Innholdsfortegnelse for 52 i Today's Quilter

We like to go big for The Festival of Quilts issue and Jo Avery’s English Paper Pieced cover design certainly fits the bill. This slow-stitched masterpiece might require a fair amount of time (and patience) to complete, but the end result is so worth the effort and is guaranteed to impress friends, fellow quilters and... well, everyone! In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up being on your most-favourite-patterns-of-all-time list. Keep an eye out for the finished quilt on our stand at this year’s show and tune into Sewing Quarter TV on the 21st August to watch it being demonstrated live on air. There are plenty of other skill-stretching projects for you to delve into this month too, starting with Laura Pritchard’s brilliant block booklet. She has done…

BLOCKS, GLORIOUS BLOCKS! You really can’t have enough of these marvellous patterns up your sleeve, and so, when our lovely Deputy Editor, Laura Pritchard suggested doing a follow up to our first (and extremely popular) block booklet that we ran with issue 39, the answer was a resounding yes! She’s stitched up 36 gorgeous designs for you to try – from classics like Log Cabin and Jacob’s Ladder to more unusual blocks like Maple Leaf and Sailboat – and has cleverly done all of the mind-boggling maths too for up-scaling or down-scaling the designs so that you can make each of them in four different sizes. No calculator required! That means you can use them as standalone designs, mix and match them how you please, or use all 36 blocks…

New Zealand, with love I fell in love with issue 42 as soon as it arrived in the post. I had asked my niece, who lives in New Zealand, if either she or one of her daughters would like me to make them a quilt. The answer was all three did, so I set to work on the cover quilt from issue 42. Attached is my version of it. For my youngest great-niece, who wanted something in pink, I made the log cabin quilt from the same issue. I now have two very happy great-nieces... but their mum is still waiting for hers! Glenys, via email Gorgeous work, Glenys! It’s like a hug for them from the other side of the world. We really love the colours you’ve used in…

■ Using a fine thread such as Aurifil 80wt for the appliqué with a fine needle, like a Straw/Milliners number 10, will enable your stitches to ‘disappear’ and create a overall neater finish. ■ You might find it easier to use the card and foil method to prepare the flower heads prior to appliqué: Make a card template for the flower head by using the inner line from the pattern. Place your fabric piece WS up on to an aluminium foil square. Place the card template on top and carefully enclose it in the foil, pressing tightly all the way round. Press both sides of this foil packet well, using your iron on the highest setting. Carefully (it will be hot!), unwrap your foil and take out your fabric circle.…

You will need ■ Green fabric for leaves/inner border – ½yd ■ Various green prints for leaves – five (5) fat quarters ■ Contrast prints for birds/nest boxes – four (4) 9in x 11in pieces ■ Trunks/beaks fabric – ½yd ■ Background fabric – 3½yds ■ Outer border fabric – 1yd ■ Backing fabric – 5yds ■ Batting – 76in x 86in ■ Binding fabric – ¾yd Finished size ■ 68in x 78in Fabrics used ■ This quilt was made with a variety of fabrics by Tilda, Lori Holt for Riley Blake, Vanessa Goertzen for Moda and Liberty. The trunks were pieced in Purebred Barnwood in grey by Erin Michael for Moda, the background is Linen Texture in slate grey and the border is Nordic Snowflake, both by Makower. Notes…

The Madeira logo with its endearing butterfly is instantly recognisable, but I wonder how many of us know how this iconic thread brand derived its name. Originally named after its founders Burkhardt & Schmidt in 1919 - Burkhardt & Schmidt Garnfabrik – the company changed its name in 1975, taking its cue from the Portuguese island of Madeira, just off the northwest coast of Africa, which is famous for its exquisite hand embroidery. Evolution Of course, Madeira is also famous for its warm, tropical climate, lush gardens and native birds and butterflies. Adopting the butterfly motif in the logo offered a myriad of opportunities to be recreated in thread, not just because of the colour possibilities, but because its delicate wing shapes echo the distinctive cutwork and fine satin stitching…

You will need ■ Ten (10) fabrics (A-J) graduating from light to dark or warm to cool – 4½in x 21in of each ■ Calico – ¾yd ■ Backing fabric – 24in square ■ 20in cushion pad Finished size ■ 20in square Fabrics used ■ Oakshott Colourshotts in Sandstone (A), White Sand (B), Tromso (C), Chara (D), Gemma (E), Foxglove (F), Bizzie Lizzie (G), Fleur (H), Sea Green (I) and Lichen (J). Available to buy from www.oakshottfabrics.com Notes ■ Use ¼in seam allowance throughout. ■ Press seams to one side. ■ RST = right sides together. Cutting out 1 From each of the colour fabrics, cut three (3) 1½in x WOF strips. 2 From the calico fabric, cut one (1) 20½in square and two (2) 12½in x 20½in rectangles. 3…

You will need ■ Fabric A – 20in x 10in ■ Fabric B – 20in x 10in ■ Centre fabric – 3in square ■ Background fabric – 9in x 15in ■ Templates (see Templates section) Block size ■ 12in finished (16in with frames) Notes ■ Fabric quantities are based on the antique block on page 81. For fabric for the frames, see issue 42 or www.todaysquilter.com ■ This block of the month is hand-pieced. For detailed instructions of this technique, see issue 42 or the tutorial on www.todaysquilter.com Cutting out 1 From fabric A, cut as follows: ■ Four (4) FR pieces using the template. ■ Four (4) E pieces using the template. ■ Four (4) D pieces using the template. 2 From fabric B, cut as follows: ■ Four…

Donations of all types of textiles are gratefully received by ReTweed and will be creatively transformed into artisan furnishings, fashions and crafts. Could a project like ReTweed flourish in your local area? They’ve already inspired a similar initiative – Weaving a Future for Eskdale – in Dumfries and Galloway. For more information about ReTweed, contact the team at admin@retweed.com or visit the website www.retweed.com You can also follow ReTweed on Instagram and Twitter via @weareretweed…

The blocks in this booklet are traditionally pieced by cutting and sewing together individual squares, rectangles and triangles. An alternative approach is to try the following handy methods, which mean you can sew before cutting, so as to avoid stitching on bias edges. If you choose to use these, be sure not to subcut the pieces into triangles as indicated by blue lines on the charts in the various blocks. Making Flying Geese units The combination of these three triangles sewn together appears in many patchwork blocks. The name probably comes from the image they create of the head of a bird with its wings stretched out in flight. Fabric for these blocks can be made up of one large square and four smaller squares to make four identical units.…

Jo Colwill DANCING DAISIES Jo’s got daisies on the mind this month, and not just in her column – her textured Daisy Eiderdown quilt on page 60 is bursting with appliqué blooms! Jo Avery COVER QUILT An heirloom in the making, Jo Avery’s English Paper Pieced quilt calls for slow and thoughtful stitches. Find the pattern on page 22. Sally Ablett BRIGHT IDEA Speedy and satisfying, Sally Ablett’s bitesize bargello project is best stitched up in vibrant solids. Turn to page 75 to get started.…

“Many traditional blocks, such as the Tree of Paradise (or Tree of Life) block, were inspired by the things that early quilters saw around them; in this case, the towering forests of North America. The block was traditionally pieced ‘on point’ with half-square triangles, and many 19th century examples were made in two colours, emphasising the bold, graphic quality of the block. Looking back to that original inspiration, my quilt has become a fairy tale forest, filled with the chatter of roosting birds. The leaves are pieced with Flying Geese units – which makes the trunks a breeze to piece – and a variety of green prints glimmer against a twilight grey background, with the birds themselves adding a touch of glowing colour. While the centre of every tree is…

“Often being made from silks as well as wool and cotton, string hexagon quilts have a long history with examples going back to the late 1800s. For this version, I have upped the scale of the finished hexagons, and there is very little need for accuracy with its scrappy string style. This is a great quilt to use up all your strips and strings, so it’s a good stash-buster too if you want to cut from yardage. I like to use as many different fabrics as possible, using left overs from all my recent quilt projects. To give the quilt some consistency, there is a blue fabric for what becomes the background to the hexagons and the points of the diamonds that form the hexagons consist of blue print fabrics.…

“Making complicated blocks with curves is exciting and creative if you piece the different parts before assembly”– Lin Clements PIECED CURVED SHAPES In our exploration of curved piecing we have looked at basic sewing techniques and also how to draw templates. In this issue, we will go a step further and demonstrate how you can create more complex results. Many well-known blocks that have a reputation for being difficult have acquired this reputation as they are made with sections that are pieced before the curved shapes are cut out and combined together. This preliminary piecing is the final area we will practise in our exploration of curved piecing. We will start with some simple effects that are easy to achieve, and then work towards effects such as curved Flying Geese…

“As is common with many traditional blocks, the origins of this design are particularly hard to place, however, according to the Bargello Museum, the name ‘bargello’ originates from a series of chairs found in the Bargello palace in Florence. Traditionally, bargello designs were made with wool on canvas, however, I have taken inspiration from needlepoint work and used fabric instead to create a pattern with strips of fabric. I created this pattern with the Electric Quilt 8 – one of the best tools in my sewing room. The fabrics used in bargello designs and the way in which you order them play a huge part in the effect of the finished piece. For example, the placement of the Oakshott fabrics in this cushion from light to dark have a gradient…

“Well, we’re on the downhill run, as it were, with this being the last block in the fourth row of the sampler quilt. As I’ve mentioned before, if you’re keeping up with the lattice blocks, then you will be able to complete this row and add it to the other three. It’s such a satisfying feeling to have the design quilted and rows stitched together as you go. By the autumn, it will be bound and on the bed ready for some cosy nights! This months’ block originated as a Kansas City Star block pattern in its long running newspaper column of the 1930s. This version appeared in 1941 and may have originally been called ‘Patriotic Polygon’. It was suggested that you piece it in red and blue, with white…

HOTCHPOTCH HEXIES FOUNDATION TEMPLATES ENLARGE 200% Includes seam allowances. AVERY GARLAND APPLIQUÉ TEMPLATES AND PATTERN ACTUAL SIZE Includes seam allowances where necessary. PAPER PIECE TEMPLATES ACTUAL SIZE PLEASE NOTE: Paper pieces do not include seam allowances. Make eighteen (18) copies. EPP FABRIC CUTTING TEMPLATES  ACTUAL SIZE Includes seam allowances. ESSENTIAL GUIDE FLYING GEESE TEMPLATES ENGLARGE 200% Includes seam allowances BLOCK OF THE MONTH HAND-PIECING TEMPLATES ACTUAL SIZE PLEASE NOTE: Hand-piecing templates do NOT include seam allowances. Thank you for making this project from Today’s Quilter. The copyright for these templates belongs to the designer of the project.They work hard to create projects for you to enjoy, so please don’t re-sell or distribute without permission. Please do not make any part of the templates or instructions available to others through your…

Following the popular reception of our first block booklet, which came with issue 39, we’re back with 36 new blocks and, once again we’ve done the hard maths for four different sizes, so you don’t have to. Each size is organised into tidy cutting lists, so just grab a fabric stack and your rotary cutting equipment and off you go! Ranging from 6in to 18in finished blocks, the possible combinations are endless, whether you like big blocks or intricate piecing, one-block quilts or assorted samplers. The designs are arranged into two different base grids, 3x3 and 4x4, but all of them can be mix and matched across the four sizes to give you countless options. If you want to try them all, why not give my medallion sampler project a…

Our rulers are our most treasured companions in our workspace, after all, perfect blocks are impossible without accurate cutting. One or two squares and rectangles are essential, and Creative Grids’ Non-Slip grip and unique Turn-a-Round ruler features make precise cutting even easier. We love the clear markings in ⅛in increments, which are effective for cutting even the most specific dimensions. Our sampler blocks were created using a couple of specialist tools too – Creative Grids Simple ⅞ in Ruler (for speedy HSTs) and the Multi-Size Flying Geese & 45-degree/90-degree Triangle, for fuss-free Flying Geese. www.creativegrids.com…

“While there is a time and place for the meditative structure of making tens or even hundreds of the same block for a quilt, I love the variety and freedom of making just one of each. The spontaneous nature of just being able to whip up a block when I had an hour to spare meant that this quilt came together organically and in between other projects. I used a wide range of prints in a limited palette of blue, red and pink, tied together with one background fabric throughout, but I think it would work just as well as a full colour, anything goes, scrapbusting project!”…

THE DESIGNER RACHAELDAISY You’ve probably noticed a lot of really stylish, folded fabric quilt projects popping up across all over the internet lately, and it’s Rachaeldaisy that we have to thank for it. Her bold, eye-poppingly colourful quilts are known for their three-dimensional elements such as folded and gathered fabric techniques, yo-yo puffs and prairie points, all in bold prints and colourways. Her new book Whizz Bang! from Quiltmania Editions is out now so you can have a go at these fun techniques for yourself. Find out more about Rachaeldaisy and her work, including her latest book Whizz Bang! at www.bluemountaindaisy. blogspot.com THE FABRIC STOFF & STIL From bold florals and pretty polka dots to perky pineapples and jungle critters, Stoff & Stil is the place to stock up on…

QUILTING Kaffe Fassett’s Quilts in America Exhibition Until 3rd November, Bath Kaffe Fassett’s new exhibition is inspired by the museum’s collection of antique American quilts. 10:00-17:00 Tues-Sun / £14.50 American Museum & Gardens, Claverton Manor, Bath BA2 7BD www.americanmuseum.org 25th Summer Exhibition ‘Silver Threads’ Until 14th September, Mid Wales Celebrating 25 years of quilt exhibitions with heritage quilts from The Quilt Association’s collection of Welsh quilts and work by Tangent Textiles. 10:30-16:30 / Free (Closed Sun) The Quilt Association, Minerva Arts Centre, Llanidloes SY18 6B www.quilt.org.uk ‘Threads and Thrums’ Edinburgh Festival Fringe Exhibition Until 30th August, Edinburgh A collection of art quilts by the students of Pat Archibald. Disabled access available. 9:30–15:30 Mon–Thurs 10:00–14:00 Fri–Sat (Closed Sun) / Free St Brides Community Centre, Orwell Terrace EH11 2DZ info@patarchibald.com Swansea Quilters…

“Despite knowing how many hours would be involved in hand stitching this quilt, I’ve been longing to make it for quite a while. The plan was to mix English paper piecing and appliqué to make a hand-sewn quilt top. I designed a ‘garland’ with a mixture of shapes, which are stitched together using the traditional English paper piecing (EPP) or mosaic method. However, I did cheat a little by glue-basting the shapes prior to sewing them, rather than the basting I always used to do. I’ve spent years whip stitching my EPP pieces together, but now I prefer to stitch them from the back of the pieces, using more of a ladder stitch for a neater look. The trickiest bit of the whole quilt is tucking the points in when…

Life hasn’t stood still for a moment this month – following the wonderful Mandy Pattullo exhibition, Maggie Bonanomi arrived from Missouri with her delightful suitcase of wool quilts. She brought some wonderful kits for the students to make, which was a lovely, generous touch. We have built up a popular sewing group who love working with wool, some of which is upcycled, some found locally and some that we sell from the wonderful Blackberry Primitives in the USA. The wool is pre-ordered and hand-dyed, and the lovely, subtle colours look almost good enough to eat. Wool happens to come apart much better if it is torn rather than cut, which seemed a terrible thing to do initially, but I think that everyone, including myself, learned that a small snip then…

Nicola Dodd has been quilting since 2010 after chancing upon a quilting website and becoming hooked. Having designed all her working life – as an architect and as a garden designer – the temptation to start designing quilts was irresistible and she established her pattern company, CakeStand Quilts, in 2015. She now has a successful blog, where she enjoys sharing tutorials, and is a regular contributor to the Moda Bakeshop. www.cakestandquilts.com cakestandquilts @nicolajdodd…

Carolyn Forster has been sewing, making patchwork and quilting for well over 20 years, and teaching for many of those years. You can find her quilts in a range of books published by Landauer Publishing (USA) and Search Press (UK). She blogs at www.carolynforster.co.uk or you can follow her stitching inspiration on Instagram. To get in touch with Carolyn about her classes and talks, you can email her at: carolynforster@hotmail.co.uk www.carolynforster.co.uk Carolyn Forster Quiltingonthego…

“No matter how many daisy quilts I have, it would never be enough! This quilt reminds me of old eiderdowns from when I was young. Paisley was used in many old eiderdown quilts, so I have used the Moda Christopher Wilson-Tate reproduction version, called Regency Blues, for the border. I had several funny shaped pieces of linen around that needed using up, so I cut them into squares for the quilt, and also used other leftovers too, including batting trimmed from other quilts to pad the border to give it the eiderdown feel. I was very lucky to have Sandy Chandler machine quilt it for me in a similar design to my Dancing with Daisies quilt, but you could also hand quilt and it would look just as stunning. This…

Linda Clements is a leading technical quilting expert, editor and writer who, for 25 years, has worked on many fabric and craft titles for F&W Media and other leading craft publishers. Among the many quilters who have trusted Linda to ensure their books are both accurate and reader friendly, are Lynne Edwards MBE, Susan Briscoe and Pam & Nicky Lintott. Linda’s own book, The Quilter’s Bible, is the must-have guide to patchwork, quilting and appliqué, and includes everything she has learnt working with the industry’s best designers. For Today’s Quilter, Linda is working with the team to select practical and creative techniques to help you build upon your quilting and sewing skills. She will then go in depth, exploring the methods, taking them from the basic premise to their full…

Sally Ablett has been quilt-making for nearly 30 years. Within this time, patchwork has developed from a hobby into a full-time job. She has extensive experience teaching courses and day workshops, as well as giving regular talks using her own collection of quilts to demonstrate patchwork techniques and pass on tips that she has learnt throughout the years. Sally does freelance design work, as well as working with Lewis & Irene to design quilts and produce patterns that are used to showcase new fabric collections.…

SHOPPING ACCESSORIES Tänkvärd Textile Collection www.ikea.com Trimits Bamboo Hoops groves@stockistenquiries.co.uk Daylight Lamps www.daylightcompany.com 08000 557 711 Handmade with Love Labels www.eqsuk.com 01162 710 033 Oakshott Fabric Colour Chart www.oakshottfabrics.com Bloom & Wild www.bloomandwild.com 02073 529 499 FABRIC COLLECTIONS Marabella Collection www.freespiritfabrics.com Quilt SOS Fabrics by Alice Caroline www.alicecaroline.com 01386 725 000 Stoff & Stil www.stoffstil.com 0333 1559 855 Spoonflower Quilting Cotton www.spoonflower.com BOOKS Celebrate the Seasons www.roundhousegroup.co.uk/shop Strip-Pieced Bargello: Dynamic Quilts, Step by Step www.shopmartingale.com The Seedling Quilt www.tuvapublishing.com…

This month, we share the inspiring story of a social enterprise that’s transforming the lives of women in South East Scotland through craft. Founder, Hazel Smith had the vision to create a safe, friendly and supportive space in the coastal town of Eyemouth, where women can learn practical skills in crafts and sewing. ReTweed has attracted volunteers with such a broad range of skills that they are now designing and creating their own product ranges, collaborating with organisations such as the Scottish Parliament to create bespoke products, and expanding their premises to accommodate a business incubator for fledgling creative craft businesses. “We offer help and support to women who are finding the road forward in their lives and careers tricky”, explained Hazel. Their tenth 12-week training course kicks off this…