Blog

Many of you will have seen the  adverts for a new magazine that is persuading you (or trying to) make a patchwork quilt in what looks like 6" squares monthly over a LONG period of time.   Some bright spark has worked out that despite the cheap introductory copy the whole quilt will cost you £354 (yes you do get fabric in that price but even so!)  A spokesperson for the magazine says that they offer excellent advice -  well I think we do much better so with our many valued and high quality teachers from the UK sharing their expertise - and all for just £60 a year - GREAT VALUE I think;   Jennie and I hope you agree.

This 3 day textile fair is organised specifically for those with a passion for stitched embellished and constructed textiles;   the show is held at the Cottenham Village Accademy (was College) postcode CB24 8UA;  exhibitions, workshops, demonstrators, talk by Jennie Rayment, and we will be there with the Justhands-on.tv stand and goodies too.   Hope to see you there - we really enjoyed it last year.

The winners of the ‘Be a Star’ competition who won a Janome TXL607 machine, the  Satchel of Aurifil Threads and the bundle of books have all been notified; many thanks to all of you who made blocks for the charity/competition draw and sorry you didn’t win.    The blocks will be put to good use in being made up into quilts for ‘Momentum’ ; again more of than later as the quilts progress; we had over 150 entries(!) We are still happy to receive star blocks for the quilts - just send them to Oakwick, 113 Nashgrove Lane Finchampstead, Berks RG40 4HG and we will turn them into quilts.

Val will be helping out on the Creative Quilting stand at the Spring Quilt Festival, South of England Showground, Ardingly run by Grosvenor Shows (27th-29th Jan) . For more details visit their website www.grosvenorshows.co.uk where you will get details of ALL their shows AND the new one scheduled for 18-20 October in Maidstone, Kent. So come and say ‘hi’

Val:   I had a wonderful few hours earlier last week (before we got engulfed in snow) at this exhibition:   There is also good shopping in the area! The Foundling Museum is located in central London, in Brunswick Square, and is currently hosting an exhibition called Threads of Feeling. This is an exhibition of the mid 18th century textile swatches preserved in the records of the London’s Foundling Hospital.

Val: We had a great filming day yesterday when Dave, Matt and I were joined by Dawn Cameron-Dick who told us more about her great new book ‘The Pocket Tutor’ and we also filmed a great workshop on her Snuggle Quilt pattern – perfect for groups to swap fabrics as well as using up your own fabric stash – so look out for those in the new year.

Pattern from Carolyn Forster Surrounded by good friends at a great hotel (so food and drink appear at regular intervals) and all we have to do is sew - what bliss. Such a great idea and here is what I managed to achieve so far (Kaleidoscope Hexagon pattern by Carolyn Forster); am also working on making an alternative version of our Block of the Month Rosebud Fayre quilt – Jennie and I made so many samples for the camera that I couldn’t allow them to go to waste – picture will have to follow as camera now has flat battery (forgot the charger!);   Dunford House Quilt Retreat Can’t recommend a getaway highly enough – why not think about joining us all at Midhurst in July; here is the link for more details https://www.justhands-on.tv/small-ads/54/scrap-happy-quilts--pieceful-projects/ (and if you just want to sit in a corner and sew our own thing let us know – you would be VERY welcome too)

This is another of the initiatives run by the Quilters Guild to make pennants for the athletes. The project has currently received pennants showing nearly all the textile mediums you can think of by people from 2 to 92. While several thousand pennants have already been received a HUGE number are still needed but time is running out – they have to be in by the end of the year – do get sewing.

This was a lovely event and we had a great time – met lots of friends; lots of members; saw lovely quilts; bought fabric – what more does one want?!?

Val: If you missed me being interviewed on my local radio station don't despair there is a 'listen again' option through the computer and the link is www.bbc.co.uk/i/p00kvf2w/ You can hear all about my passion for sewing/quilting/patchwork (which won't surprise any of you) but you might not have known some of the other stuff I get to talk about!

Val: Wow this month seems to be rushing by - I suppose that’s what happens if you take a few days off; we had a lovely few days in France and the weather was superb. This Saturday, 22nd, you will find me at the Second Southampton Quilting & Textile Art Fair being held in aid of The Society of St.James (which is a Southampton Charity) and The Goedgedacht Project (a South African charity) at the King Edward VI School in Southampton (SO15 5UQ)– it runs from 10am-3pm and as well as traders there are displays - with the theme of ‘Africa’- and demonstrations; so do come along and say hello.

Val: What a super day we all had filming at Hever Castle (in Kent)  yesterday – Country Life at the Castle it is being billed as and for the first time in 20 years it is so much more than just a quilt show; obviously for me the quilts were the star of the show (all from the Quilters Guild members of Region 2) (as well as the shopping) but there was lots of other stuff on display and to enjoy – plants from the estate; a basket weaver, dog trainer, a man who forged stuff from wrought iron, weaver, spinners, felters, - PLUS the wonderful grounds of the castle to enjoy.

Val: This is one of those dates in history that everyone knows where they were - just like the day President Kennedy was shot and Princess Diana lost here life. I can remember not only where I was back in 2001 when the dreadful news came through but also where I was last year - I was in Canada - and since I was over in North America the TV was saturated with coverage of the events of rememberance;   how much more so will they be this year?  I was very moved by those events of rememberance but also fascinated to learn of the way quilters have dealt with this tragedy and the significance and value  that has been granted to them by the government and the American people; The America's 9-11 Memorial Quilts project was initiated by Jeannie Ammermann to honor victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.