Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 27 - 2017 i Today's Quilter

I’m writing this a week after visiting Festival of Quilts, having reluctantly torn myself away from my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds. Thanks to social media we now not only broadcast what’s happening at the event itself to our fellow quilters, but document the post-show fun! I’m convinced some people must have started new projects on the journey home – how else can my Instagram feed already be bursting with marvellous makes using purchases, techniques and inspiration gleaned from the show?! Events such as this, whether big or small, are vital to our creativity, allowing us to connect in person with other like-minded people and immerse ourselves in our passion. I view shows and exhibitions as vital boosters to our powerpack of creative energy. Meanwhile, the classes and workshops are…

“Foundation paper piecing is a great way to get reaçy stunning, precisely pieced blocks without the struggle of getting the points to meet that is associated with regular piecing!”Lynne Goldsworthy, Designer LET US KNOW! Drop us a line – an email, letter, tweet or Facebook post – letting us know about your quilting. Whether it’s a new project, treasured heirloom, favourite fabric or imaginative mood board, we’d love to see what you’ve been up to and hear your stories! HERE AT TODAY’S QUILTER, we love a good challenge, especially one that expands our quilting repertoire and teaches us new skills. So we were excited to receive Lynne Goldsworthy’s eight intricate circle and star blocks filled with points and curves. At first glance, this can look daunting, but we were ready…

“It makes no sense to have created something and then to leave it without any documentation.” When I travel to teach a class to a group of quilters I am often asked to give a talk, too, and I decided long ago that a PowerPoint presentation was not for me. I’m not that good with all the high tech stuff, and past experience with ancient slide projectors hauled out of someone’s loft means I never quite trust the equipment to behave nicely on the night. Also, the deafening sound of people snoring in the audience can be a little off-putting... Instead, I haul along as many quilts as I can carry, usually 25 or more, which I get some kind person to hold up while I talk about them. I…

A few simple ways to head in an art-y direction are to add some hand-dyed fabrics to the mix, experiment with unorthodox colour combinations or incorporate some unconventional materials. You can expand on this by introducing perhaps one new technique to your next piece, taking it in a different direction to the previous one. A great source of ideas is to look at art quilts at shows and exhibitions. If you see something that appeals, find out what method has been used and then learn how to do that one thing well. Use your new technique in a piece of work, and if it’s successful then develop it further. If you don’t like it, learn something entirely new for your next quilt. Take things slowly and don’t try to learn…

BLOCK OF THE MONTH APPLIQUÉ TEMPLATES ACTUAL SIZE 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. Copyright law protects creative work and unauthorised copying is illegal. We appreciate your help. APPLIQUÉ PATTERN ENLARGE BY 200% 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…

Julie Yates BATIK BABE One of the The Bramble Patch’s hardworking team of “Bramble Babes”, Julie’s Autumnal cover quilt (page 22) glows with warmth. Katharine Guerrier PAINTING WITH FABRIC Katharine’s painterly approach to quilt design always results in a textile masterpiece that deserves a place on your wall (page 35). Sarah Campbell DESIGNER PROFILE With a profile (page 46), and project (page 50) using Sarah’s fabric, now is your chance to get to know this modern fabric design icon.…

SMALL BUT PERFECTLY FORMED Kumiko Frydl Quilt artist Kumiko Frydl exhibited her collection of exquisite miniature quilts at this year’s Festival of Quilts, including her stunning Mission Impossible 2, which won Best in Show in 2010. Kumiko originally studied commercial arts and dressmaking in her native Tokyo, but her quilting journey began when she moved to Canada where she discovered her passion for the detailed and precise workmanship required for the creation of miniature quilts. In recent years, she has incorporated trapunto into her work and the stippling she uses has become finer every year, so her designs have become much more intricate and complex. www.thefestivalofquilts.co.uk HARVEST TIME FABRIC FEAST Inspired by the glorious colours of autumn, Harvest is the latest coordinated range of fabrics from Tilda. Available by the…

You will need • Light batiks (fabric A) – ¾yd in each of five (5) fabrics* • Medium batiks (fabric B) – four (4) fat quarters • Dark batiks (fabric C) – eight (8) fat sixteenths • Grunge/blender prints (fabric D) – six (6) fat quarters • Batting – 60in x 72in • Backing fabric – 60in x 72in OR 3½yds Finished size • 56in x 68in Fabric used • Variety of batiks and Moda Grunge prints. Notes • Use a ¼in seam throughout. • *Includes enough for binding. Cutting out Cut pieces in the order listed (ie, large to small) and set aside. 1 From the light batiks A, cut as follows: • Five (5) 12½in squares, sub-cut diagonally twice to make twenty (20) side setting triangles. • Two…

Penny Rose’s Gingham Girls fabric used in this project was sponsored by EQS. Reminiscent of picnics & STARS and primary school uniforms, this collection will take you on a trip down memory lane to those summer months on the school field. Filled with florals gingham and butterflies, and available in three colourways, this Penny Rose collection is ideal for everything from small sewing projects to huge hanging quilts. To find a stockist and to see other fabric collections EQS has to offer, visit www.eqsuk.com or call 0116 271 0033.…

“I first came across Sarah Campbell’s fabric designs on the Michael Miller stand at QuiltCon earlier this year. I had to admit that I wasn’t actually familiar with her work despite being a fellow Brit. Slightly abashed, I checked her out on return and couldn’t believe how amazing her designs are, how prolific she is in so many different mediums, and how long she has been designing! I knew that I had to bring her work to the attention of more quilters so I chose her wonderful Sandpiper fabric line for this quilt. I love Irish Chains and have always been attracted to squares forming diagonal lines. Using two different types of block, each with a different unit size, means you don’t have to worry about point matching between blocks.…

<ou›ll ind thaW 'resden designs are endlessly variable and if you Pake the efforW Wo PasWer differenW wedge shaSes iW Peans you can creaWe an exciWing wealth of designs forever Pore› WEDGE SHAPES In last month’s Essential Guide, we looked at how to use templates to make Dresden plates with pointed-top wedges. This month we add to this skill with information on using commercial Dresden rulers. The two main rulers available are those that make wedges with pointed tops and those that make wedges with rounded tops. However, once you have mastered the techniques you can create wedges (or “blades” or “petals”) with other shapes. We will also look at making partial plates, with blocks that show a half or a quarter circle. DRESDEN RULERS Dresden wedges can be…

“This is a great quilt if you have never sewn a Compass block. Because the pieces are so large they are easy to handle and for the effort you put in you get a nice big result. I have used the same background fabric for the wedges and squares, but you can easily play with fabrics and layouts to create different effects (see examples of blocks below for ideas). This can be worked as a scrap project, as each part of the compass does not need too much fabric, and would be a great stashbuster.”…

We’ve teamed up with the organisers of Crafts for Christmas and Stitching, Sewing & Hobbycrafts to offer you a 2-for-1 ticket deal to three inspiring shows for craft lovers in Exeter and Glasgow. Crafts for Christmas is the shopping destination for artisan, handcrafted gifts – a great opportunity to get your Christmas shopping done early and wow friends and family with exceptional handmade items. Live music adds to the atmosphere, and festive food and drink will bring out your indulgent side! Stitching, Sewing & Hobbycrafts returns this autumn with their inspiring show for craft lovers. Whether you’re into stitching, knitting, dressmaking, papercraft, jewellery making or beading, the show has tools, kits and inspiration aplenty and features more than 100 exhibitors. Think new product launches and a free programme of on-trend…

SHOPPING ACCESSORIES Viva Collection www.magpieline.com Quilters Flexible Curve by Sew Easy groves@stockistenquiries.co.uk Clover Scissors clover@stockistenquiries.co.uk Fall Flower www.gudrunsjoden.com/uk  0800 056 9912 Sew-all thread bundles by Gütermann www.sewingquarter.com  0800 112 4433 FABRIC COLLECTIONS Penny Rose’s Gingham Girls, Michael Miller’s Tradewinds, Blue Carolina from Riley Blake www.eqsuk.com  0116 271 0033 Harvest by Tilda groves@stockistenquiries.co.uk Soul Mate www.amybutlerdesign.com Happy Birds www.michaelmillerfabrics.com BOOKS Kaffe Fassett’s Quilts in Ireland www.thegmcgroup.com  0127 347 7374 Search Press www.searchpress.com  0189 251 0850 Pavilion Books www.pavilionbooks.com  0207 462 1500…

The festive stitching season has begun! Mix Christmas fabrics with cream and black for a bold medallion quilt • Jo Avery’s BOM quilt is revealed • Make Sheila Donnachie’s Christmas tree skirt • See all the winners in our Festival of Quilts’ gallery FREE! Fussy-cutting templates Issue 28 on sale 12th October…

THE DESIGNER IRENE BLANCK Australian teacher, published designer and needle-turn appliqué devotee, Irene Blanck creates the prettiest designs with just the right balance of delicate elegance and quirky playfulness. Often working with a limited but carefully chosen colour palette, her timeless patterns are inspired by vintage motifs and made using a clever glue-basting technique. Mosaics, above, is climbing to the top of our to-make list for the new season, and we love her positive ethos promoting the joy of quilting, with stress-free processes, too. THE BOOK SEWING BY HEART Tilda’s new book is all about creating from the heart and playing with colour and pattern, something Tone Finnanger does with aplomb. It’s full to the brim with projects for all seasons, so there’s something for those hanging on to the…

“This quilt combines a variety of batiks and Moda Grunge prints in spicy autumn shades with contrasting creamy batiks. Modern batiks made for quilters by reputable fabric companies are soft to handle, easy to needle, colourfast and play well with other fabrics. They make wonderful blenders and accents and come in such a huge variety of colours that you can almost always find the right tone you need. Even if you don’t love the bright, tropical hues, there is a vast range available in soft greens, blues and violets, as well as pastels, darker shades and neutrals like stone, grey and cream. “The Grunge collection by BasicGrey is a repeatable Moda Fabrics range and it now comes in almost 100 colours. With its distressed and weathered print, it’s super versatile…

You will need • Assorted fabric scraps – 2½yds in total • Borders fabric (dark grey) – 1yd • Binding fabric – ½yd • Backing fabric – 1¼yds • Batting – 44in square Finished size • 39in square Fabrics used Assorted scraps of batik fabrics in bright colours with a dark grey border. Notes • Use a scant ¼in seam throughout. • I find cutting out as you need pieces more productive than cutting everything out at the start. • Refer to the pictures as a guide for matching dark/light fabrics into pairs, and choosing the narrow border fabrics for the blocks. • Press seams to one side for the first set of seams, then press subsequent seams open. This helps to match the points more easily, especially on a…

HELP! I like the idea of mixing wedges with different shaped tops, but how do I make sure the different shapes fit together properly? Try this… The pack of four Marti Michell Dresden rulers that I used was designed so the shapes do work together, but rulers or templates you have obtained from individual sources may not. When mixing different wedge shapes there are two things that are crucial to the plate ultimately fitting together. 1 The side angle of the shapes must be the same, eg., if you are using a 9-degree Dresden ruler to make a pointed top wedge, then the round-top ruler must also be 9 degrees. 2 The height you’ve chosen for the pointed top shape needs to be about the same as the height of the…

Where do you stand on art quilts? Are they something you make a beeline for or do you give them a wide berth? Even if your quilt-making feet are planted firmly in the traditional camp, it can be wonderfully inspiring and enlightening to look at textiles being made by those coming at things from a different angle. Undeniably, there is still some resistance to quilts being considered as art, doubtless coloured by their history as decorative or domestic items. But there’s some fantastic work being created and over the course of this series we’ll be profiling some of today’s finest art quilters to find out more about their creative practices and processes. But, what is an art quilt? As the “What is art?” question has perplexed critical thinkers since time…

For our final block I wanted to include a couple of my favourite Shangri la Farm wild flowers that I hadn’t managed to feature yet, the daisy and the dog rose. Originally, this project was intended as a type of Baltimore Album Quilt and the appliqué blocks in those quilts often take the form of garlands. So I’ve designed a pretty ring of flowers and leaves for this last single block. We have dog roses all around the perimeter of our land, some were here before we came and some we’ve planted ourselves, and they are a real highlight both when they flower and later when they show off their bright, shiny hips. A daisy is just a delightful little flower that really doesn’t deserve to be called a weed.…

TEMPTATIONS Everything you need for Patchwork and Quilting. Hundreds of quality cotton fabrics, wadding, haberdashery, Brother Sewing Machines. temptationsbentham.co.uk LINA PATCHWORK Stop cutting Hexagons and start sewing with our top quality pre-cut paper pieces! Your one-stop shop for all things EPP related. linapatchwork.com 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 All your quilting needs from A to Z are found at Hometown, 62 High Street, Rochester ME1 1JY.…

This issue, we asked the talented Lynne Goldsworthy to design eight gorgeous blocks using Foundation Paper Piecing (FPP). For those unfamiliar with FPP, this technique is a very accurate method of patchwork, which is especially useful for piecing unusual or awkward shapes and achieving crisp, clean lines in your projects. And Lynne’s blocks, with their curves and points, certainly benefit from accuracy! FPP can take a little more time to get your head around than other piecing techniques, but it’s really easy once you know how, and well worth the effort. Read through Lynne’s tips and when you’re comfortable with the technique, choose some fabrics, cut out the corresponding templates from the free template sheets and get sewing. You can mix and match the blocks to create a stunning quilt,…

Block 1 RADIATING SUNLIGHT RADIATING SUNLIGHT Block 2 SIMPLIFIED GEORGETOWN CIRCLE SIMPLIFIED GEORGETOWN CIRCLE Block 3  TURNING SQUARES 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. Copyright law protects creative work and unauthorised copying is illegal. We appreciate your help. Block 4  FLYING GEESE CIRCLE Block 5 EXPLODING STAR EXPLODING STAR Block 6 CHECKERBOARD DRESDEN CHECKERBOARD DRESDEN Block 7 HARLEQUIN STAR HARLEQUIN STAR HARLEQUIN STAR Block 8  MARINER’S COMPASS Thank…