Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 25 - 2017 i Today's Quilter

I was asked on Saturday by the presenter on Sewing Quarter TV whether I buy the fabric before choosing a quilt pattern, or match the fabric to a pattern I already have. There is no concise way to answer this because we all know that the starting point, journey and destination changes every time. Alice Caroline’s stunning collection of Liberty prints is the star of the cover quilt this issue and the starting point of that particular adventure. Alice, however, had other inspirations along the way, from Japanese design to time-saving techniques, and the end result exceeded everyone’s vision. Makower’s sweet Bunnies and Cream print was the starting point for Sally Ablett’s travels beneath sunny skies filled with breezy pinwheel blocks. Fabric collections by Alison Glass have inspired many of…

NEW TO DOWNLOAD! Kaffe Fassett Sew Artisan Kaffe Fassett and FreeSpirit Fabrics have launched their first-ever eBook, featuring 14 exciting projects that will add the “wow” factor to both your home and wardrobe. Its 72 inspirational pages are packed with pattern instructions and projects showing how to mix his glorious new Artisan fabrics in the summery Blue & Sunny colourways. “My Artisan fabrics were something I had dreamt of creating, inspired by my travels to ethnic markets where I witnessed how people used the fibres and textiles of their regions to create beautifully hand-crafted works,” said Kaffe. To download your copy (£11.99) visit www.freespiritfabrics.com or upcraftshops.com/products INTERIOR DESIGNS QUILTERS’ PARADISE Looking for ways to decorate your home that reflect your love of stitching, then why not explore HomeSense for inspiration? Their…

You will need • Fabric A – 1yd • Fabric B – ½yd • Fabric C – ¾yd • Fabric D – ¾yd • Fabric E – ½yd • Fabric F – ¾yd • Fabric G – ¾yd • Fabric H – ¾yd • Fabric I – ¾yd • Fabric J – ¼yd • Fabric K – 1yd • Fabric L – ½yd • Fabric M – ¾yd • White fabric – 2¼yds • Scraps of Liberty print for appliqué • Binding fabric – ½yd • Backing fabric – 92in square • Lining fabric – 20in square • Batting – 92in square plus one (1) 20in square • Bondaweb – 20in square Finished size • 82in square Notes • Always press seams towards the darkest fabric, you don’t need to…

Don’t miss our exciting shows coming up in July and August! From the 21st of July, we’ll be starting our Christmas in July Weekend Special, getting you prepped early for the festive season. This includes a catch up with one of our favourite designers, Mandy Shaw, on the 22nd of July. We’ll also be joined by Kaffe Fassett himself on the 10th of August. He’ll be talking us through his new book, Quilts in Ireland, and we’ll have a chance to catch up on all his quilting gossip.…

You will need • Eighteen (18) Fat quarters* • White sashing fabric – 1½yds • Binding fabric – ½yd • Backing fabric – 3½yds • Batting – 61in x 70in Finished size • 57in x 66in Fabric used Bunnies and Cream by Lauren Nash for Penny Rose fabrics. Notes • Use a ¼in seam allowance throughout. • Press all seams open unless otherwise noted. • *Quantity based on UK fat quarters, which are cut from a metre not a yard, and therefore slightly larger (approx. 20in x 21in usable width). Check the size of your fat quarters and increase fabric quantities if necessary. Sorting the fabrics 1 Sort your fat quarters into groups as follows: • Three (3) pairs for Block 1 pinwheels. • Three (3) sets of four (4)…

Zigzag or overlock the edge of the fabric before you start. As the fabric for sashiko has a looser weave than patchwork fabrics it has a tendency to fray and you will be handling it a lot. The zigzag stitching will “disappear” into the seam allowance of the finished piece. A proper sashiko needle will help you stitch more easily – they are really sharp and don’t bend. The stitching is worked with a doubled thread, which gives a big-stitch look. Try proper sashiko thread for your first stitching, but look out for other threads with a similar twist if you want to use different colours and thicknesses. White or cream is traditional, but other colours are also used now. Make sure your chosen thread will go through your fabric…

“Water lilies come in pretty hues and their clustered petals and uniquely shaped leaves make them a perfect muse for quilt blocks.” My husband, Jonathan, has a bit of a water feature problem. Whenever we move to a new house one of the first things he does is to dig a big hole in the garden and make a pond. So when we moved to Shangri La Farm and he had seven acres to play with, one pond wasn’t going to be enough! He started with a good-size pond in the garden area and then dug a huge 14m pond halfway up our field (which, with delusions of grandeur, we like to call “the lake”). That was six years ago and now it is absolutely teaming with life, some of…

SHOPPING ACCESSORIES Homesense www.homesense.com  0192 347 3561 Berisfords Ribbons Berisfords@stockistenquiries.co.uk  0145 388 3581 Fiskars Fashion Stick Rotary Cutters www.fiskars.co.uk BOOKS Uppercase uppercasemagazine.com/stitchillo The Guild of Master Craftsman Publications www.thegmcgroup.com  0127 348 8005 Roundhouse Group www.roundhousegroup.co.uk/shop  0127 360 3717 FABRIC COLLECTIONS Autumn in Bluebell Wood www.lewisandirene.com Home Grown www.makoweruk.com  0149 157 9727…

Alison Glass RAINBOW BRIGHT Our roving Features Editor Jane Rae chats to Alison (page 46) about the fabric collections that are fast becoming modern classics. Alice Garrett COVER STAR We all adore medallion quilts here on the Today’s Quilter team, so were excited to see Alice’s stunning Liberty version (page 22). Sally Ablett BUNNY HOP! Sally’s talent for evoking a fabric collection’s mood within a quilt design shines from her joyously sunny creation on page 65.…

“I designed the central appliqué pattern after a visit to Japan to see a friend, I fell in love with Japan, particularly the fabrics! I used elements of Japanese design in this panel and was originally going to use it to make a cushion (you could use the pattern to make a matching cushion!). I have always wanted to make a medallion quilt, so I started with the appliqué at the centre. I’m a fan of efficient piecing methods and enjoyed using the eight half-square triangle and quick Flying Geese methods in this quilt. The quilt rather took on a life of its own as I was making it and asked for the solids borders as it grew! I love rainbows and have arranged the fabrics in rainbow order in…

Tell us about your sewing background. “I own The Corner Patch, a little patchwork and quilting shop in the country town of Eccleshall in Staffordshire. I teach at the shop along with Chris Franses, Barbara Chainey and Tracy James.” How did you start sewing? Who taught you to sew? “I’ve been sewing for as long as I can remember, my Mum taught me. I started patchworking when I was about 15.” Describe your sewing style. “I love colour! I’m drawn to sea colours: blues, turquoises, greens and a splash of purple. I don’t really have a style. I love quick piecing techniques – I love all patchwork and I’m terrible for looking at magazines and books and wanting to make everything! I also get lost in Instagram and Pinterest very…

You will need • Assorted prints in four (4) colours, or four (4) shades of the same colour – one (1) 10in square of each.* • Contrast border fabric – ⅛yd • Background fabric – ½yd* • Batting – 24in square • Lining fabric – 24in square • Main backing fabric – ½yd** • Two (2) contrasting backing fabrics – one (1) fat eighth of each** • Quilting stencils • Removable marker • 20in cushion pad • Perlé thread (optional) • Two (2) buttons (optional) Finished size • 20in square Notes * We used two prints in each shade and assorted background fabrics in one colour to create a scrappy look. ** The backing in the sample was pieced from one main fabric plus stripes of coordinating scraps. Instructions are…

Yo-yos make fun embellishments to patchwork and appliqué projects. They can be created in various shapes and from a range of materials WHAT IS A YO-YO? A yo-yo is a gathered, 3D rosette shape used as a decoration in patchwork and appliqué. Yo-yos are easy to make and add a charming folk-art accent to work. You can also vary them in numerous ways, as this article will show. Yo-yos are often used as embellishments but can form the basis of a whole quilt or a wall hanging. If used in a grouped arrangement, they are usually stitched to a background fabric and attached to each other at their edges with small stitches if need be. You can vary the shape of the yo-yo, so it appears as a round…

“The Bunnies and Cream fabric really made me think of sunny days spent outside in fields of flowers with blue skies above. I therefore used a white background fabric in this quilt, to really show off the soft colours of the printed fabric to its best. I chose simple blocks that would display the patterns of the fabrics to their full potential, as these feature such sweet illustrations. One block is a variation of a four-patch block, made up from pieced squares for a little extra detail. Along with the pinwheels, another classic block, this quilt should come together relatively quickly for a summer make that will put a smile on your face... no matter what the weather!”…

THE DESIGNER PAULINE BURBIDGE Pauline’s Quiltscapes are collaged fabric landscapes made especially for the wall. Inspired by the rugged and rural landscape surrounding her home on the Scottish borders, these richly layered works include mono and cyanotype printing, fabric rubbing and various stitching techniques on natural fibres such as silk and cotton organdie – which signifies the mist over the landscape. We’re not sure which is lovelier, waking up to the rural view or gazing at Pauline’s mesmerising artistic impression. THE BOOK LUXE VINTAGE If you’ve ever wondered how to integrate vintage textiles and collector’s pieces with handmade items in your home, interior designer and magazine stylist Tahn Scoon is here to help. With a whimsical design and beautiful photography by John Downs, Tahn’s book is bursting with practical styling…

Scrapbusting tablerunner Here’s a photo of a table runner I recently completed. I collected a lot of little Christmas scraps from a workshop I attended. I sewed them into 3½in wide strings and had no idea what to do with them, until I saw the Earthy Paradise quilt in issue 14 and, in particular, the diagram on page 48. With a bit of playing around, I found a way to use my strips to make a Christmas tablerunner.PS, I love the magazine. Loraine Folland, via email What a very satisfying use of fabric scraps you’ve hit on there, Loraine. It just goes to show that stashing and sewing never goes to waste, your beautiful tablerunner looks as though it was deliberately planned. The bursts of Christmas prints contrast really well…

“Why do they think because we sew our main joy would be to mend their jeans?” A couple of days ago I was listening to the radio while pottering around and they played that Carly Simon song Nobody Does it Better, which got me thinking about where we are in quilting today. We certainly do it more efficiently, more quickly and with access to many more techniques and general design approaches. But better? Old quilts have so much inspiration to offer us, as do the exciting and wonderfully executed new pieces that we see in the big exhibitions – the creative world is our oyster. “Better” is not just improved levels of excellence but also the pure pleasure the craft gives to us plus more choices, more equipment, more access…

We all know how important it is to make sure your measurements are correct when cutting fabric for your latest project. And this is when a good ruler comes in handy. Essential to any quilter’s arsenal of tools, the correct ruler can make all the difference. Right now, Sewing Quarter have a great offer on: get a FREE quilting ruler * with ANY spend at Sewing Quarter. The ruler is perfect to use with a rotary cutter and worth £7.95. To take advantage of this offer, use code RULER123 when checking out. * T&Cs: Offer valid until 31st August 2017, one ruler per customer. Offer subject to availability. P&P on all orders is £2.95 for standard UK delivery. For full terms and conditions, visit Sewing Quarter’s website.…

On a quilting trip to New York last year I was lucky enough to pick up a bundle of Alison’s Handcrafted 2 range of fabrics. The blend of colours was so exciting – dark green with pops of acid yellow… lemon sprinkled with olive… pink and orange on slate – what a feast for the eyes. Stacked beautifully in a rainbow of colour and combined with a print that reminded me of pared down batik, it was hard to resist. On returning home I discovered that more and more quilting buddies, both traditional and modern, had been introducing Alison Glass designs into their quilts. I am thrilled to have caught up with Alison earlier this year to find out more about her exciting designs. I’m even more thrilled that, given…

HELP! I really like the look of a heart-shaped yo-yo but how do I draw a heart? Try this… When drawing symmetrical shapes it’s always easier to draw just one half on a piece of folded paper, that will ensure the shape is symmetrical. 1 To gauge the size needed, draw a box to indicate the outer edges of the shape (Fig 7A). Use a pencil and begin near the top, where the heart needs to indent. Draw a smooth curve up and out and then curving downwards to a point at the base. 2 Keep the paper folded and cut out the shape (Fig 7B). Open out and check the shape is to your liking (Fig 7C). If not, fold again and re-draw to amend it, or begin again…

Textile artist, teacher and author, Susan Briscoe is an expert in the ancient art and craft of sashiko, a hand-stitching technique from northern Japan. Originally done out of necessity to secure layers of fabric together to create warm garments, this captivating and therapeutic form of embroidery is now enjoyed by modern stitchers, sometimes combined with patchwork, quilting and appliqué. It was a delight to catch up with Susan to learn more about this fascinating Japanese tradition. When did you start sashiko and how did you learn? “In 2000 I revisited the town of Yuza-machi in northwest Japan for the millennium New Year. Everywhere I went, I saw amazing sashiko samplers. The town’s mayor arranged for me to have lessons with Chie Ikeda, a local sashiko teacher, and I’ve been hooked…

“Barn Dance was made literally in a barn while on holiday in France. We used a Barbara Brackman Layer Cake from her collection, Alice’s Scrapbag, and the wonderful reproduction prints really came alive in the gorgeous Provençal sun. We used a Creative Grids 2 Peaks in 1 Ruler, which made the cutting a breeze. You could also use a Tri-Recs or any other ruler, which makes a 6in ‘triangle in a square’ block. We also used the Creative Grids Multi-Size 45°/90° ruler for creating half-square triangles from strips and again any other ruler that does this job would be suitable. The combination of angles in this quilt design gives a fantastic illusion of gentle curves and as long as you have good contrast in your fabrics, then you can’t go…

BLOCK OF THE MONTH ENGLISH PAPER PIECING TEMPLATES ACTUAL SIZE Includes seam allowances VARIATION BLOCK APPLIQUÉ TEMPLATES ACTUAL SIZE Includes seam allowances VARIATION BLOCK APPLIQUÉ PATTERN ENLARGE BY 200% SUMMER MEADOW APPLIQUÉ PATTERN ENLARGE BY 200% Join parts along red lines to make pattern. Trace each individual shape to make appliqué templates PLEASE NOTE: Appliqué templates DO NOT include seam allowances APPLE CORES APPLE CORE TEMPLATE ACTUAL SIZE Includes seam allowances DOWNLOAD THESE TEMPLATES FULL SIZE Visit our blog: www.todaysquilter.com  today! 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…

TEMPTATIONS Everything you need for Patchwork and Quilting. Hundreds of quality cotton fabrics, wadding, haberdashery, Brother Sewing Machines. temptationsbentham.co.uk HAZEL’S FABRIC CRAFT West Calder. Patchwork & Quilting supplies and workshops. Open Fri & Sat 9.30am–4.30pm, Sun 10am–2pm. hazelsfabriccraft.co.uk KATHY’S PATCH Fantastic range of fabrics, haberdashery and quilting notions. Unit 62, Folkestone Enterprise Centre, Shearway Rd, Folkestone, CT19 4RH kathyspatch.co.uk THE QUILT SANCTUARY Professional Long Arm Quilting Service, including a selection of fabrics and wadding. Gwynedd, Wales. 01341 250809 / 07402 919194 thequiltsanctuary.co.uk CREATIVE CRAFTS Creative Crafts is an independent arts & crafts shop bursting to the seams with everything you need for your hobby. 01962 856266 HOMETOWN We love singing the blues (and all other colours!) at Hometown, 62 High Street, Rochester ME1 1JY. 01634 838880. hometownrochester.co.uk HORNCASTLE SEWING CENTRE…

Just over a year ago, we featured this inspirational exhibition in the news pages of Today’s Quilter. Fast forward a year and we’re thrilled to discover the exhibition will be at this year’s Festival of Quilts. Social media networks are buzzing with tweets and posts from followers of Nancy Crow and, for new quilters, we can’t think of a more exciting event to introduce them to the work of artists who are using quilts as their medium. Curated by acclaimed US artist Nancy Crow, one of the leading figures in the development of the art quilting movement of the 1970s, Mastery is an exhibition of bold, new large-scale works by 12 artists from the US, Canada and Europe, including Margaret Boys-Wolf, Washington; Bonnie Bucknam, Washington; Nancy Crow, Ohio; Marina Kamenskaya,…

Let your quilting skills take centre stage! Meet Edyta Sitar from Laundry Basket Quilts • Create Glenna Hailey’s sweet sailboats • Jo Avery shows off her love of Kaffe Fassett fabrics in her new design • Plan great days out with our guide to what’s on near you FREE! 44-page Free-Motion Quilting supplement Issue 26 on sale 17th August…