Reflections by Threaded Together

The Threaded Together group of quilters displayed some of their work at the Newark Quilt Show this year, and it’s interesting to see how their group came together during lockdown and how they have continued to grow and support each other; their virtual workshops developing over time into friendships. They continue to meet as a group through residential holidays, face to face catchups and online, as they started.

They say they are ‘Threaded Together by experience, inspiration and friendship’ and that’s great, but not unusual amongst crafters.

The quilts they displayed in Newark were all quite different, but all equally amazing.

STORIES OF CHILDHOOD, PHIL ADAMS

STORIES OF CHILDHOOD, PHIL ADAMS

I could have spent way longer than I did looking at this small but absolutely packed quilt titled ‘Stories of Childhood’ - it’s an eclectic celebration of vintage textiles, embroidered family heirlooms and woodblock printing combined to help the maker remember their favourite childhood tales. I loved it and there was much included that I remembered from my childhood - and the rhyme above - which I’d forgotten about until now, and I did have a chuckle to myself at the memories which came flooding back.

I did warn you that they were all quite different and this is a complete step change isn’t it? This one aims to evoke the hush that follows a celebration with scattered memories, softened emotions and the dimming glow of the once bright lights.

REFLECTIONS - AFTER THE PARTY, JACKIE GOULDING

And even if you didn’t know that, it’s a great study of colour isn’t it?

This next one is based on a photo the maker took of two ladies selling scarves and hats which uses silks and ribbons for the background as a representation of the prolific colours on that trip to Mexico.

STREET SELLERS OF SAN CRISTOBAL, ANNE FARNELL

There’s less colour in this one, but I was drawn to the skies and the poems on the cliffs. They are the cliffs at Saltdean and the quilt is a reflection on the life of a dear friend of the maker named Cliff.

CLIFF’S, JULIE KONRAD-KOSICKI

CLIFF’S, JULIE KONRAD-KOSICKI

This next quilt is a reflection on a month-long trip to India with the images based on photographs taken - it is very India, and it makes me want to go back to see and experience more of this fascinating country.

INDIAN ADVENTURES, LORRAINE ORGAN

INDIAN ADVENTURES, LORRAINE ORGAN

I’m itching to get back to my sewing machine, and the many (and ever increasing) projects I have in mind and planned, soon hopefully, soon.

Post Comment Love 23 - 25 October

Hello there, welcome to this week’s #PoCoLo - a relaxed, friendly linky which I co-host with Suzanne, where you can link any blog post published in the last week. We know you’ll find some great posts to read, and maybe some new-to-you blogs too, so do pop over and visit some of the posts linked, comment and share some of that love.

Please don’t link up posts which are older as they may be removed, and if you see older posts are linked then please don’t feel that it’s necessary to comment on those. If you were here last week it was great to have you along, if you’re new here we’re pleased you’ve joined us.

As a cyclist MOH always has at least one eye on the weather and this week I’ve put his extensive knowledge and experience to good use to make sure we could get out into the garden and prepare it for winter, in the best weather possible. And didn’t he come up trumps?!

We spent yesterday morning moving our garden furniture into the relatively clear and much more organised than before garage, and though some of it was still wet from the overnight downpour and has needed more space than we’d planned to allow it to dry out, it seems that we have more free space than we had in there last winter. Which is good news!

In fact the weather was so favourable that we even spent some time getting the rest of the garden ready for winter, and it was so nice to do that with the sun on our backs. But I did notice that my last rhubarb stem had succumbed to the season, and so that was destined for our garden bin - but in better news, next year we’ll be able to eat the stems it produces and that will just be fabulous.

Have a good week.

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Oops, a new quilt project

I shared this photo in my recent craft room update and said I’d fallen for the Colour Study quilt a long which is being hosted by Alison Glass - and I’m still smitten. I briefly tried to resist a new project, but sometimes the pull is just too strong.

I’m most definitely in, even though I wasn’t planning to start any more quilt projects. But I’ve done a deal with myself - and that’s to also have a push on completing the mystery block of the month quilt which has been languishing in my craft room for a good few months, while I silently sulked about not having enough of the most perfect background fabric!

But anyway, I’m over the silent sulking and will be using the fabric I’d planned to use all along on the back. The quilt sandwich is together, and it’s been basted so it’s ready for quilting - and I’ve even had a reset of my craft room to make as much space as I can around my machine.

But this post isn’t about that - and at the time of writing, while I’ve chosen fabrics for the quilt and the first few blocks, I’ve held off even cutting out those blocks, but I know it won’t be long before I start, so let’s take a look at what I’ll be up to.

The majority of the material I’m using for this quilt is from my stash. I am planning to use quite a few from the Gothic Garden fat quarter bundle I shared before, but it won’t be a halloween only fabric quilt. The guide suggesting puling a good range of colours from reds, yellows, oranges, blues, greens and purples to get started and I’ve done that. Though as part of that I’ve realised I don’t tend to go for reds or purples, which isn’t that much of a surprise to me really.

I’ve also decided to set my blocks against a dark background, and to use a selection of fabrics for that too. So with using patterns and a dark background my finished quilt will look quite different to the images I’ve shared - though there is a dark background option in the weekly instructions - and I hope I can pull it off.

I’ve even found an old notebook with enough space to help me work through the blocks, their colours and the substitutions I make. I last used the notebook back in 2015, when it had a travel planning purpose - now my evil plans are most definitely fabric themed!

I realised when I pulled these fabrics off the shelves that I very much like bright colours, and so along with the dark background I’m already calling this my ‘brights and dark’ quilt. I’ll be sharing updates as I go, though probably just once a month rather than each block - there’s twenty five of them which are released weekly, and the filler blocks, so that would be a lot of blog posts!

I’m excited to finally get started with the first few blocks - and to share how I get on, and hopefully next Spring I’ll have another quilt top complete.