Blog Archives - Nicola Foreman Quilts

Christmas Fun - Quilt Label

30/4/2017

One of my favourite parts of making a quilt is stitching a label that suits the theme of the quilt. For Christmas Fun, I was inspired by a reindeer template in Lynette's book Stitch it for Christmas. The reindeer was appliqued using the applique paper and gluestick method, along with apliquick rods. The hand embroidery was completed using DMC threads in the same colours as the quilt. And the words were drawn on free hand, and embroidered by hand, adain with a DMC thread. The final embellishment was a cute wooden button that I'd bought from Lynette at FOQ a while ago. This is all ready to applique into place on the back of the quilt!

Machine Quilting Christmas Fun

29/4/2017

This morning was spent machine quilting my Christmas Fun quilt, at a Saturday morning sewing session at a local quilt shop, KIS Quilting Ltd in Ipswich. I decided to use my Bernina 230PE for some basic stitch in the ditch quilting until I've mastered the BSR on my new machine - I still need to practise with that one a bit more before I tackle one of my quilts! I've used a neutral coloured Aurifil thread for this, and outlined all the applique with quilting too. Now I just need to decide how to quilt the rest of it!

Yet Another Peek at Bluebird Lane

28/4/2017

Here's a peek at 2 more blocks of the Bluebiurd Lane quilt that has been having some extra special treatment with Janette at J-Quilts. This is a pattern by the Australian designer Natalie Bird and was originally bought a while ago as a BOM from Patchwork Chicks here in the UK. I was a bit slow in getting this quilt started, as I was busy with other projects, until I saw a couple of Bluebird Lane quilts online and that encouraged me to get mine finished!...

...and I really think that this is my favourite block. I love these 4 bluebirds, and I love the feather quilting at the top and bottom of the block. Can't wait to see the rest of it!

Another Peek at Bluebird Lane

27/4/2017

Here's another peek at my Bluebird Lane quilt that is being custom longarm quilted by Janatte at J-Quilts, who a studio not far from me over at East Bergholt. This beauty finally had the borders added back in January, and I can't wait to see it when the quilting is completed! The pattern for this is by Natalie Bird, of The Birdhouse Patchwork Designs, another wonderful Australian designer. I've made a few smaller projects by this designer, including the lovely Christmas Blessings wallhanging. I'd bought this back in 2015 as a BOM from Patchwork Chicks here in the UK. Looking forward to collecting it next week! And I've already told Mr F this will be the winter quilt for our bedroom. He just sighed again, and gave me yet another one of "those looks" that he saves for my quilting conversations ;)

Fernhill - Block 2 Forest Floor and Block 5 Rambling Vine

26/4/2017

Block 2 "Forest Floor" and block 5 "Rambling Vine" of the Fernhill quilt by Lynette Anderson Designs has been hand embroidered with Weeks Dye Works threads, and will be embellished with the cute squirrel and blue flower hand painted wooden buttons once the quilt has been completed. This was bought as a kit from Cross Patch, and Julia has put together a really pretty kit, even though the original fabrics are no longer available. I found a UK supplier pf the Weeks Dye Works threads, at Peakside Needleworks. I fused a piece of Weaveline woven interfacing (also known as Vilene G700) to the back of the background fabric, and used a wooden embroidery hoop to keep the fabric taut.

Bluebird Lane is Being Quilted!

25/4/2017

Back in January I delivered my Bluebird Lane quilt to Janette at J-Quilts, the amazing longarm quilter who has a studio over at East Bergholt. Janette does the most amazing custom longarm quilting, and my quilt has been having some wonderful treatment! Janette posted these pictures on Instagram showing that she had started working on it. Bluebird Lane is by the Australian designer Natalie Bird (The Birdhouse Patchwork Designs) and the quilt was part of a BOM that I'd bought online from Patchwork Chicks here in the UK back in 2015. Although I was a bit slow in getting started with it, the blocks were all hand appliqued and hand embroidered and was finally completed with a beautiful 42 star border in January. It's so exciting seeing these pictures of it in progress...

...and here's a close up of one of the blocks and some of Janette's custom longarm quilting. Can't wait to see a bit more! The binding strips for this were made a few weeks ago, so I just need to get a label designed while my quilt is still on holiday with Janette, then when it's returned I'll be able to get this beautiful quilt completed.

Fernhill - Block 1 The Dell

24/4/2017

Block 1 of the Fernhill quilt by Lynette Anderson Designs is "The Dell" - this has been hand embroidered with Weeks Dye Works threads, and will be embellished with the cute blue bird hand painted wooden button once the quilt has been completed. This was bought as a kit from Cross Patch, and Julia has put together a really pretty kit, even though the original fabrics are no longer available. I found a UK supplier pf the Weeks Dye Works threads, at Peakside Needleworks.

Forest Floor - Getting Everything Ready

23/4/2017

A few days ago a rather pretty package arrived all the way from Australia - and the packaging was almost as pretty as the goodies that were inside! I'd ordered some fabrics from the Little Quilt Store, ready to do a project that is on an online course with Craft University. The course I'd picked was "Forest Floor Tablerunner" with Lynette Anderson. You can download the pattern files and print them off, and you can do the online course for up to a year after you sign up for it. These fabrics are from Lynette's Stonehouse Garden and they really are very pretty, and will be put to very good use in future projects!...

...I'd also ordered some lazer cut hexagons with applique paper templates (these have not been my favourites, but I need to persevere with them as there are LOTS of these hexies in this project) and finally a gorgeous packet of Valdani threads, as being a Lynette Anderson pattern there is lots of pretty embroidery. I haven't done a workshop with Lynette for a few years, so this will be just like having her in my sewing corner with me helping me along! I've printed off the templates and the pattern instructions, and next weekend poor Mr F is working nights so will be asleep all day which is fine, because I'll be in my sewing corner with Lynette and making a start on this beautiful runner!

Vintage Haberdashery Goodies

22/4/2017

The Foreman's have been out and about today, and we've had a day out at the East Anglian Game and Country fair. I've had a great time - lots of yummy foods to taste (I bought some delicious sausages, and scotch eggs and cakes and cheese and pickles) and there were even lots of varieties of gin to sample! Anyway, I spied this glorious box of vintage haberdashery goodies on an antique stall, and although I couldn't afford to buy it, I couldn't resist getting a photograph of it!

My Scissor Keeper - Completed

21/4/2017

My latest project has been finished! The pattern is My Scissor Keeper by Lynette Anderson Designs and was bought online as a kit from Little Quilt Store in Australia (there is a downloadable pdf file if you just want the pattern and have already got enough fabrics to use). This has been hand appliqued using the applique paper and gluestick method with apliquick rods, and was hand embroidered with Valdani threads. My scissors have now got a very posh home and won't get lost in my sewing bag anymore!