2 borders

I have finally managed to sew two of the inner borders to the central panel - it is almost getting too large to photograph but here is a snapshot

Miracle of miracles, I have also discovered how to use the monopoly thread - lots of practice but I finally worked out that if I reduced the top tension a bit the thread did not break any longer. Thank goodness for that - was beginning to think it might be the machine but hey human error as usual.

I am just bought an IPad as well to read all the blogs and yahoo group messages that I seem to receive on a daily basis (I turned on my computer on Monday morning - having not been on all weekend) and had 72 emails to go through - far too many so hopefully I will be able to keep up to date with everything. Needless to say the reason for buying it was for work and now I can't get emails to appear on the IPad on that account. I feel another visit to the Apple Store coming on later in the week - goodness I hate technology when it does not work!!

Off to help a friend in need with her Bernina 820 - she has been so busy that she has not been sewing much and has forgotten all the helpful hints we were given by our dealer.

Happy quilting.

Teaching

Just back from a wonderful morning's teaching of the applique method I use. Much credit goes to Beth Ferrier for teaching me this in the first place. It was a lovely group of five people and we managed some leaves and a flower each. Here is a picture of their finished efforts.

I have got one or two more teaching sessions coming up so it will be interesting to see their results as well.

I am still trying to complete the borders for the Christmas quilt and it is happening but very slowly - funny how work seems to get in the way!!

Off to one of my quilting groups tomorrow where I am hoping to hand sew lots of the pesky blue dots!

Happy Quilting

Beckenham Quilters exhibition

Spent a wonderful Saturday morning at this quilt show in South East London. I have a friend, Maxine, who is a member and it is always good to go and see her work

This is her contribution to the group's challenge to make a small quilt based on colour shade cards. As you can see she is injected three D pieces into the Delectable Mountains block. Sorry about the picture but it was at ground level. The flashes of different colour and dimension really brought this to life.

Here are some other quilts I saw

This was a wonderful Kantha quilted piece by Wendy Parke

A fantastic trilogy of picture on Art Deco theme by Linda Mercer

I just loved these januty boats by Jean Bagley

This was done by  five artists: (from left to right) Janet Tibbalds, Chris Hughes, Bonnie Foster, Sandra Tait and Alison Kirkby. The title was Five by Five





I loved this wool applique hanging by Rita Shilling.

Also the group had done a workshop with Edith Morris on her kaleidoscope technique. Once again all the quilts show so well how different fabrics can produce totally different results. Here are one or two examples

Made by Jill Harford

Made by Linda Mercer

Made by Alison Kirkby

I love the whole show - great coffee and marvellous homemade cakes as well as a few traders. My ideal way of spending a Saturday morning.

Happy quilting

Exhibition

I have been rather too busy to sew in the last week. I spent the weekend helping my friend Maggie Barber run her stall at Alexandra Palace Knitting and Stitching Show here in London. She was part of the graduate showcase, having just completed a diploma in Stitched Textiles at Windsor. Here is some of her work

and here are some details of her work

There were also two other graduates from Windsor in the same area and other students from other colleges around the UK.  It was a really enjoyable experience to find out what it was like to be on a stall rather than just a punter at the show. But totally exhausting.  And I should definitely have been chained to the stall and not allowed to roam freely on occasions.  The shopping was wonderful and  as I had three days to trail the bags home, I did a certain amount of damage to my wallet.



A wonderful collection of batiks which I could not resist and then yet more spots!!

and finally a collection of felted wool

When am I going to get around to using these - goodness knows. But I want to try some wool applique when I have finished the two large quilts so I had to get the supplies in didn't I!!

Meanwhile I have been busy sewing on the tassles to the Beth Ferrier quilt

Of course I managed to totally miscalculate the number I needed, so I have another four to produce and then the centre of the quilt will be finished.

Happy quilting