Harrogate Quilt Show

Last weekend the Great Northern Quilt Show took place in Harrogate. This local show has open competitions for several categories of quilts and small exhibitions of the work of invited quilters. Unfortunately the number of quilts entered has dropped over recent years. I feel guilty that I didn't get around to entering any quilts this year. A friend and I have made a pact to enter next year with several quilts each!

I didn't take many photos but the wall hanging above caught my eye. The silhouettes of the dogs looked very familiar! They are just like our collie/greyhound cross lurcher Katie. She loves roaming on the beach and splashing through water.

I was so entranced that I forgot to make a note of the maker's name - sorry. Whoever you are I think this quilt is beautiful.

I did look quite closely at the miniatures. I once made a miniature quilt using paper piecing in fine silk. Not only was I disappointed with the finished quilt it took me longer to make than a quilt 4 times it's size because ot was so fiddly! I really have to admire the makers of these:

I've posted them in order of the prizes they won. The second prize was won by a friend Sandra Wyman with a lovely two sided forest scene - congratulations Sandra!

I was on the lookout for colourful block and applique quilts to show my students. I liked the colours used in these:

I'm teaching a free motion quilting course at the moment so I was thrilled to see this fantastic machine sewn wholecloth:

Amazing stitching! It makes me feel quite inadequate. I need to spend a lot more time practising!

Finally say 'Hi' to Anthea who is just starting up a business selling fabric in Settle, North Yorkshire. This was her first quilt show and she called it her 'Baptism of Fire!' Catch her next at the Edinburgh show in a few weeks time.

Teesdale Quilters Show

What a treat I've had today! We went to visit my Mum as the quilt group which meets in her village hall was having a show. Mum isn't a quilter but she has friends in the group so she introduced me to several of them. The show was stunning. Here is a tour of the show:

Just inside the entrance was this lovely hexagon quilt on a low table so it looked like it was on a bed.

This amazing  quilted swan caught my eye - very cleverly done. And how about this cute dragon with tiny quilting patterns?

 The quilts along the wall were made as a mystery challenge and showed what a difference fabric choices and colour placement make. Can you see the red and white antique strippy on the stand above? There were several antique quilts on display, some with notes on their history:

 This log cabin was one of my favourites. The blocks were many different shapes and sizes and I've never seen a log cabin like it before. My photo really doesn't do it justice as the colours were more beautiful than in this picture.It was for sale and I wished I could have made an offer to justify all the work which had gone into it.

 Next some miniature quilts, mostly hand pieced over papers. Just for scale I rested my hand on the top of this cot!

I love the bright spiders web quilt behind the doll's house. Now for something completely different - pretty bags:

The quilters in the Teesdale group were all wearing quilted sashes so they could be instantly recognised - what a wonderful idea!

 How many little tumblers in this quilt?

 Gorgeous fabrics in the bargello quilt.

 The trade stall was very tempting.

 I wonder if the New York Beauty will be finished next time I visit?

 The strippy stars quilt above is made with recycled fabrics:

 Now for tea and cakes. Even the tea room was jam packed with quilts.

The piano has a very special cover!

Wow! What a talented group of quilters. I can't wait to see the next show. Well done everyone for a magnificent display!

Bloggers Spring Quilt Festival

I decided to show this quilt for the Bloggers Quilt Festival as it is one of my favourites. I designed it myself from picture of a crop circle.

It took a bit of working out as I had to draw a pattern of overlapping circles then re-draw it in Electric Quilt to enlarge it. The finished quilt is just over 60" square. The brightly coloured batik shapes are fused onto a background of my hand dyed fabric.

The fused shapes are raised with trapunto (an extra layer of wadding) and were quilted using the pattern on the fabric as a guide and polyester embroidery thread to add a little sheen. The background is also heavily quilted with a cotton multicolour thread.

This was as big project for me and was completed for my City and Guilds Diploma. I think it includes everything I love about quilting: geometric design. bright colours. hand dyed fabric and free motion quilting.

Please visit the other blogs taking part in the festival via Amy's Creative Side to see the gorgeous array of quilts on show.

Happy Stitching!

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!