Christmas Applique Wallhanging Workshop

Here are the first three quilt tops for what will, hopefully, be 11 Christmas themed applique wallhangings from today's workshop.

On what was a dark, dismal and dank day outside, we spent a fabulous day sorting through loads of shapes, fabrics, trimmings etc to design 11 quite different wallhangings. We're so looking forward to seeing the others, quite a few of which are being embellished by hand, so taking a little longer to make.

The Big Reveal

Well, part 1 of the 'big reveal'; the first eight mystery quilts from the mystery block challenge that 17 members of the original group took part in over the two years to January of this year. We were given 10 months to turn the 12 blocks into a quilt or other project of choice. As you can see, so far, it's quilts.

So, six completely finished quilts, one almost finished (quilted, awaiting it's binding) and one pieced quilt top. They are all very different and it's lovely to see how they've been personalised - and the backings are lovely too. 

What's also great to see is how those who were absolute beginners to patchwork and quilting when the challenge started have progressed and how confident they are now.

Here's a sneaky preview:

We'll reveal the quilts fully once we've seen the other nine mystery quilts which hopefully will be before Christmas.

October's Show and Tell

A small group met this time, but still some lovely things to see and two yummy cakes for our tea/coffee break. We have a very talented bunch of group members who don't just patchwork and quilt as you will see.

Front and back views of some very pretty Christmas baubles. A different technique to the baubles we made last month, these use folded fabrics.

A quilt, Christmas table runner and mats and a finished gold work piece from the mini tutorial a couple of months ago. The latter looks lovely mounted in a box frame.

And a lovely rag doll. One of our group members has just completed 2 months as a volunteer for a charity based in Malawi. The children there have very few, if any toys, so a few of us will get together to make dolls similar to this one to raise funds for the charity and to send to Malawi.

Do you recall that back in January we all (well, the 17 of us that were around at the time and took part) got back our mystery block challenge folders that we'd been working on for 2 years, one block every two months to learn and practice a different technique, and that we then had 10 months to put the blocks together into a quilt? Well, the 10 months is up at our next meeting. Surprise, surprise, there's a flurry of work now needed by some to get their quilts finished - they've only had almost 3 years notice!!!!!!

Fearless Machine Quilting

On 1st October, Janice Gunner visited the group to get us started on free machine quilting. Having asked everyone to prepare a number of small quilt sandwiches Janice then had us practising squiggles, circles, doodles of all sorts, points....you name it, if you can draw it, you can quilt it. We also tried different thread combinations.

A fab time was had by all. Here are the first results.

And, if you're lucky enough to have some time to practice at home, your free machine quilt lines become smoother, the stitches more even, and your work more artistic. 

Keep practising ladies!

September's Show & Tell

Loads of things to see this month - gold work pieces, birds for the art trail display, blocks for this year's colour challenge, FoQ workshop projects and quilts, mostly all finished pieces, a handful in progress. Here we go then:

 

   

 

 

 

  

Billericay Art Trail

As a group, the majority opted to support the Billericay Art Trail and our display is in the window of The Bon Bon Jar at Barleylands until 25th September.

Many thanks to everyone who made a bird or bird-related item for the display - they look fabulous.

Baubles Galore

It's never too late to start on your Christmas projects.  The group made a start with these Christmas baubles using the Japanese Kimekomi technique, with many thanks to Michele and Pam for putting together last night's mini tutorial and teaching the technique.

Whilst the cat's away.....

Well some of us had to miss August's meeting because we were at the Essex International Scout Jamboree, but it looks like August's show and tell was another brilliant evening with some fab projects on show.

Our next meeting is a session making Christmas baubles using the Japanese kimekomi technique. You can's start too early on the Christmas projects!!!

Journal Covers Workshop

Look what we made today, all these journal covers - and - one of the gold work panels from the last mini tutorial turned into a small cushion with a piped edge.

Most of the journal covers are finished, the others are almost there. Some are made entirely by machine, others are hand-stitched or a mixture. It's lovely to see all the ideas, all very different.

 

 

And the gold work piece: