Nel Whatmore - Life Is a Minestrone Exhibition

We first met Nel Whatmore at the 2011 Festival of Quilts at the NEC in Birmingham with her fabric range designed for the Coats/Freespirit Brand (Rowan) - a very talented artist and designer who is a great fun to work with too!  

Nel Whatmore with Lisa Lam and Melissa White at 2011 Festival of Quilts Designers Supper

Her art works have only more recently been produced on fabric - Nel has been painting and producing stunning florals, landscapes and abstracts for many years and these have been used for licensed products as well as being sold as originals and prints. Her exhibition at Chelsea won Nel an award - the great news is that this year is her 25th Year Celebration and from 21-24th April 2012 you can see her exhibition at The Priory, Wetherby, Yorkshire (details below).

We hope that you can make it - here's your invite - just visit Nel's Page for more information,


Internationally known artist and designer , Nel Whatmore, is Celebrating her 25th Year as an artist by having a one woman show called “Life is a Minestrone.”


Nel has always produced a variety of work from abstracts to landscapes to florals. As an award winning exhibitor at Chelsea Flower Show many of her flower paintings are now inspired by her visits to the show each year.


When thinking of a theme for the show Nel says  
“In my work I seek to convey life in all it’s variety, both through subject matter colour and also emotion. So ‘Life is A Minestrone” baby!


It will be held at ,The Priory, Syningthwaite Home Farm,Wighill Park, Wetherby, North Yorkshire LS24 8BL


On the 21st-24th April. Preview 21st April 2-7pm


As well as the main exhibition just for fun there will be a display of works including the first picture she ever sold aged 6 (!) , Bonzo the gorilla, Geoffrey the giraffe and other unexpected things.


Nel, became a professional artist with the help of the Princes Trust, and was invited last year to Clarence House as part of the Trusts 35 th Year celebrations, where she presented HRH the Prince of Wales with one of her original painting called Devoted to You.


She started her business from very small beginning working in a bedsit in
Headingley and selling her paintings at Art Fairs and Markets in Leeds and
Wakefield. Her work can now been seen all over the world in the form of Limited Edition prints , ceramics and stationery. 

In recent years she has also been asked to design fabric for Coats/Freespirit Brand. Her first fabric collection ‘Happy Go Lucky’ featured at the International Quilt Festival in Birmingham, where she was a guest designer along with Kaffe Fassett. Her latest range Sleeping Beauty will also be on display at the show.

One of our Favourites Classes!

We really do enjoy these Grace Classes - it's probably because we get to have as much fun as our students. Plus, after a day spent up at The Cotton Patch Studio we feel pretty confident that folks are going to go home full of ideas and the skills to put it into practice. We couldn't hope for any more than that!


So if you have a Little Gracie, Grace Machine Quilter, Little Gracie II, Grace Machine Quilter Pro, Inspira, Pinnacle, Bernina Frame, Majestic or Gracie Queen and want to learn more about putting the quilt on the frame (we teach you a few techniques we learnt from the Handi Quilter), needles, threads, wadding, quilting designs (especially using Pam Clarke's excellent stencils), ruler work, pantographs and Pattern Perfects give us a call on 0121 702 2840. 


You get to try out the frame with manual foot pedal controls, the speed control and Sure Stitch. And then go home buzzing with ideas!

A Gift of Quilts - Olympic and Paralympic Games 2012

We were delighted to be involved in the Gift of Quilts project co-ordinated by Jenny Rundle and Sharon Garrick. For those of you who haven't heard about it the aim of the project was as follows- 

One of the quilts quilted by Liz Holpin at The Cotton Patch

The object is to give a quilt to each country participating in the London Olympics and Paralympics in 2012 (The Games) as a unique sign of friendship and peace. This is the first time that a presentation of quilts has been made to countries attending the Paralympic Games. Countries attending the Olympic Games have in the past received quilts.


Over 400 quilts were received and photographed and the results are now in a book published by Traplet.  A pre-ordered copy of the book can be found at the link on Patchwork and Quilting's website. 

 Liz with one of the quilts (recently featured in Patchwork and Quilting magazine) in front of the Handi Quilter HQ18 Avante which was used to do the quilting.

Liz Holpin with the Handi Quilter HQ18 Avante Long arm Machine

Jenny has just sent out a Newsletter about the project.  

As I write this newsletter, Traplet Publications Ltd publishers of Patchwork & Quilting magazine have sent our book to the printers. The book contains pictures of all 420 quilts received plus stories behind some of the quilts and details of the Games and country to which each quilt will be presented. The book will be launched at the Stitch & Craft Exhibition at Olympia II, London being held from 15th – 18th March 2012 at the cover price of £14.95. But you can order copies in advance of the show from Traplet at a reduced price, plus P & P. For larger orders they will quote a price on application and P & P. 

Contact Traplet Publications on 01684 588599

A Gift of Quilts comes to Stitch & Craft!!

15^th – 18^th March, Olympia II, London

Patchwork and quilting is not something normally associated with the Stitch & Craft Show but this year A Gift of Quilts will be there. The collection for the London Olympics is now complete and the only place to marvel at this extraordinary collection is at Stitch and Craft where over 400 quilts you made will be displayed. For the star spotters amongst you, we have invited Steve Redgrave and Richard Palmer, who received quilts at the 1996 Atlanta Games, their quilts will also be on display.

Quilts 4 London (Pennants) & Quilting Live will also be part of the show. Plus on the Ground Floor will be Cross-stitch, on the Lower Ground Floor, Paper Craft Heaven, the First Floor the Knitting Zone including Mollie Makes  & the Stitch Zone – something for everyone.

Ticket details: Deadline for advance bookings is Friday 9th March at 12.00pm. Adults £10, Concessions £9, Children (under 12 free) 12 – 18 years £4 plus mini-group rates & subscriber tickets. Groups of more than ten can get a discounted rate and a sale-or-return system. Visit the Twisted Thread website for booking details: www.twistedthread.com or call 01394 288521 or for group bookings 020 8692 2299.

At the door prices will be: Adults £12, Concessions £11, children (under 12 free) 12 – 18 years £5.

The team look forward to seeing you there please come and chat to us, we will have our A Gift of Quilts shirts on!

QUILT ANGELS & HELPERS

If you can help with putting up the quilts on Tuesday 13^th or Wednesday 14^th March, no ticket needed and you will see the quilts as they go up. Quilt Angels are needed for show days, to keep an eye on the quilts, to stop them being handled and we have white gloves available to view the quilts close-up. Please contact Jenny or Sharon if you can help.

Grace Frame Class January 17th 2012

This time last year we were all struggling to get to work - this year we've had a few frosts (minus 7 at home this morning - quite fresh) but nothing like the chaos of last year.   At least it means that our classes aren't disrupted by people either unable to get to the class or getting stuck trying to go home.  So another full day class of Grace customers learning how to load a quilt on the frame, a bit of needle theory and threads with hands on before lunch to load the quilt.  After lunch we focused on the quilting using Pam Clarke's 8-Line and Straight Line Stencils. 

Joy demonstrating the 8-Line Stencil

Practising quilting designs

Putting it into practice on the Gracie Frame 

It's Christmas!

Happy Christmas to all our customers - we thank you for your custom during the year and wish you all a very merry and festive Christmas and a Happy New Year!


We'd like to share a few photos with you - putting a face to a name when you call is always nice.  They were taken earlier this week when we got together with all the Cotton Patch Staff for the annual Christmas lunch - a lovely meal at a local hostlery!  There are a few people missing from the photos but most of us are here...

Geoff makes an unusual entrance by doing an imitation of the Adams Family "thing" (note the hand on the table). We wonder why he didn't pick the more appropriate seasonal route and come down the chimney!

With a bit of help from Ken he finally makes it in one piece!

Nikki pulling crackers

Rob, Simon, Rosanna, Ellie and Catherine - some of Santas helpers

An attractive ring from one of the crackers!

Nik and David discussing when the sale should start!

Dawn, Jayne, Ken and Margaret with Joy who teaches classes at The Cotton Patch Studio

Paula

Pat and Cherrie

Joy and Jayne with Ken 

Dawn

Jean and Geoff

Lorraine, Ellie and Catherine

Alan and Denise

Rob (who has a new arrival due any day now!) and Simon

Alison

Julie and Liz

The reaction of one of Santa's Helpers when the words "Felting Tool" and "Kirstie Allsopp" were used in the same sentence.  

If this doesn't mean anything to you just need to click on the Channel 4 Link here. 

Delia's Cranberries comes to mind! 

Introduction to Patchwork and Quilting Class

It's been a hive of activity these past eight weeks down at The Cotton Patch Studio and now we can post the results of all of this creativity!


Well done to everyone for completing the Introduction to Patchwork and Quilting course which is for people who have either never done patchwork and quilting before or who would like to learn more about the basics such as rotary cutting, using templates, getting the most from your sewing machine, making colour choices, hand and machine piecing,applique, hand and machine quilting as well as basic construction methods.  


The fact that they've signed up to do the Beginners Lap Quilting course next term says it all!  We look forward to see you in 2012 at one of our Workshops or Courses. More details can be found on our Classes Page.

Picture below are a few of the Introduction to Patchwork and Quilting Students with their patchwork and Joy.  Credit has to go to Joy Edgington, the class tutor, for making it all happen - the feedback included comments such as "Excellent course + Briliant tutor" and "Excellent tuition. I didn't feel rushed and was able to work at my own pace." 

There are still places available on the afternoon "Introduction to Patchwork and Quilting Course" on Friday afternoons from 1:30pm to 4:30pm - so if you're looking for a friendly and welcoming environment in which to learn please check the latest status of our classes by visiting this link.