Stashing Stashing & more Stashing

Remember this not so little pile of fabrics.  Well as promised more photos.  All of these were purchased from Midsomer Quilting which is about 10 miles from where I live.  They have 100s of fabrics and also run classes and workshops which usually get booked up within a week of being released.  This was my first visit there but I will definitely be back.  The staff are so helpful and offer tea and coffee and chairs to browse the books and magazines. 

This is my favourite set - fabric with shoes and handbags, my 3 favourite things combined!

I love spots and stripes and couldn't pass by this little set. The fabric with houses and trees caught my eye too as it reminded me of the type of houses I would draw as a child.

Or maybe this set is my favourite too - I really wanted to add some baby boy fabric to my stash and this set of farmyard fabrics seemed perfect.

Quilting Class

I took a Quilting Class at Country Threads in Bath last week and wondered why I hadn't done it sooner.  It was fabulous.  There were only 5 of us so we got lots of individual attention and Val the teacher was so patient with us all.  She started with the basics of pulling our bobbin thread through to the stop and starting and finishing neatly.

Then we moved on to Quilting in the ditch (which was much harder than it looked!) and sewing 1/4 of an inch from the seam line.



Then we tried straight line quilting which I can't wait to try out - it was so simple but looked so effective

Then for some curvy lines









Following a pattern

I can't remember what this is called but it involved putting one layer of calico and one layer of wadding and quilting in a design.  Then you cut the excess wadding away (everything but the shape) and put another layer of wadding on with the backing and quilt the same shape again.  It gives a raised effect and can be done several times.  It wasn't really my thing but was interesting to try.

And last but by no means least - free motion quilting.  I have been reading about this on blogs for months but haven't been brave enough to try it.  I even bought a darning foot to try it out but it remained in its box.  Anyway I loved it.  I need lots more practice before I try it on a quilt but I can't wait!

What have I been up to?

Piecing

Stashing

Taking a course in machine quilting

Handsewing a binding on

More on all of the above later in the week!

Sunday's Sewing