Sunday 25 September 2011

Quilting Thursday at Knit Wits






Thursday is Quilting Classes at Knit Wits of Dereham.
This week it was Sketchbook Covers.
I had lots of books and covered sketchbooks to show
them.
They then enjoyed making their own,
which you can see above.
Well done to all those who took part.
Some students also showed me items that
they had finished from previous weeks lessons.
You can see a list of my workshops and dates
The fabric department in the Knit Wits is really
filling up with a variety of patchwork materials.
I find new ones each week!
Visit their website
See more of my sketchbooks by clicking the
written label below and by visiting

Sew Wild Alisa Burke

I wasn't feeling top notch on Tuesday as I sometimes
had to double take what we were making and
also ran into a blank when ladies turned up with
no idea what they wanted to make.
Sometimes I think they think I am Magic!!!
So Wednesday I took a day off!
I normally go to Scrap Booking this Wednesday
but I knew with tummy ache and feeling off colour it would
not be sensible. I took a quilt to the sofa and a cup of tea.
Sometimes you must listen to your body!
I really don't like sitting but didn't feel good to do anything.
I was lucky though because look what turned up in
the post in the morning?
Alisa Burke's 'Sew Wild'.
A wonderful book for textile marking and expression.
Alisa covers lots of techniques and there is a DVD that
comes with it. I watched this and then found a
You Tube video of her being interviewed.
View this inspirational interview with Alisa on my
video tech site

Gallery Tuesday 20th September 2011

As usual there is lots of creating on 'Gallery Textile Tuesday'.
I take along inspiration and them students can make similar items
but with their own fabrics and flair.
Above is a Christmas Table Runner Sylvia is making.
Well, we had to start making gifts for Christmas!

Below is Brenda's Scissor Case.
See more Scissor Cases by clicking on the written labels below.
They are all different.

Some of our new members are trying different techniques.
Here Sara is learning how to piece patchwork,
straight out of the scrap bag. This piece is being
made ready to learn how to machine quilt on.
Carol has made lots of quilts in such a short time.
Here she is finishing an heirloom quilt that came into the
charity shop where she volunteers. It needed finishing
and needed a backing. We had lots of fun making
the seams match!
Carol is famous for her un- picking!!!

See more of what goes on @The gallery by clicking on the
written labels below or visiting their website

Lily Wall Hanging Quilting

On Monday I put the borders on the 'Lily Wall Hanging'
by making my own quilting stencil.
I machine quilted the pattern of the lily over each window
and freemotion quilted the outer borders.
See it hanging in the classroom in this post
See how it started HERE


Windmill Quilters Exhibition




After having a lovely morning at The Norfolk Quilters
Coffee Morning I went on to Toftwood near Dereham to
visit The Windmill Quilters Exhibition.
I love shows like this because they are so inspirational and
friendly. I met loads of quilters I knew and ladies I have just
recently met.
The displays were lovely and I stopped and shared lunch of
soup and a roll, enjoying the company and atmosphere.
The raffle quilts were really special.
Thank you to the members of
Windmill Quilters for such a lovely Exhibition.
Oh I felt so lucky to have had such a lovely day.
I then when into Dereham to Knit Wits to buy
some fabric to finish the borders on
the Lily Quilt to hang in the Classroom.

Norfolk Quilters Coffee Morning

On Saturday 17th September 2011 I went to a Norfolk Quilters
Coffee morning at Watton Communtity Centre.
It was a lovely morning sharing and showing of
lots of information and quilts.
See more of what we do at Norfolk Quilters by
visiting our new website at


Here Beryl is showing us her wallhanging she made at one of
the workshops.

Jennifer is a new member of Norfolk Quilters. She
specialises in Long Arm Quilting and showed us
two of her quilts.
The light shone through this one like a 'stained glass window'.
visit her website at


Jennie showing us one of her award winning workshop pieces.


We have many visitors throughout our morning but
this seems to be one of our youngest quilters to be with Ros!

Sunday 18 September 2011

Will's Quilt


On Friday Afternoon I put the pieces for a
new Quilt Commission on the studio table.
The blocks are 8" square.
I managed to sew up five of the rows.
This is for a teenage boy called Will
and is based on the pennant triangle.
You can see the fabric I started with by
clicking

Lily Wall Hanging


The classroom at Knit Wits needs a quilt for the wall.
I am using fabrics that have just come into the shop.
So on Friday morning I cut out the pieces, arranged them
and started piecing them together.
See more of my quilts and wall hangings on my website
These

Knit Wits Classes

I had my first Evening Teaching at Knit Wits this
week and it was a wonderful night.
Most of the ladies wanted to make the,
Folded Japanese Bags and they looked great.
Others were starting their quilts and projects.
Time went so quick I didn't remember to take photos.
On Thursday, the day classes were the 'Folded Bag'.
I forgot my phone and as I use it to take photos I was
really upset as students came back and they had brought
their finished needlecases and projects and
they were great. So were all the variations on the bags.
Note to self, "don't leave the house with the phone
still on charge!!!".
I have added another Monday a month at
Knit Wits for more projects and finishing.
As you can see there is now a bed in the window
of the shop so it will need quilts.
See more of the workshops

Committee meeting




On Wednesday 14th of September I had several appointments
and I was teaching evening class at Knit Wits.
I am a new member of The Quilters Guild Region Nine Committee.
We met at Betty Stacey's home,
(Thank you, to Betty for your hospitality).
Before the meeting started Betty Ball
showed us her Quilters Washings line that
had been hanging in the museum garden as
an environmental art project.
Betty had a little fun with us and then showed us
how the fabric had faded with the original fabric colours
and how they had changed.
It had held up really well considering it
was hanging outside for 9 months!
I love the Region's Wall Hanging above.
Visit our Quilters Guild page and keeping looking in, as
I am now The Region Nine Web page administrator.
Visit regularly to see updates and news.
See the Quilters Guild Website

Sylvia Fan Patchwork Tablecloth

Sylvia has finished her Grandmother Fan Lace Tablecloth.
It looks fantastic!
Here Sylvia is showing us where her own made
crochet lace is and where the different heirloom lace is on
her tablecloth.
We all admired it along with visiting customers.
Well done Sylvia!
Sylvia's inspiration was my Heirloom Lace Tablecloth.
Visit the page on my website at

Pat's Mixed Media Textiles


Pat has made some amazing mixed media textiles
since coming along to The Gallery on a Tuesday.
She brings her skills as an artist and translates
them now into different media.
The one directly above uses the fabric that
came around a bunch of flowers!
We recycle everything and anything to help
our art on 'Mixed Media Tuesdays'.
See a list of workshop Tuesdays

Gallery Tuesday 13th of September 2011

I love working @The Gallery on a Tuesday as we are
able to do so many techniques.
Here Sara, has started making a Pink Crazywork
Wall Hanging based on Butterflies.
See more of hat is going on @The Gallery

II th of September 2011

I am a week behind with posting and the 11th of September
is always a hard day even though it's my Birthday.
Thank you to everyone who sent me such lovely cards and
messages. I celebrate my day either side.
See my day out HERE
My husband was a fireman for 25 years and I was a
nurse and medic so the events of 911 is to heart.
I have posted a video of the Boat Rescue that day on
my tech site it is narrated by Tom Hanks.
Judy posted it on Facebook, so I thank her
also for her awareness.
Visit my video site

Thursday 15 September 2011

Jenn and a Friend


My daughter Jenn above with a new friend!
We always have a fun time together and if we go
to town we love going in the toy shops as well as
the usual dress shops.
We were walking on air and after having lunch at the
Italian Restaurant Prezzo's we were nearly horizontal!
Jenn thought it was funny getting her own back by
having a flame roasted salmon salad with avocado and croutons!
We both loved the lemon tart!
It was a wonderful day and thank you to all who
helped us and my lovely daughter Jenn!

Pedi Fish and Me


I don't often put photos of me up for all to see but
I thought you would like to see my
unusual Saturday fishing trip!
but without a pole!!!!
My daughter Jenn treated me to Saturday in town
having a 'pedifish' @ Wanda's and lunch @ Prezzo's, for my Birthday.
The fish tickled! it was a fun 25 minutes and we both had a
foot massage afterwards.
Thank you to all who made my Saturday special.
We were walking on air looking around the shops.

Monday 12 September 2011

Pink Folded Bag


Friday was my research day and also I made another
folded bag ready for the class at Knit Wits.
See my purple folded bag
See more of my folded bags by clicking on
the written labels below.

Knit Wits Quilt Day 8th September



Thursday the 8th of September I held my first
Patchwork and Quilting Classes at Knit Wits
of Dereham.
I had eight students in the morning and
eight in the afternoon.
These first classes were for beginners.
After explaining a basic sewing kit and showing lots
of inspiration on strips.
The first project was a Striped Needlecase.
As you can see above everyone did fantastic
for their first lesson and in only two and a quarter hours.
Well Done everyone!
Bill and Fiona have made a lovely classroom next
to the Fabric Department.
I have taught Mixed Media Textiles @ The Gallery Dereham
for two years so I hope I can teach as long and
enjoy it as much at Knit Wits.
On the 14th, Knit Wits holds it's
first Patchwork and Quilting Evening Class.
I doing a mixed patchwork project class.
On the 15th Folded Bag Day Classes.
See more of Knit Wits at

Ely Textile Exhibition



On Wednesday evening Stewart and I went over to Ely,
to St Peter's Church, Broad Street.
For the opening of a Textile Exhibition of local
artist and the year 13th of Kings College.
The preview night was well supported and opened by
The Mayor of Ely.
We had been invited by Linda of
Art Inspirations
visit her blog HERE and her new
website
I also met up again with Munni another textile artist.
We met several years ago at Open Studios and she visited
Quilters Cottage with The Ely Group.
Visit her exquisite site at

Purple Folded Bag


On the 15th of September I am teaching the
'Japanese Folded Bag' at Knit Wits.
So I made a purple on using strips as that is the theme
for this months classes and in purple so it
could go in the window.
See more of the purple items I have made
and see more folded bags by clicking on the
written labels below this post.