Thursday 25 June 2015

A Mixed Bag

I have been meaning to write my blog for what seems like days now. Apologies if you have been waiting for the new post.

We are still travelling up and down the country when I am not teaching. I am pleased to say that my mother is recovering well from the subarachnoid aneurysm and is now back home. The fabric I ordered for her had arrived and we couldn't resist in auditioning it against the pieced top she had done before going into hospital. It is going to be a wonderful quilt.


My parrot patchwork is nearly finished and with a few tweaks to the design it will be ready for display at Tudor Rose Patchwork. If you would like to have a go at stained glass patchwork and make this fun pair of parrots please get in touch with them. The day school is on Monday September 28th.



I have also been busy with a new beginners project for next Wednesday. Using the half square triangle block I have made this lovely Star table runner. A great project for anyone wanting to perfect the half square triangle block


 

 Using the half square triangles I was playing around with in the last post, I have made a simple bag. It is proving to be an easy way to take small projects and quilts to class and back.


As part of our '30 events for our 30th year' ( for our wedding anniversary this year) Alan and I pottered along to the BBC to watch a recording of the Radio 4 programme - The Museum of Curiosities. It was very interesting to see how these things are made. We also got a glimpse of the BBC news area and saw the weather reporter Tomasz Schafernaker presenting his report. However I have to say that I still fancy myself as the Doctors next companion. An older companion for an older Doctor????


I could do with a tardis for all the projects I have in my head.

Bev

Wednesday 10 June 2015

Half Square Triangles

Things are slowly getting back to normal. My mother is on the mend and hopefully soon be out of hospital. I have entered her quilt in the Festival of Quilts and although she won't be able to visit with me this year I am looking forward to seeing it and taking lots of pictures for her.

It will soon be time for my students to have their summer break and it is going to be strange not having lessons every week with them. New courses will be starting in September, please get in touch for details.

A bit of serendipity was brought in last week by one of my machine embroidery students. Cyn free motion stitched this sample 


And by a happy accident didn't get the tension quite right, which has produced some wonderful whipped stitches, fabulous textures and effects.



This morning I had time in the studio to explore half square triangles patterns.  Which is your favourite?


   
 





We will be mastering the half square triangle unit on 1st July please get in touch if you want to book a place on the day.

Happy stitching

Bev