 So far so good - I really can't believe I've been stitching these little blocks for 3 weeks already!! These stitchery designs are by Leanne Beasley, and I often use one of these stitchery "labels" to sign my work. Anyway, 21 blocks have been completed - only another 14 to go!! Then it will be off to Janette the longarm quilter and she will turn this into a a fabulous quilt - Yippeeee!!
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 Can you guess what my latest project has been? I have gathered a selection of fabrics (Etchings by 3 Sisters for Moda) and trimmings (white ric-rac) and a zipper and one of my new labels (I really like the style of writing on these labels, and the wider ones are so much easier to sew into place!) and not forgetting a rather saucy vintage photograph that I printed onto fabric using EQ pintables fabric sheets.....  .....and here it is completed - I'm really pleased with how these cosmetic bags look, especially when I have appliquéd one of the vintage pictures on to embellish it with - Bellisimo!! This is a birthday gift for one of my friends - hope she likes it!!
 Once we felt a bit more confident with the free motion quilting, we then tackled trapunto quilting - a technique which I had never tried before. This was not easy, and to get a good control of her machine, Philippa quilts bare-foot - not something I'd ever considered before, but I have to say is does give you better control of the foot pedal.....  .....then we tried corded trapunto - another first for me! - and the effects were amazing!.....  .....I haven't piped anything since I did needlework at school, back in the dark ages!! - Philippa often adds a double or even triple row of piping to her quilts and it's effect is stunning. I really must invest in a piping foot for my Bernina.....  .....I loved the technique for corded trapunto and curved piecing so much I decided to try it on the bag front of a tote bag (I've been busy draghting a pattern in my head - more of that later!). Philippa gave me lots of advice about this future project. I really enjoyed my week away in Yorkshire - and doing this course with Philippa was just fantastic! Her quilts were simply divine - her work is extremely neat and precise, and she is so interesting and so exciting to listen to, and we were given so many tips and so much advice - she really was so very helpful and was so generous with her time - we all learnt so much from her - she really is the most brilliant teacher I have ever been on a course with!
 Oh dear I've been so busy with my other quilting projects that I didn't get a chance to share some pictures of the rest of the course with Philippa Naylor that I went on in May! Once our curved pieced blocks were completed we watched Philippa demonstrate the skill of free motion quilting. Again we were given advice about needles and thread and how to control the fabric (apparently it's all in the wrist action and being barefoot!).....  .....we made several samples of quilting designs, and tried small blocks of wavy lines, feathers and stippling and curves and wiggles. As you can see, I still need to practise, practise and practise a bit more before I try to quilt my block. I may well have quite a pile of samples by then!
 It's my mum's 70th Birthday today - and now I can finally reveal her pressie!! I had blogged about making this cushion a few days ago, and here it is finally completed. My sister helped by sneakily "borrowing" some old photographs from my mum's house, scanning them and emailing them to me. I can remember this photograph being taken, and was so pleased when this was one of the photographs she sent me! Just incase you're wondering, that's me in the middle aged 10yrs old, with my sister Becky sitting on my lap - my sister Rachel on one side and my sister Lisa on the other. You can see I used some vintage lace and buttons to embellish the cushion.....  .....then I quilted some of the panels in straight rows, and one panel with free motion quilting. The quality of the fabric used in these printable sheets is excellent and it sews together beautifully. (Last year I bought a cheaper brand from a quilt show, but the pictures distorted when the backing sheet was removed, no matter how careful I was).....  .....I've sewn one of my labels onto the back, along with a zipper to fasten the opening and some more vintage lace trimming. I used a couple of different fabrics for the binding.....  .....and I'm really pleased with the finished result, and as you can see my mum is really pleased with it too!! Happy Birthday mum!xx
 I'm getting on really well with making "Ruth's Quilt", a pattern from Leanne Beasley's book "Living the Dream". I'm absolutely loving this stitchery challenge - and I'm still on track with sewing one block per evening, and block number 14 was sewn yesterday evening after we'd had our fab day out at Tilly's Tea Rooms. I just love how these different collections of Fig Tree Quilts fabrics look together - simply gorgeous! Now please excuse me while I stitch block number 15!!
 What a lovely time we had this afternoon! We were going out to celebrate my mum's birthday (she's got a very SPECIAL birthday later this week!) and we were going out for afternoon tea at Tilly's Tea Rooms, in Southwold. And just look what turned up at my mum's house to transport us to Southwold - the Tilly's Tour Bus!! We all hopped aboard, and the driver took us on an easy-paced drive to Southwold, and gave us the guided tour - it was a gloriously sunny afternoon, and we had a wonderful time as we went past the pier and onwards past Adnams brewery, past the Southwold museum, and past the church then over the common and past the golf course and then headed off towards the harbour.....  .....we carried on through the streets of Southwold, getting some admiring looks from passers-by - all the while hearing all about the history of Southwold from the very charming driver! Finally we drove down the high street, and stopped outside Tilly's Tea Rooms - and oh what a feast was waiting for us inside!.....  .....we were transported back to the 1930's for a real proper high tea - we had pots of proper tea (no tea bags for us today!!), and plates of dainty sandwiches with the crusts cut off (the brie and cranberry ones were my favourites!) and warm sausage rolls and buttered cheese scones, and Victoria Sponge and the most delicious chocolate cake and scones with jam and cream topped off with a strawberry - it was just an absolutely splendid afternoon. (Note: I checked out the menu, and I can't wait to go back and try their "boozy tiered tea" with a glass of fizz)!!
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 About me...Hi - welcome to my quilting blog! My passions are my family, my dog, my friends and sewing, not necessarily in that order! 
 
 
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