Sewing in Company :: Oxfordshire Modern Quilt Guild

In my last post I mentioned that I hadn’t sewn for almost 3 months. That was broken last Saturday when I attended the Oxfordshire Modern Quilt Guild monthly sewing day. I have been a member since the inaugural meeting but have been a somewhat absent figure these past twelve months. Oh my, what a difference a day of sewing makes ......

In fact my husband did point out when I got home that I was happier than I had been for quite some time!!! No shame in admitting that - I know you can relate. It was a wonderful day filled with sewing of course, but also so much more. The chats - about quilting but just as regularly about families and life in general, the laughter - so much of that and, to top it all, the feeling of creating. 

Having always preferred the company of boys when I was growing up, it was a revelation when pregnant to seek the company, support and friendship from women. That’s how it felt again on Saturday.  A far cry from ante natal and post natal groups but the coming of the teenage years has been the hardest transition in or family and so to chat, to laugh and to remember that "it is just a phase” was just what I needed!!

The next few months dates are in my diary IN PEN and, bar serious illness or injury, I will be there sewing up a storm and reinforcing those face to face connections which are so valuable.  Do you sew in a group?  I would love to hear what you like most about it.

My sewing project for the day was Tumbling Spools.  I have to say I am really smitten with this little block and as soon as I got home I cut out another set of spools but with a white background.  I haven't got back to them since then but I can't wait to get both sets sewn up and quilted. I hae never made two version of a quilt at the same time but I really couldn't decided between the dark and light background.  I also have a lot of quilting ideas for this and thought that making two would be a great way showcase different quilting styles on the same quilt.

Pattern by Jo at The Crafty Nomad

The #tumblingspoolsqal is coming into its second week but you could easily catch up if you want to join in.

Let's Bee Social - all about the blocks!

I am still not feeling well but I got so bored doing nothing that I have been in my studio and created!  Whilst it has been a lot slower than normal at least I am making again.

My first make is for the Jersey Modern Quilt Guild Rainbow Retreat in March.  Last year, when I asked for pattern testers, a lady from Jersey replied.  She duly tested the pattern and we kept in touch.  I met her for lunch at Festival of Quilts last year and she mentioned that she was one of the organisers of the Jersey Modern Quilt Guild.  At that time I was really wanting to get involved in the MQG but had just decided that I didn't have enough time or energy to start a group in Midlands.  Luckily for me, soon after, there was a post on IG for the start up of the Oxfordshire MQG which I duly joined!  However, back to Jersey .... I was lucky enough that there were spaces left on their Rainbow Retreat and was invited to go along. I have never been to Jersey so I am really looking forward to it.  The plan had been to go for a week with the family but then the girls started school so the plan changed.  Now it is me flying on my own and being away for 4 days.  Which is a first for me since children came along and will be such a short flight compared to our usual journeys between the UK and NZ!

Anyway, the block requested was a rainbow star (any design) with a Kona Iron background.  I think this fits the bill!

I had used a Wombat Quilts paper pieced pattern before (Inner Star) but I wanted it larger this time.  So I upsized it in EQ7 and printed out my own papers.  I have to say I am really enjoying the learning curve of EQ7 and have found myself colouring in quite a few quilts since I have been unwell!

Next up was my addition to Pauline's UK Travelling Quilt Bee.  I still haven't blogged about this fabulous group I am in which I really must do.  So having looked at the quilt and Pauline's various inspiration # and Pinterest boards I decided to make some improv blocks.  This is something that I have wanted to do for a while having seen such gorgeous pieces being made by others.  I read this post from Red Pepper Quilts - Tutorial: Cutting and Sewing Freehand Curves and this post from Leanne at She Can Quilt on Improv Circles and got cracking.

I think I may have fallen rather in love with this technique!!  I loved how liberating it was and that you can't really go wrong.  The colours would not have been ones I would have usually worked with but I love how they have worked out.  They are mostly Kona Cotton solids with some Cloud 9 Cirrus solids thrown in.  This photo does not do the colours justice but having not had ANY decent light for photos this will have to do for now!

My other monthly Bee commitment this year is The Stash Bee.  This month Rochelle asked for an arrow:

You get some lovely bonus 1/4 blocks from making these blocks which make gorgeous scrappy string squares.

I have three 2017FAL finishes to still blog about but will do them in separate posts to make it easier to link up at the end of the quarter.  If any of you have had some FAL finishes please do leave a comment below with a link so I can come visit and wave some pompoms!!

I am going to link up with Lorna's Let Bee Social linky party today.