|
|
|
|
|
|
I hope your summer is going well. I am so grateful for the longer days. I love waking up very early to full light and birdsong and seem to get much more accomplished in these early daylight hours. The long evenings are lovely as well. Do you feel the same way?
|
In last month's newsletter, one of the new products I featured was the "Hearts and Flowers" baby quilt. I was delighted when it was purchased almost immediately by one of my newsletter subscribers. Thank you!
|
As usual, I have been very busy quilting and attending craft fairs. Speaking of craft fairs, a couple of weeks ago two ladies approached my table and nearly emptied out my stock! Don't get me wrong now. On the one hand, I was very happy that they liked my items so much; but on the other hand, I knew I was going to have to work like mad to replenish my product offerings! Please read on to see what I've been up to lately.
|
Just a reminder that Red Bridge Quilts offers free standard postage to anywhere within the island of Ireland, as well as a free local pick-up service.
|
|
I'm taking a short break for a bit, but the Newsletter will be back in September with a little surprise for all my subscribers.
|
|
|
|
New this month
|
Following are the new posts up on the website this month. They are a gathering of various topics from the world of quilting. I hope you find them of interest.
|
|
|
FEATURED CONTENT THIS MONTH
|
Quilting news and tips
|
|
|
1
|
As a quilter, do you face the reality of quilting? Do you meet it head on and finish what you start? Or do you start several projects and let them linger? I have to admit that I sometimes fall into the latter category. Honing your organisational skills can help you stay focused and get all those projects finished. Here are some great tips.
|
|
|
|
2
|
How well do you know your quilting acronyms? You know, things like WOF, HST, RST, and the like. Whether you are a beginner quilter or a seasoned quilter, you will have fun with this short quilting quiz which tests your knowledge of quilting acronyms. Some of it is silly, but it's all in good fun. Let me know how you do!
|
|
|
|
3
|
First launched in 2003, the Festival of Quilts is now the biggest quilting show in Europe, featuring workshops, talks, lectures, one of the world’s largest quilt competitions, a huge range of quilt materials and brands to shop from, and so much more! It’s on from 1-4 August, 2024, at the NEC (Halls 7, 8 and 9) in Birmingham, England. Tickets on sale now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trying to keep up my stock of baby quilts, I recently made this "Play Time" quilt. It's filled with images of toy animals riding on trains, boating on lakes and playing in parks. These blocks are interspersed with bone-coloured solid fabric blocks. The fabric used for the border and backing consists of small white dots on muted yellow. This baby quilt is a bit different in that it has a double layer of wadding for a bit extra texture and warmth. Quilted butterflies flutter all across the quilt. Perfect for cot, pram, or floor play. Take a closer look at this lovely baby blanket in the Shop.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Birds of a Feather table runner featured in the July newsletter has sold. Fortunately, I was able to restock this item. However, it sold immediately after I finished it at a craft fair the following day! I never had time to get it up in the Shop. This new one employed the same lovely bird images. However, I've changed it up a bit by using a solid tarragon green fabric for the background and backing. This colour went really well with the images. It was a lovely runner. I'll have to try to stock some more of this fabric. These runners are one of the more popular items in the Shop and are completely out of stock at the moment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I'm in love with this beautiful Songbirds Wall Hanging! It features fifteen different North American songbirds posed on branches. These lovely images appear as post cards and are separated by a narrow lattice of black cotton fabric. The surrounding border fabric depicts many smaller birds perched among tree branches and goes perfectly with the larger songbirds images. The backing fabric is an olive green grunge, and the hanging is framed with a black cotton binding. A pattern of vines and leaves is quilted in light green thread all over this piece. Hanging corners on the back allow the use of a dowel for ease in hanging. Find out more about the Songbirds Wall Hanging in the Shop.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Also new in the shop is this summery Floral Butterfly Wreath in pink, green and yellow. The flowers and butterfly fabric which can be seen on the inside of each section is really lovely. A light green fabric with small white dots serves as the backing, and small yellow satin bows are attached at the top of each folded section. It can be personalised with a candle or other decoration in the centre. It can also be hung on the wall or on an interior door. It measures 35 cm in diameter. Find out more information in the Shop.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Similarly, this Hydrangea Wreath is another new addition to the Shop. In blue, green, white and pink, this wreath is also perfect for your summertime table décor. The main fabric is packed with beautiful hydrangea blooms. Small pale blue bows are placed all around the wreath. As with the above wreath, it measures 35 cm in diameter and can also be hung on a wall or interior door. Find out more information in the Shop.
|
|
|
|
|
|
This Vintage Look Patchwork Cushion is similar to the smaller cushion I had in the Shop last month (which have been sold). However, this one is larger at 35 cm square. As with the smaller ones, it is also made with Laura Ashley fabrics and has an envelope-style opening on the back for easy insertion and removal of the cushion pad. You can find it in the Shop.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Appliqué
|
|
|
|
Appliqué is a decorative method for applying a design in one fabric to a background of another. This is used to great effect in quilting. For example, a quilter can appliqué the letters of a baby's name onto a baby quilt to personalise it. The sewing can be done by hand or machine.
|
|
|
|
|
Needle-turn appliqué involves turning the raw edges of the fabric shape under and then stitching them down by hand to the fabric background. Raw edge appliqué involves leaving the cut edges of the fabric shape unturned and stitching it in place, normally using a machine blanket stitch, a satin stitch, a zig-zag stitch, or even a straight line stitch, and using a tear-away stabilizer underneath the backing fabric. Before stitching, however, it's also helpful to apply a light fusible bonding web to the wrong side of the appliqué fabric piece. This will hold it in place while stitching.
|
|
|
|
|
An owl appliquéd using a blanket stitch
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Under my needle
|
This is something that I have been making off and on for a while now. Sweet little Sunbonnet Sue (yes, she's still around) pictured in playful poses and all appliquéd on a while background. I can't promise when I will finish this project, but wouldn't these make a lovely baby quilt or quilt for a little girl? Which do you think?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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. Just get in touch with RBQ for more information. Here is a photo of a longarm job that I finished recently for a customer who made this lovely quilt for her young great-grandson. It's quilted all over with happy, bouncing Teddy Bears.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I hope you have enjoyed reading this newsletter. Thank you very much for being here.
|
|
|
|
Julie
|
|
|
Vectors designed by Freepik
|
|
|
|
   
|
|
|
