Keep Calm Brit Hop

It's Day 12 (I think?) and it would appear to be my turn on the #KeepCalmBritHop organised by Jo Westfoot at The Crafty Nomad. The purpose of this little blog hop is to introduce you to British quilters, designers and shop owners who might, for one reason or another, not be within your radar. Times are hard for small businesses at the moment, but the quilt industry is one of the best at being supportive when the chips are down, so a big thank you to Jo for organising this.

So a little about me if we haven't crossed paths before. My name is Joanna and I've been quilting for over 30 years now. I'm a traditional quilter at heart with a nod to modern quilting. I'm a sucker for an ombre fabric and I think my favourite fabric collection ever is the original Ombres designed by Vanessa Christenson for Moda; they are my go to fabrics when I'm thinking of designing something new.

I've been running my online quilt shop, The Crafty Quilter, for over 20 years selling bright, exciting fabrics from Moda, Robert Kaufman and the like, King Tut and Bottom Line threads from Superior Threads and just recently, the wonderful applique patterns from Pattern Poole in Australia. I also attend various quilt shows around the country including Quilts UK in Malvern and the Festival of Quilts at the NEC in Birmingam. My 'day job' for the last 10 years has been Editor at British Patchwork & Quilting magazine, the oldest monthly magazine in the UK 

I also design a lot of patterns myself, although not all of them make it as far as a finished quilt. But that's ok; sometimes a design doesn't quite work out how I planned it or I go off on a complete tangent with it. My designs are definitely ones that evolve as I'm making them!

A couple of my popular ones have been the Ombre Squares quilt which uses my favourite ombres (of course!). You can buy the pattern and the kit here from my website.

The second one is my Strip Race Interrupted Quilt which is strip-roll friendly. It looks great made in batiks, don't you think?

To celebrate being part of this blog hop, I'm making my Strip Race Interrupted pattern free until 10pm on Monday 13 April 2020. To claim your copy of the pattern, email me here. I've also reduced the price of the last few Bali Pops I have in stock if you want to sew along with me while I make a new version of the quilt over the Easter weekend.

Thanks for reading and again to Jo for organising the blog hop. I'd love to have you follow me on Instagram, and who knows, maybe this is just the nudge I need to start blogging again. Stay tuned!

Next up on the blog hop tomorrow is Jo Avery, but below is the schedule and links to everyone in the hop. Do go and visit them all; there are patterns, tips and giveaways aplenty to keep you entertained during these difficult times.

Saturday, 28th March: Jo Westfoot | The Crafty Nomad Sunday, 29th March: Amy Ball | Coffee Rings Studio Monday, 30th March: Jo Hendy | Villavin Crafts Tuesday, 31st March: Nicola Dodd | Cake Stand Quilts Wednesday, 1st April: Rachel Concannon | Rachel's Textiles Studio Thursday, 2nd April: Lou Orth |  Lou Orth Designs Friday, 3rd April: Sonia Spence | Fabric & Flowers Saturday, 4th April: Fi | Pins & Needles Grayshott Sunday, 5th April: Sarah Ashford | Sarah Ashford Studio Monday, 6th April: Abigail | Cut&Alter Tuesday, 7th April: Karen Lewis  | Karen Lewis Textiles Wednesday, 8th April: Joanna Kent | Crafty Quilter Thursday, 9th April: Jo Avery | Jo Avery Stitch Friday, 10th April: Round Up Post | The Crafty Nomad

Joanna

End of Term Report - 2014

So, another year has just zoomed by! More than a dozen quilt shows and group visits all over the country from Ardingly in West Sussex to Northumberland, Llangollen in Wales and Edinburgh in Scotland! It's been great seeing so many familiar faces throughout the year too.

 

There have been some really wonderful fabrics delivered this year; my fave being Terra Australis direct from Australia. I'm still the only shop stocking it in the UK, available by the metre or in fat quarter bundles.

 

 

Outback                                      Eucalyptus

 

And just delivered this week are the latest Bali pre-cuts from Hoffman. Super yummy as usual; my fave is Cockatiel I think

 

 


I have these as 2.5" Pops, 10" Crackers and 5" Snaps and they are already on the website.

 

Another pre-cut collection was released at Quilt Market in Houston featuring the 1895 collection of batiks in lovely colour combos. I may just have to order these.........

 

Looking forward to next year, I have some big plans that I am working on. Having dithered about them all this year I think 2015 is the year to be decisive and do them, so keep an eye out for news on this!

 

Joanna

 

 

The Layer Cake Sampler Quiltalong

Have you heard about this on twitter or instagram?

 

It sounded like fun so I am joining in too!

 

You can find the instructions for making the blocks on the Material Girl Quilts blog. The quiltalong started a couple of weeks ago but its never too late to join in too.
All you need is a layer cake, cracker or other 10" square pack and a background fabric. You could even raid your stash and cut yourself forty 10" squares if you don't have a layer cake.

 

The basic instructions for making the HSTs can be found here together with details for making the first two blocks.

Details for making the next two blocks are released each Friday.

 

So what fabrics am I using?

 

I couldn't resist the Splash Cracker pack from Hoffman and I thought I would be a little different and use two fabrics for my background, just to make it a little bit more interesting.....

 

 

And here are my first four blocks!

 

Want to play along with me?

 

Joanna

Ardingly Quilt Show

Finally found a bit of time to report on the first quilt show proper of the year at the South of England Showground in Ardingly, West Sussex. It's always a great feeling getting back out there and meeting customers again!

This show is also a difficult one though because the access for traders on setting up day and breakdown after the show is via about eight steps, especially for me as I don't feel I am strong or tall enough to try and push or pull a laden trolley down them! So this means carrying things down the stairs which all adds to the time it takes to unload and load again.

 

However it's a great show and there were some great quilts on display. I particularly loved this year's journal quilts with the theme 'Little Landscapes'. Some of them are truly wonderful!

 

 

The show was as successful as usual and I'll be back next year. The Bali pre-cuts were especially popular (well they are lovely colours) but I think it helped having the quilts hanging behind the stand.

 

Also excited to tell you the Peacock colour way of the Lumina Ribbon panel arrived in stock this week.............and its super yummy!



 

The other two colours almost sold out at the show, so get them while you can!

 

Joanna

Chiltern Quilters

I spent a lovely day today visiting Chiltern Quilters in Buckinghamshire. They meet six times a year in the village hall in Widmer End, near Hazlemere.
Today it was a UFO/Sewing day with a pot luck lunch..........can't beat a pot luck lunch! Quilters are excellent cooks as well as being pretty nifty with a needle.

 

 

I meant to take a photo of the lovely food........but left it too late!

 

I'm happy to say my wares managed to tempt them a little, with my threads

 

 

 

And fabrics, particularly the Hoffman precuts.

 

 

 

Tom and I usually work on our Sylvia's Bridal Sampler blocks when we go to quilt groups. He managed to finish his block today and the chair of the committee, Maureen, very kindly showed it to all the other ladies in their Show and Tell after lunch. His is on the left, I finished mine (on the right) this evening.

 

 

He always loves to tell people about what he is working on.

 

So all in all a great day!

If you would like me to bring my fabrics to your group, then please get in touch. I'm usually happy to travel within a 50 miles / hour's radius of North Herts.

Joanna

 

 

Disappearing 9 Patch Mini Quilt Tutorial

Here's a quick tutorial for this traditional pattern.

 

All you need is a Hoffman Snap pack and 50cm of a zinging
co-ordinate fabric and it makes a quilt 29" x 36".

 

 

I've used the brown Caramel Snap pack for mine and a hot orange. You can buy the Snaps here.

First up...........open the packet! Its always the hardest thing for me to do.

1. Split the pack up into five sets of eight squares. Ensure you have a mix of light and dark colours in each set.
2. Cut one, 5" strip from your zinger fabric and sub cut five, 5" squares from it.
3. Take one set of eight squares and arrange them around one zinger square.

4. Join the squares into three rows of three. Press seams for each row in alternate directions. Join the rows together to make a nine patch block with the zinger square in the centre.
5. Press the block and then cut it into quarters.

6. Repeat with each set of squares to make a total of twenty quarter squares.
7. Lay the quarter squares out into five rows of four squares. Rotate them as desired until you like the arrangement.
8. Join the squares into rows and then join the rows together to make the quilt top.
9. Cut four, 2 1/2" strips from the zinger co-ordinate for your border and add to your quilt top, opposite sides first and then top and bottom edges.
10. Quilt as desired. I quilted mine in spirals and my favourite wave wiggle which is really easy to master and is great for filling pre-cut strips.

11. Double bind the edges. I use 2 1/4" strips.
12. Add a hanging sleeve.

A quick and easy quilt in twelve steps!

Make it in pink or blue for a cosy cot quilt or how about the Liquorice  colour with a zingy red?