I've just completed the July installment of the BQL Bag Challenge. It's a tall tote, which I've made from a mottled green fabric with orange batik strips to brighten up. I've quilted this in wavy machine quilting with variegated thread and does really look more effective than the photo shows.
Here's some pics of postcards that I've received recently. The one above is from the Arts in the Mail June challenge of Yoyos (or Suffolk Puffs). The cards had the have at least 3 yoyos. Mine is shown in this post which was sent to Chris in Co. Durham. In return she sent me this lovely lady. I took part in a small exchange, also with Arts in the Mail called Fancy Stitches and mine were sent out earlier this month and I've received these from Annette, top left, Jenny, bottom left, and Francoise, on the right. I've just realised that I haven't posted the ones that I have made, but if you go to the Flickr images on the sidebar, they are shown there.
The photo below shows some fabric weaving cards that I have made which I will demonstrate to a local quilt group in September. The top one is decorated with fancy machine stitching and the one below is decorated with hand stitching.
While I was sitting at the computer last night I saw this lovely sky, wasn't it lovely? My mobile phone came in very handy for taking this on night mode. I'm sure I take more pictures with the phone than I make calls with!
The Sandbank Ferry coming across from Shell Bay
We stopped at Swanage and this is the view from the Mowlem Theatre on the seafront looking across to the Needles on the Isle of Wight.
We walked over to the Swanage Railway when we heard a steam engine come into the station. This pic shows it reversing to the front of the carriages to go out of the station to go to Corfe Castle.
And this I could not resist. It's of Corfe Castle, near Wareham, which I took through the car window, when DH was driving through the village on our way home.
To save trying to choose what colours to use, I dived into my stash and pulled out Christmas fabrics. The original pattern size was 14.5" wide and 40" long, which was a bit big for a table mat so have done a more manageable 9.5" x 19". Last night I showed how the blocks were made and at the next meeting how the pieces are joined by sashing.
Today I went to Romsey, Hampshire to the Romsey Quilters exhibition with my friend Penny. The main exhibition is in Romsey Abbey with more quilts shown in 3 other venues around the town as part of the group's 25th anniversary celebrations. This weekend only a 5th venue behind the Abbey grounds displayed pieces from an open competition. The picture below shows this spectacular quilt made by Ann Ohlenschlager inspired by mosaic floors whilst on holiday in Rome
Fantastic, isn't it? But then the quilts displayed are all lovely and it's difficult to choose a favourite. Took lots of pics and it was a lovely day out. Romsey itself was bustling too as there was a music festival as part of their arts weeks. At King John's House some jazz music was played outside in the garden as we were looking at quilts inside. The exhibition goes on to 20 July and they have a website.
The next picture below is the Dylan Thomas Theatre. I could not resist taking a picture of the murals painted on the side of the building - excuse the car boot and road signs. I tried avoiding those but it just didn't work
Above is a pic of my June bag in progress. In a previous post I'd already done the flying geese which I'd put together before my holiday. This is how it is 2 weeks later having quilted, put the base on (and awaiting hand stitching of the base binding). I've also stitched the handles ready to turn right sides out and the lining is also in progress so coming together nicely.
I haven't updated with any holiday pictures but I'll try and put that right soon!
Then came the Geese. The June bag for the BQL Bag Challenge have 32 flying geese, 30 of which are on the outside and 2 on the pocket inside the bag. On Saturday anticipating the bag instructions I made the geese. These are constructed 4 at a time with goose (large triangle) being a large square and the sky triangles from the 4 smaller squares sewn at each corner. Hard to explain but a quick and less wasteful method of making these blocks.
All 32 were quickly produced in an afternoon, when the decidedly dodgy weather could not make up its mind whether to rain or not. The weather of late is still making the news with many places receiving half the June rainfall in just one day!
The design used bow tie blocks and the pic above shows the chained pieced blocks draped over my machine.
Then joined together ready for quilting
I decided to put a pocket in the lining, with what remained of the Japanese style fabric. This was yet to be ironed so it looks a little untidy here.
At last finished and photographed. The colours are autumnal but I know someone who might like these colours.
While I was sick I couldn't go the the local Quilter's Guild Area Day on the 10th May, so armed with a bag of scraps, needle, thread and other bits and bobs I made a crazy quilted scissor case for my large scissors using an 8" square of calico as a foundation for the scraps. Above is the front...
and this pic is the back. In the middle I've used a long strip of selvedge that had a variety of colour spots. As you can see I've used small rectangles of fabric rather than crazy shapes. Still can't quite get my head around sewing crazy shapes, it's just not my style.
I took part in an Embellisher Swap making a tag. Looking at tag art sites they look nothing like luggage labels, so this is mine using pieces of hand dyed scrim which I fashioned into circles before punching into a base of black felt. Also used some silk roving and dark pink organza ribbon. After adding beads and sequins, the punched hole was threaded with fancy yarns. This is going to Liz in Stockport. I'd like to make this design again later as a picture, I had fun making this and it didn't take long at all.
Now the machine is back and back at work. I bought a pack of charm squares by Moda from Villavin Crafts, when I stayed there back in February. They made 4 nine patch sqaures which I've cut in the middle to make 16 split 9 patch squares (which I didn't take a photo of). At present they're sewn into rows and will update later with the completed top.
Front
and back. See that I did a couple of circles from the back so the purple showed in the front.
Another "little" job that took all day off and on was sorting out my fancy threads onto card bobbins. Got most done, still a lot to do. To the right of the box is a little pile of thread snippets which will be cut smaller and used to embellish or sandwich with Bondaweb and fabric.
Another bit of sewing that I did was to make an A4 journal size quilt for Alzheimers fundraising in Salisbury. This used some of the fabric that I used transfer paints on. I used thread and fabric snippets (this was before I sorted the thread box), layer of Misty Fuse, and fused together. I then laid petal and leaf shapes with white tulle on top and fused together before hand stitching. I've got to put a hanging sleeve on the back of this, but I think it looks quite good.
Above is my camelia, called Baby Pearl, which is flowering at present. This was an anniversary present from my parents, when my husband and I celebrated our Pearl (30th) wedding anniversary last December.
This is the first bloom on my Arum Lily, which was only planted last year, please do excuse the weeds around it - I've yet to get to that corner!
This is an Erysimum, or perennial wallflower. I love wallflowers. This one is Patchwork something or other (I'll have to look that up) but I love the variety of colours from yellow to pink and mauve just on one plant! To the left of that is a hardy geranium which will soon be covered in white flowers.
Another plant thats going well is the Euphorbia, this one's called Fireglow, because of the bright orangey-red bracts. To the right of that are the bright leaves of my small magnolia which have just come out.
On my last post I said I would get some sewing done and here it is, the April bag. Looks quite good in the pic, but I did agonise over the colour choice and didn't go together as planned. Think it does look good though and the Suffolk Puffs (Yo-yos) with the shell buttons does set it off well.
Lastly the pic on the left shows part of the magazine article in Patchwork and Quilting magazine that I mentioned a little while back taken on the retreat at Villavin Crafts. Here we are proudly displaying the quilts and bags in progress with Jo sitting in front of us.
Here's a few more of my photos from my hols in Brittany. I managed to take one of Mont St Michel from my phone. As you can see the tide was not long out and later people were to park in that area later. Mont St Michel is very commercialised which coachloads of tourists and lots of shops to relieve them of their money on the way up to the abbey. At the abbey we let the tours with their guides go through first before going into the rooms there. 
There were a lot of stained glass windows, but I liked this one in one of the chapels best with it lovely pastel colours.
And I could not resist taking a pic of one of the pillars, wonderful detail in the carving. Looks as though it was replaced fairly recently.
Another day we went to Quimper. Just outside the cathedral there was a courtyard leading to the Breton Museum. There was an exhibition of the Breton costumes as worn in the different areas of the region. The photo above show the metalwork in the arches of a walkway with stems and leaves.
And another door. This is at the bottom of the Rohan Tower at the museum. Very interesting pattern on the door.
