In Stitches Blickling Hall Exhibition

Stewart and I had a Saturday off and went off to 

The In Stitches Exhibition at Blickling Hall.

We love going there and enjoy the journey, the exhibition 

the gardens and the pub lunch!

An all round day.

We did the 5 mile walk this time.

The work was outstanding as usual, hundreds of pieces of work 

made by just seven Norwich Textile Artists.

Pat Burkes was as inviting as ever and I got them to have a photo.

See Julie Smith's website of

exquisite embroidery.

HERE

Visit Blickling Hall website

HERE

Dragons Eggs

I made these at the Toftwood Exhibition with a one felting needle tool.

We have affectionately called them 'Dragon Eggs' due to them being

unusual.

The Embellisher is great but is really for 2D work. 

Hand felting you can make unusual 3D items.

It takes a little practice and some delft hand movements.

Toftwood Art Exhibition

Pat asked at The Textile Tuesday Class if anyone would

like to demonstrate at the local Art Exhibition.

I said yes. Pat said she was going to take the 

Embelisher machine so I thought I would do the

hand felting method so we could show the difference.

People were fascinated we were felting and what we were creating.

It was lovely to share and chat to people at the show.

Sylvia came along in the afternoon and she demonstrated 

bobbin lace. Beautiful! This is one of those crafts I am 

not going to stray into because I know it will envelope time.

I will just watch and admire :)

Jenny's Manipulated Bed Hanging

Everyone on The City and Guilds have been working really

hard. We have seen Jenny's manipulated bed hanging come together

over the last few months.

It looks really Elizabethan.

The crystal bead tassel is just amazing and I know what

I will be making over the Christmas holiday.

Well done Jenny.

Colourful Textiles

I try and stretch textile students out of their comfort zone and this 

month part of the inspiration was making backgrounds out of

scraps and stitch. 

Helen started and yelled half way through. I don't like this.

I asked her to persevere and keep adding more strips and stitch.

Use textured threads and decorate more.

We all love this including Helen and it has inspired others

 to have a go from the scrap jar in the studio.

Kates Birthday

Coven Quilters met at Barbara's this month.

Cathy, Barbara's daughter had found a 1940's

ladies coat in a Vintage Shop in Holt.

We all tried it on, it suited al of us, just showing a 

good pattern makes all us women look good.

The linning looked liked the orange silk of parachutes.

More research by Kathy needed.

What a find!

Kate said in a quiet voice,

"Have I forgot someones birthday?"

She had spotted the bunting up on the fireplace.

We giggled, "yours silly" came the reply!

Barbara brought in the birthday cake, candles lit,

big blow and desiccated coconut which Barbara had sprinkled 

on the top to make it look pretty everywhere!:)))))

More laughter.

Cake and tea with lots of chat and friendship

and a lovely evening had by all.

See more of our evening and quilts by clicking on the 

written labels below.

Photo Shoot Day

Studios all dressed for the photo shoot for the new brochures,

leaflets and website Claire is having done for the Academy.

These photographs were taking taken at a few of the quiet times throughout the day.

When it was all going on we sat and watched filming.

Jacquie Harvey Talk

What can I say Jacquie Harvey came to Alveva's

and shared her work and quilting times with us,

it was amazing.

She has won so many awards for her hand quilting,

so lovely to see these quilts up close.
She has designed a Block of the Month for The Quilters Guild
which anyone can participate in.

I think we all wanted to go home and start again.

Truly inspirational. 

I could have put up twenty photographs, 

it was hard to choose my favourites.

Visit her website and watch her videos

HERE

Yvonne's Quilt Show and Tell

Yvonne is Chair at Alveva and a famous UK Quilt Artist.

She will be exhibiting at the NEC this month.

She showed us her quilt she had just finished using silk squares 

and cream print fabric she had been collecting for years.

It is a really modern quilt and was inspired by the talk by Lucy Summers 

earlier in the year.

Visit Yvonne's website

HERE

Linda Turner

We are so lucky at Alveva Quilters to have so many great quilters and 

those that share their work and teach.

Linda showed us the quilt she is teaching at the workshop.

A stack and whack string piecing!

It looked fantastic and she assured us it was doable!

See Linda's website and catch up with all her news.

HERE

See more by clicking the written labels below

Alveva Show and Tell

As usual there were many 'Show and Tells' at the meeting.

From the top, Ruby showed us her wish quilt,

all pictures of things she wants to do throughout her life time and

some she has done. Some made us laugh as they were near impossible!

Meg showed us another of her amazing colourful quilts and she had had it

quilted by Jennifer over at Watton

Jennifer is a wonderful long arm quilter and designs patterns

which merge with your quilt and show off the details.

Visit her website 

HERE

Joy had been on a workshop with Yvonne and brought her friends

from the Sew Much To Do quilting shop from Ely.

They are just so helpful and are putting on workshops in their store.

One of these were held by Yvonne, Medieval Magic.

Visit the shop

HERE

Norfolk Shawl

At Alveva Quilters 'Show and Tell', Liz

showed us her latest buy, an original Norwich Shawl.

I was unaware that they were so large as I have only seen one folded

up, so it came as quite a surprise.

Visit the Norwich Textile Museum to learn more about the

shawls

HERE

Visit the Textile Museum Association 

HERE

Hindolveston Textile Exhibition

Every two years the Textile Exhibition by The Hindolveston 

Textile Group at Brancaster Staithe

Village hall is spectacular with lots to inspire.

Kathy Bach was on hand to show me some of the work 

and we had a catch up too!

I was so busy taking it all in forgot to take photos!!!

So see previous exhibition

HERE 

U3A Downham Market Workshop

About every four months I get to teach for the Downham Market U3A

(University of the Third Age).

We have such fun and this time, 

ooo look at the cakes:))))

They wanted to New York Beauty by precision piecing.

Quite a challenge as there are some beginners in the group.

But you can see by the photo at the end they were still

smiling and more!

See more by clicking the written labels below.

All Was Quiet Then A Quilt Got Put Together

The Textile Thursday started off with 'Show and Tell' and

creativity and then Janet said,

"I am ready to put my quilt together".

So all hands on deck to move the tables around and then

the very large quilt sandwich began.

Lots of pins and laughter later patchwork becomes a quilt

and is ready for the quilting together.

The back was turned over to check, no wrinkles and admire

the handy work.

It is a reversible quilt for Janet's Grand daughter and we are

so proud of Janet because it is her first.

It is amazing.