My Quilting Weekend - East Sussex

Hi All, I am just back from a fantastic quilting weekend in East Sussex ran by my local sewing machine shop Superstitch in Leigh on Sea.

There were 12 participants, none of whom I had met before other than Christine who owns the shop, and I had a fantastic weekend.

The venue was at Abingworth Hall in Abingworth, East Sussex, a beautiful venue overlooking the South downs and we had 13 students in the class.

The project was to make a Catherine Wheel quilt, and boy did we work hard and here are some pictures of all our hard work.

And here is my one.

This pattern is created using the log cabin design, and it took me a couple of minutes to get my head around it at first, but once I got going I was fine (only unpicked a couple of pieces).

What did I learn from going on this course?  I realised why the backing on my previous quilts were not as good as the one I made here.  Basically its all about gripping the fabric to the table making sure its very flat.  Adding the wadding, then laying the quilt on top.  Smoothing, smoothing again and pinning.  Lots, of pins.  Did I say lots, well I mean LOTS.  If you can run your hand over the quilt and not feel any pins then you haven't used enough.  Oh and don't do what I did, I didn't make sure that the tips of the pins where inside the fabric and not exposed. Mine were, I was told after the event when I was helping someone else pin their quilt and at times it was like working with a hedgehog.  

I learned how to mitre the corners in that first blue band you can see using a new method, and then how to do the mitres for the binding.  I will work on a tutorial for this when I get time.

I did my first bit of quilting design (see the middle).  I need to do just a little bit more quilting around the centre, and intend doing that a little later tonight so will write a separate post to show you the finished article.  There will be some hand sewing to finish the quilt, and I can do that watching TV tonight.

What else did I take away from this weekend.  Meeting local people with the same passion for sewing and making things that I have (who all live locally to me, some only 10 minutes walk away).  Having fun after dinner while partaking in the quiz.  Chatting, exchanging stories.  Last but not least learning new skills.  I want to do another course as soon as I can, even if its just a day course.

Jobs for tonight - finish the binding on the quilt and hand stitch.  If I have time do a little more on my Chanel jacket.

I hope you all had a good weekend too.  Catch you later..............