Sewing All Day

This morning "Crafty Time Out" met at my house (good excuse for posher biscuits) and although there were only a few of us we had a lovely time, sitting stitching, chatting and having a nice cup of tea (and biscuits).
This afternoon I headed to Sibsey to meet with my friend Tina.  We are starting a quilting group in the village and needed to discuss our plans for the day.  It's very exciting, I hope lots of people come along and can be involved right from the beginning with the way the group is going to run.  The first meeting is on 20th September and we're having a trader (oooh, fabric buying), a raffle and a gentle show and tell.  We'll also be chatting, sewing, planning and we'll need to decide on a name for our group.  If you're local and want more details, send me an email please.
Tina was telling me about "Wonderfil" thread which is now sold by the Quilters' Guild.  It has received some very good reports and favourable comparisons with my beloved Aurifil apparently.  I'm going to give some a try and I'll get back to you - mainly as it will be easier to get hold of than Aurifil and buying it will benefit the QGBI.  Have any of you lovely people used this thread yet?  What do you think?
Apart from all that lovely sewing-related stuff it's been a dull and miserable day, weather-wise, here in Lincolnshire so it's time for winter food.  I've got a slow cooker full of savoury mince and I'm making Yorkshire pudding to have with it, plus French beans from the garden which are still going strong.  Sounds warming eh?  When we've eaten I'll be back with a needle in my hand working on the little blocks for the bag I'm making - Southern Belle from Monkey Buttons.  Life's pretty good really and tomorrow I'm having a day with DD :) so that's be a good day too, we're going to have a browse in John Lewis among other things.

Sewing Day

I've had a lovely day today at my Norfolk quilt group.  I was in my wheelchair and I was so grateful (and I must confess, a little surprised) that so many people made a special effort and came over to speak to me as I wasn't able to get around the room easily, I really, really appreciated it.  Quilters are such nice people.  We weren't in our usual hall and so it was a handsewing-only meeting.  I finished my fabric postcards for the BQLPC swap except for zigzagging the edges and then did lots of EPP clamshells, while chatting and drinking the tea that people kindly made for me. 
Do you like the little Aurifil button I've added to the righthand column?  I love these threads and highly recommend them.  They are especially low lint in machines and beautiful to hand sew with too.

Good Sewing Afternoon

After overcoming a migraine this morning (thank goodness for the drugs) I have had a very productive afternoon and also an exciting parcel.

I ordered the Aurifil "Basics" collection from New Threads Quilts in Andover on 30th September and my beloved picked it up from the sorting office for me today.  If I'd been home to sign for it on Saturday I would have had it then - pretty impressive service.  I've not used the company before but I will again.

This afternoon I've done the Autumn/Fall blocks for the current Global Piecers block swap.  I can't share a  picture here, not until the blocks have arrived at their destinations,  but I used fabrics that I posted a picture of when I bought them from Quiltessential at the Festival of Quilts .  I was pleased with the way the block worked out (after a couple of false starts and some frog stitching).
Tomorrow I'm going to start on a new sashiko project that you can see here.

Festival of Quilts 2010 - Part 2

I promised to share my Festival of Quilts loot with you so here goes.  As I am a little partial to textiles Japanese I did veer towards traders that were offering such goodies.  In fact so much so that my friend Trish started to tease me, just a little, "Look, there's some fabric called "Tokyo"...on that stall".  I had a great time at Susan Briscoe's stand (which was high on my list of those to visit) and then, as we were heading for the exit I found a wonderful array of Japanese fabrics that I was totally unable to resist - last minute impulse buys, brilliant.  Please head over to my other blog for Japanese eye candy and links later this week.

Not all my purchases were oriental though.  I "needed" to stock up with wonderful Aurifil thread and as soon as I saw Alex Veronelli across the hall I made a beeline for the gorgeousness of their threads.  I bought the absolutely fabulous Rose of Sharon collection by Sharon Pederson. 

 Isn't that a divine set of colours?  I use Cotton Mako' 40 weight for most things, Aurifil say:

Cotton Mako' 40

Ideal for Machine Quilting , it is a little heavier to show off the quilting stitches. This is the "universal" thread weight in the Mako' range, perfect for quilting, as it is a little finer than the Mako' 28 "Quilting" thread it is great for ditch stitching and fine detail work, while still having sufficient definition to look good when you want the thread and stitching to show. Available on 1000 metre (1094 yd)  green plastic spool holder. 

I also bought a large cone of a basic grey and some delicious variegated threads, mmmmmmmmm.  Love this thread.  It is expensive but it stitches smoothly and finely with little lint and fluff, well worth the extra cash in my opinion. 

My next port of call was at Art Van Go, a wonderful supplier of all things fabric art, dyeing and messy.  This is more Trisha's area, she does exciting, embellished, experimental work, but I want to try my hand at dyeing - I haven't done it since I was a primary school teacher and my whole class made Dylon tie-dyed, underwater-themed cushions.  The choice of powders and potions was a little overwhelming so I made a selection from the "starter" kits and am now waiting for a dry, warmish day to get outside and take steps into this new and interesting area.  Of course, faced with all the goodies available I couldn't stop at one kit so I now have

Procion MX Dye Starter Pack
Contains six mixing colours in red, yellow and blue
as selected by Ruth Issett. 200gms Urea, 6
Pipettes, foam brush and easy instructions.
(Washing soda/soda ash, salt and Calgon also
required.)
11103 £15.95

Indigo Starter Pack
Indigo Vat 60% grains and Hydros, plus gloves, mask
and complete instructions. Will make an Indigo Vat of
15 litres or more.
14103 £9.00

and 

'Peeznkarat' Cyanotype Kit
Create beautiful permanent blueprints on fabrics
and other surfaces. Chemicals to treat approx. 1m
natural fabrics. Instructions included
17101 £7.25

I was delighted to meet Gail Lawther who has recently published a wonderful book about her series of New Zealand quilts called "Glimpses of New Zealand.  We had tried to get a place on her workshop but, unsurprisingly, they were sold out on the day booking opened.  Instead I bought Trish and I the kit 

which we would have used in the workshop and we're going to have fun working together to create our own interpretations of Gail's New Zealand seascape wallhanging (far left on the book cover below).

Of course there was fabric, what were you thinking of me?  Not as much as I expected to buy actually but, apart from the impulse Japanese fabrics I was buying for planned projects - impressed?  I bought this selection from Quilt Essential for an autumn block swap:

and these from Doughty's for a Christmas block swap:

and then I was off my list and seriously into impulse buying!  The first was a doll kit and I don't even make dolls, but she was wearing a kimono, what could I do?  Especially when I cheekily bagged two free FQs with the purchase from Step By Step Patchwork Centre!  

 The second was this:

 Can you tell what it is yet?

It is mulberry bark.  I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do with it but I just wanted it.  I love the look of it, the texture and the colours and it wasn't expensive (£2.50 for that piece) so how could I resist?  There's a little more about it here at mijn-eigen.nl 

Here is one of my final purchases, gorgeous eh?  I'll put the rest at Sashiko Started It later on so do pop over there and enjoy. 

Thread Stash Report

Sew, Mama, Sew! is asking about our thread stashes plus there's a chance to win some great thread. 
I was surprised to see how much thread I have (although most of the DMC is left over from my cross stitching days so probably shouldn't count)

Here goes:

• How did you select colours for your personal thread collection?

I always buy threads specifically for a project, rarely enough and then have to go and buy more.  I also buy thread I take a fancy to, these are usually those gorgeous variegated threads and also those textured natural threads that are hand-dyed.  I don't use these, just gaze at them from time to time.  I also make sure I have a good selection of neutrals which I buy in larger spools if possible.

• Do you always match the colour perfectly to your project?

What do you mean by match?  I always buy a thread to use with a project but it might be a contrast.  I would usually piece in a matching thread but don't get stressed if it isn't an exact match.  I find a grey thread suits all sorts of colours and also use a lot of cream.

• Do you ever use contrasting thread?

Yep, see above.

• Do you use the same colour in the bobbin as the upper thread?

Usually unless I am quilting and the fabric on the back is a very different colour from the front and the contrast wouldn't work well.

• What if a fabric has big areas of very different colours?

Grey or cream is good.  I'd try to match the colour tone rather than the actual colours.  I did once have to hand sew some variegated bias tape, switching sewing thread colour every six inches or so, what a nightmare, never again!

• Do you have any tips or suggestions about choosing thread?

I have only recently come to appreciate the importance of the thread to a project.  My suggestion would be to try out various makes and find one you enjoy using and which works well for you.  Be prepared to pay well for good quality thread, cheap thread is a false economy and an insult to your fabric, design and time. 

• Can you show us a picture(s) of your thread collection?

• Do you ever buy thread because you fall in love with the colour (without a particular project in mind)?

Absolutely and I have chosen thread before fabric for a project too.

• Do you “invest” in thread?

Yes, cheap thread is a false economy (see above).  I have recently discovered Aurifil threads.  They are smooth, lint-free and tangle-free for both machine and hand sewing and I adore them.  They're expensive but well worth it in my opinion.  Fantastic range of colours too.

• What types of thread do you have? (elastic, quilting, all-purpose, wool, etc.)

Cottons of varying weights, metallic threads, variegated quilting threads, that transparent thread that I thought I should have but don't know what to do with, extra-strong "button" thread, some threads, such as polyesters, that I wouldn't buy now but will probably use up for tacking etc.,

embroidery silks, coton perle, sashiko cottons.... 

I also have some reels of thread that were my grandmother's, I wouldn't ever get rid of them but I'll probably never use them either.  Do you like the box?  I made that ;)

Thanks Sew,Mama,Sew!, looking at my threads has been fun.  Follow the link to see what others have in their thread stashes.