UKQU | Helen Howes | Activity

Helen Howes wrote a new post, Making the Pieces Fit - or What To Do With Those Eccentric Odd Blocks

Tue, 09 Apr 2019 17:52:26 +0100

As requested…
These were left over from demonstrating Eccentric Log Cabins (not so much a Log Cabin, more a Pile of Sticks, see the image at the top for my Dusk quilt…) at Festival of Quilts in 2017.…

Helen Howes posted a new activity comment

Tue, 02 Apr 2019 18:10:49 +0100

This happens to my students a lot – they make something for themselves, then get an approach along the lines of “you enjoy this, why not make something for my second cousin’s third wife’s stepson” with no offer of payment. They usually have the common-sense to say no, or at least to ask my advice, at which point they get given a standard “costs”…[Read more]

In reply to - Ami Richards wrote a new post, How do you say no? How do you say no? This is a question that I have seen many times on various quilting sites. When someone wants you to make a quilt but they want it at a rock…

Helen Howes wrote a new post, Thirteen - A Nother Digression, About Quilting Your Improv Blocks

Thu, 07 Mar 2019 06:47:35 +0000

Now, as I have spent more time quilting, and as I have learned how to do it better, I find I want to make less and less of a statement with it. It’s really important to quilt your quilt, as it’s not complete…

Helen Howes wrote a new post, Part The Dozen, Spiralling Nebulae

Thu, 28 Feb 2019 13:05:11 +0000

Now, I was asked to make a quilt from a pack of Oakshott Fabrics Starshott, which is a slightly odd, subtle coloured selection.. I wanted something simple, and improvised, of course, and trimmable, without…

Helen Howes wrote a new post, Part Eleven - Three Is The Magic Number

Thu, 21 Feb 2019 06:45:43 +0000

This block (Three Becomes One) was probably the first truly “Improv” block I taught – and it is still a favourite

Sorry for the small images – I had these prepared, they vanished, I swore, these will Just…

Helen Howes wrote a new post, A Digression, or Slamming It All Together

Thu, 14 Feb 2019 17:00:40 +0000

Now, you will have noticed that free-cutting and free-piecing can lead to what we might call inaccuracy, or I might call Interesting Variations Of Size

As you can see, the first set came out in all sorts of…

Helen Howes posted a new activity comment

Tue, 05 Feb 2019 10:29:59 +0000

Thanks for linking to my Tigers – I think these are ideal for oddments and so quick to make, have had a lot of fun making quilts for various charities with these

In reply to - Carol Lightburn wrote a new post, Christmas Dinner Quilts for Care Leavers You might think it’s too early to be using the word ‘Christmas’ in February but bear with me to the end and ll will be revealed ….…

Helen Howes wrote a new post, Improv for Beginners and Improvers - Part Eight - Stones That Float

Thu, 31 Jan 2019 20:25:36 +0000

For this block I decided to work away from the more usual squares, and there are two variations – either make some of each or choose which you prefer. These make super borders for all sorts of quilts…
Cut
For e…

Helen Howes wrote a new post, Improv For Beginners and Improvers, Part 7: Yet More Celestiality and a Mini Quilt to make

Thu, 24 Jan 2019 07:27:09 +0000

Now, the nice little game of adding eccentric corners to squares can be taken a little further, like so

Cut a rectangle (this is a charm square cut in half, so 2-1/2 by 5 inches, but any size that…

Helen Howes wrote a new post, Improv for Beginners and Improvers, Part Six, Celestial Happenings

Thu, 17 Jan 2019 07:13:11 +0000

Last time, we did a regular Wonky Star, if that’s not too improbable.. This time I want to show you the more interesting version.
Start with a background square – mine is about 10 inches. If you need a…

Helen Howes wrote a new post, Improv for Beginners and Improvers Part the Fifth - Now is the Time For Starry Things

Thu, 10 Jan 2019 07:09:01 +0000

Let’s start with the simplest version of my Wonky Stars
Cut 9 squares of equal size, in a variety of colours if you wish. I have used Oakshott Fabrics Ruby Reds, plus black and white, here
And 3-1/2 inch…

Helen Howes wrote a new post, Crossing the Eyes and Dotting for Teas...

Thu, 03 Jan 2019 06:00:54 +0000

So, last time, we made simple crosses, and this time, a few extra ideas…

This time, I started with a background square, but I made a strip from three pieces, two white and one red. As before, I cut the…

Helen Howes wrote a new post, Improv Blocks, Part the Third - Crosses of the Modern Persuasion

Thu, 27 Dec 2018 06:00:30 +0000

Now, I fell in love with these slightly wibbly cross blocks, and one thing led merrily to another, and another, and yet more anothers. Thanks to Heather Hasthorpe, who was instrumental in leading me…

Helen Howes wrote a new post, Improv for Beginners and Improvers - More Tigers

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 06:00:17 +0000

So, having made your Tigers (see this post for details) you will find that there are various variations..

Start by joining the blocks together with all the stripes going the same way – you will note that your eye…

Helen Howes wrote a new post, Improv for Beginners and Improvers: Part the First, and an Introduction

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 07:06:14 +0000

Why Improvise?

Well, firstly, why not? It’s much more personal, and the results tend to be as individual as the maker..

And because it’s actually easier than being precise, and the opportunities to fai…

Helen Howes wrote a new post, Ancient and Modern

Mon, 12 Nov 2018 13:17:51 +0000

Hello there,
I’m Helen Howes, and this is by way of an Introduction and thanks-for-letting-me-play.
I’ve been a quilter for over 20 years, but I’ve been sewing for a whole lot longer – I have been a…

Helen Howes became a registered member

Wed, 03 Jan 2018 19:08:30 +0000