31/01/2009 by Mary.

Well there has to be an upside to the freezing cold weather and that has been that I have spent more time sewing than usual.  I have finished lap quilt for my brother-in-law and had an amazed thank you letter by return of post.  I have also made a log cabin cushion for the Hexagon AGM Challenge using curved courthouse blocks.  This was a method a devised for my City and Guilds course and I was pleased to see that its replication on a small scale worked well.  I have also finished my piece for the monthly Loose  Threads challenge!

Three of us had a great time on Tuesday shopping for more fabric at Village Fabrics and then yesterday I started to think about finishing my Philippa Naylor workshop piece and realised it could only be done by buying more fabric. I think I better work on something else instead!

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31/01/2009 by Mary.

My newsletter came this week so I can pass on a few dates which might be of interest.

Saturday 7 March there is a Regional Day in Charvil Village Hall with Joan Nutall and Kathleen Laurel Sage. The following day Kathleen is doing a workshop, which I have booked on.

Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 March there is a Region 6 exhibition at Radley College and 27-29 March is the Conference and AGM in Swansea. I will be getting my certificate for completing the judging course at the AGM.

The date for the Summer lunch is 16 July and the Autumn Regional day is 17 October when Claire Tinsley will speak and give a workshop the next day.  I have still to finish the piece I started at her workshop with the Hexagon Quilters!!

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27/01/2009 by Kevin.

I have just been sent a press release from Village Green Quilters regarding their highly successfull quilt raffle in Farnham Maltings.  They raised over £900.  I have enclosed the press release. Village Green Quilters Press Release Jan 2009 Or go to their website  

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25/01/2009 by Anna.

Looking at my Patchwork and Quilting mag i noticed an exhibition by Becky Knight, showcasing her collection of comtemporary quilts made from recycled materials- eg ber cans and cigarette packets.  I hope to make it some time in Feb, its on till 16th March. Phone 029 2057 3500 for more info.

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23/01/2009 by Erica.

I had a sort through my samples this week to find things suitable for a workshop on contemporary hand quilting that I am teaching next week.  I am not prepared to admit quite how many UFOs I turned up but I did find several pieces that need just a little work to finish.  Sometimes I simply run out of inspiration; several of these pieces need just a final flourish of some kind and at the time I simply could not find what that should be.  But with the passing of time I now know just what some of them need, so they are now in my WIP pile.  But one piece is absolutely hopeless - just wrong colour, design and quilting - and I have bitten the bullet and put it in the bin.  

 So now even more projects on the go, and another starting next week - a row robin with Potters Patchers.  Nothing else finished (other than my husband’s yoga mat bag) but two quilts getting close. 

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20/01/2009 by Anna.

Hi girls, just to let you all know that i dont go into the Marsden till March. I have been very low on energy not even keeping up with my housework let alone patchwork,  i did however realy enjoy the hexagon AGM thank you Debbie for driveing me there. Glad to see the latest blogs, i better get dressed now as its nearly midday!

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18/01/2009 by Sarah.

This is my first blog, so I must start by thanking Kevin for showing me the ropes! Last week started with a busy weekend. My daughter Ashley joined me for a workshop at Bearwood College run by Kim Thittichai of “Hot Textiles” fame, and we produced some useful design work on the theme “Journeys.” Anna and I went to the quilt sale at Farnham on Sunday, and I collected the last bits of fabric for the projects I am working on. ( and a bit more!) It was useful to meet local people with similar interests and to see some of their current work. There were certainly bargains to be had. You may see these later in my container (based on a landscape) and the Loose Threads challenge piece. On Tuesday I was offered more work at school for the next two terms, so I had to rethink my C&G plans. I am just completing my first year, so I will try to take up the second year when I have my new timetable in September. I am teaching “Portraits ” to Year 7 this term, and on Friday I organised a trip to Southampton City Art Gallery for the year group. The paintings were inspirational, and I would recommend a visit to anyone working on this subject  at the moment. That includes me of course, so I had better get back to it! Sarah

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14/01/2009 by Erica.

Well I have finished my first project of 2009 - the log cabin cushion. But only just so no photo yet let alone wrestling with how to publish it on the site. I will try next week. The cushion is for the Hexagon Quilters AGM challenge, the AGM is tomorrow so I have finished with time to spare! I have also made a yoga mat bag for my other half, not very exciting but one up mending my eight-year-olds trousers, which are still waiting.

Went to see the Diversity’s ‘Naked’ exhibition at Harvey Gallery in Guildford on Monday - lovely.

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07/01/2009 by Erica.

…but I have worked on both old and new projects! My children are back at school so I have been able to get a few concentrated hours in. The other bonus about term time is the walk to and from school, its an excellent time to think through what I have to do next and consider ideas.

I was bit thrown last Friday when Mary gave Loose Threads the first challenge for 2009, not because it isn’t exciting - I feel very inspired by it - but because it is another item on the list. But I usually find that the more I have to do, the more I manage to achieve. The pressure inhibits my tendency to fiddle about. Anyway, its the Hexagon Quilters’ AGM next Thursday (15 January) so top of my list of UFOs is my log cabin cushion. The top is pieced and nearly quilted so next time I blog it should be when I learn to download pictures. Fingers crossed!

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03/01/2009 by Anna.

Late November a group of like minded girl friends set out for a fabric dying day at Helen Deighan’s purpose-built workshop studio in Hindhead. Helen’s workshop sits down a small gravel drive behind the village bakerery where you can stock up with goodies for the day.Once settled down with hot coffee in hand, Helen explained simple and effective ways to produce colours and patterns on fabric.  She loves her subject that not only shows in the number of books she has written but also in her warm smile and enthusiam.The day whizzed by and we were left to pack away our wet dyed fabric to be washed out the following day. All of us were delighted with the results and we all had a great day. So thank you Helen Deighan.

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