzzle Quilt Quilt-Along https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=312558 Mon, 04 Jan 2021 18:40:09 +0000 I feel we all probably need something to sew, something to keep our minds and fingers occupied while locked down, in a high tier or whatever, wherever, we happen to be at the moment. To which end I have dug out the…

]]> 0 a3c3503f54b5fc1524c135078aa35b94 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Christmas Pattern Books https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=307009 Thu, 17 Dec 2020 06:59:35 +0000 I have a lot of books – and magazine ’specials’ – with a Christmas theme. Most of them were bought in my early patchworking years when I felt in need of ideas, inspiration and patterns and many were acquired second-…

]]> 1 2c599257af22695cdc0bf02ceb4e9eae Chris Franses posted a new activity comment https://ukqu.co.uk/books-for-inspiration/#comment-10573 Thu, 03 Dec 2020 09:51:09 +0000 I’m enjoying sharing my books with you all – it has made me take them off the shelves, dust them down, and really look at them.

In reply to - Chris Franses wrote a new post, Books for inspiration Sometimes you feel an urge to design something different – an applique pattern or a quilting pattern perhaps – but where to start? As I keep telling everyone –… ]]> ab34039d525872b206abec1afb4c4949 Chris Franses posted a new activity comment https://ukqu.co.uk/books-for-inspiration/#comment-10572 Thu, 03 Dec 2020 09:49:55 +0000 What can I say? I’ve been a book-aholic since I was knee-high!

In reply to - Chris Franses wrote a new post, Books for inspiration Sometimes you feel an urge to design something different – an applique pattern or a quilting pattern perhaps – but where to start? As I keep telling everyone –… ]]> 9e1d5098f11e4cda148034403a3421c6 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Books for inspiration https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=301039 Tue, 17 Nov 2020 06:01:25 +0000 Sometimes you feel an urge to design something different – an applique pattern or a quilting pattern perhaps – but where to start? As I keep telling everyone – I can’t draw; I never got beyond third year in art at sc…

]]> 4 d8218b89bec66a252d750fd938847844 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Drawing in Word 1 - Squares https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=296907 Tue, 27 Oct 2020 06:51:54 +0000 You don’t really need expensive sophisticated programs to design a simple quilt – although they do help – as hidden in Word are a set of drawing tools. I’ve still got an older version of Word so my screen may look a…

]]> 0 c2eb4302d89462c650d3d682d7281b37 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Books of machine quilting patterns https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=295871 Mon, 19 Oct 2020 05:15:24 +0100 Having discovered machine quilting I felt there would be no stopping me. Except for one teeny-tiny thing . . . I can’t draw very well. Not only that but I don’t really ‘doodle’. I do sort-of doodle in that I fill in…

]]> 1 1c06f1a517f59ef9108c7fc6098a2bd9 Chris Franses posted a new activity comment https://ukqu.co.uk/ive-started/#comment-10190 Mon, 21 Sep 2020 15:39:08 +0100 Thank you , Maggie

In reply to - Chris Franses wrote a new post, I’ve started . . . . So I’ll finish. . . or maybe not. I’m great at starting, just not so great at finishing. There are various reasons for this. I lose interest in a project usual… ]]> 9bbfa4fc55c489bf8988d908e2a264c0 Chris Franses posted a new activity comment https://ukqu.co.uk/ive-started/#comment-10189 Mon, 21 Sep 2020 15:38:35 +0100 Good to know we’re not alone . . .

In reply to - Chris Franses wrote a new post, I’ve started . . . . So I’ll finish. . . or maybe not. I’m great at starting, just not so great at finishing. There are various reasons for this. I lose interest in a project usual… ]]> 7a179ddf573c54a2950d10cc731904bd Chris Franses posted a new activity comment https://ukqu.co.uk/ive-started/#comment-10188 Mon, 21 Sep 2020 15:37:50 +0100 Glad to help!!

In reply to - Chris Franses wrote a new post, I’ve started . . . . So I’ll finish. . . or maybe not. I’m great at starting, just not so great at finishing. There are various reasons for this. I lose interest in a project usual… ]]> b830607b5d4ff04c073eb3846739edad Chris Franses wrote a new post, I’ve started . . . . https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=287920 Wed, 09 Sep 2020 05:26:07 +0100 So I’ll finish. . . or maybe not. I’m great at starting, just not so great at finishing. There are various reasons for this. I lose interest in a project usually once I’ve done the ‘interesting’ bit. Sometimes…

]]> 6 cbedfb20da77653c2a72597c4aaa727d Chris Franses wrote a new post, Books on machine quilting https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=280934 Tue, 11 Aug 2020 05:43:28 +0100 Last month I showed you my books on hand quilting and promised a peek at my machine quilting books this month. I think next month I will have to continue with quilting books – the ones with ideas and designs in t…

]]> 1 56d6c02e702c6c3efd9bf7c4dd932c1e Chris Franses posted a new activity comment https://ukqu.co.uk/meeting-old-friends/#comment-9719 Mon, 10 Aug 2020 08:45:51 +0100 Thank you, Amy. I have a lot of fun making my quilts – even if I do then forget their existence!

In reply to - Chris Franses wrote a new post, Meeting old friends The other day was fine – dry, warm, not raining – so a friend and I met up for a suitably socially-distanced picnic in my garden. I’d been over to visit Ann in he… ]]> eea91997e431c4dc56a87e17a08b34e5 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Meeting old friends https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=276300 Sat, 01 Aug 2020 05:57:55 +0100 The other day was fine – dry, warm, not raining – so a friend and I met up for a suitably socially-distanced picnic in my garden. I’d been over to visit Ann in her new garden (but not house!) just after the lockd…

]]> 2 ccb43ebd785a61004a52c0a4d36dd758 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Theme quilts and books https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=264573 Tue, 02 Jun 2020 11:18:54 +0100 When it comes to designing a quilt it can sometimes help to go with a theme – especially for a sampler or a block of the month – such as ‘seaside’, ‘houses’, ‘trees’. You then have the entertaining task of finding…

]]> 1 9235b8545f52f2d910c2e42a9310c17b Chris Franses wrote a new post, Musings on quilts and gardening https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=262708 Wed, 20 May 2020 05:34:43 +0100 Many quilters are also gardeners. Have you ever wondered why this is? I was pondering on it as I wandered round the garden taking photos of progress (or lack of) while thinking that I really ought to be getting on…

]]> 1 81096de26fc85405305a759081f2c058 Chris Franses posted a new activity comment https://ukqu.co.uk/books-of-blocks/#comment-9220 Fri, 24 Apr 2020 08:29:29 +0100 Thanks, Maggie. Although as a caveat – my bookshelf doesn’t include anything more up-to-date that last century when it comes to block books I’m ashamed to say. I’m really missing the quilt shows this year as it it such a good opportunity to browse for books.

In reply to - Chris Franses wrote a new post, Books of blocks Having decided to make a quilt using blocks how do you choose which block (or blocks) to use? Do you find a theme (stars for instance) or look for a name that appeals… ]]> a11f1af13aa95e8b8c9fba3886c3a17c Chris Franses wrote a new post, Books of blocks https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=254573 Thu, 09 Apr 2020 05:23:22 +0100 Having decided to make a quilt using blocks how do you choose which block (or blocks) to use? Do you find a theme (stars for instance) or look for a name that appeals (how about Cats and Mice?). Perhaps you want to…

]]> 2 f1ea7649042314744da9283414fc6eec Chris Franses wrote a new post, Books, books and more quilting books https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=246745 Mon, 24 Feb 2020 06:06:43 +0000 I thought I would start off this journey through some of my quilting book collection by looking at some of my general how-to books. These are the ones I first bought when starting out on this hobby of ours and the…

]]> 1 2a4f08fe347448cf6ceca59ea7a03c2f Chris Franses posted a new activity comment https://ukqu.co.uk/books-books-and-more-books/#comment-8808 Wed, 29 Jan 2020 16:14:54 +0000 And I fear many of them will be available online still – even if its as ‘print on demand’ or as e-books. Hide the credit card!

In reply to - Chris Franses wrote a new post, Books, books and more books I like books! I collect books – all sorts of books, not just quilting books. I probably have more gardening books than quilting ones and if you add in the b… ]]> 9abc237d2918f5a1550178608cc619ea Chris Franses posted a new activity comment https://ukqu.co.uk/books-books-and-more-books/#comment-8807 Wed, 29 Jan 2020 16:13:29 +0000 Thanks, Maggie! I feel its a good way for me to revisit long forgotten friends on the bookshelves and to find new ones too.

In reply to - Chris Franses wrote a new post, Books, books and more books I like books! I collect books – all sorts of books, not just quilting books. I probably have more gardening books than quilting ones and if you add in the b… ]]> a0fa2cf4d7d694c1aa3c63090b258410 Chris Franses posted a new activity comment https://ukqu.co.uk/books-books-and-more-books/#comment-8806 Wed, 29 Jan 2020 16:12:05 +0000 The Magic Faraway Tree was my daughter’s favourite too. I’d forgotten all about it. I still have my Just William books!

In reply to - Chris Franses wrote a new post, Books, books and more books I like books! I collect books – all sorts of books, not just quilting books. I probably have more gardening books than quilting ones and if you add in the b… ]]> be41403e95208856bdb00d61524b0073 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Books, books and more books https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=238409 Mon, 20 Jan 2020 06:11:07 +0000 I like books! I collect books – all sorts of books, not just quilting books. I probably have more gardening books than quilting ones and if you add in the books about plants in general then I have way too many (is t…

]]> 6 05d1be53af41e86c62143d249c7d4cc5 Chris Franses wrote a new post, Doing a Runner https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=230513 Mon, 09 Dec 2019 06:27:52 +0000 It’s that time of year again – Christmas is looming, presents still to be bought/made, decorations to be found in the loft, rooms tidied away ready for visiting relatives and seemingly vast quantities of food to be…

]]> 2 6a87f861c7131c2726e8dd1dd8274974 Chris Franses posted a new activity comment https://ukqu.co.uk/a-wedding-stole/#comment-7909 Tue, 24 Sep 2019 16:09:51 +0100 Thank you, Ami. I had a lot of help – from the book I had and from my niece.

In reply to - Chris Franses wrote a new post, A Wedding Stole Earlier this year my brother, a widower, announced he had ‘met someone’. Not only that but they were getting married the next month. Cue much family panic – insuf… ]]> 4196ada46ac0a7bdba9d5bfc60d084e2 Chris Franses wrote a new post, A Wedding Stole https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=211463 Mon, 16 Sep 2019 05:38:20 +0100 Earlier this year my brother, a widower, announced he had ‘met someone’. Not only that but they were getting married the next month. Cue much family panic – insufficient time to buy an ‘outfit’; how grand a wedding,…

]]> 2 7cc8fb2ad4fccc37dab8df75e1d82f5f Chris Franses wrote a new post, Simple Shapes . . . https://ukqu.co.uk/?p=209179 Tue, 13 Aug 2019 09:30:43 +0100 . . . . Stunning Quilts – the title of Stuart Hillards’s new book says it all. The five main chapters each take a simple shape (or combination of those shapes) to make twenty very different blocks and quilts. Whe…

]]> 0