Innholdsfortegnelse for 58 i Today's Quilter

As we put the finishing touches to this issue, we’re in the depths of winter gloom – rain is tapping away at the window and on the streets below I see figures clutching umbrellas rushing to stay dry. Oh, how I’m longing for the first signs of Springtime as the days grow longer and nature seems to reawaken all around us. Nature is a never-ending source of inspiration for us quilters – whether we’re replicating a scene or landscape, creating stylised versions of motifs in the wild or picking colour palettes based on the bounty of the world outside our windows. The magazine showcases a range of designs with their origins firmly rooted in nature. With a simple rotation, Sally Ablett’s snail trail blocks become the centrepiece for her medallion…

PINBOARD QUILTS Wall art Much-loved quilter Katharine Guerrier is making and selling one-of-a-kind collectable mini quilts by combining traditional patchwork blocks, such as pinwheels, Log Cabin and nine-patch, with a variety of improv techniques. “Having made many large quilts over the decades, drawing on tradition and adding my own interpretations, I am experimenting with small-scale pieces that draw from a number of techniques in a similar way,” said Katharine. Each piece is unique and can be displayed on a pinboard, mounted on a canvas or framed to add a flash of colour to a small space. This is a rare chance to purchase a quilt from a highly regarded quilt-maker and teacher, who has contributed much to our enjoyment and the development of quilting here in the UK. A limited…

Machine quilting As I discussed last month, my first attempt at quilting was by hand. But once I realised that you could make a whole quilt using a sewing machine, my quilting journey properly began. My first quilts were made on my childhood New Home sewing machine and quilted with the simplest ‘stitch-in-the-ditch’ straight lines. It took a few years before I started experimenting with free-motion quilting (FMQ). This was in my art quilt phase back in the 1990s, and so, the quilts were relatively small and easy to handle with my old machine. The free-motion quilt I produced was very improvisational and creative. For nearly a decade I drifted away from quilting as my main passion and produced a bare minimum of quilts for friends and family. In 2009…

Sally Ablett has been making quilts for nearly 30 years. During this time, patchwork has developed from a hobby to Sally’s full-time job. She has a great deal of 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 the tips and shortcuts she has learnt throughout her years of quilting. Sally does freelance design work, including working with Lewis & Irene to design quilts and produce patterns that are used to showcase their new fabric collections.…

You can find out more about Linzee’s writing, speaking and teaching on her website. She is also a designer for Moda Fabric, for whom she has created three lines of feed-sack inspired fabrics. This summer, Linzee will be giving talks and workshops at the quilts and quilting week that is part of the Textile Festival in Leiden, the Netherlands. The festival runs 11–16 May 2020 and details can be found on the ‘Activities’ dropdown menu at www.trc-lediden.nl www.linzeekullmccray.com @seamswrite…

English paper piecing (EPP), also known as piecing over papers or mosaic patchwork, is an accessible hand technique that requires minimal materials and equipment. These qualities mean it’s very portable and can be worked on anywhere – it can also be a great icebreaker if you’re happy to whip out your stitching in public! The basic method is to wrap and tack a fabric piece over a paper template. The patches are then joined with an overstitch, sewing just through the folded edges of the fabrics. To ensure accurate piecing, the papers are removed only when all adjoining patches have been sewn in place. In some historic examples, the papers remain in situ. Too precious to waste, paper was frequently repurposed and templates are often fragments of letters, accounts, newspapers…

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, Pam & Nicky Lintott, Pauline Ineson, Mandy Shaw and Lynette Anderson. 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. She will then go in-depth, exploring the methods, taking them from the basic premise to their full technical and creative potential. You…

If hand-stitching isn’t your thing, feel free to use raw-edge appliqué using your machine as follows: 1 Using the inner broken lines on your templates, trace pattern pieces on to the paper side of some fusible web. 2 Press fusible web onto the wrong side of your fabric, paper side up. 3 Carefully cut out the shape using small, sharp scissors and peel away the paper. Place on top of the right side of the background square, matching with the pattern, and the fusible web facing background fabric. Press to adhere the shape to the background. 4 When all shapes are fixed in place, sew a neat top stitch, blanket stitch or satin stitch close to the edge all around each shape.…

1 Lay a piece of fusible web (paper side up) over the beach hut templates (which have been reversed) and trace. Roughly cut the pieces out with paper scissors leaving a small allowance all round. 2 Place the pieces paper side up on the reverse of your chosen fabrics and iron to fix in place. Now cut them out as carefully as you can on your traced pencil lines. 3 Peel off the backing paper. If this is tricky, scratch the middle with a pin and peel it away from there.…

SHOPPING ACCESSORIES Jewel Palace Quilt  www.alicecaroline.com 01386 725 000 Sew Easy 3-in-1 Tool  groves@stockistenquiries.co.uk Thimble Shaped Craft Organiser  groves@stockistenquiries.co.uk Double Date  www.amitie.com.au FABRIC COLLECTIONS Sunprints 2020  www.makoweruk.com Flower Market  www.eqsuk.com Elegance  www.eqsuk.com Sky  www.robertkaufman.com Jardin de Versailles  www.winbournefabrics.co.uk At Home  www.thimbleblossoms.com BOOKS Wool Appliqué Heirlooms  www.ctpub.com Sisterhood of Scraps  www.shopmartingale.com Feed Sacks  www.shopmartingale.com…

Nicola Dodd TWIST ON A CLASSIC Sew our glorious cover quilt featuring a variant of the Rolling Star, inspired by the late Winter bloom, the Lenten Rose. Turn to page 22. Karen Lewis ONE-BLOCK-WONDER Stitched in Jennifer Sampou’s gorgeous Sky collection, this tropical Pineapple quilt will have you dreaming of summer already! See page 56. Jo Avery MINDFUL APPLIQUÉ Turn to page 77 to give your favourite armchair a freshen up with Jo’s delightful cushion project. Perfect for a weekend of stitching!…

“The repeating floral motif in this quilt has always reminded me of the delicately shaded hellebores – or Lenten roses – that grace our flower beds in late winter and early spring. Using a favourite Layer Cake makes each bloom as unique as its inspiration with their creamy outer petals. And if purple isn’t your thing, then the hellebore is a member of the buttercup family, which also includes anemones and Delphiniums, giving you plenty of colour inspiration. “The block is variant of the traditional Rolling Star, and although it looks complex to piece, it has been broken down into two simple units. Fabric placement does all the hard work for us. The design is created in alternating rows, which allows the floral motifs to overlap the pieced border. So,…

The generic term ‘feed sacks’ is used to describe the (mostly) cotton bags that were made to hold a range of dry goods, such as seeds, fertiliser, flour and sugar, and not just animal feed as the name suggests. Mass production of the sacks started in the mid-1800s when the invention of the lock-stitch sewing machine made it possible to construct bags that were strong enough to hold heavy produce. Prior to this, goods were stored and transported in barrels, boxes and tins, which were not only heavier than fabric sacks but also much bulkier when empty. Bags of inspiration “As soon as women had fabric they regarded as being for free, they repurposed it to make all manner of items” Although fabric sacks are used in other parts of…

You will need ■ Mixed fabric scraps – 1½yds total ■ Sashing and borders fabric – 1yd ■ Backing fabric – 1½yds ■ Batting – 40in x 50in ■ Binding – ½yd ■ Fusible web – 10in square ■ Heart template (see Templates section) Finished size ■ 35in x 45in Notes ■ HST = half-square triangles. ■ QST = quarter-square triangles. ■ RS = right side(s). ■ RST = right sides together. ■ WS = wrong side(s). ■ WST = wrong sides together. ■ There are 12 blocks in the quilt, choose your own mix of square units for each one. Planning the blocks 1 For each block, you will need to make the following: ■ One (1) appliqué heart block. ■ One (1) plain rectangle. ■ One (1) sawtooth…

“The Pineapple block is such a versatile one. By varying the colour, position and layout, it can take on a completely different look! With this quilt, I have chosen to add a sash between each block to give the design a floating feel and to make the diagonal pieces stand out among the blue. I kept the centres and the sashing uniform to give the quilt a sense of regularity and cohesiveness, while still allowing the eye to gently roam around the design by using Jennifer Sampou’s variagated, ombre Sky fabric.”…

What was your introduction to EPP? EPP was how I started patchwork. My first quilt was pieced from scraps my mother had left over from dressmaking – I loved the link between the hexagons and tangible memories. Later, when I looked at historical examples, it was the papers and what they told me that really interested me. Is EPP a technique you regularly use? Mostly, I employ mixed media with paper and paper lamination, often incorporating text. I always begin with an idea or concept, together with a visual starting point or a process. Recently, I’ve been working with traditional techniques, using contemporary materials and processes. This can present challenges and adaptations generally have to be made. How did you construct Faint Hope? The ‘papers’ are made of acetate. Hand-written…

“It’s easy to recognise the distinctive appearance of Bargello patchwork, and here we show you how to achieve this colourful look.” – Lin Clements WHAT IS BARGELLO PATCHWORK? Patchworkers are highly inventive people and see potential for piecing all around them, so it’s no surprise that Bargello embroidery has been used as inspiration for fabulous quilting designs for years. Bargello is a technique normally associated with 17th-century Florentine needlepoint embroidery, where flame-like, wavy patterns were created with stitches on canvas. Patchworkers have interpreted these designs using ‘strip sets’ of squares and rectangles arranged in rising and falling patterns to create colourful designs full of movement. Careful colour grading is often a feature of the work. The piecing of multiple squares and rectangles requires fairly accurate seam alignments for the best…

You will need ■ Linen background fabric – ¾yd ■ Brown fabric for branch – 9in square ■ Green fabric for leaves – 10in square ■ Scraps of black, charcoal, white, grey and red fabric for the bullfinch ■ Scraps of white, blue and yellow fabric for the blue tit ■ Scraps of mid green, dark green and pale green fabric for the goldcrest ■ Water soluble pen or similar ■ A mixture of embroidery threads in black, charcoal, grey and yellow ■ Cushion pad – 12in x 20in ■ Templates (see Templates section) Finished size ■ 12in x 20in Materials used ■ Jo used Essex Linen by Robert Kaufman as a background fabric, see www.robertkaufman.com ■ 12in x 20in feather pad available from www.thefeathercompany.com Notes ■ Seam allowance is…

If you can’t see the pattern lines easily through your fabric, try taping to a window. Or make a quick and easy light box to help with your tracing: take a small shallow cardboard box with no lid and pop your phone inside it with the torch function switched on. Place a large square patchwork ruler on the box and trace your pattern on top of this. Keep all the pieces for each bird together and transfer the template labels on to the back of the shapes. Don’t remove the paper until you are ready to fuse it in place. Using a fine thread, such as Aurifil 80wt, for the appliqué alongside a fine needle, such as a Straw Milliners number 10, will help your stitches disappear.…

After completing a degree in fashion and textiles, Janet worked as a freelance designer for many years. Janet also creates lively designs for quilts and stitcheries that combine her unique joint appliqué templates and free-motion drawing technique. As an experienced speaker and teacher, Janet regularly host talks and workshops focusing on the design process and creative techniques. She’s also written five books, including Freya and Fred, Hearty Good Wishes, A Field Guide, Home Quilt Home and The Wordsmith. You can get in touch with Janet by emailing her at: janet@janetclare.co.uk www.janetclare.co.uk Janeteclare…

I like nothing better than to retreat to my creative space. It’s where some of my best armchair travelling experiences take flight. Being able to shut the door on the chaos of the external world and to relax, surrounded by the things that bring me joy, is a real treat. This month, I want to share some of the books and podcasts I’m enjoying delving into. Tracy Chevalier’s A Single Thread arrived in my bundle of Christmas gifts and I can’t wait to discover more about the main character, Violet Speedwell, who, while embroidering kneelers at Winchester Cathedral is coming to terms with some life-changing events after the First World War. I must be one of the few quilters who missed the televised series of Margaret Atwood’s novel, Alias Grace,…

THE BOOK SISTERHOOD OF SCRAPS Famed quilt designer Lissa Alexander, author of books such as All In A Row, Scraps Made Simple and Lucky Charm Quilts invites six quilting friends to sew scrap quilts, each capturing their signature style. With designs from Susan Ache, Kim Brackett, Barbara Brackman, Sheryl Johnson, Laurie Simpson and Sandy Klop, each is a homage to much-loved fabric scraps and celebrates your stash. Join the Sisterhood of Scraps and sew along. THE SHOP ANTHROPOLOGIE Featuring a tufted diamond-shaped motif and delicate tasselled trim, this exclusive range of Tufted Amora bedding offers a modern twist on classic white bedding, which is always great for giving a clean, airy feeling. The soft texture, neutral tones and minimalist hygge style of these pieces provide the perfect backdrop for a…

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. A regular Today’s Quilter contributor, Nicola now has a successful blog, where she enjoys sharing tutorials, and is a regular contributor to the Moda Bakeshop. www.cakestandquilts.com cakestandquilts @nicolajdodd…

“Brown is not a colour I usually like, but adding creams, blues, dark red and a cream background to a quilt made up of mostly brown shades, shifts the focus of the design, so you end up with a quilt that looks warm and inviting. This quilt has a Snail Trail block for the centre – I have added a large triangle to the outer part of each block to link it to the inner border, so that the blocks end up looking like they are floating within the quilt centre. I think this quilt would look fantastic made with your favourite scraps in your favourite colours. The choice of fabric colours for the Snail Trail blocks and their placement means you’ll have two colourways in each one, with the…

“At its heart, feed sacks tell an inspirational story of women doing amazing things, finding time around their never-ending household chores to make practical and beautiful items for their home and family.” – Linzee Kull McCray In this fascinating and lavishly illustrated book, Linzee Kull McCray takes an in-depth look at feed sacks, a glorious utilitarian product of yesteryear. She explores their history, from the humble plain cotton sacks of the mid-1800s to the colourful printed bags of the early 20th century. Along with images of manufacturers’ adverts and magazine items on how to use the bags, and evocative photographs from the feed-sack era, the book also includes imagery of more than 850 colourful feed-sack designs, many reproduced to scale. Feed Sacks Linzee Kull McCray, published by UPPERCASE £22.50 www.shopmartingale.com…

“Initially, this block was a pattern for one of my workshops, where students would learn to make a ‘scrap bag cushion cover’. A quilt version seemed the most obvious next step, and became an option for the students taking the workshop to progress with their skills. I enjoy working with scrap fabrics and I have a large accumulation hoarded from way back, offcuts from dressmaking projects or pieces left over from previous quilts. I try to blend and match the colours and patterns into a harmonious collection. Each of the blocks for this quilt draws from elements and motifs taken from the traditional quilt patterns, such as half- and quarter-square triangles, sawtooth edging and Flying Geese. The heart motif was added to complete the overall design. When making each unit,…

Take care pressing pieces after each round. Some of the shapes have bias edges that are easily distorted by steam, dragging the iron, or pulling at the fabric. Always use an up and down motion, rather than a sliding one. Ruler grips are small sandpaper-like dots that can be stuck on the bottom of acrylic rulers and templates to help them grip to the fabric and avoid slipping. A sharp rotary blade means you don’t need to apply as much pressure to the rotary cutter, which will also help avoid the ruler slipping.…

The Quilters’ Guild has several English paper-pieced patchworks in its Museum Collection, many of which can be viewed online at www.quiltmuseum.org.uk The heritage patchworks shown on pages 64 and 65 feature in the book Forty: The Evolution of a Collection, which explores the growth and development of The Quilters’ Guild Museum Collection. Available from www.quiltersguildshop.org.uk Lucy Boston (1892–1990) – famous for her award-winning Green Knowe children’s books – was a skilled needlewoman who made the most incredible English paper-pieced coverlets. By prior arrangement, her patchworks can be seen at The Manor in Hemingford Grey in Cambridgeshire, the home in which they were created. The Patchworks of Lucy Boston by Diana Boston is an absorbing read. As well as photographs and details about the patchworks, through Lucy’s own writings and letters,…

Help! When I’ve tried Bargello in the past, I often end up with the strips curving. What can I do about this? Try this… This effect is called ‘bowing’ and can happen with any multiple strip piecing. Sewing the strips together from the same direction each time can create a tightness in the stitches and encourage the fabric to stretch and bow (see Fig 17). Pressing can accentuate this. To prevent it happening, every time you sew a strip to the unit, sew it from the opposite direction to the previous strip. Careful pressing will also help to correct this. Place the unit on a cutting mat to check if it’s bowed and if so, ease the seams into place with the iron. Help! I’d like to make up my…

“I first stitched a little blue tit as part of the A Month in the Country block of the month quilt that I designed for Today’s Quilter a few years ago. It proved to be a huge success and I turned it into a workshop project. Since then, I have appliquéd many blue tits and finally decided that I should branch out with some other British garden birds. So, for this pillow, I have enlarged the original blue tit pattern and added a bullfinch, with his beautiful bright plumage, and a goldcrest, our smallest garden bird. I tried hard to keep the correct scale of size between the three birds, though I am not sure they would all sit so close together in a tree in real life!”…

“Ah, beach huts… somewhere to eat cake with a lovely cup of tea and an uninterrupted view of the sea. Long summer days at the seaside are even more splendid!” You will need ■ Seabirds Pearl – 12½in x 4½in ■ Cowes Sky – 30½in x 4½in ■ Seaweed Sand – 12½in x 4½in ■ Ships Dark Ocean – 4½in x 7in ■ Cowes Dark Ocean – 5in x 6½in ■ Starfish Dark Ocean – 4½in x 7in ■ Stripe Pearl – 17½in x 6in ■ Starfish Pearl – 12in x 6in ■ Cowes Sand – 18in x 4½in ■ Starfish Ocean – 5½in square ■ Fusible web – 14in x 7in ■ Lightweight vilene ■ Templates – see Templates section Finished size ■ 12in square Notes ■ Before proceeding…