Bingham

Paula and I had an eventful journey up to Bingham today - wind, rain, hail, sunshine, rainbows, blue skies and black clouds, we had it all!  Judy from Fostering Futures was there to meet us in our usual cafe, and it was lovely to see her and catch up with her news.  She had told us she was keen to learn to crochet, and Paula went equipped and ready to initiate her into the craft.

Here they are, concentrating hard.  Judy turned out to be a natural, and once she's got her tension sorted out (a common problem with beginner knitters and crocheters) will be off!  However, our real business here was to bring Linus quilts, and with her team looking after 78 young people, I had brought 80 beautiful quilts for her.  When we had loaded all the quilts into her car, she and Paula posed for a picture, despite the wind and the fact that it had just started to rain again.  Unfortunately though I thought I had taken a picture, I had in fact taken a video, which I can't upload onto this post!  You'll have to take my word for the pleasure on both their faces at the generosity of all the Leicestershire quilting angels!

A visit to Shepshed

We were well overdue for a visit to our friends at 'Quilting Together' in Shepshed, as we usually manage to see them before Christmas, but no worries, we finally made it.  As usual I took fabrics and orphans. 

As usual, they wasted no time in having a good rummage!  What is it about other people's fabric choices which make them so appealing?  I'm always happy to see the donated fabric being used, and these ladies are so creative, and use it all to good advantage.  

There were several piles of quilts on the table, and here are just some of them. 

Something straightforward made from squares and half square triangles. 

Pinwheels with a difference - don't the circles add an extra pizzazz!

Sashed mile a minute, fabulous.

Crazy mile a minute!  I love the Orange sashing.

Different coloured boats sailing on a very calm ocean.  Which do you like best?

Great use of variously sized orphans.  The frames make the blocks knit up uniformly big.

A stunning quilt made from four patches sashed and bordered.  Gorgeous!

Clever use of feature fabric which apparently was taken from one of the boxes last time I visited!  It all gets used! 

Excellent use of a fairly small piece of racing car fabric.  So clever. 

Intriguing pattern, suitable for an older child.  Altogether there were 41 beautiful quilts.  How good is that!  We also had a sneak preview of a group quilt they are making to enter at Malvern and Utoxeter.  It's crazy pieced hexagons, which are each a little mini quilt.  They will be sewn together with half hexagons along the sides to square it off.

And last but not least, we admired a variation of Bonnie Hunter's 'Grand Illusion'. 

The maker felt it was too busy when the required four patch was placed in the centre, so substituted a pink square.  Very clever.  I can't wait to see the result, and hope it will be complete next time we visit.  (I haven't mentioned the cake - courgette, yum! - or the fact that I was the one mention sex when I told about dropping my drawers in the school car park!  Luckily they were panto costume drawers, and not my own!)

Happy New Year!

I'd like to say a big thank you and a happy 2015 to all the people who have donated to Project Linus during 2014.  It has been another wonderful year!  First and foremost have been the quilt donations. Two hundred and seventy seven quilts have been given to children in need of a hug.  These children have been from Fostering Futures, ADAPT, East Midlands Foster Placements, Leicester Royal Infirmary Ward10 and Paediatric Oncology Unit, Leicester Fostering Services, Looked After Children, and Leicester Social Services and range from premature babies to nineteen year olds. 

Many thanks to all the people who have donated tops, blocks, fabric and sewing supplies to help us out.  A special mention must go to The Warm Company and EQS who both donated wadding to us during the year. 

 We were also delighted to be invited out to various groups and local events.  In addition to our regular Knit and Stitch afternoons in Lutterworth, we have been to Wingerworth Townswomen's Guild, Lutterworth Piecemakers, Hinckley U3A Craft Group, Sew Sociable, Oadby Baptist Church Craft Group, 'Hannah's Room' in Coalville, Quorn Country Crafts Quilt Group and The Big Textile Show, to spread the word and encourage new and existing quilters. 

We will be starting the year off with another sewing evening at Lutterworth Piecemakers.  Previously, this talented group have made blocks, but this year I want them to help finish off the pile of donated tops.  (Why is it that piecing is so much more popular than bordering or quilting?).  

Here is a bag with 18 tops and borders ready to go.

I'm going to take backing fabrics along too, and hope that we can get these tops bordered and ready to quilt.  Will you be there to help?