Website Hijack! Lots of Classes!

David, our Webmaster, has gone off to Cyprus on an Archaeological Dig leaving the class webpage unattended.  Now you’ve all heard of the saying “While the cats away the mice will play”.  Well Joy and Liz decided to take advantage of David’s absence to seize control and tell you about some of the exciting new classes and events taking place over the next few weeks.

First off is the Open Day on Friday 28^th June where we will be showcasing the Sizzix Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, some very exciting new Pfaff Sewing Machines, Handi Quilter and Grace quilting frames and much more.  Why not come along and see what’s new for yourself – and bring a friend too?  Special Offers on Ex Demonstration Sewing Machines. There is no charge and we will have door prizes!

Anne Rowley, Winner of the Great British Sewing Bee will be popping in to chat to fellow sewers and quilters during the morning sessions so if you would like to meet Anne make it a date in your diary!

Call 0121 702 2840 to book on one of the three sessions. Spaces are limited per session so please quote the Reference Number shown below:

L229-A - 10am to 12 noon

L229-B  - 12 noon to 2pm

L220-C - 2pm to 4pm

Open Day at The Cotton Patch Studio

This will be followed up on July 26^th and 27^th by half day workshops where you will be able to use the Sizzix Big Shot Die Cutter to make a small project.  The first day will show you how you can use the Sizzix to enhance your applique, whilst the second day will focus on using the Sizzix to make pieced blocks.  A real help for those of you who struggle with rotary cutting or need to cut large numbers of the same shape – it’s difficult to choose between them.  £25 per session which includes fabric to play with and the use of our dies and Big Shots!

Applique Half Day Workshop

Quote Ref No:  L238-AM (9:30-12:30) or L238-PM (1:30-4:30)

Block Party Half Day Workshop

L232-AM (9:30-12:30) or L232-PM (1:30-4:30)

Angela Southey from Sizzix

For beginners there is our new monthly Saturday Beginners course starting on 20^th July.  Taking you on a journey from your first rotary cut to your first quilt this will give you a good grounding in a variety of basic Patchwork and Quilting techniques.  Class spaces are limited to 8 to ensure everyone gets good personal attention so book in now if you’d like to join us.  

Quote Ref No: L233-2013 £125 for the 8-week course. 

Dates: 20th July 2013, 17th Aug, 7th Sept, 12th Oct, 2nd Nov, 7th Dec, 11th Jan 2014, 8th Feb, 8th March

Introduction to Patchwork and Quilting Class

For those of you who need to get a project started or finished and would like help doing so we have added three Bring Your Own class dates in July, September and October.  These half day sessions are the perfect opportunity for you to use the facilities at our Studio and get individual help from Joy as you complete a project of your own choosing.  Book for one, two or all three – the choice is yours.  Quote Ref No: L234-2013, L235-2013 or L236-2013.  £25 per Class

Hot off the press is our new Block of the Month programme Provence and Beyond starting on Monday 14^th October featuring an exclusive ‘strip-it’ fabric for easy piecing.  This half day class includes all the class, pattern and fabrics, except backing fabric, needed to complete your quilt.  Usually a 6 month course we have decided to run this over 9 months so that you can get additional help with layering and quilting your top as well. 

Dates: 14/10/13, 11/11/13, 09/12/13, 06/01/14, 10/02/14, 17/03/14, 14/04/14, 12/05/14, 16/06/14

Course Cost is £50 On Booking and £38.50 per month for class and materials

Quote Ref No: L227-2013 

Provence and Beyond Quilt

Our Farmer’s Wife Sampler quilt classes have proved to be very popular and the next monthly programme begins on Monday 14^th October 2013.  Using Marti Michell templates with rotary cutting techniques makes this an ideal alternative to traditional sampler quilts.  But hurry - there are only two spaces left!! Includes the Farmer's Wife Book, conversion charts and two Marti Michell template sets. 

Quote Ref No: L182-2013

Half a day for 12 Months - £30 joining fee followed by £25 a month for 12 Months

Farmer's Wife Quilt

Christmas Stocking Class

Christmas Stocking Class

There is still of course our range of day classes to choose from and although it’s only June it’s time to think about Christmas!!  Check out our two new Christmas day classes.  On 25^th November 2013 you can come and make a Christmas Stocking to hang up ready for Santa to bring you some nice presents – Oh okay for the children to hang up for Santa!!  

Then on 2^nd December 2013 its time for some seasonal Bias Applique work where you can make a festive wall hanging or cushion cover.  

Quote Ref No: L177-2013 or L178-2013

Course Cost: £45

Call us on 0121 702 2840 to book any of these classes quoting the Class References shown here.

Hope this has inspired you to join us and remember - Don’t tell David!!  

Pauline Burbidge Open Studio 2013

Charlie & Pauline’s OPEN STUDIO - 2013

This is our 20th year!!

2nd – 5th August, 11am – 6pm, for the 4 days

Our studios and gardens at Allanbank Mill Steading are transformed into magical places to show artwork, for this event.

The drawn line makes strong links and connections in our work - Charlie’s five foot square drawings, Pauline’s ‘Stitch Drawings’ and Olivia’s prints and drawings. 

Olivia Lomenech Gill (guest artist) – Combines the techniques of drawing, painting and printmaking in her work. She has won several awards for printmaking, most recently the 2012 John Purcell Award for ‘The Refuge Box’. She has recently illustrated the book ‘Where my wellies take me’ by Clare and Michael Morpurgo and has many other projects in hand.

Charles Poulsen – Has three strands to his work; drawing, sculpture and growing sculpture. His recent striking drawings can be viewed on his new website. www.charlespoulsendrawing.co.uk 

His ‘Growing Sculpture’ takes on a massive scale, and includes ‘Point of Resolution’ – map ref: NT354337, several bulb plantings in Dumfries, Hawick and East Kilbride, and developing ongoing pieces at Spottiswoode. www.growingsculpture.com 

Pauline Burbidge – Textiles, ‘Quiltscapes’ and ‘Stitch Drawings’. A chance to see some of the work she made for her retrospective show last year ‘PB Retro: Interpretations in Cloth’ – the publication ‘Works between 1975 and 2012’ is a record of this. Her works have been purchased by many UK museums including the V&A, the Whitworth Art Gallery, The Shipley Art Gallery, The National Museums of Scotland and also by USA museums and private collectors.

www.paulineburbidge-quilts.com

To view a location map please see www.paulineburbidge-quilts.comContact: Pauline or Charlie on 01890 818073

E: info@paulineburbidge-quilts.com

Allanbank Mill Steading, Allanton, Duns, Berwickshire, Scottish Borders, TD11 3JX
We encourage you to also visit a new exhibition venture, organized by our neighbours at Allanbank Arts.

Amy Butler Alchemy Fabrics from Rowan

Amy Butler's latest fabric range from Rowan is called Alchemy and consists of 12 prints. Amy says that she designed Alchemy around the idea of transformation, and infusing elements of nature with exciting color and vivid graphic stories. Her vision was to achieve a lovely chemistry of print, colour, and texture. Below you can see inspiration photographs of the range from Amy's website as well as scans of some of the fabrics. We have also put together a fat quarter pack of all 12 of the fabrics.

If you visit Amy Butler's website there are details on a free quilt and pillow pattern to download.

The Sweet Slices Pillow Pattern is available as a free download.

 You can purchase the Amy Butler Alchemy fabrics here.

Fat Quarter Pack 5909FQ features all 12 prints from Alchemy

Industrial Cotton Production Heritage - Quarry Bank and Styal Mill

Cotton production - the manufacturing of fabric from cotton plant to finished product is amazing to me. Whether it's because some history teacher at school regaled us with stories of Hargreaves, Arkwright and the Flying Shuttle or the discovery that my family history is peppered with silk merchants, calico producers and dyers I don't know but there is something about the smell of an old mill - it's wood and oil, the cotton fibres and the contraptions that live there that never fails to captivate my imagination.

There are big social issues associated with these places and no doubt without the slave trade that helped the trading triangle between England, Africa and America to flourish none of these mills would exist. The working conditions for the children employed there for 12 hours a day, 6 days a week would hardly meet the European Working Time Directive.

Styal Mill near Manchester, England is a National Trust property and it's a great place to spend a few hours. The demonstrators of the machinery are knowledgeable and excellent at communicating the history of this place.  A wonderful demonstration of spinning technique has me wanting to find out more. Apparently there are associations of spinners, weavers and dyers. The original water mill is still providing power to the mechanised looms and the fabric that is woven there is sold in the shop.

If you are interested in industrial heritage and the story of the rise and fall of the cotton manufacturing industry in the UK then Styal would be the place to go.

About ten years ago it was certified for civil wedding ceremonies - my brother and his wife were married at Styal - it's a great backdrop to a wedding and holds many happy memories of that day for me together with the history of all the manufacturing that took place there over so many years - the essence of our
industrial heritage.

I really recommend it - great for fabric lovers, for husbands who love bits of machinery (my husband was as fascinated as I was) and the children there were captivated - how often do they see real manufacturing machinery - it's an impression that will probably last for a long time. Go!

Valerie Huggins Quilts

Following on from our feature on one of our Danish Handi Quilter HQ18 Avante customers, we're now focusing on someone a little closer to home - Valerie Huggins from London.

Valerie had her Avante installed by Alan, our engineer, at her Studio in Cable Street, East London. Her website and blog showcase her quilts which are available to purchase. Val does commissions as well as offers collections off the shelf or bespoke to the size you require. 

Valerie describes her style of quilting...

My individually designed and handmade quilted throws are the products of a long-standing passion for textiles. In the traditions of quiltmaking, I select armfuls of fabrics, both patterned and plain, as my “palette”. But with the emphasis on contemporary style, I mix graphic, geometric and floral designs with strong colours in exciting, sometimes surprising combinations to complement the modern interior.

More recently she's discovered the benefit of the Groovy Boards on the HQ18 Avante which give great results for circles or squares - both spirals and concentric. These templates, which are used through a stylus controlled at the rear of the machine, repeat the circle or square precisely on the quilt top and are perfect for emphasising certain aspects of the design or fabric, drawing the eye in or creating movement within the quilt.

This is a great example where the quilting design has really enhanced and altered the look of a quilt. It creates a really Modern Quilting look.

Valerie also has a blog which is well worth subscribing to. The link currently goes to a write-up of the Kaffe Fassett exhibition which is on until June 2013. 

Visit Valerie Huggins' Blog here. 

If you're thinking about purchasing a Handi Quilter then seeing how others are using it and the kind of work that they are doing is key to making the right choice. Our machines are all EU certified and are despatched from our UK warehouse. 

Valerie took up the option to have her HQ18 Avante installed by Alan, our engineer. We offer training and quilt retreats with experienced teachers and Handi Quilter educators to ensure that you get full use of your investment.

To find out more visit our website or call us on 0121 702 2840 to find out more or to book an appointment at The Cotton Patch Quilt Studio.

To see the Handi Quilter HQ18 Avante and Sweet Sixteen in action visit us at one of the shows that we're attending this year.

We'll be demonstrating at the following shows.  Make a date in your diary!

Malvern Quilts UK Show from 16th to 19th May 2013

Festival of Quilts at the NEC in August - 8th to 11th August

Scottish Quilt Championships Edinburgh - 20th to 22nd September

Alexandra Palace Knitting and Stitching Show 11th to 14th October

West Country Quilt Show Bath and West Showground 28th to 30th November 2013

The Great British Sewing Bee - BBC2 2nd April 2013

Despite the wintry conditions the "Sewing for Pleasure Show" at the NEC the past four days has been busy with quilters, crafters. embroiderers, scrapbookers and sewers stocking up on supplies, learning new techniques and sharing their creative ideas. 

Sewing for Pleasure at the NEC March 2013

Longarm Sit Down Quilting using the Handi Quilter Sweet Sixteen 

It was buzzing...which I guess is what people might think a Sewing Bee would be doing. Buzzing that is.  In fact a "Bee" is a gathering according to the Wiki resource. OK, so it might be a North American derivation but if language is about communicating something then let's go with the Great British Sewing Bee as being a gathering of people who are sewing.

Sizizx Big Shot for Fabric Cutting in action

Whilst some blog posts that I've just been reading might think that sewing is on the decline, fabric shops are closing and the thought of watching people sewing is plain boring, then can we please just think again? 

Rotary Cutting Demonstrations

Demonstrations of fabric distressing using the Fabric Master

We blogged back in 2011 on a University study (also reported in several popular papers) which examined why quilting is good for you. This increasingly popular hobby just goes from strength to strength. Each year we see more and more shops opening. The trade show Stitches at the NEC in February 2013 was the busiest we've ever seen it. 

We were delighted to discover that two of our Cotton Patch customers are on the Great British Sewing Bee programme and whilst the initial brief seems to have been to cover a number of different sewing disciplines it appears that dress-making may feature highly. Possibly it's because patchwork projects take a little longer than the 4-week programme would allow! We can't deny that there are probably more quilters with UFOs (Unfinished Objects for the initiated) out there than not...

So, let's see how the Great British Sewing Bee pans out - it would be great to find sewing acknowledged as being a little more mainstream. In the meantime, the people in the know can find their hobby alive and kicking at the many quilt shows (for example we'll be at the Exeter Spring Quilt Festival just after Easter), shops and sewing machine dealers who are helping people get into sewing, patchwork, quilting, or whatever textile or fibre art pursuit appeals.

As part of this the Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey Street London, which currently has what looks to be a stunning exhibition of Kaffe Fassett's work until June, is running workshops on sewing - check out this link.

So good luck to Stuart Hillard and Anne Rowley who will be on BBC2 starting 2nd April at 8pm as the Great British Sewing Bee hits our screens - let's see if it doesn't surprise a few people...

Danish Quilting Services - Handi Quilter Longarm

As the European Distributor for Handi Quilter Longarm Machines and Frames we are finding more and more quilters around Europe who love using the Handi Quilter machines and frames. From time to time we'll post updates on how they are being used here on our Blog. 

For the first one we're focusing on Lisbeth Ydesen in Denmark. She offers a quilting service for customers' quilts from her studio called "Tekstil and Quilt Snedkeriet".

Lisbeth is located north of Copenhagen in a lovely place called Gilleleje. When Alan visited in January it was pretty cold but it looks as though it would be beautiful in the warmer months of the year. Of course, it's all the more reason to make quilts when the harbour is frozen over!!

Location of Lisbeth Ydesen's Quilting Business

Gilleleje Harbour - cold!

Lisbeth Ydesen with her Handi Quilter Longarm Machine

She makes and sells her own quilts, holds quilt retreats and sells some patchwork and quilting notions, wadding (batting) and fabrics.  For details on her courses please follow this link.

For more details on the quilting service that Lisbeth Ydesen operates or if you would like to see the Handi Quilter Longarm in action please contact her - her website is www.hvilehoejquilts.dk where you can find her contact details.  She would love to see you!

Are you Interested in Finding Out More About Longarm Quilting?

If you are interested in having a demonstration of the Handi Quilter Longarm Machines such as the Avante or Sweet Sixteen please contact us to arrange a visit to The Cotton Patch Studio. We are located about 20 minutes drive from Birmingham International Airport. 

Alternatively we may be able to put you in touch with a quilter who has a machine close to you that can demonstrate it for you. To go to a map of where Handi Quilter Machines are installed in Europe please click here. Again, please contact us for details. Telephone +44 121 702 2840 or email mailorder@cottonpatch.co.uk

Our HQ18 Avante Handi Quilter and Sweet Sixteen Sitdown machines are EU certified and are supplied with either a UK or European plug depending on your location. They are designed to work with UK or European voltage as well as USA so you don't have to worry about a transformer. We normally supply from stock direct from our warehouse in the UK. 

Finally, here are is one of the beautiful quilts from Lisbeth Ydesen's Quilt Gallery.