Blogger's Quilt Festival Spring 2013

I've been following with envy and delight, all the fantastic quilts and fabrics exhibited at Quilt Market.  It looks like such a cool place to be right now!

 

But thankfully, so the rest of the quilt blogging world don't feel left out, there is a wonderful online competition twice a year to coincide with Quilt Market, hosted by Amy's Creative Side.

 

I had a couple of quilts I was considering entering, but ultimately the quilt I love best that I've made this year is my Anchors Away quilt.  

 

I've been waiting for a sunny day to photograph it, (it's been a long wait!) and here in Jersey we are spoilt for choice with nautical locations, and I eventually went with a quaint little harbour just down the road from where I live. 

 

 

The anchor is raw edge applique that I designed myself, on a backdrop of 2" squares. 

 

I had great fun making the flying geese and I decided to add a further border of rectangles with white sashing between the borders.

 



 

For the back I fussy cut this adorable map of the world print, not just once but twice, and cut out 72 x 2" squares.  Yes for the back, I must be mad!  But I think it was worth the effort as they really frame the map prints nicely. 

 

 

Finally I quilted with vertical straight lines at  1 1/2" inch intervals and finished with some gorgeous, nautical navy stripy binding.



 

And it's not often I include photos of myself on my blog, but the sun was shining and I was feeling particularly happy that I've finally managed to photograph this quilt in a location more appropriate than my back garden ;-)  So here I am.

 

 

 I've put this quilt on display at the local gallery, The Harbour Gallery and you can read more about my display here.  Here are the quilt details. 

 

 

Category: Baby Quilt

Designed by:  Sarah Ashford (me!)

Size: Approx 35"x 41"

Techniques: Raw edge applique, machine pieced, machine quilted

Fabrics: Out to Sea by Sarah Jane and Kona Snow



 

Thank you so much for stopping by.  If you are new to my blog then it's lovely to meet you, do drop me a line to say hello, I'd love to hear from you.  I'm also on facebook and twitter so hopefully I'll see you there too :-) 

 

Now I'm off to check out all the other wonderful entries!

 

Sarah x

 



 



Anchors Away on Display

I've been harping on talking about my Anchors Away quilt now, for what seems like months on end, so thank goodness on Saturday night I put the final hand stitches in the binding!  And here it is. 

 

I had planned to photograph it against the perfect backdrop of a little fishing village called Rozel, just up the road from us.  But guess what.  It rained.  So the quilt photo shoot will have to wait until another (sunnier) day.  Looking at the forecast it could be a while.  Grrr!

But for now, here are the vital statistics.

Quilt Details

 

Designed and made by - Me :-)

Measures - 35" x 41"

Fabrics - Out to Sea by Sarah Jane and Kona White

Techniques - Raw edge applique (the anchor) machine pieced and machine quilted

 

I'm so happy to have a finish, it will be going in The Harbour Gallery  and also on my website very soon. 

By the way, I am dangerously close to 50 likers.   If you like my Anchors Away quilt, I would love  you to follow me...half way to 100 just sounds soooo much better than 48!  I might even have a giveaway in the very near future ;-)  Thank you so much and I look forward to stopping by your blogs too. 
 
 

Linking up with:

 

 

Sarah x

Slow and Steady Progress

I'm all out of sorts this week.  I think that's what happens when it's a Bank Holiday Weekend.  But I can't complain, it was such a glorious weekend of pure blue skies and sunshine.  And no I'm not joking!  We had  lovely time and went to the annual Boat Show, which was a fantastic event with so much to see and do. 

 

 

My daughter even got to sit in the pilot seat of a Royal Navy helicopter, climb aboard the airport fire engine and sit in a lifeboat.  Not to mention the bouncy castle :-)

 

The next day we had our first proper trip of the year to the beach.  By that I mean suncream, beach towels, buckets and spades, everything!  My son just LOVED it.  So much so that he even thought that eating sand would be a good idea!  

But all that sunshine and fresh air made me soooo sleepy!  So come the evenings, when I was meant to be working on bunting orders from my website it was all I could do to stay awake.

I'm pleased to report that good progress has been made on the orders now, and I have returned to my Anchors Away quilt, that I duly quilted last week.  Here it is  last week, quilted and waiting for the binding. 

 

The binding is well underway now too.  Just 2 sides of hand stitching on the back to go. 

 

I can't wait to get some decent shots of this quilt.  Just up the road is the most gorgeous little village called Rozel, and I think it would make the perfect setting for my nautical themed photo shoot.

 

 

 

 

So watch this space, I can't wait to share this finish with you. 

 

Linking up with:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sarah x

 

   

 

It's May today!

I say it every month, and I'll say it again, where did that last month go?!  May already!  Let's hope that it brings the promise of Spring and ekk, dare I say it, even a hint of Summer?  Some sunshine and warmth for a continued period of time would be amazing!! 

 

April was a busy month.  For any new readers, it started of really well for me, with a little trip to Lucerne in Switzerland with one of my friends.  I won the flights in a competition, so it was a great excuse for a little mini break, and we had a awesome time. 

 

 

I even managed to do a little EPP on the train, using my Summersville Spring fabrics.

 

 

And I found some EPP inspiration on the floor of the hotel restaurant, of all places.  (Sorry, not the best picture, the important businessmen having their breakfast were probably wondering why a girl was taking a photo of the floor, so I had to be quick!)

 

 

 

The other exciting news last month was that I now have my quilts and bunting on display at a lovely little place called The Harbour Gallery.  You can read about it in more detail here.

 

 

 

I also managed a few makes this month, and here is the customary 1st of the month collage :-)

 

 

Main picture: My Anchors Away quilt top, that I designed myself

Top right: The back of my Anchors Away quilt.  Only 72 x 2" squares for the back!

Middle right: EPP hexies

Bottom Right: My display at the Harbour Gallery. 

 

And if that weren't enough, I also read and reviewed the fabulous new book by one of my favourite quilters, Sarah Fielke.

 

http://www.thesewingdirectory.co.uk/april-2013-reviews/

 

 

 

Phew, that was a busy month!  I wonder what May will bring?  As well as finishing quilting my Anchors Away quilt I have another in the pipeline...I can't wait to share it with you.

 

I hope you all had a good month too.  Do stop by and say hello if you get the chance, I love hearing from so many like-minded people!
 

Linking up with:

 



 

 

Sarah x

PS.  Are you going to the FQ retreat?  I am so excited already :-)

 

Anchors Away

I've been working like a Trojan this last week to get my Anchors Away quilt top finished.  And it is! 

 

It has been very much a 'design as you go' quilt, which is SO unlike me, as normally I have a vision for how the final quilt will look right at the start, and I will plan on paper or the computer first.  But I quite liked this way of designing each section as I went along, and watching it slowly grow. 

 

And after all that piecing, do you think I was content to use just one fabric for the back??  I don't think so!! 

 

This is what I came up with. 

 

 

Yes that's a further 72 x 2 inch squares!!! 

But I am really pleased with how they offset these gorgeous world map prints.  All the fabrics are from the Out to Sea collection by Sarah Jane, and I just love them.   

I've already basted this baby and I can't wait to quilt it.  Although I am a *little* nervous; it will be the first time I've actually quilted on my brand new Bernina (which you can read about here).

I'm going for wavy line quilting, to echo the sea.  Wish me luck and I can't wait to show you the finished quilt soon. 

I've also added some new photos to my 'gallery' tab, I'd love it if you'd take a look. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. 

Linking up with:

 

 Sarah x

 

PS  Have you heard about the fabulous quilt exhibition at Brooklyn Museum, New York?  I so wish I was that side of the pond right now.  But if like me, you can't get yourself to NY right now, then why not check out this wonderful blog madebychrissied where Chrissie gives you a virtual tour of the two fantastic rooms, jam packed with quilts from times gone by.  And while you're there, take a look at Chrissie's work too, it's stunning and she's an inspiration.  x

 

Im in!

...The Harbour Gallery that is.  And I'm so excited.  If you missed my previous post, then the long and the short of it is a display of my quilts have gone on sale at a beautiful little gallery called The Harbour Gallery in St Aubin, Jersey, and it's the most beautiful place.  Here is the view just outside it.

 

And up on the first floor in the textiles area is me! 

 

I am surrounded by a wealth of talent.  Just to the right in the above picture is a little workroom of a lady called Helene and the Elf, her knitting is just amazing.  And my neighbours opposite me are the beautiful Jersey Oak, who produce wonderful bespoke solid oak furniture.  

 

 

And my neighbours to my left are the stunning Loving Chair Company.  As you can see all their chairs are individual, unique and fabulous. 

 

 

My display is also just a stones throw away from the recently refurbished Cameo Café.  I shall certainly be stopping for a cup of tea next time I visit!

 

 

 

Downstairs is equally beautiful and a wealth of talent.  Here is Gallery 1.

 

And look at all these wonderful art supplies.

 

It really is a little gem of a place and I am so proud to be a very small part of it.  Do take a look at The Harbour Gallery Facebook page, and if you are local or in the area, check to see what workshops are running that week.  They do all kinds; sewing, felting, knitting, crewelwork, you name it. 

 

As well as moving in to the Gallery this weekend, I have also had several midnight sewing sessions.  I've been working on my Anchors Away Quilt that previously looked like this. 

 

 

I decided to add some flying geese, and I used this fantastic tutorial that my blogging friend Susan shared a few months ago.  (It was one of those moments where I'd been musing over making some geese, then all of a sudden there was the tutorial, waiting for me to use!  It really is brilliant; 4 flying geese in 1 go, and no wastage.  Genius. )

 

Anyway, here they are, all 34 of them!

 

And here's the quilt top so far.  Can you believe I've run out of white, I was about 2 inches short.  Damn!

 

More borders to be added!

 

And look at this map for the back, it's going to be must as much fun as the front. 

 

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading this mammoth of a post.  I hope you are having a good week. 

Linking up with:

 

Sarah x