The winner is

The winner is Anne Marie. Sorry this is a very quick post as life has been turned upside down with my husband now being gravely ill. Ann please leave me you address by email and I will get it off to you as soon as I am possibly able.

Thanks
Sue

V&A Commemorative Panel -GIVE AWAY

 

Today I am giving away this lovely V&A Commemorative panel . I think it has to be for an overseas guest as it can be obtained quite easily here in the UK at the V&A or online.

It is commemorating the greatest exhibition of old quilts that we have ever seen in England. It is screen printed and would look great in the centre of a quilt or you might just like to keep it as a memento of this great occasion. The quilts will be on display until 4th July 2010. So start saving your air fare and come and see this marvelous exhibition.

Please leave your comments and I will pick a name on 31st March pm.

Good Luck
Sue

Ravenswood

 

Haven't done to much sewing this week but have managed a few more of my Ravenswood blocks.Have also been sewing a binding on a quilt. I start thinking I'll just get this binding on and several hours later I am still sitting sewing. It always takes much longer thank you think. Don't you think?

V&A Quilts 3

Well I have decided to post the pictures that I took at the V&A in 2005 as these pictures are in the books and I am seeing them elsewhere. So at the risk of being transported to sunnier clim's here they are.
The quilts were taken from draws and laid out on a table so couldn't get height and distance shots, I do however think this is good as you can get a better idea of the fabrics. I am working my way through the book that goes with the exhibition so am learning a bit more of the history.
Enjoy.
Sue

V&A QUILTS 2

Their has been lots of information coming through about the V&A from The British Quilt & Textile History List I belong to so I am going to post some links for you to look at.

It was also on BBC radio, woman's hour but I can't seem to link to it. If you go to BBC woman's hour, then the listen section it is on Mondays programme.

The Guardian.

The Dyers hand blog.

Hope you enjoy.
Sue

V&A Quilts

Sue looking very happy with her purchases from the V&A shop.


Although I was very tired last night I just couldn't get to sleep. I was re-living my day at the V&A . Walking myself through the exhibition and recalling in my mind what I had seen. It was a real feast for the eyes and in the early hours feast for my mind. I had defiantly had tooooo much stimulation for one day. ( I must get out more):-)

Sue Prichard and her team have certainly done a fantastic job in putting this exhibition together. It has been a long time in the making. As far back as October 2005 my friend Sue (PIC) and I had a backhouse tour at the V&A of some of the quilts with Sue P. Sorry if this is confusing but the three of us are all Sue's. Back then Sue was planning this exhibition and it has been a long time coming.

The quilts in the book that go with the exhibition are a bit dark compared to the real thing. I loved the early quilts for the variety of fabrics in them and it is hard to believe we were printing the variety of fabrics in the UK back in the 1700 and 1800's.
I loved the Rajah Quilt which is on loan from Australia and was made by convict women on the ship that was transporting them to their new life down under.

When I was at the museum with Sue P in 2005 she did allow me to take photos of some of the quilts but am not sure if I can legally post them here in my blog so will check out the legal requirements. Hey you wouldn't want to see me transported to Australia for a minor offense now would you :-)

I have also to say a big thank you online to my friend Sue's husband who dog sat Mery for me whilst we went. Not sure if he reads quilting blogs but pretty sure it will be passed on. Also a sorry to them for Mery chasing the cat down the garden. I hope she isn't still up the tree.

When we left the V&A we walked through Knightsbridge and Hyde Park back to Marble Arch to catch the bus back home. I took a few pictures on route. Sue and I decided we might like one of these wonderful houses. ( WHEN WE WIN THE LOTTERY). LOL.
Till Next time.
Sue

V&A Quilts 1700-2010

 
 

To London to London to visit the Queen.
No to visit the V&A quilts from 1700-2010.

What better way to celebrate National quilt Day and what a great exhibition I am very tired after a long day in London so will post again after a good nights sleep.

A very happy tired quilter.

Jo Mortons Ravenswood

 
 

Just to tease , This is what I have decided to do with my Ravenswood fabric. I always loved this little quilt on the front of Jo's book. So I have enlarged the centre applique block by 125% and have appliqued them on with a machine fine blanket stitch. My friends that know me well know I don't have the patience to hand applique so this is my solution. I went on line and had a look at Jo Mortons website last night and notice she does have this little block in another quilt called Rachels Reel.Today I am home for most of the day so hopefully will get a few more blocks done.

New Additions

 
 
 
Yesterday I took a workshop at Wantage for a quilt group and on my way back called into Bampton to the Cotton Club which is sadly closing down due to retirement. I did manage to buy 5 metres of the sampler fabric . I thought it would make a lovely quilt backing and also I found the last 2 metres of a Judi Rothermel toile.

Then today a little parcel arrived. I love it when the postman leaves me a note which says PARCEL LEFT IN GARAGE.
It is some lovely Jo Morton fabric called Ravenswood and one piece of her Toast range.I don't have any black fabric in my stash and really fell in love with these. What am I going to do with them, well have been playing around this afternoon and made one little block. when I have made a few more I will post some photos .I really like how it has come out.
So its more of watching this space I am afraid.

Just itching to get back to the sewing machine.

Sue

Spring Is Here

    Well at last spring seems to have sprung. I Have spent some time in the garden this week, Cutting the leaves from around the Hellebore's so you can see them more easily. The only thing missing is the daffodils that are only just coming up . According to the news we are 4 weeks behind normal gardening schedule. It really has been cold no wonder the dafs decided to keep a low profile. Hopefully it is warming up some more this week which is good thing as it is Gold Cup Festival here in the Cotswold's. The town of Cheltenham will be packed with racegoers from all over the world. I even have guest's coming to my guest cottage from Melbourne , Australia. My Uncle and cousin will also pay me their yearly visit for a few days, They are keen racegoers so lets hope they have some hot tips for me. Probably not much sewing will be going on this week, More cooking and catching up with family life.Now that's not a bad thing.
Till next time.
Sue

Post Box

 
This photo is especially for Lori so that you know what a ROYAL POST BOX looks like. This is the one in our village. Very small it stands on a post.The post boxes in town and cities are big and free standing on the ground. Their we are a bit of useless information for you :-)Sue

UFO'S

 
 
 
Rummaging around in the UFO'S box I found this little quilt top I had started from Kathleen Traceys American Doll Quilts . You may also like to read Kathleens blog.Her blog just makes me smile.
It must of been made in a hurry,(Which a lot of things were) when I had my quilt shop. I know I wasn't happy with mine as I hadn't placed my triangles the right way round so it just got tucked away. I think it deserves to come back out and I either UN-SEW it and reset it correctly or live with it and always think to myself that was a learning curve. I don't know about you but I still have lots and lots of those LOL. Have you noticed the centre square.
Well would you beleive it a little bit of TOILE :-)

Toile

Although the dining room curtains are not strictly Toile they are of that family. I love the cherubs on them and am now thinking cherubs are more Italian than French but hey ho its another fabric telling a story. Just realised that these curtains are twelve years old but I still love them as much today as when I put them up all those years ago.

Toile

 
 
 
 

I TOLD YOU I LOVED TOILE.

More to follow.
Sue

Williamsburg Medallion

More photos from the Workshop.
Till next time.

Williamsburg Medallion

I mentioned in my last blog that I would show you some of the ladies Williamsburg Medallion quilts that they made at Cowslip Workshops last December. I hope they have now finished them. They were obviously well on their way when I left and hopefully I will see a few completed ones when I go back in May. The pattern was a Patchalot pattern that Marcie sold me and gave me permission to teach from.
Some of the ladies have turned the original large flying geese block to make it into a large ohio star, Some were going to go on and add more borders to make it a much larger quilt. It really is a great pattern that you can add your own personality too. Great Job Marcie!. You might like this link to Marcie's Blog .
More photos to follow.
Sue