The Summer Juggle

My poor blog has been really neglected over the last 2 weeks!

A combination of 3 active boys at home all day, work deadlines and a decision to do something about my health (read addiction to coffee) has resulted in not much time for anything else!

It is now 2 weeks without caffeine and I finally feel much better, most of the time!

I did manage to get the Festival of Quilts last week, which was amazing!

This is an action shot of the queue outside the halls! It was a very long queue!

I didn't take any photos in the show, I was too busy admiring and gossiping with my lovely friend Liz who doesn't quilt, but loved the show. My interest has definitely changed to a fascination of the texture and design process of the Art quilts and the amazing works of art they create from seemingly humble inspiration. It fitted perfectly with the design part of the City and Guilds of my module that I am working through at the moment. It was good to see other people working on the path I want to take.

I only took a small budget and came away with 2 books about design and textile art, thread and needles. The only fabric I bought was from Simply Solids to finish my book shelf quilt - bit of a shock to my system!

I did get to try out a Sizzix Big Shot and it is amazing! I need one of them in my life! It will work perfectly with some of the groups I work with you struggle to use a rotary cutter or scissors. It's on my list from Santa this year!

I was slightly naughty when I got home and ordered this entire collection from M is For Make:

This is just 3 of the Just for Fun Collection from Birch Fabrics!

I fell in love with it and thought I would put it into my stash for a later date, but midi has seen it and we have started designing a new quilt for his 8th birthday in November - at this rate they will each leave home with 20 quilts each!

Hope you are enjoying your summer and managing to get some sewing done!

Festival of Quilts - The Quilts

Yesterday I blogged about the Festival of Quilts and the hoard of fabric and sewing stuff I bought - I had to explain to a friends husband how much fabric I bought and the cost... he almost had a heart attack! (It is a bonus not having a husband to explain these things too!)

Today I thought I would share some of the gorgeous quilts I saw and liked.... Unfortunately I didn't note the names or makers of the quilts - I forgot!

So here are the quilts I really liked:

This is such a gorgeous quilt!

This quilt was made with just hexagons!

I love the colours and the optical illusion of this quilt!

Loads and loads of rectangles in blue!

So gorgeous!

Only a small handful of the quilts at the show, but a simply gorgeous selection don't you think?

Festival of Quilts

Yesterday was the best day of the year - it was the Festival of Quilts day!

I haven't been able to go for 3 years due to having the monsters on the weekends it is on, but yesterday all the contact days aligned and I was able to go! I was beyond excited!

All that fabric, supplies and quilts was just too much for me!

I only had a limited time in the show. A combination of the drive being quite long, the kids not being gone for long and meeting my sister for lunch (not seen each other for 2.5 years so loads to talk about!). So it was a bit of a mission affair - I knew what I wanted and needed.

I did  manage to see some of the gorgeous quilt entries. They are simply stunning! I particularly love the bright coloured ones. The traditional ones were amazing too, the contemporary section drew me most!

Taking a list and a purse full of cash worked to a point... I might have exceeded it slightly! My sister mentioned being like a kid in a candy store....

Here are the fabrics I bought:

There is Katherine's Wheel by Nel Whatmore on the top row, Prince Charming by Tula Pink in Twilight and Candy from Cotton Patch. The bottom four are Velocity from Backstitch.

It was a highlight of the show to meet Alice from Backstitch. I love her website, she is super fast with delivery and she always pops a note in saying hello!

The Tula Pink fabrics are for my blocks for the quilting bee I have organised. I am going to match them with this amazing Fair Trade Grey:

I also managed to get some thread, quilting gloves and supplies for felting:

I did manage to get some Aurifil Thread, but I was really disappointed that although Aurifil were there you could only buy the big boxes of thread, not choose from the racks on display...

Finally I managed to get an autographed copy of one of my favourite designers autobiography:

Kaffe Fassett has been part of my quilting journey since it started 16 years ago. I have made a few of his designs. I was kinda star struck and unable to talk to him really.... sad I know - it made my sister laugh!





I have some pics of the quilts which I will share tomorrow...