Sharing Happiness 2016

The first five people who email me back with “I’m in” will receive a surprise from me at some point in the calendar year- anything from a book, a card, a visit, something home grown or made, a card, a ticket, absolutely some kind of surprise! There will be no warning and it will happen when the mood comes over me and I find something I believe will suit you and make you happy….
These five people must make the same offer in their FB status and distribute their own joy. Simply copy this text onto your status (don’t share) so we can form a web of connections and kindness.
Let’s do more nice and loving things for each other in 2016, without any reason other that to make each other smile and to show that we think of each other. Here’s to a more enjoyable, more friendly and love-filled year!

Beach scene embroidery

The piece below came back from the framers earlier this week. It is an art quilt/embroidery made during a Cambridge Quilters workshop in the autumn. The speaker at our meeting was Natalie Manley . We were asked to take floral fabric to the workshop and to have ironed on some Bondaweb drawn with one inch square. Just to be contrary, I decided to use a selection of fabrics from my stash. Marram grass and beach prints, beach huts, sea and skies. We removed all the Bondaweb and carefully placed it on a base fabric with wadding. Ironed it all into place then added free machine embroidery, etc. I was quite pleased with the composition and how I mixed up the beach hut pieces.  I spent a considerable amount of time adding more thread work followed by a few small shells and ceramic discs. Looking at it now I think I must revisit this technique and see where it might evolve.  My first step will be to trawl through sketch books to look for new starting points. 

MSQC and Cambridge Quilters

Will probably be back later in the day to do a 'proper' blog posting but couldn't resist adding the logo for the Missouri Star Quilt Company . I often check out their tutorial postings on YouTube. The shop owner, Jenny Doan, posts a fresh tutorial every Friday. She usually uses 'pre-cut' fabrics such as layer cakes but she finds quite quick methods of cutting and piecing to make some complicated looking quilt designs. I once spent hours doing a 'Hunter Star' block using a special template. Jenny simplified the design so that you only need make half square triangles.  

I am also a member of Cambridge Quilters . I waited ages to join before realising I could visit and pay a small fee (later refunded once I joined properly). They are a lovely welcoming group with two meetings most months. Either, the evening of the second Wednesday each month at Orchard Park Community Centre 

or Granchester Village Hall, the third Friday of the month but this time in the morning. 

Cambridge Quilters is a great group to belong to. Not expensive and open to all abilities. The programme is varied, sometimes members take the lead with a talk but quite often they have visiting speakers who will then teach a workshop in their specialism. The workshops are very reasonably priced and more local than struggling to get to The Bramble Patch (Northampton) or Quilters Haven (Suffolk). I've been to quite a few workshops and always enjoyed myself and learned something new every time.   

Baby Quilt Commission

Following Cambridge Open Studios, my friend Alison asked me to design and make a baby quilt for a soon to be expected grandchild. The mother to be loves elephants so that was the starting point for my brief. After an initial design Alison decided that it was a good idea to keep the quilt gender neutral so we agreed that I would make the quilt bright red, white, bright blue and navy. The central part would be an elephant print, white on red; the main work would be kept to the borders, partly to keep the work and therefore the price to a minimum. The photo shows my preparation for the border units called 'Flying Geese'.  These are rectangles with a large central triangle which is the 'goose' flying in some direction.  I made over 50 geese units in case some turned out to be too wonky to use. 
The next photo shows the method I used to create the geese. You lay two smaller squares on a larger piece, draw a line down the centre, stitch on both side, cut, flip and press. Then with each separate mini block you add another square, draw the central line, stitch on both sides (1/4" seam of course). Therefore one large square and four smaller squares yields four flying geese units. It's not as complicated as it sounds and you can make lots of units in a short space of time. 

I cut the central panel, added a dark border then laid everything out to see if the design works. I know many quilters 'out there' use a design wall but I don't have the space......I put everything on the rug in my studio! Many apologies as to the quality of the photo as I can see it's somewhat out of focus at the back but you can get the idea. 

Finally, a close up of one of the finished corners. I quilted the central portion using a meandering line with the odd five pointed star. The navy border and the flying geese borders had a random quilting stitch as I didn't want the quilting to detract from the fabric print.  I used a different elephant print on the reverse and added a very simple blue binding. The whole thing came out quite large and I hope that at some point in the future I will add another loose layer on the back with some Velcro tabs so that it will be possible to include a small duvet which will extend the life of the quilt when the baby is ready for a big bed. 

Mary's projects

Mary's mum has kindly sent me a photo of the five projects made during our jewellery lesson last Saturday. The main necklace using a toggle clasp incorporated beads that Mary brought herself. We went on the test out making some earrings, then Mary made a pair without help. We then followed on with the bracelet on the right which used Stretch Magic and finally I showed Mary how to make a bracelet with Memory wire.  She decided to keep the beads loose on the wire instead of packing the beads on. It really works. 

Raffle prize- jewellery lesson

When I took part in a Christmas market at Cambridge Community Church (C3) I offered a raffle prize of a free jewellery making lesson. The prize was worth over £25. The lucky winner, Ruth, came yesterday with her daughter, Mary to claim the prize. Mary, aged about 13, already had an interest in making her own jewellery so she was very pleased to get a few more pointers. She brought some of her own beads and learned how to use a crimping tool to make a necklace with a lovely silver toggle. Mary practised how to  make a wire loop for earrings, making three sets in all. I also showed her how to use memory wire cutters and so on. 

The top photo shows Mary making a selection of beads. the next photo shows her level of concentration using a pair of pliers.  

I think she is going to be making quite a few Christmas presents for her family this year!. I suggested that she didn't go 'mad' buying beads, etc. but to make some small but considered purchases. It's all too easy when you are starting out to buy too many components. I have directed her to visit  The Beaderie. It's an amazing bead shop right here in Cambridge just along Bridge Street. Open after 10am each day but closed on Sundays,

If any of my readers are interested in learning the basics please contact me. A one to one lesson is £25. The lesson will last a minimum of one hour and I will not let you leave until you have mastered the basic tools and techniques to make a lovely necklace and pair of earrings. You would be welcome to bring a broken necklace, etc to mend but I would supply some pretty beads and findings (posh name for ear wires and clasps, etc).  Why are you waiting? Bring a friend for a small extra fee. I would love to do hen parties and girlie birthday gatherings. 

I love to use Swarovski crystals when making jewellery and freshwater pearls. I have finally mastered the art of knotting pearls so get in touch if you need something restringing.   Contact me marion.curtis53@gmail.com 

I can also recommend the lovely bead shop Bluestreak beads; their website is a great source of supplies.  

Work by Katherine Guerrier.

Been to a couple of fascinating meetings with Cambridge Quilters recently. One was given by my heroine Katherine Guerrier who has been a major influence in my quilting journey.  She spoke for quite a long time outlining her personal history with illustrations of many of her amazing quilts. Like many quilters she began before the days of rotary cutters when there were few fabrics on the market to work with. Katherine has a great eye for colour and one of her 'tips' was to never use a fabric for a scrappy quilt that has white in the background. Many quilts use half square triangles and traditional blocks to make a quilt. 

Katherine has influence me to attempt the more 'arty quilt'. The one above was in her Scrappy Quilt book which I bought about five years ago. I realised  that my work tended to come out with pinks, blues and purples so after reading Katherine's book I decided to put together colours I wouldn't normally use.  My green and red logo was one of the results.  Cambridge Quilters is a lovely group.   I joined at the start of 2014 and have made quite a few friends and learnt much. You don't have to be an expert to join and you may attend meetings as a guest for only £5.