New Machine and a video

I recently received my new sewing machine, a Q'nique 14 " mid arm quilter. This has been very exciting and I have been trying it out and getting used to it every spare moment for the last week.

However today I seem to have spent as much time creating a video of my first attempts at quilting a small childs quilt as I did actually quilting it. If you would like to see my progress I have added the video and link here.

https://youtu.be/cuTumGd8OcE

I used a vermicelli stitching pattern in the center of the quilt to check the tension.

And then doodled swirls and leaves around the border.

Hope you enjoy the video

Bev

Festival of Quilts and dog sitting part one

It has been a busy couple of weeks and I am just starting to get myself back into gear. I thought that not having an internet connection would be good for a couple of weeks, but I was starting to get a bit twitchy after a couple of days. Shows how dependent I have become to stay in touch. Anyway more of that later.

We started our dog sitting break with a quick visit to the Festival of Quilts. It was a whistle stop tour and I missed so much. When we left I turned to my husband and said " Well, I was good this time. I have only spent £2.40" He turned and gave me a look I know only too well and replied. "Have you just forgotten the sewing machine you bought in the first half an hour?" Whoops!

Something I didn't miss though was my mothers quilt. Everytime we walked near it I lurked to hear what people were saying and was very pleased with the comments it was getting. Wonderful to be able to report back to her with such kind and supportive words. This is me hogging her limelight, although I think the quilt is outshining me

Back to my new sewing machine. It will be arriving next Friday so Alan has his work cut out to get the room finished. Only a small matter of finishing the attic and putting everything back, redecorating, laying new floor and putting up new blinds. Then he can reassemble the grace quilt frame and we can await the Q'nique Quilting machine. I am so excited and he will be able to have a rest.

Then it was off to the Lake District to dog sit for my sister. 

Meet Toby

He's a real sweety. More of our trip in the next post but now it's back to preparation for the courses starting in September.

Bev

Kathleen Laurel Sage Workshop and more

It has been wonderful to be on the other side of the fence and be a student for a couple of days. I have had the most fantastic time with Kathleen Laurel Sage making a fairy doll

She is a great teacher and I had a lovely time doing something quite different to quilting. I have not stitched and burnt organzas for several years or done so much embellishment so had great fun letting go.

This little fairy will be finding her way into someones stocking this year.

Making some Christmas gifts this year has made me think that this is the way to go and next year most of my gifts will be made (I will have to start in January I think as I want to make a few quillows)

Luckily I now have my new studio and no excuses for lack of productivity.

This weekend I am having my first students to have a dyeing, using resists and discharge pastes weekend. Should be messy and fun.

I have also been involved in a lovely group project making a lap quilt for a very special friend. We each made a block of blues and greens with a pop of orange.  You can see more of this on Pams Blog

Bev

A mini Sewing Bee

Two of my friends, Sue D & Sue W, have made heart applique panels at a day school, and on Saturday they dropped in for a bit of help with them. 

With a little help in layering and quilting they were soon into machine quilting with a walking foot.

They have sent me photos of their lovely quilting so far.

Sue W has outlined the heart and will be free motion quilting the corners.

And with a little explaination about how a sprung darning foot works, Sue D had a go at free motion quilting too. I think it adds a wonderful texture to the panel.

I think they have done a wonderful job with their first patchwork & quilting project.

Bev.

Keswick trip and the Derwent Block

Gosh where is the year going. 

The month has flown by with lots of teaching, sorting rooms in preparation for a new studio space and a small amount of stitching. 

I did manage to get up to the Lakes to see my Mum who is in the process of making her first quilt.

Using the Moda Wintrgreen fabric she has made lovely log cabin blocks with a rail fence border. There is also going to be a flying geese border, and this week she told me she had made all those blocks. I think she has made a wonderful start and am so proud of her. She is putting me to shame as I am not being very productive at the moment. 

So I decided to take some time to finish the Derwent Quilt, a foundation pieced pattern. It is now ready for quilting. Which is the part I find most challenging. What pattern to use? Should it be quilted all over? What thread, variegated or not? Too many choices. I am suffering with quilting block. Perhaps like writers block, if I leave it alone for a while the answer will magically appear?
What do you think?

Bev

A New Class

Yesterday was another great day - meeting new people and teaching - two of my favourite things. I was at Tudor Rose Patchwork shop at Oakley near Bedford for the beginners patchwork & quilting class.
Many of the ladies had projects they were currently working on and it was lovely to see the variety of work and to help them with new ideas.

One project I had taken with me was a scissor case made from a nine patch block. A small project but it has a few technical points. It is also a good project to have a bit of fun with some free motion quilting.

I am looking forward to the next lesson on January 29th and also starting the new City & Guilds class there on January 28th.

If you would like more information or to join either of these classes please get in touch.

rmcreativestitches@hotmail.com

Bev

A Boaty Quilt

My daughter and partner live on a narrow boat, and although they have the quilt I made when she went to college it was mentioned that another one would be welcome. As it was close to Christmas I wanted to do something quick and easy so tried my hand at a jelly roll quilt.

Jelly roll race video on You Tube

How to make a quilt to in less than an hour

I am quite a quick sewer but I wasn't in a race so it took me slightly over the hour. 

As their boat is red and green I chose the Wintergreen fabric by Moda. Although a Christmas range it is perfect for this project.

I wanted it to be reversible so the back was made from squares of fabric from the same range. Two quilts in one!

As it was a boat quilt I made a Mariners Comass quilting design for the center

  

and then filled in with wandering vermicelli and hearts 

And now that is is in pride of place on their boat I can share it with you.

I thoroughly enjoyed making my first jelly roll quilt and can see more over the coming months. They are a great way to produce a quick quilt.

Bev

The Pencil Museum

The Summer is nearly over and there certainly is a slight snap in the air. Things have been busy on the home front with sorting out some of the clutter accumulated over many years. There has also been time to catch up with family further afield. Being from the Lake District I do miss the mountains and I can feel myself relax when I catch sight of them. The weather was beautiful and there's no better place to be than Keswick, for me anyway.

Every time I go back 'home' the town has changed. We seem to play spot the new shop. It is almost a relief when the new shops are not more outdoor clothing. There is a lovely new interior shop called Poets Interiors which is in the old dining room of the Royal Oak Hotel. The wonderful listed stained glass windows with portraits of Lake poets and some of their verse makes this shop unique. 

Another first for me this trip, was that we had time to visit the Pencil Museum. The factory is long gone but the museum is on part of the factory site. There is a feeling of nostalgia in this visit, as my mother was a book keeper at the pencil factory and the managers secretary at the Royal Oak Hotel. 

The story behind pencil making is fascinating and I hadn't realised what goes into something that I take quite for granted. The science behind the production of accurate colours, makes this humble everyday item something really special.

Derwent Pencils

One of my favourite Derwent Pencil products has to be the Inktense Range and I was lucky to be given this wonderful set last Christmas. They are vibrant water soluble ink pencils. The full depth of colour is not revealed until water has been added. They can be also be used on fabric.

This is a idea sample for a fan. The leaves are applied and then trapunto quilted for a 3D effect. I used the Inktense pencils to add shading to the plain green fabric. 
Lots of potential for this art material I feel.

Bev

A Good Mornings Work

I don't know whether I was getting ahead of myself ( by making a quilt for a Christmas present) or procrastinating ( I should have been making samples using soluble fabrics ).

I had seen Valerie Nesbitt's video of a quilt in 40 minutes and thought I had time to spare.

Well, two lovely chatty phone calls, I was trying to still sew with the phone tucked between shoulder and ear, and two hours later I managed to finish it.

I used a jelly roll I purchased from Bee Crafty at the opening of their new shop on Tuesday. Wonderful Moda fabrics called Wintergreen collection. It is certainly Christmassy.

 And now I will have to add to my shopping list for the Festival of quilts fabric for a border and the back. This list is getting longer by the day.

I don't think that I am the fastest machinist around so won't be entering any jelly roll races in the near future, but it is certainly a quick piecing method and will make a lovely present.

Have you made a jelly roll quilt?

Bev

Getting back in the swing of things

Having spent the last week or so in Spain, recharging the old batteries, it is time to get back into the swing of things.  Uploading some photos is first on my list so that I can have a quick peek now and again to remind myself of the holiday. When I start back at the computer it feels as if I have never been away so I need a quick reminder every now and then.

We spent a couple of days in Madrid

And a few days in Totana in Mercia. This is the facade of a house which was tucked away down a back street.  I love the intricate brick work and can almost see a quilt coming on.

Back to the sewing now and something which may get your eyes going. 

The picture is not out of focus ( I think ) it is the twin needle effect

I had a go using my sewing machines programmed stitches and the twin needle

 then I went wild and started a quilted doodle 

I like the painterly effect but it does affect my eyes.

I must make sure that my twin needles are taken out from the bottom of my needle tin more often, they have more potential for creative embroidery than I have tried so far.

Bev

Dawn Fisherman in need of TLC

 When you send things off to exhibition or use them as demonstration pieces it is difficult to know what will happen to them. Over the years I have had embroideries hung inside out ( a lamp shade)  and upside-down. 

I try to be not too precious about my work but would still like them to last a few years!. 

I have recently looked at a piece I have taken to talks - Dawn Fisherman. If it is to last a little longer it is time for a bit of TLC and a makeover.

It is made from white silk dupion and so frays like mad. It is also badly creased and some of the pleating needs attention. Luckily there is no staining of marks on it so no cleaning is required.

This is a version in a biscuit coloured silk dupion which hangs on my staircase. It is behind glass - sorry for the glare.

There is smocking, pleating, tucking scrunching and quilting. Lots of texture 

Although there is a window on the staircase it is out of direct light and so has fared much better.

Now to get started on it's twin. 

Happy stitching

Bev

Work in Progress

This is what all my quilting sampling has been for. It is to be a throw in the conservatory or for use in the garden.

The fabric was from the Deco Delight range by Fabric freedom

Cut and pieced in a kaleidoscope pattern (I think it is also called stack and whack) Using my design wall I could create new areas of colour.

I still haven't decided on the quilting pattern but am getting closer to making a decision. 

Maybe tomorrow

Happy stitching

Bev

Early Morning Doodling

I don't really like waking up early but today thought I would put this quiet time to good use. A couple of days ago I found an old layout book in my studio. Purchased years ago, as shown by the price tag, it has languished on the shelf of "this will be useful one day". Well it's time has come.

It is now my quilting pattern doodle book.

I find it useful to draw out patterns before quilting them so that my hand, eye, brain and sewing machine can work together. Working the pattern on paper gets the flow of the design into my head. I also get to know where the problem points are and can try to overcome them before stitching. I hate unpicking and this saves some time. 

In the past I have just used scraps of paper and then discarded them after use but no more. I want to build a quilt library for myself and this is the first part of the process, although if you read the previous post you will know that I have already started quilting some of the patterns.

One of the patterns was a open vermicelli design with added hearts, the above is a doodle for one with flowers. I think the scribble between the flowers and hearts is too much and distracts from them so have doodle a much looser pattern. The only problem with this is the hearts all face the same way, it certainly would show which way the quilt was meant to be hung.  This needs more thought, so time for another cup of tea.

Happy Stitching

Bev