Block mumber 2 of A Merry Christmas Garden is complete! This festive BOM has been designed by the Australian designer Gail Pan Designs, and is available from Cross Patch in Wales. Julia always puts fabulous kits together and tihs one is simply gorgeous. The applique was all prepared using the Apliquick method, and was hand stitched in place using a Clover Black Gold needle and a polyester 60wt thread (Superbobs which are pre-wound bobbins, by Superior Threads). It just needs a final press on my new wool pressing mat and it'll be safely rolled up with block 1. 

When I was at the Festival of Quilts last week, I bought a large wool pressing mat from Sew and Quilt and I'm absolutely thrilled to bits with it. It's fantastic for pressing hand applique and hand embroidery, and I really don't know how on earth I've managed without one for so long! This one is 17" x 24" and 1/2" thick. Now my smaller appliqued blocks have been pressed, they're ready to be joined together.

There's a new baby in the family and that means a new baby quilt! I've had this charm pack, Prairie Paisley by Minick and Simpson for Moda, for simply ages just waiting for the right project, and I decided it was about time I put it to good use! My favourote pattern for a baby quilt is Charm Squares Baby Quilt by Elizabeth Hartman, and is a free download from her website. I bought some gorgeous cream self-patterned fabric from my local fabric and wool shop, Fiona's Fabrics in Woodbridge. This is extra wide, so a metre was more than enough for the sashing, borders, backing AND binding...

...the pattern suggests quilting this modern pattern very simply in straight rows, just 1/2" apart. I used the edge of my walking foot as a guide for this, and used a variegated Gutterman Sulky thread (my Bernina really doesn't like ordinary Gutterman thread, but just about copes with the Sulky ones). This simple quilting adds a lovely soft ribbed texture to the quilt...

...and here's the finished quilt, which was gifted yesterday morning to my great-neice who's just 2 weeks old. This quilt is approx 33" x 40" and is a great size for using as a playmat or a cot quilt. I've used 100% cotton wadding as well as 100% cotton fabrics, so it can be easily laundered. It isn't an heirloom quilt, it's made to be used and well loved, so I hope that baby Matilda wlll enjoy lots of cuddles wrapped up in this quilt!

I needed to make a small gift that wasn't going to take up too much room in a suitcase as it would be travelling overseas, so decided to make a journal cover with a "Bed Of Roses" charm pack from Cross Patch, and teamed it with a small stitchery design. I stitched this in a dark blue Valdani perle thread that is from the Cross Patch Favourites collection... 

...this shows the outside of the journal cover - these Bed of Roses fabrics really are so pretty. The charm squares were cut into narrow strips and pieced together randomly. The journal cover has been machine quilted very simply in straight rows, using the edge of the walking foot as a guide for the spacing. I didn't have any real plan on stitching them back together again...

I've been deliberating for ages about joining the Quilters' Guild and so I finally took the plunge when I was at the Festival of Quilts last week. I'm looking forward to meet lots of other quilters in my area and going to some exciting events within Region 8. Well I'm now going to put my feet up with a cupa and have a llok through my goody bag and read my Quilter magaizine (a back issue was in my goody bag and the Summer issue has just arrived in the post) and get some inspiration from some other members of The Guild!

Philippa Naylor had her Quilters' Question Time booth at the Festival of Quilts, and of course I had to stop and say hi to her and the team behind QQT. As many of my followers know, I've been going to residential quilting courses in Yorkshire with Philippa Naylor for several years. Philippa now has some fantastic online classes that you can sign up to called Quilter's Question Time. These online classes cover a variety of techniques, and for those of you who have always wanted to do a workshop with Philippa and haven't been able to, they're a brilliant way of seeing her! There are monthly and yearly subscriptions too. It was fab catching up with Philippa at the show, and her QQT booth looked absolutely fantastic! And considering it was day 4, Philippa was still looking as glamourous as always! I've been watching and re-watching Philippa's videos demonstrating the KKB Perfect Circles whilst I've been making a basket full of berries for my Merry Christmas Garden Quilt, and it really is just like having Philippa in my sewing studio with me. 

Well this year I had a VERY small shopping list. I was particularly keen to buy a wool pressing mat, as I'd heard so many good things about them, especially for pressing my hand applique blocks. I'd seen one on the Sew and Quilt Instragram account, and made point of going to visit their stall. This was my first - and the most expensive - purchase of the day! I chose the largest size mat, 17" x 24" as I thought that would be the most useful size. I've tried it out with my applique blocks and I'm really pleased with it and would definitely recommend one if, like me, you're a fan of hand embroidery and hand applique...

...my daughter was hoping for some Oakshott fabric, and obviously I'm such a lovely mummy so I bought her a few fat eighth bundles - these shot cottons really are absolutely gorgeous. These are an early birthday gift for her and she was thrilled to bits with them! My other item on my shopping list is also a gift, so I can't share a picture of that yet as I don't want to spoil the surprise, but I;ll be able to share a picture next month!

As well as seeing all the amazing quilts at the Festival of Quilts, I always look forward to meeting lots pf crafty people! I had recently been a class with a fabulous tutor, Helen Butcher, and she was going to be helping on the Oakshott Fabrics stand, so obviously I just had to stop and say hello. And did I make a cheeky little purchase of a few fat eighths bundles of gorgeous Oakshott cottons? Well it would've been rude not too, but they're not for me, they're for my crafty daughter who has a birthday looming!...

...no visit to the Festival of Quilts is complete without stopping to say hello to the lovely Lynette Anderson. I've recently bought quite a few LA projects (all waiting patiently on my sewing table for me to start them) so I was very restrained and didn't actually buy anything else - although I was very tempted! Next stop was to say hello to another fabulos tutor Vendulka from Oliven (I'd done 2 amazing workshops with her last month, the Dream Catcher and Mandala wall hangings)  and to admire her fantastic array of goodies. Her shop is not far from where I live, so planning a road trip over there soon with my friends...

...oh and look who I bumped into while I was chatting to Lynette - I first met Grethe several years ago at FOQ along with some other Norwegian quilters, and had been following her blog for such a long time. It was so lovely to meet her again, and have a chat and a hug...

...and I was really pleased to catch up with Abigail Mill. I first discovered her amazing work last year at a Christmas Craft event at Blackthorp Barn, and have been following her on social media ever since! I saw her at Duxford in March but unfortunately by the time I saw her, I'd already spent all my pennies - however I made a point of visiting her stall at FOQ especially to make a cheeky little purchase, although it's a secret gift so I can't share it just yet - but all will be revealed next month! 

As always, there were some amazing quilts on display, and it was impossible to see all of them in just one day. Up until recently, I would go for all 4 days, and still managed to miss things! Anyway, here are a selection of the winning quilts, if you click on the pictures to enlarge them you'll be able to see them in greater detail. I've indcluded the information for each category that was included in the competition catalogue. 

Two Person - sponsored by the Craft Cotton Company
For quilts made by two makers using any technique, to include quilting (hand, machine, long-arm or a combination). Participants must declare whether their quilt is the result of pure collaboration or was professionally long armed. The services of the same professional quilter may be used by more than one entrant in this category. 

J028 - Who Will Tell the Bees 
Mary Palmer and Anne Kiely
​This quilt also won the Best in Show award. ​

Art Quilts - sponsored by Madeira
Quilts with both a strong visual impact and a high quality of execution designed to be displayed as artwork and communicating an idea, emotion or concept through the medium of textile and stitch

D059 - Vertex
Betty Busby

Pictorial Quilts - sponsored by Juki
Quilts depicting a scene or subject eg people, animals, flowers etc as the main body of the quilt. A figurative or represntational piece.

K060 - De Oriente a occidente la mas 
Juana Castaneda Romera

Group Quilts - sponsored by Bombay Stores
A single quilt made by more than two makers.

G002 - Over the hills and far away
Cowslip Workshops

Modern Quilts - sponsored by Pfaff
For quilts that are minimalist with clean, modern design and using a strong visual impact. They often use asymmetry, improvisational piecing, a reinterpretation of traditional blocks or the lack of a visible block structure. A feeling of space is often achieved by the use of negative space.  They are machine or hand quilted in a way that is sympathetic to the design.

H049 - Fractured Circles
​Robyn Fahy

Miniature quilts - sponsored by babylock
Maximum size of 30cms on the longest size. Use any technique or combination of techniques. In a photograph of the finished piece (with no indication of scale) the miniature should look like a full size quilt or wall hanging.

M030 - Embrace this day
​Sandra Newton

Quilt Creations
All entries in this category must qualify as clothing, wearable art or three-dimentional pieces. 3D items (this does not include double sided quilts) must have length, breadth and depth. This can be made by an individual or a group. 

N008 - Chest
​Lynne Barker

Contemporary quilts - sponsored by Janome
Quilts that draw on the traditions of quilt making through piecing, applique, or wholecloth, but have an original approach. Makers may use non-traditional fabrics, fabric printing and dyeing, embellishment and unusual construction methods. Quilts should have an original design and demonstrate sure use of colour. They may be sewn by hand, machine or any combination. 

E106 - Fractal
​Claudia Pfiel

The Quilters' Guild Challenge - sponsored by Bernina
​
This category is open to all members of the Quilters' Guild of the British Isles and all European Guilds which are part of the European Quilt Association. The theme can be interpreted literally, metaphorically, poetically - as widely as the maker wishes. Quilts should reflect the theme for 2019 - "Four Decades - One Moment"

B003 - Forty Shades of Green
​Kate Dowty

Young Embroiderer/Quilter - sponsored by Brother
​Theme for 2019 - "Memories"
​
Quilts of any size, using any technique, made by young quilters/embroiderers, in the following age ranges:
a)5-9 years
b)10-13 years
c) 14-18 years

Young Quilter/Embroiderer 5-9 yrs
Q007 - Rainbow Fairy Memories
​Beatrice Varley

Young Quilter/Embroiderer 10-13 yrs
R011 - Hermanas porel mundo
​Naroa y Nahia Sevilla

Young Quilter/Embroiderer 14-18 yrs
S007 - My Memory Timeline
​Kyle Long

Schools and Groups of Young Quilters - sponsored by Brother
Theme for 2019 - "Memories"

Quilts of any size, using any technique, made by school children or groups of children, in the following categories:
a) Primary School/ Young Quilter Groups (ages 5-11)
b) Secondary School/ Young Quilter Groups (ages 12-16)

Over the next few days I'll share some pictures and information about my recent trip to The Festival of Quilts - including the winning quilts, the lovely people that I met, and of course the shopping!