Festival of Quilts Celebration Giveaway :: Lou Orth Designs

Anyone fancy some new quilt patterns, that's what's up next in the #cutandalterfoqgiveaway ...

EDITED ON 01/08/2020 AT 19:00  ::  THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

If you are into Modern Quilts then you will definitely have seen some of Lou's designs, not only at Festival of Quilts, but also in quilting magazines in which she regularly has her patterns.  

She has an online shop where all of her patterns are available as paper or pdf.  Her recent big news is that one of her patterns, Fraction (can I admit that it's a favourite of mine?), has just featured on Sewing Street!!

Giveaway Prize:  Fraction, Vintage Tiles and Sprout Quilt paper patterns 

Apologies to overseas readers but due to postage costs this prize is limited to UK addresses only

Conditions of Entry:

To enter this giveaway you need to go to Instagram or Facebook on the links below.

Enter on Instagram

Enter on Facebook

Good Luck!!

Where you can find Lou Orth Designs

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Festival of Quilts Celebration Giveaway :: The Quilter's Den

Right, who's next on the #cutandalterfoqgiveaway?

EDITED ON 01/08/2020 AT 17:35  ::  THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Last year was the first time that the team from the Quilter's Den had exhibited at Festival of Quilts and they were really looking forward to going back this year.  

They stock a wide range of fabric, wadding and thread, along with books and other accessories, which are available in the bricks and mortar shop in Warwick or from the online store.  

There is usually a wide range of workshops regularly available which will be up and running again soon.

Giveaway Prize:  4 FQs of Liberty Summer

Apologies to overseas readers but due to postage costs this prize is limited to UK addresses only

Conditions of Entry:

To enter this giveaway you need to go to Instagram or Facebook on the links below

To enter on Instagram

To enter on Facebook

Where to find The Quilter's Den

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Festival of Quilts Celebration Giveaway :: Sew Me Something Friday

The next SMS #cutandalterfoqgiveaway is live!!

EDITED ON 31/07/20 AT 19:00  ::  THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Here is the second giveaway from Jules at Sew Me Something ....

Sew Me Something is a regular trader at shows around the country and would have been at Festival of Quilts this year selling their patterns and fabric.  If you are into dressmaking you have probably already come across the SMS patterns designed by Jules in her wonderful studio just outside of Stratford upon Avon.  It is from this studio that a range of classes and workshops are held which will hopefully be back up and running soon.  In the meantime there is a lot of digital content you can access from FB lives every Tuesday and Friday or why not join Jules in The Sewing Studio, a new virtual venture offering online classes for numerous projects and techniques.

Giveaway Prize:  One paper pattern from the SMS online shop

Apologies to overseas readers but due to postage costs this prize is limited to UK addresses only

Conditions of Entry:

To enter this giveaway you need to go to Instagram or Facebook on the links below.

Enter on Instagram

Enter on Facebook

Good luck!!

Where to find Sew Me Something

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Festival of Quilts Celebration Giveaway :: The Crafty Nomad

There will be THREE lucky winners for this #cutandalterfoqgiveaway from Jo at The Crafty Nomad

EDITED ON 31/07/20 AT 20:25 :: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

If you have been to the Festival of Quilts in the last couple of years you may well have seen one of Jo's quilts hanging in the show.  She has recognisable style of quilts and also has a little something for rainbows - who can blame her?  

She designs quilts under the name The Crafty Nomad which can be found in her online shop along with kits and cards.  Aswell as designing, she also gives talks and teaches workshops, which will hopefully be back up and running again sometime soon!  In the meantime you could always take a online class with her - details to be released soon.

Giveaway Prize:  3 lucky winners will each receive a pack of sewing themed postcards and their choice of pattern from The Crafty Nomad online shop

Apologies to overseas readers but due to postage costs this prize is limited to UK addresses only

Conditions of Entry:

To enter this giveaway you need to go to Instagram or Facebook on the links below

To enter on Instagram

To enter on Facebook

Where to find The Crafty Nomad

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Festival of Quilts Celebration Giveaway :: Sarah Hibbert Quilts

Next #cutandalterfoqgiveaaway is open!!

EDITED ON 31/07/20 AT 17:13  ::  THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

One of the biggest disappointments for me about Festival of Quilts 2020 being postponed was the fact that I wouldn't see Sarah's gallery.  You have probably already seen her work - one of her pieces was the main promotional pic for the show!  The great news is that the gallery will be hung at the 2021 show so we do get a chance to see it after all. 

I have long admired her work, both big and small, and to see it hung in its own gallery was going to be a treat.  The fact I could also see Sarah was also going to be good!  Aswell as making all types of quilts and smaller items, Sarah gives talks and workshops which I am looking forward to attending once they are up and running again.

Giveaway Prize:  5" hand quilted linen coaster made by Sarah using Cherrywood fabric 

Apologies to overseas readers but due to postage costs this prize is limited to UK addresses only

Conditions of Entry:

To enter this giveaway you need to go to Instagram or Facebook on the links below

To enter on Instagram

To enter on Facebook

Be sure to follow the hashtag both on FB and IG so that you can keep track of the giveaways :)  Good Luck!

Where you can find Sarah Hibbert Quilts

Instagram

Facebook

Festival of Quilts Celebration Giveaway :: Sew Me Something - Thursday

First #cutandalterfoqgiveaway is live!!

EDITED ::  THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!

Kicking off the fun four days bright and early is Jules from Sew Me Something ....

Sew Me Something is a regular trader at shows around the country and would have been at Festival of Quilts this year selling their patterns and fabric.  If you are into dressmaking you have probably already come across the SMS patterns designed by Jules in her wonderful studio just outside of Stratford upon Avon.  It is from this studio that a range of classes and workshops are held which will hopefully be back up and running soon.  In the meantime there is a lot of digital content you can access from FB lives every Tuesday and Friday or why not join Jules in The Sewing Studio, a new virtual venture offering online classes for numerous projects and techniques.

Giveaway Prize:  One paper pattern from the SMS online shop

Apologies to overseas readers but due to postage costs this prize is limited to UK addresses only

Conditions of Entry:

To enter this giveaway you need to go to Instagram or Facebook on the links below.

Enter on Instagram

Enter on Facebook

Good luck!!

Where to find Sew Me Something

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Festival of Quilts Celebration Giveaway :: The Participants

Festival of Quilts 2020 has been cancelled and, as its such a huge event in the quilting year, I thought that I  would like to mark it in some way.  

What brings smiles to people's faces?  Giveaways of course!  

I have teamed up with some people I have met over the years, who would either have been traders at the show or who would have entered quilts into the show, and I have got some lovely prizes to be able to offer you .......

It all starts tomorrow and runs until Sunday and will be posted across my blog, Instagram and Facebook.  If you want to be notified when each giveaway goes live then follow the #cutandalterfoqgiveaway on instagram, follow my cutandalter IG account and turn on notifications, like and follow my FB page and again turn on notifications!

Everyone participating is a small, independent business or person within the quilting industry and would all benefit and appreciate any support that you may be able to offer them.

Be sure to stay tuned for all the happenings .......

And who is playing along?  All these lovely people!!

Where can you find me?

Here!

Instagram

Facebook

Where you can find Lou Orth Designs

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Where can you find Olive + Flo Handcraft

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Where to find Pinhole Quilting

Website

Shop

Instagram

Facebook

Where to find The Quilter's Den

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Where you can find Quilts from the Attic

Blog

Instagram

Facebook

Where you can find Sarah Hibbert Quilts

Instagram

Facebook

Where to find Sew Me Something

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Where to find The Crafty Nomad

Website

Instagram

Facebook

CUSTOMER QUILT :: HOUSES QUILT

Another recent customer quilt came from a lady who I have already quilted for before.I do love getting repeat customers it shows that you are doing the right thing!

Quilt Pattern:

Painted Ladies by Eye Candy Quilts

Quilting Pattern:

Water Meander in  Pro-Stitcher Library

Wadding:

Cotton Blend by sew simple 

Thread:

Glide Cream by Filtec Threads
Decobob Antique White by Wonderfil

Quilted on:

Handi Quilt Amara with Pro-Stitcher using Size 16 needle

Feedback:

CUSTOMER QUILT :: STAR QUILT

This is a beautiful customer quilt I quilted the other week - it was the first time the lady had sent a quilt out for quilting.

Quilt Pattern:

Unknown

Quilting Pattern:

Trillium Leaf Allover by Darlene Epp

Wadding:

Cotton Blend by sew simple 

Thread:

Glide White by Filtec Threads
Decobob White by Wonderfil

Quilted on:

Handi Quilt Amara with Pro-Stitcher using Size 18 needle

Feedback:

Top Tip Tuesday

Keep your sharps sharp!!

Both your body and mind will thank you for ensuring all your tools are kept sharp from cutting tools, such as rotary cutters and scissors, to needles, both for machine and hand stitching.

Your body will thank you by being put under less stress and strain which if you do something repetitively can soon build up to manifest itself, whether that be in your thumb joints, wrists, elbow or shoulder.

Your mind will thank you because things will be more precise, need less rework and there is nothing quite like the joy of cutting fabric with a new rotary cutter blade!

Machine needles should be changed regularly, but I do not subscribe to the maxim of a new needle for each new project.  You know how much you sew and how much wear and tear a needle gets.  

Some signs that you may need a new needle are:

• skipped or misaligned stitches where before they were great
• a difference in the sound of your sewing machine because a blunt needle is having to force its way through the fabric
• you hit a bulky seam which could have affected the straightness of the needle

You may choose to change your needle when you give your machine its regular TLC, see my last tip here.

Again how regularly you change your hand sewing needles depends on the amount and type of sewing you do.  I had a gorgeous sharp little needle for sewing on my binding and I because I liked it I kept using it and using it and using it!  I didn't really stop to think why my hands were getting so sore with each quilt being finished.

Scissors are a hard one - do you replace them or get them sharpened?  I know when I lived in New Zealand there were scissor sharpening services locally to me and the difference it made was amazing.  I haven't found any near me in the UK but I haven't been doing much dressmaking to get my good fabric scissors blunt!  Do you have any near you?