Bramble Patch Box of Delights

I've always been a big fan of The Bramble Patch shop in Weedon, Northamptonshire.  I've been to several courses, visited exhibitions, bought fabric and even had a few quilts long arm quilted there.  I've never been short of quilting ideas/project but I thought I would join their new initiative called the Bramble Box of Delights. 

You may have seen this idea on the internet from the USA where a patchwork shop will send you a box every month with fabric, perhaps a pattern or a new tool.  The plan is that you will be inspired by what they send you.  The snags with the USA companies are the high expense of postage, the exchange rate not to mention VAT and customs complications. One well know company is called 'The Quilty Box' which is very popular.

 Bramble Patch decided to do their own box and I was pleased to sign up in early August. They are a very well stocked shop and often produce their own patterns so I felt this might be something to give me a new challenge every month. I got a free month by signing up so early and they promise that the contents will always be worth more than the subscription cost. 

So, on the 2nd September this arrived.......

and inside I found......

So in my 'Box of Delights' I found a Moda charm pack with fabric called 'Grand Traverse Bay' designed by Minick & Simpson. It's gorgeous with blue with cream and sand coloured traditional prints inspired by the blue water and sandy beaches by Lake Michigan.  There was a fat quarter called 'Twist' by Dashwood Studios, some 50s silk-finish thread by Mettler (always wanted to try this thread), a measuring gauge to check those  1/4" seams and a pattern to use all of the above to make a cutting mat bag. 

I don't think I will be making the cutting mat bag with the charm pack squares as I already have something to take my A3 mat here and there. But that's the exciting bit...to be inspired to go somewhere new. 

Festival of Quilts 2016

To kick off this blog posting I must show you the prize wining quilt by Moira Neal from Cambridge Quilters. Moira entered the Quilt Guild's competition on the theme of 'On the Beach'.  Moira was awarded the third prize and everyone in Cambridge Quilters is pleased for her. Moira has a very distinctive style. There is much humour in her designs and have a lot of detail in them.  Boris Johnson is leaping out of the Brexit balloon in the sky line! 

The actual quilt is much larger than it looks in this photograph - about 2 square metres. Cards are being produced and will be available from Moira's website shortly

Here is a close up of a rather charming scene...

A close up of the free motion quilting-Moira only stitches in black thread. I am reliably  informed that the majority of the quilting was done on a very hot day and Moira only wore her crystal necklace at her sewing machine.  

The artist herself....do visit http://www.thefallenangelco.com/

The Festival of Quilts was excellent as always. This was the forth year in a row that I have attended. Each year I think I will give it a break but don't!  For anyone who hasn't been, the FoQs fills up three of the big halls at NEC. It is a huge exhibition and includes trade stands from every sewing machine company you can think of, hands on workshops you can book and smaller stands with individual artist/designers exhibiting their wares. 

I made a big mistake of going around the traders before visiting the exhibitions. Why? Well the traders sections were very busy and I must of got in some people's way with my little shopping trolley.  By the afternoon, this section is much quieter.  There are many, many exhibitions. Some from UK groups and some that are International. Too many to describe here in detail but a few quilts caught my eye. 

I liked this piece by Jenny Rolfe-she printed the fabric, pieced it and quilted it. Simple but effective. 

I'm always drawn towards vibrant colours and I liked this piece. It's beautifully executed with appliquéd circles and fine machine quilting.  

Helen Howes had a lovely quilt with her trademark trees. The negative space is full of free machined leaves. 

I really liked this landscape

I've always loved African printed fabric and this one caught my eye with it's flying geese blocks and the appliqué geese on the border. 

The next few close ups were from a quilt by a lady who came to speak at Cambridge Quilters called Gilli Theokritoff. She made a 'background' of tiny pieces of fabric to make a mosaic then applied flowers and leaves. 

I photographed these details simply because I loved the variety of floral forms. 

Finally, a small piece designed and made by Gillian Travis who often teaches at one of my favourite places - The Bramble Patch    Gillian is often influenced by ethnic designs, in this case Indian motifs. I liked this pieces because it is simple but very effective. The colours really 'sing'. 

As always there was so much to see and do at the Festival but I need to use some of my special purchases in the next few weeks.