UK Art Quilts

UK Art Quilts is a new blog started this September. They have been very active on Face Book and because many of their members requested a group or a website, decided to do the blog thing! Photos of spectacular work from some of the members can be found HERE. I've also spent a little time looking at some other blogs & websites (mostly British) that are quite interesting. Grab a cup of something and enjoy these!

Painted Quilts by Annabell Rainbow
Cath Stonard Textile Art & Stitch Cloth Colour
Contemporary Quilt is a specialist group of The Quilters' Guild of the British Isles. Check them out!
The Dyers Hand
Jill Taylor - Third Age Musings
Sally's Stuff (Australia)
Occasional Jottings & 12 By the Dozen
Cas Holmes

Embroidery Show & Tell - Part Two

Here is part two of Show & Tell from the St. John's Embroidery Guild.

Embroidery Show & Tell - Part One

 Again, the St. John's Embroidery Guild had some lovely work to show last evening. We also had a special guest, embroidery designer, Madeleine Ferland, from Quebec. Madeleine is teaching two stump work workshops this week. I'm taking the three-day one. More to report on that later.
Enjoy

More September Show & Tell

Show and Tell is a favorite part of most quilt guilds. Quilters get a chance to 'show off ' their talents, discuss their work and see the work of others 'up close'. The procedure I like best is to have the show and tell items on display for the entire evening. This gives everyone a chance to view them so that if anyone has to leave early, they aren't disappointed. Quilters are given a chance to talk about their work later in the meeting. Here's a sample from the evening.
Enjoy!

Exploding Pineapples

We had a very interesting program about exploding pineapples, at the Cabot Quilt Guild, on Tuesday evening. Of course, as quilters, you know right away that I didn't mean the actual fruit exploded! I'm talking about a very simple method to make perfect Pineapple blocks. Karen Hellaby is the author of Sew Simple Pineapple and Pineapple Plus. This YouTube Video shows you how to make the blocks in her books.
Here's a couple of projects two quilters presented using this technique.

Cabot Quilter's Summer Challenge

The summer challenge for the Cabot Quilt Guild was a great success. Last evening, fifty nine children's quilts were shown to members and then given to representatives from Ronald McDonald House . Here is just a small sample. Enjoy!

Table Toppers

Last week I was working on four table toppers. One of them will be a donation to the auction at the St. John's Embroidery Guild in November. This pattern is a simple one which I designed a few years ago. There is no separate binding to add because I bring the back fabric to the front and top stitch with a matching thread. The diameter is 22 inches.

Here's a few table topper patterns for you to check:
Pumpkin Table Runner
Zig Zag Table Runner
Leafy Table Runner
Halloween
Log Cabin
Shades of the Season
Orange Peel

Enjoy!

Hooked Rugs

Rug hooking, according to Wikipedia, is 'both an art and a craft where rugs are made by pulling loops of yarn or fabric through a stiff woven base such as burlap, linen, or rug wrap'. My mother told me that my grandmother made all kinds of hooked rugs but I never saw any of them. It is one art form that I have not tried but I do appreciate them. I have seen very elaborate rugs as well as very simple ones. Today, I want to bring your attention to a Newfoundland blog, Anne's Original Hooked Rugs. Anne uses Newfoundland Themes in her rugs. This weekend, Anne announced that one of her rugs was purchased from a museum in Nova Scotia by Anne Murray, a very famous Canadian Singer. Congratulations! Check out her blog for a photo of Anne Murray holding her newly purchased rug. I love the vivid colours used in this piece. While there, have a look at other rugs Anne has created - you won't be disappointed.

Enjoy!

Hurricane Leslie & Stuff !!

This had been quite a week here in the St. John's area. Hurricane Leslie, with a diameter of approximately 800 miles, reached our shores on Tuesday morning. HERE is an interesting video someone posted - it takes a tour of down town St. John's and up to Signal Hill during the storm. Actually, you get a brief glimpse of the colourful row houses in the older part of the city. Most visitors are usually amazed at the vivid colours and tend to look for art and/or souvenirs depicting these houses. Here's several of my card sets that can be found at the Devon House Shop.

We were very fortunate on our street as we only lost the power for about an hour. Others, throughout the city, weren't as lucky. I spent the day in my studio sewing. Since the storm, we have had very warm, sunny weather, which has been quite enjoyable. However, it certainly doesn't put me in the mood to be creative! I have to get busy. Christmas is only a couple of months away and there is so much to do.

Maybe these links will help the creative juices kick in:

We'll start off with a Handmade Fabric Bauble tutorial HERE and another fabric ornament HERE.
Here's a Christmas Stitchery and a Christmas Present Quilt
12 Gifts of Christmas Tutorials might have just the perfect gift
This Christmas Door Stop is a nice idea. Make one for spring, summer and fall too - just change the fabric and the appliqué designs.
Some Knitting Gifts for those evenings when you want to be busy but not doing sewing stuff.

To see links to other Christmas freebies on my blog go HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.

Enjoy!

Rock Recipes

Today I'm reintroducing you to Rock Recipes, from Newfoundland. I posted about their Gingerbread Houses in 2011. This month they are celebrating their 5th Blog-iversary and today posted their 900th recipe -  Frozen White Chocolate Cream Puffs! There are a lot of people out there who just love Newfoundland cuisine from Fish Cakes to Figgy Duff. I hope you don't mind my diversion to cooking on this warm day in St. John's.



After you check out the recipes, have a look at these interesting 'food' items:

Free Play Food Patterns - get an early start on Christmas gifts for young children
Cookie Set and Hello Kitty Placemats
Yarnalicious Cupcakes
Sewing Play Food

Enjoy!

Books

While on vacation, I collected a few books and magazines. Take a look! Actually, the Machine Embroidered Seascapes by Alison Holt, was waiting for me when I got back home. I thought I'd include it too. It's an excellent one for those who are into thread painting. The Complete Feltmaking, More ... Texture with Textiles and Needleweaving were purchased at a second hand book store on North Avenue (Wicker Park area of Chicago). The Christmas with Possibilities is bright and cheerful with easy and quick to do projects. They are also easy to adapt to make other Christmas things and not just the ones shown. The Christmas one was a Joanne's purchase with a 50% off coupon. (Love those coupons).

As you can see, I have a variety of interests! Will I ever get the chance to do all in my 'want to do list?!' I can always try. . .
Enjoy!

Wool Roving from K E Designs

On my travels, I visited Windsor, NS. This is a very nice town. However, driving along the main streets, we noticed two ladies dressed up in winter clothes (it was 31C and sunny) and Christmas decorations along the street and in the windows. Then we saw the lights and cameras - a Christmas movie was in the works! For awhile, I thought I had skipped a couple of months.

We had lunch at an outdoor bar & grill further along on Water Street. Right next door, was K E Designs, a small gift boutique. Of course I had to peek inside! My eyes were drawn to the hand dyed yarns and roving. Of course, some of the roving found its way into my stash. It was very difficult to choose which colours would work best in my art - anyway here's what I purchased:

Quilting Gallery Blog Hop

Just a quick post to let you know about the Quilting Gallery Blog Hop Party. There are lots of blogs participating in this celebration of back to school. Even if you don't want to leave any comments for a chance to win something, the blogs are great to visit. Many of them have great tutorials to try! So grab a cup of something and enjoy!!



PS,
I've left a few comments along the way.
Maybe I'll be lucky - or NOT but it's been fun looking at the various sites. I'm not finished yet.