Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 29 - 2017 i Today's Quilter

I’m so glad you’ve joined us for this exciting issue of Today’s Quilter where we begin a new Block of the Month with Jo Avery. Jo took inspiration from her favourite homewares to create The Vintage Home series. As with so many things in life, it begins with a pot of tea (Earl Grey for me, please!). I’ve always been mesmerised by the fluid lines and textures in Effie Galletly’s landscape masterpieces, so it’s a pleasure to feature Effie’s work this month. I challenge you not to find inspiration after reading Anne Williams’ feature! If you fancy a book at bedtime but don’t want to put away your quilting, check out Jane Rae’s picks of her favourite fabric-related fiction. Meanwhile on the TV, Sewing Quarter not only has a special…

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! CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE SUPPLEMENT! 2-IN-1 BINDING TOOL* The last thing on the list to finish any quilt is binding. After all the hard work you’ve put into the quilt top, you want the binding to be perfect, and that’s where this handy tool comes in. See how to use it at www.todaysquilter.com *FREE BINDING TOOL GIFT WITH PRINT EDITION ONLY AFTER THE SUCCESS of The Quilters’ Guild’s first fabric collection, Elizabeth’s Dowry, we were delighted to hear earlier this year…

Telling you this is not just me waxing nostalgic, but to offer a few thoughts on sewing with children. The Quilters’ Guild does great work in setting up activity sessions with the Young Quilters groups. If you are culling your piles of fabric or equipment at any time, do contact the local Guild representatives and pass your stash onto them. But please remember, we want to set the next generation alight with enthusiasm for this marvellous craft, and only by offering them the tastiest fabric and the best tools can we expect to do this. A team of tireless volunteers of mums, grans and teachers sets up these days and the results are always stunning. If you have been thinking that you would like to share your skills with a…

You will need: • Assorted cream prints – one (1) fat eighth in total • Assorted gold prints – one (1) fat eighth in total • Assorted beige prints – one (1) fat eighth in total • Assorted brown prints – one (1) fat eighth in total • Assorted light blue prints – one (1) fat eighth in total • Assorted dark blue prints – one (1) fat eighth in total • Backing fabric – two (2) 12½in x 19in rectangles • Binding fabric – long ¼yd • Vilene fusible fleece H640 or batting – one (1) 20in square and two (2) 12½in x 20in rectangles • Templates (see Templates section) • Foundation paper or lightweight printing paper • A4 card • 18in cushion pad • Fabric glue stick (water…

Blanket stitch appliqué creates a charming folk art look. The hand technique is easy and por table, so it's the perfect project to take withyou wherever you go for some relaxing sewing HAND BLANKET STITCH APPLIQUÉ Blanket stitch appliqué has been a favourite technique with quilters for hundreds of years. Today, this type of appliqué is even easier with fusible web and we adore its attractive folk art look. Blanket stitch is the traditional stitch used as it has a horizontal element that covers the edge of the appliqué and a vertical element that secures the motif to the background (see Fig 1). There are many quilters today who create beautiful work with blanket stitch appliqué. For some great examples, seek out the work of Lynette Anderson, Jo Colwill,…

You will need • One (1) Jelly Roll OR forty (40) 2½in wide strips cut across the width of the fabric • Background fabric – 1¾yds* • Border fabric – ¾yds • Backing fabric – 3¾yds • Batting – 68in square • Binding fabric – ½yd Finished size • 62in square Notes • *If you prefer a scrappy background use different fabrics totalling 1¾yds. We used two background fabrics in our quilt. Cutting out 1 Cut each of the forty (40) Jelly Roll strips as follows: • Ten (10) 2½in squares. • Take the remainder of the strip, which measures approx. 2½in x 17in and trim to measure 1½in x 17in. Sub-cut into ten (10) 1½in squares. Keep the 2½in and 1½in squares from each Jelly Roll strip together in…

You will need • Neutral background fabric – 15in x 18in piece • Patterned fabric for the teapot – 8½in x 9in piece • Solid fabric for spout and handle – 9in x 11in piece • Four (4) 2½in squares of different patterned fabrics • One (1) copy of FPP template F • Pattern pieces G, H and I Finished size • 14½in square Notes • Make one (1) block. • We will be using fabric from Tilda’s Harvest collection throughout this BOM. The background is Tilda Doll fabric in Grey Sand and will be used for all the blocks. Cutting out 1 From the background fabric, cut as follows: • Two (2) 2in x 4in strips. • Two (2) 1¾in x 14½in strips. • One (1) 1½in x 6¾in…

SHOPPING ACCESSORIES Marbled Glass Headed Pins, Pincushion Set clover@stockistenquiries.co.uk Thread box Gütermann@stockistenquiries.co.uk Thread snips groves@stockistenquiries.co.uk BOOKS Search Press www.searchpress.com  0189 251 0850 FABRIC COLLECTIONS Into the Woods www.makoweruk.com  0162 850 9640 Devon County www.sewingquarter.com  0800 112 4433 Chinoiserie www.michaelmillerfabrics.com Flight School, Dear Diary, Twinkle Fairies www.eqsuk.com  0116 271 0033…

I was so excited when The Quilters’ Guild told me about their new fabric collection. After the success of Elizabeth’s Dowry, their debut collection in 2016, we could only hope that a follow-up was on the cards. The TQ team had such good fun last year putting together our supplement to celebrate the fabric, and there was no stopping us doing the same this time! Our Features Editor has again seized the chance to delve into the story behind the collection, and gets up close and personal with The Guild’s latest fascinating exhibition. As Commissioning Editor, I worked again with Sally Ablett to produce an exclusive quilt design inspired by the fabric, while our Art Editor always relishes the opportunity to photograph rich, heritage-inspired colours. Everyone loves something different about…

Karen Styles is the designer of the Devon County fabric collection. She’s also the owner of Somerset Patchwork & Quilting in Melbourne, Australia, a business that specialises in vintage and reproduction fabrics. Karen is passionate about heritage quilts and, as well as running regular workshops and classes, she creates beautiful quilt patterns. Devon County is the second fabric range inspired by the Mariner’s Compass Coverlet, which Karen discovered on a visit to The Quilters’ Guild in 2015. At the time, Karen was in discussion with Marcus Fabrics about ideas for new fabric lines and was hoping that one of the quilt treasures in the collection would make a stand-out appearance. She wasn’t disappointed. She remembers seeing the Mariner’s Compass Coverlet for the first time, “It’s made with the most amazing…

We all have different backgrounds: where we are born and live, the families we come from, the professions we choose. The makers of the quilts on display in this gallery represent a diverse range of people. They all made quilts for different purposes: commissions, gifts, keeping warm or simply for the enjoyment of making. Whatever their motivation, this group of quilt-makers working over the last 150 years all have something in common: the beautiful, skilled and unique pieces they produced. Heather Audin, Curator, The Quilters’ Guild…

Alison Glass QUILTING THE BLUES Alison’s colour-saturated fabrics are always stash-worthy, so we asked her to show us what she can do with her latest hues (page 36). Effie Galletly MEET THE ARTIST You can almost feel the bracing Scottish air as you admire Effie’s fabric landscapes – make the journey with us on page 70. Nicola Dodd TRANSFORM THE TABLE Turn to page 55 where Nicola serves up the perfect table runner and placemats to grace your table this Christmas – enjoy!…

VISITORS’ CHOICE AT FESTIVAL OF QUILTS Free to Roam Every year we wait with baited breath to see what the Visitors’ Choice of their favourite quilt will be at the Festival of Quilts. This year’s winner was a showstopper and we were thrilled to find out more from its maker, Donna Goymer. “The Quilters’ Guild challenge theme was ‘Free’ and this led me to think about the natural world and protection of our animals. The inspiration behind my quilt was to depict the freedom of our world. An elephant in its natural habitat, free from hunters and poaching, its strength, beauty and gentleness were demonstrated in the fabrics I chose.” Donna used a variety of techniques including appliqué, pleating, felting, free-motion quilting and embroidery. Her elephant’s magnificent trunk is constructed…

“This design started with the classic Night and Day quilt block, I played around with the block lines until it became a little more kaleidoscopic and star-like. It’s the perfect block to showcase the dark blue/light gold colour contrast that represents the glimpses of sunlight we experience in winter. It’s a straightforward design for foundation paper piecing with just two different templates, plus the seam lines nest together nicely for easier section joining and neater seam points. As well as the foundation paper templates, I’ve also used individual card templates so each individual fabric piece can be pre-cut ready to use. Although this takes longer at the cutting stage, the sewing process flies by! I’ve also included a blank planner so you can work out which fabric goes where before…

We all know how important having the correct cutting tools can be when creating quilts. Whether you prefer scissors, a rotary cutter or both, find the one that is perfect for you, and it will be smooth cutting! Sewing Quarter has a wonderful range of cutting instruments to choose from. Visit their website www.sewingquarter.com to see the collection and purchase one! SAVE 20% *  ON ALL YOUR PURCHASES AT SEWING QUARTER! SAVE 20% OFFER * To redeem this offer, simply enter code: TQ20 * Minimum spend £10, excluding standard P&P of £2.95. Offer is available online only and can be redeemed by using voucher code TQ20 at the checkout on www.sewingquarter.com. Offer expires 30th December 2017. Voucher code is not redeemable on TV promoted product within the 24hrs…

Scotland’s remote Western Isles, also known as the Outer Hebrides, have preoccupied quilt artist Effie Galletly for many years. “Interpreting the islands’ magnificent shapes and forms in pieced textiles never ceases to excite me,” says Effie. “It’s become my niche.” Continuously being re-shaped by the ravages of the elements, there is much to inspire the artist in this rugged setting, from the muscular shoulders of the rocky outcrops, sweeping sky- and seascapes, and inland waters. But there are hints of softness as well, in the colours of the local gneiss rock, which also feature wonderful patterns created during periods of geological upheaval, and the carpets of wild flowers, known as machair, that bloom each spring. Inhabited since at least the Iron Age, humans too have played a hand in fashioning…

“Sometimes you can find the perfect Jelly Roll for a project and this is exactly what we felt about the range we used in this quilt. American Banner Rose by Minick & Simpson had just the right colouring and combined with some Lecien fabric, which we used for our background fabric, it created a lovely antique looking quilt. To create a scrappier look to our quilt we used two different fabrics totalling 1¾yds instead of just the one”…

The Sleep Quilt is unique, it was commissioned by the novelist, Tracy Chevalier, and is stitched and quilted by prisoners in the UK. And now the story of the quilt has been captured in a new book. If you enjoyed reading this month’s Winter Warmers feature on page 49, you will know that in Tracy Chevalier’s novel, The Last Runaway, the heroine is a quilter. “It dawned on me during research for The Last Runaway that I could write more easily about quilting if I knew how to do it myself. I took a class, I joined a group and, to my astonishment, I am now a quilter,” said Tracy. It was this journey into quilting that led to the Sleep Quilt project. The quilt is made up of 63…

It may not seem the most obvious career progression to go from Police Officer with the Yorkshire Constabulary to freelance Business Consultant with an MBA from Cranfield University, but for Chris Gatman, there’s been continuity in all the roles that have led to her current post with The Quilters’ Guild. I was curious to find out more about her journey and what challenges and opportunities were facing The Guild as it approaches its 40th anniversary year in 2019. Since leaving the police force, Chris has worked with a great variety of public, private and third sector organisations. She talked enthusiastically about her work developing and managing the Quality Assurance standard for Initial Teacher Training in post-16 education in England and Wales, her time as an Investors in People, ISO and…

THE DESIGNER EDYTA SITAR Otherwise known by the moniker Laundry Basket Quilts, talented designer Edyta Sitar has created myriad fabric collections for Moda and Andover Fabrics, and has countless beautiful pieced and appliquéd patterns under her belt. Celebrated for mixing batiks with traditional prints into her scrappy yet elegant style, Edyta also knows how to keep it simple, which is why she’s designed five classic blue and white themed collections, including the stunning Blue Sky. www.laundrybasketquilts.com THE BOOK SCANDI CHRISTMAS There’s still time to prepare for Christmas, and this book by Christiane Bellstedt Myers is the perfect go-to for quick projects. It is packed full of the loveliest decorating and gifting ideas using all manner of crafts, from sewing and baking to papercraft and more. Natural materials and classic colour…

“The boys would vie with each other to use the sewing machines in their chaotic creative activity sessions.” I always describe myself as a teacher who quilts, rather than a quilter who does some teaching – stand still and I’ll teach you something… I’m actually a qualified teacher from way back and have my certificates to prove it. Trained for primary school teaching, I discovered a passion for fashion and making clothes at college and managed to hook some textile work into the curriculum. It was the 60s, a more flexible time, we did loads of group work and day-long projects that embraced every aspect of education, involving words, numbers and general creativity. Ah, what a free-thinking, potential hippy I was! It was then that I started introducing textile projects…

Meridian was born of Alison and Jessica’s mutual love of the patterns in nature, like the circular ripple of water and map topography. One of six in the Alison Glass Skill Builder pattern series, Meridian teaches sewing curves, both regular and elliptical. Curves are a wonderful addition to quilting, and they pose an important skill and challenging technique. This version of Meridian uses the family of blues from Diving Board and Sun Print 2017 as a watery base for the pops of magenta that show up here and there. Feeling comfortable with curves will bring a whole new dimension to your quiltmaking and this quilt allows you to practice accurate template marking, cutting and sewing. Meridian will give you tons of practice with both round and elliptical curves in the…

The Dressmaker ROSALIE HAM I was drawn to the cover of this book not just by the promise of “an unforgettable tale of love, hate and haute couture”, but by the glamorous shot of Kate Winslet effortlessly carrying a gleaming case with the familiar gold lettering “Singer”. In the story, Tilly Dunnage returns to her dusty home town of Dungatar; the ostracised, coutured daughter fresh from the fashion houses of Paris returns to the Australian outback to small town mentalities and unresolved mysteries. As Tilly attempts to unshackle herself from a past that haunts her, she liberates the town folk through her transformative skills in fashion design. The women and men of Dungatar have never looked so good in Balenciaga copies and satin velour pedal pushers but the simmering passions…

You will need • Three (3) red prints – one (1) Fat Eighth of each • Three (3) cream prints – one (1) Fat Eighth of each • Green fabric – one (1) Fat Eighth • Fussy-cut cream scraps – three (3) 4½in x 8½in • Mid-tone background fabric – 1¼yd • Cotton batting – 24in x 60in • Backing fabric – 1⅜yds • Binding fabric – ¼yd Finished size • 20in x 54in Notes • Please read through the pattern before you begin. • Assume a ¼in seam allowance and a fabric width (WOF) of 42in. • I would always recommend making a test block. You will need • Two (2) red prints – one (1) Fat Eighth of each • Two (2) cream prints – one (1) Fat…

Not all landscapes lend themselves to patchwork. Hand-dyed fabrics and batiks offer little splashes of colour that, if cleverly placed, can lend detail. Expect to change your mind a few times as you work out your landscape. Leave yourself plenty of different fabrics to choose from and don’t worry about waste. The pieces you will be using are all relatively small. When searching for the right fabric for smaller pieces, don’t forget your scrap bag. Join us next issue when we find out more about the work of textile artist Alicia Merrett.…

Welcome to our new Block of the Month. After our year in the country we are now heading indoors for an exploration of our homes and their precious contents. Each month, I’ll be designing blocks depicting different household objects that will build together into an amazing and unique quilt. Unlike my previous BOM we won’t be making two of the same size blocks each month. Instead, you may be asked to make three smaller blocks or two different sized blocks, depending on the subject matter, and in the final month I’ll explain how they all fit together. Every month I’ll also be sharing my thoughts about the chosen item and photos of my favourites, both vintage and contemporary. Plus, we’ll feature my pick of the best vintage interior stores around…

BLOCK OF THE MONTH PATTERN PIECES AND FPP TEMPLATES ENLARGE 200% 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. GOING INTO THE WOODS HST FOUNDATION PIECING TEMPLATES ENLARGE 200% Includes seam allowances WINTER LIGHT CUSHION PLANNER ENLARGE 200% DOWNLOAD THESE TEMPLATES FULL SIZE Visit our blog: www.todaysquilter.com  today! Thank you…

The Lintotts’ latest design – a Bargello quilt • Jo Avery’s colourful Siddi cushion will brighten the darkest winter day • Susan Briscoe’s stashbusting spinning squares • Master needle-turn appliqué with Lin Clements FREE! 44-page Sunbonnet Sue supplement Issue 30 on sale 7th December…

Christine Morton Business Manager Christine runs the day-to-day business of The Guild looking after finance, business management, operations and security, which has become an important aspect of The Guild’s role as custodians of such a valuable collection. She’s always ready to step in for Chris as her Deputy when needed. Heather Audin Curator Heather cares for The Quilters’ Guild Collection and works with the Collections Committee to create exhibitions and other opportunities to view items in The Collection. Heather is passionate about her role, as many of you will have discovered when meeting her out and about at Guild events. Catherine Candlin Brand Manager Catherine ensures that Guild branding, marketing and retailing reflects their values and ethos. She is also available to support Regions and Specialist Groups to develop their…

Earlier this year, The Quilters’ Guild announced the launch of its new exhibition “Walks of Life”, which debuted at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham and will travel to the Harrogate Knitting & Stitching Show in November this year. Walks of Life examines the lives and stories behind the makers of 15 historic quilts from The Quilters’ Guild Collection, ranging from 1830 to the present day, including the newly acquired Honesty Skyline made by one of the UK’s most influential contemporary quiltmakers, Pauline Burbidge. This social history centred exhibition includes a beautiful mosaic patchwork quilt in bright pinks and greens made by a Lighthouse Keeper’s wife in the 1880s; a star cotton patchwork coverlet with braided seams made by a soldier and policeman in the 1860s; and a wool suiting…