Further Progress

Just to show you the blocks I have had in so far ....over 50 with more promised as a result of the Ringing World article. Too many to list here - but I am keeping a careful list of all that are received. I have enjoyed reading the notes that come with them!

I think that we will have a good sized quilt - I will soon start sewing the blocks together, once I have decided how big the central panel will be. I am going to make a 6 inch template and lightly mark that on the reverse of each block - this should make sewing them together easier. And, I am still pondering a way to put some writing on the quilt - it would be nice to hve Christchurch Cathedral 2011 on it , perhaps towards the bottom of the quilt...still pondering....will post photos when I have decided...


I was pleased to see that my Hawaiian red and white quilt was featured in Fabrications magazine. An easy choice as wholecloths are notoriously difficult to photograph and are not as colourful. It was a nice touch that Grosvenor Exhibitions sent me a free copy, although I had already bought a copy.

Send in Your Bell Blocks!!

Many of you have agreed to make bell blocks for the Christchurch Bell Quilt - this is just a reminder that if you have not already sent in your block, now is the time to do so. Many thanks to Ernestine Colwell, Pat Masters, Frances Spence, Robin Booth, Catherine Watson and June Nixey whose blocks are pictured above. I am really pleased at the variety of fabrics that have been used.

I have written a short article about this project for the Ringing World (the bellringers' weekly newspaper). It hasn't appeared yet! but perhaps is being saved to accompany some articles about Christchurch bells which will be published in the next week or two. Karen R. from Christchurch will be travelling to the UK this autumn, so perhaps that is the time to hand over the quilt. Hopefully, she will have the chance to do some bellringing while she is in this country.


Here are the copy photos that I will be working from in making the central panel - I will use the larger one. The loss of detail was less than I was expecting - the original photo must have been a good one.

I will be using Ruth McDowell's techniques - you can see that I have quite a collection of her books. I have made three quilts using her patterns, which I did enjoy. I have even met another woman who bought the "Pieced Vegetables" book! so at least two sold....

Here is the pattern for one of Ruth's Daylily blocks - you make paper templates (actually, I just use a photocopy cut up) and piece the block from those using registration marks to piece it all together correctly. I enjoy the look of the pieced blocks and finding just the right piece of fabric. Ruth often uses quite wild fabrics, which is fun too but work surprisingly well.

O f course, using Ruth's patterns is easier than making your own pattern! I'll keep you posted as to how I get on.....

Bell blocks are arriving!

Very exciting to have the Bell blocks arriving! I am very pleased with the variety of fabrics and backgrounds, which was what I was hoping for. Many thanks for everyone's help and I am looking forward to receiving more.

Many thanks to Patricia Lloyd, Daphne Pratt, Shirley Blair, Lorraine Shergold,Ros Burton, and Marion Hamilton. I will soon be starting on the central panel, which will be interesting work. I am going to use Ruth McDowell's techniques of piecing from a paper pattern (which I will have to draft first). I gave a talk and show of quilts at Gislingham WI last night, and as usual, everyone liked my pieced flower and vegetable quilts, which use Ruth's patterns.

It is very warm and pleasant here in Suffolk, so we are looking forward to the Easter weekend. It is the AGM of the Suffolk Guild next weekend at Henley. Today's task to parcel up the new Allendale and red and white Hawaiian quilts to go to Malvern. I have never been - but it does have a very good hand quilted and wholecloth section, or so I'm told!