MQ 2020 Summer Challenge
"A postcard from my Staycation 2020" - a postcard-sized (4" x6") piece using hand/machine stitching. The card should be 2-sided, the reverse used to write on as in reality. That could just be handwritten. Anything from 'Wish you were here' to something pithy re lockdown!?? The picture on the card could be anything at all, as with real cards - a dream location, a childhood holiday memory, an arty V&A type thing. Also, if someone wants to make more, then up to 3 items
Marion has offered to share notes from a workshop she attended some years ago which give clear and consise instructions for making a fabric postcard. If you haven't made one before you might find them useful.
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June 30th
From June
"I have been busy piecing the 'Lisa Walton' Lap Quilt over the weekend -it is now in one piece. Just deciding what colour to have as a border."
"Got caught in the rain on Saturday- I didn't go for a cycle ride, but a walk up the Bath Road. We got caught in the torrential downpour on our way home, but soon dried out!
Highlight in my garden are the clematis and marigolds. Here's a few pics (including a bee having a well earned rest after battling against the wind on Sunday."
Highlight in my garden are the clematis and marigolds. Here's a few pics (including a bee having a well earned rest after battling against the wind on Sunday."
From Anne
Red White and Blue Mini Quilt
Here's a nice little project from 'We All Sew' Bernina's USA blog.
It's just 23" square and would look good in other combinations of colours. Click on the button below for instructions and downloadable templates. |
The Great British Sewing Bee
I'm sorry that there won't be any more Sewing Bee this year, I'll miss it. I was happy to see Clare win, although they were all really good.....
If you click on the photo it will take you to an interview with Clare from 'Gathered' Magazine. You might want to explore the 'Gathered' website while you are there.....lots of interesting things to see. |
This is Colossal
Have a look at Colossal, a fascinating website with many sources of inspiration, it's not sewing related but often fetures textile artists. If you like it sign up for their weekly email, it's always interesting.
"Called the “Tate Modern of the Internet,” Colossal is an international platform for contemporary art and visual expression that explores a vast range of creative disciplines. With an archive of over 6,700 articles written by seven contributors, we pride ourselves in celebrating the work of both emerging and established artists through an ongoing commitment to make art accessible to everyone. Our coverage explores visual culture through the latest in fine art, design, modern craft, street art, photography, illustration, science, and animation."
26th June
From Evelyn
"This is a fascinating article from the BBC - some beautiful images too, makes me want to buy fabric ...nothing new then is there???"
Evelyn |
Wax print: Africa's pride or colonial legacy?
by Clare Spencer |
25th June
I have been asked about how to add a flnged binding to a quilt. Here are some links to tutorials.
1. Geta's Sewing Studio. See photo on right
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2. Sew Fresh Quilts
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3. Sew Very Easy.
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June 24th
From Anne
Dancing RibbonsAQS (American Quilter's Society) are holding a 'Dancing Ribbons Quilt-Along'.
A group of us made this 12" square quilt about 10 years ago, it was a great way to get good at paper piecing. The pattern and instruction are excellent, clear and easy to follow. Although it only needs a small amount of fabric 18 differnt colours are required. I made mine on the right with Oakshott cottons, I've also made one with hand dyed fabrics, I have also seen it made with patterned fabric too; there are lots of examples on Pinterest. I promise that by the time you have finished it you will be good at and completely understand paper piecing. If you don't wat to join in the Quilt-Along download the pattern anyhow and save it for a rainy day. |
Blog Recommendation
I can recommend Bernina USA's 'We All Sew' blog, they send me a weekly email which is always worth a quick browse. Their 'Tips and Tricks' section is full of useful things. It's mainly sewing related rather than Bernina related so you will find it interesting whatever make of machine you use. Recent topics include a series on garment making, and lots of craft items particularly for children.
Do take a look. |
Postcards
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I hope some of you are thinking about participating in MQ's Summer Challenge - see top of page.
Just to raise the bar a bit I thought you might like to look at The Royal School of Needlework's website, they too are having a postcard challenge. There are some wonderful examples that people have sent in to them. Click on the RCN logo below to take a look. |
Another tick in the box...
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I'm still tidying in my sewing room, I wish I hadnt started because I can't find anything now!
Tidying means finishing things, which means I now have quite a few finished things cluttering up my room, or other romms they have been 'tidied' to! My very first foray into quilting was a 'Disappearing Nine Patch', A friend showed me this very clever way of sewing and cutting blocks to make it look like I had sewn a much more complicated design than I had. The idea appealed so off I went to my first quilt shop where I bought some charm packs. Then I sewed them together in blocks of nine and then quartered them and then, realising that I didn't like the fabric at all, I put them in a drawer and felt guilty about them for years and years! A couple of weeks ago I found the blocks and sewed them together I then spent a nice day or two quilting. Quilting is very forgiving, you don't have to be good at it for it to look good! Nobody notices the wobbly bits or the uneven stitches. it's the overall effect that draws the eye. It's smaller than it looks in the photo - another 'Picnic Blanket' - too small for a bed too big for a wall, It's not the best thing I've made but it's finished, which gets a lot of points! |
Midsomer Quilting
I've just recieved an email from Midsomer Quilting - you might be interested in going to their Man-Made exhibition in August. I cannot link to the actual email so here's the relevant extract.....
MIDSOMER QUILTING NEWSLETTER
You can do us a huge favour - please
This newsletter has come out a week earlier than I intended (as the lockdown restrictions ease) and it’s only a third of its recent length because of today’s wonderful newspaper headline.
Galleries to Re-open
So our Man-Made exhibition can go ahead in August!
But now it’s too late to get publicity in the magazines and the rest of the media. We’ve been holding off giving the exhibition the full-blooded publicity that we think it deserves, because of uncertainty about the corona virus and its restrictions. When can it open? Can you help us to ‘get it out there’ through your personal contacts? Groups? Blogs? Facebook? Newsletters? Twitter? Instagram?
You’ve probably read most of the next few paragraphs before, but I’m reprinting it all in case it’s of use to help you spread the word.
The exhibition will take place at the shop in Chilcompton - MidsomerQ.com - every day from August 7th until August 31st. Admission is free.
I’m pretty certain that this is the first time an entire exhibition has been devoted exclusively to the work of males of all abilities. Nothing that has been offered has been turned down. The few shows that I’ve read about in the States exhibit the work of professionals quilters or at the very least, highly rated individuals – everything is ‘juried’ and faultless.
But our show is different. Yes, it will also show the work of professionals of the highest international standard (one of whom has twice won the Vistors’ Choice award at Houston). But as well as these quilts there will also be outstanding quilts made by ‘amateurs’. There will be the highly impressive work of children. Nicholas Ball, author of Inspiring Improv, is contributing quilts. Others are arriving from prize-winner quilters in Canada and the USA.
Contributors’ ages run from eight to 78 - like the one above (there may be older ones, but if so they’re keeping shtum). There are quilts made by prisoners. Two quilters who were widowed 18 months ago and have since taken up the needle - having never threaded one before. Then there’s a vast quilt made by The Tent Makers of Cairo (that one is 624 times larger than smallest ones on show).
Why are we doing this? We have long been aware of the many men who beaver away, creating beautiful quilts in their spare rooms, unsure of their own ability, and with no one to share their enthusiasm. As a result, we are staging this three-week long exhibition to showcase, exclusively, man-made quilts. Ninety-three quilts covering the whole range of ability.
What do the contributors have in common? They all have a direct link to MQ themselves or were introduced to us by our customers
Paducah
I had two emails this week from male quilters. Both had entered quilts in the massive quilt show in Paducah, Kentucky. It was due to open on Friday, September 5th, but has just been cancelled, and they emailed to offer their quilts for our show in August. (Quite an honour!)
You can do us a huge favour - please
This newsletter has come out a week earlier than I intended (as the lockdown restrictions ease) and it’s only a third of its recent length because of today’s wonderful newspaper headline.
Galleries to Re-open
So our Man-Made exhibition can go ahead in August!
But now it’s too late to get publicity in the magazines and the rest of the media. We’ve been holding off giving the exhibition the full-blooded publicity that we think it deserves, because of uncertainty about the corona virus and its restrictions. When can it open? Can you help us to ‘get it out there’ through your personal contacts? Groups? Blogs? Facebook? Newsletters? Twitter? Instagram?
You’ve probably read most of the next few paragraphs before, but I’m reprinting it all in case it’s of use to help you spread the word.
The exhibition will take place at the shop in Chilcompton - MidsomerQ.com - every day from August 7th until August 31st. Admission is free.
I’m pretty certain that this is the first time an entire exhibition has been devoted exclusively to the work of males of all abilities. Nothing that has been offered has been turned down. The few shows that I’ve read about in the States exhibit the work of professionals quilters or at the very least, highly rated individuals – everything is ‘juried’ and faultless.
But our show is different. Yes, it will also show the work of professionals of the highest international standard (one of whom has twice won the Vistors’ Choice award at Houston). But as well as these quilts there will also be outstanding quilts made by ‘amateurs’. There will be the highly impressive work of children. Nicholas Ball, author of Inspiring Improv, is contributing quilts. Others are arriving from prize-winner quilters in Canada and the USA.
Contributors’ ages run from eight to 78 - like the one above (there may be older ones, but if so they’re keeping shtum). There are quilts made by prisoners. Two quilters who were widowed 18 months ago and have since taken up the needle - having never threaded one before. Then there’s a vast quilt made by The Tent Makers of Cairo (that one is 624 times larger than smallest ones on show).
Why are we doing this? We have long been aware of the many men who beaver away, creating beautiful quilts in their spare rooms, unsure of their own ability, and with no one to share their enthusiasm. As a result, we are staging this three-week long exhibition to showcase, exclusively, man-made quilts. Ninety-three quilts covering the whole range of ability.
What do the contributors have in common? They all have a direct link to MQ themselves or were introduced to us by our customers
Paducah
I had two emails this week from male quilters. Both had entered quilts in the massive quilt show in Paducah, Kentucky. It was due to open on Friday, September 5th, but has just been cancelled, and they emailed to offer their quilts for our show in August. (Quite an honour!)
June 23rd
From June
"Busy working on the Lisa Walton's pattern 'Power of Three'. I have just got to finish the little 3 Inch squares - then make up the modules and stitch them together to make a lap quilt. (see Pic) Just wondering what everyone else is creating/working on?
This week on my cycle ride I spotted lots of flowers on the roadside verges including Rosebay Willowherb, Common Toadflax and Field Scabious. (amazing names?)
Garden growing well - best flower in bloom today is my Penstemon (see Pic)"
June
This week on my cycle ride I spotted lots of flowers on the roadside verges including Rosebay Willowherb, Common Toadflax and Field Scabious. (amazing names?)
Garden growing well - best flower in bloom today is my Penstemon (see Pic)"
June
From Elaine
"BBC4 had a 3-part series called the "Fabric of Britain". This consisted of "Knitting's Golden Age", "The Story of Wallpaper" and the "Wonder of Embroidery". It can be found on iPlayer."
Elaine |
19th June
From Elaine
"Another finish! Don't be too shocked those of you who know me well.
This sashiko table runner was first planned 2 years ago. I saw a table runner on the website of Bebebold - an australian company specialising in Japanese sewing - and at FOQ bought not the kit for the beautiful blue example, but a length of the printed sashiko fabric & some red tsumugi fabric, but waited to find the right coloured thread. One year on & I bought thread at FOQ! Another year on & lockdown has meant it has been stitched. The sashiko fabric is printed with stitching patterns. When you've stitched those you want, you rinse it out and all lines wash away. Brilliant! I wonder why European printers of embroidery patterns can't develop something like that." Elaine |
June 16th
"I have over the weekend been planting up my small plants (Calendula and wallflowers) into any pot where there is space left! Picking Raspberries daily. I have kept a positive outlook - with cycling into the countryside - we went to Clives at Cropthorne on Saturday. Working from home has got harder the past few weeks - missing chatting to my colleagues and so I have decided to return to the Bank on Monday. I try not to dwell on things so to keep me from getting fed-up have started drawing some ideas for the 'postcard' challenge, but I will not start them until August so I have something else to look forward to. Have cut out and started the Quilt pattern from Lisa Walton (Lap size) pictures and info will follow next week."
June
June
From Anne
June 13th
From Evelyn
Evelyn has emailed to let us know that the Patchwork Basket in Newent is opening on Tuesday 16th.
Please click on the button below for guidance about visiting.
Please click on the button below for guidance about visiting.
From Anne
Although the Festival of Quilts is cancelled this year the organisers are still making great efforts to keep in touch with the quilting community.
In place of the actual show they are holding a virtual competion which will give us all something to virtually wander around at the end of July. I ecourage you to sign up for their weekly email 'Subscribe' . This week there is a link to Gathered - a craft/sewing website where you will find free templates for a quilt publishe in Todaay's Quilter magazine. Click on Image There are also links to the Gardners World and BBC Good Food Shows. |
If anyone is a Craftsy/Bluprint customer I know you will be disappointed to hear they are closing down. If you would like to know how to download your purchased classes email me and I will send instructions. You will need quite a bit of computer storage space and, if you are like me, a computer savvy person in your family.
Some of you might know that I collect old wooden thread reels (cotton bobbins), I especially like the names of the colours, such as 'Lt Old Gold' or 'Elephant' or 'Lt Roseda' so much nicer than today's threads which only have a number. It's really surprising how thick the thread is, and not much of it per reel!
Anyhow I recently persuaded my husband that heat bending acrylic sheet was well within his capabiliites and making 'Bookends' for my cotton bobbins would be a very useful way to spend another day in lockdown. Here is the result, they are on the top of a cupboard so quite high up.
I wish I had changed the clock battery before I arranged them!
Anyhow I recently persuaded my husband that heat bending acrylic sheet was well within his capabiliites and making 'Bookends' for my cotton bobbins would be a very useful way to spend another day in lockdown. Here is the result, they are on the top of a cupboard so quite high up.
I wish I had changed the clock battery before I arranged them!
Has anyone made progress on their Concertina Book? I've only seen June's which is looking very good, it would be nice to see some more.
June 8th 2020
From Elaine
"Something finished at last!
I've finished the bag I started in lockdown. I don't need it of course, but just wanted to have a go at using truly scrappy scraps etc. I can report it is time consuming but good fun. I ordered wadding, webbing for handles etc from Empress Mills. They took 3 weeks to come, so last week when I needed some iron on wadding for my next project I ordered from Plush Addict. 4 working days later I have my parcel! Hurrah for small business. I long to get on with that project, but the masks I've delayed making must be done first. Family are now asking for them. For the nose "wire", I have used folded foil tray base so far. Ok, but not perfect. Can I ask ladies what "wires" you have tried in your masks?" I made a jigsaw with the photograph of Elaine's bag. Click the button below.
Anne |
From Anne
I just love Elaine's bag!
I have been experimenting with making disposable masks, I think I prefer to throw one away after use rather than have several in the wash.
I bought a roll of the most expensive kitchen roll that Tesco have, I think there are 100 sheets on the roll, it cost £2.50, so 2.5p\sheet.
It's quite thick and strong, I tried with one sheet thickness and then two sheet thickness. I preferred two. I didn't use a pattern, I simply concertina folded three pleats then sewed the pleats in place close to the edge, then I sewed a double hem at the top and bottom. At the top i used a wide zig-zag stitch which held my 'nose wire' in place, then I sewed a double hem at each side trapping elastic in as I sewed. All that was left to do was to knot the elastic and feed the knot into the fold of the hem. It took less than five minutes to make one. So they are quick and cheap. They are not pretty but they fit well, I haven't tried them in the outside world yet. In answer to Elaine's question about nose 'wires' for masks, my husband had some thin aluminium sheet from which he cut some .25" x 3" strips. I will remove the strip before I throw the masks away so I can re-use them.
I have been experimenting with making disposable masks, I think I prefer to throw one away after use rather than have several in the wash.
I bought a roll of the most expensive kitchen roll that Tesco have, I think there are 100 sheets on the roll, it cost £2.50, so 2.5p\sheet.
It's quite thick and strong, I tried with one sheet thickness and then two sheet thickness. I preferred two. I didn't use a pattern, I simply concertina folded three pleats then sewed the pleats in place close to the edge, then I sewed a double hem at the top and bottom. At the top i used a wide zig-zag stitch which held my 'nose wire' in place, then I sewed a double hem at each side trapping elastic in as I sewed. All that was left to do was to knot the elastic and feed the knot into the fold of the hem. It took less than five minutes to make one. So they are quick and cheap. They are not pretty but they fit well, I haven't tried them in the outside world yet. In answer to Elaine's question about nose 'wires' for masks, my husband had some thin aluminium sheet from which he cut some .25" x 3" strips. I will remove the strip before I throw the masks away so I can re-use them.
5th June 2020
From Anne
UFO's and USO's
I generally say "I don't have UFO's; I like to finish things" and it's true I do finish almost everything because there is little satisfaction for me in something that hasn't been completed. I try hard to restrict myself to the number of projects I have on the go at the same time, so I don't start the next thing until I have finished the last.
My fault is not to start a project! - a USO.
All the time I am being very disciplined in making myself finish projects I am continually seduced by patterns and ideas, I'm also tempted by fabric, and I really try hard not to buy any if I don't have a specific purpose for it. Despite all that I have masses of fabric, particularly pre-cuts; some of it I don't like anymore and some I have no idea what on earth I had in mind when I bought it!
My 'Quilters' Spring Cleaning 30-Day Challenge' last month exposed it all!
My fault is not to start a project! - a USO.
All the time I am being very disciplined in making myself finish projects I am continually seduced by patterns and ideas, I'm also tempted by fabric, and I really try hard not to buy any if I don't have a specific purpose for it. Despite all that I have masses of fabric, particularly pre-cuts; some of it I don't like anymore and some I have no idea what on earth I had in mind when I bought it!
My 'Quilters' Spring Cleaning 30-Day Challenge' last month exposed it all!
This month's project is to use some of it.
I have started by making use of a Layer Cake I bought from that lovely man who came to talk to us from Lewis and Irene about 18 months ago. I really like layer cakes, the pieces are big enough to do something with, they are perfect for small items like purses or pincushions especially if don't have large print designs on them.
My Lewis and Irene one wasn't like that though; It's called 'Bear Hug' and is a bit on the cute side, not really me; it was not much money, I think that's why I bought it. Anyhow, I found an easy pattern that suited a Layer Cake there was very little waste, the finished size of the block is 8.5". I made a virtual quilt in my EQ8 software - see photo on the right. |
It needed to be easy because I didn't want to take too much time. As you can see there are no tricky points to match, I had it all pieced in a few hours.
There was no fabric for a border, so no border. I had a nice piece of dove grey fabric which was perfect for the binding and backing and with a bit of piecing of wadding (see June's post on joining pieces of wadding below -June 1st) all it needed was quilting.
That took two days. My difficultly is in quilting too closely, I find it very difficult to quilt large patterns. So it's got a lot of quilting on it.
There was no fabric for a border, so no border. I had a nice piece of dove grey fabric which was perfect for the binding and backing and with a bit of piecing of wadding (see June's post on joining pieces of wadding below -June 1st) all it needed was quilting.
That took two days. My difficultly is in quilting too closely, I find it very difficult to quilt large patterns. So it's got a lot of quilting on it.
Here it is, all finished; I seem to specialise in making this size of quilt. I call it a Picnic Blanket, now I'm allowed to invite people into the garden maybe it will get used. Or maybe it will be a Linus quilt or a quilt for a Care Leaver. Perhaps Doreen will get in touch and let me know whether it's big enough for a Care leaver, that would be my favourite.
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Another category of unused fabric is leftovers from Jelly Rolls, I have three sets of oddments from Jelly Rolls, the fabrics from each roll coordinate together but the three don't mix well.
I was intrigued when I read the words "adding machine paper piecing" some time ago so I had a quick look (mainly Pinterest) and ordered some paper rolls (about £1/roll). The paper on an adding machine roll is perfect for paper piecing, it is soft and tears equally well in all directions. If you fancy giving this a try make sure it's adding machine and not thermal printer roll - that won't do the job nearly as well if at all. Anyhow, you simply start laying two pieces of jelly roll right sides together across the paper roll and sew together with a .25" seam, trim and then flip and stitch another piece on, if you angle the pieces it looks more interesting. The roll are 2.25" wide and seemingly infinitely long. I challenge myself to sew as long a piece as possible, my record is 15' 3"! The really good thing about making a strip like this on paper is that it is so stable and very easy to join to another piece if you leave the paper in until you have completed the seams. The top photo on the right shows work in progress. The paper roll is on the upright spool holder next to the thread, I'm quite careful that I only allow the paper to unreel horizontally, if it springs off the top of the roll it gets in a twist which is a nuisance and slows thing up. You can see to the left of the machine the stitched pieces. When I had run out of fabric my strip extended from the top to the bottom of the stairs! The bottom photo shows the end result before and after trimming. And here it is all rolled up again with a roll of plain white squares I also made into a strip -they originally were from the same project.
So, what to do with it? I haven't decided yet but there are lots of possibilities.....
The bag I made before quarantine used cut lengths from my 15' 3" strip length, |
This week I made two little purses/pouches from bits leftover from the bag using a free pattern from SOTAK Handmade
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I also experimented doing a more accurate paper piecing technique. I pencilled 60 degree triangles on a strip about 18" long (this is too difficult to do from the roll) and then did the usual technique, here is the result. I'll definitely do some more.
Please email and let me know what you are sewing.
Anne |
June 2nd 2020
Please go to Members' Newsletter page to find June's news from Jane F. |
June 1st
From June
"Here's my latest quilt notes - hope everyone's still finding them interesting?
Have pieced together my embroidered squares after completing the last one on Friday - now it will be a lovely inspirational wall hanging, with bluebell fabric to surround the pieces (as I saw lots on my cycle rides and this was in my enormous stash - think we knew something was coming that's why we have all been building our stashes for such an occasion, so we have lots of fabric to admire and feel - even though the quilt shops are closed! Online shopping is just not the same feeling)"
Have pieced together my embroidered squares after completing the last one on Friday - now it will be a lovely inspirational wall hanging, with bluebell fabric to surround the pieces (as I saw lots on my cycle rides and this was in my enormous stash - think we knew something was coming that's why we have all been building our stashes for such an occasion, so we have lots of fabric to admire and feel - even though the quilt shops are closed! Online shopping is just not the same feeling)"
"Someone mentioned previously at one of our quilt meetings about using the wadding off-cuts for small projects by piecing together. Never tried before as always had big enough pieces in my stash. I went to the cupboard and all I had were off-cuts and a new Queen size Quilt piece which I didn't want to cut up. So, I watched a YouTube video and I now have a piece big enough for my wall hanging - very thrifty. See pics."