Quilting Along the Grain: quilters

Camilla @ Faffling

They are inspiring and great fun to explore!

The hop so far has connected me with an oodle of lovely quilters and I have gained lots of advice from other bloggers - it's been great!

So go explore these lovely blogs.... NOW!

Sunday, 9 June 2013

Let's Get Acquainted 2013

A couple of weeks ago I was really pleased to be accepted onto this years Let's Get Acquainted Blog Hop!

I had missed it last year, as it started before my world switched from bags to my natural home - quilts - but i have been following Plum and June for quite a few months. When I saw the call for bloggers to take part in this years hop, I replied as quick as my fingers could type!

There are some amazing quilters on the hop, all of whom are here!

Go and explore all of these lovely quilters:

Friday, June 7th

Nancy @ Owen's Olivia

Amy @ 13 Spools

Ashley @ Wasn't Quilt In A Day

Casey @ The Studiolo

Nanette @ Yeah, I Made That

Ange @ Heart Of Charnwood

Kim @ Robot Mom Sews

Erica @ Kitchen Table Quilting

Friday, June 14th

Julie @ Jolie Maxtin

Melissa @ Melia Mae Quilting

Adrianne @ On The Windy Side

Molli @ Molli Sparkles

Laura @ Little And Lots

Sarah @ Duck Egg Threads

Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

Cari @ There's A Thread

Valerie @ Between Quilts

Friday, June 21

Leigh Anne @ Ella's Cottage

Stacy @ The Tilted Quilt

Sarah @ Quilt Candy

Jackie @ NW Patchwork

Liz @ Beadqueene's Bits And Baubles

Erica @ Happy Fabric

Stephanie @ Simple Sewendipity

Lauren @ Seraphym

Amy @ Cloud CouCou Crafts

Friday, June 28

Green @ So Sew Green

Gwendellyn @ The Rainbow Revolts

Jessica @ Stitched In Thyme

Amira @ Little Mushroom Cap

Kathy @ Kayak Quilting

Michelle @ Factotum Of Arts

Paula @ The Sassy Quilter

Kris @ Sew Sunshine

Camilla @ Faffling

Friday, July 5

Christa @ Christa Quilts!

Alyce @ Wonderland By Alyce

Anna @ The Crooked Banana

Rachel @ Sew Happily Ever After

Stephanie @ Quarter Incher

Kristy & Shayla @ Sassafras Lane Designs

Caroline @ Carolines Craftiness

Lisa @ Hilltop House Creative Works

Fridau, July 12

Leona @ Leona's Quilting Adventure

Karen @ Karen, {Novice} Quilter

Anne @ PlayCrafts

Rachel @ Let's Begin Sewing...

Jan @ Sew And Sow Farm

Anna @ Quilting Along The Grain - - - - ME!

Cath @ Wombat Quilts

Sarah @ {No} Hats In The House

Friday, July 19

Karen @ Little Birdie Quilting Studio

Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures

Katie @ Snuggle Up With A Dish From Karma

Alison @ Making Happyness

Sarah @ Sowing Stitches

Ella and Nesta @ Ella & Nesta's Little Room

Adrienne @ Chezzetcook Modern Quilts

Nicole @ Modern Handcraft

Aylin @ AyliN-Nilya

Friday, July 26

Vicki @ A Quilter's Mission

RobinSue @ RobinSue Quilts

Elisa Lea @ Lovelea Designs

Elizabeth @ In The Boon Docks

Jenny @ A Note To Follow Sew

Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts

Sonia @ Fabric & Flowers

Emily @ Sew E.T.
EM @ SEWING BY MOONLIGHT

Hope you enjoy visiting them all!

Thursday, 14 March 2013

Giving it another go....

A few weeks ago it was support your local quilt shop day/week - I would always go for the week long option personally!

I blogged about my local quilt shop, Country Threads, and told you just how much I love it!

But I have been carrying a secret around with me.... Country Threads is not my local shop..

I know, I have been very naughty but I do have a really good reason I promise...

Just after a the whole support your local quilt shop event I was surfing my bloggers that I love and came across this blog post by Rossie. Basically Rossie questioned the origin of support your local shop on Instagram and was subjected to a load of plain silly comments from quilters.

To me she raised and interesting point: Why support local?

Local to me is a shop only 20 minutes from the house that I visited once when we moved into the area 5 years ago. My opinion of it was that it dark, randomly laid out and it was kinda unfriendly. The quilts on display were all uninspiring and the fabrics really random...

So I will honestly say I wasn't in a hurry to go back.

The piece by Rossie struck a cord and I agree that supporting local is tough if walking into the shop makes the quilter in you weep! It also made me think that I should give the shop another go - after all it is only 20 minutes away from the house...

Today was the day I visited again. I needed some Bondaweb for a family workshop on Saturday and it seemed like a good excuse to go visit again.

It was still full of random things in a random places, totally uninspiring quilts on display and fabrics that were in colour/line/don't know order. The fabrics we all kinda dull... a few nice pieces, but nothing heart poundingly exciting.

It was a really uncomfortable experience. I managed to get some grey blender that I love, but nothing exciting. And I had to search to find those lovely fabrics.

It is the type of quilt shop that is supported by quilters of a certain age, who are full of traditional talent and look suspiciously at quilters who are below the age of 50. It has been there for yonks and has a loyal local following. I know you know a shop like it.

But the big shame is that it is a complete turn off for younger quilters because it is so uninspiring. It is so confined by a traditional outlook that it has forgotten that quilting is fun for all ages. It has become a shop that only works for it's loyal supporters, and therefore alienates a whole community of quilters who love to buy fabric!

I can safely say I will not be returning, I will be off to Bath and Country Threads when I need some fabric therapy!

Sunday, 6 January 2013

The Process Pledge

I, Anna Ryan of Quilting Along the Grain, pledge to talk more about my processes, even when I can’t quite put them in the in words or be sure I’m being totally clear. I’m going to put my thinking and my gut feelings out there.

I have seen the pledge button on lots of blogs I have been surfing over in the last few weeks, and I was intrigued! Finally yesterday I found the time to click on the link and see what it was all about..

It is about showing how I work, building projects over time on the blog, not just go ta da at the end.... To be honest I find it really hard to not share the process!

To me, my blog is about charting the process I use in the quilting and life. It would seem unnatural to not share the process......

As with Lily's Tula Pink quilt, I probably over shared the process, but that is me and my blog...

Anyway, I thought I would take the pledge and make a commitment to keep sharing the processes I use and support other quilters in our wonderful community!

Sunday, 5 August 2012

Sunday Morning Reading

Sat in bed with my coffee and eggs on toast as a treat I thought I had better share some of the wonderful blogs I have found over the last couple of weeks. I am trying to find some energy after an amazing day in London with my boys - we have a day of Swallows and Amazons adventures to look forward to today!

So here are couple of quilting blogs to inspire you:

The first is from machine quilting teacher Angela Walters:

Quilting Is My Therapy

It is am lovely blog with an mixture of quilting, sewing and life posts. Angela is a talented quilter and her designs are amazing. She teaches classes on the craft website Craftsy, which is also a new find that I plan on using!

The second blog is Dining Room Empire from Cheryl Arkison:

Cheryl is one of the Authors of one my favourite books from the year, Sunday Morning Quilts. She is a scraps busting expert with amazing designs and fabulous quilts! Her blog is a mixture of life, quilts and scraps!

Hope you enjoy them. I am off ot pack a picnic for our adventures today - lashings of ginger beer all round!

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Friday, 28 June 2013

Let's Get Acquainted!