Innholdsfortegnelse for 36 i Today's Quilter

For me, flowers symbolise happiness. Be it fresh-cut roses in my home (a personal favourite), my potted plants on the kitchen windowsill or fields of lavender outdoors on one of my weekend rambles – I can never get enough of them, hay fever or not! I must admit, though, my love of them might also have something to do with me connecting them with spring... and the warmer, longer days it promises. So this issue’s “bouquet” of floral quilts really put a spring in my step (no pun intended)! From Victoria Carrington’s debut stunner, featuring Liberty floral petals made into appliqué flowers, to Nicola Dodd’s charming auricula theatre and Carolyn Forster’s technique building colourful sunflowers, you can fill every room of your home with gorgeous blooms that will last all…

CHANGING HANDS Family affair It’s been a dramatic start to the new year – unsettling weather and an unexpected announcement from FreeSpirit in mid-February that, come 1 May, they would cease production. Their portfolio of artists includes the Kaffe Fassett Collective, Tula Pink, Anna Maria Horner, The Original Morris & Co., Dena Designs, Snow Leopard Studios, Jennifer Paganelli, Heather Bailey and many more talented artists. Quilters worldwide breathed a sigh of relief when, just a few weeks later, the Jaftex Corporation, a fourth-generation family-owned textile company, announced its intent to buy FreeSpirit Fabrics. “We are ecstatic to carry on the premier FreeSpirit brand,” said Jaftex owner Scott Fortunoff. “Our intention is to maintain the ethos of the brand and its portfolio of well-recognised designers as well as the majority of…

“There is no denying that the size of the finished project can dictate the scale of the quilt pattern.” No, this isn’t the title of a new series from David Attenborough featuring snakes and elephants, although what wouldn’t I give to have his adoring audience hanging on my every word! No, it’s just a few thoughts about the importance of scale in both pattern and fabric, and then sharing my enthusiasm for using stripes in a quilt design. Perhaps I should have said “Spoiler Alert” before I wrote that, as now you know what’s coming… Still, it saves you ploughing through the whole thing in the vain hope that something might amuse or be of use. So, those of you with grit and determination, read on. Prize-winning quilts in the…

Having enjoyed arts and crafts since she was a child, textile artist Lesley Brankin is self-assured when it comes to working in an assortment of media, but she always returns to fabric and stitch. “I adore the tactile qualities of cloth,” she enthuses. “It’s deep-rooted within me to want to touch it – I love having that connection with my materials and being able to respond to them directly.” Textiles also offer an opportunity for textural explorations, both visual and real. “Although I do a lot of design work on paper, the surface can be rather flat. It just doesn’t have the character or satisfy me in the same way as fabric and thread,” Lesley remarks. Developing a theme Subjects have always embraced the natural world and travel but, increasingly,…

“When I was approached to design a quilt using the stencils, my first thought was a simple strippy quilt to show off the quilt designs. However, on the same day that I received the stencils, my Moda delivery arrived with the beautiful Summer Breeze collection. It was a miserable grey day and the lovely fresh colours really cheered me up and I thought that a strippy quilt wasn’t quite right. So my squared diamond quilt evolved, as I wanted to show off the fabrics as well as the quilt patterns. I especially loved the tulip design and thought that the spring-like flowers in the fabric complemented the stencil design. I hope you enjoy using the stencils, and creating different designs with them, as much as I did.”…

You will need • Neutral background fabric – 14in square • Patterned fabric – 8in square • Cream fabric for candle – 2in x 3in piece • Scrap of yellow fabric for the flame • Pattern pieces A and B (see Templates section) Finished size • 9½in x 11›in Notes • Make one (1) block. Cutting out 1 From the background fabric, cut as follows: • One (1) 1½in x 11½in strip. • One (1) 2½in x 11½in strip. • One (1) 1½in x 6½in strip. • Two (2) 1¼in x 3in strips. • Two (2) 1¼in x 2¼in strips. • Two (2) 1¼in x 1½in pieces. • Two (2) 2¼in x 2¾in pieces. • Two (2) 2¾in x 3in pieces. • One (1) 2½in x 6½in piece. • Two…

Jane Alcock PERFECTLY ALIGNED For Jane’s first design in Today’s Quilter, she has created a gorgeous quilt using the quilting stencils that come with this issue (page 77). Nicola Dodd FAB FLORALS Inspired by the auricula theatre at Calke Abbey, Nicola has created shelves of pretty potted plants. Turn to page 37 to make your own. Lin Clements Take your strip-piecing to the next level by cutting the strips on a angle. With Lin’s tips on page 69 you’ll create dynamic blocks with ease.…

QUILTING Nos Da – Goodnight Until 10th November, Wales A panoply of historic Welsh Quilts in Gallery One, Welsh Samplers in Gallery Two and changing displays by textile artists in Gallery Three. The last year the Welsh Quilt Centre will be open. The Welsh Quilt Centre Town Hall, High St, Lampeter, SA48 7BB www.welshquilts.com Quilts UK Malvern 17th-20th May, Worcestershire Display quilts from well-known quilters and artists, plus plenty of retail therapy. Three Counties Showground, Severn Hall, Malvern, WR13 6NW 10:00-17:00 (16:30 Sun) www.grosvenorshows.co.uk A Celebration of Flowers: Kaffe Fassett with Candace Bahouth Until 2nd September, Bath Forty dazzling quilts and needlepoints exhibited alongside American Candace Bahouth’s artworks, featuring mosaic island gardens, benches, totems, mirror frames, shoes and more. Victoria Art Gallery, by Pulteney Bridge, Bath, BA2 4AT Contact: 01225…

“This quilt uses the entire collection of Liberty Cottage Garden Fat Quarters to make the petals, with a neutral background to showcase these lovely fabrics. To give a really modern twist, you could opt for a dark background with bright petals as an alternative. This project would also be great for using up scraps, and can be adapted to any size to make round cushions, placemats or a bed runner, for example. “To make the quilt, I used an appliqué method, which uses fusible interfacing to create lovely smooth, curved petals. These are fused onto a simple grid, then stitched on and quilted simultaneously – this can easily be achieved on a sewing machine as the lines are relatively straight across the quilt. There’s minimal rotary cutting involved and no…

This quilt uses the Creative Grids Double-Strip Kaleidoscope Ruler. This is a very clever ruler as it allows you to make the kaleidoscope block quickly and easily – great for a weekend project – and it will leave you feeling inspired and excited, and wanting to make more of your own unique projects. The Quilt Room is offering a 10% discount on this ruler to Today’s Quilter readers. Just go to www.quiltroom.co.uk and put in the code 10TQOFFER at checkout. This is a versatile pattern, which is easy to make into a quilt whatever size you like. All you need to know is that two Fat Quarters – one light and one dark – will make five blocks… and in our quilt that’s one row. No wastage and no fuss.…

“This block was self-drafted based on a vintage quilt that I own of the same design. After researching, I found a similar pattern from the same era as the fabrics in my quilt, which are roughly 1930s/1940s. A version of the pattern is in a book of blocks from The Kansas City Star published by AQSN and edited by Rita Weiss. In the book the similar block was called Pieced Sunflower and I have adopted that name for my version. Another version with a centre pieced of triangles appears in the Maggie Malone book 1001 Patchwork Designs, under the name 4 O’Clock. One can only imagine how it came by that name…! “The fabrics I chose have that same vintage feel as those in my original quilt, and the frames…

It’s time to shine a light on our project as we move away from the crockery cupboard and head into other areas of our Vintage Home. Though a bit of an unwieldy shape for a block, the table lamp is relatively simple and fun to piece. Using an FPP template I’ve tried to give the effect of a pleated shade, similar to the one we had in our living room when I was a child and that my mother had made at an evening class. Of course this was a brown shade, as in the 70s everything was brown! The base of the block is reminiscent of my bedside lamp, which is by the Danish version of Cath Kidston “Greengate”. It now sports a stunning new shade, designed and made…

THE DESIGNER MARY ELIZABETH KINCH Often using intricate, tiny piecing, such as in Wassenaar Windmills, above, Mary Elizabeth’s work is breathtaking. She believes in stretching traditional boundaries and creating quilts with a subtle salute to the past, informed by her own collection of antique quilts. As well as designing and teaching, Mary Elizabeth is also co-author of two best-selling books, Small Blocks, Stunning Quilts and Small Pieces, Spectacular Quilts (which features the quilt above). See more at www.maryelizabethkinch.com THE BOOK FLOSSIE TEACAKE’S GUIDE TO ENGLISH PAPER PIECING In her extensive guide to EPP, Florence Knapp threads together history and practical how-tos, but it’s the whys that make this book really special. Fascinating stories about makers and their infectious love of the craft will have you torn between spending your time…

›Mettler Seralon 100 500m Its excellent smoothness, high tensile strength and ideal sewability make the universal SERALON® a reliable Partner for all your creations. Available in up to 435 colours and 5 featuring size(s). Victoria used pale grey for piecing of the quilt. 2 Sew Simple Solids Collection These solid colours are ideal for bringing plain hues to your craft work or creating imaginative combinations. From black to white, from bright blue to pastel green, a comprehensive collection that we all can afford! Victoria used cream for the background fabric, and light blue for the binding. 3 The Cottage Garden Liberty Collection Inspiration for this collection of printed quilting fabric comes from the beautiful villages of Buckinghamshire. This area of English countryside is where Arthur Liberty escaped from his London…

You will need • One (1) Layer Cake or sixteen (16) 10in squares* • Background fabric – Fifteen (15) Fat Quarters • Green fabric for leaves – ½yd* • Orange fabric for pots – ¾yd* • Teal fabric for shelves – ½yd • Border fabric – 1yd • Backing fabric – 4½yds • Batting – 78in x 80in • Binding fabric – ¾yd • Template (see Templates section) Finished size • 70in x 72in Notes • Read through the pattern before you begin, assuming a ¼in seam allowance and a fabric width (WOF) of 42in. I always recommend making a test block. • *I used some green and orange 10in squares leftover from the Layer Cake to give my quilt a vintage look. Fabric used • Ella & Ollie by…

“The arrival of the quilt at the museum has transformed the interior of the learning centre.” While the UK braced itself for the arrival of heavy snow earlier this year, Lucy Bailey, Heritage Activities Project Manager, and volunteers from Jane Austen’s House Museum were warm indoors as they prepared to hang the Jane Austen Community Quilt. Of all the places to get snowed in, this might just be heaven – in one of the most important literary sites in the world and in the company of quilts. The arrival of the quilt at the museum has transformed the interior of the learning centre where it will hang for at least a year. Upstairs, in the Admiral’s Room, another quilt made of paper-pieced blocks made at drop-in community workshops using a…

We all know how important it is to have an iron on hand for pressing seams, though often we need to go back and forth to get to the ironing board. The Prym Sleeve Ironing Board, however, solves this. At just £16.99, it’s 12.5cm in width and ready to use on every work surface – ideal for next to your sewing machine! But what about the iron? The Clover Mini Iron II (£49.99) is perfect for patchwork and appliqué, as is the Clover Large Adapter Tip (£8.99), which allows for quick and easy pressing of larger areas with your Clover Mini Iron. www.sewingquarter.com TUNE IN! Watch on Freeview channel 78, Sky channel 678, or via the website www.sewingquarter.com Youtube.com/sewingquarter Terms and conditions: *Offer…

You will need • Fabric A, Yellow spot – One (1) Fat Eighth • Fabric B, Blue daisy – One (1) Fat Quarter • Fabric C, Yellow with blue dot – One (1) Fat Quarter • Fabric D, Deep blue floral – ¾yd • Fabric E, Yellow with blue flowers – One (1) Fat Quarter • Fabric F, Blue with yellow dot – 1yd • Batting – 44in square • Backing fabric – 1¼yd • Quilting stencils and removable marker Finished size • 40in square Fabrics used • Summer Breeze V from Moda, www.modafabric.co.uk Notes • Use a ¼in seam allowance throughout. Cutting out 1 From Fabric A, cut six (6) 2⅞in squares. 2 From Fabric B, cut as follows: • Six (6) 2⅞in squares. • Four (4) 2½in squares.…

You will need • Neutral background fabric – 13in x 21in piece • Two (2) different patterned fabrics for the shade – 6in x 8in piece of each • Solid fabric for the shade – 1¼in x 7½in strip • Solid fabric for the base – 5in x 9in piece • One (1) copy of the FPP template (see Templates section) Finished size • 9½in x 20½in 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. We suggest you use the same background fabric for all the blocks in the BOM quilt. Cutting out 1 From the background fabric, cut as follows: •…

SHOPPING BOOKS Jo’s Floral Album, Cosy Quilts and Comforts  www.roundhousegroup.co.uk 0127 360 3717 Regency Blues  www.antlerquiltdesign.com FABRIC COLLECTIONS Grayshott  www.oakshottfabrics.com 0145 237 1571 Beachcomber, Counting Sheep, Merryn, Linen Texture, Spot 24  www.makoweruk.com 0162 850 9640 First Blush  www.windhamfabrics.com Regency Blues  www.modafabric.co.uk 0120 921 6942 Liberty The Cottage Garden, Sew Simple Solids  www.eqsuk.co.uk 0116 271 0033…