JoyofQuilting

It's been another busy week for me. I'm learning all the time about blogging and followers and networks and circles. Still finding it all a bit confusing. Just when I think I fully understand one thing another crops up. Never mind it's all good fun. But if any of you are having problems with anything on the blog. Please let me know. Because I might be blissfully unaware. I'd love to see any logcabin blocks/quilts you may have started work on. You can post pictures now on my Joyofquilting facebook page . Click the link on the right hand side or even the red bit of writing here to take you to my facebook page. It's Easter this weekend. I have given my hubby a hint of what egg I'd like and even where to buy it, so fingers crossed. Mind you it doesn't feel like Easter - it's still freezing here in Wales. And all the spring flowers are still hiding underground from the frost. I have also picked up my wavy crocheting this week. I don't think I've

Today we are going to put the spotlight on one of the Quilters Fab Four Feet. And this weeks one is proper little workhorse. Today we are looking at the humble quarter inch foot. This foot is a real must have for patchwork. Yes you can manage without it. You could use a piece of tape to mark the quarter inch. You could use the measurements on the base plate of your machine, or you could move your needle across to quarter inch. And all of these ideas will work to a degree. And indeed when you first start piecing your patchwork blocks these ideas will help you get started. But once you know you are going to be a patchworker then your really need to consider investing in a quarter inch foot. Luckily it is one of the least expensive feet to buy. It's only small. But boy will it make a huge difference to the accuracy of your piecing. When I first began patchwork and quilting an experienced quilter told me the most important two things about piecing where accurate cutting and acc

This is a test post to see if my follow me on facebook link is working now that I've hopefully ticked the right boxes. Let me know Chris if you see this on facebook

Hello and welcome Chris so brave of you to join us.

Ahhhh...and relax.  I just got back in after battling through wind and rain and roadworks to get home. The weather outside is horrendous. I think this has been the longest winter - certainly since my records began;).  One good think - it's perfect stitching weather. Looking back over the last week I had a wonderful start. Last Saturday Ros, one of our 'actual group' members showed me a copy of April's British Patchwork & Quilting magazine. I was surprised and delighted to see that Ros had nominated me as their 'Threaducation Star of the Month'.  Thank you so much Ros, I am quite thrilled that you felt the need to publicly thank me. And for doing what I love. As an added bonus, both Ros and I should soon receive a box of Mettler sewing threads. Monday I took a few pictures in class of some of our Logcabin Quilts First we have Peggy's Barn Raising Logcabin Quilt top. I'll have to get a close up next week. Because this picture doesn't show up t

I'm sitting down, feet up, cup of tea at the ready. I hope you have had a good stitching week.  And sometimes a good stitching week is a plotting and planning week rather than actual stitching week. I know I spend a considerable amount of time thinking about and planning projects. It's all part of the fun. Have you had a chance to watch  this weeks Video Lesson on making up a basic logcabin sample block? If you are quite new to logcabin it's worthwhile watching my first two videos. Rotary Cutting and making a Basic Logcabin sample block. It doesn't take long to make up and will serve as a visual reminder to you whenever you want to make logcabin blocks. A little heads up here, cut a few extra strips. They will come in handy over the next few weeks as we make Courthouse Steps and Half Square Logcabin samples. While you have been busy learning about logcabin. I have been busy learning the ins and outs of blogging.  Today I have been reading about having a Faceboo

 Welcome everyone. Today we are going to look at a few different Logcabin Blocks. First, we have your Basic Log Cabin Block . The one I think most of us are familiar with. This is the type of block we have been making a sample of in our Monday Group Video.                       And this Kickback Friday I will be showing you how by just playing with the positioning of this one block in a quilt can give you many different looks. This is a Half Log Cabin block . This block is put together by stitching strips to just two sides of your centre square.  I may make a little video of this method too. Because I know it's easier to understand these things when you can see them actually being made up. Thick & Thin Log Cabin Block .                                             This one does what it says on the tin.  It's  stitched together the same way as the basic Log Cabin block. Working around a centre square with thick strips on one half (two sides) and thin s

Welcome everyone.  Today I have uploaded the second video for logcabin blocks. Today's video follows on from last week's rotary cutting video where I showed you how to cut strips ready to make a sample logcabin block.  And today I'll be showing you how to stitch the strips together. Just click on the arrow to start the video. Also today we have some pictures of ongoing logcabin quilts from group members. Below is Joan's 'wavy logcabin' quilt top. And above is Win's 'wonky logcabin' quilt top. They look so different don't they. I'll be explaining/looking at different types of logcabin blocks in Spotlight Wednesday. Meanwhile have fun watching/making your own logcabin sample block.                                                             Yours in stitches, Joy x

Kickback Fridays are going to be posts looking back over the week and  chatting about whatever takes my fancy. I'm going to sit down with a cup of tea and just chill with you all. This last week has been incredible for me. My revamping of this blog has really hit the ground running.  I've learnt so much in the last seven days. And I am thrilled that my followers have reached double figures. I've gone from one to ten followers this week. Although I must confess one of those followers is me. I still don't know how I did that - it's a mystery to me how I managed to follow myself. Anyway, I really appreciate all your support. And please keep on making comments I really do want to know what you think and how your getting on with your projects, especially so if your making a logcabin quilt at the moment. I've been making next Monday's logcabin sample video today. I'm so enjoying sharing with you all. And although the video is to help beginners, or those

My first Spotlight Wednesday is tied in with Monday class. I am going to attempt to upload a video.......it's How to rotary cut strips for a basic log cabin block. I think it's so much easier to learn how to do these things when someone actually shows you how. AND it sticks even better once you attempt a sample piece. So, today I'm showing you how to cut the strips and next Monday class I'll show you how to make up a basic log cabin sample block using the said rotary cut strips. For today you will need three fabrics, one light, one dark and one for the centre block. Tip for video - to watch it full screen click on the little square at the bottom right of the video once it starts playing. And yes, I know this 'Wednesday' blog has been posted late on Tuesday evening, but I was so excited and wanted to make sure it would work:)

OK - Big deep breath. This is a bit scary for me. But every journey must start with the first step - so here we go my first Virtual Monday Group meeting. Welcome one and all. Firstly let me tell you a bit about Monday Group. There is an actual Monday Group/class.  We met, obviously, on a Monday.  We welcome all new members no matter where they are on their quilting journey. We usually have a project on the go in class. We help and encourage members to work at a pace that suits them as we try and help them develop their stitching skills. Also if any members need help or advice on their own projects we do our best to help them. We also drink tea/coffee and eat cake/biscuits, show each other what we are working on, and plan trips and visits to quilty things. Oh, I almost forgot something very important. We laugh. A lot. After all this is a hobby, we are supposed to be having fun! I find the last sentence goes down very well, especially when someone is un-ripping a seam - a very lon

I think St. David's day has been a very good day to start my blog's revamp. I've completed some background work today. But over the next few days/weeks I hope to make lots of changes as I update the focus of my blog. So I hope all my readers and my one, much loved, follower will bear with me as I attempt to make these changes. It's a big learning curve for me and a bit scary - So fingers crossed that JoyofQuilting will morph into my dream blog, learning, sharing, stitching, caring. I'll let you know more about my dream soon.  Meanwhile, keep stitching, Joy. 'If you build it, they will come' Field of Dreams

I know it's an 'oldie' but I just had to share this with you all. It's a cushion I made using an old photo of my daughter and her twin cousins taken on St. David's Day about 30 years ago. St. David's day is on March 1st and St. David is the patron Saint of Wales. And on this day here in Wales, all the little girls dress up in National Welsh Costume and the boys tend to wear Welsh Rugby Shirts. The girls wear a daffodil which is our National Flower and is usually in bloom by 1st March. The boys wear a leak often in competition with each other over who has the largest leak! This picture was taken after they had been to school that day. You can just make out the yellow of the daffodil on my daughter (centre) but it looks like the twins daffs didn't survive school that day. The cushion itself is made using fabrics that would be in a typical Welsh Costume. The paisley fabric was typically the shawl. The black and white check the apron and the red, or a red an