Karen Styles

 During the summer I had the great fortune of meeting Karen Styles and attending her workshop at Cowslip Workshops in Cornwall.

It was great fun and Karen is a lovely person, generous with her knowledge. We are photographed in front of this magnificent quilt which Karen named Okehampton.

This is the centre of my effort using a fabric from Karen's range called Devon County and going with the colours I was wearing that day. Always the biggest dilemma for me choosing the fabric but I love where this is heading. I know my quilts all end up looking pink but this might be more plum coloured. We shall see in time.

Day 2 was about clamshells and how to get them to line up. Here they are just placed and not stitched down yet. Loving this and could easily see myself making a whole quilt in clamshells. Best do the borders first.

These hexagon rosettes are 3/8" and tiny but they give such amazing results in fussy cutting. My granddaughter thinks they are flowers and asks if she can play with them. I need to frisk her before she goes home as my sewing things often end up in her toy box at her home.

 

As ever at Cowslip whatever the time of year there are flowers on the table.

Safe to say that I had a truly lovely time and met up with equally lovely ladies who I hope will be there next time for another sewing adventure.

Happy Stitching

Shirley.x

Discovery

It has been a long time in the making of this quilt top and indeed a long time since my last post. I promised myself more blog posts but something went off course a little. Well, here I am. I made it.

Discovery by Petra Prins and Nel Kooiman. A project with Quiltmania Magazine.

Do you know how much I love this quilt top? I have enjoyed every single stitch. Even the ones that had to be undone and done again.

If there is a stitching version of dyslexia then I think I have it. So many silly things that I did wrong. 

Last round. Sewed two sides on to discover that one of the star blocks was the wrong way round. Unpicked it and put it right.  Got the third side on only to discover that I had sewn them upside down. All three sides came off. Now back in their correct place. Fourth side, cracked it. Yay!

Think this is the first time I have ever finished and reasonably kept up with a mystery quilt or block of the month. These Dutch Heritage fabrics are a pleasure to stitch with. Of course it has to be quilted but I am still thinkng about that one. 

Getting a full picture is not easy and this was taken in Kate's sewing studio. Cute little Daisy getting in on the act too.

I have included a couple of photo's of a day out wandering around the grounds of Dunster Castle. It was a perfectly lovely summer's day that has since eluded us. Today was a day of heavy downpours and it felt cold. 

Hydrangeas are beautiful here and this one was one of my favourites.

We had a lovely chat today at my sewing group about life, stitching, blogging. I was inspired to write this post because of it. If you are reading please leave a comment. I could do with a like button such as the one on Instagram. Do you blog? Do you prefer Instagram? Do you read or just look at photo's. I would love to know your thoughts.

Tulipa

This is the year of the Aussie Quilter at Cowslip Workshops and in the middle of May it was the turn of Irene Blanck.  I have been a fan of Irene's for quite a few years  and was so looking forward to this fabulous opportunity of classes. I chose to make Tulipa. This pattern is in Irene's book Focus on Applique, published by Quiltmania.

As you would expect mine has to look pink. Making it completely scrappy and so far there are 72 different fabrics. Think up to date I have three tulips left to stitch.  Really love this design.

 

Think you can tell we had a bit of fun going on. Irene's gorgeous quilt in the background. As you can see there is quite a way to go yet. Irene called me Stitcherydo throughout the weekend.

 

I wish this app would allow more than 5 photo's but here are a few more versions. Wish I could remember the lady's name who is making this.

 

This beauty belongs to my friend Marie. Mostly Liberty fabrics and looking like her wonderful garden. Soft and gentle and I love it. The stars are cut out ready to go but just placed for show. Love the lavenders.

 

These blocks belong to a lady named Sue who popped in to show everyone her work in progress. This is going to be a wonderful quilt.

 

The weekend went far too quickly but the good news is that Irene is coming back in two years to teach and to hold an exhibition in the barn. That will be one for the diary and one not to miss. Had better get stitching.

Happy Stitching

Shirley.

Di and Petra

The exhibition at Cowslip Workshops of Di Ford Hall and Petra Prins was something not to be missed. Something here for everyone and each one a work of art. Also included in the exhibition were quilts made by students. All beautifully displayed in this fabulous gallery space. A great meeting place too with so many familiar faces.

 

On my wish list to make is the gorgeous quilt on the wagon, one from Petra. Beautiful Dutch fabrics and big blocks.

 

Everywhere you looked there was a visual feast.

The quilt shown at the bottom left is one of Jo's.

This one is Pendle Hill by Di, looking magnificent after only seeing it in various stages of its creation at workshops. Think this one is my favourite but then I move on to the next quilt and change my mind.  Exquisite workmanship. 

  

There was also a talk with a show and tell of antique quilts belonging to Petra and both Di and Petra talking about their own quilts. There were so many quilts and this new app will only allow me five photo's. Nowhere near enough.

With hexagons now being popular virtually everywhere it was good to see these old ones from the 1800's. the one on the left was made of 1/2" hexagons and a quilt top. Disintegrated in places, wear and tear and stress from dye still did not detract from this beautiful piece of work. There is hope when seeing this that maybe not all our quilts have to be made up. Many were not quilted and simply left as they were or had a plain calico back and used as a coverlet.

 

I wonder what is next from this gorgeously talented and awesome duo. 

Happy Stitching.

Shirley.

Petra and China Blue

This gorgeous quilt is from Petra Prins's new book and all the stars are fussy cut from the Dutch Heritage fabrics. Right up my street. Petra was teaching this class at Cowslip Workshops and so I booked it. Petra's classes are always a delight.

 

Of course my version had to be pink. I changed the background fabric from the one in the kit and I am pleased with it.

 

It is not a big quilt, more cot sized I would say but these are 2" diamonds and hexagons so it will grow quickly.

 

In class, as we finished one star it had to be pinned to the wall and as you can see they all look amazing. My suggestion was that this would make a fabulous group quilt for charity.

 

At my sewing group Margaret's daughter has ventured into a cake making business and one of her products are these gorgeous quilt block inspired biscuits. Thought it went rather well with my not so mystery mystery quilt blocks. What is more, it was delicious. You can check out

www.emmas-scrumptious-cakes.co.uk

 

Happy Stitching

Shirley.

Our Ancient Mariners

It is hard to believe that a whole twelve months has flown by since our last workshop with the ever talented Di Ford Hall. In that time Di has had her 2nd book published by Quiltmania for which she made 14 quilts. Think she did it in two years but even so, how many of us can lay claim to completing them many quilts in that time? During this time she had a nasty altercation with one of her horses resulting in surgery on her shoulder. I think she is Wonder Woman.

This year I had two days with Di. This one was at Cheltenham with Sue Watters. As always it is a fabulous day. Sue is a great hostess.

I started this project from Di's new book and it is called Our Ancient Mariners. I used some of Di's fabrics and some from my stash.

 

I stitched like a demon in an effort to get the centre assembled for the next class which was at Cowslip Workshops in Cornwall. Di's classes are always relaxing and fun and made even more so by such a lovely group of people.

 

By the end of the day my centre was set into a square and some fussy cutting begun. Still to make progress on this but I am pleased with it.

 

At Sue's we bring food to share and it is always a wonderful feast.. we even managed enough sunshine to sit out and eat. 

 

I have just noticed in this photo that the door handles in the background look like they spell Di. How strange is that?

Lots more to show and tell coming up.

Happy Stitching.

Shirley.

Making Progress

Someone asked me the other day if I was still making hexagons. The answer. Yes, I am. I cannot imagine a life now where these shapes did not feature somwhere in it. Even my three year old granddaughter knows what hexagons are and how to make them. She sits on my knee and pulls the needle through for me. She is happy for a few minutes. So am I because it means I have made a few more.

My beautiful gifted box for a birthday present that contained toiletries has been and still is much used. It is the perfect box with a pull out tray to stash away bigger pieces. I could have sworn I had blogged about this box and project but think it was mainly on Instagram. If you follow Instagram then I am on there under stitcherydo.

 

I had this idea in my head of using low volume fabrics and my ever growing scraps and of course my beloved pinks and this beautiful charcoal grey print.

Lots of cutting and prepping.

All sections now constructed and ready to have their plainer counterparts stitched in. Plenty more of them to keep me busy.

 

Assembling has begun. One day all will be revealed. It took me quite some time drawing and redesigning the outer border to make it all fit. The middle bit was easy. I can also say that using up the scraps for the colourful hexagons did not leave much of a dent nor to my pile of low volume fabrics. 

 

Better get stitching. Lots more to do yet but, progress has definitely been made.

Happy Stitching.

Shirley.

Soul Sisters

Please excuse my poor attempt at regular blogging. Not sure that I have a suitable reason but the intention is always there and if you are still with me thank you for reading.

Back in February I received this lovely parcel from Sweden and there is no better reason than to wish somebody Happy Everything.

Anticipation......

Inside was the most prettiest quilt in my beloved pinks and made by my wonderful friend Stina.

You can read more about it on her blog. www.kviltstina.com Apologies here as I cannot get the link to work but if you google the address it will come up. Grrr!

I absolutely love it. The pattern is Soul Sisters by Cheri Payne Saffiote and we are indeed Soul Sisters.

 

Found a place to hang it too on my red hallway wall. Think it looks perfect there.

 

Daughter no.1 surprised me with this beautiful bouquet of tulips for Mothers Day back in March.

 

We went for a day out recently to North Devon and found ourselves wandering to the village of Clovelly. You need to pay to get in and it is not for the feint hearted. It is steep and cobbled but so worth the effort. It is so pretty. No cars. Everything gets transported up and down by pulling on crates. 

 

Happy Stitching

Shirley.

Stina.

Then There Were Nine

Stina's hearts now total nine and enough to sew into a 12" square. My granddaughter Maisie says her babies need quilts so this is what this one will become. She has lots of babies so I see a lot of little quilts in my future.

You can find the instructions at Stina's blog www.kviltstina.com

 

As a bonus there are leftovers and I shall reserve these for a future project. There should be nine but Maisie has hidden one somewhere good.

 

It snowed during the night and this is the view this morning. The most snow we have had in this neck of the woods all winter. More of a dusting I would say.

 

I have had a lovely new phone to play with and my daughter found me this pretty cover.

 

Happy Stitching.

Shirley.

Last Day

Day 5

Our last day was a relaxed affair. I chose to carry on and make progress on my little pink number.  It was a mammoth feat to stitch around all of those curves on the oval but at last they were done and we could płay with the centre.

Several fabrics were auditioned from my stash but this one sang out to me. I had the perfect fabric to fussy cut the side bits to the vase and to make the base by adding two fabrics together. A mix of traditional and modern but they work. It was fun cutting out flowers. Now it is taking shape.

 

 

I had a lesson on making bias stems Marg style. I have never come across this way before but it was so quick and easy and therapeutic. Think I could have sat making these all afternoon. They are wonderfully soft and stretchy and no burnt fingers in the process.

 

My friend Anne who had also been on all four days had been working on this quilt and got stuck on how to finish it.  Marg gave advise and by the end of the week it looked fabulous. I will need Anne's permission to show you the whole thing but those parrots are from an amazing piece of fabric.

 

 I think you can tell by our faces that we had a great time.

 

Marg is a legend and has agreed to come back next year. I do hope so and I hope there will be something to show her in the way of progress. I hope you will come and join us next time.

I was so reluctant to leave this lovely atmosphere but I had to brave the journey home as Storm Doris was  raging.

Happy Stitching.

Shirley.

No Pink.

Day 3

I decided that today I would have a change and make a start on Spring Fever. I really love this design. I chose the grey background as my starting point and marked the sections. The square is 22".

I bought the liberty print fabric last year and love it and think it looks great as the hare. Lots of colours to bring out in it. Definitely no pink in this one. More coral and oranges.

The squirrel fabric is one that was sent to me by my friend Sue-Anne in Australia. Think I could go into business selling this fabric as everyone wanted it. All will be revealed when it is stitched down.

 

Back to some pink. I took along this golden oldie to show Marg. This is from her version of Not The Levens Hall quilt. I put it away after not being able to decide where to go after this section was made. Marg spotted the stripe fabric in my box and cut out a few hexagons to try. I kind of like it and it brightens it up. Have cut a few more out and that is for another day to show and tell.

 

One more day to go.

Happy Stitching.

Shirley.

 

Marg Day 2

DAY 2

Before Day 2 could commence I had a bit of tacking to do. There is method to what appears madness. It is easier to fill in small sections of blank spaces with applique rather than a huge blank space. What you put in one space can easily be mirror imaged with a grid system. I apologise as I am sitting on the bed and in my nightie. As it happened that night I could not sleep so at 2am I was stitching away trying to while away the hours. Over excited I expect.

 

Today was about making binding to go around the large central oval. Strips had to be joined and totalling around 60" or 1.5metres. Think you can just see my drawn wavy line around the outside edge. This is a lot of applique and it certainly took me several nights to finish it.

 

 

My friend Marie who was sitting opposite me said that all she could see when she looked up was pink so I gave her my camera. Wish I could say that gorgeous pink bag belonged to me but no, it belongs to Marg. The cake was not mine. I was trying to be good.

 

The quilt on the right is what I am aspiring to do .

I also had the delightful pleasure to be sitting next to Little Miss Alice quilt all week and the detail is just mouthwatering.

 

Happy Stitching.

Shirley.