Christmas Quiltalong: Triangle Progress

Well after a couple of hiccups:
a) deciding I might not have enough ivory fabric and having to find an alternative in my stash
b) realising I'd cut the fabrics to make the quarter triangles too big - not as bad as too small!
things are progressing. I've completed all the half and quarter-square triangle units for my 5 star blocks and I'm really pleased with the how it's looking. I'll be completing these this afternoon and making another 4 blocks using Flying Geese units.

I'll post my progress later. Don't forget to go to QuiltSue's blog to see what the other Christmas Quiltalong bloggers are making.

Christmas Quiltalong- Triangle Tricks

Today is QuiltSue's Christmas Quiltalong and for once I'll be able to join in. Yesterday I went shopping for some red and green fabric which are Christmassy colours  and also bought a pack of ivory tone on tone fat quarters. I found a fourth fabric for my sashing so I'm ready to go!

I've decided to kill two birds with one stone and prepare a sample quilt for one of the 6 week classes I'll be teaching in the Autumn. In this particular course I'm aiming to teach my students quick and easy ways to piece triangles: half-square, quarter-square and flying geese triangles to be precise. I've designed a quilt in EQ7 so today I'm testing  my own written instructions and taking photos to go in the final handouts.

You'll have to come back later to see which blocks I'm making. Also don't forget to visit QuiltSue's blog Quilt Times for more festive fun!

Noughts and Crosses Progress at Last!

 Here's the Christmas cushion I started a couple of weeks ago - it's almost done! I need to go and buy a zip for the cushion back then I can pop it onto a cushion pad and my first Christmas projeect of the year will be complete. This pattern was demonstrated at the Bernina Club at MKC Services in Leeds  by Glenys and I love it! It's a Jenny Rayment design which was published in Sewing World Magazine a couple of years ago. I was debating whether to quilt it but really I don't think it needs it and as there are 2-3 layers of fabric in the blocks it would be quite tough to do. Here's a close up:

The crosses are really simply sewn by folding and stitching  diagonal pleats then adding traingle of coloured fabric which tuck under the folds. I love the little folded square in the centre of these. The noughts are a clever variation of cathedral windows with bias edges of the patterned fabrics folded back.

The stitching was all done by machine apart from a few tiny hand stitches. I used Superior Threads invisible thread ( with fine cotton in the bobbin) and an adjusted blind hem stitch on my machine. I found loosening the top tension made sewing with this thread much smoother.

Jenny Rayment has written several books on folding and pleating and I'm told she's a very entertaining speaker and runs excellent workshops. She also has an online subscription site with lots of videos to watch called Just Hands On TV.

Happy Stitching!

Hazel x

Christmas Quiltalong and Kilham Quilters Show

My friend QuiltSue will be hosting the latest Christmas Quiltalong on Saturday but unfortunately I won't be able to join in as I have to go to work. I decided to get ahead and start a project today - a Christmas version of the noughts and crosses cushion I saw demonstrated last week. Here's my progress so far: 4 crosses and one nought! I'm really enjoying this and I'll try to finish by the weekend.

I am also starting a couple of projects for Nel Whatmore this week in preparation for her display at the Festival of Quilts. I can't believe how lucky I am to be paid to make quilts - what a perfect job! Nel is also featured in Homestyle Sewing magazine this month and she has a competition to win £100 worth of prizes. Find out more by visiting her blog.

On Sunday I went out to visit Kilham Quilters 'Stitchcraft' show in the lovely Kilham Church.

What a treat it was! Here are just a few of the photos I took for inspiration:

There was an amazing display of work and not only quilts but embroidery and other needlecrafts too. The church was buzzing with visitors and there were sales tables, teas and cakes to temp us. Even the husbands (including mine) were impressed! This was my favourite, although it was hard to choose. It is hand sewn and composed of beautiful brightly coloured blocks:

Hubby pointed this one out:

There were all sorts of gems tucked away in every nook and cranny. Hexagons were featured in several:

 I remember seeing a pattern for a quilt similar to the one above in a magazine several years ago and loved it so much I kept the pattern with the intention of making it - I'll have to dig it out again because this one is stunning!

The last photo shows an antique quilt found by a quilter in her mother's possessions after her death. It still has the backing papers attached which were cut from letters, envelopes and a wedding invitation. What a wonderful piece of family history.

Here are a few more pics from the show:

The brown and cream quilt also has an interesting history. It was found inside a car in a breakers yard covered in oil and soaking wet before it was rescued. The rescuer has done a brilliant job of cleaning it up.

I just love local group quilt shows like this. Many people just don't know the existence of  the wealth of talent around them as quilters are, by and large, a secret army stitching away out of sight. Quilters are also such friendly and generous people. All profits from the show are going to support Kilham Church and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Well done Kilham Quilters!