Blog Archives - Nicola Foreman Quilts

We Are Family - The Final Reveal

28/10/2022

Here's the final reveal! This beautiful quilt was designed by Susan Smith, and I'd bought both the pattern and fabrics from Pincushion Pantiles last year, when I found out my daughter was expecting a baby. This has been hand appliqued and hand appliqued, Once it was layered with bamboo wadding and backing fabric, I had deliberated for several weeks about ho to quilt it and finally decided to hand quilt kit with DMC perle thread in a selection of colours - light grey, ecru, orange and blue. This quilt drapes beautifully, it's so soft and snuggly. I gave this quilt to my daughter and her partner yesterday, and I can't wait for my little grandson to sleep snuggled up under this quilt!

We Are Family - Quilt Label

27/10/2022

I've been doodling several ideas for a label for my We Are Family quilt and was struggling to fit everything I wanted to say in just one label so ended up making three! As usual, I'd drawn my label in pencil first, then drew over the pencil lines with a very fine sharpie pen. When my paper template is completed, I tape it to a lightpad, then tape my fabric over the top. Using a Micron Pigma pen (my favourite is a brown shade with a fine nib, size 005) I can then trace the wording onto the fabric. Lightweight interfacing is fused onto the back, to give the label a bit of body, and to prevent any shadowing of the embroidery threads. I usually incorpoate fabric scraps that are leftover from the front of the quilt for the backgrounds of the labels. I didn't have many low volume scraps left, but then I thought - why use one fabric for a quilt label when you can use nine? I've kept the overall design for these first two labels very simple, with the wording hand embroidered using the dark grey embroidery thread that was included in the kit...

...this shows the first label, made with nine low volume background fabrics - I've included the name of the quilt, We Are Family, and my grandson's name. The wording says "stitched especially for my grandson. Quillted with love and pieces of my heart." The next label was a bit of fun - and says Quilt Care Instructions - cool machine wash, dry in the shade, do not iron, suggle and use often...

...all of the labels were made using Karen Kay Buckley Bigger Perfect Circle templates to get the circular shape and then they are hand appliqued onto the back of the quilt. The third one says stitched by Nicola Foreman, and has a small lion's head appliqued onto the middle. The lion was my favrourite block from the front of the quilt...

...now the labels are all appliqued onto the back lof the quilt, it's ready to be gifted to my gorgeous little grandson. I can't wait to see him suggled up under this!

KATM Label Collection

26/10/2022

I absolutely LOVE fun labels from Kylie and The Machine and when I saw this super tin to keep my collection of labels in, I just couldn't resist purchasing one from Minerva. It will certainly keep all my KATM labels safe and tidy!

ByAnnie Mesh Fabric

23/10/2022

I've been stocking up on some supplies ready for making bags. This ByAnnie.com and Patterns By Annie mesh that I purchased from Oh Sew Sweet Shop is great for making packets, either trimmed with fold over elastic, fabric or as zippered pockets and these bright colours are perfect for the projects I've got planned!

We Are Family - Borders and Binding

21/10/2022

As I mentioned in my previous post, the borders were quilted using the same DMC 8wt perle thread in a pale grey colour to match the border fabric. Using big stitch quilting has given the borders a lovely ribbed texture and I'm really pleased with the result. The double fold binding was clipped to the quilt using Clover Wonder Clips, then machined in place using a walking foot...

...once the binding was attached, the folded edge was turned ver to the back of the quilt and stitched in place by hand. I prefer ladder stitch as this is such a neat stitch, and by using a thread to match the binding, the stitches blend into the fabric and almost disappear. I'm almost ready to do a photoshoot, I just need to stitch a very special quilt label on the back, then my little grandson can finally have some cuddles under his new quilt!

We Are Family - Hand Quilting

19/10/2022

Whilst I was away on a quilting retreat in Yorkshire, I made a start on hand quilting this gorgeous quilt top. The quilt pattern is We Are Family, by the Australian designer Susan Smith. Bought as a kit from Pincushion Pantiles (in Tunbridge Wells, here in the UK) I'd spent many happy hours piecing it together. I'd been deliberating for ages over how I was going to quilt it - then decided to hand quilt it with DMC 8wt perle thread in a selection of colours to co-ordinate with the fabrics...

...I kept the big stitch hand quilting very simple, as you can see, as I felt that a fancy quilting design would spoil the simplicity of the quilt. Bamboo wadding has been used and was lovely to hand quilt - it feels so soft and snuggly. The borders were also quilted in the same simple design, using a pale grey DMC perle thread that matched the colour of the fabric. Next steps will be to add the binding and stitch a very special quilt label before the final reveal!

Aurifil Colour Builder - Sumatran Elephant

10/10/2022

My first set of threads in the Aurifil Colour Builder collection has arrived fom Oh Sew Sweet Shop - this set is called Sumatran Elephant and includes shades 5004, 2601 and 2600. I'm really looking forward to building up my collection of these superb threads.

Elfie Jones and his Christmas Sleigh

9/10/2022

Another super kit was supplied from Poppy Patch a few weeks ago - Elfie Jones and his Christmas Sleigh. This fun project is by the Australian designer Claire Turpin Design and the kit included all the fabrics for the cushion front, back, applique, binding and Elfie Jones himself. The kit also included green felt for the elf's jacket and hat, along with a bright red bell too...

...I decided to make the cushion first of all - the front of the cushion was machine quilted prior to stitching the applique in place. I used a dark blue thread to match the colour of the cushion fabric, and quilted this in straight rows approx half an inch apart. The original pattern suggests using machine applique for this project, however I used the Apliquick method for my version. The front of the cushion has a pocket which the sleigh is apliqued onto. I've embellished the sleigh with a Cosmo Sparkle thread - this is really lovely to use, and slides through the fabric much easier than metallic threads that I've used before...

...I've hand embroidered a small "label" on the back of the cushion, using the elf design as a motif. I'd doodled a few ideas then traced the final design using a white chalk pencil. I used 3 strands of DMC stranded embroidery thread for stitching over the traced lines, and added a small snowflake button on the elf's hat. The back of the cushion has a hidden zipper fastening, and once the front and back of the cushion were stitched together, the raw edges were covered with a red and white spotty binding. A plump cushion pad was put inside, then I was ready to tackle Elfie Jones himself...

...the instructions for making Elfie Jones were simple and well written, and it didn't take long to make him. Once his body had been made and stuffed with a soft polyester toy filling, it was time to put my dressmaking skils to the test! I chose some matching Aurifil 50wt thread for machine stitching his green felt jacket - my milinary skills were also put to the test making a very cute hat. I used a rotary cutter with a pinking blade for the decorative trim that is stitched along the bottom of the hat...

...Elfie Jones just needed an embroidered face before he was ready to be dressed in his smart new jacket and hat. I had a rummmage in my button tin for a vintage button to add fasten his jacket. The final embellishment was a super shiney red jingle bell (included in the kit) which was stitched to the top of his hat...

...Elfie Jones looks very smart indeed! I absolutely LOVE the fabric that his trousers are made from. The lovely ladies at Poppy Patch certainly know how to put a fantastic kit together! Once Elfie Jones was completed it was time to take some photographs of him with his sleigh...

...Elfie Jones tucks into the pocket perfectly! I can't wait to use Elie Jones and his Christmas Sleigh to decorate my lounge during the festive season, and I'll take another picture of this project then, in better surroundings. I absolutely LOVE Elfie Jones and I'm sure my little grandson, Rory, is going to love him too!

Aurifil Colour Builder Colllection

6/10/2022

As you know I absolutely LOVE Aurifil thread. I'd recently run out of a mid grey 40wt thread that I use for lots of machine quilting projects, and whist having a look online for a supplier, found my favourite brand of threads available at Oh Sew Sweet Shop which is one of my favourite shops! These threads are part of the Aurifil Colour Builder 40wt thread club which launched in 2021. For 2021, Aurifil has chosen to dedicate the colour builder program to an incredibly worthy cause that falls in line with their goal to increase sustainability and positive environmental impact — Endangered Species. They’ve drawn their colour inspiration from 12 magnificent animals, currently in dire need of attention, advocacy, and compassion. Throughout the year, Aurifil will work to create valuable change via awareness and fundraising. To help them achieve their goals, they are collaborating with Earth League International and are looking forward to a strong and effective partnership. Now I just have to wait for my first set of threads to arrrive!

George and the Donkey - Fabric Pack

1/10/2022

The loveliest parcel arrived in the post a couple of days ago from Poppy Patch - the first pattern for the new mystery quilt George and the Donkey by Lynette Anderson Designs. As you can see, of course I had to order a fabric pack too as you can NEVER have too much Lynette Anderson fabric! ❤
I just need to finish off a couple of other projects before I dare make a start on this, otherwise those things on my "to be quilted" pile will never get finished!