Another journal cover - this time with 3-D applique and a surprise! Embellished with applique and plastic flowers and button centers. This tutorial is a really easy project to make.....

.....I used some denim from an old pair of jeans to make this, and quilted the front with the same flower shape that I had used for the applique, then quilted the back with straight rows.....

.....the batik flowers have been appliqued in different ways - satin stitch applique (this was done VERY slowly!!) with a Mettler silk finish cotton thread, and free motion applique with a variegated YLI quilting thread. I added a "foil" flower with the add of some steam-a-seam 2 and some red craft foil. The plastic flowers were great fun to do, (they were Philippa's idea - I thought she was mad!!) and I added a button centre for all the flowers.....

.....and the surprise? The 3-D pink flower has been backed with a bright lime green batik!

During my week away with Philippa Naylor, I made lots of small projects embellished with applique - I took a supply of notebooks and bag handles with me, and was inspired by the sample I made of satin stitch appliqued circles to progress further to make a decorative journal cover. I've just enlarged the layout so it will accommodate an A4 notebook - and I've made this one using pink batiks and linen. 3 circles of different batiks were attached to a piece of linen using steam-a-seam-2 and secured with machine satin stitch. I used a Mettler silk-finish thread in fuchsia pink around the purple batik circle, orange Mettler quilting thread around the pink batik circle, and finally I used purple Mettler quilting thread around the orange batik circle. Then I added the panel of linen, which I frayed along the 2 long sides, just off centre on the front of the journal cover. The linen panel was then machine stitched into place with a matching coloured thread..... 

.....and here is the finished journal cover. I really love using linen, and think it goes beautifully with the fine cotton batik. The joy of having a removable cover is that when the notebook is full, it can be removed and replaced with a new one! Philippa showed us lots of top tips for satin stitch applique - we used stitch and tear stabilizer underneath the background fabric (in this case the linen), and stitched very slowly!! As you can see, this was quilted very simply using lots of straight rows, using a variegated YLI quilting thread in shades of orange and pink to match the pink batik fabric. 

What a fantastic week we had in Yorkshire - the food, the sewing, the company and OF COURSE Philippa Naylor! We stayed at Highfield Farm - an excellent B and B where we were very well looked after - the meals were superb, and it was so nice not to have to think about cooking meals for a whole week! I'm back from my travels, and still getting used to having to prepare my own breakfast, washing up the dishes and having to go to work instead of spending the day sewing! The course was "Drama and Detail" - the focus of this class is to study in detail both composition and fine workmanship techniques. These techniques include raw-edge, turned-edge, satin stitch and invisible machine appliqué. We learnt how to sew perfect satin stitch circles and mitered corners, how to make a variety of bias strips and the neatest rouleau loops you've ever seen. Philippa is a fantastic teacher, and as usual we all learnt lots and lots, from both Philippa and from each other. I'll share some pictures of all the lovely crafty things I made during my week away over the next few days - I decided to make several smaller projects this year, rather than a wall hanging or a quilt, and feel inspired to make lots more. It was lovely to see Caroline and Edith again who had travelled all the way from France, and it was lovely to meet new friends too - Katy, Ali, and Ruth. I can't wait to go again next year - after all, it's so nice to have something to look forward too!!

I've had a fantastic week away in Yorkshire, and will share all my pictures and stories on here during the next week, but firstly here is something that I took with me on my holipops! Last year I made Philippa a cosmetic bag as a small gift, and this year I decided to make her a cushion. I had already emailed her to see if I could "borrow" a picture that was on her website - it was taken by her father, when Philippa was 5 yrs old. I added the usual lace and buttons and lots of straight row quilting. This shows the back, with the binding sewn into place by hand, and a covered zipper. Oh and yes, one of my labels too...

...and here is the front of the finished cushion. It was such a beautiful sunny day when I left for Yorkshire, it was difficult to get a photograph without the sun getting in the way! Philippa was really pleased with it, and we had a super week on the course with her - I feel full of design ideas now - what a shame I've got to go back to work tomorrow - I could easily spend a creative week at home making crafty plans and putting all my new ideas together!

Well I'm off on my travels again - do you remember last year I went on the most wonderful trip to Yorkshire? I stayed at a superb B&B - Highfield Farm at Driffield - the food was wonderful, the service was excellent and the rooms were lovely. I was part of a group of quilters who were on a course with Philippa Naylor - she is simply the best quilt tutor I have ever been on a class with. This year we are going to be taught by her for 5 whole days!! We are doing a course called "Drama and Detail" - studies in composition, colour and contemporary machine appliqué. I'm just trying to squeeze everything I might "need" into my sewing box. And why oh why is my bag of fabrics bigger than my bag of clothes??!! Oh and Mr F is really happy about me going off on my hols - it means that at least for this week he can walk about barefoot without fear of treading on a needle or a pin!! Anyway I'll be back to tell you all about it next weekend. Until then, Au Revoir!!

Last Saturday I wrote a blog post about a giveaway I was doing on my Nicola Foreman Quilts FB page, and so my blog readers who don't have FB didn't miss out, I ran the same giveaway here on my blog too, and the lucky winner would win one of my "Anna's Sminkepung" makeup bags. Thank you to EVERYONE who has commented - it's great to know so many of you like my work!! In my giveaway, I said that I would announce the winner on Saturday 4th May. At last the day has arrived.....and I have drawn a name out of the bag (and a quilted bag at that!!!) and the winner is..... drum roll please..... JULES!! Jules I have emailed you some more information, and will send out a parcel to you in the next couple of weeks. If you go over to FB you'll see who the other winner is from my Nicola Foreman Quilts FB page too. I'm off on my hols on Sunday - there will be a special blog post tomorrow about where I'm going and what I'll be doing so please check back then to share in my excitement!!

A beautiful copper (patina) labyrinth pendant was the inspiration for this unique necklace by Amanda Davie. She has combined both rustic and elegant elements to create a neck piece that appeals to both the senses and the tactile qualities that will be appreciated in a favorite necklace. Amanda has used vintage glass, a few varieties and sizes of Jasper, copper elements with a beautiful patina, glass, glass pearls, chain, and a beautiful embellished heart. The necklace closes at the front with a swivel clasp. One of a kind. This 31" necklace bears her signature tag. Perfect to wear on my hols next week - I'm off on a quilting trip to Yorkshire with some friends. Good food. And good wine. And good company. Oh and maybe a little bit of quilting too ;)