Nicola Foreman Quilts
  • BLOG
  • BAGS
  • CUSHIONS
  • QUILTYSTUFF
  • QUILTS
  • TABLERUNNERS
  • WALL HANGINGS
  • CONTACT ME

Happy Halloween

31/10/2018

0 Comments

 
Happy Halloween! This "Spooky House" pattern by Lynette Anderson Designs was made 3 years ago with fabrics from Lynette's "Happy Halloween" collection and woolfelt from The Eternal Maker. This was hand embroidered with hand-dyed Valdani threads and appliquéd using the appliqué paper and glue stick method, and embellished with some wonky star buttons from my button tin.
Picture
0 Comments

Spooktacular Stitching

30/10/2018

0 Comments

 
This spooktacular parcel arrived in the post at the weekend! "The Spooky Set" pattern and "My Halloween" button pack, both by Lynette Anderson Designs - these will be stitched in time for Halloween 2019, probably into stuffed ornaments similar to the festive themed one and spring themed ones that I'd already made earlier this year. Unfortunately they won't be ready for Halloween 2018 🕷🕸👻
Picture
0 Comments

More Tiny Hearts

29/10/2018

0 Comments

 
All the mini blocks for block 2 of Hearts and Happy Flowers have been pieced together, with all the seams pressed open to eliminate bulk and to help it lay flat - there are lots of tiny 1" blocks again, and I've fused a piece of interfacing the same size as block 2, 15,5" square, on the back ready for the embroidery and the applique. Just when I thought I'd traced all those tiny hearts for block 2, another couple of them appeared! I've used a lightpad (with adjustable brightness) and a brown Micron Pigma pen to trace the stitchery designs. My plans for this evening will involve lots of hand embroidery ❤
Picture
0 Comments

Lots of Machine Piecing

27/10/2018

0 Comments

 
Block 2 of my "Hearts and Happy Flowers" quilt is coming along nicely, although there are LOTS of tiny squares in this block, with LOTS of tiny seams. These have been machine pieced together, using a fine Aurifil 50wt thread along with a Schmetz Microtex size 60 needle. I've shortened the stitch length dramatically to prevent any unravelling, and pressed the seams open to reduce bulk. As you can see, these 2 rows (mini block 1 and mini block 2) have had the stitchery designs traced on them. My favourite pen for tracing is a Micron Pigma pen, in a brown colour, with a very fine nib. I prefer a nib size 005 but they can be tricky to source. Once all the mini blocks have been pieced together, a large piece of interfacing will be fused to the back of the whole block, ready for the hand embroidery and applique. (I fused interfacing to the individual pieces of fabric before they were pieced together for Block 1, which was rather bulky when it was finished so I may re-do it when the remaining blocks have been completed - if I can bear to unpick all those tiny seams that took me so long to sew)!!
Picture
0 Comments

Block 2 Has Been Started!

26/10/2018

0 Comments

 
Block 2 of "Hearts and Happy Flowers" is in progress! This is a BOM that was bought from Cross Patch, an online quilt shop from Wales, and the fabric pack was supplied by Cross Patch too. This pattern is designed by the Australian designer Leanne Beasley, and combines a mixture of hand embroidery, machine piecing and hand applique. These Cosmo embroidery threads are rather delicious, and they are wonderful to stitch with - no knotting, or snapping or shredding - and they have a beautiful sheen too. I find it's really useful to use an embroidery hoop, and prefer to use wooden ones with an adjustable clasp rather than a plastic one. 
Picture
0 Comments

Soldered Book Cover

25/10/2018

0 Comments

 
Last month I took part in a Soldered Book Cover workshop with Alexandra Waylett at my local quilt shop Kis Quilting Ltd in Ipswich. It was great fun, and I will definitely practise this technique a bit more at home! We also made the Tyvek beads to decorate the cord.
Picture
0 Comments

Heearts and Happy Flowers Block 1 Completed

23/10/2018

0 Comments

 
Block 1 is completed! This gorgeous pattern is "Hearts and Happy Flowers" by the Australian designer Leanne Beasley. The set of patterns and fabric pack were bought several months ago from Cross Patch, an online shop based in Wales, here in the UK. This block has been hand embroidered with Cosmo stranded embroidery threads. The larger hearts have been hand appliqued in place. This block measures approximately 15.5" square, and I absolutely LOVE it!
Picture
0 Comments

Another Peek at Block 1

22/10/2018

0 Comments

 
Another peek at Block 1 of Hearts and Happy Flowers by the Australian designer Leanne Beasley. Patterns and fabrics are from Cross Patch, an online shop based in Wales here in the UK. This has been hand embroidered with Cosmo threads and hand appliqued. I'll share a better picture of the completed block tomorrow ❤
Picture
0 Comments

The Birthday Girl

21/10/2018

0 Comments

 
Yesterday I spent my birthday at my local quilt shop, Kis Quilting Ltd in Ipswich, on a machine embroidery workshop with Alexandra Waylett. I've been on several workshops with Alex over the past few months, and she really is a great tutor. As you can see, I was very colour co-ordinated with my finished purse! This gorgeous feathers fabric was free motion machine embroidered, using a variety of threads, in a variety of colours, including a very sparkly gold metallic Maderia thread, adding a bit of bling to my purse!
Picture
0 Comments

Machine Embroidered Purse

20/10/2018

0 Comments

 
Last year I spent my birthday dipping my toes in the Pacific ocean while I was on holiday in New Zealand. So how did I spend my birthday this year? Well today I've been on a machine embroidered purse workshop at my local quilt shop Kis Quilting Ltd in Ipswich, under the expert tuition of Alexandra Waylett. We spent the morning stitching and stitching and stitching using a variety of threads including using a very sparkly metallic gold Madeira thread...
Picture
...then the afternoon was spent constructing the purse. The main body of the bag is layered up with interfacing and curtain interlining. The result is a very structured purse, which has a dupion silk back. This really was a great workshop, we all had lots of fun, and it was a super way to spend my birthday!
Picture
0 Comments
<<Previous
    Picture

    About me...

    Hi - welcome to my quilting blog! My passions are my family, my dog, my friends and sewing, not necessarily in that order! 
    ​​I live in Suffolk, near the coast, surrounded by the beautiful countryside.  
    ​If you want to share or pin any of my pictures, please link back to my blog.

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture

    Blogs I follow

    A Quilt Lady
    A Quilting Life
    Abyquilt
    Anne-Grethe's quiltblog
    Anne Marie Quilt
    Bente Malm Quilte-Design
    Bloom
    Cinderberry Styitches
    Daisy made it
    Dilly Dimple
    Karis Quilterier
    Evas Quilterom
    Erickaeckles
    Fantasia Yarns
    Gail Pan Designs
    Hanne's Quilt Corner
    Halfpenny Home
    I'm a Ginger Monkey
    J-quilts
    Just Jude Designs
    Kviltstina
    Leanne's House
    Liv Aagots Quilteblogg
    Lily's Quilts
    Litamora's Quilt & Design
    Lynette Anderson Designs
    Merete's Quiltestue
    Mona's quiltblog
    Pam's Paradise Stitching
    Pia Si Sia
    Random Ramblings
    Sigrun's blog
    Sølvi's blog
    U-handblog
    ZewNice

     UK shops

    These are the UK shops that I use to purchase my quilting supplies - fabrics and threads etc.
    Bramblepatch
    Buttonberry
    Coast and Country Crafts
    Craft Den
    Cross Patch
    Emma's Fabric Studio
    Fiona's Fabrics
    Glenroy Designs
    Halfpenny Home
    Hulu
    J-quilts
    KIS Quilting
    Patchwork Chicks
    Quilter's Cloth
    Quilters Haven
    Sew and So's
    The Eternal Maker
    The Fat Quarters
    The Quilt Room
    U-handbag

    Australian links

    Cookies and Cream Craft
    Homespun magazine
    Little Quilt Store
    Quilt Fabric Delights
    Under The Mulberry Tree

    Scandinavian links

    Lapp-Elisa Quilts HB
    Lappedesign
    Lappedilla AS
    Myquilt
    Northern Quilts
    Quiltegården
    Quiltekroken
    Quiltemagasinet
    Quiltespecialisten
    Sy-Sammen