Competition time

Hi
Friday 24th

I've been very brave (or daft!) and entered the weekly quilt contest on the Quilting Bloggers website, (here) this week the theme is Quilted Cushions/Pillows so I thought I would enter my silk cushion 'Rennie's Rose' made last year (see post May 27th 2011) please hop on over there and have a look, and vote if you are so inclined!). If you have not visited the site before do go over its a great way to find quilters blogs from just about everywhere, once you are on the home page look on the right hand side and click on the 'weekly themed quilt contests' button. I entered a small quilt last year, in the 'Travel Inspired quilts' contest, I entered 'Moonlight Journey' (see post 30th July 11) but did it late in the week so not many got to see it, however someone must have, because it got some votes which was GREAT! Friends are always saying that I should enter my work into shows etc but I never seem to have anything ready. I would not make a quilt especially to enter as I like to have a purpose other than a show theme for my quilts, and I would be pretty worried if I had to entrust them to the postal system.

Wednesday evening was my first official engagement as the newly elected Chairman of SVQ, all went well and we had a really good attendance for the workshop on Seminole patchwork with Lynne Quinn who tutors City & Guilds courses in Bristol (here) she's a very talented quilt artist and entered this stunning quilt at Malvern last year, and winning a bucket load of rosettes.                                    

'A Future and a Hope'  by Lynne Quinn

Heck is that the time?  I better shoot off and get 'im indooors some tea, be back later!!
Tuesday!
Well Don't time fly when life happens? I've just got back here to finish this post. I spent most of Saturday looking for something important, (I found it as I went to bed!!) then Sunday was my 'Day of rest' ( I try not to put the computer on on Sundays) then yesterday I was at DD's all day, babysitting this little beauty....

Today its been a round of catching up with emails etc and a bit of hand sewing, I'm working on an embroidery sampler - well it's more of a sample of embroidery - let me explain! In March I am booked to run a 1 day workshop with some W.I. ladies so, as they have chosen 'Crazy Patchwork' they may need to learn some embroidery stitches. So I thought I would make a little sampler I've divided up a piece of cream fabric with some rows of tacking stitches and I'm working different stitches in each little space ( I don't have a picture yet but will get to that later) I always think that if you can see what the stitches look like 'in the flesh',  it is easier to decide what you want to use rather than from a diagram in a book (usually in Black and White) That's the theory anyhow!
Anyways I don't have much to show that's new except these Chickens, I am running 2 workshops making these in March, one for the Girl Guides and one at SVQ so here are the 'girls' The one back left is my original 'Funky Chicken' that I made all wrong then unpicked and re-assembled, and the one at back right is a knitted one which somehow turned into a parrot of sorts but hey who cares? Do let me know what you think I do love to get comments.

I will give a little prize for the best one made at the SVQ workshop, and a bit later on I'll do a run down of how to make them on here.
On Saturday I will be teaching my last ever Class for the QAYG Patchwork courses, then when I have done the Crazy workshop and the 2 Chicken ones I will be OFFICIALLY RETIRED! After 10 years of teaching I have decided to call it a day, and have some time for me and the family, It will feel strange to no longer be working most Saturdays but hopefully I'll get to finish some more UFO's and then start working through my stash. Which could take a VERY long time.:-)))LOL
Well as there's not much else to report today I'll sign off for now and see you all later.
L

Phewww ! Young Quilters

Hi Guys,

Before I start I'm really excited, I just logged on and discovered that I now have 8 followers, I have had 5 'regulars' for quite a while but wondered if anyone else actually reads my blog, but now I know people are finding me and it's really nice to know they are! So I hope they go on enjoying my Ramblings.

Well what a day! I've been teaching at a Y.Q. (Young Quilter's) workshop for Region 5 this afternoon and I came home 'bushed'. I started taking H to these events in April last year, remember her Chicken (April 2011 Post) and the Christmas Stocking (January's post ) I had previously volunteered to do a wax crayon project with the children, at some point and this offer was accepted by Jo who is the Y.Q. rep for this area, I then promptly forgot about it expecting her to let me know in due course when she wanted me to do it. However on Monday I bumped into Jo at another event and found out she was expecting me to do it today, so of course I said No problem (as you do!!) Now I've never taught a group of children before so I was somewhat nervous this morning, especially as I suddenly realised around 2am last night that I did not have any samples!!!!  I had sourced some pictures for them to trace and of course I had planned to make the samples in plenty of time. (Best laid plans and all that spring to mind here:-) but of course plans often go pear shaped in this house workroom. So there I was at 9.30am today after a disturbed night frantically cutting, measuring, tracing and colouring (of course I mean measuring and cutting :-0) fabrics for two different but similar projects for 2 different age groups, and this is what I came up with...

Coaster approx 5" square

Mug Rug approx 8" x 12

I don't know why I worried, the kids were great! I only had 3 young girls as Jo had another helper who was working with the older ones to make small quilts based on the Gee's Bend quilts (See Here). My group made coasters/mini quilts and made it very easy for me as they followed instruction very well. I don't have permission to put their photographs on here but they all made at least 2 mini quilts and even the accompanying Mum & Granny had a try. H was in the older group and this is her version of a Gee's Bend quilt. She tried machine quilting and just has to turn the backing over to form the binding, which I will help her sort out when I see her next.

 

DD is bringing Ted here tomorrow to stay for the weekend as they are off to visit I's parents, whose garden is not completely escape proof, and if there's the slightest gap Ted will get through it!! So he's going to stay with 'Granny' for a couple of days, so that means I will be out walking in the early mornings for a few days. On Saturday its CTQ so it's off for a sewing day with like minded friends, then on Monday I'm going out for lunch with Laura and Baby G before she goes back to work after her maternity leave. Next week I have to make some WIP samples for a Victorian Crazy workshop I'm booked to run in March and right now I'm off to bed, hopefully I will sleep better tonight :-))

See you all soon.

L

WIP Wednesday

Well actually its not all WIPs today, I made a little card for my Brothers Friend Jenny who moved into her new flat on Monday, tho from what my Brother says its not really a flat more of 2(rooms that is) & a Loo!!! So instead of buying a card which will eventually end up being binned, thought I would make a card which is actually a little mini quilt (6"x4") and she can put it in her living room and it won't take up too much space, Hope she likes it!

 I've also been making and stuffing chickens YES! chickens, I'm doing an evening workshop at SVQ in March and one for Bristol Guide Leaders (also in March) I first made one of these following instructions from Quilty friend Sheila, after missing the workshop for a log cabin version at WPQ with Ruth . I must have got it awfully wrong somewhere while following 'hastily scribbled down during a telephone conversation instructions' and my attempt became the oddest strangest chicken you have ever seen, so much so that they all laughed (out Loud!!! how rude!!!) at CTQ when I took her in for Show & Tell. - however I thought she had a certain 'something' what do you think? Anyway she has now been unpicked and reassembled - gently of course, plus I made some smaller versions, ands a knitted one, the fabric ones just need eyes and I have to assemble the knitted one, pictures of those next time.

My Wonkey Chicken!

 As part of the Process Pledge here is what I did for the Penny Rug W/S from the January meeting at SVQ.

 

Selected Templates

Fabric & felt shapes cut out

Fabric flowers pinned in place, I used little applique pins!

Flowers and leaves Blanket stitched all round and back added.

I used dark blue Needle cord

On Monday evening I went to a special meeting of WPQ, we joined forces with Clifton Quilters to enable us to book a 'famous' speaker, it was arranged that Lynne Edwards would come to talk to us but unfortunately her husband was taken ill and she was unable to come, however with the combined efforts of both committees and many telephone calls later they were able to secure Katherine Guerrier. You may remember I did a workshop with Katherine last October (see previous post) I have long been a fan of Katherine's after seeing one of her quilts in a magazine bought many years ago while still a 'newbie quilter'. Now I only bought that magazine because I (foolishly) thought I could make that quilt! When I got home and looked properly it was 12" square so it never got made!!! until.... I was trying to find a project for a Chairman's Challenge and decided that I would make the quilt, but BIGGER. the challenge, to use an fat 1/8th of fabric chosen by the Chairman and so with the addition of some batiks and calico for background 'Broken Dishes & Batiks' became a reality. (see previous post July 2010) Katherine's quilts didn't disappoint, beautiful colourful and all made from scraps and small pieces of fabric. As I needed definitely needed another book LOL  I bought the one she had on offer (signed of course) and a cute bookmark. All I need to do now is finish the quilt I started at the workshop in October!!! and make something from the e-book of hers I bought at the workshop.

 

 

Well! Thats about it for today folks so see you all soon, I'm off to watch TV, Byeeee!

 

Remembering Dad

Today would have been my Darling Dad's birthday, had he lived he would have reached the great age of 89years. Sadly he died in his sleep from a massive heart attack quite out of the blue aged 53 while living and working away from home. He had passed a medical for his job 3 weeks before and was classed A1 fit!!! So much for Doctors eh!
Every year on his birthday I always wear these adorable little cameo earrings which were the last thing he bought me.

So in my jeans and tatty sweater I am a bit over dressed today wearing these but I don't care!! I hope he is looking down so that he will know that we all still love and remember him every day.
L