What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

After driving from Norfolk last Sunday, I attended the welcome reception for Nicholas Ball’s retreaters prior to their week at Quilt Direct. They worked on their improv fish all week, ending up making them twice the normal size in their enthusiasm. 

As well as making sure the retreaters were fed, watered and happy I had a customer quilt and lots of teaching. There was a day of 1:1 overlocker, another day of 1:1 Bernini Aurora and 770QE, a B990 zoom session, then my new Friday job. 

My evenings were also busy – Nicholas came round for tea, we ...

I had quite a varied week at work with some teaching, some quilting and making a movie about a new Accuquilt die with Karen. 

Nella came to stay and we had a super 4 day weekend. Plenty of chocolate was consumed, we went to see Mel in Looe and visited Lydford Gorge with its stunning White Lady waterfall. 

The sun came out at last so I could cut my grass. I was glad of an assistant to put my pop-up budget greenhouse from Lidl together. I was sorely tempted to purchase a hanging egg chair from Tesco but common sense ...

I have survived a long, wet January. I am thankful that I did not have several feet of Scottish snow, icy temperatures and probably power cuts but it seemed like every time I stepped out of my door I got very wet. It made a lovely change to wander into town on Nessie’s 6th birthday to see a spring-like display of crocuses. 

I had a different week at work – due to a last minute cancellation, I was able to be a pupil in the 4-day intensive B990 training course. There are interesting crossovers between the B990 and the computerised ...

I only worked a 3 day week so I could have 2 days off with Freya. She was working her job from home with Nessie’s help and it was so nice to have some company. She took Nessie for midday walks and cooked something delicious most evenings. We made a successful vegan apple cake and even delicious vegan Scottish tablet. 

It was great to have help to do some jobs that I had been putting off like hanging up some string lights (which have only come on once so far) and repotting some house plants. We had a blustery ...

It is exactly a year since I ran away from home to Devon and lived in an old caravan until I found my wee cottage. I have now experienced all of the seasons, including what seems to be an early, wet autumn. The conkers on the trees in the park are huge. Nessie and I are now familiar with the regulars in the park, including the 2 resident geese. I was glad that I invested in a decent second hand raincoat and have now added some reflective heat-press flowers so cars can see me in the dark. 

I have done ...

Quite a bit of longarming went on this week:) One quilter did a great freehand job on her daisy appliqué quilt and someone else came for an introduction to longarm quilting, intending to do a traditional Devon / Welsh style quilt.

While they were busy quilting away, I did some basic ruler work and freehand on the Bloom and Grow quilt which we hope to offer as an L890 class. 

We are gearing up for FoQ at work so I did some straightforward quilting and binding on a table runner that show cases some of the Accuquilt dies. Karen and I ...

I had a handyman here for a couple of days to fix my leaky roof. He also took it upon himself to fix the gate, mend the door on the outside gas meter and install a water butt, all fixings cobbled together from bits that came off the extinct satellite dish! 

I thought I had better do some jobs while he was here on my day off so I cut up some OSB board scraps to make soffits for the shed using my very basic hand saw. I told Freya about my DIY plans when she phoned and she told ...

Whew – it has been hot this week in Devon although not as hot as London which reached 33 degrees! My first task at work each morning was to fling all of the windows open. I had a varied week, demonstrating the Q24, teaching an overlocker class, working on a customer quilt, reorganising the walk-in cupboard, and sorting out bolts of Grunge fabric. 

I did not venture far over the weekend, either staying in the shade or inside, just wilting. I tidied the shed and put together a shockingly flimsy shelving unit. When it cooled down I cleared the rubble out ...

Nella arrived on Monday evening and my other two children will arrive on Sunday so we will all be on holiday this coming week! I am hoping that it will be dry after an absolute deluge on Saturday where Nella and I binge-watched the latest series of “Outlander”.

Nessie had a cat visitor who won a staring contest before sauntering off on its way. 

On Friday we ventured to a Cornish village called Minions then walked up to see the weird geological rock formation, The Cheeswring. It was quite a calm day but it was blowing a hoodie at the ...

I swear that next week I WILL take pictures at work just to prove that I have a job and am very busy;) I think that is proof in itself that I am so busy and forget to take photos. My 2 day ruler course went very well with the participants telling me that it was “outstanding”. I am so pleased that everyone went home with the confidence to have a go at ruler quilting. I worked on finishing 2 customer quilts that I feel have taken far too long way as I have been redirected to other tasks, including ...

Nessie spends a lot of time snoozing or looking out of the window when she is not out on squirrel patrol. I think she thinks that is what I do too when I am not at home. She is very much mistaken! I had a busy week preparing for my class on “Quilting with your Bernina”. The participants learned lots but on reflection, there was too much for just one day’s class. Feedback from one student reported that they were not in the least bit interested in the history of quilting which I mentioned in passing so that has ...

Nessie and I went on a charity shop mission to find Victorian style pictures for my arsenic green sitting room. I could not resist a barmy cross-stitch of kittens in frilly dresses. I hasten to add that it will be part of a “gallery” collection and not a main feature!

My DIY ventures continued with me spending an entire evening attempting to put up a curtain wire for curtains across my wardrobe area. After a lot of dropping tiny screws and shimmying up and down my step stool, I finished the job which would have been better attempted with 2 ...

There was a cancellation in this week’s Sewing Mastery class so I took the space and had an intensive 2 day training course on getting to know a Bernina sewing machine. This was enlightening as I have never had any training on how to use all of the features on my machine. Whether I will remember it all is another matter;)

On Saturday I gave a 2 hour lecture-demo for the QGBI virtual retreat, complete with a cream tea interval. 2 out of 3 cameras co-operated, I had extra lights and a wireless mic. I think it went pretty ...

 For anyone wondering where I have been… I was working this weekend at Malvern Quilt show – will post properly when I get time! Nessie had a lovely holiday with friends. Did not get slow worm house but will take the wee cottage in Tavi;) update to follow xx

I now know lots about the Accuquilt cutting system and think it is great. I bought some cotton duck fabric for my new kitchen – woodcut style whales and sardines. I am not exactly sure what to do with it but have not bought any fabric for ages and just fancied it!

Here ...

I spent Sunday morning being interviewed by a prospective Landlord and am now having second thoughts about a house that I thought was ideal. I have to make sure that the endangered Slow Worms and Newts in the garden thrive. I am not allowed to paint anything even if it is scruffy and can be evicted at short notice if the garden is not correctly maintained. On the other hand, I also saw a Bedford Cottage in Tavistock which is rather small but the Landlady is considerably more relaxed;)

I don’t actually need to rush into anything at all ...

My main focus at work this week was messing about with the L890 Overlocker so I can make samples for a forthcoming Masterclass. It is a great machine and easy enough to switch modes from overlocker to overstitch but when experimenting it would be great to have about 3 machines all set up for different settings. I aim to come up with some kind of project that includes gathering, rolled hem, zips, quilting and fringing.

I had been disappointed by the lack of response any local letting agents but as soon as I expressed an interest in a terraced house ...

I have completed my official first “normal” week at Quilt Direct, getting up every morning and getting to work on time. The 45+ minute journey is getting easier, apart from the lane leading to the main road which will never get easier. 

Monday was a bit intense with so much to do, stock-taking after the Open Days and not really having a plan. After that I got out my notebook to prioritise what needs doing which is very  much subject to change. I had an all-day pupil on one of my days which was great and she thoroughly enjoyed herself ...

I have no idea how people find time for hobbies in the evening after work. I am getting used to the idea of getting up at early every day, not wasting time on social media, getting ready for the day, going for a dog-walk and making sure I leave on time for work. The journey takes about 45 minutes and the worst part is the single track, bendy, hilly, bumpy stretch until I reach the main road. We had a final burst of summer this week and it was too hot to take Nessie to work if she had to ...