Been busy

A couple of weeks ago Lynda and I had great fun at Rocheberie at a sit and sew day, a great time to chat and sew, what could be better.

This table topper is part of my gift for secret Santa on an online group I belong to. I quilted holly and berries in the border in red thread but it hasn't shown up in this picture.

This is also a gift for someone for Christmas but I am not going to spoil anything if I don't reveal who it is for." I just want it lightly quilted" were my instructions Eek! I took longer thinking about this quilt than actually quilting it. Eventually I just quilted arcs through the diamonds to make circles through the quilt.

 My lady liked the leaves in the border.

A simple panto through these hexagons.

And this quilt I don't think I have posted about before but was done ages ago and is still waiting to be collected, raw edge applique, lovely fabric colours and design, hours of outline quilting and McTavishing.

My next project is a quilt for a Christmas gift I had an idea in mind but I have been chosen as a pattern tester for Lynne at Lilly quilts so I will be changing my plans. I will have to read her instructions thoroughly instead of my usual look at the picture and do my own thing. Watch this space.

Liz

Where in the world have I been this week you ask!

 

I was told to pack a bag for a city break, a flight of "about 5 hours" he said,

Master Chaos No 2  let slip on the night before we were to fly early the following morning that we were in fact going to America but not to Massachusetts where Master Chaos No 2 lives,
I admit I was a little disappointed .
Texas was our destination, Houston to be more specific for one very good quilty reason and the icing on the cake was that Master Chaos No 1 was at the airport to meet us.

I took loads of pictures of quilts but sadly publishing pictures is not permitted :-(
 I am hoping this one is OK! however if you want to see the rest I would be happy to show you them in person.
Here are the winning quilts
http://www.quilts.org/winners.html
I had the best time, I had tickets every day of the show and used every hour of them. Unfortunately no classes were available but I went to lots of talks. I got to meet people I thought I would only ever see on you tube, Eleanor Burns is just like she is on the screen throwing scraps over her shoulder at her assistant, Jamie Wallen was lovely and I bought his video, Dustin Farrel was chatting to Ferret when I first saw him, he is also great and I bought one of his rulers and I went to the APQS stand to see the lovely Mark and he introduced me to Dawn Cavanah and Marylyn Badger who was wearing a lovely embroidered coat she had bought with her show winnings. Ricky Timms and Alex Anderson were there and the Gadget Girls were a pleasure to meet and I bought some circle templates.
 The set up in the quilt hall was so much better laid out than here, so much more room especially round the winners quilts and makers details and quilt information printed on boards for everyone to see and the programme only cost $1 there are always complaints about the price of the ones at the NEC
 

Anyone who knows me, knows, I do not normally sing the praises of Brother products, (I gave away a Brother sewing machine I once owned)  however I think these scan n cut machines are fab and could now kick myself for not having had one when it was offered and they won't be in England till the first quarter of next year. The more I think about it, the more I can see how useful it would be.

http://www.brother-usa.com/ScanNCut/#.Un5opcFFARY Take a look.

Since I got back I have completed my challenge for Flutterwheels but won't be able to go to the meeting because I have agreed to do another show. Will I never learn? I am prepping a quilted vest, I bought the pattern in Houston because it was exactly what I had been thinking of doing. Perhaps that will be my next post.
Till next time
X

And 3 more, 3 quilts and 3 posts in a week,

 One for Jacquie, a lovely flower garden

 with some fussy cut blocks, shame I was asked to do a panto not do something simple from the front but it is a finish. I think the blue makes a lovely border.

 Two is for Pam, I love the colours here, vermicelli was asked for, I wasn't sure so laid poly over and with a dry wipe pen tried other options, liked the vermicelli. KISS

 Three is my piece for the Lutterworth Piecemakers exhibition next week. The BOM /QAYG was not done every month, my bad, in fact it has been a mad catch up to a deadline but has been quilted in sections on my Bernina, with the exception of the borders, and all joined together. I found this process a little tricky but am glad I have done it.

This is possibly my favourite block, not a trapunto tree as we were supposed to do but a block I started at Phillipa Naylor trapunto class at Walcote so I thought it was appropriate, right technique different design, the hexagons were a substitution too because I had a hexi love at the time and I lost the instructions for one of the house blocks so put in the schoolhouse block I made for Rocheberrie quilters and I totally ran out of time and fabrics so had to make adjustments.
I hope the BOM organisers approve of my variations.
Till next time Liz

Just like busses

3 come together, one for Chris,

 

one for Lynda,

                                        and lastly Sun bonnet Sue delivered to Margaret this morning.

Borders for my Lutterworth Piecemakers QAYG are my next task, can I get it done for the exhibition on the 19th and 20th October at Walcote Village hall I do hope so, but watch this space. If I do get it done will they be able to hang it, as it was not completed I did not sign up.

Till next time Liz

One Flower Wednesdays

 
http://journeyofaquilter.blogspot.ca/p/one-flower-wednesday.html


Look what I found, a group to share progress of hexie flowers. One flower a week and share progress once a month, I should be able to do that, I am sure going to try!

The big textile show and getting back to business

This was where I spent last weekend.

All set up and ready for action.



The quilts were all chosen to demonstrate something I wanted to discuss in my workshop.

It was a great weekend but I had fretted about it quite a lot and am glad to be all put away and back to what I regard as normality and some quilting. This is a lovely string quilt by Chris, I just put ribbon in the sashing and border and up and down in the blocks with the piecing. I am sure it will bring some colour to some child's life.

Picture taken on the washing line this morning It was a bit blowey and I had to be patient.

Till next time happy quilting. Liz

Lucky Me!

This fabric pack of 30 fat quarters was offered on Facebook by Starr Fabrics, one of those giveaways where you have to like a page and leave a comment and post on your own page.
http://starrfabrics.danemcoweb.com/
and guess who won. I think I squealed when I realised it was not a wind up. They will ship to Master Chaos number one  who is expecting to be in the UK for a couple of days next month. I do hope he will be able to have a bit of free time. Two very good reasons to look forward to October.

I have been spending time in preparation for this event.

http://thebigtextileshow.co.uk/

I was asked to hold a workshop on both Saturday and Sunday for people who fancy trying free motion quilting. I spent all morning chatting to people about quilting and then the workshop was in the afternoon. I had a lovely day, met some lovely people and look forward to doing it all again today.
Till next time
Liz