Weekend Summer School

What could be more enjoyable than spending a whole weekend stitching! There was a group of very enthusiastic quilters gathered around the tables at Somerset last weekend. When they arrived there was a lovely parcel of fabrics, all colour co-ordinated and sorted to make their very own Chintz Medallion Quilt.

This is what they were working towards. My version of a traditional antique style appliqué quilt.

The girls cut and chopped and placed their pieces in an assortment of combinations to make their own designs.

 Jane was not fond of the stars so her version has just a few, but, she found a few more flowers to appliqué instead. 

 Jenny created another twist by including hexagons in the layout.

Wendy's pile of leftovers doesn't quite fit in the box anymore!

 And where did I get my inspiration? 

This gorgeous Broderie Perse quilt was spotted on Barbara Brackmans blog last year!

It instantly captured my imagination and I felt the urge to play with similar fabrics and create my own design.

Summer School continues this week and I will try to keep you posted with the next round of interesting projects,

Until next time,

Show and Tell...

Summer School classes have been on at Somerset everyday this week and as usual there has been lots and lots of Show and Tell. We have been working on hexagons, stars, 'lots of stars', appliqué and more appliqué!

Leigh has returned to her hexagon quilt after finishing the 'star-a-day' challenge for 2012. These lovely hexagons were started in summer school last year and are well and truly on their way to completion.

I think this is one of my favourite star-a-day quilts, and there were quite a few to choose from! Leigh has used the same background for each star, but pieced the blocks together with a variety of different 'shirting' squares. Very nice!

 And here is a small selection of stars for a closer look...

Dorothy is working on her 'Mosaics' quilt. A beautiful appliqué quilt designed by Irene Blanck. 

These little houses are also by Dorothy. 

This quilt was the mystery block-of-the-month project from Quiltmania last year.

Sue has been making these hexagon stars over the Christmas break and has completed them all... 

now what fabric for the border and large stars?

This was the groups choice! Oh and Sue's too of course!

Have you ever seen a mat that looks like this? Mmmmm....  Mary has been working mostly by hand lately and hasn't needed her cutting mat! This is what she discovered in her sewing room. It made it to class, but, it stayed behind and has been placed in the circular filing cabinet!!!! A new mat went home with Mary.

 And what did Mary make using that lovely new mat,

these Le Moyne stars for her 'Hamilton Place' quilt.

Shirley has returned to her 'Barrington Court' and has almost completed appliquéing the melons in place.

Class is on again tomorrow and I will endeavour to take progress photos for you to see what we get up to...

Until then, 

More Mrs Billings...

You may remember that last September I had the pleasure of teaching Mrs Billings in Darwin. Two of my wonderful students have been progressing very nicely with their own versions of the quilt. Joy loves the colour blue and her quilt is looking gorgeous.

Lynette, who started her Mrs B in Darwin has now relocated to Melbourne, so hopefully we will be able to follow her progress a little closer!

And if you have a chance to take a peek over at Pomegranate and Chintz, you will see what fun the girls had in class with Irene Blanck here at Somerset Patchwork last weekend. I was a little preoccupied at the time and missed the photo opportunities that were there to be shared, but luckily for me, Meredithe took lots of photos. I hope you enjoy them.

Until next time,

Ooo Ahh - Mrs Billings...

We had a visit today from Mrs Billings, well not the original, but a very beautiful copy! Helen has brought her quilt in a few times over the past year but now it is nearly finished... just the last border to stitch in place and then she is done! Helen's choice of colours are soft shades of aqua, pink, green and blue. Mmmm very pretty.

A friend sent me this little note today. I think they are talking about me! Whoops!!!

Until next time,

Summer School

Summer School starts this week here at Somerset Patchwork and most of the classes are full, but, we do have vacancies in a few. This coming weekend, (12th & 13th - Saturday & Sunday) will feature a two-day workshop with Irene Blanck working on 'Auntie Greens Garden'. The class will cover appliqué techniques, including bias strips, transferring and marking your designs and a touch of colour magic. As you can see Irene's quilt is stunning. If you would like more information please call the shop or visit here.

Are you free on Tuesday? We are having an impromptu Tuesday Sit and Sew session. Some of our regular girls thought it might be fun and are looking for some company, so if you are in the neighbourhood and your stitching is with you call in and join us for the day. 

Until next time,

p.s. I hope you all noticed that Irene likes RED shoes too!

A New Year Gathering of Friday Stitchers

There was a smaller than normal group of Friday stitchers at the shop today, but there was lots of show and tell. The girls have been very busy over the Christmas break and have .... (dramatic pause) ... finished their Star-a-day quilts. Well some of them anyway! We had a fantastic display on the shop floor of these absolute beauties... I couldn't decide which photo I liked best so I have put them all out for you to share. I think they have all excelled themselves with fussy cutting.

The finished quilts are approximately 80 inches square and are made from 364, three inch Le Moyne star blocks (i.e. tiny stars) and plain fabric squares. For those of you who are new to my blog, this was a project we started in January last year and set ourselves a target of one-star-everyday of the year with the exception of your birthday and Christmas day. We were not permitted to repeat a fabric, therefore, we have 728 different fabrics in each quilt. The idea was to use this project as a bit of a stash buster until we realised that you don't actually use very much fabric in each star!!!!!!

And what, you might ask, is our group challenge this year? Delectable Mountains! One, 4 inch block-a-day, set on point then pieced together will make a finished 79 inch square quilt. Unfortunately you do need to do a block a day with no exceptions for birthdays. One star a week would make an interesting quilt too if you would prefer a smaller challenge!

Keep on stitching girls,

until next time,

Happy New Year 2013!

Happy New Year to you and your families.

May the New Year bring to you all

Troubles that last only seconds

Giggles that last minutes

Chuckles that last hours

Laughs that last days

Smiles that last weeks

Happiness that last months

Friendships that last years

But most of all...

LOVE that lasts a lifetimes!

Until next time, 

may all your New Years wishes come true