~Angela's Textile Art~

A Quick Piece of Textile Art

2012-01-23T16:43:00.000Z

A quick birthday card made from just a couple of pieces of fabric, sequins, beads and glue!

Please Vote for PARIS...

2012-01-20T13:54:00.000Z

I'd be most grateful if you could vote for my 'Paris' quilt in the Quilting Gallery competition...many thanks!

http://quiltinggallery.com/2012/01/20/black-and-white-quilts/

6th January Journal Quilt

2012-01-18T17:02:00.000Z

6th January 2012

On the 'Popular Patchwork' forum we have been given a challenge to produce a journal quilt on 6th of every month depicting what we do that day.

By the end of Friday 6th January 2012 I was still clueless - what on earth could I do?? I decided to start by writing down everything I did during the day which struck me that it was a bit like a diary...so that's what I decided to do for each month and incorporate it into the journal.

I printed the text onto fabric then printed a photo of the Hungry Caterpillar quilt and a photo of my friend Julie onto organza.

(Julie died of cancer aged 45 on 6th January 2008...)

I then stitched it all to Evolon Soft and quilted it.

The photo is quite bright I think because I scanned it - the Evolon is more off-white.

I wonder what I'll be doing on 6th February....?

Once You Start You Can't Stop...

2012-01-14T22:14:00.000Z

...making ATC's...well I couldn't tonight anyway ;o)...

but I'm going to have to stop now as it's bed-time!

This one is made with two weights of Zeelon which have been painted, place one on top of the other, then embellished with printer's foil and edged with cotton lace trim.

This was an experiment...I had already made a few snowflakes using a stencil and paint sticks and chose this one as the colours matched a silk rod in my box full that I haven't known what to do with until now!

So I stuck strips to my ATC card and then glued the snowflake on top -

voilà!

This one uses Zeelon again and I stamped it with an Indian wood block, trimmed the sides with lace and embellished again with printer's foil.

And last but not least this ATC has been turned into a greetings card.

I used a felt background overlaid with painted Zeelon and embellished with a butterfly cut from toilet tissue - yes you read that right!!

(limited edition rolls from Andrex!)

And once again I decorated it with the painter's foil - I've had that since the Festival of Quilts last August and this is the first time I've used them!

There's no stopping me now ;o)

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

2012-01-07T18:56:00.000Z

My first finished quilt of 2012...ok, I did start it in 2011...lol!

This is a quilt made as a gift for a friend who's baby grand-daughter is due in a couple of weeks.

More photos...

It measures 36" x 36" and is backed with fleece.

Book of Days

2012-01-05T20:26:00.000Z

For 2012 I decided I would like to try something new - journaling.

I'm not sure how long it will last as I am so out of my comfort zone with this!

I decided to join a group created by Effy Wild called Book of Days to encourage me to keep at it.

I made my book cover - the front above and the back...well I'm not thrilled with the back and may just paint over it yet.

I chose a word - Cherish - mainly because my son is getting married in June and because as soon as I thought of it that song by David Cassidy in the 70's wouldn't go out of my head ;o)

So, my inside front cover contains a background of words similar to cherish and I placed a couple of photos of me as a child which I do cherish as they bring back happy memories. The one in the middle is the most recent of me which I put there 'just because'. It's decorated with a couple of embroidered butterflies and lace...and I hate it...but it's done now.

The next page means a lot more...

I've decided to create a journal page for notable dates rather than every day as I don't really have the time - that's why I don't write a diary!

This page is for January 2nd - my dad's birthday. The photo is my dad at 18 and was printed onto organza before sticking on to my own hand-dyed scrim - I know... something I dyed myself instead of buying elsewhere!!! I dyed this with turmeric.

I wrote his name, rank and date of birth around the photo and then stuck some butterflies on - can you tell I love butterflies...lol.

I then signed it.

It's OK...I'm not overly happy with it but it'll do.

I'm more used to working with a quilt sandwich and could have made something I was happier with if it were a journal quilt rather than a journal page.

I dare say I'll persevere for a while - after all I've bought paints and drawing pencils now so I'd better get some use out of them!

I also bought 2 books - this one...

...which I found really inspirational as soon as I opened it, and this one...

...which I'm still getting used to.

Take a look at Effy Wild's page - link here and on the side-bar.

My head is bursting with things I want to do - I just wish there were 48 hours in a day!

A Walk in the Woods with Zeelon

2012-01-01T10:47:00.000Z

Happy New Year!

I've been playing with a new textile art material similar to Lutradur called Zeelon...and this is the result.

I used all three weights in this piece which is another version from my dad's photo.

I stencilled it with paint sticks...created a design with EZ-Batik and painted it and also manipulated it with the heat gun...I had a great time :o)

Boxing Day...

2011-12-26T17:07:00.001Z

...the day after Christmas Day in the UK.

I found this
interesting article about Christmas in Victorian times...

Boxing Day for me means having a good deal of rest and relaxation usually involving reading and maybe some sewing.

For Christmas my DD bought me a gorgeous little camera in my favourite colour...

...so today I made a case for it from hand dyed felt and lined with silk...

...that should keep it safe :o)

Christmas wishes...

2011-12-21T16:49:00.001Z

...to all my followers.

Wishing you all a lovely Christmas time and a happy & healthy 2012

Love & hugs

Angela

xox

Dyrham Fern - Spoonflower Fabric

2011-12-19T17:30:00.000Z

My latest Spoonflower fabric design arrived today - WOW!!! I'm amazed at how wonderful it looks - much too nice to cut up...I might just make a quilt out of it as it is :o)

It is also available for sale on Spoonflower as are many other of my designs...

http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/852971

I have more on the way too... :o)

Winter Walk

2011-12-05T11:27:00.000Z

Here is another journal quilt based on the photo taken by dad about 40-something years ago close to where he lives.

It's the third I've made and when my mum was alive she also made a paper collage from it and that now hangs on dad's wall.

I have more plans for this photo - it's a wonderful subject to works from :o)

Needle-felting Robins

2011-11-29T19:41:00.000Z

DD and I have been making robins!

This is mine. I made it on the embellisher but after seeing DD's versions using the Clover tool.

I think I prefer hers...

She made her 3D (2 sides) and punched them together then added the wings. I made it 2D and punched the wing so it looks flatter.

Once she started she couldn't stop...lol...

...a flock of robins!!

Work In Progress...

2011-11-27T11:47:00.000Z

...that's all for now ;o)

Through The Abbey Window

2011-11-26T11:09:00.001Z

Here is my latest art quilt for a group challenge. It has been designed from three photos taken at places we visited on our recent holiday.

I loved the brickwork on the sides of the one on the left which I reproduced with the aid of fusible web and nice sharp scissors!

The garden outside the window is from a photo printed onto silk and then hand embroidered.

I used a grey Markal paint stick to create the shadows above and around the window and on the sill.

The lead on the window is machine embroidered and the jug and glasses, taken from the window on the right are made from two layers of gold organza appliquéd in place with wadding behind to give depth.

The Quilt Show - Quilt of the Day

2011-11-20T11:44:00.001Z

I was thrilled to find out today that my Rhapsody Quilt, Autumn Glow, has been featured as Quilt of the Day on The Quilt Show website :o)

Click the link to see it...yay!!

Felting Fabric...

2011-11-18T16:42:00.001Z

Here is the first 'proper' piece I've made on my embellisher.

I used fabric and threads and then cut out circles, turned them over and placed back in the holes...

This was the front...

...and this was the back...

...I then quilted around the circles.

I'm quite pleased with my first proper attempt :o)

My First Atempt...

2011-11-17T16:38:00.000Z

Front

Back

I just used fluffy ribbons and thread...I might even add more to it...

My New Toy.....

2011-11-17T09:03:00.000Z

...I may be quiet for a while...

:o)

I'm a First Prize Winner....

2011-11-11T15:45:00.001Z

...for the first time!!!

A couple of months ago I entered all my nostalgia quilts into a competition run by Crafty Computer Paper in the UK.

Here is my winning quilt - it's journal sized and made by printing my mum's photo onto organza and laying that onto some fabric printed with mum's writing - actually notes she made during a quilting class. the vintage background fabric is made from a houscoat she wore during the 60's and I found when I was clearing out her stuff. It holds such memories for me. The buttons on it are also from the housecoat.

I'm surprised that this is the one that won - I thought it would be this one of her sat on the canal bank wall made using TAP transfer paper but hey - I'm not complaining!

I won a £100 voucher to spend at Crafty Computer Paper - that's where I buy all my printable fabrics from - and a bottle of bubbly!! Just in time for my birthday next week

What To Do With Out of Date Tea-bags...

2011-10-16T16:56:00.000+01:00

I was given an idea this morning - someone on Facebook was making quilts out of teabags!

So, I raided my cupboard and was surprised to find quite a lot of boxes of fruit/herb teabags which were out of date - can you tell I've not been drinking much of those lately?!!

After pouring boiling water on them and letting them soak for a while I decided I didn't want to waste all that lovely colour so cut up some white cotton, added a bit of turmeric to the lighter teas and dyed the fabric.

And here is the result! The strawberry, elderflower & rose tea-bags produced a beautiful pale pink and the camomile and the mint with added turmeric (just because I like the colour it produces!) came out two lovely shades of bright yellow :o)

The tea-bags are almost dry and will be emptied when they are completely dry, probably tomorrow...so I've managed to get two lots of textile art project ideas from one!

Waste not want not ;o)

Daisy, Daisy

2011-10-14T21:21:00.001+01:00

Daisy, Daisy is my latest project for Popular Patchwork magazine.

It measures 39" x 39".

This was a lovely quilt to design and make, made all the more special by this fabulously beautiful fabric from Fabric Freedom.

It's a one-block quilt which gave a few good layout possibilities but this is the one I chose...

This quilt is also reversible - this is the back...

This is made up of 16 x 9" squares each with a central 3" square cut from a panel of daisy designs.

For the quilting I designed a large daisy design and quilted it into each square, then echo quilted to fill the quilt.

I'm so happy with how this turned out :o)

Work in progress...

2011-10-13T20:32:00.001+01:00

Here is the quilting so far on the Wedding Quilt.

It's coming along :o)

Quilting The Pieced Blocks

2011-10-10T20:18:00.004+01:00

I've now started to quilt the pieced blocks.

I'm using a fancy heart design, as shown here, and then meander quilting around the design (photos of that will be posted another time).

This is the back - very good for me I think!!

I'm using Aurifil 50wt cotton to quilt this which I have never used before now...and I'm really impressed!

Let the Quilting Begin....

2011-10-09T16:21:00.001+01:00

At last, after 15 months the first stage of the quilting has begun on the Wedding Quilt for my son and his fiancée.

I decided to make 99 blocks instead of the 140 in Sylvia's Bridal Sampler, therefore making it my own. I actually pieced just 50 blocks in the end, separating them with 'orange peel' appliqué, therefore creating a trellis effect.

Once the centre panel is quilted I will start on the appliquéd border and hopefully have the quilt ready in time for the wedding next June!

'Dream'

2011-10-04T16:47:00.003+01:00

before quilting

I belong to an online group called The International Quilt Challenge. It's a lovely small group of just 16 of us and each one of us in turn are going to set the others a challenge theme. The first theme was Light and Shadow and I knew straight away what I wanted to do - or thought I did!

I ended up making two pieces for this challenge as I had two ideas at the same time. Both ideas are from the same photo of Dream, the 20 metre high sculpture by world-famous artist Jaume Plensa - http://www.dreamsthelens.com/ .
I was so impressed when I visited it and took lots of photos from different angles. Both my challenge pieces are from the same photo but using different fabrics - dupion silk on one made after posterizing the photo and I printed the photo onto Evelon & Lutradur for the other.

For the quilting on the silk I decided to follow the contours of the face on the 'light' side and for a bit of fun I quilted curls on the 'shadow' to look like hair.

For the printed Evelon/Lutradur piece I cut up the Lutradur and lay it spaced out slightly over the Evelon, quilted a line of metallic thread in each space and the edges of the Lutradur are held down in the binding so stand away slightly from the Evelon.

The binding was the worse part as I didn't know what to do at first...leave it raw or neaten it up. I decided on the latter when I found suitable fabrics for each piece - pale gold satin for the silk piece and a very pale blue Fairy Frost for the E/L.

I'm very pleased with how they've turned out - they're both A4 size and within my comfort zone!

Photo printed onto Evelon & Lutradur

detail

Dupion Silk from a posterized photo

detail

I have set the theme for the next challenge - 'Through the Window' - inspired by my visit to the wonderful country houses and magnificent ancient buildings in Somerset & Wiltshire...this may take me a while!

BACK FROM BATH!

2011-10-03T22:08:00.000+01:00

I'm back from two wonderful weeks spent exploring Somerset and Wiltshire!

Oh my...what a beautiful area of our country! The towns and cities and villages are so clean and pleasurable to wander around and are abundant with the most glorious country houses, ancient monuments, architectural delights and a fantastic patchwork of open countryside.
I have come home so inspired...I just need more hours in the day to produce everything in my mind!

I took sooo many photos! I posted many of them on Facebook but for anyone who doesn't use it here are the links if you would care to take a look at them...enjoy!

Avebury Manor & Stone Circle

Castle Combe

Wells

Bath

Autumn Postcard

2011-09-09T19:04:00.000+01:00

Yes, it's that time of year again! Where has the year gone?

We had a postcard swap on our Yahoo Group with Autumn as the theme, and as I'll be away after next week I thought I'd better get mine done and posted off pretty quickly!

I chose a left over piece of fabric with part of a Tyvek tree stitched to it, used a piece of my own oak leaf design fabric I have on Spoonflower for the rest of the card and added a gorgeous wooden button.

I'm so glad the recipient received it ok :o)

Two Quilts in 10 Days !!

2011-08-27T17:15:00.001+01:00

Two weeks ago my manager at work asked me to make a quilt for her newborn twin nephews - and wanted it by last Thursday! That gave me 10 days to design, pick the fabrics, appliqué the design blocks, sew it all together and then quilt. I wasn't going to do much quilting but once it was put together I just couldn't stop myself - as you can see!

Then, last Monday she asked ifI could make another smaller quilt for her niece so she wouldn't feel left out. And this is the result - a real quickie from charm squares and a random stripe for the border which amazingly co-ordinated perfectly :o)

I'm now exhausted - I've never made something so quickly!!

The Sailboat Quilt measures 52" x 42" and the smaller quilt measures 30" x 34".

My next project is a challenge for a group I belong to - information on that will be coming along soon - I had to put my 'arty' head on for that one!

FESTIVAL OF QUILTS 2011

2011-08-15T22:36:00.000+01:00

Create a photo slideshow

Quilting Feathers

2011-07-31T12:53:00.000+01:00

Subtitle: Needs more practice!!

I decided to quilt feathers in the dividing strips between the rows in my Sew-a-Row quilt. It looks a lot better since I thought about quilting an 'inner' feather too and by the time I've done the last strip I might have perfected it!

Never mind though, it all adds to the quirkiness of the quilt :o)

Jelly Roll Quilt Competition

2011-07-31T11:05:00.000+01:00

I've just found out that unfortunately I was not one of the chosen twelve for this competition :o(

Actually it was a chosen 10 as two of the people who entered more than once won twice...tad unfair I thought but never mind...the names were not known when the quilts were chosen.

The borders are not really wobbly - it's the photo!

I'm not sure what I'll do with this now - ebay? Or donate it to DD's new flat?

Sew-a-Row Quilt

2011-07-30T19:42:00.000+01:00

I'm making a Sew-a-Row Quilt.

Well, it's actually a friendship quilt as 6 of the 7 rows are made by friends in my Yahoo group.

This photo is dreadful but it was the best I could do. I will try to do better next time! It will measure single bed size by the time it's finished.

My row is the middle one with the birds, butterflies and bird-houses and the photo which heads this post is a section of this row which I have quilted today....this is going to take a while!

The borders are made up of butterflies which were sent to me my members of the Popular Patchwork forum when my mum died last year, and the batiks are all from the birthday swap from the same forum - so you see this is a real friendship quilt :o)

I'll post more as I go along...but I may be some time... ;o)

SAILING...

2011-07-20T19:25:00.001+01:00

Inspired by a photo I took in Baumaris, Anglesey, North Wales, these two silk landscape pictures are my latest project to be featured in Popular Patchwork magazine (August 2011)

The fabric is dupion silk and was wonderful to work with.

They both measure approx 7" x 5" - one I put in an Ikea frame and the other I added binding and a hanger.

This is the photo which inspired me - I've made 4 landscape pictures from this...it's a beautiful part of the country!

Row Two...

2011-07-15T20:07:00.000+01:00

Well, here's row 2.

It's so exciting to see something you've created digitally coming to life in fabric! I'm just sorry that the quality of the photo isn't too good - the fabric I've used for the 'trellis' design looks lovely. It's a William Morris design and here is a better photo of the actual fabric...

...beautiful isn't it?

I'm such a fan of everything to do with William Morris.

And 'sew' it begins...

2011-07-14T16:54:00.000+01:00

This is the bit I've been waiting for for the past (almost) 12 months!

Over the last few days I've been finishing all the blocks I need for this wedding quilt which started life as 'Sylvia's Bridal Sampler' but turned into 'Natalie & Andrew's Bridal Quilt'! Some of the blocks were just too complicated for my 'brain with no patience' so I duplicated some blocks I liked and made up others, some deliberately and some by accident!

Using EQ7 I arranged the blocks in an order I liked and today laid the cornerstone - the top left corner is shown above with the appliquéd 'peels' using one of the beautiful rayon threads from my 'treasure chest'.

Below is my layout and I will be piecing it diagonally...

Two Down...23 to go!

2011-07-04T14:50:00.001+01:00

In my Yahoo Group we had an Autumn Strip Swap last year and this is the beginning of my Autumn Bed Quilt.

I have decided that it will be easier to quilt it block by block. There are 25 x 16" square blocks altogether, so it will measure 80" square not including the borders.

Here are the first two blocks quilted and backed...it's going to be along job!

Yet Another Wedding Quilt Block

2011-06-27T16:30:00.000+01:00

Here's another block :o)

This week I'm going to get as many done as I can. I loved the fabrics in this so much that I made two of these. I'm going to have to lay them all out soon to get the colours equal - I don't want more of one colour than another!

From Photo to Art Quilt - finished!

2011-06-24T18:46:00.001+01:00

Remember the silk painted and splattered with salt, and the Tyvek fabric painted a stone colour? Well here is the result :o)

As well as what I've already mentioned I only used one more thing and that is dyed and un-dyed lace.

...And here is the photo which inspired me...

Thank you to my friend Cath Stonard who took the photo and gave me permisssion to create a textile version :o)

Silk Birthday Card

2011-06-22T19:49:00.000+01:00

A few weeks ago a lovely friend of mine gave me some silk to play with. I've almost finished one project but this is the other.

Do you remember my post on batik? Well this is what I've done with the small piece I made. I quilted it with a leaves design and embellished it with an embroidered dragonfly.

This will be going to another very dear friend who is 90 years young on Friday :o)

BEE MY HONEY BEE

2011-06-21T16:30:00.002+01:00

My baby quilt came home!

These are virtually the correct colours - I don't know why it printed so dark in the magazine.

The title is the name I gave it - named from the block I used which I thought was rather sweet.

The fabric is from Makower.

Batik for the Terrified!

2011-06-18T10:43:00.001+01:00

I remember when I was a teaching assistant in a primary school about 15 years ago we decided to do batiking with the children. Then something must have happened and for some reason I didn't do it, but the children did. They used wax and the results were amazing.

Then I found this...

...it's a lovely big bottle too - 236ml.

I decided to try it out on silk first and stamped my design with the new little wooden stamps I bought at the same time...

...and this is what it looked like in the hoop...

The final result is at the top of this post - I tried adding some gold using those little Twinkling H2O pots of paint and some watered down fabric paint. I heat set it using an iron and then washed out the batik...only it also washed out the gold paint! The rest remained so it doesn't look too bad and I'm quite happy with my first attempt.

I'll probably turn it into a birthday card for a special friend who is 90 next week :o)

28 down - 22 To Go :o)

2011-06-11T17:27:00.000+01:00

Five more wedding blocks - I just have 22 to go before I can start assembling it :o)

Quilting Gallery Postcard Competition

2011-06-10T15:16:00.000+01:00

Please,please, please will you vote for my postcard

Willow Warbler - June (Country Diary Series)

in the

Quilting Gallery Contest

Thank you soooo much!!

Errwood Oak Leaves II

2011-06-09T16:52:00.000+01:00

Mark II of my Errwood Oak Leaves which was created from a scan of the actual leaves collected on a walk at Errwood Reservoir last Autumn.

This one is slightly different from Mark I - there is more background quilting and I've added 3 little acorn buttons as embellishments.

I love this design so much I'm even planning to order a yard of a variation of the design from Spoonflower...see my previous post

here

And I haven't finished yet - I have more ideas for this design...just not enough hours in the day!!

Another Grassington Tree

2011-06-06T19:59:00.000+01:00

I've just finished another art quilt featuring the Grassington Tree - I really must think of a more apt name for this series - I'm getting quite a collection now :o)

I experimented with a bit of manipulation with this one, and wondered what appliqué would look like for a change. I loved the brown and lilac batiks together...and this is the result.

These are close-ups of the quilting and embellishments.

I think I prefer the original shape of the tree though...

Just a Taster of Something New...

2011-06-05T15:44:00.000+01:00

I've been unable to finish what I started yesterday morning as I decided to get this next project for the magazine quilted, as the deadline is soon. It's taking me longer than I expected and I don't want to unthread my machine until it's done.

So, as I said this is a snippet of the next project which is the first I designed using EQ7. I was thrilled with how easy it was having really struggled with EQ5 and absolutely love the brilliantly bright fabrics I used. You'll have to wait until the Autumn to see the full thing ;o)

As soon as I've finished I'll get on with the silk and Tyvek project because I can't wait to see if I can reproduce the idea I have in my head!

What On Earth am I up to Today??

2011-06-04T10:37:00.000+01:00

I'll show you later - or tomorrow - or the next day!

But in the meantime if you're wondering what the heck they are...

...in the tray on the left is a sheet of Tyvek fabric painted a lovely creamy beige colour which when dry I will turn over and paint the other side - you will see what that turns out to be on my finished piece.

On the right is a frame containing a piece of silk painted in greens, blues and browns, sprinkled with course salt and dried in the sunshine.

There is method in my madness - honestly!

I'm a Winner!

2011-06-03T15:35:00.002+01:00

Thank you Fibre Arts/Mixed Media

I entered this miniature landscape quilt called 'Sailing' into their Monthly Creative Challenge for May and just found out I won!

My prize is Lesley Riley's latest book Create with Transfer Artist Paper.

I'm so lucky and I can't wait to learn more about this fabulous technique :o)

Waste Not, Want Not...

2011-05-22T14:59:00.000+01:00

Fired up from my visit to Aintree yesterday I couldn't wait to use some of the things I'd bought. So, whilst looking for materials and sorting things out I found a photo printed onto fabric (but ran out of ink!) of a horse chestnut shell that I'd saved in case I found a use for it. Today was the day! Something else I found was a couple of pieces of Evelon coloured with paintsticks I'd saved 'just in case' months ago.

I stamped those with the stamps I bought yesterday and sprinkled black sparkly embossing powder on before zapping with the heat gun.

The Lutradur behind the main piece is another scrap piece I found.

I chose the background fabric to carry on the 'grassy' theme.

So you see - it's always a good thing not to throw things away as they may come in useful one day :o)

Back from Aintree

2011-05-21T16:41:00.000+01:00

Today my friend and I went to Aintree to Creative Stitches & Hobbycrafts. It was just as I expected - lots and lots of vendors selling card making/scrapbooking materials and just 3 selling fabric. I found a great seller selling Lutradur and Tyvek and lots of fibre textiles to get your creative juices going and bought some clear stamps and a acrylic block as I have an idea ;o)

I also found a bargain in 4 lovely fabric designs perfect for the Wedding Quilt - all half yards for a total of £10 :o)

We attended a really interesting talk from Kim Tittichai - what a lovely lady - I wish she lived near me!!

So, watch this space as I intend to do a bit of experimenting with my purchases soon!

Like Mother Like Daughter...part II

2011-05-17T15:22:00.000+01:00

Look at what my brilliant DD has done now... :o)

She had originally wondered about painting these magpies onto paper but wanted fabric behind to show through, so when I suggested Lutradur she jumped at it!

She used watercolour paints to paint the magpies and used transfer letters for the words, then raided my fabric drawers for something suitable to place behind it. She found a pieced watercolour scrap that I'd saved 'just in case' which was perfect!

She's planning on framing it all in an embroidery hoop.

But, not only was her idea an artistic one but so's her photo!

Slowly I'm introducing her to the world of Textile Art ;o)

More Fabric Designs...

2011-05-12T17:01:00.000+01:00

I've created two more fabric designs - but am ordering swatches first before ordering yards as I'm not sure about the fern design. I love the oak leaf design though which is created from my photo which created my Errwood Oak Leaves journal quilt

And more good news...I've sold my first yard of the Raven fabric today :o)

Woohoo!!

I'm so excited.....

2011-05-10T15:29:00.000+01:00

...my 'RAVEN' fabric is now available to buy from

Spoonflower

I received my yard of fabric today and it looks great...I'm thrilled to bits!

Please Vote for Raven...

2011-05-05T20:11:00.001+01:00

I've entered my 'Raven' fabric design into a Spoonflower competition and would be really grateful if you would vote for me...

http://www.spoonflower.com/contest_voters/new?contest_id=80#conpage26

...the pictures are in a different order for each person who goes onto the site so I can't link to my fabric - it's the one in the photo above...thank you :o) x

Raven

2011-04-29T12:54:00.000+01:00

Yesterday, quite by chance, I designed a piece of fabric from one of my photos.

I posted a photo on Facebook and was encouraged to upload it to Spoonflower . I have heard of this but never tried to design anything before now.

So, there it is...my fabric design I've named 'RAVEN'.

It won't be available to buy for about 4 weeks until I've approved it but I'll let you know when it arrives and if I'm happy with it.

This is so exciting!

Grassington Tree

2011-04-26T16:32:00.000+01:00

I've finished my Grassington Tree art quilt :o)
I'm going to make a series of these in different forms...eventually!

This tree is made using Tyvek, the leaves are stencilled with a gold Markal Paintstick, the background is randomly pieced batiks and quilted with free-motion, free-style leaves.

Winter Walk I... &...Winter Walk II

2011-04-25T15:56:00.000+01:00

WINTER WALK I

This art quilt is inspired by a photo taken by my dad many many years ago close to where he lives. It used to be beautiful but not long after this was taken they tarmacked and widened the path to create a road, built houses on either side and cut down most of the trees.

It's amongst the best photos that my dad has taken and it even inspired my mum to create a paper collage which now hangs on dad's living room wall.

I've numbered these as I plan to create a series of art quilts inspired by this photo.

This has the photo printed onto organza then laid over a moss green wavy patterned fabric and quilted with a large snowflake and FMQ.

WINTER WALK II

This was created in a similar way but with free-motion snowflakes all over and a pale blue shiny fabric background.

This is the original photograph.

Thanks Dad :o)

Three More Wedding Quilt Blocks

2011-04-24T17:11:00.000+01:00

This afternoon I made three more blocks for the wedding quilt - I now have a total of 17 so there are 33 more to make. I'm so pleased with how these are turning out now I've changed the design layout - I even can't wait to make more!!

My Tote Bag in Print!

2011-04-24T11:08:00.000+01:00

Here it is! My quick & easy tote bag which I made for Popular Patchwork magazine. It's so easy even I could make it ;o)

(Many of you know that I'm not the world's best at making bags - in fact I'm a bit of a disaster at it!)

This is only the 2nd ever bag that I've made that I'm happy with. Hopefuly it will be home in time for me to take it to the Festival of Quilts in August :o)

Just a Taster...

2011-04-16T13:36:00.000+01:00

...of what I've been working on today. I have to wait for the paint to dry before I can carry on and quilt it.

Tree created from Tyvek. This tree, if it were human, would be demanding royalties as I've used it so many times! I took a photo a couple of years ago in Grassington, N. Yorkshire. I've since used it a few times in various ways, like these postcards...

...I have plans for these eventually.

This is my art quilt so far then...once the paint is dry I will be able to quilt and bind it, so watch this space :o)

Log Cabin Cushion

2011-04-16T08:25:00.000+01:00

Once again DD had the great idea that I should make a cushion for a friend's birthday! I like the way she finds work for me, at my expense, and then praises herself for having a good eye for colour (she chose the fabric) !

This was really easy to make after I designed it first on EQ7 - I'm loving working with that program :o)

I'm really pleased with how it's turned out and I'm sure her friend will love it - I'm sending it with strict instructions that she tells everyone who admires it that I take orders!!

Please vote for my Autumn Glow...

2011-04-08T14:52:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone!

I'd be so grateful if you would vote for my Autumn Glow Rhapsody Quilt in the latest

Quilting Gallery Contest

Thank you so much :o) x

Go Fly A Kite!

2011-04-02T12:32:00.001+01:00

In an effort to calm myself after having trouble listing on eBay this morning I went and finished a small art quilt I started ealier this week.

This is a photo printed onto organza of my brother and myself at Hell's Mouth in Wales around 1966/7. I might add a written label with the date at the bottom as it looks a bit empty.

I feel a lot better now and eBay can go hang :o)

Super Moon

2011-03-31T17:00:00.000+01:00

On 19th March 2011 the moon was the closest to the earth for almost 20 years so like many others across the world we were outside photographing it!

As usual I needed to record this as an art quilt and here it is. I cropped and printed the photo onto 'Pabric Sew' which is a paper/fabric textile and quilted it with silk and metallic thread to give it sparkle :o)

More Wedding Quilt Blocks

2011-03-31T16:46:00.002+01:00

You may remember I mentioned my DS was planning to get married in 2012? Well, now we have a date - 12th June.

So now I have something to work towards and have just made 2 more blocks to add to the 10 I already have - that makes 128 to go!!!

The blocks are all from Sylvia's Bridal Sampler by Jennifer Chiaverini and are all 6" blocks!

You wait ages for a post - then 3 come along at once!

2011-03-31T16:37:00.000+01:00

Another textured postcard.

Here is the 2nd of my textured postcards - this one is lilac and eventually there will be a pink one too - maybe a couple more :o) I really enjoy making these and wonder whether to try to sell them on Etsy...any advice would be welcome, thank you :o)

Waste Not, Want Not...

2011-03-06T13:14:00.000Z

Yesterday I showed you what I'd been doing with Tyvek but I had a piece that went a little too far and turned out smaller than I wanted. So not wanting to throw it away I turned it into this little note-card.

I might make more now :o)

I've Made A Start at Last...

2011-03-05T12:25:00.000Z

...on my piece for the Festival of Quilts.

This is printed Tyvek, melted and embelished with thread - there are 6 altogether which will be placed on the finished piece.

Now to construct the background :o)

Please Vote for JENNY 'N' JACK

2011-03-04T14:44:00.001Z

HERE

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

:o)

My First Commission...

2011-02-22T16:07:00.000Z

Here is my first commission for a Nostalgic Art Quilt. The photo was taken in the 50's and the writing is a poem written in the lady's handwriting.

It was an absolute pleasure to make :o)

Nostalgic Memories

2011-02-14T20:00:00.001Z

This weekend I did absolutely nothing on my 'to do' list and and made 4 art quilts instead.

First is this one of my dad circa 1946/1947 taken in India - he was there with the British Army overseeing the partition of India. I used organza, pages from his army papers printed onto fabric and the background fabric is called 'Letters From India'

(There was a lot of thought went into these!)

This is my mum from 1964. The background fabric was a housecoat my mum made herself in the 60's and brings back so many memories for me. The buttons on the quilt are also from the housecoat. Behind the photo are some words I printed from her quilting course in her handwriting.

This is a transferred photo using Transfer Artist Paper of a family wedding circa 1910 - the old man with the flat cap is hilarious...he obviously didn't want to be there!

I've saved the best till last...another transferred photo onto beautiful McKenna Ryan fabric of my favourite photo of my mum taken in 1955...

Home Alone...and so much to do...

2011-02-12T10:46:00.000Z

I'm playing with this image today...and some others I got ideas for in the middle of the night!..so I was up by 7am scanning and printing onto fabric to create projects I might include in my book. It's just taken me 1 1/2 hours to list 16 items on ebay too - mainly stitching magazines if you'd like to take a look...

Angela's Ebay Listings

Now I'm off to my sewing machine...

Textured Bark Postcard

2011-01-30T12:07:00.000Z

Here is a piece created from my 'bark' photo coloured green.

It was stitched to the Texture Magic and this is the result.

I added beads...

...and turned it into a postcard :o)

A productive day...

2011-01-30T12:02:00.000Z

The first thing I did yesterday whilst home-alone was cover my table-top ironing board :o)

I then made two blocks for a block swap...

and a bookmark...

...from woven batiks and Texture Magic and seed beads :o)

I've been experimenting...

2011-01-30T10:41:00.000Z

Last year I took this photo at Plas Newydd in Angelsey.

I then took a close-up of the bark...

Yesterday I experimented with a couple of ideas and this is the first finished one...

I printed out about six A5 sized copies of the bark in different colours...they look like bark rubbings :o)

To this one I added Mulberry Bark and a skeleton leaf, quilted it and then finished it to make a small quilt.

I also made a postcard using Texture Magic (my new favourite toy!) - photos of that later :o)

Don't fall over in shock....

2011-01-25T16:12:00.000Z

...but I've actually made a bag!!

Now those of you who know me well know that making bags is not one of my strong points but I designed this one simple enough even for me and made it in an afternoon!

I fell in love with the fabrics which are part of a collection called California Dreamin' by Free Spirit - mouthwatering!

I'm just showing you the detail here as today I posted it off to the editor of Popular Patchwork for the 'Bag Special' that she's putting together so before long you'll be able to make it too - if you want to :o)

Don't you just love the buttons too?!!

Latest Bits & Pieces

2011-01-15T10:25:00.001Z

Here's what I've been up to lately...finishing off bits and bobs before making a start on writing a book (hopefully!) and maybe, just maybe creating something to enter in this year's Festival of Quilts.

This is a block I've made to enter into a competition to win a Janome Horizon - oooh, I really would like one of those machines :o)

This is a Christmas block I made for a swap in my Yahoo Group - strange dimensions I know - I'm not used to making rectangular blocks!

You may remember that Jan & I decided to have a monthly Postcard Swap back in January 2010 and these are the last of the postcards I sent to her with the Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady theme. I also made a 'book bag' from the cover of the book printed onto fabric.

I've not yet heard if they got to her okay...I do hope so!!

I'm now up to date will all my swaps so from now on I'm sewing for me!

...for the time-being ;o)

Like Mother Like Daughter?

2011-01-12T15:31:00.000Z

On Boxing Day 2010 DD decided she was going to make a 'button cushion'. Encouraged by a couple of books I bought her for Christmas...

Crafting a Meaningful Home

Kirstie's Homemade Home

...she settled down after breakfast, sorted through all my buttons and got to work.

This is the result - well, after I had added the backing!

She's done a good job :o)

Oh, by the way...DD is 23!!

I'm now trying to persuade to start using the sewing machine :o)

Mini Notebooks

2010-12-24T10:41:00.000Z

I've found a new technique...it's called Texture Magic and I experimented on three of these mini notebooks I made for Christmas presents. This is how...

You layer your top fabric, wadding and then the Texture Magic and quilt a design...then you steam it - WOW!!

I've got lots of ideas for using this now :o)

Happy Birthday to me...

2010-11-29T20:10:00.000Z

...for last week :o)

My birthdays do tend to last longer than the usual 24 hours...which is lovely!

All month I've been receiving squishie packages from members of the Popular Patchwork Birthday Club - the pile got larger and larger until I think I had a total of 24!!

Inside each were beautiful hand made cards and a strip of gorgeous batik fabric...

...I think I might use these with the butterflies which were sent me after my mum passed away...

I received lots of Amazon gift vouchers and bought the following books (and a DVD)...

Karl Pilkington - An Idiot Abroad book & DVD - absolutely hillarious!!

Hot Textiles - Kim Thittichai

Fabulous Fabric Art with Lutradur - Lesley Riley

Contemporary Quilts: Design, Surface and Stitch - Sandra Meech

Raising the Surface with Machine Embroidery - Maggie Grey

Creative Quilts: Inspiration, Texture and Stitch - Sandra Meech

Artistic Photo Quilts - Charlotte Ziebarth

I spent the day with a friend at Manchester Art Gallery and then the next day with DD at The Whitworth Art Gallery and the Christmas Markets in Manchester.

Saturday I went for lunch with DH.

A friend in Canada sent me beautifully embroidered postcard...I'll post a photo of that along with two more postcards from Jan when I've scanned it.

Then, just when I thought it was all over I received these gorgeous flowers from a friend I'd not heard from for a while...how lovely are they?!

So, all in all, after a really up and down year, I had a lovely birthday with lots to inspire me :o)

Christmas Table-runner Project

2010-11-09T13:34:00.000Z

Out this coming Friday...the Christmas issue of Popular Patchwork Magazine which features my Table-runner & placements design :o)

EBAY LISTINGS...PLEASE TAKE A LOOK!

2010-11-06T12:28:00.001Z

Today I've listed a few things on Ebay including six journal quilts.

Here's the link if you'd like to take a look :o)

Thank you!

Fruits of Autumn Wall-hanging

2010-10-13T16:41:00.000+01:00

Here is my latest project for Popular Patchwork Magazine. I really enjoyed making this using seminole and applique and stipple quilting to make the fruits and flowers stand out.

I don't think this fabric lends itself very well to being photographed as my photos don't do it justice and neither do the ones in the magazine.

The fabric I used is so beautiful...examples below...

...from the Timeless Treasures Harvest range.

In Loving Memory...

2010-10-09T12:50:00.000+01:00

...of my mum

Nora Drew 1932 - 2010

If it wasn't for my mum I wouldn't be quilting today and I wouldn't have made so many lovely friends all over the world.

Sadly she passed away peacefully on 29th September 2010.

This is one of her quilts she actually finished, called The Lavender Patch measuring approx 40" square

On looking through her quilts I found another unfinished quilt which I didn't know about, which led me to think it might have been for me...I hope!

And here it is...

...I love the colours in this and it's slightly longer than the Lavender Patch at 40" x 48" approx, but uses the same pattern.

Thank you mum...I miss you so much...

THE HIVE CREATIVE CHALLENGE ~ Errwood Oak Leaves

2010-09-19T12:27:00.000+01:00

On a recent walk to Errwood in the Goyt Valley, Derbyshire I collected these fallen oak leaves - these are all the genuine colours too - which I scanned and printed onto fabric before quilting and making into this journal-sized quilt.

Evolon Book Cover

2010-09-19T09:54:00.000+01:00

Here's what I made after my first play with Evolon and Lutradur Crash...it's a small notebook cover which I sent to a friend as a birthday gift.. I bound the edges with a beautiful raw silk fabric I bought at the Festival of Quilts and added beads and a ribbon...voilà!

HIVE CREATIVE CHALLENGE ~ The Last of Autumn

2010-09-16T19:53:00.000+01:00

This is my piece for The Hive Creative Challenge. The background is Evolon, the piece on top of that is a hand dyed piece of fabric using Turmeric spice with a rubbing of leaves using paint sticks. On top of that is light-weight Luradur, again with a rubbing of the same leaves but then stitched before distressing with a soldering iron and heat gun.

House-warming Gift

2010-09-16T17:41:00.001+01:00

This was so quick and simple yet it looks really effective, I think...and hope! My DD asked me to make a cushion for her friend who is having a house-warming party at the weekend. I already had this beautiful Clarice Cliff fabric so just used that without any manipulation as the design is amazing by itself. I quilted it just by sewing increasing circles and DD loves it!
I told her something like this could cost about £25 in John Lewis ;o)

Here is a close-up of the quilting.

Now DD wants one too!

Look out for...

2010-09-15T10:47:00.001+01:00

...next month's issue of Popular Patchwork Magazine, on sale 15th October. It features a wallhanging I made recently from an absolutely gorgeous line of fabrics from Timeless Treasures, called 'Harvest' The picture here doesn't show how beautiful the colours are so you'll have to take my word for it.

In the UK the full range can be bought here...

RAINBOW CRAFTS

I couldn't wait to make something with it once I saw it and came up with this simple Seminole design which will be quick and fairly easy to make, even if you've never done Seminole before.

Here's a close-up of the centre of the wall hanging with appliquéd leaves overlapping the border.

I absolutely loved making this :o)

Beginnings of a Wedding Quilt

2010-09-14T09:31:00.001+01:00

After reading some of the Elm Creek Novels and having a wedding coming up in two or three years time, I decided to make a start on Sylvia's Bridal Sampler from the books.

This is as far as I've got!

I will carry on - eventually - but with not being used to piecing, especially at this small size (all blocks are 6" finished size) I'm finding them really fiddly to do and none of the blocks look perfect :o(

I have made 10 blocks so far - there are 140 all together - so I've got a fair way to go yet. It's good job I've started in plenty of time ;o)

Autumn Leaves

2010-09-12T08:00:00.000+01:00

This week I got a new toy to go with my Markal paint sticks...rubbing plates :o) I couldn't wait to get started on a journal I'd promised a friend. I'd already tried to sun-print some leaves on fabric which didn't work too well as the sun kept going in or it decided to rain but I did end up with a nice green piece of fabric with yellow showing through here and there.

The only thing I'm frustrated with with regard to the paint sticks is having to wait for it to dry :o( I used all my metallic colours on this (apart from silver) and don't think it looks too bad :o)

I might have another go this week :o)

Happy Birthday Jenny :o)

2010-09-09T16:06:00.000+01:00

Last Friday 3rd September was my DD's 23rd birthday and this is the 'card' I made her.

It's actually a collaboration between the two of us - she took the photo and altered it and I printed it onto fabric and quilted it. I turned it into a small wall-hanging for her and stuck it onto card.

I also made her this embellished mini book cover.

Soon I will blog about my large project I have on the go. Apart from the Brooklyn Bridge wall-hanging (which is still WIP) I've started making the 140 x 6" blocks for a wedding quilt for my DS and his GF. Photos will follow...

Evolon & Lutradur Postcard

2010-08-27T15:39:00.000+01:00

I've just made this postcard-sized art-quilt from both Evolon & Lutradutr. the colours on the centre piece of Evolon were created with the metallic paint-sticks and metallic acrylic paints.

I really love making these butterflies in which I stamp the Lutradur and thread-paint around the lines before having a good poke around with the soldering iron. The leaf is made the same way, except I drew it before thread-painting it.

Ineke Berlyn's Workshop at the FOQ

2010-08-26T15:16:00.000+01:00

Here is my finished Lutradur book cover which I started in Ineke Berlyn's workshop at the Festival of Quilts.

I finished it by zapping it a bit more with the heat gun and then rubbing a gold paint-stick over the raised surface. I backed it with a lovely lime green batik and put it on the book we received in the class...and a lovely little book it is too! I wish now I'd bought more as these would make lovely presents :o)

Playing with Evolon

2010-08-25T17:10:00.000+01:00

Okay...well, this actually looks better in the flesh!

My friend Maggi sent me some Evolon to play with and yesterday I also received a lovely gift from her, Marion Barnett's book, Exquisite Evolon

So today I thought I'd experiment and see what it can do. I spray painted both pieces, the Evolon and Evolon soft and found that although I had used exactly the same colours and amounts of paint the shades are different.

I then layered strips of painted Lutradur and some Lutradur-like stuff I found at the Festival of Quilts called something like 'Crush' or 'Crash'...I can't remember, but I was told that all I had to do was hold the steam iron over it and it would shrink. Well, not for me! Well, maybe just a little but nothing like I was expecting. So I treated it exactly the same way as Lutradur and zapped it with the heat gun. It tends to go a bit more lacy than Lutradur but basically I reckon that's what it is but crumpled up! This is the white strip in the middle.

I found that the Evolon didn't do anything when ironed or zapped but that doesn't matter...it's gorgeous to stitch onto!

Thanks Maggi :o)

FESTIVAL OF QUILTS 2010

2010-08-22T11:10:00.000+01:00

Wow...what a busy and exhausting 3 days! I'm glad I didn't stay for four this time. but next year I might give Thursday a miss, or take a full day class! It was so very crowded and there seemed to be more mobility scooters this year - might get myself one next year...if you can't beat them, join them!!

Anyway, I've come home around £200 lighter and this is what I bought - doesn't look much does it? But I found that there weren't many show specials - the bigger places charge just the same at the show as on their website or in their shop - I try to avoid those stands and researched prices for what I had on my list and managed to avoid a certain thread stand who charge a heck of a lot more than some of the others!! You get wise to them year after year and know the best places to go. Having said that, some items I did pay full price for like the Markal paint-sticks...but I did want them and they worked out cheaper than the tiny weeny Shiva paint-sticks.

I just couldn't pass by the William Morris fabric at Doughty's - ideal for Andrew & Nat's Wedding Quilt...

On our way to Birmingham this year we stopped off at a National Trust property called Wightwick Manor which was furnished with William Morris wallpaper and fabrics - I was in heaven!

Anyway...back to the show and the quilts.

I was really disappointed this year - not as many ooohs and ahhhs as last year I'm sorry to say.

My favourite quilt of them all was actually made by a boy in the 9 - 11 years category and was the winner...

How proud must his mum be...I just love it :o)

My 2nd favourite is from the 12 - 16 years category...

...wonderful!

To complete my visit I was moved to see a quilt I have only seen online before...

...this is the Ground Zero Quilt made by Lois Jarvis in the months after 9/11.

...for more details on the quilt and to view clearer photos visit her website here

It looks to me as though the photos have faded over the years but this is understandable as it has been displayed at various shows over the years. What surprised me is that this was given pride of place at the entrance to the European Cafe with no information attached and as far as I can see there is no information in the guide book...if you know different please let me know!

I also attended 4 workshops.

The first was with Gail Lawther and this is what I made in a hour...

We were given a pack with all these strips of fabulous fabrics, a bundle of co-ordinating threads and some beads and a piece of New Zealand shell. I now have to attach all these to create something similar to the New Zealand Landscape design on the front of her book. This class was really good value for money - as were all the classes I took and Gail is lovely too :o)

On Friday I took 2 classes - first with Alicia Merrett - another lovely lady. This was a very simple class but I loved it for its simplicity. We could choose between making a townscape or a landscape. Everyone else seemed to go for the townscape so I had to be different and this is as far as I got in an hour...

...not bad :o) I will add more and more to this to finish it but Alicia keeps hers simple to keep the prices down.

The 2nd class today was with Ineke Berlyn - I was sooo looking forward to this class and it didn't disappoint! We were to make a book cover - or begin to - using Lutradur which had been screen-printed with a lacy design. We were to decorate it using free-motion stitch whichever way we wished and this is what I did...

...then we could use the heat gun and soldering iron to create a doily-type pattern. I will have to finish this at home too - I think these classes could do with being 1 1/2 hours long instead of an hour!

I showed Ineke my bag which I had made from her book The Quilted Object and she likes it so much she asked if she could take a photo of it!

The last class I took was yesterday with Laura Kemshall

It was called Love Colour and Laura talked and demonstrated for 1/2 hour the delights of free-motion quilting and how the density of the colour of the thread changes depending on the density of the design you create. She suggested patterns you could use and chose leaves. I've used leaves in the past as an embroidery design but not as a filler quilting pattern and not like this...

... I loved it! And I got so carried away I forgot the time and before I complete the whole piece time was up! We all laid our pieces out on the table where Laura could analyse them. One of the ladies in the class compared mine to Philippa Naylor's work...what??!!! Wow, what an accolade - don't think Philippa would have been very thrilled though! Laura told me it was excellent :o) So I left the class more than a little chuffed :o) I'll certainly use this design again - maybe even on the wedding quilt :o)

It was great to meet up with many online friends too...

Trudi...Karen...Jan...Reb & Net...Anna...

and everyone from the Popular Patchwork forum and my Yahoo Group...

You all made it a most enjoyable few days - thank you :o)))

I See Sea Shells...

2010-08-16T10:30:00.000+01:00

...(not a good photo...sorry)

...in the September issue of Popular Patchwork Magazine :o)

It can also be seen on their stand at the Festival of Quilts this week...if I remember to take it along!

Created from Kaffe Fassett shot cottons and a beautiful design from Philip Jacobs called Shell Montage...

Ultra-Light Lutradur: For Fiber Arts, Mixed Media & More!

2010-08-09T19:33:00.000+01:00

The packet of Lutradur featuring my quilt on the cover is now available from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk here...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultra-Light-Lutradur-Fiber-Mixed-Media/dp/1607052598/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1281377637&sr=8-2

...it still feels unreal!

Am I Dreaming?

2010-08-07T11:19:00.000+01:00

I still can't believe this is mine!

The post has just arrived with my complimentary packet of Lutradur featuring my Magpie quilt.

It feels as though I'm dreaming...

BABY QUILT...FINISHED AT LAST!!

2010-08-04T12:47:00.000+01:00

I've had so much trouble with this I'll be glad to give it away tonight at the baby shower we're holding at work. This will be Jagjit's first baby and we've all been going through the pregnancy with her!! (or it feels like it!)

I had thought of sending this to the magazine but as time went on things started going wrong I decided against it. I sewed rows together upside down, made a mess of the appliquéd figures and then to top it all the fleece I ordered from ebay never arrived so Jagjit said she would pick up what I'd ordered from Abakhan Fabrics in Manchester - but it hadn't been put aside as they'd promised and there was none left in cream...aaaaarrrrrggggghhhh!!!! So I ended up going to John Lewis and paying way over the odds for 2m of fleece, but at least I got it finished on time...just.

Oh, and guess what arrived in the post yesterday? Yes, the original fleece which was posted 4 weeks ago...sod's law!

Anyway...I think my camera has decided it doesn't like taking photos any more as some of them are not turning out too good - including the one of this quilt. It's the best of a bad bunch I'm afraid but you get the jist of what it looks like.

I also decided to make a bag with the left-over fabrics to put the quilt in - that was the easiest bit, considering I'm no good at making bags!! I appliquéd a Sunbonnet Sue on one side and an Overall Sam on the other. I think it finishes the gift off nicely :o)

The whole quilt top and bag were made from a jelly roll and the lining is a cotton fabric DH found at a car boot sale - he's getting good at that!

So that's what I've been doing for the past 3 months or so... and I'm glad it's done :o)