Today_s_Quilter_-_November_2019

(singke) #1

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COUNTRYSIDE QUILTING l planning for winter


Waste not, want not
Although I write lists, they never seem to get any
shorter. I am currently remaking my alternative
advent calendar quilt – the quilt itself has twenty-five
houses all with opening, numbered doors that have a
charm or special button inside for you to hang on the
Christmas tree. The door to the last and biggest house
on the quilt is to be opened on the 25th of December
where you’ll find a star or an angel to put at the top
of the tree. I made the first one in my usual palette of
blues, greys and reds, but would like to sew another in
a winter night’s sky theme –we have some really sweet
snow fabric with trees in the shop at the moment and
I can just hear it crying out to be used for this! I’d like
to possibly add more reindeer with little patchwork
rugs on this time. There’s a certain fascination of little
houses in the snow, which I think possibly comes from
the idea of escapism from the real world – like a story
or fairy-tale; it greatly appeals to me to tell a story
in my quilts. I am also working on some new crazy
patchwork Christmas stockings, which are so good
for using up small bits of festive fabric; I never like to
throw anything away.
This year, we will be making a dolly bed with a mini
quilts, a pie-crust mattress and lovely, little pillows
at my Christmas class. It would make such a special
present for a little girl, and it can even have mini
stocking hanging on the end of the bed. The little bed
came from IKEA, so I better buy some more before
they all run out! I was so saddened this week to hear
that plastic has been found in the Arctic snow, and it
made me think that I must try harder to avoid plastic,
as the Scandinavian/northern landscape is such an
inspiration to me. Speaking of which, Sandra Meech
from Somerset had a wonderful solo exhibition at
the NEC with work depicting the flooding of the

SomersetLevelsandthe
eects of climate change, including her
wonderful Arctic themed work. Sandra uses photo
imagery, dyeing and painting as well as stitch, and the
end results are truly brilliant. I hope Sandra, Quilt Art
and Natural Solutions will all having exhibitions here
next year – it would be a real feast for the eyes.

New beginnings
I can't believe how fast time flies! It seems like only
yesterday that I wrote my first column for To d ay' s
Quilter, and now here I am writing the last one in the
series. I have absolutely loved creating these articles
for you, and receiving all of your very kind comments
about it along the way – I do hope my mad columns have
made you laugh! Although, I do have to admit that with
Christmas around the corner, and so many quilts still to
be stitched, I am also very pleased to be concentrating
just on my sewing for a while. In fact I am already
working on some patterns for the magazine... From next
issue, I leave you in the very capable hands of Jo Avery,
who I wish a very happy year of writing. I would also like
to take the opportunity to say another big thank you to
everyone who contributed in any way to the Quiltathon.
Each of the 70 quilts was made with love and care,
ready to be received by their new owners courtesy of St
Petrocks charity. I do hope they give someone who really
needs it a huge, quilted hug. Well done everyone!

For now, it’s back to the sewing. Love to you all – Jo x

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stitched up by Hazel Brookham


NEXTMONTH:JOAVERY’S
CREATIVECORNER
CatchJo’sfirstcolumnonhowto
chooseandmixcoloursforyourquilts
in issue55,onsale31stOctober2019.

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