Challenge Quilts

The Sue Ridgewell Challenge quilts were excellent this year. the quality of my snapshots leaves something to be desired but here is enough to give a Yorkshire flavour!

There were two whole cloth quilts that sadly were impossible to photograph, but here are close-ups of the ones that caught my eye...








This was my favourite, but I never found out who won!

More AGM

Lovely Modern Quilt by Linda Bilsborrow using free cutting and a great low volume background made with a log cabin type construction. A stunning colour  combination and textural interest in the choice of quilting designs.

It was very difficult to photograph as it was hung low down near the ground!

Guild AGM in Harrogate

Well I'm home now and  found just a little ham, a lot of cheese and a tired lettuce in the fridge so shopping looks like a necessity!

I have some more pictures from the AGM: there were some lovely quilts about Yorkshire, some in the exhibition that the local team put up, and some more in the Sue Ridgewell competition quilts.

First the Yorkshire team - Lesley Ruxton's wonderful Yorkshire Star:

and two more from the team..

Jackie Ledger "Straight Squared"

 This is clever use of printed fabric in two sizes and a really subtle colour scheme that really appealed to me.

Julie Edwards "Robin Hood's Bay"

Lots to look at in this quilt.

And here are some of Judith Dursley's Miniatures:

More tomorrow!

Quilters' Guild AGM

Working at Harrogate, promoting Modern Quilt, and stitching very modern little pieced improv blocks on a beautiful old hand-crank Singer.. Not out of perversity as was suggested by one lady, but because there is no electricity in the area!

We have had a lot of interest and have garnered a few more members, 113 now!
People seem to like our work and the free patterns on our website mqgb.org.uk

Apple blossom and crosses

Today the apple blossom is almost out, I love the colour and the scent.

and I had a lovely surprise.
A few days ago Jenny Ladbrooke contacted me to ask if I minded her using my Eccentric Crosses pattern which is on my website as a free download, so of course I told her to go ahead. She sent this lovely picture:

Its for the Pantone challenge using the colour Marsala which is a warm brown.
Great isn't it!

Another Row

actually turned out to be adding two extra rows...

and I'm not sure about it.
It makes it bigger but maybe changes the dynamic. I don't want to add the extra spot fabric all round the edges as well as that would involve a lot of unpicking.
I guess I'll do my usual and leave it on the design wall while I think about it!

All comments gratefully received..

Great Granny progress

I've got a bit further...
these are the four and a half inch squares

..but the garden calls and I've been diggign out ivy and planting flower seeds.

Great Granny - new version.

Using four and a half inch squares.
I plan to make four of these for a lap sized quilt, all in yellow and grey. I've cut the outer squares longer to give some leeway for trimming later.
This will be the bottom left-hand corner, or top right!

Granny Squares Done

Here  are the Great Granny squares, sashed to control the bias edges. 'Im really pleased with the effect, and particularly like the inclusion of the low contrast blocks.

It was difficult to photograph as there was strong sun coming into the room.

I want to make another now with larger squares.

Rust, and Granny Squares

I've been playing with some of my rusted fabric, making a needlecase for the wool days at Ickworth in May when one of my friends is manning (or should that be Womanning) a stall for the Embroiderers Guild. Rusted wool is really lovely to stitch into!

Fun to make, a bit of hand stitch onto a scrap of osnaberg - well it is the Embroiderers Guild after all! and rusted damask for the lining, rusted wool outside and in, and some interesting old buttons; stitched by hand while watching the tennis.

And the design wall now looks like this with a full complement of Great Granny squares:
just need sashing and probably cornerstones if I'm going to get it looking square!
I do love these blocks - can't believe I've never made them before... they are a great stash buster if you collect jelly roll strips, or if you have small squares saved up in a box as I did.