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Rice fields take on a whole new meaning when you see them like this: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/5965421/Paddy-art-farmers-create-colourful-rice-murals-in-Japan.html

Dave and Matt joined me at Creative Quilting so that we could share this shop with you later in the year:   here Dave finds his namesake! (the detail is from one of the Don't Look Now range of patterns that are sold at Creative Quilting) and Isa and I share a moment amongst the fabrics and I show you my finished scrap quilt (made in just 40 minutes and I'll show you how in August!)  

I am getting on with making the quilts (so far only tops) which are destined for Momemtum but as you can see there is quite a variety and am surprising myself at my inventiveness!!!     Momentum raises funds for children and their families directly affected by life-threatening disease in the Kingston and Surrey areas.  You can find out more about them and their work at www.moment-um.org

We are having another sewing day Sunday 1 July 11am - 3pm - sewing - we can
start some machine sewing if anyone wants to bring their machine - we'll
have hand sewing as well. It would be a good time to look at the design for
the Rose quilt and plot the colours from the recent fabric dye session and
see how they work?

Just checked the weather report and its going to be a great sewing weekend! Am off this evening for a 24hour sewing marathon organised by Creative Quilting (down at Hampton Court) and really looking forward to it – 5pm Fri-5pm Sat with supper and lunch organised too; sew for as long as you like – I suspect I shall give up around 10pm but we will see – 16 of us so should be fun.

Val:  This is such a clever idea - shared by a friend of mine - that I thought I would pass it on:   Freezer paper can be printed on as a sheet of normal printer paper.
Import the picture/template into a word document, reverse it and print onto the paper side of freezer paper.

Magic paper
The one rule to successful printing on magic paper is to attach it to a well used piece of freezer paper.
Iron onto A4 freezer paper, foundation (Vilene) and print any picture/text in the usual way.
Run it through the printer 5/6 times to reduce the shine.

Iron an A4 sheet of magic paper onto this freezer paper, just enough to hold it, then print template.

Exhausting but fun seems to be the way that shows go for me these days; this one started early with my first turn at judging – I really enjoyed it and it is amazing how different quilts are when you are asked to study them as opposed to just walking by and waiting for one to jump out at you.

By Jonathan Brown – Yorkshire Evening Post
Published on Wednesday 2 May 2012 06:30 A patchwork of people is piecing together craft mementos from a bygone era. Around 15 craft-loving volunteers have tasked themselves with stitching together 30 quilt squares, made in the 1930s, and finding out more about the women who signed them. The group came together after designer Jules Caton, from Ilkley, stumbled across the squares in a second hand shop in the Texan frontier town of Smithville last November.

Friday 20th April saw us spend the day with Sylvia Critcher and wander round the Hope Quilters Exhibition in Otford Kent; what a wonderful variety of quilts on display – everything from complete beginners to those with more advanced skills but all very enjoyable and so full of colour. Some really great scrap ideas that Sylvia has taught and as you would expect, lots of wonderful hand quilting examples on display.

Makers of King Tut thread (as well as other brands) Dr.Bob has the title of Chief Threadologist for the company and is a wealth of information.   They have various short videos running on their site and well worth a visit and a listen with your cup of coffee: www.superiorthreads.com/videos You'll find lots under 'Education' and videos The one I just watched was about doing the 'snap test' on older threads which is useful to know.

Valerie: I am in love  with my new pins - how sad is that!    They have  made all the difference to my accurate piecing of the double irish chain quilt that I've been busy making so that it can be used on our filming day in May. I have previously always used the flower head pins, and they are still great because they lie flat and I can pick them up, but these new Clover Glass Head Fine Pins are even better;  they are finer and so don't disturb the fabric hardly at all at the seam junctions:  give them a try (not cheap but then how a great patchworker has great tools!).

Due to be held 24th April onwards at Clandon House, an 18th-century Palladian mansion ( West Clandon, Guildford, GU4 7RQ)
spent a really lovely few hours doing a recci on the place for Dave and Matt as we will be there on 24th filming the event. The house is spectacular as are the grounds – it is now part of the National Trust so if you are a member of that you will be able to get into the exhibition for free.

The many and varied blocks made for the 'Be a Star' competition are now merging into quilts;  here are the first two (as work in progress) Thank you to all who took part.   Momentum is a registered charity established in 2004 which aims to help children (up to the age of 17) and the families of children, undergoing treatment for cancer in Surrey and South West London.