The Last Post

Over the last couple of years illness, house moves and personal traumas have changed the dynamics of our group, and only firm friendships within it have stood the test of time.  During the time we spent together our little group had collectively made a series of small quilts for children, with no firm destination for them in mind.

 Not long after the tsunami struck Japan earlier this year Midsomer Quilting responded to an appeal for quilts to help people who had lost everything in this disaster, and Sharon, Angela and Imogen decided to take our finished stash to them at Chilcompton to be shipped (with no charge to us) to Japan. On the morning the three of us took them over there I think the shop was being overwhelmed by the numbers of people donating the most beautiful quilts, we were pleased to have been part of this practical way of showing our sympathy to a beleaguered nation.

So with this last post we are saying goodbye and thank you to those people who have been interested in our little group.  Like all craftspersons we continue to work on but in our separate ways!

These two photos are taken from an article 'Quilts to Japan' written by Chris Howell from Midsomer Quilting for the December issue 2011 of British Patchwork & Quilting. 

Dementia and Snowdrops

When the snow had melted we found that the snowdrops had come into flower. Florrie, an elderly friend, a true country woman, now long dead, called these 'God's Innocent Children' which is a bit tear-jerking but somehow so very apt.

The photo has absolutely nothing to do with the article which follows, from today's Telegraph, which, as I keep thinking my memory is failing, cheered me up.

Quilting, pottery and computer games 'may cut risk of dementia'

Taking up hobbies such as quilting, pottery and even playing computer games in later life may substantially cut the risk of dementia, a new study suggests.


Crafts and other activities which exercise the brain, including reading novels and computer games, can all have a protective effect on the mind and help prevent memory loss, the study shows.
By contrast, watching television for hours on end significantly increased the chance of suffering problems, the research found.
Previous studies have shown that those with mentally demanding jobs and high levels of education were less likely to suffer the memory problems associated with the condition.
Researchers found that those with stimulating occupations were less at risk, even when they had physical damage to their brain cells.
The latest research will be seen as further proof that so-called "brain training" machines, such as the Nintendo DS advertised by Nicole Kidman, can help to delay brain decline.
Those who kept mentally active in their middle age, through reading, arts and crafts and other pursuits, were about 40 percent less likely to develop memory loss than those who did not.
The scientists found that those who kept mentally active in later years cut their chance of developing memory loss by between 30 and 50 per cent.
But volunteers who watched television programmes for more than seven hours a day in later years were also 50 per cent more likely to have memory problems than those who spent less than seven hours a day in front of the box.

Blocks of a Quilter's Life

My finished quilt came about when my very good friend suggested we do a workshop to pass on what we had learned since picking up our very first fat quarter!

The beginning

I used fabric left over from Daughter No. 1's wedding quilt, only buying the backing.

It was fun looking through my buttons to see if I had enough to put onto the yellow block sashing. I put a lot of feelings into this quilt, looking back over my sewing years and how far I had come.

We held our workshop one sunny day in a local school with our one lady who came. We decided not to be disappointed but to give as much knowledge as we could. It was lovely to find someone who was so eager to learn, having never made quilts.

What a lovely day it turned out to be!

The payment from the workshop went to pay for the hall, but we were not feeling flat, quite the opposite, we felt elated!

Since the workshop our student has gone on the make half a dozen quilts with such enthusiasm.

The finished quilt

To those of you out there who are struggling to get someone to recognise you, don't give up! It's always a wonderful, warm feeling to pass on what you have learnt.

Guide to a Grumpy Quilter

This is Caroline's Post

For the last 2 weeks I have been tearing my hair out! The weather has been terrible and has put me in Dark Cloud Mood!

I have been trying to finish off my Basket Quilt, joining together the blocks with Chevron patchwork. That done, next I hope I have enough one and a half inch strips to join into blocks.

Oh Heck! Why is it you never have enough? Ah, I've found some left over from another project.

Now then, just need to turn everything out for 'joining it all together' material.

Oh Cripes, what a mess I've made!

Before

Just said no to Jane for a look around Midsummer Quilters. I'm flat broke and my yearning for new material beckons. I must be strong! groan.....

I've just found half a metre of material I was going to throw out, I knew it would come in handy! Move cat off cutting mat to use rotary cutting board or wait until he goes out to annoy the female cats of the neighbourhood.

I phoned Trish to see if she had my yo-yo maker, nope, no joy there, turned everything out again, with the most foul language! Ah, found it!

After

I am so looking forward to Malvern as I have not been for four years, and that is an achievement for me. I won't feel guilty about spending loads of money, husband No 2 is going to Glastonbury for 3 days!!

Funny, I seem to turn out really good work when I am miserable. I suppose it's because I put all my ideas into my work and that seems to help me focus.

Norman Wisdom, eat your heart out!

"sewing day"

Today we had another of our fab "sewing" days - not all of us actually sew - well I don't anyway! Ann and Sandra were missed and Jane phoned to wish us well and to let us know how she is getting on - I am happy to report that she sounded in good spirits and was looking forward to lunch and rest after physio.

I love having everyone at my house for my turn as much as I love going to the homes of the others -we eat, drink loads of coffee and laugh.

We've been working on baby quilts and now have 14 nearly ready to go! They are beautiful. Angela took some photos of them today and I'm sure they'll turn out well.

I'm trying very hard to sew every day. At the moment I love working with wool felt (after long Google sessions I have found an English web source) and primitive embroidery. Being an American, I adore Halloween and have made this little applique for myself - it's a freebie pattern from http://www.primitiveblessings.com/pages/mainpg.php, a prim website. The more I look at these prim sites, the more inspired I become and am even working on designs of my own!

Angela very kindly took a photo for me - thanks Angela. The little triangle shapes are meant to be "candy corn," something my children and I still crave after 15 years!!

Using up those fabrics

Lingering after lunch

About a year or so ago we decided to make some small quilts for the childrens' hospice. We have been fairly prolific quilters in the past, and each have a large stash of fabric (show me a quilter who hasn't), so we though we'd use some of it up.

We decided on a bobbin/spool pattern, and to start with we each made as many little blocks as we found time for. When we had made enough to go together attractively one of us would take the blocks home, sew them together, back it and quilt it.

The first pieced quilt and more blocks finished

Then we thought, rather than just meeting up one evening a month, why don't we have a day when we meet together and just work on the little quilts, cutting, machining, sandwiching with wadding etc. in company. These day-time meetings have become great fun, we have made several quilts, made much conversation and generally enjoyed each others company. Until last year daytime meetings were not possible as many of us were still working, but now it is only Anne who is working full time, and as she works term times only we do see her on some of these days.

The hostess for the day makes soup and bread, it's quite a challenge to find a different and interesting soup for each occasion, none of us like lumpy soups. Last time we all met up I have to be honest and say that the weather was so good we sat in Imogen's garden and talked, not a needle was plied, we are full of good intentions for rainy days and winter ones too, but we are considering a picnic for our next day-time event, weather permitting!

Here is my recipe for :-

Spicy Squash and Carrot Soup

Medium-sized butternut squash and carrots equivalent to approx. three quarters of prepared weight of squash.

2 onions.

Ground cumin and small amount of hot chilli powder to taste - or fresh red chilli if you have it

Enough olive oil to lightly coat a shallow roasting tin

Chicken stock, (or cube and water), milk

Roast the vegetables at the top of a hot oven until browned and caramelised. (Carrots may not be cooked all the way through, but will finish cooking in the stock).

Scrape the browned vegetables into a large pan, stir in seasoning, try 2 teaspoonfuls cumin and one half teaspoon chilli powder to start with, you can add more later, swish out the roasting pan with boiling water to make sure you have all the juices and add to the pan with the vegetables. Add enough stock to cover the vegetables comfortably and cook until everything is soft enough to puree.

Dilute with stock and add milk to make it creamier, and to tone down an over spicy soup,check the seasoning, make sure it is not bland, you can heat extra spice in a little olive oil and add to the mixture. Heat to serve, adding salt if you have used home made chicken stock. This should make more than enough for eight.

When I started to make this soup I used Schwartz Moroccan Seasoning, now discontinued, which was a very easy option, but I did use about two dessertspoons for this quantity of soup. There may be other Moroccan style seasoning that would work, Caroline has given me a sachet she bought in Asda, but I have yet to try it in soup. Cumin and chilli works well though.