Quilters of Sutton: 2018

December 2018 - String art Christmas cards and Annual challenge quilts

This month was the Christmas nibbles and Challenge exhibition, we also had a go at String Art Christmas card designs.We had two designs to chose from a Christmas tree (two sizes) or a bauble. Everyone seemed to enjoy the process, some finishing one and starting another. Lots of opportunity to use sparkly thread and embellishments lead to some lovely results. If you Google 'String art Christmas designs' you can see many more examples on Pinterest, with free patterns if you want to have a go.

Bauble string art design

Christmas tree string art designs

This little blue tit in cross stitch was a WIP.

The 2018 Challenge produced 7 entries. The brief was Buildings and Monuments A3 maximum size. This showed some wonderful designs with a variety of techniques used to good effect. There were two joint winners C and D, followed closely by F. Well done to all who entered.

Entries B, C, D and E

Entries B,F and G

We went home with best wishes all round for a Happy Christmas.

November 2018 - Folded circle Christmas decorations

Another month has gone by quickly and we are back in Wallington with some more Christmas decoration making. This time we were trying circles folded into triangles, these can be made into small or large decorations depending on how many you make. Click here for instructions and more ideas.

Basic folded triangle unit

4 needed to make a gift box

2 needed to make a small star

The results from this evening.

Folded circles in progress

Small circle star completed

2 folded circles for a pocket

We also had some completed Suffolk puff decorations from the last meeting. Not all using traditional Christmas colours, one using autumnal colours for harvest festival (back 2nd from left) and one using purple scraps.

Trees and baubles from Sulffolk puffs

There was a Victorain lozenge from a previous year being finished off by a friend of a member who passed away unexpectedly.

Victorian lozenge

We also had some Show and Tell projects brought along to share.

Pages for a fabric book for a grandchild

Cathedral window cushion

Handbag for a gift.

Knitted stork toy for a premature baby unit.

Half square triangles from leftovers

Grandmothers flower garden quilt, border hexagons being added

Stained glass sample

We were a smaller number than usual this month, but as productive as usual. Next month we shall be showing the results of this years challenge 'Buildings and Monuments'.

October 2018 - Suffolk puff Christmas decorations

This month we started our Christmas projects with some lovely Suffolk Puff decorations. After a short demonstration on how to make the basic puff unit, members started to cut out the various sizes of circle to complete the designs. One of our members, KP, distributed Santa beads, one of which has already found a home on top of a finished tree decoration. I would not be at all surprised if one or two more find themselves a similar home. Thank you KP. Click here for instructions

Round bauble and tree decorations in traditional and contemporary colours

Scandinavian and traditional fabrics

Traditional colours and a finished tree with bead decoration

Some members feel they have enough Christmas decorations and chose to work on WIP's, these were all English paper piecing (EPP). Portability is one reason why this style of work is so popular. Very convenient if you travel a lot, as you can prepare yourself a kit suitable to stitch on the train, in a car and possibly on a plane - if you check with the airline whether they allow sewing needles. There are various instruments for snipping threads that are allowed on planes, these take the place of scissors which would need to go in your hold luggage if allowed by the airline.

EPP using tessellating shapes, mini hexagons, Provence themed fabrics and larger hexagons

Lastly, we had Show and Tell with some of the quilts from the Regional day meeting and one Linus Quilt (sorry, no picture of this one).

Grunge Disappearing 9 Patch by KP

Grunge Trapezium by KP

Beach Huts hanging by PM

Region 2 Area Day 220918

As a group affiliated to the Quilters Guild of the British Isles, we are sometimes asked if we are interested in displaying our quilts as part of a meeting or show organised by Region 2. In the past this has included Hever Castle, and this year we had a request from the organisers of the Region 2 Area Day meeting in Bookham. Never wanting to miss a chance to show the groups work, I asked for volunteers who were willing to supply a quilt or two for display. Several members responded to the request and we took along along a diverse selection of quilts for display.

Applique Sampler CH

Trees CH

Beach Huts PM

Grunge Disappearing 9 Patch KP

Grunge Trapezium KP

Grey Snowball LE

Yellow Sampler LE

Blue Lagoon CD

Communication CD

Fruit Punch CD

Blue Twisted Sister

Infinity Squares CD

Some of the quilts were made as a result of attending a workshop or class, others were made to a challenge theme and some because the pattern or an idea inspired them. We received a thank you email from the organisers and lovely comments on the day.

If you have never attended a Regional Day meeting, they usually take the form of a speaker or two, some traders, a raffle, stash sale, lots of tea and cake. Some times there may be a workshop in the afternoon instead of a second speaker. The speakers talk on aspects of their work and show slides and/or samples to illustrate. They may have patterns or books for sale too. These meetings seem to take part in all the regions of the Guild, are generally posted on the QGBI website, and you do not have to be a member of the guild to attend.

September 2018 - AGM

September is our AGM, as usual we had a lot of our members turn up for it. While we went through the annual review and plans for the coming year, some members got on with some work. Here are some pictures of what they were up to.