YOUR FAVOURITE MAGAZINE PACKED WITH PROJECTS, INSPIRATION & EXPERT ADVICE Teach little ones to quilt with
LYNNE EDWARDS MBE ISSUE TWENTY NINE
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Create a charming finish by hand
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1HZ %ORFN RI ëH 0RQë JO AVERY’S VINTAGE HOME SER S BEGINS
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STUNNING FESTIVE TABLE RUNNER
SKILL BUILDER
MASTER ELLIPTICAL CURVED PIECING
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SNUGGLE UP WITH OUR FAVOURITE WORKS OF FICTION
CELEBRATE THE CHANGE OF SEASONS
)éHVK Iè \RX The Lintotts’ bowties quilt, textile landscape artist Effie Galletly and a scrapbusting FPP cushion
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Memory Craft 6700P
METICULOUSLY BUILT AND VIGOROUS BY NATURE, A TRUE DESCENDANT OF ITS LEGENDARY ANCESTORS This all metal flatbed machine is playful, powerful, spacious, streamlined and steadfast, even at high speeds of up to 1200SPM. Supplied with a professional grade high performance foot and easy change straight stitch needleplate. The MC6700P has many user friendly features, with beautiful 9mm wide decorative stitches to impress even the most demanding stitchers!
The world’s leading sewing machine manufacturer
Meet the team Commissioning Editor Jenny Fox-Proverbs Art Editor Robin Coomber Deputy Editor Fiona Smith Features Editor Jane Rae Technical Editor Laura Pritchard Digital Editor Zoe Williams Technical Consultant Linda Clements Group Senior Editor Julie Taylor
Contributors Lynne Edwards MBE • Jo Avery • Lynne Goldsworthy • Anne Williams • Alison Glass • Jessica Bobrowski • Pam & Nicky Lintott • Kerry Green • Nicola Dodd • Tina Prior • Katriel Costello • Annelise Brant • Louise Stevens Photography Immediate Media Photo Studio unless otherwise stated.
Write to us Today’s Quilter, Immediate Media, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol, BS1 3BN or email: todaysquilter@immediate.co.uk
ADVERTISING
Call: 0117 300 8206 Senior Advertising Manager Penny Stokes Client Partnership Manager Beckie Pring Senior Sales Executive Tiffany Jackson
MARKETING AND CIRCULATION Newstrade Marketing Manager Janine Smith Export Marketing Manager Rebecca Richer Direct Marketing Executive Lily Nguyen
PRODUCTION
Production Coordinator Lizzie Ayre Production Manager Rose Griffiths/Louisa Molter Production Director Sarah Powell
WELCOME! I’m so glad you’ve joined us for this exciting issue of Today’s Quilter where we begin a new Block of the Month with Jo Avery. Jo took inspiration from her favourite homewares to create The Vintage Home series. As with so many things in life, it begins with a pot of tea (Earl Grey for me, please!). I’ve always been mesmerised by the fluid lines and textures in Effie Galletly’s landscape masterpieces, so it’s a pleasure to feature Effie’s work this month. I challenge you not to find inspiration after reading Anne Williams’ feature! If you fancy a book at bedtime but don’t want to put away your quilting, check out Jane Rae’s picks of her favourite fabric-related fiction. Meanwhile on the TV, Sewing Quarter not only has a special 20% discount just for you (see page 52) but they will also have kits to accompany projects in this issue by Alison Glass, Lynne Goldsworthy and the fabric from Sally Ablett’s design (oh – did I not mention Sally’s exclusive project as part of our sumptuous free supplement with The Quilters’ Guild?). This really is a spectacular issue – happy quilting!
LICENSING
Director of International Licensing & Syndication Tim Hudson
PUBLISHING
Publisher (Sewing Portfolio) Liz Taylor liz.taylor@immediate.co.uk Chief Executive Officer Tom Bureau Managing Director, Bristol Andy Marshall Printed and bound by William Gibbons Distributed in the UK by Frontline
BUYING Paul Torre • Karen Flannigan • Corinne Mellerup
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Jenny Fox-Proverbs Commissioning Editor
PS We love to hear from you - keep in touch online, by email or by post. Todaysquilter
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In this issue we’re delighted to feature… Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited (company number 05715415) is registered in England and Wales. The registered office of Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited is at Vineyard House, 44 Brook Green, London W6 7BT. All information contained in this magazine is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. Readers are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this magazine. If you submit unsolicited material to us, you automatically grant Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in all editions of the magazine, including licensed editions worldwide and in any physical or digital format throughout the world. Any material you submit is sent at your risk. Although every care is taken, neither Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited nor its employees agents or subcontractors shall be liable for loss or damage. Immediate Media Company Limited is working to ensure that all of its paper is sourced from well-managed forests. This magazine can be recycled, for use in newspapers and packaging. Please remove any gifts, samples or wrapping and dispose of it at your local collection point.
Alison Glass
Effie Galletly
Nicola Dodd
QUILTING THE BLUES
MEET THE ARTIST
TRANSFORM THE TABLE
Alison’s colour-saturated fabrics are always stashworthy, so we asked her to show us what she can do with her latest hues (page 36).
You can almost feel the bracing Scottish air as you admire Effie’s fabric landscapes – make the journey with us on page 70.
Turn to page 55 where Nicola serves up the perfect table runner and placemats to grace your table this Christmas – enjoy!
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Fabric foundation piecing cushion
Take a walk in the countryside with Lynne Goldsworthy’s serene quilt in greens and greys
WORKSHOPS
07 INSPIRED BY… Getting cosy
20 SHOW & TELL Catch up on news from Today’s Quilter readers and see their makes
18 DIARY DATES
GREAT READS 49 WINTER WARMERS A round-up of the best in quilt fiction 70 MEET THE ARTIST Discover Effie Galletly’s unique and mesmerising textile landscapes DON’T MISS AN ISSUE! Make sure you receive every issue of Today’s Quilter delivered direct to your home address. Turn to page 34 for great subscription offers.
Vote for your favourite designers and brands in The British Craft Awards! Turn to page 54 to find out more
HAPPENING NOW 13 FRESH PICKS
98 THE SLEEP QUILT One novelist and a charity’s collaboration
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Master the art of making beautiful curves
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31 FROM THE DESK OF LYNNE EDWARDS MBE Pearls of wisdom for passing on precious quilty skills to little ones 61 ESSENTIAL GUIDE This issue, get to grips with the joys of blanket stitch appliqué with expert Linda Clements’ help 79 BLOCK OF THE MONTH It has begun! Jo Avery’s new block of the month series is here!
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Get festive with our seasonal table runner
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Enjoy Pam & Nicky Lintott’s charming one block project
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Put the kettle on with Jo Avery’s new block of the month series
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Exciting quilt news and hot new buys for you
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Meet quilt artist Effie Galletly
PROJECTS
PLUS
22 GOING INTO THE WOODS Show off precious fabrics in this nature-inspired quilt
03 WELCOME Jenny chats about what’s in the issue
36 MERIDIAN QUILT Make Alison Glass’ stunning design in bright colours 43 WINTER LIGHT CUSHION A delightful play on a classic block 55 FESTIVE TABLE LINEN Dress your table in its finest this Christmas with our pretty linen set MEASUREMENTS NOTE Either metric or imperial measurements (sometimes both) are included in each project, as per the designer’s preference. Converting measurements could interfere with cutting accuracy. Follow the same units of measurement throughout; do not mix metric and imperial. Read the instructions all the way through before cutting any fabric. Always make a test block before embarking on a large project.
75 BEAUTIFUL BOWTIES Create a simple but charming bowtie shape from a traditional quilt block
12 YOUR GIFTS Enjoy your 2-in-1 binding tool* plus The Quilters’ Guild supplement 34 SUBSCRIPTION OFFERS Try our free trial of our digital subscription! 87 TEMPLATES For the projects 94 DIRECTORY Quilting suppliers at your fingertips 99 NEXT ISSUE A special preview of issue 30
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*FREE BINDING TOOL GIFT WITH PRINT EDITION ONLY 5
Poorly-lit studios have met Brilliant QuiltMaster their match. Lighting System ™
(throat & needle lighting)
NEW FEATURE
#18
Meet your M y match with the
The new 20" longarm from Handi Quilter featuress pinpoint needle laser, independently-adjustable handlebars (that convert to micro-handles), QuiltMaster™ servo-controlled sttitch regulation and a new frame with two loading options. Read more about these and 20 other features at HandiQuilter.com/Amara or see your local, authorized HQ retailer.
HandiQuilter.com/Amara
INSPIRED BY… Getting cosy
Enjoy the aesthetic of winter from the warmth of your sewing room
THE DESIGNER
PHOTOGRAPHS: EDYTA SITAR
EDYTA SITAR Edyta’s newest blue and white collection, Blue Sky, is available at www.sewingquarter.com
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Otherwise known by the moniker Laundry Basket Quilts, talented designer Edyta Sitar has created myriad fabric collections for Moda and Andover Fabrics, and has countless beautiful pieced and appliquéd patterns under her belt. Celebrated for mixing batiks with traditional prints into her scrappy yet elegant style, Edyta also knows how to keep it simple, which is why she’s designed five classic blue and white themed collections, including the stunning Blue Sky. www.laundrybasketquilts.com
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PHOTOGRAPHS: CAROLINE ARBER / CICO BOOKS
Cosy up your home with the spirit of Scandinavia
THE BOOK
SCANDI CHRISTMAS
Scandi Christmas by Christiane Bellstedt Myers, published by CICO Books, £12.99. Photography by Caroline Arber © CICO Books
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There’s still time to prepare for Christmas, and this book by Christiane Bellstedt Myers is the perfect go-to for quick projects. It is packed full of the loveliest decorating and gifting ideas using all manner of crafts, from sewing and baking to papercraft and more. Natural materials and classic colour palettes combine into homespun designs inspired by Scandinavian traditions. Our favourites include the Pine Cone characters made with treasured fabric scraps and a sweet vintage bobbin wreath.
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Warm up inky blues with shades of raspberry, plum and cocoa
PHOTOGRAPHS: AMY BUTLER
TH E FA B R I C
Download the free pattern for the ‘You Complete Me’ quilt (above) at www. freespiritfabrics.com. To see more Amy Butler fabrics go to www. amybutlerdesign.com
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SOUL MATE
In Amy Butler’s own words “Soul Mate is a sweet reflection on love and the perfect co-creation that happens when synergy and beauty meet.” This cotton poplin collection’s feature print is of two peacock lovers – a light-hearted representation of Amy and her husband, David, and is bathed in vibrant shades including her signature blues. Amy is a dab hand at combining colour and prints and Soul Mate does this beautifully with its intricate florals and crisp geometrics – a quilter’s dream.
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Set the table with special artisan ceramics and linens
THE SHOP
PHOTOGRAPHS: ALSO HOME
ALSO HOME
Create a cosy dining room with garment washed linens such as this blush tablecloth, ÂŁ59 www.alsohome.com
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This online store is a delight for the senses. A carefully curated collection of handcrafted homewares with textures such as washed linen, velvet, wood grain, glazed ceramics and seagrass, Also Home has everything you need to create a cosy and richly-layered interior. We love the pared back feel of the artisan materials in neutral colours, which makes them both timeless and sophisticated, adding a sense of occasion to the every day. www.alsohome.com
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The pond comes alive in the spring and continues into summer. The geese and cranes DUH à \LQJ RYHUKHDG SUHSDULQJ IRU a gentle landing on the water. /LO\ SDGV FDSWXUH WKH VXQ PDNLQJ for a warm place for frogs to sing their songs. After a long, cold winter, it’s our favorite time of \HDU :LWK UDQJHV RI SXUSOHV DQG blues, Summer Pond is the perfect collection to start dreaming of the summer months. Yardage, pre-cuts, and patterns will be DYDLODEOH WKLV -DQXDU\
pattern by Antler Quilt Design AQD 0101 Skipped Stones Size: 40� x 40�
Š 2017 moda fabrics • all rights reserved
Two Gifts
CREATE A FUTURE HEIRLOOM! LET US KNOW! Drop us a line – an email, letter, tweet or Facebook post – letting us know about your quilting. Whether it’s a new project, treasured heirloom, favourite fabric or imaginative mood board, we’d love to see what you’ve been up to and hear your stories!
CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE SUPPLEMENT! 2-IN-1BINDINGTOOL* The last thing on the list to finish any quilt is binding. After all the hard work you’ve put into the quilt top, you want the binding to be perfect, and that’s where this handy tool comes in. See how to use it at www.todaysquilter.com
AFTER THE SUCCESS of The Quilters’ Guild’s first fabric collection, Elizabeth’s Dowry, we were delighted to hear earlier this year that they were planning a second collection. Revealed at The Festival of Quilts, Devon County lived up to all the excitement it had been causing. So of course we were thrilled to work with The Guild again to show you more of this new adventure. This time, however, we thought we’d delve a bit deeper, looking behind the scenes at the family and people who not only inspired the fabric collection, which was designed by the talented Karen Styles, but also the team working hard to make The Quilters’ Guild such a wonderful organisation. Besides preserving history in their fantastic quilt collection, an important part of The Guild is also education, sharing their wealth of knowledge and resources with the quilting world. And if that isn’t something to celebrate, then I don’t know what is!
*FREE BINDING TOOL GIFT WITH PRINT EDITION ONLY
Beautifully finish your stunning Devon County quilt from The Quilters’ Guild supplement with our handy binding tool
We’ve also included the 2-in-1 binding tool. You’ll bind like a pro and create perfectly mitred corners. This handy tool is easy to use, simply follow the steps below: Q Attach your binding, leaving 8in tails at each end and a 12½in gap between the ends. Choose the corner slot matching the width of your binding to mark where to stop stitching in each corner for perfectly mitred corners. Q Place the short flat edge under the binding on one side so it touches the end of the line of stitches (Edge A aligned with the quilt edge) and mark on the line. Q Unfold the binding and line up the mark on the tool with the line. Trim the end of the binding. Q Rotate the tool so Edge B is aligned with the quilt edge and mark the other binding tail in the same way. Unfold the binding and line up the mark line on the ruler with the drawn line. Trim the end of the binding. Q Align the two ends right sides together and sew with a ¼in seam.
WRITE TO US Today’s Quilter, Immediate Media, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol, BS1 3BN. EMAIL: todaysquilter@immediate.co.uk
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FRESH PICKS The magic word this month is collaboration as we bring you news of a group quilt, stunning teapots and a challenge with a twist
V I S I T O R S ’ C H O I C E AT F E S T I V A L O F Q U I LT S
Chinoiserie is inspired by Chinese and Asian decorative arts
Free to Roam Every year we wait with baited breath to see what the Visitors’ Choice of their favourite quilt will be at the Festival of Quilts. This year’s winner was a showstopper and we were thrilled to find out more from its maker, Donna Goymer. “The Quilters’ Guild challenge theme was ‘Free’ and this led me to think about the natural world and protection of our animals. The inspiration behind my quilt was to depict the freedom of our world. An elephant in its natural habitat, free from hunters and poaching, its strength, beauty and gentleness were demonstrated in the fabrics I chose.” Donna used a variety of techniques including appliqué, pleating, felting, free-motion quilting and embroidery. Her elephant’s magnificent trunk is constructed from tweed and batik and she added texture through felted yarns and fibres. “This quilt is the first time I have exhibited anything. I chose the Festival of Quilts due to the support, advice and encouragement from the staff of The Cosy Cabin in Risby, and from my sewing friends. I was bowled over to see my quilt on display and this alone was a massive achievement. I’d recommend it to anyone. To hear later on that I had won the Visitors’ Choice award left me speechless. To win this award means the world to me.”
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NEW FROM MICHAEL MILLER
FABRIC FIND A great addition to your stash, the new Chinoiserie collection from Michael Miller Fabrics includes geometric prints in seven colours. For an elegant to ch, just add the beautiful border design of exotic birds in floral trees. Fussy cut your fa e feathered friends to make your quilt blocks really pop. www.michaelmillerfabrics.com
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READ ALL ABOUT IT
PUSHING BOUNDARIES
Fussy Cutting
It’s always inspiring to see the range of techniques used by textile artists. This year’s Signature VIII gallery by zero3 at the Festival of Quilts showcased the differing styles in a very harmonious way and, as well as piecing and quilting, featured surface design techniques including screen and photo printing, hand stitch, stencilling, discharge dye removal and re-dyeing, exposed seams, wax resist and Shibori. “Exhibiting groups need to push boundaries if they are to keep the public interested in their work. Since our last exhibition in 2012 our work has evolved
and we have taken in new members enabling the group to maintain its momentum, while encouraging each artist to move forward with their own visual language,” said member Janet Atherton. This diverse group of textile artists – named zero3 because it was formed in 2003 – is very proactive and aims to exhibit every two years in different parts of the country, as well as branching out into Europe. In 2018, they’ll be at The Menier Gallery in London SE1 and you can keep up to date with their future exhibitions by visiting www.zero3textileartists.com
Fussy Cutters Club – A Boot Camp for Mastering Fabric Play Angie Wilson, aka GnomeAngel, shows us how to cut fabrics thoughtfully to inject humour, boldness and style into your quilts. Try your hand at 14 fun, unique projects for both beginners and seasoned quilters. “I delight in cutting fabrics with intent – using prints and patterns to inject humour, boldness and interest in my work,” said Angie. £23.99
www.searchpress.com
Audrey Critchley’s Circles in the Air
SWEET MOTIFS
The Fussy Cut Sampler – 48 Quilt Blocks from Your Favourite Fabric
Playtime Looking for some fussy cutting inspiration? We love these delightful new fabric ranges from Michael Miller and Riley Blake – they’d make great quilts for children. www.eqsuk.com
FLIGHT SCHOOL from Michael Miller. Just the ticket for little explorer’s and adventurer’s bedrooms.
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DEAR DIARY This charming fabric is from Riley Blake Design’s newest designer, Minki Kim.
TWINKLE FAIRIES from Michael Miller. A fairy themed collection with a lovely print that is just perfect for fussy cutting.
Nichole Ramirez & Elisabeth Woo If fussy cutting is your favourite part of quilting, this book is for you. Learn to work with a limited palette or alternatively an eclectic scrappy one, and discover how to incorporate improvisational piecing to fussy cut even the smallest parts of your fave designs. Compare their blocks (and their samplers!) side by side and get inspired to use the fabrics you love to create your own sampler blocks. The possibilities are endless! £19.99
www.searchpress.com
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SOMETHING’S BREWING David Birch and the team at The London Pottery Company have been hard at work developing their bespoke range of filter teapots featuring six beautiful Kaffe Fassett designs. David is the designer and originator of the oval filter teapot, and news of this exciting collaboration hit social media earlier this year. “It has taken much longer than we anticipated, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank supporters for their interest in the teapot, and their patience waiting for its arrival out there in the marketplace,” said David Birch. We don’t know about you but this might just be at the top of our Christmas wish list. The new Kaffe Fassett Oval Teapot costs £40 plus p&p. Order from london-pottery.co.uk
The Kaffe Fassett Oval Filter Teapot
DO U B LE AC T
Marbled Glass Head Pins These high quality pins are sharp and strong and have pretty marbled glass heads. What’s even more impressive is you can also relax about using the iron around them as they won’t melt. Each assortment pack includes a variety of colours of pins. Each pack contains 20 pins, size: 0.5x36mm, £7.15.
Create a Pincushion Set The perfect partner to these pins is the Create a Pincushion Set from Clover. Make it using your favourite fabric or with your own embroidery or patchwork. The holder is available for £7.10 in ivory or brown and full instructions and template are supplied. Clover products are available nationwide from all good craft, sewing and hobby shops. For stockist information, contact Clover mail: clover@stockistenquiries.co.uk
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F AT Q U A R T E R B U N D L E S
Seasonal Stash It’s not too late to grab a fat quarter bundle from Sew Easy to add to your Christmas quilts and gifts. Go for the Christmas bundle containing eight fat quarters in traditional Christmas colours for £10.70 or this five piece bundle in assorted red designs, which makes a handy mixer for Christmas projects, £15.74. For stockist information, email groves@stockistenquiries.co.uk
Individual blocks highlight aspects of Nottinghamshire’s rich history including a Pilgrim Family (top left), Scrooby Church (home village of William Brewster) (top right), Newark Castle (centre left), a Pilgrim Hat stitched by young quilters (centre right) and the mighty River Trent (below)
C O L L A B O R AT I O N
PILGRIM FATHERS’ QUILT To celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower and the journey of the Pilgrim Fathers to a new life in America, Radio Nottingham broadcast a series to reclaim the story as a Nottinghamshire tale. William Brewster, who was an elder and one of the main leaders, came from the village of Scrooby in north Nottinghamshire. Radio Nottingham approached The Quilters’ Guild to see if Nottinghamshire quilters would like to make a quilt which would be taken as a gift to the people in Plymouth, Massachusetts. A small committee was formed to coordinate the project and local quilt groups were
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invited to take part. The quilt was planned, the colour palette chosen and fabrics distributed to quilters. The quilt took seven months to complete and involved 40 quilters. It is comprised of 32 blocks depicting Nottinghamshire’s history spanning 400 years, as far back as when the ancient tanneries were found in the caves to the development of the MRI scanner in the 19th century, tracking the winding River Trent to the famous lions in Market Square. “Nottinghamshire has a very rich history which we are proud of and want to share with the world,” said Mike Bettison, Editor of BBC Radio Nottingham.
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Q U I LT I N G W I T H A T W I S T !
THE TWIDDLING & FIDDLING QUILT CHALLENGE 2018 Grosvenor Shows has announced a fun new challenge for the forthcoming year, which involves fabric manipulation. As some of you might have guessed by the theme, it’s sponsored by Jennie Rayment, who is an expert twiddler and fiddler; Jennie’s books are a fantastic resource and participants can use any fabric manipulation techniques they wish. Entries must measure no more than 1m x 1m and must consist of three layers and 50% or more of the quilt surface should be constructed from some form of fabric manipulation. There are some great prizes to be won: Q 1st prize kindly sponsored by Jennie Rayment: Win a £50 voucher for Lady Sew & Sew and one of each of Jennie’s six books. Q 2nd prize kindly sponsored by Jennie Rayment: A selection of three of Jennie’s ‘Twiddling & Fiddling’ books and a DVD. Q 3rd prize kindly sponsored by Jennie Rayment: One of Jennie’s ‘Twiddling & Fiddling’ books and a DVD. All entries will be displayed and judged at the National Quilt Championships at Sandown Park and will then go on tour to the autumn quilt shows (subject to space availability). The closing date for entry forms is 24th March 2018. Visit www.grosvenorshows.co.uk for more details or email grosvenorshows@btconnect. com
V A R I E G AT E D T H R E A D S
T WO I N ON E !
Selection Box
Snip Snip
It’s often a challenge to choose just the right coloured thread, especially when working with printed or woven fabrics in multi-tonal weaves and prints. Gütermann creativ offers the perfect solution with the new variegated thread pack. This luscious selection in the colours of autumn and winter includes seven colour tones: yellow, light brown, dark brown, red, purple, blue and green and costs £10.40. Visit www.facebook.com/ Guetermann.creativ.uk; for stockist info contact Gütermann@stockistenquiries.co.uk
Designed to reduce hand and wrist fatigue, these Sew Easy Thread Snips are spring-loaded for a smooth, easy action. There is also a needle threader neatly concealed in the end for threading up both hand and machine needles without a struggle. And all of this comes with a handy lanyard to wear around your neck, so they are always close at hand. Costs £5.65, for stockist information email groves@stockistenquiries.co.uk and log onto YouTube for the Sew Easy channel and handy tutorials.
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Treat yourself to a wonderful day out at an inspiring quilting or textile exhibition. See what’s on around the country with our handy listings guide Q U I LT I N G
Fat Quarter Quilters and Friends Patchwork and Quilting Exhibition 10th-12th November, Scotland
Refreshments, fabric/sales table, parking and disabled access. Murkle Community Hall, Caithness, Scotland 11:00-15:00 Admission: £3 (refreshments incl.) Contact: Isobel McBay on isobelmcbay@btinternet
Autumn Quilt Festival, Kent 10th-11th November, Kent
Come and see beautiful display quilts from wellknown quilters and artists, plus plenty of retail therapy. Kent Showground, Clive Emson Exhibition Hall, Detling, Kent ME14 3JF 10:00-16:30 (16:00 on Saturday) Admission: £7 www.grosvenorshows.co.uk
Sound Stitchers and Social Quilters’ Exhibition 11th November, Plymouth
Trade stands and refreshments. All profits will go to the Highbury Trust, a registered charity supporting those with learning difficulties. Abbey Hall behind St Andrew’s Church, Royal Parade, Plymouth, PL1 2AD 10:00-16:00 Admission: £2
Beckenham Quilters’ Exhibition
11th November, South East London
Refreshments and traders. Beckenham Methodist Church, Bromley Road, Beckenham, BR3 5JE 10:00-16:00 Admission: £4 including catalogue (children and students free) www.beckenhamquilters.co.uk
Saltway Quilters’ Exhibition 11th-12th November, Worcestershire
An “Exploding Pineapple” Quilt made by members will
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be raffled and Christmas decorations will be sold to raise funds for Marie Curie. Ombersley Memorial Hall, Sandys Road, Ombersley, Worcestershire, WR9 ODY 10:00-16:00 Admission: £3 saltwayquilters.weebly.com Contact: Tracey Cummings on 01905 774327 or Shirley Price on 01905 776786
Cupar Quilters’ Biennial Quilting Exhibition
18th November, Fife, Scotland The Old Parish Church Centre, Short Lane, Cupar, Fife, KY15 5EQ 10:00-15:00 Admission: £3 (children free) Disabled access, limited parking Contact: Catherine 01334 655415
Quilts & Crafts
Beckenham Quilters’ Alphabet quilt made for a local school
Celebration of the 5th anniversary of The Corner Patch shop. Patchwork & Quilting expert Chris Franses will be in attendance over the weekend. Quilt raffle and tombola, plus bargains.
artist Kaffe Fassett, this vibrant exhibition showcases a wide range of textiles from a career spanning over 50 years. The gallery will be transformed with pools of vibrant colour, providing the perfect backdrop for Kaffe’s distinctive knitwear, tapestry, quilts and more.
18th-19th November, nr Stafford
Holy Trinity Church, Eccleshall, Nr. Stafford, ST21 6BZ Until 17:00 Saturday 16:00 Sunday Admission: £2 (accompanied children free) Wheelchair access For more information, contact Jane at The Corner Patch on 01785 859360 or email jane@ thecornerpatch.co.uk
Mead Quilters’ Exhibition
25th November, Hertfordshire
Homemade cakes, sales tables, trader, charity raffle. Memorial Hall, Marford Road, Wheathampstead, Herts, AL4 8AY 10:00-16:00 Admission: £3 adults (children free) Disabled access, free parking Contact: Stasha Martin on 01727 872747 www.meadquilters.org
TEXTILES
Kaffe Fassett exhibition at Mottisfont
Until 14 January 2018, Hampshire
Celebrating the dazzling work of world-renowned
Mottisfont, near Romsey, Hampshire, SO51 0LP 11:00-17:00 (closing at 16:00 during winter) Normal property admission price only www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ mottisfont/features/kaffe-fassettexhibition-at-mottisfont
Traces Revealed
Until 28th January 2018, Somerset
An exhibition of artwork in cloth, tile and clay inspired by the Abbey, by Alicia Merrett, Kate Rattray and Hiro Takahashi Glastonbury Abbey, The Abbey Gatehouse, Magdalene Street, Glastonbury, Somerset, BA6 9EL Open daily. For hours of opening, entrance prices, and other details, visit www.glastonburyabbey.com
Songs for winter
Until 4th March 2018, Edinburgh
Exhibition showing work by Charlie Poulsen and Pauline Burbidge, including a large selection of sculpture, drawings, sketchbooks, textiles and quilts. City Art Centre, Edinburgh, 2 Market St, Edinburgh, EH1 1DE www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/ Venues/City-Art-Centre
Creative Textile Exhibition by Inspire
7th-11th November, Cornwall Stuart House Trust, Barras Street, Liskeard, Cornwall, PL14 6AB 10:00-16:00 (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday) 10:00–19:00 (Friday) 10:00-12:00 (Saturday)
Kaffe Fassett lecture: Colour and Inspiration 23 November, Hampshire
The presentation will highlight works from his latest projects. 18:30-19:30 Admission: £12 per person, booking essential www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ mottisfont/features/kaffe-fassettexhibition-at-mottisfont
LET US KNOW! Email TodaysQuilter@immediate.co.uk about your upcoming quilting events. Please give us three months’ notice. Limited space. We’ll try our best to inlcude as many events as possible
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SHOW & TELL
The only thing better than putting the finishing touches to your latest quilt is showing it off! So let’s see what you’ve been up to this month…
WRITE TO US Today’s Quilter, Immediate Media, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN EMAIL: todaysquilter@ immediate.co.uk
Night owl Having recently taken up patchwork and quilting on my retirement, my son and daughter-in-law paid the annual subscription to the magazine as part of my Christmas present; this pattern was in the first issue I received (issue 19). My daughter-in-law loves owls so I had to make this for her, she loves it! Liz Walker, via email You did a great job on the silhouette owls Liz.
Good cause I had great fun making the Interlocking Chains Jelly Roll Project from issue 15 of Today’s Quilter, although I chose very different colours from the reds and whites of the original quilt. The piecing was straightforward but as the designers hinted in the instructions, it was like a
jigsaw to put together correctly. Along with the cushion in the photo, I am raffling the quilt with the goal of raising £1000 for PAPYRUS – Prevention of Young Suicide. Clare Boomer, via email We love the colours you chose Clare!
Quilting SOS Having fallen in love with Liberty fabric many years ago while I was making smocked dresses, I couldn’t resist the 2017 SOS Liberty challenge. I chose the yellow pack from the selection available from
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Memory lane Alice Caroline. For the quilt, I used Pam and Nicky Lintott’s sparkling gemstones pattern, from issue 24. The quilt is backed with a pale cream fleece and machine quilted diagonally. My grandchildren love to snuggle under their fleece backed quilts at bedtime so I hope the children of Vilnius, Lithuania will find it equally cosy. Alison Sylvester, Hailsham Liberty fabrics are one of our favourites too Alison, so pretty! Todaysquilter
Lynne Edwards’ article on random blocks (Issue 23) reminded me of the very first quilt that I made, back in 1997. My then teenage daughter didn’t want fussy, traditionally constructed blocks, just simple rectangles and squares. So I decided on a 3in repeat, and cut various sizes from 3in x 3in, 3in x 6in and so on. I will be moving soon, so I have been turning out my stash cupboard and came across the hand drawn designs for this quilt complete with a fabric sample key. I have made many quilts since then, but look back fondly on my first attempt. Liz Docker, Derbyshire It’s so great you kept your notes on that first quilt Liz.
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STAR BLOCKS
GOING INTO THE WOODS Take a walk in the countryside among hares, deers and swallows. Cool tones of grey with flashes of green will keep you warm while snuggling up indoors this winter. Designed and made by LYNNE GOLDSWORTHY
STAR BLOCKS
GOING INTO THE WOODS You will need Q Fabric A (grey landscape) – 1¼yds Q Fabric B (grey trees) – 5in x WOF Q Fabric C (green hares) – ½yd Q Fabric D (green leaf) – ¼yd Q Fabric E (light grey wheat) – 15in x WOF Q Fabric F (dark grey wheat) – ¾yd Q Fabric G (green berry) – ¾yd Q Fabric H (grey berry) – 12in x WOF Q Fabric I (green patchwork) – 4in x WOF Q Fabric J (green ditzy) – 1¼yds Q Background Fabric K (antique white) – 1¾yds Q Backing fabric – 4½yds Q Batting – 80in square Q Binding fabric – ½yd Q Twenty-five (25) large HST templates
Cutting out
1
From Fabric A (grey landscape), cut six (6) 6½in x WOF strips. Sew those end-to-end and cut into four (4) 58½in lengths (for borders).
2
From Fabric B (grey trees), cut a total of nine (9) 4½in squares (for Star A centres).
3
From Fabric C (green hares), cut as follows (for Star B): Q Two (2) 6½in x WOF strips. Sub-cut those into eight (8) 6½in squares. Q One (1) 4½in x WOF strip. Subcut into eight (8) 4½in squares.
4
From Fabric D (green leaf ), cut three (3) 2½in x WOF strips. Sub-cut those into forty-eight (48) 2½in squares (for Star B and D).
5 B E H I N D T H E Q U I LT
SHORT CUTS “Although this quilt looks very time-consuming to make, many of the steps use speed-piecing techniques so that a lot of the work involved is short cut. The stars and nine-patches could all be made from scraps making this design a fantastic scrapbuster.” – Lynne Goldsworthy
24
From Fabric E (light grey wheat), cut two (2) 6½in x WOF strips. Sub-cut into nine (9) 6½in squares (for Star A points).
6
From Fabric F (dark grey wheat), cut as follows: Q One (1) 2½in x WOF strip. Subcut into sixteen (16) 2½in squares (for Star C points). Q Fifteen (15) 1½in x WOF strips (for sashing).
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Q Four (4) small HST templates
Finished size
Q Approx. 70in square
Notes
Q Wash and press all fabrics well before cutting. Q Seam allowances are ¼in, unless otherwise noted. Q Press after each seam. Q Press seams as preferred throughout – open or to one side. Q WOF = width of fabric – a cut made from selvedge to selvedge. Q HST = half square triangle.
Fabrics used
Q Into The Woods and Cream Spectrum, both by www. makoweruk.com, 0162 850 9640
7
From Fabric G (green berry), cut as follows: Q One (1) 6½in x WOF strip. Subcut into four (4) 6½in squares (for Star D). Q One (1) 5½in x WOF strip. Subcut into four (4) 5½in and four (4) 4½in squares (for Stars D and E). Q Eight (8) 1½in x WOF strips (for cornerstone nine-patches).
8
From Fabric H (grey berry), cut as follows (for Star C): Q One (1) 6½in x WOF strip. Subcut into four (4) 6½in squares. Q One (1) 4½in x WOF strip. Subcut into four (4) 4½in squares.
9 10
From Fabric I (green patchwork), cut four (4) 3½in squares (Star E).
From Fabric J (green ditzy), cut thirty (30) 1½in x WOF strips (for sashing).
11
From Background Fabric K (antique white), cut as follows: Q Five (5) 6½in x WOF strips. Subcut into twenty-five (25) 6½in squares, four (4) 5½in squares and sixteen (16) 2in squares. Q Seven (7) 2½in x WOF strips. Sub-cut into one-hundred (100) 2½in squares. Q Seven (7) 1½in x WOF strips.
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12 13
Cut the backing fabric into two equal lengths (grey landscape).
Cut the binding fabric (dark grey wheat) into seven (7) 2½in x WOF strips.
Making the HSTs
14
To make the star points, pair together the following: Q Nine (9) Fabric E (light grey wheat) 6½in squares and nine (9) Background K 6½in squares. Q Eight (8) Fabric C (green hares) 6½in squares and eight (8) Background K 6½in squares. Q Four (4) Fabric H (grey berry) 6½in squares and four (4) Background K 6½in squares. Q Four (4) Fabric G (green berry) 6½in squares and four (4) Background K 6½in squares. Q Four (4) Fabric G (green berry) 5½in squares and four (4) Background K 5½in squares.
15
Use large HST templates for the 6½in squares and small HST templates for 5½in squares.
16
To piece the templates, place a print square and a Background K square right sides together. Place the fabrics against the back of the template, holding up to the light to make sure the whole of the template is covered and with the spectrum fabric next to the back of the template. Pin in place.
17 18
Shorten your stitch to 1.5, and sew along the blue lines.
Rotary cut along the red lines, cutting the template into eight (8) triangles. Use a rotating cutting mat for quicker results. Scissor or rotary cut along the green lines.
19
Press each HST open. You do this before removing the papers because it keeps the HST seam nice and straight. Note: do not use steam for this step as it can cause the ink to bleed into the fabric.
20
Remove papers from the back by folding along the sewn line, then tearing away to yield eight
25
P R OJ E C T l
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HST units per template. The large HSTs will measure 2½in square at this stage and 2in square once pieced into the quilt top. The small HSTs will measure 2in square, then 1½in square once pieced into the quilt top.
Fig 1
Fig 2
Fig 3
Fig 4
Fig 5
Fig 6
Making the economy squares
21
To make the economy squares, pair together the following: Q Eight (8) sets of one (1) Fabric C (green hares) 4½in square and four (4) Fabric D (green leaf ) 2½in squares. Q Four (4) sets of one (1) Fabric H (grey berry) 4½in square and four (4) Fabric F (dark grey wheat) 2½in squares. Q Four (4) sets of one (1) Fabric G (green berry) 4½in square and four (4) Fabric D (green leaf ) 2½in squares.
Q C Stars – four (4) sets of one (1) Fabric H/F (grey berry/dark grey wheat) economy square, eight (8) Fabric H (grey berry) 2½in HSTs and four (4) Background K 2½in squares. Q D Stars – four (4) sets of one (1) Fabric G/D (green berry/green leaf ) economy square, eight (8)
Fabric G (green berry) 2½in HSTs and four (4) Background K 2½in squares. Q E Stars – four (4) sets of one (1) Fabric I (green patchwork) 3½in square, eight (8) Fabric G (green berry) 2in HSTs and four (4) Background K 2in squares.
22
Add four (4) 2½in corner square triangle (CSTs) to each of the 4½in squares as set out in steps 23 to 24 below.
23
Draw a line on the back of each of the 2½in squares. Align two of these squares right sides together with two opposite corners of the 4½in square. Sew along the drawn lines (Fig 1).
24
Trim away excess fabric beyond the ¼in seam allowance line for each CST (Fig 2). Press each of those CSTs over (Fig 3). Repeat on the remaining two corners (Figs 4-6).
Assembling the star blocks
25
To make the star blocks, pair together the following: Q A Stars – nine (9) sets of one (1) Fabric B (grey trees) 4½in square, eight (8) Fabric E (light grey wheat) 2½in HSTs and four (4) Background K 2½in squares. Q B Stars – eight (8) sets of one (1) Fabric C/D (green hares/green leaf ) economy square, eight (8) Fabric C (green hares) 2½in HSTs and four (4) Background K 2½in squares. 26
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P R OJ E C T l
Fig 7
go ing int o th e wood s
Fig 8 Star A
Star B
Star C
Star D
Star E
26
To make each block, sew four (4) sets of two (2) HST units into pairs and sew Background K squares to each end of two of those pairs (Fig 7 and Fig 8).
Make 8
Make 9
Make 4
Make 4
Make 4
Fig 9
27
Next, carefully sew two of the pairs to each side of the centre square and the longer strips to the top and bottom.
28
You will now have nine (9) Star As, eight (8) Star Bs, four (4) Star Cs, four (4) Star Ds and four (4) Star Es (Fig 9).
Make 3 Fig 10
Making the nine-patch cornerstones and sashing strips
29
Sew together strip sets as follows: Q Three (3) sets of two (2) Fabric G (green berry) 1½in x WOF strips and one (1) Background K 1½in x WOF strip (Fig 10). Q Two (2) sets of one (1) Fabric G (green berry) 1½in x WOF strip and two (2) Background K 1½in x WOF strips (Fig 11). Q Fifteen (15) sets of two (2) Fabric J (green ditzy) 1½in x WOF strips and one (1) Fabric F (dark grey wheat) 1½in x WOF strip (Fig 12).
30
Press seams towards the darker fabrics. Cut the green/ cream strips into 1½in lengths, you will need seventy-two (72) with green on the outside and thirty-six (36) with green in the middle. Stitch two outer pieces to each side of an inner piece to complete a cornerstone. Make thirty-six (36) in total.
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Make 2 Fig 11
Make 15 Fig 12
Make 36
Fig 13
Make 60
31
Cut the green/dark grey strips into 8½in lengths. You will now have thirty-six (36) nine-patch cornerstones and sixty (60) sashing strips (Fig 13).
Assembling the quilt top
32
Referring to Fig 14, sew the star blocks, nine-patches and sashing strips into the following rows. Press all seams towards the sashing strips. 27
P R OJ E C T l
go ing int o th e wood s
Row 1
Q Rows 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 – six (6) nine-patches and five (5) sashing strips. Q Rows 2 and 10 – two (2) A blocks, two (2) B blocks, one (1) C block and six (6) sashing strips. Q Rows 4 and 8 – two (2) A blocks, two (2) B blocks, one (1) D block and six (6) sashing strips. Q Row 6 – one (1) A block, two (2) C blocks, two (2) D blocks and six (6) sashing strips.
A
B
C
B
Row 2
A
Row 3
B
A
D
A
B
Row 4
Row 5
C
D
A
D
C
33
Sew the eleven (11) rows together. Press the seams in one direction.
Row 6
Row 7
B
A
D
A
B
34
Sew two border strips to each side of the quilt top. Sew a Star E block to each end of the remaining two border strips, then sew these pieces to the top and bottom of the quilt top (Fig 15).
Row 8
Row 9
A
B
C
B
A
Row 10
Row 11
Finishing the quilt
35
Sew the two pieces of backing fabric together along the long sides using a ½in seam. Press the seam open.
Fig 14
36
Make a quilt sandwich basting together the backing, batting and quilt top.
37
Quilt as desired then trim square. We quilted a design of a diagonal crosshatch of lines approximately 2in apart using a cream 40wt Aurifil thread.
38
Sew the seven (7) binding strips together end to end to make one long binding strip and press in half along the length, with wrong sides together. Bind the quilt, carefully sewing the binding around the corners.
Fig 15
28
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Meet the designer Lynne Goldsworthy from Lily’s Quilts is a modern British quilter. She has been sewing since she was a little child and, on a business trip to America, she fell in love with American quilts and tried her hand at the craft. Then life and family happened and she didn’t pick up another one for a few years, until she discovered Flickr, blogs and online shopping, and immediately ordered some precuts, started her own blog and has never looked back! www.lilysquilts.blogspot.co.uk
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@LilysQuilts
lilysquilts
go ing int o th e wood s
BUY THIS KIT!
See this project demonstrated live on air on 25 November 2017 & buy the kit*. Q Live on Freeview 78, 8am-12noon Q Online at www.sewingquarter.com. Q You can catch up the show on www.youtube.com/sewingquarter 20% offer available from 26 November
29
*WHILE STOCKS LAST. FOR FULL T&CS , SEE PAGE 53
P R OJ E C T l
Patchwork & Quilting Shows
Calendar 2018 Presented by Grosvenor Shows Bringing Quilting to Quilters Spring Quilt Festival, Harrogate
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At : Exhibition Hall 2, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate HG2 8NZ
Ltd. Spring Quilt Festival, Edinburgh
23 - 25 February 2018
At : Lowland Hall, Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh EH28 8NB Open: 10.00am - 4.30pm (4pm Sunday)
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
16 - 18 February 2018
Open: 10.00am - 4.30pm (4pm Sun.)
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Great Northern Quilt & Needlecraft Show, Harrogate
Springfields Quilt Show, Spalding
At : Exhibition Hall 1, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate HG2 8NZ Open: 10.00am - 4.30pm
31 Aug - 2 September 2018 All dates are subject to change
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Newark Quilt Show
1 - 2 June 2018 Friday, Saturday
NEW SHOW
At : Lady Eastwood Centre, Newark Showground, Lincoln Road, Newark NG24 2NY Open: 10.00am - 4.00pm
At : Springfields Events Centre, Camel Gate, Spalding, Lincs PE12 6ET Open: 10.00am - 4.30pm (4pm Sat.)
Springfields Christmas Quilt Show, Spalding
NEW SHOW
19 - 21 January 2018
At : Springfields Events Centre, Camel Gate, Spalding, Lincs PE12 6ET Open: 10.00am - 4.00pm
7 - 8 December 2018
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Friday, Saturday
Spring Quilt Festival, Duxford
Quilts UK, Malvern At : Severn Exhibition Hall and Marquee, Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcs. WR13 6NW Open: 10.00am - 5.00pm (4.30pm Sunday)
At : Conservation Hall, Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambs. CB22 4QR Open: 10.00am - 4.30pm (4pm Sun.)
17 - 20 May 2018
2 - 4 March 2018
Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Autumn Quilt Festival, Malvern
Autumn Quilt Festival, Duxford
At : Severn Exhibition Hall, Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcs. WR13 6NW Open: 10.00am - 4.30pm (4pm Sunday)
At : Conservation Hall, Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambs. CB22 4QR Open: 10.00am - 4.30pm (4pm Sun.)
19 - 21 October 2018
26 - 28 October 2018
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Spring Quilt Festival, Exeter At : Westpoint Exhibition Centre, Exeter EX5 1DJ Open: 10.00am - 4.30pm (4pm Sunday)
6 - 8 April 2018 Friday, Saturday, Sunday
National Quilt Championships, Sandown
Spring Quilt Festival, Ardingly
Autumn Quilt Festival, Kent
At : Sandown Exhibition Centre, Sandown Park Racecourse, Esher, Surrey KT10 9AJ Open: 10.00am - 4.30pm (4pm Sun.)
At : Norfolk Pavilion, South of England Showground, Ardingly, West Sussex RH17 6TL Open: 10.00am - 4.30pm (4pm Sunday)
At : Clive Emson Exhibition Hall, Kent Showground, Detling, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3JF Open: 10.00am - 4.30pm (4pm Sat.)
22 - 24 June 2018
26 - 28 January 2018
9 - 10 November 2018
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Friday, Saturday
Tel: 01406 372600/372601 www.grosvenorshows.co.uk
7HDFK ëH FKLOGUHQ
I
always describe myself as a teacher who quilts, rather than a quilter who does some teaching – stand still and I’ll teach you something… I’m actually a qualified teacher from way back and have my certificates to prove it. Trained for primary school teaching, I discovered a passion for fashion and making clothes at college and managed to hook some textile work into the curriculum. It was the 60s, a more flexible time, we did loads of group work and daylong projects that embraced every aspect of education, involving words, numbers and general creativity. Ah, what a free-thinking, potential hippy I was! It was then that I started introducing textile projects into everyday activities, and even basic dressmaking in after-school clubs once a week, as the girls were London sophisticates and all wanted to dress like Twiggy. The school coughed up for a couple of sewing machines and a noble mother who was a trained dressmaker offered to come in and help during the after-school sessions, and we were up and running. I learnt so much from that quiet and unassuming mother about using machines and interpreting patterns, as I was entirely self-taught and she knew the skills and put me right on so many occasions in the nicest of ways.
The boys would vie with each other to use the sewing machines in their timetabled chaotic creative activity sessions (how blokes love machinery…) and very soon collage and appliquéd and embellished wall hangings were being produced, which adorned the school corridors for years afterwards. I also ran patchwork clubs in Middle School and we entered the National Patchwork Championships and all spent the day there.
“The boys would vie with each other to use the sewing machines in their chaotic creative activity sessions.” I have an honorary granddaughter, Holly, and for years she would stay with me and we would sew. This summer, I did the same with her two children when they stayed, and also did a pop-up sewing class with three of my regular students, Linda Riceman and her daughters Kirsty and Corinne plus thirteen-year-old Phoenix, Corinne’s daughter. Three generations, all spending a day together sewing – how good is that?
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F R O M T H E D E S K O F LY N N E E DWA R D S l
t e a c h th e ch il dr e n
Sewing school
T
elling you this is not just me waxing nostalgic, but to offer a few thoughts on sewing with children. The Quilters’ Guild does great work in setting up activity sessions with the Young Quilters groups. If you are culling your piles of fabric or equipment at any time, do contact the local Guild representatives and pass your stash onto them. But please remember, we want to set the next generation alight with enthusiasm for this marvellous craft, and only by offering them the tastiest fabric and the best tools can we expect to do this. A team of tireless volunteers of mums, grans and teachers sets up these days and the results are always stunning. If you have been thinking that you would like to share your skills with a young person, here are a few thoughts on how to go about this. If you can, try to have just one child with you so that you can give them all your attention and be ready with the next step the moment they reach it. For the very young, keep it simple. Perhaps a circle or a square on fabric stuck onto a larger piece and then a few running stitches around it. Be prepared to ease the process
H TXLOW ĂŤ G Q D V LO S X /\QQH SHUHG LQWR ĂŤ H VKRZ ĂŤ H\ H Q W
along by doing the tricky bits yourself, working as part of the child’s team. Have some sewing of your own to do alongside them – handwork is best, as you can drop it instantly whenever they need you. Of course, part of the lure is that shiny sewing machine, and that’s what they’ll want to be using as soon as you allow it. Holly started to use my machine when she was about nine, but as always, it’s when you feel the individual is ready. Don’t think your machine is too good for them or too complicated: the better the machine, the nicer it is to use and the better it behaves, whoever is using it. Set up absolute rules, and stress that if they don’t adhere exactly to those, then they must wait until they are older and are ready to treat the machine with respect. Find some nice ďŹ rm fabric, preferably in a good colour but not over-patterned, so they can see the stitches happening. Cut a piece about 10in square and
+R ç\ ZLÍ KHU à UVW HYHU SDWFKZ èN DQG DSSOLTXŠ
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draw a simple grid, similar to a noughts and crosses game, that they can stitch along to get their eye in. Cut and draw up a second square of fabric for you to use to show exactly what the process will be. Choose a foot for the machine like an appliquÊ foot with an open front so it’s easy to see the drawn line to stitch on and let them choose a contrast colour thread so they get used to participating and making their own decisions. Make the speed as low as it can go and set up another stool or chair alongside the machine so you both can sit comfortably while it’s all going on. Start with a demonstration: stitch one drawn line on your fabric square, going very slowly and talking through each step in the process so they can see exactly what they will be doing as a repeat of your action. I had a safety procedure with Holly which I found essential: she had to hold a stitch ripper in her right hand, which she used to guide the fabric through the machine as she stitched,
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F R O M T H E D E S K O F LY N N E E DWA R D S l
G 3KRHQL[ KDU
DW Z è N
and her left hand was not allowed to be any nearer to the machine foot than a hand’s width. This way her hands were never close to the needle. If you do the same thing when demonstrating, it reinforces the habit both for you and the child. You can never be too careful – don’t take your eyes off what they are doing when they are at the machine. Low-key diligence is the name of the game; appear casual and relaxed, but actually always on guard. Once you have stitched the ďŹ rst line on your sample, see if they would like to do the second line on your practice piece. If they hesitate, breeze on and do the second line in the same slow and patient way with the same running commentary. Once they are ready, they can take that same piece of fabric and stitch the next
3KRHQL[Ă?V Z è N marked line, and then the last line of the design. The new marked square of fabric will be for them to do all four lines on, and then stop while you’re doing well and they are not either over-conďŹ dent or over-tired. Quit while you’re ahead, as they say. Together, you could then add some stuckon appliquĂŠ in another session in the empty areas or a few hand-stitches and then you can transform it in their absence into a little cushion to mark their ďŹ rst foray into textiles. They don’t have to do everything themselves at this stage – you make it perfect for them when they’re not there, with their agreement, of course. One last thought. Never underestimate the ability of a child who is hooked on this stuff. The speed, the diligence and the accuracy can be
Send us your questions for Lynne on social media or pop them in an email. Alternatively, put pen to paper and write to: The Desk of Lynne Edwards MBE c/o Today’s Quilter Immediate Media, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol, BS1 3BN
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t e a c h th e ch il dr e n
FORVH XS amazing. The wondrous Phoenix (mentioned earlier – keep up) traced, cut and stuck down an appliquÊ design, following my instructions scrupulously, and then went on to blanket stitch by machine around every piece just as well as I could have done. The stitch ripper had to be set aside because she needed both her hands to lift the pressure foot every few stitches to get the angle of the blanket-stitch perfect. It was soon evident on a practice piece that she was very capable, so we set the speed at its slowest and off she went. She’d only used the machine a few times before – when she made a patchwork block – so much of this was new to her. We were all bowled over, and she didn’t stop smiling for hours.
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MERIDIAN QUILT Master the art of curves in your quilting to create a stunning design for any room in your home. Designed by ALISON GLASS AND JESSICA BOBROWSKI Made by KAREN DOREY Quilted by KARLEE PORTER
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CURVED PIECING
MERIDIAN QUILT You will need Q Twelve (12) blue foreground fabrics – ¾yd of each OR 8yds in total Q Accent foreground fabric (pink) – ½yd Q Background fabrics – 1½yds each of three (3) cream/white fabrics OR 4yds of one fabric. Q Backing fabric – 4¾yds Q Binding fabric – ¾yd Q Batting – 66in x 86in approx Q Templates (see Templates section)
Tip Q A Bamboo stylus is a really useful tool for holding the seam allowance near the presser foot.
Finished size Q 60in x 80in approx
Notes Q The pattern makes use of four different curves to create a multitude
Preparing the templates
1
Print or trace the templates onto a thicker paper, such as card stock. Label each template Front and Back and A, B, C or D.
Cutting out
2
From the background fabrics, cut forty-eight (48) pieces using Template A. The Background Cutting Diagram (Fig 1) shows a good layout for cutting the largest pieces. Cut a 10½in x WOF strip from one of the background fabrics. Sub-cut 10½in squares from these strips. Using the Outer Template A, 10½in
10½in
RIPPLES IN BLUE
Meridian was born of Alison and Jessica’s mutual love of the patterns in nature, like the circular ripple of water and map topography. One of six in the Alison Glass Skill Builder pattern series, Meridian teaches sewing curves, both regular and elliptical. Curves are a wonderful addition to quilting, and they pose an important skill and challenging technique. This version of Meridian uses the family of blues from Diving Board and Sun Print 2017 as a watery base for the pops of magenta that show up here and there. Feeling comfortable with curves will bring a whole new dimension to your quiltmaking and this quilt allows you to practice accurate template marking, cutting and sewing. Meridian will give you tons of practice with both round and elliptical curves in the simplest way possible.
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A
Fig 1
A
Background cutting diagram
facing Front up, trace your curve lightly with a fine tipped pencil (or other marking utensil) and cut along the line with a sharp pair of scissors.
3
From the foreground fabrics, follow the same method as above to cut the foreground pieces and refer
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10½in
B E H I N D T H E Q U I LT
of shapes. Two of the curves are circular, a small and a large. Two are elliptical, a small and a large. The curves are labelled A, B, C and D. An Outer Template (concave) and corresponding Inner Template (convex) are included for each curve (See Templates section). Using the corresponding Outer and Inner Templates together will create each sewn curve. Q Cutting diagrams are included to visually show one way of cutting the fabric efficiently with as little waste as possible. Q All seam allowances when sewing the curves are a scant ¼in, meaning a tiny bit less than ¼in. This is to account for pressing the curve. Assembly of the quilt top uses ¼in seam allowances. Q RST = right sides together. Q WOF = width of fabric.
to the Foreground Cutting Diagrams (Fig 2 & Fig 3), right. Cut an 8½in x WOF strip for Inner Templates A and C, and a 5½in x WOF strip for Inner Templates B and D. Trace the curve and cut with scissors. Use the Layout Diagram on page 41 to know which templates to use for each cut. Refer to the quilt images for guidance on fabric choices.
4
From the binding fabric, cut eight (8) 2½in x WOF strips.
Sewing circular curves Each block in this pattern begins with making a curved block using Template A. This is a good starting point because it is the largest and gentlest curve. If sewing curves is a new skill for you, feel free to get some practice in by making a number of these Template A blocks at the start.
5
Begin by cutting out an Outer Template A from background fabric and an Inner Template A according to the fabric layout you’ve chosen. Mark the mid-point of each curve with a marking tool or by finger pressing a crease, as shown in Fig 4.
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8½in
5½in
7in
7in
5in
Df
Db
B
Fig 2
8½in
Foreground cutting diagram
A
Fig 3
Cb
Cf
A inner A B outer
B
Fig 4
Fig 5
Fig 6 A
inner A
B
outer
7
Begin sewing at point A using a scant ¼in seam allowance. Sew slowly, getting the feel of the curve, to the opposite end. Because of the nature of the curve and the drape of fabric cut on the bias, the seam will naturally want to fall towards the inner (convex) piece. Gently press seam toward the inner piece (Fig 6).
7in
Foreground cutting diagram
6
Layer the fabrics, RST, matching up the mid points (Fig 5). Pin at that point, ¼in from the edge. Bend the fabrics along the curve, matching up the corners at points labelled A and B. Pin at both points. The edges of both curves should be aligned at this point. Pin at a couple more places along the curve to keep the curves aligned, if desired.
7in
Fig 7
B
Fig 8
page 41 cut an outer and inner fabric piece according to the fabric layout you’ve chosen.
9
Mark the mid-point of each curve with a marking tool or by finger pressing (Fig 7).
Sewing elliptical curves
8
Sewing elliptical curves is very similar to sewing circular curves. Using whatever elliptical template is called for in the Layout Diagram on
10
Layer the fabrics, RST, matching up the mid points (Fig 8). Pin at that point, ¼in from the edge. Bend the fabrics along the 39
P R OJ E C T l
m e r i d i a n q u ilt
ALISON’S TOP TIPS Fig 9
Fig 10
curve, matching up the corners at points A and B. Pin at both points.
11
The edges of both curves should be aligned at this point. Pin at a few more places along the curve to keep the edges aligned (Fig 9). It is necessary to pin at closer intervals when sewing an elliptical curve than for a circular curve.
12
Begin sewing at point A using a scant ¼in seam allowance with the inner (convex) piece on top. Sew slowly, getting the feel of the curve, to the opposite end. Because of the nature of the curve and the drape of fabric cut on the bias, the seam will want to fall towards the inner piece. Press seam toward the inner (convex) piece (Fig 10).
Adding multiple curves to a block Additional curves are added to each block by using the Outer Templates
Q Both of the edges of the fabric are cut on the bias so handle the stretchiness with care, but know that it is this property that makes it possible for you to sew an outer edge to an inner edge. Q Practice the gentlest curves (A, then C) first so that you learn to trust that the seams will match up for the tighter curves. Q Sew slowly. Sewing a curve is more a comfortable walk rather than the sprint used to chainpiece four patches. Q Use a bamboo stylus as an extension of your finger to hold the fabric up close to the needle while sewing so that you can keep an accurate seam allowance.
to cut away part of the existing fabric along with the corresponding Inner Template to replace it.
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Refer to the Layout Diagram to know which curves to cut and assemble for each block. With the exception of the first main
Q Sewing curves means there will be some waste. Depending on the size of the piece left over, you may be able to use it when cutting out smaller pieces. Q If you are using solid fabrics the orientation of the edges of the curves you need to sew together can get confusing. There is an easy way to know if you are sewing the inner piece to the outer piece correctly. Measure the four short edges of the two pieces you’ll combine. Once sewn together the two new, longer sides of the square should be equal in length: approx 10in plus seam allowance for each. Orient the pieces for this outcome.
block, cutting and piecing one block at a time will reduce confusion. Remember, the elliptical templates are used in two ways: front up and back up. You will know which elliptical template + orientation to use by following the annotations on the diagram. Each elliptical curve is labelled on the Layout Diagram (see right) as follows: Q Large Ellipse (C) front: Cf Q Large Ellipse (C) back: Cb Q Small Ellipse (D) front: Df Q Small Ellipse (D) back: Db Front and back describes if you will trace and cut the pieces with the templates front up or the back up. The circular curves A and B are not labelled on the Layout Diagram, as they are very straightforward. Any large circular curve (outermost) is made with template A, and small circular curve (innermost) with template B. Add more curves to a block using the following steps.
14
Referring to the Layout Diagram to know which templates to use next, line up the Outer Template with the corresponding corner of an existing block made using Template A. Use a pencil to draw the curve and a pair of scissors to cut the inner part of
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CUT
the new curve away. Cut a new piece of fabric with the corresponding Inner Template to sew into the empty space. Refer to the Sewing Curves directions previously.
SEW
CUT
SEW
CUT B outer
Df outer
A outer A inner
Df inner
SEW
B inner
Fig 11
15
Fig 11 visually walks through these steps for the block shown in the top left corner of the Layout Diagram. Repeat the steps of cutting and sewing all of the curves in the block. Follow these steps to finish the remaining blocks, which contain multiple curves.
Db
Df
Df Cb Cf
Df
Cf
Df
Cf
Assembling the quilt top
16
Arrange the forty-eight (48) finished blocks in eight (8) rows of six (6) according to the Layout Diagram or in the way that you have chosen.
Cf Db
Db
Df
Df Cf
Cf
17
18
Db
Cf
Db
Sew the blocks together to form rows first, press all seams in the same direction, alternating the pressing direction for each row. For example, for the first row press all seams to the right. Then, press the second row seams to the left and so on. Doing this will create a small ridge that will lock the seams together when the rows are joined, helping the seams from row to row to line up more easily. Sew the rows together. Pin at places where the seams meet to make your points align when sewn, press seams to one side.
Df
Df
Cb Df
Cf Df
Cf
Df
Cf Db
Db
Db
Df Cf
Db
Cf Df
Cb
Cb
Df
Cf Db Cf
Df Cb
19
Layer quilt top with batting and backing of choice, baste, and quilt as desired. Bind with your choice of fabric.
Df Df
Cb
Df Df
Cf Df
Layout diagram
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m e r i d i a n q u ilt
Meet the designers
G ET 20% OFF! USE CODE TQ20
Alison Glass and Jessica Bobrowski met by happy coincidence in a printmaking workshop in 2011 and became friends. Since then, Alison has become a known fabric designer and entrepreneur while Jessica took her science degree and went back to school for graphic design and web development. Jessica joined Alison Glass Design in 2016 as Marketing and Brand Manager. @alisonglass @jmb_craftypickle @craftypickle
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BUY THIS KIT!
See this project demonstrated live on air on 23 November 2017 & buy the kit*. Q Live on Freeview 78, 8am-12noon Q Online at www.sewingquarter.com. Q You can catch up the show on www.youtube.com/sewingquarter 20% offer available from 24 November.
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*WHILE STOCKS LAST. FOR T&CS , SEE PAGE 53
P R OJ E C T l
FOUNDATION PAPER PIECING
WINTER LIGHT CUSHION Showcase your favourite fabric combinations in this stunning play on the classic Day and Night block. Designed and made by KERRY GREEN
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FOUNDATION PAPER PIECING
WINTER LIGHT CUSHION You will need: Q Assorted cream prints – one (1) fat eighth in total Q Assorted gold prints – one (1) fat eighth in total Q Assorted beige prints – one (1) fat eighth in total Q Assorted brown prints – one (1) fat eighth in total Q Assorted light blue prints – one (1) fat eighth in total Q Assorted dark blue prints – one (1) fat eighth in total Q Backing fabric – two (2) 12½in x 19in rectangles Q Binding fabric – long ¼yd Q Vilene fusible fleece H640 or batting – one (1) 20in square and two (2) 12½in x 20in rectangles Q Templates (see Templates section) Q Foundation paper or lightweight printing paper Q A4 card Q 18in cushion pad Q Fabric glue stick (water based)
Cutting out
1
Cut out each foundation template along the outer edge. You will need eight (8) in total: four (4) of Template A and four of (4) Template B. The foundation templates are easier to work with if each seam line is creased before sewing. Use a quilt ruler and Hera marker, or blunt butter knife, to score each seam line (Fig 2).
2 BEHIND THE CUSHION
TWIST ON A CLASSIC
“This design started with the classic Night and Day quilt block, I played around with the block lines until it became a little more kaleidoscopic and star-like. It’s the perfect block to showcase the dark blue/light gold colour contrast that represents the glimpses of sunlight we experience in winter. It’s a straightforward design for foundation paper piecing with just two different templates, plus the seam lines nest together nicely for easier section joining and neater seam points. As well as the foundation paper templates, I’ve also used individual card templates so each individual fabric piece can be pre-cut ready to use. Although this takes longer at the cutting stage, the sewing process flies by! I’ve also included a blank planner so you can work out which fabric goes where before you sew.” – Kerry Green
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Make extra card copies of Templates A and B. Cut out the separate sections along the black seam lines and cut off the outer edge seam allowance. There will be six (6) pieces: A1, A2, A3, B1, B2 and B3, all without seam allowances.
3
Place the WS of the card pieces onto the WS of the corresponding fabric (refer to your planner). Draw around each card piece in pencil on to the WS of the fabric. Using a rotary cutter and a quilter’s ruler, cut out adding ½in seam allowance all around the outer edge. This method produces a pre-cut, generously sized piece of fabric of the correct shape for each part of the section (Fig 3). Work systematically, cutting all the Join us at www.todaysquilter.com
Finished size Q 18½in square
Notes Q Seam allowances are ¼in throughout unless stated otherwise. Q Templates include seam allowance, where necessary. Q RS = right side. Q WS = wrong side. Q RST = right sides together. Q WST = wrong sides together. Q WOF = width of fabric. Q Wash and press all fabrics before cutting.
Preparing the templates Q Print four (4) each of templates A and B on to paper. Q Print one (1) extra copy each of templates A and B on to card. Q Print one (1) planning sheet (see Technical Tip).
different fabrics for each piece and hold the fabrics for each part of each section together with binding clips, to keep everything organised (Fig 4).
TECHNICAL TIP Before cutting out, use the planner to map out your colours and fabrics. Cut tiny scraps and stick in place (Fig 1).
4
For the cushion front border, cut one (1) 2¾in x 14½in strip from the gold fabric. Repeat with light blue fabric. From the dark blue fabric, cut one (1) 2¾in x 19in strip. Repeat with cream fabric.
Fig 1
5
From the binding fabric, cut (3) strips 2½in wide across the WOF. Sub-cut one (1) strip into two (2) shorter strips, each measuring 2½in x 18½in, for binding the cushion backing pieces.
Piecing the cushion front
Fig 2
Fig 3
Fig 4
Fig 5
6
Take the pre-cut fabric for pieces A1, A2 and A3 and Template A (see Templates Section). On the WS of Template A swipe the glue stick on section A1 and place the corresponding fabric over it, RS uppermost. The fabric piece should extend over the seam lines by ½in (Fig 5).
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P R OJ E C T l
w i nt e r l ight c u sh i o n
Fig 6
7
With the template side facing up, fold back template A along the creased seam line between A1 and A2. Place a ruler over the excess fabric and trim it to ¼in; this will form the seam allowance when joining A2 to A1 (Fig 6). An Add-a-Quarter ruler is helpful for this step.
8
Now take the A2 fabric piece and place RST with the newly trimmed edge of the A1 fabric. Hold the two pieces together and turn over and pin in place along the A1/A2 seam line on template A (Fig 7). Open out the A2 fabric to check it covers A2 on the template with at least ¼in extended over all the seam lines (Fig 8), flip the A2 fabric back. Turn over so the template is uppermost ready for sewing.
9
Starting just inside the seam allowance and using a small stitch (1-1.5mm), sew along the seam line and just into the seam allowance at the end (Fig 9). Because the
stitches are small, they do not need securing at the start or end of the seam. When sewn, turn the template over, lightly press the seam, and open out the A2 fabric to cover the A2 section on the template and press.
10
Turn so the template is uppermost. Fold back the template along the creased seam line between A2 and A3. Place a ruler over the excess fabric and trim the excess fabric to ¼in; this will form the seam allowance when joining piece A3 to A2 (Fig 10).
11
Take the A3 fabric piece, place RST with the newly trimmed fabric edge of A2, hold the two pieces together, turn over and pin along the seam line (Fig 11). Stitch along the seam line as before. Turn over; press the seam and then open out the A3 fabric to cover A3 on the template and press (Fig 12).
12
Next, trim the excess fabric around the edges of the completed section A using the template as a guide and leaving the outer edge seam allowance intact (Figs 13 and 14).
Fig 7
Fig 8
Fig 9
Fig 10
Fig 11
Fig 12
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P R OJ E C T l
Fig 13
Fig 14
Fig 15
Fig 16
Fig 17
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13
Repeat steps 6-12 to make four (4) of section A and four (4) of section B following your planner for fabric and colour placement. Carefully remove the paper from the trimmed sections A and B.
14
Arrange sections A and B in four pairs, each forming a square (Fig 15). Sew each AB pair RST along the diagonal edges using a longer stitch (e.g. 2mm), the seams from each opposing section should nest together. Press seam open. Trim “dog ears” at the corners (Fig 16). Each A/B square should measure 7½in square. Arrange A/B squares in two rows of two, sew together pressing the seams open and then join the rows together. Press the joining seams open. The cushion front so far should measure 14½in square; if it is a little smaller, the border allows extra to compensate.
15
Take both shorter border strips (2¾in x 14½in) join these to the side edges. Refer to your planner for colour placement. Take both longer border strips (2¾in x 19in) and sew to the top and bottom edges of the cushion front (Fig 17). The cushion front should now measure 19in square.
Quilting and finishing
16
Fuse the cushion front to the fusible fleece square then fuse both cushion back pieces to the fusible fleece rectangles, or baste to batting using your preferred method. Quilt as desired.
17
Trim cushion front to 18½in square keeping pieced design centrally placed.
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18
Note: A walking foot is helpful for following steps. Take one of the shorter binding strips; bring the two long edges WST and press along fold. Place the long raw edges along the RS top horizontal edge of one of the cushion back pieces and sew using a ¼in seam (Fig 18). Press seam, then press binding away from the seam. Fold binding over the cushion back edge and either pin/clip in place, then hand or machine sew to attach the binding. Repeat on the other cushion back piece, this time binding the lower horizontal edge. Trim the cushion back pieces to 12½in x 18½in.
Fig 18
19
Place the two cushion backs, right side up, so that they overlap by 6in and the bound edges are towards the centre. Pin the overlap in place and sew together using a ⅛in seam allowance. Place the cushion back and fronts WST, pin and then sew all around the cushion edge using a ⅛in seam allowance. To reduce bulk in the seam, zigzag all around the edge. Join the long binding strips together using a diagonal seam. Fold and press the binding as before and attach all around the cushion front edge as with the cushion back edges, mitring the corners. Finish the binding by hand on the reverse.
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P R OJ E C T l
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Choose your favourite fabric from the front to use as backing
Meet the designer Kerry Green has been sewing since she was very young, she enjoys making small projects like cushions as well as stitching up a wardrobe full of handmade clothes, but she always returns to quilting and, in particular, foundation paper piecing and scrappy quilts. Kerry writes about sewing for a range of publications and websites and is co-author of the quilt block compendium, 500 Quilt Blocks, with Lynne Goldsworthy. www.verykerryberry.blogspot.co.uk
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@verykerryberry
@verykb
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L I B R A RY E S S E N T I A L S l
w i nt e r wa r m e rs
WINTER WARMERS
As the weather cools, the lure of a comfy chair, a cosy quilt and a new book are hard to resist. Jane Rae picks her favourite works of ďŹ ction, where needle and thread are woven into tales of love, revenge, passion, survival and triumphs of the human spirit. Join us at www.todaysquilter.com
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L I B R A RY E S S E N T I A L S l
w i nt e r wa r m e rs
The Dressmaker ROSALIE HAM
I
was drawn to the cover of this book not just by the promise of “an unforgettable tale of love, hate and haute couture”, but by the glamorous shot of Kate Winslet effortlessly carrying a gleaming case with the familiar gold lettering “Singer”. In the story, Tilly Dunnage returns to her dusty home town of Dungatar; the ostracised, coutured daughter fresh from the fashion houses of Paris returns to the Australian outback to small town mentalities and unresolved mysteries. As Tilly attempts to unshackle herself from a past that haunts her, she liberates the town folk through her transformative skills in fashion design. The women and men of Dungatar have never looked so good in Balenciaga
copies and satin velour pedal pushers but the simmering passions and desires of the town folk start to bubble to the surface. The story in The Dressmaker unfolds in chapters that are named as groups of fabric, almost like discovering the seamstress’ “stash”. The opening chapters are matched with gingham “a durable fabric if treated properly” and we journey to Shantung as the story becomes more colourful and complex, finally culminating in felt and brocade. The Dressmaker was made into a film starring Kate Winslet and I enjoyed it just as much as the book, particularly seeing Tilly’s opulent creations come to life on the big screen against the backdrop of the arid Australian outback. Truly a tale of transformation.
How to Make an American Quilt
The Invention of Wings
T
T
WHITNEY OTTO
his is a work of fiction but the observations on choice of materials, design, construction, quilting for companionship and for solace, were beacons in my journey into quilting. Escaping to the town of Grasse outside Bakersfield in California to the intimate world of a quilt group was a compelling draw for me. The group – Sophia, Glady Joe, Hy, Constance, Em, Corinna, Anna and Marianna – have been meeting once a week for 35 years and it’s only after this life-time journey together that they feel they can embark on making a Crazy Quilt, “The pattern with the least amount of discipline and the greatest measure of emotion”. As Whitney Otto guides us through the process of making a quilt she reveals the lives, loves, sadnesses, peaks and troughs of relationships and friendships of the women behind every stitch. Chapter headings are replaced with “Instructions”, we explore what it means to quilt and the histories of each member of the group are revealed. The quilter’s challenges echo questions about life, “Do not underestimate the importance of the carefully constructed border”, “follow your parents’ footsteps. This is what quilting is about: something handed down – skill, the work itself. Hold it in your hand. Fondle it.” The book gave me a different perspective on quilting, “Shake your head in amazement at the occasional quilt that boasts thousands of pieces. Puzzle out the fact that a woman could hold all of those pieces together without misplacing or losing a piece.” How to Make an American Quilt was a lure for me into a world that has become a great source of pleasure, both at work and play. Although published in 1991, it’s a staple in my quilting library.
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SUE MONK KIDD
he Invention of Wings is based on the true story of Sarah Grimké, her younger sister Angelina and Hetty Handful Grimké, who was a slave in the Grimké household. Sarah and Angelina were the first female advocates of abolition and women’s rights in the USA. The story begins in 1803 when Hetty is presented to Sarah on her eleventh birthday. Sarah, whose slogan is “if you must err do so, on the side of audacity” is determined to free Hetty, and so the story unfolds. The Invention of Wings is a story of hope and quilting is a positive and powerful theme that is established very early on in the novel. Hetty’s mother Charlotte recounts the story of “granny-mauma” from Africa bringing with her the tradition of quilting that she has passed down through the generations “all her kin in Africa, the Fon people, kept their history in a quilt”. Charlotte is the best seamstress in Charleston and she and Hetty quilt
together by candlelight at night “we had a wooden patch box for keeping our scraps, a pouch for our needle and threads, and a true brass thimble. This was the thing mauma and I loved, our time with the quilts.” The quilts are stored on a quilt frame that hangs above their bed – watching over them like a guardian angel. Every stitch – every hidden charm that they sew into their quilts and every pair of triangles that they appliqué (wings of freedom) have meaning. The quilts offer continuity, protection, refuge and hope.
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L I B R A RY E S S E N T I A L S l
The Lady and the Unicorn
The Last Runaway
Y
T
TRACY CHEVALIER
ou will find it hard to resist the page turning lure of each chapter in this book, written from the perspective of the key characters in the making of The Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries. It’s fascinating to learn how a tapestry is created from the initial drawings, through to the creation of an enlarged cartoon, the preparation of the loom, followed by the intimate process of weaving the design, culminating in the final reveal. The Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries, created in c1500, represent the five senses – touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight, with the sixth tapestry bearing the inscription, “To my only desire”, which suggests something beyond the material world – the spirit world. I love the fact that each of us will interpret “To my only desire” differently, which is part of the mystery and appeal of the tapestries. The first voice we hear is that of artist Nicolas des Innocents, the mischievous Lothario who sketches,
w i nt e r wa r m e rs
TRACY CHEVALIER
seduces and flirts his way through the novel from Paris to Brussels, beguiling all of us with his drawings and tales of the unicorn. The tapestries come to life, as do we, the readers, as the story awakens our senses with its rich imagery and evocative language. I can still smell the sweet scent of lily of the valley from Aliénor’s garden. Georges de la Chapelle, who runs the tapestry weaving studio in Brussels, describes the moment when he sees the complete tapestry, “that moment is like eating fresh spring radishes after months of old turnips”.
he Last Runaway is the story of Honor Bright, a Quaker from England who emigrates with her sister Grace to start a new life in America in 1850. Honor’s sister Grace is to wed a Quaker called Adam Cox who has set up a draper’s shop in a small town in Ohio. Honor is reeling from a broken heart and emotionally and physically unprepared for the life ahead of her in a strange land where the culture is alien, the humidity intense and where thousands of slaves are escaping north following the Underground Railway towards Canada and freedom. Honor is faced with the difficult choice of selecting just one quilt to accompany her on the journey and, in just a few concise paragraphs, the importance of the quilts in the storyline is firmly established. On arriving in America, events take a turn for the worse and Honor finds herself alone and thousands of miles from home… and so the story begins. Quilts are an integral part of The Last Runaway, not just for their historical significance but because the personality of Honor Bright is not one easily conveyed through dialogue between characters. Honor is a woman of few words, adhering to the Quaker belief that to find the inner light you must quieten the mind. In fact, Honor is so challenged by the events that unfold around her in her new life that, at one point in the story, she retreats into a world of silence. It’s a powerful tool but one that gives the writer something of a challenge when interaction and conversation are such useful devices in revealing plot and character. Tracy overcomes this by giving Honor a voice through her letters home and her love of quilting. The quilts provide a rich, visual point of reference and allow us insights into Honor’s personality. “I wanted the character to do something with her hands that anchored her in a daily activity,” said Tracy.
The novels of Jennifer Chiaverini Jennifer Chiaverini is the New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker, Fates and Traitors, and other acclaimed works of historical fiction, as well as the beloved Elm Creek Quilts series. She lives with her husband and two sons in Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
I
n most of the 20 books in the Elm Creek Series, the main character is a master quilter named Sylvia Bergstrom Compson. She and her young friend, Sarah McClure, open a quilter’s retreat at Sylvia’s family estate, Elm Creek Manor. Sarah and Sylvia run
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the quilt camp with the help of friends, the Elm Street Quilters. There’s even an accompanying project book, Elm Creek Quilts, full of designs inspired by the books. Other historical books feature Sylvia’s ancestors and residents of Elm Street Valley. In her latest novel, the Enchantress of Numbers, Jennifer explores the fascinating life of Ada Byron King, Countess of Lovelace – the romantic poet Lord Byron’s daughter. Ada was the world’s first computer programmer, and a woman whose exceptional contributions to science and technology have been too long unsung.
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N E W F O R YO U l
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TUNE IN! Watch on Freeview channel 78, on air every day 8am-12pm, or via the website www.sewingquarter.com Youtube.com/sewingquarter
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HEMLINE DRESSMAKING SHEERS OKUT TITANIUM SCISSORS 23CM Stylish inlaid soft grip fully moulded handles, with superior titanium finishing for long lasting sharpness. £8.95
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CHRISTMAS PROJECT
FESTIVE TABLE LINEN Dress your table in its finest this Christmas with our pretty linen set. Designed and made by NICOLA DODD
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CHRISTMAS PROJECT
FESTIVE TABLE RUNNER You will need Q Three (3) red prints – one (1) Fat Eighth of each Q Three (3) cream prints – one (1) Fat Eighth of each Q Green fabric – one (1) Fat Eighth Q Fussy-cut cream scraps – three (3) 4½in x 8½in Q Mid-tone background fabric – 1¼yd Q Cotton batting – 24in x 60in Q Backing fabric – 1⅜yds Q Binding fabric – ¼yd
4
From your binding fabric, cut four (4) 2¼in x WOF strips.
Making the potted Amaryllis blocks Before you begin, choose a set of red and cream prints and a fussy-cut cream piece for each of the three (3) blocks. The green print will be the same in each block.
5
To make the bowl, mark a diagonal line on the back of two (2) 2½in background squares (shown in blue) and pin, right sides together, to the lower corners of a 4½in x 8½in
BEHIND THE PROJECT
LAY THE TABLE
“A charming floral duo to brighten your Christmas breakfast table, my sample is made in Petit Maisons de Noel by French General for Moda.” – Nicola Dodd
Cutting out
Q Two (2) 4½in x WOF strips. Subcut into twelve (12) 4½in squares. From the remainder sub-cut two (2) 1¾in x 21in pieces. Q Ten (10) 2½in x WOF strips. Set three (3) aside for borders, then cut the remainder as follows: - Four (4) 2½in x 16½in sashing pieces. - Six (6) 2½in x 6½in pieces. - Twenty-one (21) 2½in x 4½in pieces. Q Twenty-four (24) 2½in squares.
1
From each of the red and cream Fat Eighths, cut four (4) 3in squares and eight (8) 2½in squares (Fig 1).
2
From the green Fat Eighth, cut three (3) 1in x 21in and six (6) 2½in x 4½in pieces (Fig 2).
3
From the background fabric, cut as follows:
2½in
2½in
2½in
2½in 2½in
2½in
2½in
Fig 3
Make 3
fussy-cut cream piece. Stitch on the line, flip “open” and press, trimming away the excess back pieces to ¼in (Fig 3). Repeat to make three (3). 1in x 21in
2½in
1in x 21in 1in x 21in 3in
Fig 1
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3in
3in
3in
2½in x 4½in
2½in x 4½in
2½in x 4½in
2½in x 4½in
2½in x 4½in
2½in x 4½in
Fig 2
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Finished size Q 20in x 54in
Notes
Q Please read through the pattern before you begin. Q Assume a ¼in seam allowance and a fabric width (WOF) of 42in. Q I would always recommend making a test block.
6
To make the green Flying Geese units, which will be the base of the petals, mark a diagonal line on the back of two (2) 2½in background squares and stitch one to the corner of a 2½in x 4½in green piece, pressing and trimming as described before. Then join the remaining square to the other side, as shown in Fig 4A-C. Repeat to make six (6).
7
To make a red petal unit, mark a diagonal line on the back of a 2½in red square and stitch to the top right corner of a 2½in x 4½in background piece as previously described, taking care with the placement as shown in Fig 5. Make one (1) in each print, three (3) in total.
with the placement as shown in Fig 6. Make one (1) in each print, three (3) in total.
8
9
To make a cream petal unit, mark a diagonal line on the back of a 2½in cream square and stitch to the top left corner of a 2½in x 4½in background piece, again taking care
A
B
To make a double petal unit, stitch a 2½in red square to the top left corner, then a 2½in cream square to the top right corner of a 2½in x 4½in background piece, as previously
C Make 6
Fig 4
described (Fig 7). Make one (1) in each set of prints, three (3) in total.
10
Then make a double petal unit with the colours reversed, as shown in Fig 8. Make two (2) in each set of prints, six (6) in total.
11
To make a triple petal unit, stitch two (2) 2½in red squares to opposite corners and a 2½in cream square to a third corner – pressing and trimming each one in turn – of a 4½in background square, as shown in Fig 9. Make one (1) in each set of prints, three (3) in total.
12 Fig 5
Make 3
Fig 6
Make 3
Fig 7
Make 3
Fig 8
Make 6
Then make another triple petal unit by joining two (2) 2½in cream squares and one (1) 2½in red square to the corners of a 4½in background square (Fig 10). Make one (1) in each set of prints, three (3) in total.
13 Fig 9
Make 3
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Fig 10
Make 3
To make the stem units, first make a strip set by alternately joining the three (3) 1in x 21in green strips to the two (2) 1¾in x 21in 57
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background strips, as shown in Fig 11, pressing towards the green and taking care to keep your sets straight. Make one (1), trim the end, then sub-cut into three (3) 6½in sections, one for each block.
Fig 11
Fig 12 Make 3
14
Stitch a 2½in cream square to the top right-hand corner of the stem unit, then a 2½in red square to the top left-hand corner, as previously described (Fig 12). Make one (1) in each set of prints, three (3) in total.
15
The flower centres are made from half-square triangles (HST) as follows. Mark a diagonal on the back of a 3in cream square and pin, right sides together, to a 3in red square. Sew ¼in away from each side of the line, then cut along that line and press both HSTs open towards the red fabric (Fig 13A). Trim to 2½in square (Fig 13B). Make eight (8) in each print, twenty-four (24) in total.
16
Paying close attention to the colour placement in Fig 14, join four (4) HSTs together in two rows of two, to make a pinwheel, pressing the seams open. This will form the centre of the large flower. Make one (1) in each set of prints, three (3) in total.
17
Again, taking care with the placement, as shown in Fig 15, join two HSTs together, pressing the seams open, to form the centre of the side blooms. Then join a double-petal unit and a green Flying Geese unit to each side, as shown, pressing as directed. Make two (2) in each set of prints, six (6) in total.
A
B
Fig 13
Fig 15
Fig 14
Make 3
Section A
Section B
Section C
Section D
Section E
Section F
Assembling the table runner
19
Assemble the runner as shown in Fig 17, alternating blocks with 16½in sashing strips and pressing seams towards the sashing as you go. Note that the middle block is rotated 180-degrees. Join background border strips to make longer lengths for the top and bottom borders.
20
Cut your backing in half, trim off the selvedges and join together using a ½in seam, pressed open. Trim to 58in long.
21
Sandwich the batting between the backing and the runner, baste, then machine or hand quilt.
Fig 16
Section G
22
Join the 2¼in x WOF binding strips into long piece and press in half – wrong sides together – along its length. Trim away excess batting and background – taking the opportunity to ensure your corners are square – and bind the raw edge using your preferred method.
18
Assemble your Amaryllis block in sections, as shown in Fig 16, pressing seams in each section as directed. Join sections A, B & C into a row, then join sections D, E & F. Join the two rows, then add section G, pressing seams away from the central row or open if preferred. Make three (3) blocks.
Fig 17
58
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ONE-BLOCK PROJECT
FESTIVE PLACEMATS You will need Q Two (2) red prints – one (1) Fat Eighth of each Q Two (2) cream prints – one (1) Fat Eighth of each Q Green print – one (1) Fat Eighth Q Mid-tone background fabric – 1yd Q Cotton batting – Four (4) 18in x 22in pieces Q Backing fabric – 1¼yd Q Binding fabric – ½yd
Finished size Q 14in x 18in
Cutting out
1
From the red and cream Fat Eighths, cut four (4) 3in squares and eight (8) 2½in squares, as shown in Fig 1 on page 56. 2½in x 4½in
a 2½in cream square and a 2½in background square. Join to diagonally opposite corners of a 2½in x 4½in green piece, as previously described on page 56. Make four (4) sets of two (2), eight (8) in total, following colour position in Fig 19 below.
Fig 20
Fig 18
2 3
From the green fabric, cut eight (8) 2½in x 4½in pieces (Fig 18).
From the background fabric, cut as follows: Q Six (6) 3½in x WOF strips. Subcut into eight (8) 3½in x 18½in pieces and eight (8) 3½in x 8½in pieces. Q Four (4) 2½in x WOF strips. Sub-cut into thirty-two (32) 2½in x 4½in pieces and eight (8) 2½in squares.
4
From your binding fabric, cut eight (8) 2¼in x WOF strips.
Making the Amaryllis block Choose a set of red and cream prints for each placemat. The green print will be the same in each block.
5
To make a leaf unit, mark a diagonal line on the back of
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Fig 19
6
Refer to step 7 of the Table Runner to make a red petal unit. Make two (2) in each print, eight (8) in total.
7
Refer to step 9 of the Table Runner to make a double petal unit. Make two (2) in each print, eight (8) in total.
8
Refer to steps 15 and 16 of the Table Runner to make the flower centres. Make one (1) in each print, four (4) in total.
9
Assemble the centre in rows, as shown in Fig 20, pressing as directed so that the seams will nest nicely when the rows are joined. Press the rows towards the centre or open if preferred. The block should measure 8½in x 12½in. Repeat to make four (4).
Fig 21
Assembling the placemats
10
Assemble the placemats as shown in Fig 21, adding the 8½in borders to the sides and 18½in borders to the top and bottom. Press seams towards the borders.
11
Cut your backing into four (4) 18in x 22in pieces. Then sandwich the batting between the backing and the placemat, baste and machine or hand quilt.
12
Join two (2) 2¼in x WOF strips to make binding for each placemat. Press in half wrong sides together along its length. Make four (4).
13
Trim away excess batting and background then bind the raw edge using your preferred method. 59
P R OJ E C T l
fe st i ve t a bl e l i n e n
Meet the designer Nicola Dodd has been quilting since 2010 after chancing upon a quilting website. Having designed all her working life as an Architect and, latterly, as a Garden Designer the temptation to start designing quilts was irresistible and she established her pattern company, CakeStand Quilts, in 2015. She has a blog, where she enjoys sharing tutorials, and is a regular contributor to the Moda Bakeshop. www.cakestandquilts.com cakestandquilts @nicolajdodd
60
Create this pretty set for your Christmas table and impress all your dinner guests this festive season
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ESSENTIAL GUIDE Blanket Stitch AppliquĂŠ
There are various forms of appliquĂŠ and one of the most popular and attractive is that done with fusible web, with the motifs edged with a charming hand blanket stitch for a rustic, homespun finish. Edging fusible web appliquĂŠ motifs with hand blanket stitch is a great way to explore different thread types
Blanket stitch appliquÊ creates a charming IRON DUW ORRN 7KH KDQG WHFKQLTXH LV HDV\ DQG SèWDEOH VR LW V ÍH SHUIHFW SURMHFW WR WDNH ZLÍ \RX ZKHUHYHU \RX JR Iè VRPH UHOD[LQJ VHZLQJ 61
ESSENTIAL GUIDE l
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HAND BLANKET STITCH APPLIQUÉ
B
lanket stitch appliqué has been a favourite technique with quilters for hundreds of years. Today, this type of appliqué is even easier with fusible web and we adore its attractive folk art look. Blanket stitch is the traditional stitch used as it has a horizontal element that covers the edge of the appliqué and a vertical element that secures the motif to the background (see Fig 1). Fig 1
There are many quilters today who create beautiful work with blanket stitch appliqué. For some great examples, seek out the work of Lynette Anderson, Jo Colwill, Lynne Edwards, Rebekah L. Smith and many others. Lynne Edwards’ lovely book Blanket Stitch Quilts is a must-have and has 12 gorgeous projects (both hand and machine stitched) for you to try.
Blanket stitch Horizontal element
Vertical element
Blanket stitch appliqué looks great with modern fabrics. Here, fruit motifs are used for a wall hanging. A dark thread colour has been used for the blanket stitch, to contrast and stand out from the design
Threads Traditionally, black thread was used for blanket stitch appliqué, but today the sky’s the limit, colour-wise. At the most basic level you can apply two simple rules to your initial choice − to blend in or stand out. The examples in Fig 2 show how using a more visible thread makes the heart motifs stand out, whereas a thread that tones with the appliqué gives it a more traditional needleturn look. Needle-turn is a traditional style of appliqué where the stitches remain invisible. If you want the stitch to be subtle and blend in with the appliqué motif, then choose a thread colour that matches the appliqué fabric and a light weight (a thin
Fig 2
62
thread or single strand). You’ll find that a small stitch size will also reduce the stitch “footprint”. If you want the blanket stitch to stand out, then use a contrasting or darker thread colour in a heavier weight thread (or several strands). Increasing your stitch size will also emphasise the edge of the appliqué. In between these extremes there is a whole wealth of glorious threads in a myriad shades and tones for you to explore. My favourites are variegated threads with their subtle (or not so subtle!) colour changes. Threadwise, anything goes really − matt, shiny, cotton, metallic, solid, variegated − so go play!
Changing the visibility of blanket stitch by thread choice
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ESSENTIAL GUIDE l
Reducing bulk
USING FUSIBLE WEB
F
usible web, sometimes referred to as iron-on adhesive, is an extremely useful product, with many uses in patchwork and appliqué. It is particularly useful for blanket stitch appliqué as it allows you to use an iron to fuse appliqué motifs to a background. The edges of the motif are fixed in place by the glue of the web as it melts under the heat of the iron. This then gives you the freedom to work blanket stitch along the edges. The stitch not only decorates the motif’s edges, it also protects them and it will hide any slight fraying that might occur over time. Various manufacturers produce fusible webs. The most commonly used ones are called Bondaweb (also known as Vliesofix and Wonder Under) and Steam-A-Seam 2. Always read the manufacturer’s instructions before use. The basic process of using fusible web is as follows.
1
Draw/trace the motif on the paper side of the fusible web (Fig 3A). If the image is not symmetrical then reverse (flip) it before tracing.
2
Cut out the motif roughly with scissors (Fig 3B). Place it glue side down onto the wrong side of the appliqué fabric and then use a hot iron to fuse it in place (Fig 3C).
Fig 3
A
3
Now cut out the motif accurately. Peel off the paper backing and fuse the motif to the background fabric (Fig 3D). Your fabric motif is now ready for its blanket stitch edging.
Fusible web can create thickness and bulk that you may want to avoid, especially if a project features many appliqué motifs. Fusible web is available in light versions, so you could use these thinner types. For a more normal, softer feel, you could reduce the amount of web you use, limiting it to just the perimeter of a motif, which will make quilting easier.
1
Draw the motif on the paper side of the fusible web. Draw it again but about ¼in smaller all round (Fig 4A). Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be exact.
2
Cut out the inner shape and discard (Fig 4B), or save for future use. Fuse the remaining piece of fusible web to the wrong side of the appliqué fabric (Fig 4C).
3
Using fusible web B
bl a nk et st it c h a p pl i qu é
C
D
Cut out the appliqué motif neatly on the outer line (Fig 4D). You will now have a motif with fusible web only around the perimeter, ready to be fused to the background fabric.
Fig 4
Wrong side of appliqué fabric
Right side of background fabric
Reducing the amount of fusible web
A
B
Cut out centre of motif
Draw motif smaller, so web is about ¼in wide D
C
Wrong side of fabric
rojects can be all about the lanket stitch appliqué, with the iecing designed to enhance the pliqué, as in this Clarice Cliff spired tea cosy
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63
ESSENTIAL GUIDE l
bl a nk et st it c h a p pl i qu é
WORKING HAND BLANKET STITCH
1
You can start the blanket stitching wherever you like on the edge of the appliqué motif. I prefer to start on a straight edge or gentle curve, to get into a rhythm before meeting any points. You can work from right to left, or the opposite way. (The diagrams show right-handed stitching.) Tie a knot in the end of the thread and bring the needle and thread up from the wrong side to the edge of the motif (Fig 5A). Re-insert the needle into
Fig 5
2
Pull the thread through until just a loop remains. Put the needle through the loop from
B
7XUQLQJ D FèQHU It’s possible to turn a sharp corner in two ways: Method 1: work blanket stitch as normal but angle the stitch at the corner so it projects straight into the corner. The stitches at either side will appear roughly at a 45-degree angle, as in Fig 6. Method 2: work blanket stitch to just before the corner and then make a horizontal stitch up to the corner (Fig 7A). Bring the needle up on the outside of the horizontal stitch and make a tiny anchoring stitch over it and down into the corner of the fabric (thread shown in red) (Fig 7B). Anchoring the corner in this way will prevent the stitch slipping later. Bring the needle up to the outside point again and then continue blanket stitching. Fig 6
front to back (Fig 5B). Pull the stitch snug (Fig 5C). See also, Troubleshooting, page 66. Reinsert the needle ready for the next stitch (Fig 5D).
3
Continue this way until you reach the end. To finish, make the final stitch and then add a small anchoring stitch over it. At the back of the work, run the needle through several stitches, knot off and then cut the thread.
Working blanket stitch
A
64
the edge of the motif some distance away from where the thread first emerged, and then bring it up into the motif about the same distance. The stitch length and distance between stitches is up to you. On a small motif I use spaces about ⅛in, increasing this if the motif is a larger one, or if using a very thick thread.
C
Fig 7
A
Making an anchoring stitch Make a tiny stitch over the long stitch and into the fabric point, to keep the long stitch in place
D
This larger blanket stitch appliqué design, in an Art Nouveau style, uses variegated threads in various colours. These work well with the fabrics but are still visible, adding to the intricacy of the design
B
Stitching into a corner
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ESSENTIAL GUIDE l
bl a nk et st it c h a p pl i qu é
USING BLANKET STITCH APPLIQUÉ PATTERNS his mug ug coaster ses fusible eb for the ppliqué, ith blanket titch thread olours hosen to lend in with he fabrics
B
lanket stitch appliqué can be used in many ways. The samples and diagrams on this page suggest some ideas.
Q For small-scale effects and speedy results, use blanket stitch appliqué on motifs occurring in the centre of small blocks. Q You could create larger designs and use them on household items, such as tea cosies, coasters and table runners. Q Try adding blanket stitch appliqué as a freeform design for the centre of a quilt (Fig 8) or running along a border. Q Use a repeating or a reflected motif placed over a simple patchwork background. Fig 9 shows an example.
Fig 8
sing a large lanket stitch ppliqué design s the centrepiece f a quilt
Fig 9
Using a repeating or reflected motif for blanket stitch appliqué on a simple patchwork background
Blanket stitch appliqué lends itself perfectly to decorating blocks, putting the appliqué centre stage
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65
ESSENTIAL GUIDE l
bl a nk et st it c h a p pl i qu é
BLANKET STITCH APPLIQUÉ – TROUBLESHOOTING
Here are answers to some questions about working hand blanket stitch appliqué
I like to do quite fine blanket stitch but I can’t seem to make the stitch sit snugly against the edge of the appliqué motif. Am I doing something wrong? HELP!
Try this… No, it’s not you, it’s the way the stitch is formed, which means that sometimes the horizontal part of the blanket stitch won’t sit snugly against the edge of the motif (Fig 10). This happens more often if you are using a thin or slippery thread. To remedy this, change the direction in which the needle enters the thread loop, so it approaches from the other side of the loop − from back to front (rather than front to back) (Fig 11). As you do this and pull the stitch tight you will notice that the thread forms a tighter noose where the stitch touches the edge of the motif. This will help to keep the stitch sitting snugly at the edge.
Fig 10
HELP!
On a quilt, when is the best time to work hand blanket stitch?
Try this… Hand blanket stitch shows on the back of the work with a series of short stitches, like a ladder − see Fig 12. This, coupled with places where you have to start and stop, means that the back of the work can be untidy. Therefore, for the neatest look, I find it best to work the blanket stitch before the wadding and backing fabric is added. You could work it after the wadding is added as this creates more of a quilted look, but if your blanket stitch thread is a bright or dark one and your backing fabric is light, the thread colour may show through the backing fabric. With hand work, it’s always a good idea to keep the back of the work as neat as you can, and keep lumps and bumps to a minimum.
Horizontal stitches are sitting away from the edge of the fabric
Changing the direction the needle enters the loop
Put needle in from back of loop, through to front
66
Blanket stitch from the back of the fabric
TECHNICAL TIP To change thread or start a new thread neatly, finish stitching, as described before. Use a small knot on the new length of thread and bring the needle up at the point where the last stitch stopped.
Horizontal part of stitch not sitting snugly
About the designer
Fig 11
Fig 12
Linda Clements is a leading technical quilting expert, editor and writer who, for 25 years, has worked on many fabric and craft titles for David & Charles and other leading craft publishers. Among the many quilters who have trusted Linda to ensure their books are both accurate and reader friendly, are Lynne Edwards MBE, Susan Briscoe, Pam & Nicky Lintott, Pauline Ineson, Mandy Shaw and Lynette Anderson. Linda’s own book, The Quilter’s Bible, is the must-have guide to patchwork, quilting and appliqué, and includes everything she has
learnt working with the industry’s best designers. For Today’s Quilter, Linda is working with the team to select practical and creative techniques. She will then go in-depth, exploring the methods, taking them from the basic premise to their full technical and creative potential. You can cut out and keep this section to build your own bespoke technical handbook.
ESSENTIAL GUIDE NEXT ISSUE:
BLOCKS USING NEEDLETURN APPLIQUÉ Methods for creating appliqué blocks.
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PHOTOGRAPHS BY DOMINIC HEWITT OF WWW.NEEDLEVISION.CO.UK
MEET THE ARTIST l
Sheds under the Clisham, 102 x 104cm. Buildings on the Isle of Lewis
meet the artist
EFFIE GALLETLY Anne Williams talks to artist and quilt maker Effie Galletly about her mesmerising textile landscapes.
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MEET THE ARTIST l
S
cotland’s remote Western Isles, also known as the Outer Hebrides, have preoccupied quilt artist Effie Galletly for many years. “Interpreting the islands’ magnificent shapes and forms in pieced textiles never ceases to excite me,” says Effie. “It’s become my niche.” Continuously being re-shaped by the ravages of the elements, there is much to inspire the artist in this rugged setting, from the muscular shoulders of the rocky outcrops, sweeping sky- and seascapes, and inland waters. But there are hints of softness as well, in the colours of the local gneiss rock, which also feature wonderful patterns created during periods of geological upheaval, and the carpets of wild flowers, known as machair, that bloom each spring. Inhabited since at least the Iron Age, humans too have played a hand in fashioning the islands’ characteristics, with the centuries-old tradition of cutting away peat deposits for fuel sculpting areas of the terrain, and ancient stone circles and standing stones rising evocatively from the landscape.
Time to look Effie begins a project simply by looking. She says, “What I do is all about what I see, so it’s crucial that I take time to observe, paying attention to the various features and thinking about how, or even if, the scene can be divided up as it might be pieced in fabric – doing this is now virtually second nature to me.” Mostly she uses a camera to record her visual inspirations, laughing, “Although I always carry a sketchbook, it isn’t the first thing I relate to.” However, sometimes drawing and painting are the most suitable methods to document her
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ef f i e ga ll etly
Left, Galson Beach, Isle of Lewis, 200 x 250cm. Over this scene, a nine-patch has been laid as a way of suggesting the many changes in weather that can happen very quickly in the climate of the far northwest of the Hebridean Islands Above, Callanish Stones 1, 85 x 71cm. An example of the hard surfaces to be found among the clear soft colour and light of Lewis. Effie says, “This was a challenge to interpret in cloth”
influences, such as a sketched panorama too wide to be photographed, or myriad hues captured in watercolours. Jotting down what she notices can also be a useful resource for future reference. It is also important for Effie to get a feel for the location she’s portraying. For much of the last decade she has been fortunate to spend part of each year living on the far northwest coast of Lewis, the largest and most northerly of the chain of islands that make up the Western Isles. This has given her the opportunity to immerse herself in both the landscape and the culture – language, music and traditions – and to let it all soak into her understanding of place.
Piecing the scene When she has gathered her source material, Effie can start to plan her design. She may zoom in on a particular area of a photograph or sketch, or take elements from several images and amalgamate them to form a new composition. With her new image in mind, the next step is to produce a master pattern, an undertaking Effie describes as being “methodical and precise”, but it is also an inventive and skilful task. As a first step, Effie might, for example, place a piece of layout or tracing paper over a chosen portion of a photograph, using the printed image to determine the placement of the main lines of her design, a technique which helps to ensure a naturalistic sense of perspective in the finished piece. With the basic layout in place, the pattern can then be completed by subdividing the main areas into further sections. This might sound straightforward, but it’s a complex procedure, and is where Effie’s artistry and knowledge really come into play. The
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ef f i e ga ll etly
PHOTOGRAPHS BY EFFIE GALLETLY
MEET THE ARTIST l
Top, Harris Beach, 200 x 50cm. The fabrics are all hand-dyed, and the pieces are machine pieced and hand quilted Above, Reflections of the Clisham, 92 x 44cm. This piece was inspired by a fabulously clear day on the Isle of Harris where the air was unusually still and the colours crystal clear Right, Peat(s), 80 x 79cm. Stacks of peat left outside to dry
small sections will be reproduced in fabric patches, so as well as reflecting the overall visual effect she’s aiming for, Effie has to consider the practical aspects of sewing the pieces together. But, she explains, “I’m not trying to faithfully replicate a specific view, but rather to encapsulate the beauty and spirit of these magical islands through the medium of textiles.” With her blueprint complete, and a copy made for preparing templates, Effie can then pick her fabrics. This is an instinctive and fluid affair, in marked contrast with the ordered and meticulous approach required for planning the design. Using mid-weight cottons, mostly batiks and hand dyes, Effie auditions fabrics by placing them around her paper pattern. She reveals, “I always start with way too many and then, by playing with different
Patterns in Landscape
by Effie Galletly £17.50 www.effiegalletly.co.uk/shop/patterns_in_landscape
In this book, Effie guides readers through making a pieced-fabric artwork of their favourite landscape. But if you feel daunted by starting with your own design, you can practise the technique using the pattern and step-by-step instructions provided.
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arrangements and combinations, I can see what works, refining and paring down my choices as I go.” Effie emphasises the need to keep an open mind while staying focused on the look you’re going for. “Sometimes a limited scheme gives the best results, but even with a narrow range of colours I might use an enormous number of tints and tones, and prints.” Having established her fabric palette, Effie is then ready to construct her quilt top. Using her favourite, and now trademark, method of traditional piecing, usually done by machine, accuracy is essential, from making the templates, through to cutting out the fabric patches and joining them. “I relish the challenge and like to think that I can now piece even the most difficult and fiddly of shapes – though occasionally I have given in to using appliqué, but I like to see if I can piece it first.” Once her top has been pieced and layered, she selects her quilting threads, which, like picking the fabrics, is a free and intuitive exercise. Effie says, “The threads are an integral part of the design, but I don’t make my final choice about which ones to use until this stage, when I can just plonk a load of reels and balls on top of the landscape to see what brings out the mood and effect I’m after.” To build up a perception of distance, in the background areas Effie hand quilts using fine soft cotton thread, confessing a soft spot for Mettler’s Silk-Finish, which has a gentle lustre. She never uses
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ef f i e ga ll etly
PHOTOGRAPH BY DOMINIC HEWITT OF WWW.NEEDLEVISION.CO.UK
MEET THE ARTIST l
Above, Tiree Summer, 102 x 89cm. Skies of the Inner Hebrides
polyester or invisible monofilament thread, saying of the latter, “If I spend time stitching, I want it to be seen!” Foreground areas are also hand quilted, but in larger stitches worked in thicker, perlé cottons to add to the sense of proximity. Effie particularly likes the broken lines of hand stitching and the inherent imperfections, a quality that fits in beautifully with the organic themes of her work. “It’s important that the quilting is a natural part of the scene and that the stitches ‘live’ in the land, enhancing the shapes and forms of the landscape,” she says.
Landscapes on show Effie exhibits her landscapes in shows with artists working in other disciplines. “I think it’s important to confound visitors’ preconceptions, and perhaps misconceptions too, of what a quilt can be and do.” Landscapes have been depicted in many media, but subtle and sophisticated renditions of the colours and textures of the hard rocks, grasses, sand, sea and sky in soft fabrics and threads is a particular challenge, so it gives Effie pleasure if visitors are unsure whether her work is a painting or not, only to see it’s a quilt when they get up close. You can see more of Effie’s work, and find out about forthcoming events and exhibitions, on her website: www.effiegalletly.co.uk
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(IàHÐV WRS WLSV Get started on creating a unique textile landscape. For more tips, visit Effie Galletly on YouTube. Not all landscapes lend themselves to patchwork. Hand-dyed fabrics and batiks offer little splashes of colour that, if cleverly placed, can lend detail. Expect to change your mind a few times as you work out your landscape. Leave yourself plenty of different fabrics to choose from and don’t worry about waste. The pieces you will be using are all relatively small. When searching for the right fabric for smaller pieces, don’t forget your scrap bag.
Join us next issue when we find out more about the work of textile artist Alicia Merrett.
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Join us at KIS Quilting for one of our relaxed and friendly workshops. See our website for the current workshop programme. They include our Sampler Workshop using some of the blocks from Lynn Edwards ‘Sampler’ Book.
We also have Sew and Go sessions either mornings, afternoons, or feel free to come and sew all day. Our fantastic range of fabric includes Moda, EQS, Timeless Treasures, Janet Clare, Gutermann and Lewis and Irene. We stock Gutermann and Mettler threads. Unit 66, Basepoint, Ransomes Europark Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 9BF 01473 722888 kisquiltingltd@yahoo.co.uk www.kisquilting.co.uk facebook.com/kisquiltingltd FREE PARKING
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ONE BLOCK PROJECT
BEAUTIFUL BOWTIES This simple but charming bowtie shape is a traditional quilt block which is satisfying to make. Designed and made by PAM & NICKY LINTOTT Quilted by THE QUILT ROOM www.quiltroom.co.uk
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ONE BLOCK PROJECT
BEAUTIFUL BOWTIES You will need Q One (1) Jelly Roll OR forty (40) 2½in wide strips cut across the width of the fabric Q Background fabric – 1¾yds* Q Border fabric – ¾yds Q Backing fabric – 3¾yds Q Batting – 68in square Q Binding fabric – ½yd
Fig 1
Fig 2
wrong side of a 1½in square (Fig 1).
6 B E H I N D T H E Q U I LT
PRE-CUT PERFECTION “Sometimes you can find the perfect Jelly Roll for a project and this is exactly what we felt about the range we used in this quilt. American Banner Rose by Minick & Simpson had just the right colouring and combined with some Lecien fabric, which we used for our background fabric, it created a lovely antique looking quilt. To create a scrappier look to our quilt we used two different fabrics totalling 1¾yds instead of just the one” – Pam & Nicky Lintott
Cutting out
1
Cut each of the forty (40) Jelly Roll strips as follows: Q Ten (10) 2½in squares. Q Take the remainder of the strip, which measures approx. 2½in x 17in and trim to measure 1½in x 17in. Sub-cut into ten (10) 1½in squares. Keep the 2½in and 1½in squares from each Jelly Roll strip together in one pile. You need three-hundredand-ninety-two (392) of each in total. Each Jelly Roll strip will make five (5) bowtie blocks.
the width of the fabric. Sub-cut each strip into sixteen (16) 2½in squares. You need three-hundred-and-ninetytwo (392) in total. You will have eight (8) spare.
With right sides together, lay a marked square on one corner of a 2½in background square, aligning the outer edges. Sew across the diagonal, using the marked diagonal line as the stitching line (Fig 2). After a while you may find you do not need to draw the line as it is not difficult to judge the sewing line. An alternative is to fold the square and use the crease to guide you.
7
Flip the Jelly Roll square over and press towards the outside of the block. Trim the excess fabric from the Jelly Roll square to ¼in but do not trim the background fabric (Fig 3). Although this creates a little more bulk, the background fabric helps keep your patchwork in shape. Repeat to make two (2) of these units.
8
Take the two (2) cornered units and two (2) matching 2½in Jelly Roll squares and sew together as
3
From the Border fabric, cut seven (7) 3½in strips across the width of the fabric.
4
From the Binding fabric, cut seven (7) 2½in strips across the width of the fabric.
Making the bowtie blocks
2
From the Background fabric, cut as follows: Q Twenty-five (25) 2½in strips across
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5
Working with one pile of Jelly Roll squares at a time, mark a diagonal line from corner to corner on the
Fig 3
Fig 4
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Finished size Q 62in square
Notes Q *If you prefer a scrappy background use different fabrics totalling 1¾yds. We used two background fabrics in our quilt.
shown in Fig 4, pinning at the seam intersection to ensure a perfect match. Press the seams towards the 2½in Jelly Roll squares and your seams will nest together nicely.
9
Repeat to make five (5) bowtie blocks from each pile of Jelly Roll squares (Fig 5). You need one-hundred-and-ninety-six (196) in total.
Assembling the quilt
10
Lay out your blocks into fourteen (14) rows of fourteen (14) blocks (Fig 6). When you are happy with the layout, sew the blocks together to form rows. Press the seams of alternate rows in opposite directions so that the seams nest together nicely when sewn together.
11
Sew the rows together pinning at every seam intersection to ensure a perfect match.
Adding the borders
12
Join the border strips into one continuous length. Determine
the vertical measurement from top to bottom through the centre of your quilt top. Cut two (2) side borders to this measurement. Pin and sew to the quilt and press.
13
Determine the horizontal measurement from side to side across the centre of the quilt top. Cut two (2) borders to this measurement. Sew to the top and bottom of your quilt and press (Fig 7).
14
Your quilt top is now complete. Quilt as desired and bind to finish.
Fig 5
Fig 6
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Fig 7
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P R OJ E C T l
b e a ut if ul b o wt i e s
Meet the designer Pam and Nicky Lintott own The Quilt Room based in Dorking, Surrey, where they have a shop in a 15th-century inn, plus a studio where they operate an efficient mail order business plus a longarm quilting service using their two Gammill Statler Stitchers. They have written several books on Jelly Roll quilts and other pre-cuts published by David & Charles. www.quiltroom.co.uk thequiltroom @thequiltroom
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The block and fabric choices used in this quilt make it the perfect gift for male relatives or friends
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The Vintage Home BLOCK OF THE MONTH N0. 1
TEA FOR TWO Designed and made by JO AVERY
W
Jo’s favourite teapot
elcome to our new Block of the Month. After our year in the country we are now heading indoors for an exploration of our homes and their precious contents. Each month, I’ll be designing blocks depicting different household objects that will build together into an amazing and unique quilt. Unlike my previous BOM we won’t be making two of the same size blocks each month. Instead, you may be asked to make three smaller blocks or two different sized blocks, depending on the subject matter, and in the final month I’ll explain how they all fit together. Every month I’ll also be sharing my thoughts about the chosen item and photos of my favourites, both vintage and contemporary. Plus, we’ll feature my pick of the best vintage interior stores around the country.
Now, how about a cup of tea? I love all sorts of crockery but teapots have a special place in my heart. They also come in a huge variety of shapes, perfect for collecting. My teapot of choice is the Summer Tulip teapot by Emma Bridgewater, it’s beautiful and it pours well, which is so important. The Art Deco racing car teapot used to belong to my grandmother, it’s a little damaged on the lid but is still precious to me. I love the simplicity of a bamboo handle, especially in that striking oriental red. I’ve also included ‘Home is where the heart is’, from a range of crockery my husband, Jonathan Avery, designed and licensed a few years back using his own illustrations.
Jo x www.mybearpaw.com
mybearpaw
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JONATHAN AVERY
Japanese simplicity
An Art Deco delight 79
BLOCK OF THE MONTH
LARGE ORIENTAL TEAPOT You will need Q Neutral background fabric – 15in x 18in piece Q Patterned fabric for the teapot – 8½in x 9in piece Q Solid fabric for spout and handle – 9in x 11in piece Q Four (4) 2½in squares of different patterned fabrics Q One (1) copy of FPP template F Q Pattern pieces G, H and I
-RÐV KXVEDQG -RQD ëDQ GHVLJQHG ëLV KRPHO\ WHDSRW
Cutting out
1
From the background fabric, cut as follows: Q Two (2) 2in x 4in strips. Q Two (2) 1¾in x 14½in strips. Q One (1) 1½in x 6¾in strip. Q One (1) 1½in x 7¼in strip. Q One (1) 1¼in x 5¼in strip. Q One (1) 1¼in x 5¾in strip. Q Four (4) 1½in squares. Q One (1) of each piece using the pattern pieces G and I. Q Use the remainder for your FPP template F.
2
From your piece of teapot fabric, cut two (2) strips measuring 3½in x 8½in and one (1) strip measuring 1¼in x 4½in for the lid.
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3
From the spout/handle fabric, cut as follows: Q Two (2) 1½in x 8½in strips. Q One (1) 1½in square. Q One (1) handle using the pattern piece H. Q Use the remaining fabric for the FPP template F.
Assembling the block
one of the 3½in x 8½in teapot fabric strips, lining it up to a corner, and with the drawn line cutting across the corner. Sew along the drawn line, trim away the fabric beyond the ¼in seam allowance (Fig 1) and press the triangle open. Repeat with another 1½in background squares and the opposite corner of the teapot strip along the long side. This will be the bottom of your teapot. Repeat with the remaining 1½in background squares and the other teapot strip. Take care if using directional fabric, these will form rounded corners at the top and bottom strip of your teapots.
4
6
5
7
Sew the four (4) 2½in patterned squares together to make a row. Sew the 1½in x 8½in handle strips to either long edge of this row.
Mark a diagonal line on the wrong side of the four (4) 1½in background squares, corner to corner. Place one of these background squares RST on top of one of a corner of
Sew the top of the teapot above the patchwork square strip and the bottom of the teapot below, as shown in Fig 2 and Fig 3. Take one of the background fabric pattern pieces G and a handle piece H. Fold both in half to mark a centre line. With right sides together pin H to G (with H on top), matching at the centre and each end, and at regular Join us at www.todaysquilter.com
BLOCK OF THE MONTH l
t e a p ot s
Finished size Q 14½in square
Notes
Q Make one (1) block. Q We will be using fabric from Tilda’s Harvest collection throughout this BOM. The background is Tilda Doll fabric in Grey Sand and will be used for all the blocks.
intervals all the way round, pinning into the seam allowance (you may need as many as 9 or 10 pins) (Fig 4). Sew carefully and slowly, removing the pins as you sew and with your needle in the down position. Press (Fig 5). Using the same technique sew background fabric pattern piece I to the other side of handle (with I on top). Press. If necessary square to a 4in x 7½in block. Sew a 2in x 4in background strip to either short end of the handle piece, as shown in Fig 6.
k^ciV\Z h]de ÅcY
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JONATHAN AVERY
On the busy High Street of the small market town of Wellington in Somerset you’ll find Pepperpot, which describes itself as Vintage, Antique and Chic. I love their mix of old and new crockery, including iconic blue and white Cornishware, a favourite of mine since childhood. While on a recent visit I discovered this beautiful Crown Staffordshire Coffee Pot, which is part of a set that includes cups, cream jug and sugar bowl. It’s circa 1930s and features stunning hand painted apple blossoms. www.facebook.com/pg/pepperpot66/
8
Take a piece of background fabric and place over the back of the FPP template F with the wrong side facing the back of the paper and ensuring that the fabric covers the whole of section F1 plus at least ¼in overlapping section F2.
9
Pin a piece of spout/handle fabric RST with the background fabric piece so that when flipped over at the seam line, the spout fabric will cover section F2 plus at least ¼in overlapping section F3. Flip the template so that the paper is uppermost and sew along the seam line between sections F1 and F2, extending into the marked seam line.
10
Fold and then press the spout fabric over so it covers section F2. Next, fold the paper back at the seam line between sections F2 and F3 and trim the fabric back to ¼in beyond the paper fold.
Fig 1
Fig 2
Fig 3
Fig 4
Fig 5
Fig 6
11
Next, repeat the process to cover section F3 with a background fabric piece. Press. Turn the completed unit to the wrong side and neatly trim away any excess fabric along the outer line of the paper template. Then Join us at www.todaysquilter.com
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BLOCK OF THE MONTH l
t e a p ot s
13
Sew a 1¼in x 5¼in background strip to the left of the 1¼in x 4½in teapot lid strip and a 1¼in x 5¾in background strip to the right.
14 Fig 7
Sew a 1½in x 6¾in background strip to the left of the 1½in spout/handle square and a 1½in x 7¼in background strip to the right. Sew this strip above one made in step 13. Sew this whole strip on top of the teapot (Fig 8).
15
Lastly sew the two (2) 1¾in x 14½in background strips to the top and bottom of the block. Trim to 14½in square.
TECHNICAL TIP These teapot blocks make the ideal weekend project. As you build up the teapot shape by piecing it together then ironing it and you need a break halfway through, store your halffinished block in a clean box that’s big enough to hold the block flat. This way, you won’t have to fold it or press it again.
Fig 8
Fig 9
remove the papers by tearing carefully along the seam lines.
12
Line up the spout unit to the left of the teapot and the handle unit to the right and sew together (Fig 7).
WIN ALL THIS FABRIC! To celebrate the start of our super new Block of the Month, we are giving away a fantastic bundle of fabric from Tilda’s The Harvest Collection, used in each block in the new series. One lucky reader could bag themselves a prize, which includes four Fat Quarter bundles of 5 pieces each, worth a total of over £75! To enter, simply visit our blog at bit.ly/BOMTilda today!
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BLOCK OF THE MONTH
SMALL ROUND TEAPOT
You will need Q Neutral background fabric – 10in x 12in piece Q Patterned fabric for teapot – 7in x 10in piece
Cutting out
1
From the background fabric, cut as follows: Q Two (2) 1in x 10½in strips. Q Two (2) 1in x 2in strips. Q One (1) 1¾in x 6½in strip. Q One (1) ¾in x 2in strip. Q Two (2) ¾in x 1in pieces. Q One (1) piece using pattern E. Q Use the remainder for FPP templates A, C and D.
2
From the teapot fabric, cut as follows: Q One (1) 2in x 5¾in strip. Q Four (4) quarter circle pieces using pattern piece B. Q Use the remainder for spout FPP template A. Join us at www.todaysquilter.com
Q Scraps of solid fabric for lid and handle Q One (1) copy each of FPP template A, C, D Q Pattern pieces B and E
3
From the lid/handle fabric, cut as follows: Q One (1) 1in x 3½in strip. Q One (1) ¾in x 2in strip. Q One (1) ¾in x 1in strip. Q Use the reminder for handle FPP templates C and D.
Assemble your block
4
Following steps 8-11 from the Large Teapot block, piece spout FPP template A using background fabric to cover section A1, teapot fabric for A2 and background fabric for A3 (Figs 1-3).
5
Take one of the teapot fabric quarter circles (B) and with RST piece to the curved edge of template A
Finished size Q 7½in x 10½in square
Notes Q Make one (1) block
unit. Sew carefully and slowly, easing your curved seams and pivoting every few stitches (Fig 4). Press.
6
Take another of the teapot fabric quarter circles and, following instructions in step 5, piece to background fabric piece E. Take care that your E piece is facing the right way up before sewing as this piece is not symmetrical. Sew this quarter unit to the spout unit matching seams at curved edges (Fig 5).
7
Repeat step 4 with FPP templates C and D but replacing handle fabric instead of teapot fabric to cover the number 2 sections. Piece to teapot fabric quarter circles as shown in 83
BLOCK OF THE MONTH l
t e a p ot s
UHDç\ SRW VKRXOGQÐW YH RXW æ II FR O WH V D HD R O 7KH S ÐV WRR SUHWW\ W EH KHUH EXW LW step 5. Sew these two quarter blocks together matching seams at curved edges (Fig 6).
8
Next, sew the ¾in x 2in piece of background fabric strip to one short end of the 2in x 5¾in teapot fabric strip and sew the ¾in x 2in lid fabric strip to the other short end. Sew a ¾in x 1in piece of background fabric either side of the ¾in x 1in lid
fabric piece. Carefully sew this strip above the lid fabric strip, as shown in Fig 7. Press.
9
Sew a teapot half unit either side of the centre teapot strip, referring to Fig 8 for placement. Press.
10
Sew a 1in x 2in background strip either short end of the 1in x 3½in handle fabric strip. Sew this to the 1¾in x 6½in background strip. Sew this piece to the left of the block, to finish the handle (Fig 9). Lastly sew 1in x 10½in strips to the top and bottom of the block.
Fig 1
Fig 2
Fig 3
Fig 4
Fig 5
Fig 6
Fig 7
Fig 8
Fig 9
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quality fabric for patchwork & quilting𩐠extra-wide backing fabrics𩐠wadding & utility fabrics𩐠haberdashery𩐠tools𩐠kits𩐠 patterns𩐠books & magazines𩐠classes & workshops𩐠 long-arm quilting service𩐠exhibitions & events𩐠Mystery Club block-of-themonth𩐠Box of Delights subscription box𩐠Conservatory Coffee Shop
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TE M P L ATE S All the templates you’ll need from issue 29...
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D1 F1
G
LARGE TEAPOT
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TEMPLATE A (FRONT) Large Circle
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Useful guide to quilting goodies!
DIRECTORY
Find the fabrics, accessories and more that you want from this month’s issue. SHOPPING
ACCESSORIES
FABRIC COLLECTIONS
Marbled Glass Headed Pins, Pincushion Set clover@stockistenquiries.co.uk
Into the Woods www.makoweruk.com 0162 850 9640
Thread box Gütermann@stockistenquiries.co.uk
Devon County www.sewingquarter.com 0800 112 4433
Thread snips groves@stockistenquiries.co.uk
BOOKS Search Press www.searchpress.com 0189 251 0850
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Chinoiserie www.michaelmillerfabrics.com Flight School, Dear Diary, Twinkle Fairies www.eqsuk.com 0116 271 0033
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NORTH WEST ENGLAND
NORTH WEST ENGLAND
SOUTH EAST ENGLAND
WEST WALES
TEMPTATIONS Everything you need for Patchwork and Quilting. Hundreds of quality cotton fabrics,wadding,haberdashery, Brother Sewing Machines. temptationsbentham.co.uk
FABRICS AT FLEETWOOD 100’s of beautiful fabrics. Licensed designs including Disney, Marvel & Star Wars. fabricsatfleetwood.com
KATHY’S PATCH Fantastic range of fabrics, haberdashery and quilting notions. Unit 62, Folkestone Enterprise Centre, Shearway Rd, Folkestone, CT19 4RH kathyspatch.co.uk
THE QUILT SANCTUARY Professional Long Arm Quilting Service, including a selection of fabrics and wadding. Gwynedd, Wales. 01341 250809 / 07402 919194 thequiltsanctuary.co.uk
EAST ENGLAND
EAST ENGLAND
NORTH EAST ENGLAND
SOUTH WEST ENGLAND
SHERINGHAM An ever growing range of fabulous fabrics, notions and haberdashery for all your patchwork & quilting needs + yarns, beads, books and more! owltreecrafts.co.uk
SEW & SO’s Everything for the patchwork quilter, over 6,000 bolts in stock plus notions. 14 Upper Olland Street, Bungay, NR35 1BG sewsos.co.uk 01986 896147
HORNCASTLE SEWING CENTRE A friendly welcome for fabric crafters. Fabric, haberdashery, wadding and notions. 01507 524596 thesewstore.co.uk
COAST AND COUNTRY CRAFTS & QUILTS Cornwall's specialist Patchwork Shop stocking beautiful books, linens, magazines, patterns & fabrics. coastandcountrycrafts.co.uk
SOUTH WALES
NORTH WEST ENGLAND
WEST MIDLANDS
NORTH WEST ENGLAND
PELENNA PATCHWORKS Onlineshopstockinghundreds of patchwork fabrics & quilting tools – use code TD1000 for 10% off your first order! pelennapatchworks.co.uk
PATCHWORK PARADE Patchwork Parade Q House Russell Street Chadderton Oldham OL9 9LF. Open Tuesday to Saturday 10.00 till 4.00. patchworkparade.com
THE CORNER PATCH A little corner of patchwork heaven. Fabric, wadding, threads and haberdashery. Workshops for all ages and abilities. thecornerpatch.co.uk
FOBBLES Specialist Patchwork Shop in the Lake District offering mail order service and shopping by appointment for your convenience. fobbles.co.uk
· 56% of readers visit Today’s Quilter’s website after reading our magazine
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SOUTH EAST ENGLAND
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PURPLE-PIXIE FABRIC & CRAFT Fantastic fabrics from LIBERTY, Moda, Makower, Timeless Treasures. Lynette Anderson and more! P&Q notions, DIY quilting, Courses, workshops. Friendly welcome guaranteed! The Hop Farm Family Park, Maidstone Road, Paddock Wood, Kent TN12 6PY 01622 296510. purple-pixie.co.uk
LINA PATCHWORK Stop cutting Hexagons and start sewing with our top quality pre-cut paper pieces! Your one-stop shop for all things EPP related. linapatchwork.com
JACQUELYN DENISE On line shop offering quality limited edition fabrics and quilting tools. Use code QUILTTD to receive 10% discount off 1st order. Jacquelyndenise.com
NORTH WALES
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L AND C FABRICS Fabric suppliers forquilting, dress making,crafting, curtains & alterations.We have just opened our new store in Hull.
FIND US ON FACEBOOK
28 Queens Road Craig-y-Don Llandudno Conwy, North Wales LL30 1AZ thequiltingbeecyd@gmail.com 01492 878599
CHALK HILL BLUE FABRICS Supplier of patchwork fabrics, threads, waddings and notions. See you on Facebook! 01903 230008 FB/ Chalk Hill Blue Fabrics
MIDLANDS ENGLAND
WEST WALES
NORTH EAST ENGLAND
NORTH EAST ENGLAND
FABRIC TREASURE Moda 100% quality cotton fabric cut from the bolt, into sizes from 5 inches. Moda pre-cuts, layer cakes, Jelly rolls & Frivols. modafabrictreasure.co.uk
CALICO KATE Award-winning shop: Twelve rooms to explore! 36 High Street, Lampeter, SA48 7BB 01570 422866 calicokate.co.uk
UK SEWING MACHINES A family run business specialising in sewing and embroidery machines, software, overlockers, sashiko and fabric. uksewing.com 01325 463630
FABRIC MOUSE New shop in North Yorkshire selling a range of machines, fabric and classes. Free cuppa for you and a friend with this voucher. 01748 811593
For advertising opportunities call Jordana Widt on 0117 300 8539 jordana.widt@immediate.co.uk or Chris Gibson on 0117 300 8538 chris.gibson@immediate.co.uk
Cleethorpes, 217-219 Grimsby Road. 01472 600874. Hull, Unit 2 Albion House, Albion Street. 01482 325072. lcfabrics.co.uk
b a c k st o r y
PHOTOGRAPHS © HEINI
I N S P I R AT I O N l
THE SLEEP QUILT A collaboration between the novelist Tracy Chevalier and the charity Fine Cell Work
T Published by Pallas Athene Books. Hardback; 80 colour photographs £14.99 www.pallasathene.co.uk www.finecellwork.co.uk
he Sleep Quilt is unique, it was commissioned by the novelist, Tracy Chevalier, and is stitched and quilted by prisoners in the UK. And now the story of the quilt has been captured in a new book. If you enjoyed reading this month’s Winter Warmers feature on page 49, you will know that in Tracy Chevalier’s novel, The Last Runaway, the heroine is a quilter. “It dawned on me during research for The Last Runaway that I could write more easily about quilting if I knew how to do it myself. I took a class, I joined a group and, to my astonishment, I am now a quilter,” said Tracy. It was this journey into quilting that led to the Sleep Quilt project. The quilt is made up of 63 squares, each exploring what sleep means in the life of a prisoner. A moment of escape for some, for others a dark return to all they most regret in life, sleep has a great significance in jail particularly given the relentlessly noisy, hot and cramped environment. Each square, printed in full colour, appears on one full page so that you can appreciate
every detail and understand the story, sentiment and emotion conveyed by the maker. “Prisoners may initially agree to work with Fine Cell Work because they will be paid, but most of them get far more out of the experience than money… Many inmates suffer from low self-esteem. They’ve never made anything constructive or beautiful before, and have never been praised. It’s like watering a driedout plant and seeing it come back to life,” said Tracy. All royalties from the sales of the book will go to Fine Cell Work, a charity and social enterprise that runs rehabilitation projects in 30 British prisons. They train prisoners in paid, skilled, creative needlework, undertaken in the long hours spent in their cells, to foster hope, discipline and self-belief. “If they had not had the opportunities for teamwork, self-development and self-expression offered by Tracy’s Sleep Quilt many of the prisoners would struggle to believe they had anything to say or that anyone wanted to hear them. Through this book their voices can be heard,” says Katy Emck of Fine Cell Work.
Do you have a quilt with a tale to tell? Let us know, and you could be featured on the Back Story page! Email todaysquilter@immediate.co.uk or write to Today’s Quilter, Tower House, Fairfax St, Bristol, BS1 3BN
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NEXT ISSUE
On Sale
7th December
Contents subject to change
WINDMILL DELIGHT Create 3D effects with Lynne Edwards’ folded fabric technique
BEAUTIFUL BRIGHTS Expand your skills with Carolyn Forster’s curves and set-in seams
ALL MAPPED OUT Anne Williams chats to textile artist Alicia Merrett
6WD\ FRV\ ëLV ZLQWHU ZLë JèJHRXV GHVLJQV The Lintotts’ latest design – a Bargello quilt • Jo Avery’s colourful Siddi cushion will brighten the darkest winter day • Susan Briscoe’s stashbusting spinning squares • Master needle-turn appliqué with Lin Clements FREE! 44-page Sunbonnet Sue supplement Issue 30 on sale 7th December
Space to create With an extra-large 210mm (8.3�) of working space to the right of the needle any quilting or large sewing project can be handled easily. Our Square Feed Drive System (SFDS) ensures smooth uniform handling on all types of fabric. Packed with useful features and a huge variety of stitches, Brothers new long-arm range is the ideal choice.
1100 A powerful and versatile machine to meet demanding es sewing needs from dress making to quilting. Include 140 stitches, 10 button hole styles, 5 lettering styles and an automatic thread cutter.
1300 Includes all the great features of the 1100 plus 182 stitches, upper and lower case lettering, fully automatic thread tension and multi-directional sewing for large decorative stitches.
1800 0Q Includes an extra large wide table, 232 stitches as well as our ICAPs system to ensure uniform stitching across varying fabric thicknesses, and the useful pivot function allowing the fabric to be turned while the needle is down
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DEVON COUNTY
Celebrate the latest heritage-inspired fabric collection! Special souvenir supplement
IN ASSOCIATION IT
GALLERY, INTERVIEW & MORE • Make a gorgeous medallion quilt inspired by the Devon County fabric collection • Learn about The Quilters’ Guild and the team working behind the scenes • Take a virtual tour of the Walks of Life exhibition
WELCOME
*Calls from landlines will cost up to 9p per minute. Call charges from mobile phones will cost between 3p and 55p per minute but are included in free call packages
I was so excited when The Quilters’ Guild told me about their new fabric collection. After the success of Elizabeth’s Dowry, their debut collection in 2016, we could only hope that a follow-up was on the cards. The TQ team had such good fun last year putting together our supplement to celebrate the fabric, and there was no stopping us doing the same this time! Our Features Editor has again seized the chance to delve into the story behind the collection, and gets up close and personal with The Guild’s latest fascinating exhibition. As Commissioning Editor, I worked again with Sally Ablett to produce an exclusive quilt design inspired by the fabric, while our Art Editor always relishes the opportunity to photograph rich, heritage-inspired colours. Everyone loves something different about the fabric and that passion hopefully shines through in this supplement. Enjoy!
Jenny Fox-Proverbs Commissioning Editor
Commissioning Editor Jenny Fox-Proverbs Art Editor Annelise Brant Deputy Editor Fiona Smith Technical Editor Laura Pritchard Contributors Tina Prior, Carolyn Bunt, Louise Stevens, Sarah Griffiths Advertising Manager Penny Stokes Editorial Production Coordinator Lizzie Ayre Printed in the UK. Presented with Issue 29 of Today’s Quilter magazine. © Immediate Media Co. Not to be sold separately. To subscribe to Today’s Quilter call 03330 162 154* or go to www.buysubscriptions.com
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The Quilters’ Guild
NEW HORIZONS Our Features Editor, Jane Rae, spoke to Chris Gatman, Chief Executive of The Quilters’ Guild and discovered that the dream job really does exist.
I
t may not seem the most obvious career progression to go from Police Officer with the Yorkshire Constabulary to freelance Business Consultant with an MBA from Cranfield University, but for Chris Gatman, there’s been continuity in all the roles that have led to her current post with The Quilters’ Guild. I was curious to find out more about her journey and what challenges and opportunities were facing The Guild as it approaches its 40th anniversary year in 2019. Since leaving the police force, Chris has worked with a great variety of public, private and third sector organisations. She talked enthusiastically about her work developing and managing the Quality Assurance standard for Initial Teacher Training in post-16 education in England and Wales, her time as an Investors in People, ISO and Small Business Advisor and her work with The Cranfield Trust in the Yorkshire and Humber region. Amazingly, she also found time to work with the British Forces delivering their Leadership Management Skills programme in the UK and abroad. Bringing out the best in people has been at the heart of all of these roles and an interesting outcome from this journey has been her experience in pairing education and business. When The Quilters’ Guild advertised for a new Chief Executive with a focus on education, growth and change, it was the dream job for Chris. “I’ve been sewing just about all my life and I have a great interest in history, so to be involved in an organisation that combines my business and education skill sets and my interests, was a fantastic opportunity.” Lifelong learning For quilters looking to learn new skills and to develop their hobby, things have moved on a pace, particularly as, last year, City & Guilds announced they would be phasing out their patchwork and quilting awards. Plus, the way in which learning opportunities are delivered is a fast-changing environment as technology and social media evolve. We have access to so much that is online, but for some aspects of our hobby you can’t beat the opportunity to use specialist equipment with an expert on site and the synergy and spontaneity of learning as a group, together in one physical space, is fun and exciting. In other words “we want it all”. 4
Given the current climate, Chris explained to me that over the next few years, The Guild is focusing on its role at an educational charity. Over 5,228 people with an interest in quilting took part in their recent survey looking at their plans for an educational programme for quilting. As a member of The Guild, the prospect of having access to this sort of programme is fantastic. When you consider the skills and knowledge of the members, as well as the asset of The Quilters’ Guild Collection, it’s an organisation that is resource rich. Chris assured me that an educational programme is definitely on the horizon, how it’s going to be delivered and funded is still being shaped, but all the feedback from the survey supports The Guild’s priority to make this happen.
A WORD FROM CHRIS “As a charity whose remit is education we are keen to develop further the learning opportunities for our members and those who are interested in the craft. The survey results provided encouragement and information to help us plan the approach we should take. For example, we anticipated that many people would like to undertake a qualification and that others would be less interested in a qualification and more interested in the opportunity to learn new skills. The survey results indicated that just over 60% think that achieving a qualification is of some importance, the remainder are more interested in access to quality learning. Our strength lies in the quality of the education we can deliver, as can be seen from the world renowned and very popular Quilters’ Guild judging course. When asked whether they were interested in furthering their patchwork and quilting education over 82% stated they were or maybe interested to undertake a quilting course or qualification. 75% wanted it to be based on a choice of modules and over 64% stated they would prefer a combined face to face and online learning approach.”
Joined up thinking One of Chris’ other main priorities is looking at how The Guild can maximise its income from events, collaborations, licensing arrangements and more. As Chris was coming onboard last year, the launch of the
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Visitors at the Walks of Life Exhibition at Festival of Quilts talk to Curator Heather Audin
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Clockwise: Pauline Burbidge’s Honesty Skyline quilt is being used to create a brand new range of exclusive gifts; The Quilters’ Guild welcomed many new members at this year’s Festival of Quilts; an exciting collaboration, the Devon County fabric collection
Elizabeth’s Dowry fabric range was just taking off and there was a real buzz around the new collection and the quilt that inspired it, the Mariner’s Compass Coverlet. It was a collaboration on an international scale and not only did this yield a new fabric collection, but there was a new range of exclusive gifts themed around the coverlet. It was exciting to see all the different threads of The Guild coming together – the new online QShop selling the fabric, The Quilters’ Guild Collection coming to life through licensing opportunities, and a new travelling exhibition, which included the Mariner’s Compass Coverlet. And just 12 months later, Devon County fabric, inspired by the same coverlet, has arrived on the shelves and is creating its own headlines. The exciting thing about licensing is that it can work for the entire Quilters’ Guild Collection for both contemporary and heritage quilts and, as I was writing this article, the start of a new collection of gorgeous products featuring Pauline Burbidge’s Honesty Skyline was in production (turn to page 30 to see more and to purchase them).
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New perspectives One area that I was keen to chat to Chris about was The Quilters’ Guild Collection. There was a real feeling of sadness within the quilting world when The Quilt Museum closed its doors in 2015 but at the time Guild President, Vivien Finch, reminded us of what had been achieved. Over 75,000 visitors had stepped over the threshold to the museum, which hosted over 50 exhibitions. The number of paying visitors ranged between 10,000 and 12,500 per year, which we now know is a considerable achievement for a small, niche museum. When Chris arrived in 2016, she was faced with the challenge of how to continue making The Quilters’ Guild Collection accessible, given the museum closure. Within every cloud there is a silver lining and by working with an existing partner – Upper Street Events – The Guild have created a travelling exhibition appearing at the Festival of Quilts and the Knitting and Stitching Shows. There have also been bespoke exhibitions held in Devon and Yorkshire. Several thousand visitors are now gaining access to these quilt treasures that might never have had the opportunity in the past.
At the same time, Chris, supported by Heather Audin, The Guild’s curator, has been working hard to regain museum status under the Museum Accreditation Scheme run by the Arts Council England. A new Friends of The Quilters’ Guild Collection programme has been launched, which allows this to happen. For just £10 (members)/£15 (non-members), Friends can visit The Quilters’ Guild Headquarters and view items from the collection over a 20-day period every year. Heather will curate four different exhibitions lasting a week each and will be on site to meet visitors and share her passion for the quilts in her care.
A WORD FROM CHRIS “Members own a stunning collection, which gives The Guild a valuable asset when it comes to planning both commercial opportunities and exhibitions and events. Licensing the quilts and their patterns for a variety of uses enables us to make these beautiful items known to a wider audience and at the same time enables us to raise revenue to help support the upkeep and touring of the collection. The team worked so hard to bring the Elizabeth’s
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DID YOU KNOW? There’s a whole wide world of quilting out there just waiting for you to take part – from Befriending to Travelling Trunks, get stuck in!
Future proofing
Travelling Trunks and Suitcase Collections
Young Quilters is now up to the age of 18! Do you know anyone aged 14 to 18? There’s a brand new blog waiting to be explored bringing weekly inspiration for young quilters. Visit www.youngishquilters.org.uk or email youngishquilters@quiltersguild.org.uk
We love these collections, which travel all over the country introducing quilters to the specialist groups within The Guild as well as The Quilters’ Guild Collection. If you’ve never hosted a Travelling Trunk or a Suitcase Collection at your local group then why not add this to your programme for 2018? They spark lots of interest and conversation and provide learning opportunities without draining your annual budget. Visit the website to find out more. www.quiltersguild.org.uk
Become a Friend You can become a Friends of The Quilters’ Guild Collection for just £10 (members)/£15 (non-members). This will give you exclusive access to four exhibitions collectively to be held over a four-week period every year.
Shopping opportunity You can buy the entire Devon County fabric collections online from QShop. There are also loads of great ideas for stocking fillers as Christmas approaches. For a preview of some of these goodies, turn to page 30. www.quiltersguildshop.org.uk
Celebrating 300 years 2018 marks the 300th anniversary of the oldest dated quilt in The Quilters’ Guild Collection. To celebrate this occasion, Upper Street Events hopes to have the original 1718 Patchwork Coverlet on display at the Festival of Quilts next year, subject to appropriate arrangements. It’s a rare opportunity to see this exquisite quilt on display and definitely a date for your dairy (9-12 August, 2018).
Diary dates Next year’s AGM and Conference is being held in Newcastle upon Tyne, April 20-22. For the first time, there will be an American-style Carousel on the Friday afternoon – 11 very different and very talented tutors will be doing 20 minute demonstrations of techniques, processes and ways with textiles. Buy a ticket for the afternoon (just £12) and we estimate that members will have the opportunity to see at least five demonstrations/mini workshops. Other highlights include a workshop and demonstrations by Lilian Hedley, a talk by Dorothy Osler, an independent scholar and author specialising in historic quilted textiles, and a presentation sponsored by the Beamish Museum where Geraldine Straker will be telling the story of a NE quilter, Joseph Hedley, who was brutally murdered in 1826! Guild members can book online at www.quiltersguild.org.uk. Not a member? Visit the website to join!
Clockwise: Young Quilters can attend handson events throughout the UK; the Travelling Trunks have been a big success with quilt groups who want to add a heritage aspect to their yearly programmes; the new Friends of The Quilters’ Guild Collection programme costs just £10 a year for members.
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The Quilters’ Guild current travelling exhibition is Walks of Life
Dowry theme together so its success was a real relief. Based on this success, we decided to try introducing a new theme each year that would be the basis for the Gallery at Festival of Quilts and all other events during the following year. This year the team developed ”Walks of Life”, which showcases a range of items that were made by people from different walks of life. From a soldier/policeman through to a lighthouse keeper’s wife and including one of the more recent collection acquisitions, Honesty Skyline by Pauline Burbidge. The makers’ stories captured viewer’s imagination and our branding manager has developed a wonderful range of merchandise that supports the theme. The team are already working on next year’s theme. It may not always be possible to have a fabric licensed for design each year, but it is certainly something we would be interested in considering and we also believe that the patterns would be great for the home furnishing sector too.” 8
Team work For many organisations, navigating change can be the make or break. For Chris, it’s what she does best and after 18 months as Chief Executive of The Guild, she’s driving ahead with new ways of thinking and operating to ensure the longevity of The Guild and to ensure that members get the maximum benefit from being part of such a special organisation with 18 regions, thousands of members and over 300 affiliated groups.
A WORD FROM CHRIS “I believe in enabling the staff team to make their own decisions (with support as appropriate) based on a thorough understanding of the business strategy and objectives. We have a no blame culture where successes are celebrated, mistakes are discussed and learnt from and solutions identified in an adult and supportive manner. Each of the team has their own objectives to achieve and those objectives support those of The
Guild. We discuss ideas and issues as a team and support each other through difficult and busy periods. Members don’t always appreciate that many of the team work part time and each person is talented, dedicated and skilled in their field. They always go the extra mile to ensure our members get the best possible service and support. They have risen magnificently to every challenge and change I have thrown at them, I couldn’t be more proud of what this small team of eight people has achieved over the last 18 months. The Board, which is mostly made up of volunteer Guild members’, are also extremely dedicated, hardworking and supportive and work equally hard to ensure that we stay on track. “They say the one thing you can be sure of in life is change. How we respond to it is really up to us. I don’t know about you, but with so many interesting developments on the horizon, you can count me in.”
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MEET THE TEAM The Quilters’ Guild has a Council (Board of Trustees) of up to 12 people, most of whom are drawn from the membership of The Guild. One of Chris’ main objectives is to support the President – Margaret “Margie” Jenkins – and Trustees in making strategic decisions about The Guild. None of this would be possible without her valued team.
Christine Morton Business Manager
Heather Audin Curator
Catherine Candlin Brand Manager
Christine runs the day-to-day business of The Guild looking after finance, business management, operations and security, which has become an important aspect of The Guild’s role as custodians of such a valuable collection. She’s always ready to step in for Chris as her Deputy when needed.
Heather cares for The Quilters’ Guild Collection and works with the Collections Committee to create exhibitions and other opportunities to view items in The Collection. Heather is passionate about her role, as many of you will have discovered when meeting her out and about at Guild events.
Catherine ensures that Guild branding, marketing and retailing reflects their values and ethos. She is also available to support Regions and Specialist Groups to develop their marketing upon request. Catherine’s camera is never too far away from the action and she’s a mine of creative ideas and inspiration.
Christopher Mackins and Carol Bowden Membership Officers
Sarah Illing Young Quilters Project Leader
Cathy Hook Retailer
Through the Young Quilters Project Sarah works to support voluntary Young Quilter Representatives across the UK and to develop the work The Guild does with young people. It’s an important role and Sarah’s been heavily involved in launching the new blog, www.youngishquilters.org.uk
Cathy runs The Quilters’ Guild online shop, replenishing, packing and sending stock to customers. Cathy is also responsible for arranging advertising in The Quilter. Cathy will be the person working hard to get your orders in the post, in time for Christmas!
Chris and Carol administer the membership database. It’s likely that you’ve spoken to both Chris and Carol at some stage if you are a membe. If you are thinking of joining, they’d be only too happy to hear from you.
Lindsey Park Administrator Lindsey has one of most varied roles in the organisation working with all members of the team to support them
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in their individual roles. There’s never a dull moment!
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DEVON COUNTY – A FAMILY HISTORY Discover the story and the people who inspired the new fabric collection from fabric designer and quiltmaker, Karen Styles
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aren Styles is the designer of the Devon County fabric collection. She’s also the owner of Somerset Patchwork & Quilting in Melbourne, Australia, a business that specialises in vintage and reproduction fabrics. Karen is passionate about heritage quilts and, as well as running regular workshops and classes, she creates beautiful quilt patterns. Devon County is the second fabric range inspired by the Mariner’s Compass Coverlet, which Karen discovered on a visit to The Quilters’ Guild in 2015. At the time, Karen was in discussion with Marcus Fabrics about ideas for new fabric lines and was hoping that one of the quilt treasures in the collection would make a stand-out appearance. She wasn’t disappointed. She remembers seeing the Mariner’s Compass Coverlet for the first time, “It’s made with the most amazing precision in cutting and piecing for
its time. The colours are still as strong and vibrant today as they would have been when the quilt was first made. There were so many fabrics that simply called out to be reproduced!” As a personal tribute, Karen named the 22 individual prints in the Devon County collection for members of the Dennis/Cann family, along with the names of all the individuals who helped the line to come about, including “those who work at The Quilters’ Guild, my children and a group of women and men who have influenced me throughout my life. The designs are an eclectic mix of antique reproduction fabrics that could fit into any style of quilt, from reproduction to modern and all styles in between.” It’s always been a dream of Karen’s to create a fabric range with a personal connection and we asked her to share some anecdotes about the people who have inspired the names for the prints in Devon County.
2018 is a busy year for Somerset Patchwork & Quilting Below, the designer of the Devon County fabric, Karen Styles; Right, the new collection is an eclectic mix that will work with reproduction and modern quilt designs
Karen has a new fabric line coming in the New Year, “Bathwick” with Marcus Fabrics; this is named for a Georgian town in England. The inspiration for these fabrics was from an early quilt from her private collection, the age of the original fabrics can be tracked back to 1760-1780 and together make a very eclectic group. Bathwick will be in stores early 2018. Karen is planning to return to the UK in 2018 to teach, and would love to meet many of our readers in classes around the country or at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham. www.somersetpatchwork.com.au
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The central mariner’s compass motif from the Mariner’s Compass Coverlet
ALL IMAGES © THE QUILTERS’ GUILD COLLECTION
THE CANN DAUGHTERS Mary (the younger) was the only daughter to marry. She married Irish born Joseph M. Tottenham in 1868, and had one daughter, Mary K Tottenham in 1870, and one son, Charles Joseph in 1877. However, their marriage failed, and she was back living with her mother and sisters in 1881, with no mention or subsequent information about what happened to her daughter. Her husband died in 1882, and was by then living back in his native Ireland. We know the rest of the daughters stayed at home to help their mother. In various census returns they are listed as shop assistants, partners or by individual occupations as dressmakers and milliners. The eldest daughter, Annie Dennis Cann, took over the shop when Mary retired, and is listed as head of the household in the 1891 census. She was also the beneficiary of Mary’s estate, receiving £355 upon her death in the same year.
The two Marys, Margaret and Annie are named in the new collection and of course, Elizabeth is remembered in Elizabeth’s Dowry. Clockwise: Annie Cann; Mary Cann (nee Dennis) – the mother; Mary (Cann) Tottenham; Margaret Cann; Elizabeth Cann; Fanny Cann
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FABRIC FAMILY TREE “It is always difficult naming a fabric line; there are so many things to take into consideration… will it say anything to the consumers? Does it relate to the original source or does it have some special meaning to the fabric designer? My first collection created with The Quilters’ Guild was named after one of Mary Cann’s daughters, Elizabeth. This second group is named for the county in which Mary lived as a young girl and where she made the Mariner’s Compass Coverlet prior to her marriage in 1820. “While working on this second collection I was also asked to name each individual fabric, a slightly daunting task! I looked at the members of Mary’s family, my own family and friends, and the three women from The Quilters’ Guild who had helped me along the way: Heather the Curator, Christine the Business Manager and Brand Manager Catherine Candlin, the force behind selling The Guild to the world. “Mary had several daughters, her only daughter to marry was Mary and she herself had a daughter named Mary… therefore the fabric I named for Mary has an interesting design that, to me, resembles the act of fertilisation and the beginnings of an embryo. Mary was the matriarch of the family, the mother to all. “I have honoured my mother, Lois, and father, Robin, with fabrics as well as my mother-in-law, Audrey and father-in-law, Donald. Donald brought his family to Australia from England in 1968; this design resembles a boat sailing to a new land of green and gold (Australia’s national colours). For my father Robin, there are leaves that look like bird’s wings, blue for the colour of his eyes. My three children are represented here too. Mark, an engineer, always sees things in a very geometric and orderly way. Kimberley is the only girl in our family and her personality shines. I always think of her as pink, but that’s not how she sees herself! And Brenton Matthew… Brenton’s favourite colour is blue, he lives a long way from home and I am hoping that the path will lead him back one day soon.” – Karen Styles
7982-0190 Heather
7983-0190 Christine
7985-0111 Catherine
7987-0190 Mary
7993-0182 Audrey
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7980-0190 Lois
7991-0182 Donald
7997-0150 Robin
7995-0150 Mark
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7989-0182 Kimberley
7999-0114 William
7996-0150 James
7998-0150 Matthew
7997-0111 Robin
7992-0111 Margaret
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“It is always difficult naming a fabric line; there are so many things to take into consideration…” Karen Styles 7988-0190 Jayne
7984-0190 Annie
7986-0190 Susan
7990-0190 Dorothy
7989-0190 Kimberley
7990-0163 Dorothy
7993-0135 Audrey
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THE CANN FAMILY QUILTS
Left, Brownsham Farm, home to Mary Dennis before she married Richard Cann (where the Mariner’s Compass Coverlet was made); Above, Cann & Co drapery shop in Hartland village
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he Mariner’s Compass Coverlet is one of five quilts made by the Cann family, who were from Devonshire, England. The quilts represent almost 80 years of fabrics, quiltmaking and fashions in patchwork style. Photographs and provenance provided by the family’s descendants provide interesting insight into one family’s life through the 19th century. Mary Cann (née Dennis) married Richard Cann in 1828 and they had six daughters; Annie, Jane, Elizabeth, Fanny, Mary and Margaret, and one son, John. Unfortunately, Jane died in 1842 when she was ten years old, followed by her father, Richard, one month later from typhoid fever.
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Unable to manage the farm, Mary and her children moved to Hartland village in north west Devon where they ran a drapers and grocery shop. Mary stayed running the shop, Cann & Co, for almost 50 years, with three of her daughters listed as partners in the business by 1881. Mary was listed as retired in the 1891 census. She died later that year at the impressive age of 92. With a ready supply of fashionable fabrics and so many skilled seamstresses in the family, it is difficult to know who contributed what towards each piece – but their talent lives on today.
PHOTOGRAPHS © THE QUILTERS’ GUILD COLLECTION
Did you know that the Mariner’s Compass Coverlet, which inspired the Elizabeth’s Dowry and Devon County fabric ranges, is one of five quilts from the Cann family in The Quilters’ Guild Collection?
Above, Mary Cann (née Dennis) 1799-1891. Photograph taken possibly late 1870s-1880 (aged late 70s early 80s)
Visit www.quiltmuseum.org.uk for more information.
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PHOTOGRAPHS © THE QUILTERS’ GUILD COLLECTION
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MARINER’S COMPASS COVERLET 1820–1829
The Mariner’s Compass Coverlet has always attracted interest from the quilting community not only because of its historic design, but because it is one of the few items in the collection where the provenance is known. Mary Cann (née Dennis), a farmer’s daughter, was born in 1799, and lived at Brownsham
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Farm, Hartland with her parents, John and Ann Dennis. It was here that she probably made the spectacular and meticulously hand-pieced coverlet as part of her bottom drawer household items and clothes collected by women in those days in preparation for their married life.
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PHOTOGRAPHS © THE QUILTERS’ GUILD COLLECTION
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DIAMOND MOSAIC COVERLET 1840-1860
This coverlet is made from diamonds of multicoloured and patterned printed cottons, with an outside border of triangles and corner star blocks. It is thought to have been made by one of Mary Dennis Cann’s daughters, and the design is similar to that of the Mariner’s Compass, which was made by Mary.
However, the stitching is not quite as accurate, and the design does not incorporate a complicated central motif, so it has been suggested that this may be the work of one of the daughters from the Cann family rather than Mary herself.
“The large diamond coverlet dating from the mid century is something of an homage to the Mariner’s Compass Coverlet” 16
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DOUBLE-SIDED COT QUILT 1890-1900
PHOTOGRAPHS © THE QUILTERS’ GUILD COLLECTION
This double-sided cot quilt is made from different coloured printed cottons, and shows a diamond mosaic patchwork design from the front. This striking quilt shows a myriad of fabrics harnessed in a uniform diamonds pattern.
SQUARES RE-COVERED COT QUILT 1850-1890 This cot quilt is made from different coloured printed cottons. The wadding is thought to be an old quilt or blanket, which was re-covered with more recent fabric to make this cot quilt. In this early evidence of upcycling, the new cot quilt design boasts soft pink and blue colours, with muted browns to match a baby’s crib.
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The reverse of the double-sided quilt has an eight-pointed central star with squares and rectangles. It is thought to have been made for Charles Tottenham, the son of the only daughter in the Dennis Cann family who married.
SILK TRIANGLES COVERLET 1850-1900 The coverlet was originally four times the size of this remaining piece, it was cut down and the lace frill border added to make it more useful as a decorative parlour piece.
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WALKS OF LIFE Every year The Quilters’ Guild chooses a fascinating and informative theme for their travelling exhibition
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arlier this year, The Quilters’ Guild announced the launch of its new exhibition “Walks of Life”, which debuted at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham and will travel to the Harrogate Knitting & Stitching Show in November this year. Walks of Life examines the lives and stories behind the makers of 15 historic quilts from The Quilters’ Guild Collection, ranging from 1830 to the present day, including the newly acquired Honesty Skyline made by one of the UK’s most influential contemporary quiltmakers, Pauline Burbidge. This social history centred exhibition includes a beautiful mosaic patchwork quilt in bright pinks and greens made by a Lighthouse Keeper’s wife in the 1880s; a star cotton patchwork coverlet with braided seams made by a soldier and policeman in the 1860s; and a
wool suiting sample coverlet made by a Tailoress from Edinburgh in the 1930s. Also featured is a stunning patchwork coverlet made from offcuts of Livery Uniforms, made by employees of Purves Tailoring firm in Allanton, Berwickshire as a wedding gift for the owners’ daughter. Allanton is where Pauline Burbidge’s home and studio are located and this connection was something that curator Heather Audin was keen to highlight – “it’s exciting to see the tradition of quilt making surviving through the centuries, from the Allanton Tailors to Pauline’s professional quilt art works”. We hope you will enjoy this gallery of some of the quilts on display. If you turn to pages 30 you can find out how to buy some of the exclusive gifts inspired by Walks of Life.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE QUILTS We all have different backgrounds: where we are born and live, the families we come from, the professions we choose. The makers of the quilts on display in this gallery represent a diverse range of people. They all made quilts for different purposes: commissions, gifts, keeping warm or simply for the enjoyment of making. Whatever their motivation, this group of quilt-makers working over the last
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150 years all have something in common: the beautiful, skilled and unique pieces they produced.
Heather Audin, Curator, The Quilters’ Guild
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PHOTOGRAPH BY PHILIP STANLEY DICKSON
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HONESTY SKYLINE Maker: Quilt Artist Pauline Burbidge, Allanton, Berwickshire 2015 “Honesty Skyline” is a Quiltscapes, or textile landscapes, a fabric collage especially made for the wall. Made using cyanotype printing and fabric rubbings, Pauline worked with plants and flowers that surround her home in the Scottish Borders. The imagery is inspired by the changing natural landscape visible from her studio and home. Honesty (Lunaria annua) is a plant best known for its translucent seedpods, which are circular in shape resembling coins or full moons. The top section of the quilt features printed Honesty seedpods
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onto cotton lawn and silk organza, with rubbings layered behind. The middle and bottom sections feature fabric rubbings of red-hot poker leaves on cotton organdie, with marks underneath drawn on using a Markel stick. All of these collaged layers were hand stitched into place, and then entirely hand quilted. This was the second piece made using cyanotype printing. Mono printing has also been used and is another technique being developed by Pauline in her latest series of Quiltscape works. 19
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BLACK ADDER LIVERY COVERLET Makers: Tailors employed by Purves Tailors, Allanton, Berwickshire 1898 This striking wool coverlet is made in the same tradition as military or uniform coverlets, and uses offcuts of staff livery uniforms from the once grand Blackadder Estate in Allanton, Berwickshire. It was made by tailors employed in the Purves Tailoring business in Allanton village for
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the daughter of the owner, Jane Melrose Purves, when she married Robert Harrower in 1898. Her father, William Purves, was one of several Tailoring businesses in the village. The quilt is ďŹ nished with a wool fringe and backed with a oral beige cotton.
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ALL IMAGES © THE QUILTERS’ GUILD COLLECTION
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R AY MARSHALL’S QUILT Maker: Ray Marshall, Canadian Potter living in West Sussex 1960-1979 Ray Marshall was a Canadian ex-serviceman, born in 1913, who settled in England at the end of the Second World War after serving in the Canadian Army Medical Corps. His talent for pottery was realised by the teacher of the vocational evening class he took during his last year stationed in Hampshire. He demobilised in England, taking up a pottery course at the Royal College of Art. He went on to become a founder member of Milland Pottery and spent the rest of his life in a cottage in Stedham, near Midhurst, producing functional and
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artistic works, which now feature in the collections of the V&A, Worthing Museum, Brighton Museums and Pallant House Gallery in Chichester. He died in 1986. He took up quilting later in life when ceramics became too heavy and difficult for him to make. This quilt is a bright multi-coloured quilt made of cotton, rayon, silk, polyester, crimplene and viyella. It is machine pieced and hand tied with a design featuring small squares of strip pieces surrounded by two borders. 21
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FARNE ISLANDS QUILT Maker: Mary Elizabeth Upton, wife of Lighthouse Keeper Joseph Upton 1875-1900 This vibrant and striking quilt was made by Mary Elizabeth Upton, wife of Lighthouse Keeper Joseph Upton, while Joseph was the Principle keeper on the Farne Islands between 1892-1894. Both Mary and Joseph were born in Kent, and the census records show they travelled the length and breadth of the country, working in lighthouses from the Scilly Isles off the coast of Cornwall, Lowestoft on the east coast of Suffolk and the Farne islands off the coast of Northumbria. This working pattern was quite normal for this profession, and Keepers usually served four or ďŹ ve years at a series of different stations throughout their careers. The usual crew
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was three keepers, each working an eight-hour shift once every 24 hours. Most keepers had a seafaring or engineering background. The job required both a literate and practical man, as detailed meteorological records were kept as well as the lighthouse machinery mechanically maintained. In bad weather it could be hazardous, as the lantern window had to be cleaned in snowstorms, to prevent obscuring the light. Frame style quilt with central square on-point inside borders containing stars, diamonds and hexagons. Hand pieced from velvets, silks and furnishing style damask fabrics, and backed with a paisley printed cotton.
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WILFRID MCSLOY COVERLET Maker: James Burt (whilst convalescing in Northumberland) 1930s James Burt made the coverlet for his friend Wilfrid McSloy when they were both being treated for tuberculosis in Woolley Sanatorium in Northumberland in the late 1930s (1936-1937). The front side of the coverlet is made of square patches onpoint with a border of larger rectangular patches set at an angle. This has also been embroidered to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of George V and Queen Mary. It has also been decorated with an appliquéd cigarette silk printed with the British Empire
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Royal Standard flag. The reverse is made of squares on-point. The patches are a mixture of plain and printed dress cotton, silk and rayon fabrics. It took James a year to make by hand and he calculated he had used a total of 12,264 patches, sewn together at 16-18 stitches to the inch, taking 1,825 hours. It’s no surprise that the cheerful fabrics and meditative nature of stitch, combined with the goal of producing a beautiful coverlet, would be therapeutic for James and be part of his convalescence.
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PINK STAR QUILT Maker: Watson Family of Farmers based in Cumbria 1900 This late nineteenth century pink star quilt was made by one of the Watson sisters; Elizabeth, Annie or Sarah-Jane, who lived on Burnthwait farm in Cumbria. The patchwork stars are organised in frames surrounded by a ďŹ nal zigzag border. The piece is made from everyday dress cottons and is hand-quilted with an overall chevron design. The central cotton wadding can be seen through one of the more fragile
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pieces of cotton in the centre. Life on the farm started early, and family provenance states that the women of the house rose at 5am to begin their domestic chores. Their farm had no electricity, so the sisters made the most of the daylight hours and used the time between one and three o’clock for their sewing duties. The sisters made many quilts, both decorative and practical.
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BR AIDED STAR COVERLET Maker: William Singleton, Ex Soldier and Policeman from Lancashire 1860-1870 Braided Star coverlet, made from cotton fabric, pieced, each piece edged with different coloured braid. The central design is a structured geometric star, with the surrounding shapes also following a carefully designed geometric theme. This is one of the few items in the collection known to have been made by a man. William Singleton was born
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in 1837 and was a Private in the 3rd Madras European Regiment during the Indian Mutiny. When he left the army he joined the Police force, and in later life moved with his family to Leyland. It is thought he made this coverlet, and a tablecloth (also in the collection) at some time during the 1860s-1870s.
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LADIES WORK SOCIETY COVERLET Maker: Unknown 1875-1899 This appliquéd coverlet is made from a background of blue and off-white linen, with appliqué motifs of good quality printed dress fabrics. All of the applied fabric has been couched over its joining edge with embroidery silks, and in the centre of the piece “Industria” is embroidered in satin stitch. A Ladies Work Society woven label is still present on the back of the coverlet, and reads “Ladies Work Society,
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21 Sloan Street, London”. The Ladies Work Society was established in 1875 and was part of the wider Arts and Crafts movement that was emerging at the end of the 19th century. Led by artists such as William Morris, the movement aimed to promote and encourage architecture and the applied arts as worthy artistic disciplines. Textiles, as an artistic craft, was one of the disciplines revived.
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RIDEHALGH QUILT Maker: Unknown 1860-1890 This beautiful and intricate mosaic patchwork is made from rich silk, brocade and velvet, and each individual piece has been outlined in gold silk braid. The small pieces have been hand sewn over paper templates, making the construction of this elaborate quilt very time consuming. It is backed with a paisley design cotton and red wool reverse, which has been quilted in a chevron design to a central cotton wadding. The quilt is said to have been made for Colonel Ridehalgh and his wife of Fell Foot House in the Lake District, as a gift from their female servants. Fell Foot was a grand house with an aviary, stables and an extensive 18 acres of landscaped grounds on the east shore of Lake Windermere. Colonel C. J .M. Ridehalgh bought the house in 1859. He was a founder member of the Royal Windermere Yacht Club and constructed a miniature dockyard with Gothic style boathouses for his steam yachts, the Fairy Queen and Britannia.
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CASTLESIDE STRIPPY QUILT Maker: Ann Forrest, Dressmaker from County Durham 1900-1910 Very little is known about Ann, but it is recorded that she learnt to quilt from Mary Ellen Ellison, a local dressmaker, embroiderer and teacher in the village. North Country Wholecloth quilts were very distinctive in style, and featured motifs that were traditional to that area. This quilt uses just two strippy motifs, the lined cable on the pink strips and a bellows design with square diamond inďŹ ll on the white.
WELSH WHOLECLOTH Maker: Mrs Jones Groes Faen, a professional quilter from Glamorganshire 1934 Rose and gold were the colours chosen for this traditional Welsh wholecloth. It was commissioned as a Wedding gift in 1934. As Groes Faen was a village relying on its iron ore mine, it is likely that Mrs Jones quilted as a way to provide extra ďŹ nancial support for her family.
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TAILORESS COVERLET Maker: Mrs Duff, Tailoress in Edinburgh 1930s This rectangular pieced frame patchwork coverlet made from woollen tailors samples and backed with Turkey Red paisley cotton. The pieces have been machine stitched and the edges of the quilt butted in and machined. It was
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made by Mrs Duff who was a tailoress in Edinburgh in the 1930s. She used samples and left over pieces from her tailoring business.
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LUCY ANSON COVERLET Maker: Lucy Harrison (nĂŠe Anson), Umbrella Maker in Sheffield 1880-1910 This tumbling block mosaic patchwork is hand sewn using paper templates, and the careful arrangement of the coloured diamond pieces creates an effective and contemporary looking three-dimensional design. The deep outer border of green velvet is edged with haberdashery braid and the piece is backed with a plain red cotton. This style of patchwork was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century, which is when this piece dates from. It was made by Lucy Harrison (nĂŠe
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Anson), who was born in 1867 and married William Harrison in 1892. The family story states that when William became consumptive and unable to work, Lucy founded an umbrella company to provide for her family. However, census records show that her father is listed as an umbrella manufacturer and her siblings as working in the same business. It is thought that the coverlet was made using fabric offcuts used to make the umbrellas and parasols in her family business.
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RETAIL THERAPY QShop is filled with affordable, exclusive presents for quilt lovers. Inspired by The Quilters’ Guild’s extensive heritage collection, it’s the perfect one-stop shop for unique Christmas stocking fillers and gift ideas.
Save the date
2018 Quilters’ Guild Calendar The calendar features twelve beautiful quilts made by members of the Guild. A slimline hanging calendar, perfect to keep track of personal and quilting events of the year. £6.50
Perfect view EXCLUSIVE OFFER!
Quilters’ Guild members receive 10% discount on all orders at any time. For a limited period only, readers can purchase merchandise at 20% discount, quote DEVON when placing your order (offer finishes 31 December 2017).
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Farne Islands glasses case and cloth The perfect gift that’s both beautiful and useful. The hard-hinged glasses case will keep your spectacles safe, and the matching microfibre cloth will be on hand to clean lenses. The cloth also works to wipe phone, tablet or computer screens. Showing a colourful detail from the Farne Islands Quilt, which is part of the Quilters’ Guild Collection. Case 160mm x 60mm x 40mm approx Cloth 150mm x 180mm. £10
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Mix & match coasters
The Blackadder range
Mariner’s Compass
The Blackadder Livery Coverlet, made in 1989, is a striking wool coverlet that has inspired a gorgeous collection of gifts.
Start the day with some design inspiration with a bone china mug. £12
Blackadder Notebook
Blackadder Tape measure
A beautiful, hardback A5 notebook of lined cartridge paper. Perfect for jotting down your creative thoughts. £12
A 150cm/60in retractable pocket tape measure. £3
These beautiful coasters make great, easy-to-post gifts. £3.50 each
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ps
Blackadder Mug
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IMAGES © THE QUILTERS’ GUILD OF THE BRITISH ISLES
Quilt tales Walks of Life Souvenir Exhibition Guide The book examines the lives and stories behind the makers of 15 historic quilts from The Quilters’ Guild Collection, ranging from 1830 to the present day, including Honesty Skyline made by one of the UK’s most influential contemporary quiltmakers, Pauline Burbidge. £5
Blue sky thinking Honesty Skyline Notebook Pauline Burbidge’s ethereal quiltscape Honesty Skyline has been sensitively reproduced in this first of a series of
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MEDALLION QUILT
DEVON COUNTY Sew this stunning classic medallion design using the new Devon County fabric line, and create a future family heirloom. Designed and made by SALLY ABLETT Long-arm quilted by MARY-JANE HUTCHINSON
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MEDALLION QUILT
devon county You will need Q Annie (A) – ½yd Q Mary (B) – Fat Quarter Q Susan (C) – Fat Quarter Q Jayne (D) – ½yd Q Kimberley (E) – ½yd Q Lois (F) – ½yd Q Christine (G) – ½yd Q Kimberley (H) – Fat Quarter Q Heather (I) – Fat Quarter Q Catherine (J) – ⅜yd Q Mark (K) – ½yd Q Matthew (L) – ½yd Q Robin (M) – ½yd Q James (N) – 1yd (includes binding) Q Audrey (O) – Fat Quarter Q Audrey (P) – ½yd Q William (Q) – ½yd Q Margaret (R) – Fat Quarter Q Donald (S) – Fat Quarter Q Robin (T) – ½yd Q Dorothy (U) – Fat Quarter Q Dorothy (V) – Fat Quarter Q Faded Purple (W) – ⅜yd
Cutting for Borders 1 and 3
5 B E H I N D T H E Q U I LT
HERITAGE QUILT
Inspired by the latest fabric collection called Devon County from The Quilters’ Guild (available to buy from Sewing Quarter, see page 42 for details), Sally has shown off the gorgeous patterns and colours of this collection in this classic medallion design featuring traditional blocks.
Cutting for the centre block
1
From cream fabric (X), cut as follows: Q Four (4) 3in x 5½in pieces. Q Four (4) 3in squares. Q Eight (8) 3⅜in squares cut in half diagonally once. Q One (1) 6¼in square cut in half diagonally twice.
2
From Margaret fabric (R), cut as follows:
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Q Four (4) 5⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once.
3
From Dorothy fabric (V), cut as follows: Q Two (2) 6¼in squares cut in half diagonally twice. Q Eight (8) 3in squares. Q One (1) 4in square.
4
From Kimberley fabric (H), cut as follows: Q Eight (8) 3⅜in squares cut in half diagonally once.
From Faded Purple fabric (W), cut as follows: Q Two (2) 1½in x 20½in sides. Q Two (2) 1½in x 22½in top and bottom. Q Two (2) 1½in x 30½in sides. Q Two (2) 1½in x 32½in top and bottom.
Cutting for Border 4 blocks Block 1 From Matthew fabric (L), cut as follows: Q Eight (8) 4½in squares.
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From Audrey fabric (P), cut as follows: Q Four (4) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once.
8
From Christine fabric (G), cut as follows: Q Four (4) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once.
Block 2 From Kimberley fabric (E), cut as follows: Q Eight (8) 4½in squares.
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Q Cream (X) – ½yd Q Gallery Red (Y) – ¼yd Q Artichoke (Z) – ⅜yd Q Batting – 84in square Q Backing fabric – 84in square
Finished size Q 80in square
Fabrics used Devon County and solids from The Quilters’ Guild.
Notes
Q Use ¼in seam allowance throughout. Press all seams open unless otherwise noted. Q Before cutting your squares in half diagonally once, see which way you will cut your diagonal cut. You may need to cut from bottom left to top right or top left to bottom right. .
Fabric key
Annie (A)
Mary (B)
Susan (C)
Jayne (D)
Kimberley (E)
Lois (F)
Christine (G)
Kimberley (H)
Heather (I)
Catherine (J)
Mark (K)
Matthew (L)
Robin (M)
James (N)
Audrey (O)
Audrey (P)
William (Q)
Margaret (R)
Donald (S)
Robin (T)
Dorothy (U)
Dorothy (V)
Faded Purple (W)
Cream (X)
Gallery Red (Y)
Artichoke (Z)
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P R OJ E C T l
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Block 5 From Lois fabric (F), cut as follows: Q Eight (8) 4½in squares.
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From William fabric (Q), cut as follows: Q Four (4) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once.
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From Heather fabric (I), cut as follows: Q Four (4) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once.
Cutting for Border 5
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From Gallery Red fabric (Y), cut as follows: Q Five (5) 1½in x WOF strips.
Cutting for Border 6 blocks Block 1 From Robin fabric (M), cut as follows: Q Eight (8) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once. Q Twenty (20) 2½in squares.
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From Christine fabric (G), cut as follows: Q Eight (8) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once.
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From Donald fabric (S), cut as follows: Q Sixteen (16) 2½in squares.
10
From Annie fabric (A), cut as follows: Q Four (4) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once.
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From Dorothy fabric (U), cut as follows: Q Four (4) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once.
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From Jayne fabric (D), cut as follows: Q Four (4) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once. Block 4 From Mark fabric (K), cut as follows: Q Eight (8) 4½in squares.
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12
16
13
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Block 3 From Catherine fabric (J), cut as follows: Q Eight (8) 4½in squares. From Robin fabric (M), cut as follows: Q Four (4) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once.
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From Donald fabric (S), cut as follows: Q Four (4) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once.
From Mary fabric (B), cut as follows: Q Four (4) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once.
Block 2 From Jayne fabric (D), cut as follows: Q Eight (8) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once. Q Twenty (20) 2½in squares.
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From Mark fabric (K), cut as follows: Q Eight (8) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once.
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From Heather fabric (I), cut as follows: Q Sixteen (16) 2½in squares. Block 3 From Annie fabric (A), cut as follows:
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P R OJ E C T l
Q Eight (8) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once. Q Twenty (20) 2½in squares.
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From Matthew fabric (L), cut as follows: Q Eight (8) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once.
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From Catherine fabric (J), cut as follows: Q Sixteen (16) 2½in squares.
Block 4 From Audrey fabric (P), cut as follows: Q Eight (8) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once. Q Twenty (20) 2½in squares.
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From Lois fabric (F), cut as follows: Q Eight (8) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once.
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From Mary fabric (B), cut as follows: Q Sixteen (16) 2½in squares.
Cutting for Borders 2 & 8
Fig 1
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X
From all of the fabrics you have left over, carefully cut a total of four-hundred-and-eight (408) 2½in squares.
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V
Cutting for binding
40
From James fabric (N), cut as follows: Q Eight (8) 2½in x WOF strips.
Fig 2
Making the Centre block
41
Sew fabric X 3⅜in triangles to two sides of the fabric V 4in square. Press open and sew two more triangles to the remaining sides, to complete the economy block (Fig 1).
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Sew two (2) pieces of fabric H 3⅜in triangles to a fabric V 6¼in triangle, to make one Flying Geese unit (Fig 2). Make four (4) fabric H/V Flying Geese units.
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Arrange the fabric H/V Flying Geese units with the economy block and four (4) fabric V 3in squares as shown (Fig 3). Sew together in rows, then sew the rows together.
V H
TECHNICAL TIP Don’t get confused by the names of the fabric, there are two Audreys and two Dorothys – they are the same print in two different colourways.
Block 5 From William fabric (Q), cut as follows: Q Eight (8) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once. Q Twenty (20) 2½in squares.
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From Kimberley fabric (E) cut as follows: Q Eight (8) 4⅞in squares cut in half diagonally once.
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From Dorothy fabric (U), cut as follows: Q Sixteen (16) 2½in squares.
Corner blocks From each of the fabrics C, N, O and T, cut as follows: Q Four (4) 6¼in squares cut in half diagonally twice.
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Cutting for Border 7
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From Artichoke fabric (Z), cut as follows: Q Seven (7) 1½in x WOF strips.
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Fig 3
Fig 4A
Fig 4B
X
X
V
X
V
X
Fig 5A
X
X H
Fig 5B
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To make one corner unit, sew together a fabric V and fabric X 3in square. Then join a fabric X 3in x 5½in strip to the top (Fig 4A). Repeat to make a second corner unit in the same way.
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Make two (2) more corner units, sewing the fabric X strip to the other side of the squares to make mirror image corners (Fig 4B).
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Make a Flying Geese unit using one fabric X 6¼in triangle and two (2) fabric H 3⅜in 38
triangles. Sew a fabric X 3⅜in triangle to each end (Fig 5A). Sew a fabric V 6¼in triangle to the edge of the unit (Fig 5B). Then sew two (2) fabric R 5⅞in triangles to the diagonal edges to complete one side unit (Fig 5C). Make four (4) side units.
V
Fig 5C
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Arrange the side and corner units as shown (Fig 6). Sew together in rows, and then sew the rows together to complete the centre block. It should measure 20½in square.
R
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P R OJ E C T l
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Fig 6
Adding Border 1
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Take your 1½in x 20½in strips and sew to the sides of your centre block. Next sew your 1½in x 22½in strips to the top and bottom.
Making Border 2
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Arrange your 2½in squares in two (2) rows of eleven (11) and sew together. This completes one side border. Make a second side border, and sew each to the sides of the quilt.
50
Arrange 2½in squares in two (2) rows of fifteen (15) and sew together. This completes the top border. Make a second border for the bottom, and sew to the top and bottom of the quilt.
Making Border 3
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Next, take the strips from fabric W. Sew to the sides and to the top and bottom.
TECHNICAL TIP Take care when handling your cut triangles as their bias edges are prone to stretching and distortion, which can cause your block to become misshapen.
Making Border 4
52
Take the fabrics for Block 1. Sew together the fabric P and G triangles to form HSTs. Arrange two (2) HSTs with two (2) fabric L squares and sew together in a four patch (Fig 7). Repeat with your remaining fabrics for Border 4. You will make four (4) blocks from each set of fabrics for a total of twenty (20) blocks. Sew four (4) rows of four (4) blocks, one each of blocks 2-5 in the order you desire. Add two of these rows to the sides of the quilt. Add a block 1 to the ends of each of the remaining borders and add to the top and bottom of the quilt.
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Fig 7
L
G P
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Adding Border 5
53
Sew the fabric Y strips together into one long length. Trim to two (2) 1½in x 48½in sides and two (2) 1½in x 50½in top and bottom. Sew to the quilt.
Making Border 6 – Blocks 1-5
54
Using the fabrics for Block 1, sew the triangles together to form HSTs. Arrange with the small squares as shown (Fig 8). For the top and bottom rows, sew the small squares together in pairs, and then sew to the HSTs. Once sewn into three (3) rows, join the rows to complete one block (Fig 9). Make four (4) blocks from each set of fabrics for a total of twenty (20) blocks. Take one of each block and sew into rows of five (5). Sew one row to each side of quilt. Set aside remaining rows, which will be the top and bottom once corner blocks are added.
Fig 8
Fig 9
TECHNICAL TIP Arrange the pieces for each block into piles before you start. This will help speed up the piecing process as everything will be nicely sorted.
Making Border 6 – Corner blocks
55
Sew the small triangles together into sixteen (16) Hourglass blocks (Fig 10). Make sure that you arrange the fabrics in exactly the same way for each block.
Fig 10
Fig 11
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Sew four (4) of the Hourglass blocks together in a four-patch shape, arranging them to create a pinwheel pattern (Fig 11). Make four (4) of these corner blocks.
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Sew a corner block to each end of the top and bottom rows from step 54 . Then sew the rows to the top and bottom of the quilt (Fig 12).
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P R OJ E C T l
Adding Border 7
Quilting and finishing
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Sew the fabric Z strips together into one long length. Trim to two (2) 1½in x 70½in strips and two (2) 1½in x 72½in strips. Sew the short strips to the sides of the quilt. Then sew the longer strips to the top and bottom.
Making Border 8
Place your quilt backing, with right side down, on a flat surface. Place the batting on top, smoothing out any bumps. Place your quilt top on top, right side up. Baste the layers together. Quilt with whatever pattern you like all over the quilt. This was long-arm quilted, but you could quilt by hand.
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Arrange your 2½in squares in two (2) rows of thirty-six (36) and sew together. This completes one side border. Make a second side border, and sew each to sides of quilt.
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Arrange 2½in squares in two (2) rows of forty (40) and sew together. This completes the top border. Make a second border for the bottom, and sew to the top and bottom of the quilt.
Fig 12
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When the quilting is finished, trim any batting and backing, so the edges are straight and the corners are right angles. Sew all the binding strips together end to end to make one long strip. Fold in half along the longest length and press. Use to bind the quilt, mitring corners.
Layout diagram
Centre
Border 1
A
N
B
O
C
P
D
Q
E
R
F
S
G
T
H
U
I
V
J
W
K
X
L
Y
M
Z
Border 2
Border 3
Border 4
Border 5
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Border 6
Border 7
Border 8
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Meet the designer
G ET 20% OFF! USE CODE TQ20*
Sally Ablett has been quilt making for nearly 30 years. Within this time, her patchwork has developed from a hobby into a full time job. She gives regular talks using her own collection of quilts to demonstrate patchwork techniques and pass on the tips and shortcuts that she has learnt throughout the years. Sally does freelance design work, as well as working with Lewis & Irene, the contemporary fabric company, to design quilts and produce patterns used to showcase new fabric collections.
BUY THE FABRIC!
The Devon County fabric collection will be sold live on air on 8 December 2017 *. Q Live on Freeview 78, 8am-12noon Q Online at www.sewingquarter.com Q You can catch up the show on www.youtube.com/sewingquarter 20% offer available from 9 December 2017
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*WHILE STOCKS LAST. FOR FULL T&CS , SEE PAGE 53
P R OJ E C T l
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