"Bits 'n' Bobs" Day Out

I have just come home after an amazing day.  It began with all the girls from the Bits 'n' Bobs sewing group meeting up in Limavady this morning. 

Bits 'n' Bobs ladies arriving at The Otter Lodge

Lizzie's husband, Trevor, kindly offered to drive the minibus and take us to The Cotton Shed quilt shop in Portadown.  We arrived to a lovely reception from Hilary and Ethel, who had laid on refreshments for us.  It was very welcome after our long drive.  The classroom, where we had our tea, was bright and airy with lots of pretty quilts on the walls.  It would be a lovely place to take classes.

Next, we went into the quilt shop next door.  It was packed with fabrics, kits, patterns and books.

The Cotton Shed

Tilda dolls, fabric & books

Gorgeous Fabrics

The Cotton Shed Classroom

There were lots of bargains and a great variety of fabric to choose from. Everyone went home happy with their purchases.  I would recommend The Cotton Shed to everyone. Well worth the visit!

The second part of our trip took us to The Linen Green shopping complex in Moygashel which is just outside Dungannon.  A visit to a lovely coffee shop with some gorgeous cakes and then some relaxed shopping for everyone.  I bought lots of different wooden hearts, very pretty.

The final stage took us to Cookstown to The Otter Lodge.  A beautiful setting for an amazing restaurant.  The meals were gorgeous.  I had pork chops on a bed of creamed cabbage and leeks with roasted vegetables and boiled potatoes.  This was finished off with home-made lemon meringue pie with ice cream.  To die for!

Outside the restaurant, beside the river, is a walkway leading to a pagoda.

Pergola covered walkway

Pagoda

To finish off, I just had to include a photograph of our very patient driver, Trevor, with just some of his lovely "wives".

A great day was had by all.
Bye for now.
Sandra

Old Favourites

I thought that I would post some pictures of quilts that I made a while ago.  The first one is a small table topper which I made to try the braid technique and also my free motion quilting.  I used scrap fabric for the front and back but I have not used the braid technique since. 

Scrappy Braid (front)

Scrappy Charm Squares (Back)

The second quilt is one that I made at the Bits 'n' Bobs quilt group that I go to in Limavady.  I have made so many friends here and the craic is always good.  The pattern is called 'Honor and Glory' by Mary Ellen Von Holt and Mildred Moss.  On Saturday we are going on a bus trip to a  shop called The Cotton Shed in Portadown.  Can't wait!!  I will let you know how we get on.

Scrappy Again

The final one that I'm going to show you is one of my favourites.  It is by Kim Diehl from her book "Simple Traditions".  It wasn't until my friend Bridgeen Gillespie pointed it out when she was photographing some of my work, that I realised that scrappy was my favourite look.

Scrappy Pinwheels

One of my favourite parts of making this quilt was gathering and sorting the fabrics for the border. 

I hope you have enjoyed the pictures but I must go now as I have a baby quilt to finish.

Sandra

More Treasures

Yesterday, I went for the first time with my husband and kids to the market where he found my lovely old sewing machines.  We found lots of new treasures, and guess what?  Another old Singer machine.  It has the cover, it is working and there is a little bobbin as well.  I looked up an internet site which dated the serial number as 1889 and the logo on the front says THE SINGER MFG. CO. NY..  So I'm wondering if this one was actually made in New York, which would make it even more special for me as I have some lovely memories of my time there.

Old Singer & Button Box

 I also found an old rusty box full of old buttons.  When I began to sort through it and to clean some of the buttons, Catherine realised that some had the name of a department store, Austins & Co., on them.  I thought that was lovely as it's here in my home town.  Apparently, it's the oldest independent department store in the world.

Austin & Co. Buttons

The little tin box, although very rusty, still had some of it's original design on the sides, which was very pretty.

Rusty Tin Box & Buttons

I think that I will try and contact the store to try and find out when the buttons date from and if they were sold on their own or on garments.

I still have to finish the baby quilt that I was making but I am enjoying the free motion quilting on it.  I'll let you see it when it's finished. 

Just thought I would let everyone see a copy of the timetable for the classes in  September that my friends and I are offering.  Look us up on facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Keep-it-Crafty/219037148139153#!/profile.php?id=100002644233674&sk=wall

Must go now.  Lots more to do.
Sandra

The Fennel Shed

I went to Gaye's sale at The Fennel Shed quilt shop in Buncrana today with my daughter Catherine.  As always, it was a lovely trip, with good bargains and the girls, as always, were very welcoming.  I met lots of my friends as well. 

I bought a pretty blue and white checked fabric to use as backing for a baby panel and some gorgeous Aurifil thread to quilt it with.  I also bought a pretty red and beige checked flannel because it was such a good bargain . 

Humpty Dumpty Panel, backing fabric and quilting thread

Catherine got some new fabrics to add to her stash as she wants to make her first quilt.  It's lovely seeing her so excited about it all.  We were up late last night talking about quilt blocks and layouts and browsing through books.  It's lovely having her home from uni.

Catherine's Stash

Hopefully, this evening, I might be able to start quilting the panel as free motion quilting is my favourite thing to do.

I'll keep you posted.
Sandra

New Quilt Design

I will be teaching a new class in September, so I designed a new quilt.  I'm calling it a Country Sampler and I used EQ6 software for the design process.  I love using this and I also learned some new parts this time round.  It was how to align the blocks on a custom quilt, it makes life so much easier.  I also found that if I magnify the worktable, I can be much more accurate. 

I have photographed some of the blocks that I have made so far. 

Ohio Star

  

This gets added to some nine patches and sashing.

Flying Geese

Half Square Triangles

I'll keep you posted on my progress.  By the way, do any of you use EQ6 to design or do you use another method?  I'd be very interested to know.

I'm very excited at the minute.  It's only three weeks tomorrow until I go to Festival of Quilts.  This will be my third year and I can't wait.  It's amazing!!!

Bye for now.

Sandra

Old Sewing Machines

A few months ago, my husband surprised me with an old Vesta treadle sewing machine.  Although it was very dirty and the table was riddled with woodworm, all I could think of was how beautiful it was.  It had to stay in the garage until I found a carpenter who would replace the wood for me.  I am looking forward to collecting it and being able to begin the task of cleaning the sewing machine itself.

My beautiful Vesta

(That's a motorbike mudguard in the background, in case you're wondering.)  The only pity is that the sewing machine will no longer be able to sink into the cabinet but I will be able to bring it into the house for the first time which will be fantastic.

The story doesn't end there though. A few weeks ago, I was again surprised with the gift of a Singer hand cranked machine.  It is amazing.  At the moment I have only given it a general clean but I do intend to spend a lot of time removing the dirt from it.

This machine still has it's wooden cover and just the tool box lid is missing.  The needle wouldn't move, even though the wheel turned.  So Alan took it apart, turned something around, and it now works beautifully.

My final surprise was this morning when Alan came back with another hand cranked singer machine. Get this.  He bought it for the princely sum of £2.  Isn't that unbelievable! 

Most of the grime just wiped off.  There were four tiny bobbins in the tool box. Last week, I watched a video on You Tube, of how to wind the bobbins for this type of machine, so I'll enjoy trying that later. 

I will post more photos when the machines are hopefully transformed and I have to thank Alan again for getting them for me.  It's very late so I'll have to go. 

Bye for now.
Sandra

  

Irish Quilting Magazine

My friend, Bridgeen Gillespie, very kindly wrote an article about me and my quilting journey, which was included in the Irish Quilting Magazine.  She also took all the photographs of my work.  Bridgeen has now included the article on her own blog so it can be viewed here if you would like to read it.
http://cherryandcinnamon.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/feature1.pdf
Once again, thanks so much Bridgeen. 

So if anyone out there needs a writer, I highly recommend her.

Bye for now.
Sandra