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I am a quilter living in Woodbridge, Suffolk who has made quilts since I was a teenager. I also ring bells! Both are great British traditions....I will try to feature some of my antique Welsh and Durham quilts, the quilts I make myself, my quilting activities and also some of my bellringing achievements. Plus as many photos as I can manage. NB: Double click on the photos to see greater detail, then use back button to return to the main page.













Thursday 5 August 2010

Getting ready for FOQ




Progress being made on the trip to Birmingham in three weeks time. The red and white Hawaiian quilt was posted off for the competition. And the other two quilts are ready to go - will need final defurring session, I know. Here is Snowy testing the antique Allendale quilt - it has gotten cool here (not really like August at all, but that's England for you) so cats are back to heat-seeking activities.

I received my three patterns from Cissy at Poakalani yesterday - I ordered sunflower, Molokama and Pillani - these should literally keep me busy for at least three years...not small quilts....I am going to have to bring back some extra wide fabric from my trip to Florida - it seems more satisfactory than seaming together panels - the joins are unsightly and also difficult to deal with.

Here is the latest project - Pua Pake or Chrysanthemum - it is all pin basted now and next has to be thread basted before applique can start - otherwise the pins get in the way of the applique and also tend to drop out - I am not too happy with the quality of the yellow fabric, it is a bit skimpy. It does seem to be difficult to find suitable fabric these days - not so many plains about. Fabric of better quality is especially important with wholecloth and applique quilts.

My next project will be to design and then mark out my Welsh quilt; Jane Rollason has also asked me to loan her some Welsh quilts for her French expo - eight I think - her Durhams are all pastels and she wants some strongly coloured Welsh quilts to contrast - I think finding brightly coloured quilts will not be a problem! I will deliver them to her at FOQ - getting them back from Jane who lives in Yorkshire may be the greater problem - however, a trip to Macclesfield for the BQSG weekend meeting might be the solution.

7 comments:

  1. No affiliation, but I bought a couple of pieces of extra-wide backing fabric from Sew Batik ( http://www.sewbatik.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=82 ) one dark, one light, to do a Hawaiian applique quilt. I love doing applique with batiks, and thought it might be suitable for something like this. (My patterns are also from Poakalani.)

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  2. If you find any good quality wide fabric can you let us know. I have been looking myself for a cotton that I can hand quilt. I bought the Gees Bend fabric but still have to test it for hand quilting. The weave seems like a batik so it may not hand quilt that well?

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  3. Another one interested in good extra-wide fabrics... if I know what brand to ask for, I'll most likely be able to order it through my favorite local quiltshop.

    Lovely cat on that wonderful quilt... I'll be sure to find you and your quilts at the FOQ!

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  4. Hi Pippa,
    Just found your blog last night and stayed up really late reading everything (until the battery died on the laptop!)Really enjoyed reading about your gorgeous Welsh quilts and veiwing the photos.
    I've book marked you now, so will be back often!
    regards, Kate

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  5. Oh those are absolutely gorgeous. I've always wanted to make one, but 108" square I think is more than I can handle. And I just love your Welsh quilts. Another thing I would love to make someday.

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  6. You might try the on line shop-Simply Solids...they specialize in Kona cottons and are in the UK. (check out the blog too-they're having a give away).

    Personally I don't like Kona that much...its a little heavier than a muslin but not quite a broadcloth but the thread count isn't too bad.

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  7. Thanks for the link, Miri. Good to know a UK source, and the prices don't seem too bad. I did once bring back a bolt of Kona cotton pfd, and liked it - as you say, a bit heavier, but good for applique as it turned nicely. I used it for my millenium quilt (which was machine quilted, however). I think my two lengths of wider fabric must be Kona cotton, as they are a bit heavier, too. The red length went for the back of the red and white Hawaiian quilt, and I still have a length of dark blue to use..I will be posting about my marking method for echo quilting, it is not very high tech, but it works for me and is easy and accurate...

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