Quilt blog inspiration

Thanks to a tip from someone on BQL I have been inspired to quilt by Leah Day. She has a blog and a challenge to create a new free motion quilt design every day for a year. Not only that but she shows a short film of herself doing it.
I have a quilt that has been thrown over my wall for ages, I could not decide exactly how to quilt it. I had an idea based on the fabric colours of autumn leaves but I could not quite get it together and make a start. This lady gave me the kick I needed and the results I am quite pleased with. I hope to show you soon but in the mean time please look at
freemotionquilting.blogspot.com

fabric flowers

I was asked at the weekend if I had given up blogging and it looked like it, but my mother told me if you have nothing good to say then say nothing. As I have not been very productive and have nothing I am pleased with to show, then I have nothing to blog about.

Saturday was spent at Rocheberrie Quilters and as usual there was plenty of inspiration. I took these flowers to make into broches and several people said they liked them so I thought I would try to photograph (with a new to me camera) and post about them. I made some a while ago and had to make a couple more to remind myself how they were done.

I bought a bag of buttons on Saturday and used some of them for flower centers. My sister says I have a bit of a button fettish which I deny but find it difficult to pass a bag without having a good look. Buying or even better being given old buttons makes me happy. I am smiling just thinking about them. Is there a club for people like me? My name is Liz I am a button addict.

Till next time, be patient Liz

Two things I am pleased with!

I am perhaps sad but I had to photograph this because I wasn't sure I believed it. Here is the proof that I have indeed now lost exactly two stones in weight. I have waited a long time to see 11 something. Only half a stone to go and I will nolonger be `overweight`.

Now quilty things. I made this bag because my husband is a koi keeper and we were going to the koi show in Newark. I found this fabric ages ago and finally found a use for it. The pattern is from a magazine the latest one with loads of bag patterns but I have lent it to a friend so can't tell you whch one. It is shown in neutral checks, but I altered it anyway by making the opening wider. I really like it and although it is not pieced it has got lots of free motion quilting round the fish and following the water pattern. It made a great swimming kit bag yesterday.

Pesky zips just for Sarah

I recently did a demo at a quilt group and have been contacted for help so I hope that as a picture is worth a thousand words these four pictures....
well lets see....


If you were not there then I should explain that at Dunelm Mill fabric shop they sell zip by the meter and separate zips but they can be difficult to put together unless you know one very simple trick.


I have used black teeth strip and cream zip just for contrast.



Cut away the teeth for a short distance. That is it that is the trick.

Thread teeth into zip on one side.

Just tuck the teeth of the otherside into the zip.

On a surface hold down both the fabric tabs and use your other hand to pull the zip. Ta Da

Hopefully you are now smiling at how simple that is.

Best wishes Liz X

June challenge

June's challenge for BQL was super quick and easy, I chose batiqe fabric which I love but my camera always make look paler than reality. I quite like the idea of making cushions for my sofa now but using silks in shades of cream and brown. Mmmm shopping today I think. Bigger seam allowance I think might be advisable. I am thinking/typing outloud.

It has been a busy month with a couple of birthdays (that I can't show you because I didn't have time to take photos) and a fab trip to a great private railway near Tamworth this was a particularly interesting little engine.

And how about this for a great maintanance vehicle. Yes they really have put bogies on a Landy. And here is the team that made it all happen. Thank you all, we had a great day.

I don't normally post about other aspects of my life but now you know because of my family I am also into trains and Land Rovers.

Till next time

Liz

Dying to try this again and May challenge

I spent a great day on Thursday with Muriel and Chris. I took a big piece of white fabric with me but look what I came home with, a rainbow of gorgeousness, is that even a word?

Both of them were quite suprised when I said I was patient enough to leave them over night before rinsing out (I was awake at 6am threw the reds in only to find that my washing machine decided to leak eek! new door seal on its way.) but I am very happy with the results, ridiculously happy infact. I keep rearranging them and stroking them. The greens are unusual but not quite as they appear on my screen. I have no idea if I will be able to use them, they are too precious but I am sure I will be doing it again soon.
I have a bit of a list of patterns I would like to do, New York Beauty, feathered star and Dear Jane.
Where do I start?
Still pondering....... till next time, Liz








This is my May challenge. I am not sure why I did not fancy the word 'May' that was suggested and why I thought 'Love' would be better but I did. I fancied lettering that reminded me of hippies I have no idea why or if this style fits the bill but I quite liked it. There are 3 hearts and swirly quilting. I went to the quilt museum in York and Mr chaos bought me Phillipa Naylors fab book. The colours she uses really make you want to say wow and she uses trapunto to very great effect. I would like to do more.

BQL challenge and a quilt sent to Australia

Here is my challenge quilt for last month made at the last minute as my origional did not work out as I had hoped. Here it looks a little pale, in real life it is better.

My second son posed for me last year at Carrisbrook Castle on the Isle of White. The fabrics were a christmas gift from Lutterworth piecemakers, a selection I would not have chosen myself but are just right for this, so thank you to the committee.

This is a quilt I made from a jelly roll given by Rocheberrie quilters at christmas. I quite liked the block, the sashing I felt was a bit too wide but used it to do some free motion quilting, meandering style which I had not done before. At the time I was doing it I was not too impressed but once I had done it and looked I could not see the areas I thought were poor.

This is another BQL challenge. It should have been 9 paper pieced bags but my printed died and the design did not really appeal so I made just 4 bags but mine are 3D so I can hide items in them but I can only think of chocolate items that will fit. I have a Bramble Patch bag similar to this one and my son has a P.E. kit bag like this, I made a cover for my camera out of another fabric and I am looking for something to hang from my copy of my Radley bag. I bound the quilt with a different colour on each side which is something I may do again.

I wonder what the next challenge will be?

Till next time Liz