|
|
|
|
There's a funny video on YouTube that rings true with most quilters. We all have a fabric stash, we love to add to it, and we usually attempt to keep it organised. We also start projects and attempt to finish each one BEFORE starting on another. However, somehow we are interrupted or even bored with the current project and decide to move on for the moment. Check out this breaking news from "the ai quilter". Over on Instagram, here's a quick look at the quilted fashion that was seen at QuiltCon 2026 last month. "Quilting Daily" also attended QuiltCon 2026 and captured many photos of the quilted fashion on display.
|
Easter is almost here, and I would like to wish everyone a very Happy and Beautiful Easter weekend. When I was young, the Easter holiday was the time to pack your winter clothes away and to begin wearing your spring clothing. So go ahead and start sporting those lighter weight, pastel colours and welcome in the new season. Let's hope the warmer spring temperatures arrive to stay.
|
|
As a reminder, Red Bridge Quilts offers free standard postage to anywhere within the island of Ireland. So those of you lucky enough to live on this beautiful Emerald Isle always have this advantage should you choose to order anything. All other destinations will incur the normal postage charge unless the total reaches the 'free postage' amount. We also offer a free local pick-up service for everyone.
|
|
|
|
FEATURED CONTENT THIS MONTH
|
Quilting news and tips
|
New this month
|
Following are the new posts up on the website this month. They are a gathering of various topics and articles from the world of quilting. I hope you find them of interest.
|
|
|
|
1
|
Have you heard of Manx quilting? It is a unique textile craft originating from the Isle of Man, known for its distinct fabric-folding technique. It was developed out of necessity to recycle old fabrics. It features folded and pleated fabric blocks, often in a Log Cabin pattern and made without wadding. Read how Amy Smart discovered the technique here. Then click on the red button to see how to make one of these blocks.
|
|
|
|
2
|
Would you like to take your art quilts to the next level but don’t know how to do this? You could take special quilting classes to learn new methods. Or, you could watch television programs dedicated to demonstrating different techniques. These are both great ideas. Or, you could subscribe to Quilting Arts Magazine. Discover this magazine and also read about its founder, who took a great risk for the sake of her love of quilting.
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
Grandmas can tell when something isn't right. They have a special intuition. So what was her intuition telling her when her daughter announced her engagement? Why was Grandma's reaction so out of the ordinary for her? Grandma kept quiet and treated her daughter's fiancé with her usual politeness. In this case, Grandma trusted her remarkable intuition and bided her time. What happened next? Did her intuition prove right?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Diamond Star bed quilt is finished and in the Shop. It comes with a matching quilted pillow sham. At 72"/183 cm square, the quilt is large enough to fit a single bed. It has a long drape on both sides. This quilt is made with a melange of colourful flowered fabrics on a solid white background. The quilting design of flowers and swirls is done in white thread.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Lil' Llamas Baby Rag Quilt is a lovely addition to our collection. Three different 100% cotton flannel fabrics in soft shades of green make up the pattern in this baby quilt. Small baby llamas on a soft green background give the quilt its name. Then, medium white dots on the same soft green background makes up the second fabric. Finally, a soft shade of green pulls it all together. The double-layered border all around the quilt gives it a finished look. It's in the Shop now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quilting Ruler Hack
|
How would you like to cut perfectly accurate quilt blocks while also saving time? Elizabeth Chappell from Quilter's Candy has an interesting ruler hack that claims to do just that. I have to admit that I have not tried this hack, but it looks interesting, and I'm for anything that improves accuracy and also saves time! You can check it out for yourself here. Let me know if you try this and if you are happy with the results.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Under my needle
|
|
|
|
As sometimes happens as mentioned at the beginning of this newsletter, I did not actually work with the flannel fabric featured last month in this section. I was tempted by a different project, one of the finished items above. So the Hootsie flannel fabric mentioned last month is definitely under my needle now!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quilting Cat
|
I ran across this reel and thought you might enjoy it. I imagined that this sweet little cat was making a quilt for her kittens. To tie it in with the first post above, I also imagined that she was a Manx cat. They are known for not having a tail!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Looking for a Gift?
|
Do you know someone who loves quilts? Or someone who appreciates a handmade item for the home? A Gift Card from Red Bridge Quilts takes away the hassle of trying to choose just the right gift. You won't have to worry if they will like what you choose or will want to return it or exchange it. Let them decide what they'd really like!! See RBQ's Gift Card options.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Did you know?
|
With every online order from Red Bridge Quilts you will receive a free quilted glasses case. These sturdy 100% cotton cases will protect reading glasses as well as sunglasses. The photo shows a few of the cases from the current selection.
|
|
|
|
|
Red Bridge Quilts offers a Longarm Quilting Service. This means that if you are a quilter, and either don't have the time, are afraid of doing the quilting yourself, or you would like to have a professionally finished look to your quilt, then you might have a "longarmer" do the job for you. I have been "longarming" since 2018 and have hundreds of different designs/pantographs and more than 100 thread colours from which to choose. Contact Red Bridge Quilts for more information. Pictured below is a recent longarm job done for a regular customer. The quilter's perfect piecing of a checkerboard pattern is complemented by a design of buzzing bees flying around honeycombs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I hope you have enjoyed reading this newsletter. Please feel free to forward it on to anyone you think might like to read it. As always, thank you very much for being here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vectors designed by Vecteezy
|
|
|
|
|
   
|
|
|
