New Fabric

I bought these gorgeous hand-dyed fabrics and threads last weekend at a local exhibition where I was trading. You've got to support your fellow traders you know ;o). The fabrics are dyed by Laura Kemshall and you can buy them online here.

Silk Necklace

I had a fun evening at my local quilt group last night, we had a lady called Mary Day come and demonstrate silk dying and show us how to make a silk necklace. Here's my version, I thought I should break out of my green and pink phase, though I did rather covet the green and turquoise ones some of the other ladies made :o).

It's a Winner!!!

I'm absolutely thrilled, the Bramble Patch phoned today to say that I'd won the Margaret Every Challenge Cup for the second time (first win was 2 years ago, will put the details of that in a separate post). Here's the winning quilt again, it's extra special because this is a viewers award.

Just because I think they look pretty

A rambling rose in my garden

Update on Nic's Quilt

This quilt is a slow and ongoing project, the top went together really quickly about 5 years ago, but then I hit problems quilting it on the machine, so now I'm doing it by hand, hence the delays! I've been outlining the flying geese, and am now working on some quilted geese echoing the pattern in the next border. I probably need to do at least two rows of stitching to see the detail, but I'll consult my quilting chums before making any decisions. It's a huge quilt, so it's going to take a bit longer to finish ... sorry Nic!

Here are a couple of earlier shots of the full quilt, taken last December

Marshmallow Rose II

I finished the binding on Marshmallow Rose II last night, and I'm as pleased with this one as I was the last one. I bound this one in the plaid cut on the bias, rather than the pink I used for the border, I think it frames the quilt very prettily. The fabrics are all designed by Lakehouse Dry Goods and bought from Antique Angel, a UK retailer that I've raved about in the past on my main blog. Sadly I didn't quite have enough of the backing fabric to match the design down the join, I was about 6" short, bummer! Couldn't quite justify buying another couple of metres just for that :(. Another store that stocks a lot of this style of fabric is Shabby Fabrics in the US, I've had great service from them too.

Bramble Patch Outing

I went to the Bramble Patch in Weedon yesterday to see my quilt in the Margaret Every Challenge Exhibition. Well, I went to see all the quilts in the exhibition, but it's always fun to see your own hung up in public. I had a great day out with my quilting chums, we had strawberries and cream at the exhibition and lunch at the Three Shires centre down the road. Of course, it would have been rude not to buy anything ...

My quilt

My purchases!

Isn't this the cutest fabric? I've got to think of a use for it ... !

GHD Bag

Using the same heat-resistant product that I used in the iron bag, I've made a bag for my soon-to-be SIL's hair straighteners. When it's rolled out flat it doubles as a heat resistant mat, hopefully protecting the dressing table while the tongs are in use. Fingers crossed everything fits - I couldn't quite justify buying myself some straighteners just to try it out ;o). Thanks for the idea Debbie!!

First Quilty Post

My main blog (Oak Tree Cottage) is really a personal diary, so I've decided to split out the quilting side of my life for two reasons. I would like this blog to become a permanent journal of all my creations, and plan to gradually add pictures and descriptions of quilts long finished and gone from my collection, as well as current and recently finished projects. I also wanted a blog where I could play with fancy backgrounds and generally "pretty" up. I'm currently investigating digital scrapbooking, if I didn't already think I wasted too much time in front of the computer, it's about to double LOL!

Anyway, just to get us started, here's a picture of one of my favourite quilts, it's on my bed most nights and is one I made in (about) 1995, soon after we moved into our current home. As soon as I find my original quilt journal I'll put a more definite date on it. It was made for the spare bedroom which has a lavender carpet, but has somehow migrated into the main bedroom!

Extra Note: I've found the journal, the quilt was started in August 1997 and finished on 10th July 1998, the pattern was called "Andrews Stars" and the wadding apparently came from John Lewis! The quilting is a very simple grid sewn in the ditch.