Innholdsfortegnelse for 60 i Today's Quilter

What cheers up a grey day... besides a good quilt? A splash of colour! And this issue is certainly embracing that ethos. We have bright, bold quilts in an array of tones from our cover star Nicola Dodd’s Paradise Found quilt (with a name like that it’s difficult not to smile!) to Jo Avery’s Moroccan Magic, an evocative design featuring reds and blues in different tones. The beauty of colour is that you can take a design and use whatever fabrics in whatever combinations you want, to change up the feel and look of a project. Nicola Dodd started off with a Union Star block and, with some clever colour placement, the block was transformed into an exotic flower, before changing again into a Bird of Paradise... all from playing…

COMMON THREADS Meeting of minds Formed in Suffolk in 2006, this group of embroiderers and quilters met while studying for their City & Guilds qualification and decided to form Out Of The Fold. The enthusiastic group of 12 meet regularly to offer mutual support and to exchange ideas and skills. Many of their members have been successful in winning challenges and competitions and they are actively involved in offering talks and workshops throughout the UK. Their latest exhibition has two themes: ‘Drawn Threads’ and ‘Celebrating 1,000 years of Bury Abbey’, as the Abbey was established in 1020. The exhibition is taking place in the beautifully restored Guildhall in Bury St. Edmunds, which has a café on site, making this the perfect destination for a spring stitch outing. Out Of The…

Back in the 1990s I was involved in the Green Quilt Movement. This was during the first serious wave of concern about our planet and climate change when the hole was discovered in the ozone layer and it was becoming more apparent that the earth was warming. I was one of the people that took this very seriously and was forever banging on about it to others. This didn’t make me very popular and so I turned to my other great passion and tried communicating through my quilts instead. I discovered the Green Quilt Movement when I went to an exhibition of Contemporary American Quilts at the Craft Council in London. I was very struck by a Susan Shie quilt which was described as a Green Quilt. Susan was one…

THE QUILTERS’ GUILD MUSEUM COLLECTION, YORK The Quilters’ Guild Museum Collection is an Accredited Museum collection containing over 850 examples of British patchwork, appliqué and quilting. Items range from the iconic 1718 Silk Patchwork Coverlet – the earliest known British signed and dated patchwork – right up to recent pieces by contemporary quilt-makers. As well as full-size quilts and coverlets, The Collection includes miniature work, clothing and domestic accessories, as well as templates, tools and quilting equipment. The Collection is held in store at The Quilters’ Guild headquarters in York, but there are various opportunities for public access. Throughout the year, there are drop-in Open Days at the Guild’s headquarters – mini-exhibitions showcasing a selection of pieces, which this year will be themed according to technique (see left). ‘Behind the…

“Nikki, the Covering Editor of Today’s Quilter, asked me to design a quilt inspired by Moroccan tiles – she had holidayed there recently and taken many photos of the beautiful and colourful wall and floor tiles. I picked a couple of different motifs that I thought would work well as quilt blocks and used them to draw up a few quilt designs. In the end, I liked all the blocks I’d designed and didn’t want to choose, so I drew up a row quilt, which contained each of the blocks. Luckily, Nikki liked this one best! It was hard to get the colour palette right as the tiles are often in strong primary colours, which can look a bit too ‘poster paintbox’ for quilts. I chose a classic red, white…

“I love North Country Frame quilts, so I used some of my favourite characteristics of the style in this project; it is also a scrappy quilt, as many of them often were. I used a yellow floral fabric at different points throughout the quilt to add consistency, and I find that this draws the eye from the middle to the outer border. The cream fabrics I used are a mix of different designs, but you could use one throughout the quilt. For the centre of the Castle Wall block, I fussy-cut from a stripe fabric to create a secondary design – if you wanted to skip this, use the solid octagon template. The great thing about the last frame on this quilt is that you can make it fit any…

Help! I seem to have trouble sewing rows of triangles together neatly. What’s the best way? Try this… The advice given for Sewing Triangles Together on page 74 should help you see exactly where the seam should be sewn in order to preserve the points of the triangles. Creating a nice straight edge to the unit along the top and bottom will also make sewing rows of triangles together much easier. 1 When sewing rows together, as shown in Fig 10A, trim off the dog ears first. 2 Place the longest row right sides together with the next longest row, carefully matching up the points of the triangles (Fig 10B). The side edges of the shorter row will project out beyond the side edges of the longest row. Sew the…

“Enjoy the beautiful art of hand appliqué with this table runner pattern. It is a great project to slow down with and savour every stitch, something we all need to do once in a while. I drew inspiration for this project from botanical folk patterns, ethnic embroideries and stunning mother of pearl inlaid furniture, and it makes a really great statement piece for your home. I used the starch-based appliqué method, which creates beautiful crisp edges, but it could easily be created using other more common appliqué methods. There is also a little EPP involved to add a bit of variety to the project. The pattern is very versatile and could be adapted and used for various other home accessories, such as a cushion or wall hanging.”…

SHOPPING ACCESSORIES Wooden pegboard  www.blockdesign.co.uk Tulip cushion  shop.nationaltrust.org.uk Hopkins Quilt pattern  www.hatcreekquilts.com.au FABRIC COLLECTIONS Sail Away  www.makoweruk.com All Year English Garden  www.oakshottfabrics.com Kona cotton solids  www.robertkaufman.com Meriwether  www.liveartgalleryfabrics.com Strawberry Jam  www.winbournefabrics.co.uk BOOKS The Ultimate Thread Guide  www.searchpress.com Stitch Into Spring  www.amazon.co.uk…

Carolyn Forster FABULOUS FRAMES Carolyn has taken her favourite elements of North Country Frame quilts to create this scrappy masterpiece on page 58. Anne Williams DAY-TRIPPING Anne visits five quilt and textiles collections around the UK, which have a wealth of inspiration waiting to be discovered. Turn to page 44. Yasmeen K Branton HAND APPLIQUÉ New to the Today’s Quilter family, Yasmeen has created a stunning design that will keep your hands busy with pretty appliqué. See page 77.…

“The history of quilting is full of classic blocks that have gently evolved over the centuries as each maker’s hands have adapted, interpreted and amended them. This quilt started with a sketch of the Union Square block which, in its turn, is a variation of the popular Ohio Star block. Like many quilters before me, I often see natural forms in classic blocks – flowers and birds are a particular favourite – so my Union Square blocks have, with some deft colour placement, become an exotic flower before transforming completely into brilliantly plumed Birds of Paradise. The construction of both blocks remains surprisingly similar, with the Union Square’s corner units becoming tails and wing tips. I have used a Layer Cake to make my quilt, but it would also look…

In this feature, we have been able to highlight only a few of the places where you can see heritage quilts in the UK, but we have suggested some other venues you might like to investigate in the list below, though this is not exhaustive. It’s also worth checking out nearby museums and stately homes as they might have some wonderful textile and quilt treasures in their collections too, which may have interesting local connections. But be aware that historic objects are regularly held in store rather than being out on display, and that items are often rotated, so it’s wise to find out what a venue is currently showing before setting off on your travels. If there is a particular quilt you would like to see and it is…

NORTHERN ENGLAND Sewing Centre 54-56 Aberdeen Walk Scarborough YO11 1XW Sewing Days Fabrics 67 Church Street Keighley BD21 5HT www.sewingdayscafe.co.uk Sew Crafty 85 Sandon Road Southport Merseyside PR8 4QD Fletcher’s Patch Unit 111 Bradley House Bradley Fold Trading Estate Radcliffe Moor Road Bolton BL2 6RT www.fletcherspatch.co.uk From Rags to Stitches 85 High Street Maltby Rotherham South Yorkshire S66 7BL www.fromragstostitches.co.uk SOUTHERN ENGLAND Doughty Brothers 100 Barrs Court Rd Hereford HR1 1EG www.doughtysonline.co.uk City Cycle Centre 7 Market St Ely Cambridgeshire CB7 4PB Purple-Pixie Fabric & Craft The Hop Farm Maidstone Road Paddock Wood Kent TN12 6PY www.purple-pixie.co.uk Quilters Corner Oat Street Evesham Worcestershire WR11 4PJ Sally’s Sewing Box 4 Duke Street Princes Risbourough Buckinghamshire HP27 0AT www.sallyssewingbox.co.uk Sew & So 1 Landsdown Stroud Gloucestershire GL5 1BB The Log Cabin 104…

Carolyn Forster has been sewing, making patchwork and quilting for well over two decades, 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…

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 can cut out and keep this section to build your own bespoke technical handbook. ESSENTIAL GUIDE NEXT ISSUE: SEMINOLE PATCHWORK In the next issue we will learn how to make some…

“I know foundation piecing isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but it gives you perfect sharp points and that’s exactly what a compass needs,so deep breaths and on you go!” You will need ■ Starfish Pearl – 13in square ■ Stripe Pearl – 10in x 8in ■ Stripe Dark Ocean – 19in x 8in ■ Cowes Sand – 12in x 8in ■ Woven Texture Dark Ocean – 8in square ■ Seabirds Pearl – 12½in square ■ Fusible web for appliqué ■ Lightweight interfacing or paper for foundation piecing ■ Templates (see Templates section) Finished size ■ 12in square Notes ■ Fabric requirements are for both the Mariner’s Compass and British Isles blocks. ■ The fabric requirements are a little generous to allow room for manoeuvre when positioning the prints when foundation…

MOROCCAN MAGIC FPP TEMPLATES ENLARGE 200% Includes seam allowances. BLOCK OF THE MONTH FPP AND APPLIQUÉ TEMPLATES ACTUAL SIZE PLEASE NOTE: FPP templates include seam allowances. Appliqué template is reversed and does NOT include seam allowances. AMETHYST APPLIQUÉ APPLIQUÉ TEMPLATES ACTUAL SIZE PLEASE NOTE: Appliqué templates do NOT include seam allowances. PAVED WITH GOLD CENTRE BLOCK TEMPLATES ENLARGE 200% Includes 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 website or a third party website, or copy it multiple times without permission.…

THE QUILT HOPKINS QUILT Today’s Quilter contributor, Deirdre Bond-Abel, designed this gorgeous sampler quilt, made using seven different traditional blocks, repeated several times to give a lovely scrappy look. “Pink and green prints together are a favourite combination of mine so I used different tones for the zigzags,” she says. We love green in quilts too, so this has definitely become a favourite design on our to-do list. To buy the pattern for the Hopkins Quilt, or any other Hat Creek Quilt sdesigns, visit Deirdre’s website www.hatcreekquilts.com.au THE FABRIC ENCHANTED Kona cotton solid Colour of the Year 2020 is Enchanted, and this delightful teal green from Robert Kaufman Fabrics is sure to have you dreaming of long sunny days surrounded by nature. Kona cotton solids, which come in more than…

A Sense of Time and Place Until 26th April 2020, Milton Keynes A lovely contemporary exhibition of textiles by the Art2Stitch Group featuring post-war architecture and ‘places’. See website for opening times and for more information. The Milton Keynes Museum and Gallery, McConnell Drive, Wolverton MK12 5EL miltonkeynesmuseum.org.uk 01908 265 725 Beckenham Quilters Biennial Exhibition, Region 2 21st March, Kent An exhibition celebrating 40 years at Beckenham Methodist Church. Refreshments and traders available on the day. Admission price includes catalogue. Children and students go free. 10:00-16:00 / £4 Beckenham Methodist Church, Bromley Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 5JE www.beckenhamquilters.co.uk Broughton Gifford Piecemakers Quilt Exhibition 27th-28th March, Broughton Gifford An exhibition of the group’s work plus trader stand, sales table and refreshments. There will be a raffle in aid of Wiltshire Air…

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…

“We wanted to portray the beauty of spring in the fabric choices in our Meriwether Meadow quilt, with a relaxed, laid-back feel that’s inviting and sweet enough for anyone to make. We particularly chose ‘Wispy Cloud Dream’ so it would pop against the surrounding pink toned prints, and to give it more intensity, while the PURE Solid fabric in ‘White Linen’ balanced the pink and green tones. All these fabrics are perfect for the Magic 8 HST technique because it does not require a specific fabric direction, giving it more versatility. We picked ‘Forget-Me-Not Hideaway’ as backing fabric because of the ditzy flowers that complemented the colours on the quilt top and binding.”…

You will need ■ Assorted dark blue prints – 1yd in total ■ Assorted blue prints – 1½yds in total ■ Assorted red prints – 2yds in total ■ Assorted white/cream prints – 1yd in total ■ Aqua dotty background fabric – 3¾yds ■ Batting – 81in square ■ Backing fabric – 4½yds ■ Binding fabric – ⅝yd ■ Templates – 10 paper copies of FPP templates A; 20 paper copies of FPP templates B, C and D; 16 paper copies of FPP templates E and F (see Templates section) Finished size ■ 76in x 77in Notes ■ FPP = foundation paper piecing. ■ WOF = width of fabric. ■ RST = right sides together. ■ WST = wrong sides together. Fabrics used ■ Fabrics from Jo’s stash plus Swiss…

“Drawing, cutting and sewing equilateral triangles are useful skills for a patchworker, allowing you to feature them in a variety of exciting ways”– Lin Clements WHAT IS AN EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE? An equilateral triangle is a shape that has three sides of equal length, with each angle being 60-degrees. This is different from a right-angled triangle that most patchworkers are used to, which has just two sides the same and two different angles – one of 90-degrees and two of 45-degrees. Fig 1 shows the two different triangles, with example measurements. You can see that in the equilateral triangle, the height is shorter than the width, which means that the overall shape is not a square. A triangle can be created from a square, but it won’t be a mathematically ‘true’…

You will need ■ Dark blue background fabric – ½yd ■ Dusky pink fabric – one (1) Fat Quarter ■ Pearl print – one (1) Fat Quarter ■ Backing fabric – ½yd ■ Batting – 15in x 42in ■ Binding fabric – ½yd ■ Freezer paper ■ Starch (if using starch-based appliqué technique) ■ Templates (see Templates section) Finished size ■ Approx. 14in x 40in Fabrics used ■ ‘Indigo’ Kona Solids from Robert Kaufman ■ ‘Mauvelous’ Pure Elements from Art Gallery ■ ‘Unicorn (Pearl) Bumbleberries’ from Lewis & Irene ■ ‘Quilters Shadow 4516’ by Stof (binding) Notes ■ Seam allowances are a scant ¼in (unless otherwise noted). ■ Templates do not include seam allowance. Add ¼in seam allowance to each piece, unless using raw appliqué methods. Cutting out 1 From…

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…

Last month, I started my journey south from Nashville on Route 28 heading to the Gee’s Bend Quilting Collective in Alabama. After torrential rain and a slight detour, I finally arrived in the small, remote hamlet of Boykin... I’m sitting in the heart of the Gee’s Bend Quilting Collective surrounded by quilts and photographs of generations of quilters. Mary Ann Pettway, who heads up the collective, is unpacking a small quilt that she’s been working on while she was on the road, sharing the story of her quilting community. She’s just finished hand quilting three mini quilts in vibrant colours, the shapes remind me of drawings of village farmland in England from a bygone era – all ridges and furrows and narrow strips. We have come to associate this abstract,…