CHARM ABOUT YOU

The year of colour site is an interesting tool that assesses the dominant colours used in your instagram photos. You can play with the sliders to adjust the pixels and brightness etc. and it's cool to see which colours it picks out. I have seen a lot of them pop up on other peoples feeds and they are all so different. Mine was a bit of a surprise, I know I've used brown a lot but I did think they'd be more pink and less blue. I guess it doesn't feel completely 'me' but then as I look back on the past year I was surprised by the fact that there hasn't been a whole lot completed...

This was part of my mum's Christmas present. I had this idea in my head, to combine some cross stitch and Kraft-tex to make a bookmark. This is really a very basic make but I'm pleased with how it turned out and hope it will wear well as she uses it. I know that Kraft-tex can actually feel better the more it's handled and it should still hold its shape, as it helpfully conceals the guts of the cross stitching. 

It feels wonderful to have a new version of the Double Dresden Wreath, made using the free tutorial I created a couple of years ago. The original was demonstrated on Sewing Quarter, the samples that hung in the studio stayed there, and I am so happy to now have one for our house. I made this wreath for my December project as an Aurifil Artisan, our challenge was to create a holiday themed project. Perfect for brightening any door or bare looking wall space, the wreath pattern is a merry make! 

I'm gearing up to prepare for next year, despite this definitely being the time of year where I feel like hibernating! It's time to make plans, thinking about what next year will bring and sorting out sewing projects. I'm hoping to get things in order over the Christmas break, sorting out my sewing stuff ready for a fresh start in 2020. Recently there have been a few stash additions, I've been out in Manchester stocking up and enjoying cheese toasties, and finally sneaking some project finishes in!

As I continue to work on my Manx Log Cabin blocks I realised I wouldn't have enough Essex Metallic for the centres so ordered a bit more from Sew Hot and the other prints were just irresistible:

clockwise from top left: Essex Yarn Dyed Linen Metallic in Oyster; Camo in Yarrow, Gleaned by Carolyn Friedlander; Dottie in Coral Metallic, Basics by Cotton + Steel and Pop Off in Peach Fizz, Pop! by Rashida Coleman-Hale - this print is one of those that I HAD to have and knew if I didn't get some I would wish I had. Honestly it's pretty easy to resist these urges nowadays but when it comes to Rashida Coleman-Hale prints I have no control because they are always fabulous.

This next selection was a surprise treat, a very kind lady that came to one of my classes had been to Standfast & Barracks and picked up these big cuts of Liberty Tana Lawn. She knew I loved Liberty and so I got all this for less than the price of 1/2 metre! These aren't scraps, they are large folded pieces. I'm very grateful she let me buy them from her and these snowdrops have already found their way into my log cabin blocks.

My newest A Piece of Me Pouch is a combination of this and that; a culmination of bits I have gathered, an unfinished project and a couple of new things I wanted to try. This is larger than the version in my pattern - it's very easy to make in any size you choose! - and I'll show you how I created a loop for carrying or hanging.

The floral pattern is part of a design in Anna Maria's Needlework Notebook which looks modern and pretty. It was tempting to add more stitches but at the same time it's nice to see the punched fabric and not have that texture lost.

To make the stitches stand out I used all six strands of Aurifloss. The bright colours work really well and the thread has a nice sheen so it doesn't look dull against the pewter. The combination of the soft faux leather and the stitches make it very strokable!  

"This is the power of gathering: it inspires us, delightfully, to be more hopeful, more joyful, more thoughtful: in a word, more alive." - Alice Waters

Last Sunday was Stitch Gathering, the wonderful day retreat organised by Jo Avery of myBearpaw, in Edinburgh. It is always a full day of fun, with great classes and company and it's always over too soon. I was there teaching a class - something a little different, more on that later! - and also had the opportunity to take a class. As someone that relishes learning and trying new techniques it was very exciting. And oops... I've started a new quilt!

Now, as I type this, something has occurred to me. For the first time I did not have the overwhelming anxiety I've had before every social occasion/journey/outing/time being around other people that I've had for the past three years or so. It could be because life has been extra crazy busy and I didn't have time to stress, though I suspect that's disbelief talking because those negative/anxious thoughts shout really loud. Mental health is fluid, with ups and downs - I am under no illusions but right now it does feel that gradually all those things that previously felt SO difficult just aren't. Usual worries like 'have I got everything?' and 'will people enjoy my class?' were fleeting and manageable. Thoughts like 'I can't do this' and 'I don't want to do this because of x,y,z', which would usually flood my brain, didn't take over. I know I batted a few of them away, they weren't non existent but they were quiet and didn't feel real. Anyway I'm taking that as positive and, however I may feel in the future, it feels nice that there wasn't a dreaded build up and it was all enjoyable!

I do always like to try something different and have found myself more drawn to incorporating vintage fabrics and re-purposing fabrics. Partly so that I can create something completely unique and also to use what already exists. I happened to discover a unique find that worked perfectly for this months Aurifil Artisan challenge! I've created a cross stitch piece using vintage lettering and a second hand embroidered cloth... yet it still has a modern flair!

While I was at Stitched Up my eagle fabric spying eyes were drawn to a dainty and beautiful cloth. Amongst a variety of left-over bits and fabric scraps that were being used to create peace banners; there was this piece of white cloth with intricate detail, floral appliqué, embroidery and weaving. I believe it is a small table cover or tray cloth. 

Gathering together to sew in company is really quite special. It can be lonely and a bit boring sometimes sewing at home by yourself. While that quiet time is still vital for my sanity, recently I have been much more open to getting out and taking part in sewing groups. Partly because I have more time in the evening now, also my anxiety is manageable, it feels nice to be sociable and join in. Also real life is better. 

I am super excited to be guest hosting this challenge with the founder of The Great British Quilter, Sarah Ashford! The photo challenge is on Instagram and we invite you to join in! (exactly what + how is outlined further along in this post...)

Starting 1st September we will post a photo prompt every day throughout the month. Joining in is simple and it's a great way find inspiration, make new friends and for us all to share our passion for patchwork and quilting!

There is also the opportunity to win some amazing prizes when you take part in the challenge and (since I know what they are) trust me, they are AWESOME!

This is an incredibly playfully stitched project and there are elements I absolutely love and also some lessons learned.

I was sent solid fabric in the colour Haze, Painter's Palette Solids by Paintbrush Studio. It's one of their 2019 colours of the year and it a beautiful grey blue. It looks different in the photos because of the time of day they were taken but the one below is possibly the closest to real life. The piece I'm stitching on is about 20" square. Aurifil also sent me a spool of 12wt thread, in #2612 Artic Sky - a lovely soft grey. 

I want to make every quilt in this book. The Seedling Quilts book is one to be savoured. I was thrilled to be asked by Jodi of Tales of Cloth to join the book tour as she has been an inspiration to me since we became blogging friends. I have always admired her sewing style, the way she combines fabrics and I LOVE her writing (so much I have actually embroidered a poem she wrote). She is endearing, interesting and very talented. 

It's no surprise then that this book is full of all that - gorgeous quilts, excellent advice, tidbits and stories of the herbs that the patterns are based on. There are 11 quilt patterns in the book but it's more than that, you can easily just make blocks or create sections based on the designs to use in other projects too.

I made the Peppermint pattern using Jodi's paper pieces, you can order kits of the papers for all the quilts in her shop. Choosing fabrics was not hard, they just jumped out of my stash at me. The grid print was the starting point because I thought the background of the pattern could look like a trellis for the plants to grow up.

The block were simple to sew, pre cut papers mean the pieces are super accurate. I took basted pieces with me on a train journey and snuck in sewing a block here and there. These could get addictive. Once I had made enough it was time to arrange the blocks and sew them together.

As I was making the blocks I realised that I didn't want to have to cut them top or bottom, which the original quilt pattern calls for. For a larger piece it makes sense but as this was a cushion I didn't want to lose any edges to the seam allowance. Appliqué is the best answer for me. I can keep the piece complete and it was a way for me to tame the (slightly busy) use of grid. The perfect background fabric was the one I picked up at the festival of quilts. Then there was the decision of how to do the appliqué and quilting. My favourite way is to quilt the background and then add the appliqué. It's something about the texture of doing it that way that I really like.

My youngest recently had her first wobbly tooth. I asked her if she wanted to help me pick fabrics out to make a tooth fairy cushion and she was very excited. Lois is very into pink and glitter and flowers. We thought about colour combinations and she said she liked the colours on her dress:

So we used that as a starting point, pulling out prints from my stash and she would give a yes or no. Once we had a few prints she got selective and basically chose every print that had a flower on it.

To let those prints shine, for the background I picked a plain canvas. Most often for cushions I use fusible fleece because of the slight structure it gives, it's so easy to use and you don't have to baste! The front and the back panels of the cushion were machine quilted with a cross hatch pattern using Aurifil Forty3, which gives a great texture.

I spent two days at the Festival of Quilts this year and it was fully all about friends for me. It's like a quilty friend reunion and this post is going to be unashamedly about the people I met and the friends I saw... with quilts and cool finds interspersed throughout. If you are looking for a blog post featuring all the beautiful quilts that were on display, this isn't it (sorry). You will certainly find pictures of all the quilts on social media, like here.

Friday

After a fun road trip down with my friends Michelle and Rachel we arrived in Birmingham (a bit later than expected thanks to traffic) on Friday and I went straight to find my friend Nicky. She made this amazing Expanding Universe Quilt with signature blocks from quilters that have contributed to Siblings Together.

My block is a cornerstone in the top right of the quilt but I'm too short to properly point at it. Cue the first of many friend selfies...

Next on my to do was visit my colleagues and friends at the Janome stand and of course to see the awesomeness that is this quilted jacket made by talented Lucy Engels.

I am madly in love with every aspect of this, the colours, the collar and cuffs, the log cabins and the texture of the quilting. It's the only quilted garment I've ever truly wanted to wear!

I also had to visit my friend Charlotte, we have known each other since we were in an online quilting bee ages ago and it's always nice to catch up. We also compared bee tattoos and I admired her beautiful bee dress!

I chose to follow the Shoal pattern and make some fish. Above you can see Nicholas' quilt and how beautiful the photography is in the book. 

My make is not a quilt but a cushion cover. As it's going to live with us I had to steer away from using blue because it wouldn't fit our decor (though fish mad Joan will probably steal it away to her room anyway!). I picked out background fabric while at Patchfinders recently, I could not resist the shot cotton. It's a mix of purple and mint, photos can not do it justice sadly. Because I can never restrain myself I also got the stripe, text and watercolour pink fabric too. I added another pop of bright colour with the yellow woven, Chartreuse Mariner Cloth by Alison Glass. 

Once the fabric pull was made cutting could begin!

This is the stack of quilts I took to Leicestershire and Rutland Guild, where I was invited to give a talk and teach a workshop. It's always exciting and slightly nerve wracking for me to visit somewhere new. All the ladies that weekend were so welcoming and it was great to arrive on their Area Day at the end of last month. It began with everyone working on their own projects and there was a wonderful show and tell. I really enjoy seeing peoples creations and hearing stories of how it was made. Sadly I didn't take pictures but it was a lovely mix of quilts, bags and more. All quite different and all beautiful! Later I did manage to snap this gorgeous pincushion, I would like to try the technique used on the top here as it's so pretty (sorry the lady's name who made this escapes me, please leave a comment if you know or if it was you and I will add credit).

There was never going to be a complete quilt in a day, though the progress was really impressive and all the blocks looked fabulous and very neat. Classic William Morris, Japanese woven fabric and an array of modern prints, they are all unique and wonderful.

You can really get a sense of how fabric placement can change the design. Fussy cuts work beautifully and using bright, dark or tonal shades can easily make different parts of the block stand out.

Imagine these blocks repeated, mixed with similar variations or contrasting joining blocks to make the quilt pattern. Beautiful!

If you'd like to make your own Crossed Orange Peel blocks or quilt, you can find the pattern - with a free hand piecing guide - HERE.  

It was a scorching hot weekend (similar to the current heatwave) so thank you to everyone that attended! Thank you all for being so welcoming, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole weekend. Special thanks to Sarah for organising my visit and for being such fun company.