Innehållsförteckning för Issue 134 från Today's Quilter

This issue is definitely giving me cosy feels. From the stunning cover quilt that just makes you want to take a walk in the woods, to Lin Clements' final instalment of the seasonal fruit series, with her wintry clementine and pomegranate designs. As I'm a big fan of cats (all animals to be fair), I love the EPP cushion we have this issue showing a sleeping kitty. The wonderful Lynne Edwards MBE is back with her stylish Corner Log Cabin pattern. And, new to the TQ family, is Karen Brown with her insightful Quilt School article on sorting and using scraps... very handy as Lynne's Corner Log Cabin design is perfect for using up your stash. And we are delighted to introduce you to our new Block of the Month,…

BEHIND THE QUILT SCRAPPY HERO “Quilt designs built on strips are a marvellous way of using up some of that hoarded fabric. You may be able to cut long strips across the fabric giving strips as long as 44in, but many will be far shorter. You need to be aware that strips cut across the fabric from the woven selvedge edge to selvedge edge will be much firmer. It is almost impossible to avoid cutting both types of strips when using leftover fabrics, so use the more stretchy strips with care, trying not to pull them when stitching. It may help to spray starch all over the fabric before cutting strips to keep it firmer.” – Lynne Edwards MBE You will need Selection of greys/black fabrics (Set 1) – 2¼yds…

BEHIND THE FRUIT SEASON’S FINEST “The last two fruits in our three-dimensional feature were chosen for winter as many of us associate the pomegranate and particularly the clementine, with Christmas. The clementine has six segments, while the pomegranate has five. I made the clementine twice, one that uses three different fabrics and one that uses a single fabric. The pattern I used was the same, but slightly different shapes are achieved depending on how tightly the fruit is cinched through the centre. For the pomegranate, I choose to use a single fabric for the exterior in a reddish-plum colour, with a dark brown for the interior. The interior fabric shows from the outside when the top points splay outwards, one of the distinctive features of a pomegranate. I thought a…

Introduction Which came first the chicken or the egg? The holiday before the idea, the idea before the holiday, or the design before the Block of the Month? The first, ever-present question is beyond me for an answer but the remaining questions… well, I had always wanted to visit Suffolk with its quintessential pretty English villages, colourful buildings and gently rolling green hills. I knew it would be an inspiration, and I planned to use the colours and shapes to design some sort of patchwork. Then an editorial request – would I like to come up with a new block of the month for the magazine? Call it kismet, whichever came first, the two things fell together perfectly, and my Sweet Suffolk quilt was born. – Paula Hope You will…

Quilting rulers quickly become a staple part of any quilter’s sewing box, and this issue’s Quarter Inch Seam Guide will be no exception. The high-quality, durable plastic tool is sure to become a favourite! This handy-sized seam guide can be used to mark a quarter inch seam allowance around shapes, ready for stitching by hand or machine! Simply draw your finished shape, then use the guide to add a quarter inch all around the outside and cut out and sew! The clever guide can also be used for making speedy half-square triangles. Line up the guide using the 45˚ end markings and use your pen or pencil to draw through the slit to mark the centre line. Finally, draw either side of the guide to mark the stitching lines. You…

BEHIND THE QUILT SIMPLY PURR-FECT “This cushion cover is a great size piece to dip your toe into English paper piecing, or to use as a break between larger projects. To make this charming EPP kitty, we’ll use stars and dissections of 60˚ diamonds only. This maintains the geometric balance we come to expect with English paper piecing. “I selected oranges and browns to give my cat an autumnal feel, but you could tweak to match the shades of your own cat. Just check that you have enough tonal contrast to maintain the clarity of the details. Go on, welcome this snoozing kitty into your home.” – Leah Walker You will need For the EPP: White fabric – 9in square Pink fabric – 2in square Pale orange fabric – One…

BRING ORDER TO YOUR SCRAP QUILTING Quilters love scraps. They carry the stories of past projects, cherished fabrics, and those happy accidents that happen at the cutting table. Yet as joyful as scrap quilting can be, it often teeters on the edge of chaos. A pile of mismatched fabrics can leave your quilt feeling “ho-hum” instead of harmonious. If you’ve ever stared at your Mt. Scrapmore (my affectionate name for my scrap pile!) and wondered how to turn those odds and ends into a quilt that feels balanced, intentional and gift-worthy, you’re not alone. The good news? With a bit of strategy, you can bring structure to your scrappy projects without losing their lively charm. When we look at a quilt – or any piece of art – our brains…

GRANDMA'S DAHLIA APPLIQUÉ TEMPLATES ACTUAL SIZE PLEASE NOTE: Templates DO NOT include seam allowances. SOUND ASLEEP EPP TEMPLATES ENLARGE BY 200% PLEASE NOTE: Templates DO NOT include seam allowances. SWEET TRADITION PIECING TEMPLATES ACTUAL SIZE PLEASE NOTE: Templates include seam allowances. NATURE'S TREASURE HST, ECONOMY SQUARE AND APPLIQUÉ TEMPLATES ACTUAL SIZE PLEASE NOTE: HST and Economy Square template include seam allowance. Appliqué templates DO NOT include seam allowances. BOM GOOSE IN THE POND BLOCK APPLIQUÉ TEMPLATES ACTUAL SIZE PLEASE NOTE: Templates DO NOT include seam allowances. QUARTER INCH SEAM GUIDE MARK 1/4IN SEAMS FOR HAND AND MACHINE SEWING ACTUAL SIZE DOWNLOAD THESE TEMPLATES FULL SIZE Visit our blog: www.gathered.how/todaysquilter today!…

WRITE TO US Today’s Quilter, Our Media, Eagle House, Bristol, BS1 4ST EMAIL: todaysquilter@ourmedia.co.uk Block school Please pass on my thanks to Anna Brown. I had tried, but never been successful, in making Orange Peel blocks. However, I had a go with the template in the back of Issue 130, and it worked! I practised lots of times with different scraps and then was confident enough to make a panel for this cushion (above right). Also, say thank you to Lynne Edwards for her Quilt School article on making cushions in the same issue. My current project is making new cushions for my sitting room, so her instructions were helpful. The multi-coloured Orange Peel blocks (above left) will eventually be made into a quilt for Project Linus UK. If I have…

BEHIND THE QUILT JOURNEY BACK IN TIME “The centre of the quilt is inspired by an early 1900s design. We added a border of Ohio Stars and framed the appliqué and stars with borders. You could make this quilt as large as you like.” – Lisa Kerr and Louise Lott You will need Centre background fabric – One (1) 20in square Assorted colours for appliqué and stars – Five (5) fat eighths Star background fabrics (if using only one (1) fabric) – ⅝yd Inner border – ¼yd Outer border fabric – 1¼yds Backing – 1⅓yds Batting – 48in square Binding – ⅓yd Fusible stabiliser – 1yd Card for the centre circle template Templates – Petal templates A-C and D circle template Products used Fabrics: Ayla collection by Max & Louise…

The traditions of patchwork and quilting go back hundreds of years, though, as with other textiles, few pieces survive many generations, unless an item has been cherished and cared for. Initially, it is likely that these allied crafts evolved for functional reasons, such as providing protection and/or warmth, with the bonus that the stitching added decoration, which perhaps promoted its development. As trends change, so objects go in and out of fashion. Here, we look at some practical and decorative patchworked and quilted items from the past, some of which perhaps deserve a comeback! BABY SLIPPERS, 1930s (MAKER UNKNOWN) AND SHADOW QUILTED SLIPPERS AND BAG BY MABEL LAWSON, 1939 Both the elegant adult slippers with a matching bag (left) and the dainty baby slippers (above) were made by hand using…

BEHIND THE QUILT GROW YOUR SKILLS “In this quilt, I have put together a combination of very traditional-style blocks made with Economy Squares and half-square triangles and combined that with bias tape stems adorned with raw-edge appliquéd leaves and flowers throughout the sashing and cornerstones. The appliqué templates could also be used for needle-turn appliqué if you prefer a more traditional hand-sewn finish. “For a long time, I’ve wanted to make a quilt with these kinds of wavy stems, leaves and simple flowers but, for some bizarre reason, hadn’t quite plucked up the courage to do it, as I thought I wouldn’t be able to get a nice and even border. Breaking the border down into sashing and cornerstones and adding the stems and flowers into those sections enabled me…

• Discover the joy of mini quilts and why you should be sewing them today! • Make Sarah Falco’s reproduction of a Cumbria turn of the 20th century quilt • Sew a quilted carry-on tote using a panel and scraps!…