Monday Memories 3

Now into 2001 and I had forgotten this next wee wallhanging until I was browsing thro my little record book. The reason I am posting it is because it reminded me so much of my Peeps project, turrets and pointy bits - this one was made from a panel for my niece Hope, for her 3rd birthday.(she is now 13!!)

 

My next project is in my book as being started in Spring 2000 and finished January 2001 - it was "T Shirt Memories" and made for favourite son. The basis of this quilt was outgrown t shirts from holidays, or brought back from foreign parts by his dad. My challenge was in unifying the pieces in some way as I cut small motifs from some and  great big squares from others. The small bits, I sashed, so I had blocks of a similar size, and I stabilised all the t shirt fabric with iron-on Vilene.(interfacing.

I remember being at Ingliston for a Quilt Show (March 2000), my first, oh and how I recall the fluttery excitement of seeing so many quilt traders.......anyway, my friend knew I was after some sashing to suit this quilt and came running up to me to say she'd seen some "boy" fabric and indeed it did suit very well. I also got some denim effect cotton too and a Debbie Mumm check for the borders.

This quilt became quite a recycled project, old t-shirts, and the backing was a cotton sheet but the unique feature is its wadding. I made use of an old wool blanket that had followed me from childhood, you know the sort of thing...I used it as a mattress cover for a while and then it lay forlorn in the airing cupboard for years. I dug it out for this quilt as it was single bed sized and imagine my surprise when I spied the label on one corner - it bore a wee picture of a sheep and the words 100% wool, made in Ayrshire. So this well travelled blanket had come home to Ayrshire via Edinburgh and Worcester and was in fact an Ayrshire blanket..

The quilting must have been quite challenging for me as this quilt is quite heavy, I did a mixture of dodgy fmq and some straight line quilting.

So, I harboured a notion that Stuart would take this quilt off to uni with him, like you read in all the American magazines but the reality is it still reside here, in my sewing room! However, favourite son is happy to have it draped across him on a cold night when he comes home for a visit.

Shiver Me Timbers

Sailrigger's Bags 27 Nov 2011, a photo by bluepatchquilter on Flickr.

Am sitting having a nice glass of chilled white after another busy Day Workshop. Today was the Sailrigger's Bag - it's a brilliant bag, but quite a challenge and all the ladies who signed up for it were given some advance prep to do before the day, mainly pre- quilting some fabric.
I first saw this bag several years ago, in Florida and purchasede the pattern. I was delighted to see it was copyright free and have in fact re-worked the instructions quite thoroughly.
It is basically two bags in one and both the outer and inner bag has 6 pockets so it lends itself to many uses.
Most ladies left today with just the magnetic clasp to pop in and the final binding around the top to do. Great job girls, you all did so well.

Pillow Fight

It pouring with rain here, gloomy and dark but that cannot dampen my excitement. The postmen delivered my Pillow Fight Package a little while ago and LOOK AT WHAT I GOT!!!

 

This came from the lovely Reene, over at Nellie's Niceties pop over and see what she got in the swap.
Reene organised this 2nd round of the Brit Swap and from the moment she started posting her wip pics on flickr I had very strong feelings that this cushion was going to be mine. My "request" was for something to live in my sewing room which has a sort of Americana theme going on, so I said I like red, blue & cream. Perfect interpretation. I love stars, paper piecing and wow, is this a complex pp project.

Making friends with the other cushions.

See how well it fits in.

The pics are all just a tiny bit orangey, poor, poor light today.

And, I got extras, chccy and scraps - perfect.

 Thank you Reene, for my beautiful cushion, and for organising the Swap.

Yesterday, my partner Karen,  received her package from me -

So that's another swap done & dusted. If any of you are still dithering over whether or not to try a swap - jump in. It's scary, challenging & fun!!

Monday Memories 2

After posting my first quilty memory last week about my daughter's quilt, I had been thinking on and off about this week's post, assuming it was going to be about my son's quilt....that was the sort of order my wee talks used to take. However, I dug out my old book of quilt pics etc and realised there was a bit of a gap in between the two.

My first quilt took a bit of effort and was done without a walking foot so I seem to recall my reluctance to jump in and make another right away. So there was a lot of small stuff........my friend Sheilagh had heaps of quilting books and was generous in her lending of them. I was captivated by Thimbleberries and loved this style for many years....I made my first wallhanging from this book:-

I noted in my book that I was "unhappy with all my fabric choices, especially the tartan/gold blocks but was restricted by local availability and desperation to get on..."
My output seemed to increase in 2000 and I have just realised why - in January 2000 I left my job with the local Council (woohoo) after 10yrs and with husband working overseas, and kids at school, I had time on my hands..............
As well as being a Thimbleberries fan, I also loved all things Debbie Mumm - I feel almost embarassed admitting this, almost as bad as admitting to being a staunch Monkees fan when I was 14. (Mickey Dolenz was my favourite)
....so in April 2000 I made my friend Delia, this, from a DM book - (still no walking foot)

Very twee - it still hangs in her summer house.......that's a friend for you!
In the summer of 2000 I purchased a walking foot, got a hold of "Quilt It" by Barbara Chainey and there was no holding me -
I started with a cushion -

 and then another..............

I attended my first Quilters' Guild Area Day which was held in Ayr - I recall Anja Townrow speaking..........and only 2 traders.My friends and I discovered Purely Patchwork in Linlithgow and went along to workshops there. I remember going to a Christmas one - we drove for two hours there, parked, bought all our fabric instore, bought lunch, paid for the workshop etc, etc -and drove home -  think it totalled to about £100 - madness!!

I made a small quilt - it was an Irish chain pattern using bright colours on black and fussy cut themed fabric called "Gardening Gals". I remember in those days I wanted to try out everything, but especially fmq - bright coloured thread on black, I don't think I have the nerve to do that now.

Christmas 2000 probably was the end of my cross stitching days. My gifts that year were a mix of cross stiotch and quilting.

So, looking back to 2000, my inspriation was all coming from books, magazines and attending shows and workshops. No internet browsing, no internet shopping, and few local shops selling cottons..............
..........meanwhile, I had made a start on favourite son's quilt but more of that next week.

Ho, Ho, Ho!

Just in from waving off a bunch of friends who are taking part in the Santa Dash today for Ayrshire Cancer Support.

If any of you feel moved by these pix, including the gratuitous doggy ones (no idea who they belong to!) then you might consider donating to such a worthy cause HERE!
Hope you are all having a great Sunday.

Solid Giveaway

This week, over at Lily's Quilts there is a humungous giveaway .......

Can you believe it - one person is going to win both of these boxes of fat quarters and I have just popped over to Robert Kaufman  and discovered that each box holds 100 fat quarters - so with my epic maths abilities I have worked out that someone, and it could be you, but  I hope it's me, will win 200 fat 1/4s..be still my beating heart.

Meanwhile, to matters more mundane........I spent a bit of time re-organising my hexies this week. I have been happily making and adding in different fabrics to this project with just a vague nod to my colour plan. At first I wanted lots of greys for a cool, grown-up look but I found it a bit dull. I have used purples and pinks and some novelties and believe me, I was beginning to worry that I have created a total hotch potch. So I have grouped my hexies in  sort of colour blobs....I have only 11 more to make and can make them to order now, shifting and sorting before the final big sew. I intend making a heap of half hexies to fill in the sides as I don't want to trim back what I have already made....I am thinking white all the way around....so far I think I am on schedule altho I fear the joining will take forever............

last weekend's eforts

first layout - nah!

better........but..........open to suggestions.

Everyone's a winner.............

 Remember Amy's Blogger quilt festival?

Well, I got up this morning to find out I had won a $50 gift voucher from the Old Red Barn Company , one of Amy's sponsors for the festival - this appears to be a company specialising in hand-made soaps and scrubs so I should be smelling rather luscious for some time to come..............

 Back in April I posted pics of the Open Night for my classes - I do this every year to exhibit all the lovely work completed by ladies who attend  my classes and workshops. I featured Margaret's wallhanging - this was her interpretation of the class project, Cabin in the Woods, and was stunnimg. That was not just my opinion, it won the Viewer's Choice on the evening.

Following my post, someone wrote to me (sorry can't recall who that was) to alert me to a quilt competition in Coast magazine. As Margaret's piece depicted such super seaside images, it seemed like a great idea for her to enter. And one of the judges was to be Sheena Norquay, so definitely a prestigious competition.
Well, the months have rolled by and finally Margaret has discovered by digging thro a tricky website, that her quilt was short-listed. If you go here, you will see the winner, and the short listed pieces, and I am sure you will agree her quilt stands proudly amongst the others, I am so pleased that she entered, she is a very talented quilter.