Once Upon a Star!

During my break from blogging things changed dramatically here, I now have an actual job as a Community Development Worker! It is a job a love and builds on the teaching I have done in communities around the county.

It has meant a massive shift in how my family works, I no longer have the freedom to manage my time that I had as a freelance teacher. It has been a major adjustment for us all, but one we have all come through still smiling!

I have been teaching around the hours I work - 3 after school clubs and weekend classes!

My monthly sampler class has just had it's 6th class and we have a selection of gorgeous blocks. We now have the fun job of creating the quilt top and exploring machine quilting. Another round of this class will start in September - more info soon!

Foundation piecing star

I recently met a lovely new student who is coming for patchwork lessons. We will be making a quilt using different star patterns and techniques. It is going to be a fun adventure in piecing.

Part of a Christmas Star

I mentioned the idea to my Saturday class who all asked to give the course a go - and a new class was born!

HST Star

The Once Upon a Star patchwork course will start on Friday 17th April at 10am at GL11 Community Hub in Cam. There are 4 places left if you would like to come along. Just email me too book a place.

It is going to be a wonderful adventure in piecing techniques to create a gorgeous starry quilt!

Travelling Back

Detailed shot of my City and Guilds coursework - I love the colours!

It has been a long time since I lasted posted a here.... infact it has been five and a bit months!

It was never a break I had planned - infact I had ideas lined up and things to show you. Then everything changed... and even when things settled down I found I was afraid to come back to my blog - sounds silly doesn't it?

But at 5.30am on a cold Monday morning, I have beaten the fear and wanted to say hello to the people who are still visiting my humble blog!

I have loads to share from the 5 months, sewing adventures and course work, which I plan to blog over the coming weeks.

Thank you for still visiting my humble blog - now the first step has been taken the next few are much easier!

Patchwork Cushion Classes

There is a lovely shop in Malmesbury called Dolly Bobbins. It is full of yummy yarn and bits and bobs for sewing.

I am lucky enough to be running a 6 week patchwork cushion course there next term.

The course covers:

• Cutting fabrics with a rotary cutter and ruler
• Making Half Square Triangles (HST)
• How to sew patchwork accurately
• How to machine quilt
• How to make an 18" cushion

The course starts on Friday 12th September and costs £99.00 including all, equipment, materials and use of a sewing machine.

Please contact Tracey here to book a place.

New Classes - Malmesbury

Last week I had an exciting meeting at Dolly Bobbins, Malmesbury!

Dolly Bobbins is a gorgeous yarn and craft shop, with a great space for teaching! The lovely owner Tracey contacted me after a student had recommended me as a sewing teaching.

Luckily Tracey liked my ideas for classes and my totally obvious fabric addiction and we agreed some classes for May, which I thought I would share with you!

Monday 12th and Monday 19th May - Hand Turn Applique Class
10am until 12pm
£30.00 including all materials.

During this two week we will be learning how to create an applique design and make a mug rug - perfect for your cup of tea and a slice of cake!

Sunday 25th May - Beginners Patchwork Cushion
10am until 4pm
£45.00 including materials and equipment.

This class is designed to give you the skills needed to make a quilt. We will be learning how to cut, piece and quilt a gorgeous patchwork block, which we will turn into a fabulous 16" cushion cover.

If you want to come along to either of these course please email Dolly Bobbins.

Looking forward to teaching in Malmesbury and spreading fabric addiction into Wiltshire!

A Special Quilt!

One of goals this year is to only buy fabric for my classes and to make quilts from the fabric in my stash and scraps buckets.

One of my lovely friend's had a big birthday this year and I wanted to try the Marcelle Medallion quilt by Alexia Abegg's book Liberty Love. When I bought the book and then watched the QAL on Instagram I was hooked.

I decided that I wanted to make this quilt for my friend, so set about making the centre last summer. I will admit it was a frustrating process that was not fun. The Y seams and the small pieces not connecting properly left me really annoyed! Since then I have found this paper piecing tutorial for the block which would make the process much easier!

I put it aside for a few months whilst I started my City and Guilds, but dug it out 5/6 weeks ago and started working on it for the friends birthday.

Work in Progress, and Lego in as usual in the background.

Because my centre block was the wrong size I had to adapt the pattern in a few places, but overall it worked well!

Once the patchwork was finished I set to work machine quilting it, but loads of safety pins where involved first!

Lots for lovely safety pins!

I decided that I would quilt each border with a different pattern:

Lots of tiny pebbles, swirls and star bursts!

As the borders grew I increased the size of the pattern to include a tree bark pattern and the some love heart paisley in the final border, along with the family names of my friends family.

On the back I used fat quarters from my stash. The quilt patterns show up really well on the backing. It is lovely!

I found some fabulous little houses for the binding, which made me smile and fitted in perfectly with the colours in the quilt top.

The finished quilt is so totally gorgeous, and it did cross my mind to keep it for myself!

Luckily I didn't and it is now living in my friends house and very much loved!

Sewing Info:

Pieced and quilted with Aurifil 2024.

Pieced and quilted on a Janome CXL301.

Starting a new course

Yesterday was the start of the new monthly course in patchwork and quilting in Tetbury and it was a really fun day!

The idea of the course is to teach all the skills needed for making a quilt over 6 month period, with monthly classes and support between classes if needed.

So many people want to learn patchwork and quilting, but committing the time to weekly classes to learn the skills is a big ask in our busy lives. This course teaches new skills during the monthly class that can be used at home, at your own pace.

We are learning how to piece an Eight Point Star Block using HST.

Perfect for people who want to fit the classes in around everything else going on!

So yesterday we started the journey together by learning about rotary cutting, piecing and fabric placement.

It was great fun!

A very good friend started the course having never been interested in sewing before. She joined to support her lovely daughter who attends my after school club and has developed a serious addiction to all things sewing!

Once she discovered that patchwork is all about precision and attention to detail, she was in her element! She now has the patchwork bug!

I love giving people new skills and helping them to find their inner fabric addict!

A new course will be starting in September. If you are interested in joining please email me for more details.

Finding my home....

This last week has seen our house hit by a tummy buy. It started 2 weeks ago with my eldest son and then hit new highs on Saturday when my youngest son spent the day confined to the sofa with a bowl!

Unluckily it came my way...

It has in fact been a little bit of blessing.

I had spent January feeling incredibly restless.... Not really able to concentrate and get on.... Just drifting from one thing to another and feeling quite annoyed with life!

Kind of wallowing in my own self pity I guess...

But over the last 5 days of being pretty much confined to the house I have found my centre again, despite spending 24 hours not getting out of bed!

Sounds slightly strange right? Let me explain.

I am a creative, I NEED to sew, I NEED to do something visual (slightly strange for a person who has a degree in Astrophysics!) and I had stopped doing that. I spent last term teaching literally everywhere, everyday..... Running from one class to another in a crazy person sort of way!

Giving other people the skills to be creative.

I LOVE giving people those skills, I love watching them bloom - one of my students, who had never been near a sewing machine 18 months ago, is now making a selling her own items! It is great to see people become more confident in groups and within themselves.

But I forgot an important lesson... For ME to be complete I NEED to create!

I forgot to nourish my own creative soul, I forgot how it feels to spend hours creating something from scratch and feel the glow that you get!

Yes, I did work on my City and Guilds, but that is a plunge into the unknown every time I work on the required pieces. That work pushes me beyond my comfort zone, which is great, but also raises my heart beat in anxiety...

Patchwork: cutting and sewing, is where my journey began nearly 20 years ago. It is my creative home, full of warmth and lovely thoughts. That is the place I have rediscovered this week.

It is the centre of my well being....

The next time I feel that this single life with 3 kids and all the other baggage that knocks at my door is too much, you will find me with my sewing machine making patchwork.... I will be regaining my sense of balance so I can face the world without a heavy heart...

Monthly Patchwork and Quilting Club!

I teach so many different aspects of sewing, from beginners to dress making, but my true passion is Patchwork and quilting!

One of the lovely students at my class last Saturday came along with her daughter and sent this amazing feedback:

“Just want to say my daughter and I enjoyed the workshop. Anna was a very encouraging and relaxed tutor and her passion for quilting and sewing came across from the very start.“

And she is right -I love spreading fabric and quilting addict wherever I go!

So when the students on Saturday mentioned a monthly group that would teach them how to make different patchwork blocks and then how to take those through to a full quilt, it got me thinking...

I put the idea out on Facebook and for 4/5 people interested in joining within an hour!

So, not one to sit around at all I have been looking for a venue with enough light and space to accommodate 10 people who want to learn patchwork.... and today I booked one!

The Monthly Patchwork Quilting Club will start on Thursday 13th February in St Micheal's Church Hall, Tetbury from 11.30 until 2.30pm!

The aim of the group is to learn how to accurately cut fabrics, how to piece blocks and how to machine quilt a quilt over the next few months.

You do not need any experience, just a willingness to learn and I will give you the skills to make beautiful quilts for your home!

The group will cost £25.00 a month and will included use of equipment, including a sewing machine during the session and support between meetings if needed.

To book your place please email me for a booking form and class joining instructions!

Book Review: 500 Quilt Blocks

Yesterday I taught a beginners patchwork workshop at the New Brewery Arts Centre in Cirencester.

I love teaching at the New Brewery Arts Centre, it is such an inspiring place with lots of lovely artist all in one place!

As always I was planning my session and knew I needed a demonstration piece to show the learners - nothing worse than not knowing where you are going on your learning journey! A sample of where everyone should be aiming is a great teaching tool and provide inspiration.

So sat in my studio watching the rain fall I was trying to think which block would suit beginners, include some cutting but not too much and be manageable in 6 hours...

This is where the wonderful book 500 Quilt Blocks by Lynne Goldsworthy and Kerry Green comes in.

Image Courtesy of Lynne Goldsworthy

This fabulous book contains a huge amount of patchwork knowledge - don't be fooled by it's small size, it is jam packed with great blocks!

I love skimming the book and finding blocks that I would like to make, but as a teacher it takes a lot of the stress out of workshop planning because the measurements are all written clearly. It means I don't have to work all the maths out as well everything else a lesson plan needs. 

Image Courtesy of Lynne Goldsworthy

The book even has a few variations for each block - differentiation for my learners readily available!

Image Courtesy of Lynne Goldsworthy

The book also has some items to make with the blocks they have made.

Image Courtesy of Lynne Goldsworthy

This book is a fabulous addiction to any quilters bookshelf, but it is particularly useful for beginners starting on their patchwork wanting to explore different blocks.

You can of course get your copy from a certain International book selling website, but do considering visiting your fabulous Indie Bookshop to get your copy- you get a smile when you shop with them! I spend so much in my local shop, the Yellow Lighted Bookshop, I occasionally get a bacon bap and a mug of tea whilst browsing books!

Beginners Patchwork

I have a few workshops coming up this term that I am really excited about!

The first one is a beginners patchwork course - Make a Patchwork Cushion.

It is on Saturday 8th February at St Mary's School in Tetbury between 10am and 4pm.

You will learn how to:

• Use a rotary cutter.
• Make a patchwork block using simple squares or half square triangles depending on your previous knowledge.
• How to sandwich your block together for quilting.
• How to use a walking foot to quilt.
• How to make a cushion from your quilter block.

All of these skills will be covered as well as information about threads, needles, wadding and other resources a quilter needs!

The cost for the day is £45 including wadding, teas and coffees.

You will need to bring 5 fat quarters or equivalent, 0.5m backing fabric and matching threads.

If you are interested in learning more about this wonderful hobby, this is workshop for you!

Email me here to book your place.

Sewing Classes 2014

We are quite a while away from 2014, but my schedule is filling up fast!

Following on from the successful beginners class on Saturday I have organised more courses in Tetbury which should be great fun!

To find out more about any of the classes below please email me here.

Tetbury Workshops

Make a Patchwork Cushion

Saturday 8th February 2014
10am - 4pm
£45.00 including wadding.

Make an A Line Skirt

Saturday 16th April 2014
10am - 4pm
£40.00 including pattern.

Make an Oilcloth Tote

Saturday 14th June 2014
10am-4pm
£45.00 including all materials.

There are more courses at Prema Arts and Under the Edge Arts in Wotton Under Edge which I will post as soon as possible.

Making Medallion Progress

Last night for the first time in 2 weeks I was able to sit down and do some sewing!

It is kinda strange not having the time to sew when I spend my days teaching others to sew...

Last night it was so nice to go to my studio and shut the world outside for a little bit..

I posted a couple of weeks ago about trying something new. Last night I got back to work on it.

So we started with this:

And last night is turned into this:

Don't look too closely though - the star points aren't perfect but the seams match up in the middle of the block.

I am using 2 fabrics from the bundles by Katy Jones and Rita Hodges, but also adding to it from my lovely stash!

Now onto the next border - 80 small triangles!

The cutting is my job for this evening, but right now I have to get on with my City and Guilds coursework.

Trying something new...

I have a hundred quilt books, just like all quilters.... I love them... I love looking through them and seeing the fabric ideas... tell me I am not alone in this???

So I have had my copy of Liberty Love book for ages and have had 3 sewing projects from it that I want to make. It has just been a matter of timing...

This last week has been hard work - a lovely couple of new courses started, which were great fun. But I finished the week with an eye infection. Turns out I am allergic to the main ointment used to treat the infection so I am not in drops number 2 and feeling very sorry for myself!

So the obvious thing to do is to start making a new quilt! This is where the Marcelle Medallion comes in!

I have never made a medallion quilt before but I have been hoarding my bundles Katy (I'm a Ginger Monkey) and Rita (Red Pepper Quilts) that are from Fat Quarter Shop just for this project.

You can see from Katy's bundle that it is full of sweet prints and Rita's is no different:

I am very excited to start this quilt, but I suspect it will take me a while as I am desperate to get my Swoon quilt finished and on my bed before it gets too much colder!

Have you started this quilt? Would love to see!

Tetbury Sewing Classes

I am so pleased to have found a location in Tetbury to be able to run group classes!

This term there will be 2 workshops:

Beginners Sewing

19th October 10am - 4pm.

The perfect workshop for anyone who is new to sewing.

You will learn to:

• thread a machine, wind a bobbin and trouble shoot problems

• accurately cut fabric

• make a pin cushion and zippered pouch for you sewing equipment

Cost: £45.00 (including materials and tea and coffee)

Sewing machines will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own. You will need to bring your own lunch.

Christmas Fabric by Kate Spain at Eclectic Maker

Christmas Patchwork Table Runner

23rd November 10am - 4pm

This workshop will introduce you to wonderful hobby of patchwork!

You will learn how to:

• accurately cut fabric.

• piece patchwork easily.

• use wadding to make a quilt.

Cost: £45.00 (including wadding and tea and coffee)

You will need to bring 5 fat quarters (50cm by 50cm each) in Christmas Fabric 100% cotton, 1/2 m backing 100% cotton fabric and 1/2m cotton fabric for the binding.

Email me for more details and to book your place.