http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrGrKUt0E18&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Have a Look at what I have made with my Christmas Cards.
I made this Video last year and I am looking at what our Christmas cards can do
this year.
Enjoy!
Saturday, 25 December 2010
Merry Christmas Everyone
Merry Christmas Everyone and a Happy New Year from
here at Quilters Cottage.
Monday, 29 November 2010
Book Pages
Jeannett's been learning many different techniques @ The Gallery
workshops on Tuesdays.
There are many different layers to this page.
It's Snowing!
Its snowing! and how pretty it all looks,
but it is causing caos as usual in the country.
Jenn and I just love the white stuff!
Embroidery Guild Talk
This Wednesday evening I gave a talk to my local Embroidery Guild,
in Kings Lynn.
I was asked to talk about my Quilts of Quilters Cottage.
I took over a hundred quilts and enjoyed telling the stories
behind them.
It was lovely as I am a member and the group had loads of questions and
were really lovely.
Thank you Barbara for taking photos.
I am not one for having photos of me but I hid behind
my wares 'quilts', a lot of the evening!
See some of my quilts on the portfolio pages on
Friday, 26 November 2010
20 WORDS TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE
Check out this video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLZxJZ70MQ4&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Sent from my iPhone
Wednesday, 24 November 2010
Christmas Quillow
I have been working away on many different variations
of Christmas Quillos as orders have been coming in.
This one I am selling at The Gallery at the moment.
I just love it. I think it is one of my favourites, using my
usual recipe of cutting the squares and triangles.
I have free motioned quilted all over it.
See more Christmas shortly on
and of course you can place an order there to
by emailing me.
Gallery Day November 2010
Gallery Tuesdays are working away and here Ann a new
member is working out her square sizes for a quillow.
The fabric is lovely sugar rainbow colours and she
brought them in Woolmart when she visited America.
See more of the workshops on
Jennifer has Chosen!!!
After the taking down of Alveva Quilters Show
I ended up taking several quilts home for people who
couldn't collect them and Pat"s, Star Quilt was among them.
Jennifer had admired it at the show and all of a
sudden said,
"Mum that's the quilt I would like!"
Well! I had promised her a new quilt but she had to choose
one that has so many points and meeting joins on purpose!
So I asked Pat all about it.
It was a month by month quilt from Quilters Haven,
10! years ago and Pat has taken 10 years to do it.
At the next meeting of Alvevas,
Pat gave me what she had of the patterns and some of
idea of what fabrics to use.
The rest as we say is up to me!!!
We have agreed it should be for her 21st!!
Gilly was showing her minature quilts and
telling us about the Quilters Guild and blow me down
if she didn't have one too!
This quilt had taken her 8 years!!!
I think there is something more to come!
See more of my quilts on
Gallery Pictures
As you can see the stack is still glowing and
I have a stand of my quilts next to it.
We are moving round again shortly again for the
new work and the Christmas events.
Visit the Gallery @
Gallery Move Round
I promised I would show you some of the Gallery @ Dereham,
after I had a good old move round.
I was able to inject my love of colour into different areas.
Come visit the Gallery literally or online at
Monday, 8 November 2010
Embellished Flowers
(click on the image to enlarge)
This is the start of a new series of work preparing for an Exhibition
next year based on my 'Art To Embellishment'.
I am experimenting with combining my painting and embellishing.
Some of the images I have taken from photos and sketches
I took or drew in our garden and the gardens we visited this year.
I have still got to add the machine embroidery and the bead embroidery.
I love textures,
so I am enjoying using the different textile techniques.
See more embellishments on this and my website
Newmarket Art and Craft Show
On the way home from the Quilt Show we travel through
Newmarket and decided to go to the Art and Craft Show.
It's like the opposite to Chilford Quilt Show.
Contemporary and glossy artworks and gifts.
Lots to see and buy especially in the food halls!
The tasters were great.
Jenn had the biggest donut ever!
We went up to the top floor and visited
Artist in Residence Roz Lowe.
A ceramics artist, who makes original ceramic
garden worlds. They are like miniature fairy gardens.
I brought an empty pot with a miniature house and garden on it
to put some baby house leeks in.
Her creativity and energy is so wonderful.
Thank you Roz for sharing.
Roz doesn't have a website yet,
maybe one day.
Chilford Exhibition
Jenn and I took ourselves off to Chilford Vineyards
near Cambridge on Friday to visit the
Quilt Exhibition.
There were so many things to see and take in.
I especially liked these wallhangings.
A miss of me but I forgot to take down the makers name
so are putting it out there as a remembrance to
to take details of your favourites and
I like to celebrate the maker along with their websites etc.
If anyone knows the maker and details I would love the feedback.
Sunday, 7 November 2010
Thursday Gallery Day
On Thursday, I went into The Gallery to start the
big move round!
This is what it looked like before I started,
great but same, same. I will show you next week the
difference and see what you think.
Yes! as you have gathered I am now
2 days a week @ The Gallery.
I feel so lucky surrounded by all
the creativity.
Jim has his drawing class on a Thursday morning.
While I was working I listened to all the wonderful tips
and encouragement he gave his students.
Wonderful!
See more of what goes on at The Gallery and
Workshops.
www.thegallerydereham.co.uk
Free Machine Embroidery
Jeanette is making fabric books in the shape of an archway.
After making the backgrounds and window shapes she is
making free machine embroidery additions to add details
and interest.
I normally use the water soluble plastic to embroider on
but Jeanette is using the water soluble paper!
It worked well but takes a little longer to dissolve and leaves
a bit of a pulpy residue around the intense detail.
I showed Jenette how to tease the pulpy bits out with a firm brush,
be careful not to pull or distort the stitches.
After its all dissolved the stitched interest can be cut out and I
use a soldering iron to reveal the layers of coloured
sheers underneath.
She more of my work on my website
www.art2inspire.co.uk
the fine details
Carol's Finished Sun Bonnet Wallhanging
Carol's finished her Sun Bonnet Sue Wallhanging
for her daughter. With this wallhanging she learnt
many new techniques including applique with
Bonda Webb/Wonder Webb. Bias Binding making.
and 'Hatch Quilting' with her machine foot and gauge.
I love the colours and I am sure her daughter will love it too!
Well done Carol!
See more wallhangings on my website
www.art2inspire.co.uk
Gallery Day 3rd November 2010
Jeannie is making a designer bag, a mixture of a
downloaded pattern and her own adaptions.
Here she is sewing on the tassel and button.
As you can see the colour fabric and sample boxes get everywhere on
Gallery Taster Sessions.
See more bags on my website
www.art2inspire.co.uk
Gallery Day 3rd November 2010
As usual lots going on @The Gallery.
Pat has just finished a Mixed Media Collage,
She started it last week combining all the
techniques she has learnt over the years.
Lovely Medieval colours and building shapes.
Well done Pat!
See more of what happens @The Gallery
www.@thegallerydereham.co.uk
Monday, 1 November 2010
My new iPhone
Well, as you know I have just recently bought a laptop, well today
I got an iPhone 4, as mine gave up the ghost on Halloween!
It was Jenn's old one and I had hoped I would have got used
to using it a bit more, before being thrust into
the twenty first century kicking and screaming!
So much technology to grasp,
I think I might have a melt down instead.
Back to creative art tomorrow
@The Gallery Dereham
New Apple MacBook Pro!
Sunday, Stewart took me shopping for a new laptop,
it feels like Christmas!!
I am currently enjoying playing :)
Japanese Book Folding
I had a wonderful day Saturday folding paper and making a Japanese folding book,
at our Embroidery Guild workshop.
Anne and Jenny were our very competent teachers.
We had to cut out all of our paper before hand
which truthfully was a nightmare!
Anne started us off with some gentle cutting and folding
and by lunchtime we were twist folding and ready
for assemblage. After lunch we glued for England!
As you can see by the results on the table,
they are all very beautiful and different creations.
They are now awaiting their covers.
Thank you, Anne and Jenny for a wonderful day!
See more of our local Embroidery Guild at
Saturday, 30 October 2010
Tombola Quilt
Peter, Alveva Quilter's Newsletter Editor has just sent me thisphoto of Jenn manning the Tombola at the Exhibition.
Stewart and I came up with the idea to use an old panel quilt
for the Tombola.
We put the quilt in a Hand quilting circular frame and made
holes all over it. The raffle tickets were then rolled up
and pushed into the holes.
The corresponding ones were put on the donated prizes.
Visitors then pulled out the tickets from the quilt!
This caused quite a stir when visitors especially
quilters realised the quilt was full of HOLES!
Thank you to Pete,Sue, and several other members who
manned the stall over the two days.
It raised lots of money for our charities and
I have been informed the idea will be used at other events.
Now the world, it would be nice if you credit
where you saw it first....HERE!!!!
It raised lots of money for charity.
Liz has a Birthday
We are so lucky at Coven Quilters to celebrate our Birthdays with friends. I love meeting up.
We laugh and share from the time we walk through the door
to the time we go home.
We are so lucky!
Coven Quilters
This hexagon Quilt that we finished ready for rafflingat The Alveva Exhibition. It is being raffled by CLODS,
one of Kings Lynn a amateur dramatics society's.
The raffle will be drawn next Spring.
Barbara borrowed it back so Coven Quilter members could see the finished result.
CLODS had it quilted and bound by a local firm.
English Country Garden Stage Design
The Exhibition stage took some working out.I posted the prep in an older post, it looked fantastic with all
the quilts and props in place.
It started with me doing my backdrop with car aerosol paints
and layering the different pieces to paint! a picture of
"An English Country Garden".
Visitors said they found different things to look at each time they
turned round.
Thank you to everyone that helped!
Quilt Exhibition View
The Porters Barn looked amazing with all the quilts hung from the ancient beams and walls.
The stall holders had real treasures and beautiful crafted things to buy.
So much Inspiration everywhere you looked.
Thank you to all that played their part and to the visitors
who travelled from all ends of the world, some
booking their holidays to see the event.
Quilt Exhibition
These are some of the amazing ladies of Alveva quilters who helped me realise our biannual Exhibition at Porters Barn Feltwell.
Thank you,
so much to all the volunteers who made it possible.
The Exhibition had nearly 2000 visitors and raised
over a £1000 for our two charities,
Bio Detection Dogs and The Quilters Guild.
Sandringham Walk
So much has happened in the last two weeks, I feel so exhausted in a happy way!
Jenn and I needed to get away from it all so took ourselves off to
Sandringham at Dersingham in Norfolk.
One of the homes of Queen Elizabeth.
Her Park, Garden and Home are open all year round.
We walked and sat in one of the 'bird hides' next to the 'Dew Pond'.
We sat for several hours, talking and sharing life.
We saw Woodpeckers, Jays and several squirrels
along with the usual birds.
We like to sit in nature and walk in real fresh air
when things get too busy!
Friday, 15 October 2010
Quilts,Quilts,Quilts
I just had to show you the quilts which we photographed in my conservatory this morning.
Jenn and I have been labelling some of the many quils that are going
into Alveva Quilter's Exhibition.
As you can see there is a real mixture
and these are just some of what we call the 'tradtional'.
See more about the Exhibition and preparations in the days
to come.
Red Art
I must be in Exhibition mode now because along withthe Christmas goodies, I am finishing off
Red Art to go on the display stand along with the
'Toxic Stack'.
This piece is 5" by 7" and is mounted onto canvas.
I will show you the finishe piece shortly.
See more of my Red Art on my website
Thursday, 14 October 2010
Christmas Gifts
As you can see Quilters Cottage is really getting in the mood for Christmas!
I have made these hearts for several years with the year
embroidered on them so they become Heirlooms.
They are filled with Norfolk Lavender.
You can now buy them on my website
Samantha's ATC
Look at what arrived in the post yesterday!A wonderful ATC from Samantha.
Really clever and wonderful original art and photograph ATC's
on her blog.
Thank you, Samantha!
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Gallery Day 12th October 2010
Lots of creativity at the Gallery today.
Bag making, Embellishing,Machine Embroidery,
and Collage making ready for prototypes for Designs for
Christmas cards.
Pat's husband came back from his allotments and gave every
lady a bunch of flowers.
We did feel special,Thank you!
See more of what is going on at The Gallery.
Monday, 11 October 2010
Quilts
This is the pile of finished colourful children's quilts.
There is another three in different stages of completion.
They are for the sales stand at the
Alveva Exhibition.
See more quilts on my website
Lion Quilt
The pieces of colourful animal and childrens fabrics are getting smaller and different shapes now.
So I think this may be the last of this series of Quilts.
See more quilts on my website
Gallery Day 5th October 2010
A busy day at the Gallery.Lots of creating!
Pat had finished recycling some artwork that I
persuaded her to NOT to to put in the
children recycle bin.
She did some embellishing on the machine.
Cut it up into sections and then embellished some more.
Here are the cards she has made.
They are each works of art.
See more card making and mixed media inspiration
on my website.
Eat, Prey, Love
When I got back in the afternoon after stage designing.
Stewart and I decided we needed a date.
So took ourselves off to the cinema in
Kings Lynn.
We watched "Eat, Prey, Love".
Starring Julia Roberts.
What wonderful scenery and morals of life.
Although not all of us can go off for a year to find ourselves!
and to such wonderful places.
Afterwards we had a drink in at The Crown at Gayton
before coming home for a late supper.
a very different and lovely day!
Stage Design
Saturday 2nd of October, seven of usgot together from Alveva's to start making all the stage
displays. Flowers,basket arrangements and
painted wooden bushes!
It looks a little strange at the moment
it always does until it's in position at the Exhibition
and has all the Quilts, backdrop and props.
Porters Barn
Wow! I can't believe how fast this creative year is going.It's been 10 days since I posted.
It's been really busy!
Jenn and I went to measure up Porters Barn
ready for the Exhibition on the 23rd and 24th of this month.
We checked the sizes of where everything needed to go,
Stallholders and stands,Quilts and Exhibitions by members.
The stage backdrop required ladder technicality.
I am spray painting the Garden scene on it so
the scale has got to be right.
It looks so big empty.
The theme of the Exhibition is,
"An English Country Garden"
See more of my exhibitions on
Thursday, 30 September 2010
My Like Cushion
My 'Like' cushion is made of Denim.This is the 'LIKE Facebook'range.
See details and launch shortly on
Caterpillar
When I got home I needed a cup of tea and sat inthe conservatory with the door open as the weather
was sunny again.
Look who came in the door!
A very fluffy caterpillar!
I must start learning which ones are to which
butterfly or moth.
Like Cushion @
This is the back of the 'Like' cushions.Each one is unique but is a set design.
Underneath the @ logo I can put the website or location required.
Each cushion is copywrited and so are the designs for the other
LIKE products.
They can be made in various colours, Denim and fleece.
See more of the products shortly on
LIke Products
I am making and selling a range of 'Like' products.
This is the 'Like' cushion
Each cushion has the 'Like'
and you can add your own name, website or
organisation.
They will be for sale on
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
Kates Quilt
Well back to creating and quilting.Look at Kate's quilt.
She has finished the top and isn't it stunning.
I showed you images earlier in the year.
This quilt is for her son.
We think we need a layering meeting to sandwich the
top wadding and backing together at my studio
as the quilt is almost as big as Kate's sitting room.
The pattern is based on Persian carpets.
Well done Kate!
We all agreed when finished it needs to go in Exhibition!
Opening Birthday parcels
I did feel a lucky girl.Scarves,wine,chocolates,a hungry Caterpillar egg cup,
fabric covered notebook, biscuits from Cornwall, materials and glitzy bits.
Thank you so much Coven Girls, we are such a lucky group
of friends.
Coven Quilters
We had a lovely catch up chat and show and tell.Then Kate surprised me with a Birthday cake as it
was my Birthday month. We seem to be lucky at Coven
and have a Birthday in the group nearly every month.
I think the expression says it all,
"is this really mine, all mine!"
Carol and Sun Bonnet Sue
Carol and I had a quiet afternoon at The Gallery quilting.Here you can see her attaching the bias binding stems
to her Sun Bonnet Sue Wallhanging.
See more Wallhangings on my website
gallery Day 28th September 2010
Busy morning doing lots of different media.Jeanette is a new lady to the Tuesday mornings
and enjoyed having her embellishment taster session.
She more embellishments on my website
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