A Crazy Patchwork Day

Things have been slightly busy both in the studio and infront of my computer. All very exciting though, and it is great to be able to offer more courses. 

The City & Guilds Patchwork & Quilting level 2 certificate course started at Bee Crafty this month, which was very exciting. 

Level 1 courses in Machine and Hand Embroidery will be starting in the new work room at Tudor Rose in July. The next level 1 course will be starting there in September and the level 2 Patchwork & Quilting in October. Along with and additional beginners Patchwork & Quilting class things are looking busy. I love teaching and starting my students off on their creative journey's. If you would like details about any of these courses please get in touch.

Also the Quilters Guild has a great page with listings for City & Guilds courses around the country. 

The Quilters Guild - City & Guilds

Yesterday I taught a Crazy patchwork with hand quilting class at Tudor Rose. It was a busy and productive day and these are some of the lovely blocks the students produced. 

Cathy started adding beads to her seam treatments, using wonderful fabric from Harewood House, to create a very fresh and spring-like block.

Judith created this striking block, and I love the use of closed blanket stitch, fly stitch and french knots to make a row of people. A really fun block.

Pat's addition of lace and lovely stitching has created a block with a unique antique feel. Purple and green are one of my favourite colour combinations.

Many thanks to them for allowing me to share their wonderful work with my blog readers.

Bev

Back in the Studio

It's been a busy couple of weeks or should I say month. 

The level 2 Patchwork & Quilting class started at Bee Crafty and it was wonderful to welcome my students back. I started them off straight away with lots of design work. I love seeing what different interpretations are brought to the same exercises and can't wait to see what they produce over the next year.  Exciting times ahead.

I finally got into the studio and gave myself some me time. This means finishing half started/finished projects of which I seem to have lots.

I have pieced a back for a Kalaidoscope Quilt which has been hanging around for ages. It was going to be my first quilt on my Grace Frame, but I can't see it being reassembled for a little while due to decorating, so have decided just to get it finished. 

I have also been working on a new block "The Derwent Block" and this will be available as a foundation pattern this summer

 And I also added reverse appliqué 'frames' to the crazy nine patch blocks.

A good days work but there is still a little time today to do some more, so back to the studio I go.

Bev

Crazy Nine Patch

 I must learn to blinker myself when walking to the workrooms for day schools. 

 But Moda's "Vin de Jour" layer cake caught my eye. In fact it jumped off the shelf and said buy me!!!
It is a lovely fabric range with mulberry, mustard yellow, muted rose and olive green. Really scrumptious.

I have cut it simply to make some mismatched nine patch blocks. I intend to inset these when I have a moment. It is an experimental work in progress, but my deadline is Christmas so I feel as if I have loads of time. When I get to November and realise that it is no further on I may have a panic. 

Mid Year resolution - Finish some projects

Bev

Finally back in the Studio

I seem to have had a few days playing with transfer paints, which has been wonderful as I have been away from being creative for far too long. As you will have noticed from the lack of blogging.

It started on Saturday when I ran a mini workshop for my branch of the Embroiderers' Guild using transfer paints and appliqué. 

Now to finish the appliqué and add some embroidery for a fun cushion workshop. I auditioned the shapes againt different backgrounds and photogtraphed them to help me choose between them. I find that If I take photographs and distance myself from the work helps me. 

Tuesdays meeting of Calico was more ways with transfer paints.
I decided to experiment with using items as a resist. Some were slightly problematical as I melted the nylon lace onto the fabric. Luckily it peeled off but something I must take more care with in the future.

Bev

Olympic Quilt

I know we are half way through the Winter Olympics at Sochi, but I wanted to share my delight at seeing Quilting playing such a prominant role. From the designs on the competitors bibs to the officials uniforms, Even some teams are getting in on the quilting theme.

This is the press release from the Sochi Games

The olympic patchwork quilt, developed by Bosco's creative department and given to the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee will be the official look  of Russia's first Winter Games

Our goal was to represent a diverse range of emotions and feelings, connecting concepts like Motherland, Familym Culture, Time, Olympism, Peace, Nobility, Fiends, Memory, Honour, Dreams, Beauty,  Freedom,  Pride, Warmth, Happiness, Greatness, Reliability, Victory, Creativity,Hospitality, Creation, Future, Russia, Planet Earth.

Every region in the world is proud of its unique origins, and it is no different in Russia. That is why there are so many different local traditions, songs and crafts that highlight the individuality of their creators, each valuable in its own right. Bosco had a wealth of choices to represent Russia's rich diversity, but in the end we settled on something familiar, warm and welcoming: the patchwork quilt.

In the concept design, every patch was infused with the history and personality of traditional crafts from each of Russia's 89 regions: in a single tapestry we combined Uftyuzhskaya painting and Vologda lace, Gzhel and Zhostovo painting, Kubachi patterns and the flowers of Pavlo Posad shawls, Mezenskaya painting and Khokhloma, Yakutsk patterns, fabrics of Ivanovo and other distinctive Russian patterns. That is how we arrived at a modern, distinctive and unmistakably Russian Look of the Games.

The Olympic Quilt

Gzhel

Khokhloma

Zhostovo painting

Kubachi patterns

Kuban patterns

Mezen painting

Pavlovsky Posad's printed shawl

Northern Dvina painting

 Volgda Laces

Yakutsk patterns

 Uftjuga painting

V shaped carving

Russian Calico

Rakulka painting

Palekh miniture

What a wonderfully diverse country

 It just goes to show there is inspiration and creativity all around us.

Bev

Back to the Drawing Board

Although I have a few projects on the go, ( I never seem to have just one) I couldn't resist a play with my Christmas present from my husband.

 EQ7

I am starting to get to grips with the programme and this was last nights design

It is called 'Up The Garden Path" and will be a Block of the Month project.

Hope you like it

Bev

Crazy Patchwork Cushion

As I was making the panel I decided to turn a simple cushion cover into something unique with it.

I hope you like the finished effect.

I'm going to leave it there for a few days but I am already thinking that I may embroider down the sides of the panel.

What do you think?

Bev