Wildlife Habitat Stack

The inspiration for a quilt can come from many different places and some of them seem quite unlikely. I was reading a book by Christine and Michael Lavelle called "How to create a Wildlife Garden" (although my garden is quite wild enough already - what it needs is taming!!) when this picture caught my eye.

I loved the idea of making a home for the myriad of insects, mammals, reptiles, etc in one place, even though my garden already has all the things they suggest like dry stone walls, log piles, rock heaps, trees, hedges, shrubs, ponds ........ . But it wasn't just the idea that attracted me to the picture - does it make you think of a row quilt, too?

I set too and built my very own wildlife habitat stack. I've put it in a hole at the bottom of the back wall of our old privy - I leave it to your imagination as to the original purpose of this hole! I've put some leaves in the back in the hope of attracting a hedgehog. It will probably be a luxury home for slugs and snails!!

So I didn't do the row quilt after all, but used my own habitat stack as inspiration for this little quilt, measuring 12" x 9".

The circles are made over circles of card as in the Four Corners post and I've sewn them on using the blind hemming stitch on my machine. I've also quilted by machine, contouring the largest circle.

I really like the very narrow edge of black fabric. This is achieved by cutting the binding strip 1½ “ wide, folding in half along the length and pressing. Sew on to the quilt as usual. Then you take the folded edge and the quilt seam around to the back of the quilt leaving as little of the binding showing on the front as you wish - none of it if you like. You can pin the binding to the back of the quilt and sew it on from the front by machine - I usually do two lines of stitching.

The weather has been very dismal and drizzly so it's been wonderful to be in my sewing room working with all these bright colours.

Sew Happy - Anita

Stripey Strips with Pintucks

My latest double bed quilt came about because a friend had done a quilt in soft greens and yellows. It looked so calm and peaceful, and full of the promise of Spring, I just had to do a quilt in similar colours (with a splash of red).

So I started by making up these little 4" flower blocks.

Hand applique is not my forte really - it takes me ages, but I persevere because I love the way it adds so much to a quilt. I cheated in that I stenciled the green leaves onto the calico before sewing on the petals. I used a stencil that I cut from a piece of clear plastic packaging and Dylon fabric paint. I put the absolute minimum of paint on to my stencil brush, to avoid bleeding under the stencil, and I pounced more paint along one half of the leaf to add dimension, like in this leaf.

This is a link to the flower applique and leaf design. The flower is turned a little for each block making them all slightly different.

The strips of fabric are cut ½” longer than the 4½” needed. This is so that they can be trimmed to size after sewing them together. Also, instead of calculating the exact number and width of fabric strips to get the correct width of finished block, I sewed strips of random width together until the block was longer than needed and shortened by adding small pintucks to the wider strips.(It never does quite work out even when I try really hard and I usually end up with a silly small strip which almost disappears into the seam! ). I like the way that the pintucks add some texture.

This is a finished 12" x 12" block. The 4" squares either side of the flower have a bit of a swirly pattern on them.

I ran out of steam a bit towards the edge, but the plain-ish border looks fine when the quilt is on the bed as it hangs over the side. The outside border is more of the strips with pintucks. It's lovely to have a "Springtime" quilt on the bed when we're heading towards the winter months. Not that I really hate the dark winter - extra sewing time!

Happy Stitching - Anita

PS. Two lovely quilt exhibitions coming up on opposite sides of the world:

29-31 October 2015: Trevithick Quilters Exhibition. Elim Centre, Kerrier Way, Camborne, Cornwall, UK, TR14 8FH. Open Thurs – Sat, 10 – 4

12-14 November 2015: Launceston Patchworkers & Quilters Exhibition, Punchbowl Christian Centre, 100 Punchbowl Road, Kings Meadows, Launceston, Tasmania. Open Thurs - Sat, 10 - 4.30

Flowerpatch Quilters AGM, etc.

Not just an AGM, but a busy evening with lots happening at Flowerpatch Quilters last Thursday. 

Firstly we were delighted to be able to give a cheque for £2,700 to the Cornwall branch of the Samaritans. This was the proceeds of our quilt raffle and other money raising ventures in the past year. Two representatives joined us to accept the cheque and to tell us about the Samaritans and about the Truro branch in particular. Do read about the wonderful work they do here. I was really interested to hear about all the training they have to do to become a Samaritan volunteer, and to learn that they can also be contacted by email, text and in person. The Samaritans have a new phone no. which is completely free to call from a landline and mobile - 116 123 .This is a link to the newspaper article in the Cornish and Devon.

Next came the AGM bit which was swiftly worked through. Lots of compliments from our Chairman Liz for all the hard work that every member does to make for a successful year - we think she does a great job, too!

Then the member's raffle. When we make up the blocks for our charity quilt we always do a few extra and this year they were made into cushions to be raffled among the members who did some of the sewing. We had three cushions and these were won by Elizabeth, Mary and Iris.

Here is a link to the floral border quilt so you can see how it all fitted in.

The applique flower cushion.

The two double-sided log cabin cushions.

These were finished using a really simple method from Jo Colwill's book "Cushions and Quilts". A narrow lining is sewn to the edge of the cushion as it is being made up and this tucks inside to hide the cushion pad.

Onwards to a show and tell of "Beginner's Quilts" and lots had been brought along. There were paper pieced hexagons and dresden plates, sample block quilts, simple pieced squares, etc and many had been made using fabric from dresses, skirts, blouses and curtains as this was well before we had access to all the super fabric choice we have today.

Finally Julia and Sue from Cartwheels Craft Centre had come along to tell us about the shop and the varied workshops they have at Merrymeet - not just patchwork, and they kindly brought along fabrics and supplies for us to buy.

Well, I said it was busy and there is yet more because, while we enjoyed our shopping and refreshments, next year's charity quilt sewing packs were being handed out; subs were collected - this is still only £15 a year; Charles Causley poetry lines were studied and chosen; and quilting books pored over!

I came home buzzing with the anticipation of another great Flowerpatch year.

Next month on 12th November Barbara Chainey will be giving a talk - "It's all in the Stitch!". An evening not to missed and eagerly anticipated.

Happy Sewing - Anita

Jigsaw Cushion

After the visit by Marilyn Hornby to Flowerpatch in June I learnt that my friends next birthday would be a special one. I loved Marilyn's redwork so what a good opportunity to make one of her Jigsaw Cushions.

I made mine small measuring only approx 8" x 8", and used twisted chain stitch instead of the more usual whipped back stitch. The other embroidery stitches are lazy daisy, danish knot, cross stitch and bullion knot. This is a link to the jigsaw pattern I used.

The words in the jigsaw pieces refer to all the things my friend has been in her life so far. I wrote them with my Micron pen (size 01) as I chickened out of doing such tiny embroidery stitches - it would have been illegible!

A real joy to make - Anita x

Lynda Shinner-Booth at Flowerpatch

We were delighted to welcome Lynda for a return visit to Flowerpatch Quilters, for our September evening meeting. She is such an enthusiastic and lively speaker. This time she brought along quilts made by some of her many patchworking friends and such a variety of styles and techniques kept appearing from wonderful quilted bags. There was something to please and amaze everyone, with spontaneous clapping as some were revealed. I only managed to get pictures of just a few snippets.

Two very different styles for Christmas

Two modern wall hangings

Curves that look very difficult and I do love it when the centre piecing extends into the border.

Finally a beautiful quilt with a pieced centre and flower applique border, and a large floral patterned fabric used so well. 

What talented friends Lynda has!

Lynda also wanted to tell us about the charity she supports, and knits for, called "Knitted Knockers UK". They provide a wonderful service, completely free of charge and confidential, for women who have undergone a mastectomy or lumpectomy and find the prosthesis they are supplied with to be uncomfortable. Please do click on the link to find out more - a really worthy cause.

Also at the meeting we chose the fabric colours for our next charity quilt and were shown the design - I am sooooo excited about this! Here are some of the fabrics we will be using - all from Cowslip Workshops.

The next meeting (our AGM) is on 8th October when we will be giving a cheque to The Samaritans in Cornwall. 
Cartwheel Crafts will also be there to tell us about their future plans and they will be bringing along fabric and patchwork goodies to sell. 
We are having a show and tell of the quilts we made when we were beginners at patchwork and quilting (there are so many different things to try in sewing that we are all beginners at something). We hope members will have a quilt to bring along and there will be lots to see.
The packs for making the charity quilt blocks will be handed out to those who would like them.

Happy Stitching - Anita

Fabric flowers, vase, jug and bowl

I love gardening, but I'm a somewhat erratic gardener. In the spring I put loads of plants in the soil only to completely forget about them. By the time I remember they're either dead through lack of water or else it's been raining (usually the latter here in Cornwall) and the slugs have had a feast of them! It's a similar story with my house plants - they have to be real toughies as I water them so rarely. I have a Christmas cactus that probably only gets a drink 4 or 5 times a year, and yet it survives ...and flowers!!

I have found the solution.......

no watering (solution) required!

I made these flowers some time ago as brooches, so I just took off the brooch backs and sewed on a bead with a large hole to push my cane into.
The vase is made from strips of my old kitchen curtains. 3 strips approximately 1.5" wide are plaited firmly. I used two the same and the other is slightly different fabric, but all three different would look equally as good if not better - it's just what I had.

The vase is 4.5" high and is made just like a coiled clay pot except that you sew the strips together as you go. I started at the centre of the base. When I got to the rim I trimmed the strips to be a bit narrower to smooth the edge out.

Flushed with success I couldn't stop at a vase, so here we have a bowl for my stuffed apples

and a jug (5" high) to add to my collection in a previous post.

This is a link to making flower brooches

and another flower which is slightly different.

Well, I suppose I'd better show you one of my poor neglected plants ......................say "Aloe" to Vera!

Oh dear!! - Anita X

Small Quilts at Flowerpatch Exhibition

Here are just some of the many smaller quilts at the recent Flowerpatch exhibition. Apologies to the makers as my photos don't do them justice - I try!!

Firstly Sue's "String Tulips" and "Bird Dance" 

Secondly Mary's "Hearts All Round" and Monica D's "Flower Baskets"

Next Joy's ""Gaudi Stained Glass Tryptych" and Wendy's "Double Wedding Ring"

On to Monica D's "Hearts" and Cherrie's "R and R"

And finally two very different takes on our Cornish coast with Lois's cot quilt "Seaside"

and Dawn's two A4 quilts "Winter Waves".

A most interesting part of the exhibition is the varying interpretations of our yearly Chairman's Challenge. This time it was titled "Circle of Life" and had to actually be in the shape of a circle.

Another Flowerpatch year starts on 9th September with a Show and Tell by Lynda Shinner-Booth, who will also be telling us about the charity she supports - Knitted Knockers.
Also we'll be choosing the fabric for our next charity quilt and commenting, and making suggestions, on the design. It's always exciting starting something new!

Happy Sewing - Anita