At Flowerpatch Quilters we like nothing more than spending an evening surrounded by old quilts. Especially when they are accompanied by their very knowledgeable owner Sara Price - The Quilt Lady.
Sara started by showing us a quilt that had been especially made for a four poster bed with the corners cut out to accommodate the posts at the foot of the bed. She explained why some of the colours in the quilt had faded more than others as the quilt would have been originally made with very bright cottons and chintzs. The greens and purples are fugitive dyes and readily fade whereas blues remain strong. This quilt was made by the English Paper Piecing method and I hadn't realised that sometimes the "papers" were intended to be left inside the quilt. Only 5 minutes into Sara's talk and I've already learnt a lot!!
The next to be shown was a small folded log cabin - each strip was really narrow. Sara thought the design made by the positioning of each block to be very unusual and would love to know if it has a name.
There were a lot more quilts to follow including one which was made by a Cornish soldier in India. This wasn't done on papers, but the squares were barely 1" and it may have been used laying on the floor of a tent.
A silk and velvet tumbling blocks
A four patch scrap quilt in Springtime colours made by an 80 year old lady.
and many, many more.
The final quilt that Sara showed was a "Red Cross" quilt. These were sent from Canada to the UK during the war and given to those in the greatest need. You can read a little more about these on this Quilters Guild website page.
All in all a fascinating and friendly evening - thank you so much Sara.
Our next Flowerpatch meeting is on 13th December at Cowslip Workshops, when Jo will have us doing some exciting sewing in the cafe. Please bring along sewing kits.
Happy Stitching - Anita x
The Textile Maids recently held an exhibition of their work at the Castle in Bude. It was a brilliant exhibition - I spent ages there, and if you missed it you can see some pics on their blog. I particularly liked seeing the books they had made especially one by Margaret Pellow - every page was filled with the joy of stitch, one page for each month.
It reminded me that I had made a book of the seasons a few years ago before I started blogging. The front is a rectangular block sewn in the way of courthouse steps with the soft colours of Spring at the top, vibrant colours of summer to the right, the oranges of Autumn at the bottom and greys of Winter to the left.
The book measures approx 6" x 5" and the pages are 5" square.
The first page is Spring and this was inspired by a "corner" at Flowerpatch Quilters meeting where Julia F and Trudy explained how to do a pineapple block.
Summer next and at the same meeting Jane showed us how to make a Rag Rug on a hessian backing.
For Autumn I wanted to have a go at some 3D oak leaves and I sewed them onto a background of Kantha stitches. This was yet another FPQ meeting with Tricia Warman who was so expert at Kantha.
Lastly Winter which is supposed to be like looking through a window at night with snow falling and laying a little. The background of blacks is made from many small squares of different textures of fabric which are stitched over with free machine embroidery as shown to us at FPQ by Jan Tillett.
The ties that hold the hinge together, and make the closure loop were also one of Jan's ideas. Mine are wool covered with zigzag stitching.
The backs of my pages looked very blank so I added some appropriate words for each season.
I remember this as being such an enjoyable experience that I really must find the time to do another book. I'm thinking of calling it "The LOVE of Stitch". :)
Happy making
Anita x
I'm linking up with Busy Hands Quilts - Finished or not Friday
As expected our October meeting at Flowerpatch Quilters was a very busy one. It gives me yet another opportunity to show you our 'Over the Rainbow' quilt which was made to raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind.
We were thrilled to be able to give a cheque for £2600 to Trudy Sherwood as a representative of the charity. Trudy gave a delightful talk about the charity and her own experiences with her beautiful dog, Connie.
The raffle for a Quillow was drawn and this was won by Liz B. The Quillow was made from left over blocks from the main quilt and every person who made a block was entered in the draw.
The cushion cover
and the quilt inside
This meeting was our AGM, but business was soon dealt with and we had lots of time to browse the lovely fabric and quilting sundries that Painter's Crafts had brought along to tempt us ........ and I succumbed of course!!
At our exhibition in August we displayed our 'Chinese Whispers' quilts and these were shown for the last time at this evening meeting. Bear with me while I try to explain what these are for those who don't know. It all begins with a photograph, chosen by one member and handed to another who uses it to inspire the making of a small wall quilt - ours were approx A4 size. This first little quilt is handed to another member who uses it as inspiration for their own wall quilt - they don't get to see the photo. They pass their quilt to yet another member who again uses it as inspiration for their quilt piece. This carries on for as many times as you wish with each person only ever seeing the wall quilt before their own.
We did two sets starting with two different photos. How exciting when the results were revealed, but also how puzzling as the designs seemed to go full circle!!??
Below is set no.1, starting with the photo.
and the first wall quilt by Liz B
followed by Iris L then Anne W
Next Anita then Pippa
and the final two by Ruth then Monica B
So how did those beautiful flowers in the first quilt change to the rugged Cornish coast and back to flowers again??
This is set no.2 - the photo
and the first wall quilt by Christine T
The second quilt by Jane, then by Dawn
Next Dy and then Annie
and the final two by Lois and then Sue S
We had quite a change in the season in the middle there, but soon came back to the sunny coast!
I think this must mean that many of us belonging to Flowerpatch Quilters are like-minded and on the same wavelength!
There was just time left for the Flowerpatch committee to do a bit of a Show and Tell. Many had brought along their very early quilts to show, some dating back over 20 years.
During the meeting packs were handed out for making next year's charity quilt and the charity was chosen as the new air ambulance for Cornwall.
Our next meeting is on the 8th November 2018
Happy Stitching - Anita x
The Launceston group of West Country Embroiderers recently held an exhibition and I'm delighted to be able to show you some photos of their lovely work. At present they only have 20 members so it was a real surprise to see so much sewing on display and such varied items!
This is one of Joan's beautiful cushions
and Moira's exquisite framed embroidery on silk.
Ruth's riotous garden in a hoop looked such fun to do. She must have used every single embroidery stitch known!
and she also made these delicate ribbon work flower twinchies.
Valerie had been very busy and made these two boxes - both lovely and practical,
and she sewed a set of 8 mandalas displayed in hoops. These 4 were my favourites.
This is Anne's sweet redwork snowman - I like the border she used, too.
and I loved this single colour relief embroidery, but I'm not sure who's nimble fingers created it.
There was so much more than the above to see and many beautiful stitchings beneath glass which I couldn't photograph sensibly.
Launceston embroiderers would love to welcome new members to their group. They meet at St Cuthbert Mayne Hall on the last Friday of every month from 10 am to 3 pm, when they share ideas, learn from each other or have a workshop with an expert tutor.
Happy Stitching - Anita x
Do we really do enough practising when learning a new sewing skill or revisiting an old one? If you're like me the answer is "No"- I just want to get straight on and make the quilt, cushion, .......... whatever! But saying to yourself that you're just practising really takes the pressure off getting it right first time - you know you'll get there in the end - you only need to keep ..... practising. :)
So at Flowerpatch Quilters meeting last Thursday we PRACTISED reverse applique by sewing this heart within a ring.
* We had a 6" square of calico for the top fabric and a 5½" square of coloured fabric beneath.
* We traced the design onto the calico using a Frixion or other erasable marker, or a very sharp pencil, shading in the pattern where the coloured fabric will show. This is handy to do if your design is a bit complicated as you don't want to be cutting in the wrong area.
* We made a small snip with sharp pointy scissors in the shaded areas. This makes it less likely that you'll cut through both layers when you put the fabrics together.
* After putting the calico on top of the coloured fabric, making sure that the design was within the latter's edges, we tacked around the shaded areas leaving space for turning under the edge of the calico.
* We cut through just the calico in the shaded areas leaving a scant ¼" of calico to turn under.
* We cut small snips into the inner curves almost to the line - more snips for tighter curves.
Now I know you'll have your own way of tackling the sewing - as we did at the meeting, but this is how I approach it.
Start with the outer circle and fold under a small section of calico until the line is on the fold and hold it in place with your thumb. Using thread that matches the calico in colour, and with a knot in the end, bring the needle up from the back, just catching the fold.
Put the needle back down through the coloured fabric only and right next to where you came up.
Bring the needle back up a little way along the fold and through the edge of the fold. .............. repeat.
Just concentrate on the bit of edge that you're working on, trying to keep the drawn line on the fold. Don't worry about what might be coming up next!
For the HEART - snip the curves and then start you're sewing along a straightish edge.
At the bottom point you'll need to snip right to the line. Sew to this point then do a couple of stitches in place. Don't try and sort out the next fold until you've done this.
Similarly at the top point - sew to it, do a stitch in place, then sort out the next fold.
When all is done you carefully cut away the excess fabric on the back.
And this is the design simply quilted.
Here is a link to a printer friendly one page PDF of instructions
Practising Reverse Applique
Well, I'm off to do some more PRACTISING - after seeing those close up pics of my stitches I think I need it! - Anita x
Next Flowerpatch meeting is on 11th October when we will have a talk by Trudy Sherwood about the charity Guide dogs for the Blind and also a show and tell by our committee. It's the AGM and "Painters" of Liskeard will be joining us. Another interesting and busy evening!
There was a fire at my local church in Egloskerry a few months ago and, although not massive, it caused extensive damage to the interior. To celebrate the recent re-opening, church wardens Pam and Denise organised a Church Mouse Festival encouraging local people to make as many craft mice as possible. My patchwork friends and I made "Mouse in a Cup" mats amongst other things.
These were made by tracing the design on the fabric back, then with the mouse fabric on the front we sewed around the mouse shape with straight stitch. Then we cut away the excess fabric and sewed the raw edges with zigzag, this time sewing from the front.
This is a link to detailed instructions and the pattern as a one page printer-friendly PDF.
Mouse in a Cup
It was a lovely festival and these are some of the cute mice on display:
Pam's Harvest Mice
and her mouse in a teapot
Dawn's Choirmaster and Choir
Rebecca's cute boy and girl mice
I'm not sure who made these lovely carol singers
and this sweet pair are by the vicar and his wife - Geoffrey and Rosemary
I only regret that I didn't realise until too late that I hadn't taken photos of Denise's human-size Vicar mouse in the pulpit and her wedding couple - you'd have loved to have seen them, too!
So much talent in one small village!
Happy crafting - Anita x
Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts - Finish it up Friday
