Although in person meetings for London Quilters were cancelled for most of 2020/21 due to the coronavirus epidemic, members have still been busy making work in the safety and comfort of their own homes, as you can see in this gallery.
January 2022
Annie Folkard
Three of these are not yet quilted but they are the results of classes I have taken in the last few months, October onwards.
[Hover to see captions]
Annie Folkard
Three of these are not yet quilted but they are the results of classes I have taken in the last few months, October onwards.
[Hover to see captions]
Dalia Hartman Bergsagel
I've been busy sewing for the last few months. I sewed dresses from remnants and old shirts for my one year old granddaughter and appliqued shirts for her four-year-old brother.
Otherwise I used fabric samples which I had for 35 years (!) to make two intuitive patchwork blankets from flannel and wool, a lot of cards made of fabric flakes and very small pieces, a couple of wall hangings, small quilts for the grandchildren to hopefully use with their toys and a very simple large patch double sided duvet cover. Very satisfying.
October 2021
Philip O’Reilly
I have recycled my quilt design (see March 2021) into two new prints.
The prints are made without ink as such but are all made of metal foil called ‘Toner Foil’ that adheres to Laser-jet Toner. [The Toner has wax content in it]
The designs are printed in Black Toner, on the paper and the Foil applied in my Heat-Press and adheres due to the wax.
I discovered it by chance some time ago and found a great supplier online who provided all the foil as free samples!
Philip O’Reilly
I have recycled my quilt design (see March 2021) into two new prints.
The prints are made without ink as such but are all made of metal foil called ‘Toner Foil’ that adheres to Laser-jet Toner. [The Toner has wax content in it]
The designs are printed in Black Toner, on the paper and the Foil applied in my Heat-Press and adheres due to the wax.
I discovered it by chance some time ago and found a great supplier online who provided all the foil as free samples!

Tricia Dickson
The attached piece of work (11" x 8") was created at a 2 day course called Sumptuous Soldering with Alex Waylett.
Fabrics used were felt, velvet, organza, Painted bondaweb, various stamps, punches, gilding flakes, transfoils, Jaquard Screen printing ink and Lumiere paints
First day we selected felt and paint. We painted bondaweb with paints, when dry transferred onto felt and then used transfoils. A stamp cutter was used to apply shapes to fabric and printing blocks used. Once fabrics were prepared they were cut into various shapes and placed between two sheers.
The second day was spent stitching (all free motion) and burning out using soldering iron. Pieces were then mounted onto foam core board.
These are not my normal colours or style of work but it was an enjoyable busy course and we all learnt a lot.
Dalia Hartman Bergsagel
I came back to London after twenty months abroad and attacked the drawer with upholstery fabrics.
A couple of these cushions are double sided hence the two photos.
September 2021
Viv Philpot
I’ve been working on a series of star quilts, 3ft x 4ft. The quilting is nearly completed ready for binding.
Kath McMahon
A little needlepoint work - practising so that I can make a sampler for my eldest granddaughter’s wedding next year
Two blocks for a quilt for an Afghan family which our little group are making. It will be stars in many colours.
Rachel Snee
My most recent finish is Molly Mod, which I made as an 18th birthday gift for my youngest niece, who requested a 60's vibe and a red/orange/pink/yellow colour palette.
It's made with Kaffe Fassett shot cottons and prints, and I am in the process of making a pattern for it as this has been requested by many members of the Kaffe Fassett Collective facebook group. I used no-pin piecing for the original, which has 7" circles, then I made a smaller version (Baby Mod) using applique for the 4.5" circles to demonstrate you can use either method!
The big one is 56" x 70" and the baby one is 30" square. I'm writing the pattern for 9 sizes - up to king size.
My most recent finish is Molly Mod, which I made as an 18th birthday gift for my youngest niece, who requested a 60's vibe and a red/orange/pink/yellow colour palette.
It's made with Kaffe Fassett shot cottons and prints, and I am in the process of making a pattern for it as this has been requested by many members of the Kaffe Fassett Collective facebook group. I used no-pin piecing for the original, which has 7" circles, then I made a smaller version (Baby Mod) using applique for the 4.5" circles to demonstrate you can use either method!
The big one is 56" x 70" and the baby one is 30" square. I'm writing the pattern for 9 sizes - up to king size.
Wendy Crampton
The front is a pattern (houses) that is called Winter Village by Laundry Basket Quilts. It’s appropriately 54” x 66”. The back was inspired by the perched birds on the front. I felt the quilt needed some movement, so I added a few flying birds to the front and really got them flying on the back.
I created the flying birds from images I found online and attached them initially with heat and bond, then used invisible thread to stitch them down. We were in lockdown so I had to use all the left over fabric from the houses to try and gain enough fabric to create the backing.
The front is a pattern (houses) that is called Winter Village by Laundry Basket Quilts. It’s appropriately 54” x 66”. The back was inspired by the perched birds on the front. I felt the quilt needed some movement, so I added a few flying birds to the front and really got them flying on the back.
I created the flying birds from images I found online and attached them initially with heat and bond, then used invisible thread to stitch them down. We were in lockdown so I had to use all the left over fabric from the houses to try and gain enough fabric to create the backing.
Annie Folkard
I’ve been busy using African fabric - concentrating on colour rather than complicated patchwork. I have a Nigerian friend who sends me fabric to use. I also completed quilting a silk mono print made at Committed to Cloth. This had layers of colour scraped across front and back to intensify the colours.
(Left/ Centre) Front, back using Japanese fabric.
(Right) Improv log cabin using scraps combined with improv squares using a mixture fabrics that I had.
I’ve been busy using African fabric - concentrating on colour rather than complicated patchwork. I have a Nigerian friend who sends me fabric to use. I also completed quilting a silk mono print made at Committed to Cloth. This had layers of colour scraped across front and back to intensify the colours.
(Left/ Centre) Front, back using Japanese fabric.
(Right) Improv log cabin using scraps combined with improv squares using a mixture fabrics that I had.
Sue Hart
On the left is a 40” square quilt adapted from a picture in a book. The spotted fabrics are all different apart from two. I hand quilted it with pairs of concentric circles in two different sizes.
On the right is another modern sampler made using a few blocks stitched during a Helen Howes workshop.
I used Ricky Timms dancing squares for the border.
On the left is a 40” square quilt adapted from a picture in a book. The spotted fabrics are all different apart from two. I hand quilted it with pairs of concentric circles in two different sizes.
On the right is another modern sampler made using a few blocks stitched during a Helen Howes workshop.
I used Ricky Timms dancing squares for the border.
Rachel Donnison
My embroidered felt birds are original and produced after a lot of research in picture galleries of birds not to mention many hours doing embroidery!
These ones are from left to right –
Rock Dove, Turtle Dove and Barn Owl (front and back).
My embroidered felt birds are original and produced after a lot of research in picture galleries of birds not to mention many hours doing embroidery!
These ones are from left to right –
Rock Dove, Turtle Dove and Barn Owl (front and back).
Anita O’Brien
These are two quilts I completed over the summer.
The first is a gift for a historian friend who spent much of his life writing about, researching and teaching African history. He is also a keen fisherman. I found a piece of wax-printed African fabric featuring fish and built the design around it, working in as many African flags and other references to places of importance in his life and work.
The second is a Quilt of Remembrance for the family of Charles ‘Chop’ Roundtree. I have been a volunteer embroiderer with the Social Justice Sewing Academy in California for a few years. A SJSA Quilt of Remembrance is ‘a textile memorial for families who have lost a loved one to violence. They are intended to reflect the life of the person by creating a quilt using textiles or photos given to us by their family.’
All I knew about Chop was that he was eighteen, loved the colour red, rap music and basketball. The family also shared the name of his favourite basketball team and their personal photographs. The charity invites the makers to discover as much as they can about the person they are memorialising. It was a difficult but worthwhile task.
http://www.sjsacademy.org/quilts-of-remembrance.html
@sjsa_remembranceproject
These are two quilts I completed over the summer.
The first is a gift for a historian friend who spent much of his life writing about, researching and teaching African history. He is also a keen fisherman. I found a piece of wax-printed African fabric featuring fish and built the design around it, working in as many African flags and other references to places of importance in his life and work.
The second is a Quilt of Remembrance for the family of Charles ‘Chop’ Roundtree. I have been a volunteer embroiderer with the Social Justice Sewing Academy in California for a few years. A SJSA Quilt of Remembrance is ‘a textile memorial for families who have lost a loved one to violence. They are intended to reflect the life of the person by creating a quilt using textiles or photos given to us by their family.’
All I knew about Chop was that he was eighteen, loved the colour red, rap music and basketball. The family also shared the name of his favourite basketball team and their personal photographs. The charity invites the makers to discover as much as they can about the person they are memorialising. It was a difficult but worthwhile task.
http://www.sjsacademy.org/quilts-of-remembrance.html
@sjsa_remembranceproject
July 2021
Rachel Snee
On the left is an improv heart I made with my Kaffe Fassett scraps and a soft fleecy back for a friend in Canada to take to chemo with her.
On the right is a scrappy quilt that started with some menswear type layer cake squares, some left over shirting fabric and some of my Kaffe Fassett scraps!
Rachel Snee
On the left is an improv heart I made with my Kaffe Fassett scraps and a soft fleecy back for a friend in Canada to take to chemo with her.
On the right is a scrappy quilt that started with some menswear type layer cake squares, some left over shirting fabric and some of my Kaffe Fassett scraps!

Dalia Hartman Bergsagel
I've been going through my scraps sewing bits together for a few projects so don't have any work to show apart from this baby blanket which I'm actually planning to finish tying in our sewing evening zoom call on Monday.
A blanket for my dear friend who had his first baby last week. Not quite finished tying it.
Dalia Hartman Bergsagel
I've been going through my scraps sewing bits together for a few projects so don't have any work to show apart from this baby blanket which I'm actually planning to finish tying in our sewing evening zoom call on Monday.
A blanket for my dear friend who had his first baby last week. Not quite finished tying it.
June 2021
Mikael Lemon
Here are two framed blocks I am gifting to a Japanese friend who gave me a cast off embroidered kimono she wore as a young girl. I wanted to preserve some pieces of the embroidery on it for her to enjoy as a thank you from me.
Mikael Lemon
Here are two framed blocks I am gifting to a Japanese friend who gave me a cast off embroidered kimono she wore as a young girl. I wanted to preserve some pieces of the embroidery on it for her to enjoy as a thank you from me.
Pauline Macauley
This is a small piece as a gift to celebrate the first olive harvest of our cousins on their finca in Spain. The background is Moda samples appliqued with fabrics from my stash. Machine and hand stitched.
Eleanor Roosevelt said “Do one thing every day that scares you”.
Doing a dog portrait was one, to mark the third adoption date of my grandson's dog.
Traced from a photo, marked onto linen and sewn with assorted threads. The challenge was capturing the eyes and knowing when to stop!
Jan Cooper
During lockdown I have very much enjoyed having time to sew, but haven’t attempted anything complex. I have used the time to use up some of my stash, like everyone else I made a lot of face masks.
Then I have been catching up making quilts for family members. I have backed them all with plush cuddle fabric, which the children like, but is a little tricky as it does stretch. I have found using spray adhesive prevents too much stretching.
First, there was a Harry Potter quilt for my 6 year old grandson Freddie.
I had a lovely animal print panel in my stash, and didn’t want to cut it, but it has made a lovely playmat for baby Reuben.
Pink and grey were the requested colours for a new baby quilt, I found this fabric on Spoonflower.
(Spoonflower is an on-demand, digital printing company that prints custom fabric, wallpaper, and gift wrap.)
Finally another quick, disappearing nine patch, quilt, for a relative who loves purple.
Dalia Hartman Bergsagel
These are my three recent projects.
Not sure I'll have the guts to wear this dress as it looks like a nightie. Yet again, why not?
Made from repurposed shirts.
These are my three recent projects.
Not sure I'll have the guts to wear this dress as it looks like a nightie. Yet again, why not?
Made from repurposed shirts.
May 2021
Rose Little - Rainforest Quilt Project
In 2013, I held a workshop to raise funds for a friend to teach art to children at ACER Brasil, a community centre in Diadema Eldorado, a disadvantaged neighbourhood near São Paulo city. It was called ‘Make a Rainforest Quilt’, and I dyed a suitcase full of fabrics for it. My friend eventually spent 1 1/2 years at ACER, and in 2016 I visited her there. We founded the Eldorado Textile Project, giving local women an opportunity to learn textile skills, work creatively in a supportive group and earn a small income.
Most of the funding for the project came from textile workshops that I gave, but like so many things, these came to an abrupt halt in 2020. This year I started to hold workshops again via Zoom and I decided to use the same rainforest theme. There was still quite a lot of hand-dyed fabric left over from the first rainforest workshop, but I also included a few commercial prints, plains, shot cottons and batiks that blended well with fabric that I had tie dyed and overdyed. I sent out fabric packs for a semi-improv log cabin block, and asked the makers to donate their block for a group quilt, to be auctioned for another fundraiser.

This quilt top has as its starting point the same fabrics, but the design of the blocks is slightly different, as each frame has strips of equal width and equal length, pieced using part-sewn seams. The central square is larger than in most traditional log cabin designs and the colours and tonal values of the block are based approximately on this square. The tie-dyed fabrics have an organic feel which is intended to evoke the verdant vegetation of a rainforest, and happily they also often work well as blenders. I intend to use this piece as a sample to show our women and teenagers in Eldorado via Zoom how to quilt by machine, and after that I’m planning a workshop on tie-dye.
If you’d like to join my email list for more information about the Rainforest Quilt Project and other workshops, I’d love to hear from you at [email protected].
If you’d like to join my email list for more information about the Rainforest Quilt Project and other workshops, I’d love to hear from you at [email protected].
Dalia Hartman Bergsagel
The pile of scraps never seems to have a dent in it. I made another two small pictures from small scraps and then ventured into coasters and a little bowl made with tiny tiny scraps.
Then I sewed little pieces of scrunched up fabrics onto a canvas. I enjoyed this process tremendously. I love the way the fabric wrinkled into folds.
The pile of scraps never seems to have a dent in it. I made another two small pictures from small scraps and then ventured into coasters and a little bowl made with tiny tiny scraps.
Then I sewed little pieces of scrunched up fabrics onto a canvas. I enjoyed this process tremendously. I love the way the fabric wrinkled into folds.
April 2021
Dalia Hartman Bergsagel
While still in Tel Aviv for 15 months now, my passion for using what there is and upcycling has grown immensely. People just leave clothing and bedding on benches and I gladly pick, wash and use them.
What makes my heart sing is using even tiny little pieces to make something of.
Dalia Hartman Bergsagel
While still in Tel Aviv for 15 months now, my passion for using what there is and upcycling has grown immensely. People just leave clothing and bedding on benches and I gladly pick, wash and use them.
What makes my heart sing is using even tiny little pieces to make something of.
Sue Aron
Almost Monochrome
My black and white quilt started life as 9 x 16 patch blocks made at an Absolute Basics workshop at Tikki in Kew in 2014.
Revisiting these blocks during Lockdown, I decided to turn them into disappearing 16 patch blocks to add more variation to the design. Not over keen with the result, I further added black sashing and white cornerstones to improve the design and also to stabilise the blocks. The final tweak was to replace five of the white cornerstones with magenta ones to break up the design and to give the eyes somewhere to rest.
Along the way, I taught myself how to make sashing, cornerstones and to keep going until I was happy with the outcome. The quilt top currently measures 21½ x 43 inches. There will a border and binding.
I’m thinking of tie quilting it when it’s finished.
Almost Monochrome
My black and white quilt started life as 9 x 16 patch blocks made at an Absolute Basics workshop at Tikki in Kew in 2014.
Revisiting these blocks during Lockdown, I decided to turn them into disappearing 16 patch blocks to add more variation to the design. Not over keen with the result, I further added black sashing and white cornerstones to improve the design and also to stabilise the blocks. The final tweak was to replace five of the white cornerstones with magenta ones to break up the design and to give the eyes somewhere to rest.
Along the way, I taught myself how to make sashing, cornerstones and to keep going until I was happy with the outcome. The quilt top currently measures 21½ x 43 inches. There will a border and binding.
I’m thinking of tie quilting it when it’s finished.
Rachel Snee
I have made quite a few quilts during lockdown.
The first is an 'I Spy' quilt for my great-neice Bella's 1st birthday. It started with a top which I made in 2000 in Vancouver, and I decided to keep for the first of the next generation of my family. In lockdown I found I was lacking backing fabrics, but I found enough suitable prints and scraps to piece an 'I Spy' back too!
I have made quite a few quilts during lockdown.
The first is an 'I Spy' quilt for my great-neice Bella's 1st birthday. It started with a top which I made in 2000 in Vancouver, and I decided to keep for the first of the next generation of my family. In lockdown I found I was lacking backing fabrics, but I found enough suitable prints and scraps to piece an 'I Spy' back too!
A scrappy quilt which started as a collection of 2" squares used as leaders and enders, morphed into a 21st Birthday quilt for my nephew, Aaron. It was the first time I'd quilted a big spiral, and I like the effect, although it was a literal pain to do as I had no safety pins and the regular pins I used kept sticking me as I moved the quilt round and round!

A fun Christmas present for my daughter's partner Kieren,
who's a bit of a goth!
A fellow quilter suggested that instead of making a quilt for charity we made one for a carer we knew who was working hard on the front lines. The one on the bottom left was for a friend who works in a housing charity for LGBT youth.
In the bottom right top, blocks of the same striped fabric, but another colourway, were created from leftover fabric (not quilted yet).
Hermione Wood
Early this year, I was contacted by a teacher at Queens Park Primary school who wanted to create a hanging using 12.5 cm squares of fabric which had been decorated by children at The Children's University after school club. The children are all between the ages of 5 and 11.
In December 2020, the children were asked to decorate the fabric squares using felt tip fabric pens on the theme of 'Well being'. Over 100 completed squares were delivered to my studio, from which I made a selection. I used some of the backing cloth I use for my printing, and appliqued as many squares as I could to make the double-sided hanging. The quote, 'What will survive of us is love', is the final line from Philip Larkin's poem
'An Arundel Tomb'.
The hanging will be displayed at the school.
March 2021
Sarah Hibbert
I made these six-pointed handstitched stars at an online workshop with Tara Faughnan at Quiltcon in 2020.
It was lovely to get back to hand stitching.
This is my improv quilt Give and Take, again working with Tara Faughnan at an online workshop at Quiltcon. When finished it will be hand quilted. All fabrics are linen and the stars are hand-dyed linen.
Sarah Hibbert
I made these six-pointed handstitched stars at an online workshop with Tara Faughnan at Quiltcon in 2020.
It was lovely to get back to hand stitching.
This is my improv quilt Give and Take, again working with Tara Faughnan at an online workshop at Quiltcon. When finished it will be hand quilted. All fabrics are linen and the stars are hand-dyed linen.
Sabi Westoby
I continue to be inspired by the tutors on Stitch Club. Jude Kingshott demonstrated fabric books and scrolls and the latter piqued my interest. I have made many books but no scrolls, so I rose to that challenge. Using materials in my stash, I machine stitched scraps of hand-dyed silk organza and painted Lutradur onto handmade paper and added some hand stitching for accent and contrast. The reverse/interior was hand stitching on calico fused onto the front and finished off with a couple of twigs from tree pruning.

Rita Vaudray
This is my latest lockdown quilt. It’s called Season of Mists, based on the Keats poem, ‘To Autumn’. Autumn is ‘sitting careless on a granary floor’, bottom right, sewn with Gutermann Sulky thread. The ‘maturing sun’, top left, is made with a piece of kimono silk. And I added a hare at bottom left, running away and just visible out of the corner of your eye.
I didn’t have a suitable piece of backing fabric for the back of the quilt, and couldn’t shop for it, so I made different-sized log cabins from the scraps and pieced them together.
I’m quite pleased with it - might do it again, it’s certainly a cheap option!

Philip O’Reilly
I make ‘Hybrids’ – artworks that straddle the boundaries of Art & Craft. I have a background in working in felt, ceramics, embroidery and weaving as well as using digital printing in various formats.
While working in Turkey, I met a traditional quilt maker (yorganci) in his atelier. Intrigued by his drawing methods, I learnt about his whole-cloth design strategy using his set of nineteen templates. I hoped to return with a design and learn from his visual language and making methods. Unfortunately, Covid-19 made this impossible. However, he had helpfully allowed me to trace copies of his templates.
When I returned to the UK, I worked on a quilt design by manipulating my copies of the templates and adding other drawn elements. The result is The Quilt Maker’s Garden, a design for a whole cloth quilt. Never having physically made a quilt, I looked for an alternative way to achieve my goal. This led me to discover longarm quilting and the prospect of learning an exciting new form of digital stitch-craft. I have transposed my original design into a digital format for production using a Gammill Statler Stitcher.
Working in collaboration with Welsh longarm quilter Jo Rioux, I plan to complete the quilt in 2021.

Judy Roose
Memories of my Trip to New Zealand is made up from fabric bought in New Zealand which depicts Maori and New Zealand symbols. The blocks are just sample blocks, but the appliqué and embroidery have New Zealand themes: a kiwi, fantail bird, Maori symbols and fern.
Got back to UK in February 2020, so last trip abroad!
Judy Roose
Memories of my Trip to New Zealand is made up from fabric bought in New Zealand which depicts Maori and New Zealand symbols. The blocks are just sample blocks, but the appliqué and embroidery have New Zealand themes: a kiwi, fantail bird, Maori symbols and fern.
Got back to UK in February 2020, so last trip abroad!
Diana Darrer
The quilt I am working on is about 2020 global events: Arctic ice and glacier melts, wild bush fires in Australia and the USA, Covid-19, the NHS and Brexit. I've been making it in sections and will be putting it together soon, but have yet to embroider all the writing.
The centre has a rainbow of hope for the future. It will measure roughly 50 x 30 inches.
I have also included a sample group of masks, pocket lavender bags and lavender pin cushions (to smell nice when a pin goes in!) which I have made for family and friends, or to sell for our church funds. I haven't bought any new fabrics, just using what I already have.
The quilt I am working on is about 2020 global events: Arctic ice and glacier melts, wild bush fires in Australia and the USA, Covid-19, the NHS and Brexit. I've been making it in sections and will be putting it together soon, but have yet to embroider all the writing.
The centre has a rainbow of hope for the future. It will measure roughly 50 x 30 inches.
I have also included a sample group of masks, pocket lavender bags and lavender pin cushions (to smell nice when a pin goes in!) which I have made for family and friends, or to sell for our church funds. I haven't bought any new fabrics, just using what I already have.
Linda Libby
Here are six bags that I made for Christmas presents. All the same pattern, but I varied the size and sourced appropriately designed fabrics for each person. For instance, the large blue one in the centre was made to hold a Jacobs cracker box inside, as that is what Mum keeps (kept) her hand pieced hexies inside. It is actually a bit like a sack, when full, with the integral cover drawn up.
The second photo shows the front of the bag I made for my sister featuring her favourite sweets with detachable brooch. The digitally printed jelly bean fabric shrank before my eyes when I sprayed it to press a crease out, and that was without touching it with the iron! The black-and-white doll inner cover is made from a glow in the dark fabric of dismembered dolls. Awful I know, but my sister often pulled my dolls’ heads off.
Linda Libby
Here are six bags that I made for Christmas presents. All the same pattern, but I varied the size and sourced appropriately designed fabrics for each person. For instance, the large blue one in the centre was made to hold a Jacobs cracker box inside, as that is what Mum keeps (kept) her hand pieced hexies inside. It is actually a bit like a sack, when full, with the integral cover drawn up.
The second photo shows the front of the bag I made for my sister featuring her favourite sweets with detachable brooch. The digitally printed jelly bean fabric shrank before my eyes when I sprayed it to press a crease out, and that was without touching it with the iron! The black-and-white doll inner cover is made from a glow in the dark fabric of dismembered dolls. Awful I know, but my sister often pulled my dolls’ heads off.
Jady Kozak
We bought two traditional Cyprus settles a few years ago, and I had to wait until my husband Richard refurbished the wood before I could reupholster them. The geometric design used a lot of leftover blocks from a quilt I made as a wedding present and set the colour theme. I did have to buy more fabric to make the other one to ‘match’.
The other photo is of a sofa throw made from scraps. I have several containers filled with bits cut to six different sizes that will, in various combinations, make a 6-inch finished block.
We bought two traditional Cyprus settles a few years ago, and I had to wait until my husband Richard refurbished the wood before I could reupholster them. The geometric design used a lot of leftover blocks from a quilt I made as a wedding present and set the colour theme. I did have to buy more fabric to make the other one to ‘match’.
The other photo is of a sofa throw made from scraps. I have several containers filled with bits cut to six different sizes that will, in various combinations, make a 6-inch finished block.

Anita O’Brien
This is the panel I recently made for the Remembrance Project of the Social Justice Sewing Academy, based in California. The project is ‘a quilt block community art project that will provide activist art banners for local and national activist organizations who have requested creative statements to be publicly displayed that represent solidarity as well as remembrance.’ The panels memorialise those who have died as a result of community, race-based or gender/sexuality-based violence.
Having volunteered for the project, I received an email with the name of 18-year-old Charles ‘Chop’ Roundtree, a link to an article about his death, some photographs supplied by his family, and some other details about his favourite colour and interests. The project invites the makers to learn more about the subject and the circumstances surrounding their death. The panel is 20 x 24 inches and will be joined to other panels before being quilted into a banner.
I had never tried to make a portrait panel before, so this was a challenge. It seems Charles loved all shades of red, so I delved into my stash. The information also said his family was very important to him. In the course of my research, I discovered a list of his family members and their names surround him in the border. As with many techniques, it is only when you attempt it yourself that you truly appreciate the skill of those who do it really well. It was a useful challenge and I learnt a lot in the making of it.
http://www.sjsacademy.org/the-sjsa-remembrance-project.html
Anita O’Brien
This is the panel I recently made for the Remembrance Project of the Social Justice Sewing Academy, based in California. The project is ‘a quilt block community art project that will provide activist art banners for local and national activist organizations who have requested creative statements to be publicly displayed that represent solidarity as well as remembrance.’ The panels memorialise those who have died as a result of community, race-based or gender/sexuality-based violence.
Having volunteered for the project, I received an email with the name of 18-year-old Charles ‘Chop’ Roundtree, a link to an article about his death, some photographs supplied by his family, and some other details about his favourite colour and interests. The project invites the makers to learn more about the subject and the circumstances surrounding their death. The panel is 20 x 24 inches and will be joined to other panels before being quilted into a banner.
I had never tried to make a portrait panel before, so this was a challenge. It seems Charles loved all shades of red, so I delved into my stash. The information also said his family was very important to him. In the course of my research, I discovered a list of his family members and their names surround him in the border. As with many techniques, it is only when you attempt it yourself that you truly appreciate the skill of those who do it really well. It was a useful challenge and I learnt a lot in the making of it.
http://www.sjsacademy.org/the-sjsa-remembrance-project.html

Annie Folkard
The first image shows a raw edge appliqué hanging I made using a photograph I took in 1978. I did a remote photographic fusion course with Phil Thomas in Australia. The hanging is about 33” x 27” and incorporates embroidered pieces that a neighbour gave me many years ago not knowing what to do with them!
Fantastic Fusion was done following an online Lisa Walton workshop, just before Christmas 2020.
The third quilt was inspired by a Tanzanian textile that I was given. It is used on the reverse as a whole cloth, but also used to edge in the inner border. This was made using Joe Cunningham Fantasy Four Patch pattern as a basis. Size: 70” x 70”.
I made Red using fabric I printed on a pre-lockdown surface design course at Committed to Cloth.
[Annie was also fortunate to be awarded the Quilters’ Guild Travel Bursary in 2020. To read more about this and her other recent work, see the Spring 2021 edition of the Quilters Guild London Region magazine,
Our Patch.]
The first image shows a raw edge appliqué hanging I made using a photograph I took in 1978. I did a remote photographic fusion course with Phil Thomas in Australia. The hanging is about 33” x 27” and incorporates embroidered pieces that a neighbour gave me many years ago not knowing what to do with them!
Fantastic Fusion was done following an online Lisa Walton workshop, just before Christmas 2020.
The third quilt was inspired by a Tanzanian textile that I was given. It is used on the reverse as a whole cloth, but also used to edge in the inner border. This was made using Joe Cunningham Fantasy Four Patch pattern as a basis. Size: 70” x 70”.
I made Red using fabric I printed on a pre-lockdown surface design course at Committed to Cloth.
[Annie was also fortunate to be awarded the Quilters’ Guild Travel Bursary in 2020. To read more about this and her other recent work, see the Spring 2021 edition of the Quilters Guild London Region magazine,
Our Patch.]
February 2021
Sue Aron
I made this cute and practical Japanese drawstring bag during Tier 4/Lockdown 2.
The two silk lining fabrics proved a little challenging to stitch to the outer fabric but I am delighted with the finished article. I have to find two large beads to complete my bag and am looking forward to a time when I can take it to a face to face workshop.
The pattern is by Janice Gunner.
Sue Aron
I made this cute and practical Japanese drawstring bag during Tier 4/Lockdown 2.
The two silk lining fabrics proved a little challenging to stitch to the outer fabric but I am delighted with the finished article. I have to find two large beads to complete my bag and am looking forward to a time when I can take it to a face to face workshop.
The pattern is by Janice Gunner.
Jeanette Kriwaczek
I have two works in progress. The sampler quilt was made for my daughter. The second quilt was made from scraps using the Lynne Edward pattern sent out by London Quilters.
Janice Gunner
My mum had a fall on 27 October 2020 and was taken to hospital because she had atrial fibrillation, which probably caused her fall. She was admitted to the COVID-19 Rainbow ward and once her test came back negative she was transferred to Larch Ward. She spent some time there while being investigated and a Covid test on 5 November proved negative. On 7 November she developed a cough and was tested again. On 8 November, just as she was about to be discharged, the test came back positive. We didn’t know it at the time but there had been an outbreak on her ward. We had not been allowed to visit her since she was admitted but kept in contact by phone.
Mum was moved back to Rainbow ward to start treatment for COVID-19 and was prescribed dexamethasone and prophylactic antibiotics to ward off a chest infection. She seemed to improve but by the following weekend she had started to deteriorate. We were telephoned each day by a doctor and we spoke to Mum when she was able. By 18 November she had really gone down hill and we were finally allowed to visit providing we wore PPE. The next day we were told she had been placed on end of life care; the medications had been stopped as Mum did not want to go to ITU. She died peacefully with me at her bedside on Friday 20th November after we (my youngest sister Linda and brother Ken) had been called and told she didn’t have long to live.
Some of you know that my brave Mum had given the BBC permission to film her journey for the programme, Hospital, that had been shown on BBC 2 on Monday evenings. We went along with her wishes and my sister, Linda, and I were also filmed for the programme. It is still on iPlayer (Series 6, Episode 6) if you wish to watch and hear.
COVID-19 has touched so many families and my Mum, 87 years old and clinically extremely vulnerable, who was dreading admission to hospital for any reason, caught it in the one place that should have kept her safe.
The quilt you can see below is called In Memoriam, made in memory of my Mum.
I pixelated an image of Mum and then wrote words back to front over the top of the image so that when I printed it on to “Extravorganza” it would read correctly. Two of the images were too big but as the words were important I still used them. They are stitched on to coloured fabric foundation linings and I strip pieced the same palette of fabrics to make the “pixel” patchwork. If you look carefully I have included a mutation of these - well, it was a mistake actually but I decided to leave it!
It was pieced together to make the whole (40 cm square) then machine quilted. The binding is made from the hem of Mum’s 67 year old lace wedding dress which I tried to salvage to go to a vintage clothing shop but it was too far gone.
My mum had a fall on 27 October 2020 and was taken to hospital because she had atrial fibrillation, which probably caused her fall. She was admitted to the COVID-19 Rainbow ward and once her test came back negative she was transferred to Larch Ward. She spent some time there while being investigated and a Covid test on 5 November proved negative. On 7 November she developed a cough and was tested again. On 8 November, just as she was about to be discharged, the test came back positive. We didn’t know it at the time but there had been an outbreak on her ward. We had not been allowed to visit her since she was admitted but kept in contact by phone.
Mum was moved back to Rainbow ward to start treatment for COVID-19 and was prescribed dexamethasone and prophylactic antibiotics to ward off a chest infection. She seemed to improve but by the following weekend she had started to deteriorate. We were telephoned each day by a doctor and we spoke to Mum when she was able. By 18 November she had really gone down hill and we were finally allowed to visit providing we wore PPE. The next day we were told she had been placed on end of life care; the medications had been stopped as Mum did not want to go to ITU. She died peacefully with me at her bedside on Friday 20th November after we (my youngest sister Linda and brother Ken) had been called and told she didn’t have long to live.
Some of you know that my brave Mum had given the BBC permission to film her journey for the programme, Hospital, that had been shown on BBC 2 on Monday evenings. We went along with her wishes and my sister, Linda, and I were also filmed for the programme. It is still on iPlayer (Series 6, Episode 6) if you wish to watch and hear.
COVID-19 has touched so many families and my Mum, 87 years old and clinically extremely vulnerable, who was dreading admission to hospital for any reason, caught it in the one place that should have kept her safe.
The quilt you can see below is called In Memoriam, made in memory of my Mum.
I pixelated an image of Mum and then wrote words back to front over the top of the image so that when I printed it on to “Extravorganza” it would read correctly. Two of the images were too big but as the words were important I still used them. They are stitched on to coloured fabric foundation linings and I strip pieced the same palette of fabrics to make the “pixel” patchwork. If you look carefully I have included a mutation of these - well, it was a mistake actually but I decided to leave it!
It was pieced together to make the whole (40 cm square) then machine quilted. The binding is made from the hem of Mum’s 67 year old lace wedding dress which I tried to salvage to go to a vintage clothing shop but it was too far gone.
Pauline Macaulay
This is my first attempt at a stitched portrait made for a friend’s 70th birthday. The biggest challenge was capturing her mischievous eyes and mouth. I used linen, cotton threads, beads, buttons and water colour paints. The finished size is 12” x 12”.
This is my first attempt at a stitched portrait made for a friend’s 70th birthday. The biggest challenge was capturing her mischievous eyes and mouth. I used linen, cotton threads, beads, buttons and water colour paints. The finished size is 12” x 12”.
Sabi Westoby
I continue to be inspired by workshops on Stitch Club. I made a book using a very small part of a collection of vintage lace, textiles and place mats and an assortment of old needle packets inherited from my mother-in-law many years ago. I like to think that I have made a dent in my stash but nothing could be further from the truth!
I continue to be inspired by workshops on Stitch Club. I made a book using a very small part of a collection of vintage lace, textiles and place mats and an assortment of old needle packets inherited from my mother-in-law many years ago. I like to think that I have made a dent in my stash but nothing could be further from the truth!
Rosemary Little
At London Quilters' November sewing evening I took part in the Aaron Sanders Head embroidery workshop. I made this piece and converted it into a 12-inch cushion cover. I used scrunch-dyed fabric and pearl cotton for the embroidery and put in a few extra stitches to anchor the long threads.
At London Quilters' November sewing evening I took part in the Aaron Sanders Head embroidery workshop. I made this piece and converted it into a 12-inch cushion cover. I used scrunch-dyed fabric and pearl cotton for the embroidery and put in a few extra stitches to anchor the long threads.
Pauline Macaulay
I made this queen size bed quilt during the early months of Covid 19 Lockdown as a gift to my youngest son and his wife in Australia. Fortunately, in my stash I had enough of the palette that I wanted for the triangles. I also purchased Essex Linen-Cotton mix in Natural from Eternal Maker for the reverse side. It was tricky choosing an overall quilting pattern that would work with the horizontal lines of the triangles. Abigail Sheridan de Graaff did a great job longarm quilting the wave pattern chosen to symbolise my son's love of (extreme) swimming. The narrow strip in the binding is Indonesian cotton to symbolise family holidays and retreats in Bali.
I have greatly appreciated the opportunity of huge chunks of time that this pandemic has provided to really get stuck into this and other projects and the odd mask thrown in. I have been stimulated by my membership of TextileArtistStitchClub.org. and their programme of video workshops and question and answer sessions. I am having so much fun pushing my boundaries in creating and stitching using whatever I have around me - no buying on-line or locally!
I made this queen size bed quilt during the early months of Covid 19 Lockdown as a gift to my youngest son and his wife in Australia. Fortunately, in my stash I had enough of the palette that I wanted for the triangles. I also purchased Essex Linen-Cotton mix in Natural from Eternal Maker for the reverse side. It was tricky choosing an overall quilting pattern that would work with the horizontal lines of the triangles. Abigail Sheridan de Graaff did a great job longarm quilting the wave pattern chosen to symbolise my son's love of (extreme) swimming. The narrow strip in the binding is Indonesian cotton to symbolise family holidays and retreats in Bali.
I have greatly appreciated the opportunity of huge chunks of time that this pandemic has provided to really get stuck into this and other projects and the odd mask thrown in. I have been stimulated by my membership of TextileArtistStitchClub.org. and their programme of video workshops and question and answer sessions. I am having so much fun pushing my boundaries in creating and stitching using whatever I have around me - no buying on-line or locally!
Sabi Westoby
I have continued with my explorations with Stitch Club on TextileArtist.com and have had a lot of fun in the process.
We were introduced to a way of creating abstract pieces by Sabine Kaner by scrunching up paper and tracing the patterns made by the folds then cutting out fabrics or felt for applique, as can be seen by my first piece. For the second piece the shapes were painted in and I liked the colours so much that I decided to hand stitch rather than cover up with fabric.
The second images came from a workshop with Vinny Stapley. Layers of sheer fabrics were stitched together then the images were appliqued on. With the last picture the translucence of the background fabric shows up clearly. And you can also see the olive tree that was my inspiration for this piece.
I have continued with my explorations with Stitch Club on TextileArtist.com and have had a lot of fun in the process.
We were introduced to a way of creating abstract pieces by Sabine Kaner by scrunching up paper and tracing the patterns made by the folds then cutting out fabrics or felt for applique, as can be seen by my first piece. For the second piece the shapes were painted in and I liked the colours so much that I decided to hand stitch rather than cover up with fabric.
The second images came from a workshop with Vinny Stapley. Layers of sheer fabrics were stitched together then the images were appliqued on. With the last picture the translucence of the background fabric shows up clearly. And you can also see the olive tree that was my inspiration for this piece.
Tricia Dickson
The Contemporary Group I belong to, 'Feed Dogs Down', set a challenge to make a piece from our stash. Well, when I was sorting through mine I found loads of bits and pieces and lots of photos and artwork relating to waterscapes. These are not part of the piece I am making for the FDD challenge as that will go into our exhibition next year (hopefully). I decided to do a bit of reading up on how to use some of the textiles I found, dug out the soldering iron and heat gun from the back of a cupboard and am now well on a roll. Here are two of them: each piece is 6" square and I am putting them into a sketch book and writing notes on how I put each piece together.
Paternoster Beach Rock Pools
Layers are: Vilene Spunbond (CS800), Bondaweb painted with acrylics and some mixed with a textured gel, Xpandaprint, embroidery and quilting threads, use of heat gun and soldering iron.
Paternoster Beach Sea Anemones
Layers are: Vilene Spunbond (CS800), Bondaweb painted with acrylics, Lutradur painted with acrylics, Xpandaprint, embroidery and quilting threads, beads, use of heat gun and soldering iron.
The Contemporary Group I belong to, 'Feed Dogs Down', set a challenge to make a piece from our stash. Well, when I was sorting through mine I found loads of bits and pieces and lots of photos and artwork relating to waterscapes. These are not part of the piece I am making for the FDD challenge as that will go into our exhibition next year (hopefully). I decided to do a bit of reading up on how to use some of the textiles I found, dug out the soldering iron and heat gun from the back of a cupboard and am now well on a roll. Here are two of them: each piece is 6" square and I am putting them into a sketch book and writing notes on how I put each piece together.
Paternoster Beach Rock Pools
Layers are: Vilene Spunbond (CS800), Bondaweb painted with acrylics and some mixed with a textured gel, Xpandaprint, embroidery and quilting threads, use of heat gun and soldering iron.
Paternoster Beach Sea Anemones
Layers are: Vilene Spunbond (CS800), Bondaweb painted with acrylics, Lutradur painted with acrylics, Xpandaprint, embroidery and quilting threads, beads, use of heat gun and soldering iron.
Valerie Huggins
This quilt was made for my cousin's granddaughter, born in deep lockdown in April. Both my cousin and her daughter are interior designers - so absolutely no pressure! - and the nursery has Swedish Marimekko animal wallpaper. I had some of the same design in fabric left over from my previous quilt for a baby son, so this time had the challenge of using it again but making it different, with stylised flowers instead of geometrics and much more yellow. Both quilts are "first bed" size. Leo's quilt is machine quilted and Zoe's quilt has machine and hand quilting.
This quilt was made for my cousin's granddaughter, born in deep lockdown in April. Both my cousin and her daughter are interior designers - so absolutely no pressure! - and the nursery has Swedish Marimekko animal wallpaper. I had some of the same design in fabric left over from my previous quilt for a baby son, so this time had the challenge of using it again but making it different, with stylised flowers instead of geometrics and much more yellow. Both quilts are "first bed" size. Leo's quilt is machine quilted and Zoe's quilt has machine and hand quilting.

Maureen Turner
I started this quilt top at the beginning of lock down.
It is sewn on the diagonal in two halves which are joined at the end. I found this process and keeping all the colourways correct a good way of focusing my anxious and distracted head at this time. I haven’t yet found an error. It awaits finishing.
I started this quilt top at the beginning of lock down.
It is sewn on the diagonal in two halves which are joined at the end. I found this process and keeping all the colourways correct a good way of focusing my anxious and distracted head at this time. I haven’t yet found an error. It awaits finishing.
Anita O'Brien
Housing for Women blocks
In late July, an email was forwarded to members inviting us to contribute to a quilt marking the 85th anniversary of a charity now called Housing for Women. I was interested, and looked into both the history of the organisation and their current work. The charity provides homes for women and children across ten London boroughs, and also gives support to women escaping domestic abuse and trafficking, as well as women dealing with substance abuse and post-prison resettlement.
In the end, I produced three 9-inch blocks, which will, I believe, go into an 85-block quilt.
Block 1 traces the evolution of the organisation through its names. It started out helping women over 30 who found it very difficult to find work, forcing them often to live in very poor quality housing. The image of the woman knocking came from a 1930s leaflet from the early years of the organisation. The purple and green theme came from discovering that one of the first houses the charity was given was formerly called 'Mouse Castle', which, in the early 1900s, housed recently released suffragettes who were recovering from hunger strikes.
Block 2, 'ReUnited', refers to the organisation's ReUnite project, which works to reunite vulnerable mothers with their children following time in prison.
Block 3, 'Freedom from Abuse/Addiction', refers to the support the charity offers to women dealing with domestic abuse and addiction as they strive to make better lives for themselves.
It is not always easy to represent complex issues and experiences visually, but I enjoyed the challenge and hope the messages behind the blocks speak to all of those connected with Housing for Women.
The quilt will be assembled this month, and hopefully completed for the 85th anniversary in November.
Housing for Women blocks
In late July, an email was forwarded to members inviting us to contribute to a quilt marking the 85th anniversary of a charity now called Housing for Women. I was interested, and looked into both the history of the organisation and their current work. The charity provides homes for women and children across ten London boroughs, and also gives support to women escaping domestic abuse and trafficking, as well as women dealing with substance abuse and post-prison resettlement.
In the end, I produced three 9-inch blocks, which will, I believe, go into an 85-block quilt.
Block 1 traces the evolution of the organisation through its names. It started out helping women over 30 who found it very difficult to find work, forcing them often to live in very poor quality housing. The image of the woman knocking came from a 1930s leaflet from the early years of the organisation. The purple and green theme came from discovering that one of the first houses the charity was given was formerly called 'Mouse Castle', which, in the early 1900s, housed recently released suffragettes who were recovering from hunger strikes.
Block 2, 'ReUnited', refers to the organisation's ReUnite project, which works to reunite vulnerable mothers with their children following time in prison.
Block 3, 'Freedom from Abuse/Addiction', refers to the support the charity offers to women dealing with domestic abuse and addiction as they strive to make better lives for themselves.
It is not always easy to represent complex issues and experiences visually, but I enjoyed the challenge and hope the messages behind the blocks speak to all of those connected with Housing for Women.
The quilt will be assembled this month, and hopefully completed for the 85th anniversary in November.
Viv Kermath
Apart from piecing three quilt tops and making bags and masks, I have had the time to complete the dolls house I was given as a retirement present sixteen years ago. Having done that I rediscovered the kit to make a shop to the same 1/12th scale that I bought several years ago.
As my visit to Houston has been cancelled I decide to make a quilt shop of my own!!
There are three quilts on the wall and the shelves at the back are filled with small pieces of fabric wrapped around thin card.
Sabi Westoby
A series of online challenges run in Stitch Club by TextileArtist.org has encouraged me to try new techniques and ideas and not to lose sight of the fact that adults are allowed to play!
This folded book from Anne Kelly's workshop was created using ephemera collected on my first trip to Berlin last year. They were glued on fabric, a layer of tissue paper was glued on top then the piece was machine stitched and painted. There was meant to be a cover but I liked the back too much so that was also painted. This technique is one I will be using a lot in future work.
A series of online challenges run in Stitch Club by TextileArtist.org has encouraged me to try new techniques and ideas and not to lose sight of the fact that adults are allowed to play!
This folded book from Anne Kelly's workshop was created using ephemera collected on my first trip to Berlin last year. They were glued on fabric, a layer of tissue paper was glued on top then the piece was machine stitched and painted. There was meant to be a cover but I liked the back too much so that was also painted. This technique is one I will be using a lot in future work.
A workshop by Cas Holmes introduced us to a Japanese concept, momigami, meaning kneaded paper. Paper is scrunched up, opened out, scrunched up again and again until it changes from stiff paper to an almost fabric like consistency - soft, strong and stitchable.
The challenge was to make a landscape piece layering the momigami paper with fabrics then stitching them in place. I made two pieces, which were a lot of fun to do. They were hand stitched - at last a use for my collection of embroidery threads.
The challenge was to make a landscape piece layering the momigami paper with fabrics then stitching them in place. I made two pieces, which were a lot of fun to do. They were hand stitched - at last a use for my collection of embroidery threads.

Rita Vaudrey
I made this quilt with fabrics bought while on holiday in Japan last year. I chose to include large sections of scrap piecing, because of its universality in terms of place and time. Then I added the narrow horizontal and vertical lines that are such a feature of Japanese designs and interiors, evoking the screens and tatami floors that are everywhere. The circles, embroidered dragonflies and sakura flowers are there to try to give some fluidity to the rather stark effect of the dark colours and straight lines. I have machine quilted it in the ditch, but intend to add some hand quilting to further soften the lines.
I really enjoyed doing it, not least because it reminded me of a wonderful trip in what seems now to be a completely different world. But my next project is going to be with much brighter fabrics - I’ve had enough of dark indigo for the time being!
I made this quilt with fabrics bought while on holiday in Japan last year. I chose to include large sections of scrap piecing, because of its universality in terms of place and time. Then I added the narrow horizontal and vertical lines that are such a feature of Japanese designs and interiors, evoking the screens and tatami floors that are everywhere. The circles, embroidered dragonflies and sakura flowers are there to try to give some fluidity to the rather stark effect of the dark colours and straight lines. I have machine quilted it in the ditch, but intend to add some hand quilting to further soften the lines.
I really enjoyed doing it, not least because it reminded me of a wonderful trip in what seems now to be a completely different world. But my next project is going to be with much brighter fabrics - I’ve had enough of dark indigo for the time being!

Pauline Macaulay
A great way to use my stash for 1 year old grandson in Australia. We went to see Lion King a couple of years ago and the African fabrics reflect the theme.
I did a workshop with Ricky Timms years ago. This is basically flip and stitch. What holds it together is the central strip in all blocks being cut from the same fabric. It is also slightly wider than the other strips.
A great way to use my stash for 1 year old grandson in Australia. We went to see Lion King a couple of years ago and the African fabrics reflect the theme.
I did a workshop with Ricky Timms years ago. This is basically flip and stitch. What holds it together is the central strip in all blocks being cut from the same fabric. It is also slightly wider than the other strips.
Jane Steward
During lockdown, I have been enjoying a rare and uninterrupted opportunity to stitch. I have been finishing a few projects that had to be put aside when ‘life’ took over, plus a couple of new small projects. I don’t consider the older projects as UFOs, as I hadn’t put them aside because I was fed up with them, I just didn’t have time to sew. I like to have a decent amount of time to get stuck into a project, rather than only have half an hour here and another half hour a few days later. For me, the bit and bit approach spoils my enjoyment of the creative process. Fortunately, I didn’t have many things ‘on the go’, so I can start something entirely new after my current project.
During lockdown, I have been enjoying a rare and uninterrupted opportunity to stitch. I have been finishing a few projects that had to be put aside when ‘life’ took over, plus a couple of new small projects. I don’t consider the older projects as UFOs, as I hadn’t put them aside because I was fed up with them, I just didn’t have time to sew. I like to have a decent amount of time to get stuck into a project, rather than only have half an hour here and another half hour a few days later. For me, the bit and bit approach spoils my enjoyment of the creative process. Fortunately, I didn’t have many things ‘on the go’, so I can start something entirely new after my current project.
We visited the last Richmond & Kew Qs’ exhibition on its final day a couple of years ago. Hilary was running their massive Bring & Buy stall as usual and was deciding what to store in her loft until their next exhibition and what to discard. There was a bag of pre-cut 2½” squares in autumn florals that she was about to throw away. I said they might make a small quilt, so she challenged me to make something with them. Me and my big mouth! When I opened the bag at home, everything stank of cigarette smoke and it took two washes to get rid of the smell. I had then laid the squares out into some sort of design and joined them into rows, but not got any further with it. Now finished, the quilt will probably go to Linda Libby for Project Linus, if she can use it.

Early on in lockdown, a friend asked us to make some scrubs washbags for a GP practice on Anglesey, so Philip and I made 20 between us and posted them off. Sadly, the fabric they used didn’t make a noticeable dent in my stash! I also made a few facemasks for us in fuchsia pink batik fabrics, Philip’s favourite colour, so they are jolly to use if we have to go out.
I’ve also been making some loose, comfy trousers for us, again in batik fabrics. Nothing complicated, just four identical shapes stitched together and with elastic at the waist. Philip’s are very colourful!
A padded bag to store our scanner when not in use was made by piecing small scraps of striped fabric put together with another striped fabric.
A padded bag to store our scanner when not in use was made by piecing small scraps of striped fabric put together with another striped fabric.

I’m currently piecing a (proper) scrappy star quilt that I had cut out and pinned to a large sheet about 10 years ago and had never found the time to get any further with it! I have another 7 rows (3 rows of stars) and a scrappy border/binding to add to it. I can then layer it and clean up all the threads that are decorating the lounge carpet – and everywhere else, for that matter!
After the star quilt, I hope to turn one of the many projects buzzing around in my head into reality. Something more contemporary, I think.
After the star quilt, I hope to turn one of the many projects buzzing around in my head into reality. Something more contemporary, I think.
Janice Gunner
The first picture shows After Boro stitching - samples for classes and a Sashiko panel or cushion cover I designed in two colours. These were hand stitched in the garden when we had that hot spell!
The second image shows the Natural Dyeing for my MA. Left to right, Saxon blue on its own plus over dyed in yellows. A mix of Indigo and alkanet that only works on protein fibres, madder, Saxon blue again, some from an exhaust dye run.
More natural dyeing is shown in the third picture: left to right oak gall modified after dyeing with rust (ferrous sulphate), thick wool serge yellows over dyed with indigo, madder with soda ash added, indigo
The fourth picture shown some of the flowers and plants in my garden are overseen by my little froggie friend!
My house block for the Guild lockdown quilt is depicted in the penultimate image.
The final composite image shows some of the collages I have been making each day during the 100 day project on Instagram. These use some indigo dyed Khadi paper I dyed several years ago while teaching at West Dean College. There’s also Japanese Washi dyed with Bengara, a mineral dye.
The first picture shows After Boro stitching - samples for classes and a Sashiko panel or cushion cover I designed in two colours. These were hand stitched in the garden when we had that hot spell!
The second image shows the Natural Dyeing for my MA. Left to right, Saxon blue on its own plus over dyed in yellows. A mix of Indigo and alkanet that only works on protein fibres, madder, Saxon blue again, some from an exhaust dye run.
More natural dyeing is shown in the third picture: left to right oak gall modified after dyeing with rust (ferrous sulphate), thick wool serge yellows over dyed with indigo, madder with soda ash added, indigo
The fourth picture shown some of the flowers and plants in my garden are overseen by my little froggie friend!
My house block for the Guild lockdown quilt is depicted in the penultimate image.
The final composite image shows some of the collages I have been making each day during the 100 day project on Instagram. These use some indigo dyed Khadi paper I dyed several years ago while teaching at West Dean College. There’s also Japanese Washi dyed with Bengara, a mineral dye.

Sabi Westoby
In the course of a clear out I discovered a bag of 1" fabric strips collected over the years and destined for a charity shop. I wondered what strips stitched together would look like and rather liked the result. As the patches were of differing sizes sashing strips evened them out to 6" squares.
Machine quilting in a spiral was a new technique for me - I was pleased with the result and can see it being used in other quilts.
In the course of a clear out I discovered a bag of 1" fabric strips collected over the years and destined for a charity shop. I wondered what strips stitched together would look like and rather liked the result. As the patches were of differing sizes sashing strips evened them out to 6" squares.
Machine quilting in a spiral was a new technique for me - I was pleased with the result and can see it being used in other quilts.

Judy Roose
The inspiration for my 'Rainbow Quilt' was entirely based on wanting to contribute in some way to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The quilt is machine pieced and quilted, with the border seeded hand quilting in the colours of the rainbow.
The quilt will be raffled for the Whittington Hospital, Highgate, specifically to fund the staff welfare area which is run by a team of volunteer airline cabin crew.
The inspiration for my 'Rainbow Quilt' was entirely based on wanting to contribute in some way to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The quilt is machine pieced and quilted, with the border seeded hand quilting in the colours of the rainbow.
The quilt will be raffled for the Whittington Hospital, Highgate, specifically to fund the staff welfare area which is run by a team of volunteer airline cabin crew.
Rosemary Little
I've been doing design work based on a piece of pastel floral curtain fabric from the 80s. I collected fabrics in matching colours, arranged them according to tonal value and designed two 16-patch quilts in Photoshop, one in plains and one in a combination of plains and curtain fabric.
Ruth Warrens
I made this piece as part of the UKQU Spring 2020 mini quilt swap.
It was my first attic 'windows' - the hardest bit was the calculations of widths necessary to get the required finished size of 20" x 20" - a challenge to my personal pride as, once upon a time I was a secondary school maths teacher. Happy to say it came out 20:20
Only as I was hand sewing the binding on the back did I notice I had the backing fabric upside down though! All those apples are going to fall out of their boxes!
Yes, I printed my label - most notes on this say one must use an inkjet printer, but I got away with using the laser printer...
I made this piece as part of the UKQU Spring 2020 mini quilt swap.
It was my first attic 'windows' - the hardest bit was the calculations of widths necessary to get the required finished size of 20" x 20" - a challenge to my personal pride as, once upon a time I was a secondary school maths teacher. Happy to say it came out 20:20
Only as I was hand sewing the binding on the back did I notice I had the backing fabric upside down though! All those apples are going to fall out of their boxes!
Yes, I printed my label - most notes on this say one must use an inkjet printer, but I got away with using the laser printer...

Another (small) finish: my self-portrait quiltlet. This was a 'lockdown challenge' on the UKQU Facebook group.
I wanted flower buttons, but the ones I liked online were all out of stock, so I used shells that I had which were quirky and appropriate. The sewing ones I already had too. The frog is there because that's my family nickname! I quilted the bits and pieces in the sky in white thread first but they really weren't noticeable, so overstitched them (by hand) with gold metallic. Looking for just the right fabric to binding gave me the motivation to sort my ever-growing stash.

Sue Hart
I started this at a workshop with Jo Avery just before lockdown so it was one of my priorities once restricted to staying at home. Although not an original design, I like the movement and the colours. It also gave me much needed practise in machine quilting.
I started this at a workshop with Jo Avery just before lockdown so it was one of my priorities once restricted to staying at home. Although not an original design, I like the movement and the colours. It also gave me much needed practise in machine quilting.

This is my Modern Sampler made using the blocks designed by Helen Howes and Helen Aitchbee. I used Ricky Timms’ dancing squares for the borders.
This is my Modern Sampler made using the blocks designed by Helen Howes and Helen Aitchbee. I used Ricky Timms’ dancing squares for the borders.

I started this with the four elephants, possibly Indian, and used my African fabrics to enhance them. As all the pieces are not square I couldn’t easily machine quilt it so I decided to Big Stitch quilt it by hand. Plenty of time whilst watching TV during lockdown. Nearly all the fabrics are genuine African wax cottons but not the binding. That is one of the ‘orrible chemical synthetic ones bought in error. I know better now!
Dalia Hartman Bergsagel
Since the April meeting I have finished a second full size bed spread and made a double sided cushion cover from discarded jeans. I also completed two wall hangings that I had started before the virus but lockdown gave me the opportunity to finish them.
I mended a duvet cover I had made for my 31 year old son and added more car fabrics to patches which were torn and worn out. It is now being used by his two year old nephew, my grandson.
Since the April meeting I have finished a second full size bed spread and made a double sided cushion cover from discarded jeans. I also completed two wall hangings that I had started before the virus but lockdown gave me the opportunity to finish them.
I mended a duvet cover I had made for my 31 year old son and added more car fabrics to patches which were torn and worn out. It is now being used by his two year old nephew, my grandson.
Janice Gunner
Since our April meeting I have been busy during Lockdown:
I made 64 scrubs laundry bags
Designed kits and made samples for Euro Japan Links
Designed a kit and make samples for The African Fabric Shop
Designed and made a Shweshwe quilt
Made fabric cards to sell on my new website
Put together some ‘After Boro’ kits to sell from my website
I made samples for my MA final piece
And I have been making two sourdough loaves a week
I’ve also made and posted a collage each day on Instagram for the 100 Day Project
Since our April meeting I have been busy during Lockdown:
I made 64 scrubs laundry bags
Designed kits and made samples for Euro Japan Links
Designed a kit and make samples for The African Fabric Shop
Designed and made a Shweshwe quilt
Made fabric cards to sell on my new website
Put together some ‘After Boro’ kits to sell from my website
I made samples for my MA final piece
And I have been making two sourdough loaves a week
I’ve also made and posted a collage each day on Instagram for the 100 Day Project
Lucy Poloniecka
Four sets of scrubs ready to go. The turquoise set was an IKEA duvet cover and it was great seeing a health worker wearing them. I have also made scrubs caps and masks for friends and family in boldly patterned fabrics.
Four sets of scrubs ready to go. The turquoise set was an IKEA duvet cover and it was great seeing a health worker wearing them. I have also made scrubs caps and masks for friends and family in boldly patterned fabrics.
My daughter’s friend, Katie, had a baby earlier in the year. I had made a quilt for Katie from her father’s shirts after he died unexpectedly and was very touched to hear that she still uses it on her bed. So of course I offered to make a quilt for Rhea (Rae for short).
The only specification given was that it should be 40 inches square so baby Rae could use it as a play mat and move it to her bed as she grew older. My daughter, Anna, suggested blue and yellow fabrics. An idea of a ‘Rae’ of sunshine started to take shape and I bought some fat quarters and drew out a few patterns but lockdown inertia set in.
I eventually got started and added a few scraps from my stash - imagine my delight when I found I still had some small pieces from Katie’s father’s shirts and was able to include them in the quilt.
Mother, father and baby all love their Rae of sunshine in the sky.
The only specification given was that it should be 40 inches square so baby Rae could use it as a play mat and move it to her bed as she grew older. My daughter, Anna, suggested blue and yellow fabrics. An idea of a ‘Rae’ of sunshine started to take shape and I bought some fat quarters and drew out a few patterns but lockdown inertia set in.
I eventually got started and added a few scraps from my stash - imagine my delight when I found I still had some small pieces from Katie’s father’s shirts and was able to include them in the quilt.
Mother, father and baby all love their Rae of sunshine in the sky.
Lizzie Twigger
I spent a happy afternoon creating a template for a scrub cap for my son who is one of the medical students asked to qualify early and start work in a hospital ward. He’s in West Wales and although he has sourced scrubs, caps are in short supply.
None of the standard issue scrub caps fit him, even if he can get hold of them, so we had a couple of happy calls working out the measurements and him choosing the fabric from my stash. He needs a few as they obviously get washed daily, so having produced the prototype I now have another five or so to make - and then his girlfriend’s order is waiting. So proud of him and so glad to be able to help.
None of the standard issue scrub caps fit him, even if he can get hold of them, so we had a couple of happy calls working out the measurements and him choosing the fabric from my stash. He needs a few as they obviously get washed daily, so having produced the prototype I now have another five or so to make - and then his girlfriend’s order is waiting. So proud of him and so glad to be able to help.
Kathleen McMahon
The tulip quilt is mostly hand sewn; it is not an original design but my take on Petra Prins' quilt that was at Festival of Quilts last year. I loved using all the different blue fabrics.
The Japanese rice bag was made from recycled jeans using a pattern from KZ Stevens of Brooklyn. Traditionally, rice bags were used to carry rice offerings to the temple for religious ceremonies or to hold gifts for family members or close friends. It was a lovely project to make.
Mary Walsh
I have been sewing scrubs for the NHS over the last couple of weeks and have made ten sets so far. They will all be going to the Oncology Unit in the Whittington Hospital so it is good to know they will make a difference. Apparently various wards have already given every spare scrub to all the ICUs around London and now they all need to be replenished. These scrubs therefore will be used for many years! It was so worth my while taking a dress making course.
I have been sewing scrubs for the NHS over the last couple of weeks and have made ten sets so far. They will all be going to the Oncology Unit in the Whittington Hospital so it is good to know they will make a difference. Apparently various wards have already given every spare scrub to all the ICUs around London and now they all need to be replenished. These scrubs therefore will be used for many years! It was so worth my while taking a dress making course.
Jill Holden
I designed this quilt for the arrival of a friend’s grandchild in August and I know they like strong bold colours. Even though it is not my usual palette, it has been good to use bright colours at the moment.
The squares are 2.5" finished. The diagonal design will be the front of the quilt and the squares the back. I am hoping that the back and front will be the same size - they are in theory but an exercise in precision is a stretch for me!
The fabrics are all commercial - Alison Glass - from Village Haberdashery, acquired days before lockdown. They have been very good at posting out extra bits.
I designed this quilt for the arrival of a friend’s grandchild in August and I know they like strong bold colours. Even though it is not my usual palette, it has been good to use bright colours at the moment.
The squares are 2.5" finished. The diagonal design will be the front of the quilt and the squares the back. I am hoping that the back and front will be the same size - they are in theory but an exercise in precision is a stretch for me!
The fabrics are all commercial - Alison Glass - from Village Haberdashery, acquired days before lockdown. They have been very good at posting out extra bits.
Anita O'Brien

I've been making scrub bags, some out of recycled duvet covers using up part of my stash of selvedges to make the cords. These are part of the North London Scrubs hub initiative

This pictures shows how I was able to turn an early less than successful printing experiment for a duvet into something which worked much better as bags.
Martha Crouch

This Log Cabin has been a work in progress for about five years. The fabrics are scraps of vintage Japanese cloth given to me by my Japanese sister-in-law for my 60th birthday.
The finished blocks will be 9" x 9" and the finished quilt will be 8 x 8 blocks or 72” square. I’m doing all the quilting by hand as some of the fabric is quite delicate.
The finished blocks will be 9" x 9" and the finished quilt will be 8 x 8 blocks or 72” square. I’m doing all the quilting by hand as some of the fabric is quite delicate.

Sarah Hibbert
My crosses quilt is made with linen fabric - I have now managed to cross hatch half of it.
My crosses quilt is made with linen fabric - I have now managed to cross hatch half of it.

This quilt is made from Heidi Stoll Weber fabric. I am hand quilting it in silk - needless to say this is taking a long time and is just the right project for lockdown.
This quilt is made from Heidi Stoll Weber fabric. I am hand quilting it in silk - needless to say this is taking a long time and is just the right project for lockdown.
Dalia Hartman-Bergsagel
The emergency situation found me on a holiday to Tel Aviv now extended into the foreseeable future. I am in a small room with no kitchen but what makes it heavenly is the roof enveloping the room and the sewing machine with bags full of fabrics to last me until the autumn. I even created a little space with a small ironing board that can be removed when I need to use the cutting board underneath it. I'm loving every minute.
I pride myself on creating intuitive pieces reusing old clothes and hand-me-down fabrics and even very, very small pieces, the size which every sane person would discard.
This time I have two bedspreads to prepare for a friend made of large fabrics bought in a store. I completed one which is a disappearing 9 patch pattern and the second one had to be halted as I ran out of fabric for the last 6 squares!
Recently more shops were allowed to open so I was able to go out, the first time in weeks and wearing a face mask. It was strange to put shoes on and to walk. I loved it. I'm a 1 minute walk from the famous fabric street and managed to buy the missing fabric for my bed spread and elastic for making masks. I'm waiting for a kit of 125 masks to be delivered to me to sew for the Ministries of Health and Defense so until then I can practice on fabrics which I now have.
The emergency situation found me on a holiday to Tel Aviv now extended into the foreseeable future. I am in a small room with no kitchen but what makes it heavenly is the roof enveloping the room and the sewing machine with bags full of fabrics to last me until the autumn. I even created a little space with a small ironing board that can be removed when I need to use the cutting board underneath it. I'm loving every minute.
I pride myself on creating intuitive pieces reusing old clothes and hand-me-down fabrics and even very, very small pieces, the size which every sane person would discard.
This time I have two bedspreads to prepare for a friend made of large fabrics bought in a store. I completed one which is a disappearing 9 patch pattern and the second one had to be halted as I ran out of fabric for the last 6 squares!
Recently more shops were allowed to open so I was able to go out, the first time in weeks and wearing a face mask. It was strange to put shoes on and to walk. I loved it. I'm a 1 minute walk from the famous fabric street and managed to buy the missing fabric for my bed spread and elastic for making masks. I'm waiting for a kit of 125 masks to be delivered to me to sew for the Ministries of Health and Defense so until then I can practice on fabrics which I now have.

Pauline Macaulay
This piece was made as part of the community stitch challenge launched by Sam and Joe of textileartist.org. The weekly videos and challenges by well known textile artists is fun and rewarding. This challenge was to take an object in your home as a starting point - I chose a basket from Zimbabwe as my inspiration.

And a flying geese bed quilt, very much a work in progress, is going to need a lot of careful stitching.
And a flying geese bed quilt, very much a work in progress, is going to need a lot of careful stitching.

Ruth Warrens
A foundation paper pieced butterfly for the current UKQU Postcard Swap.

And a home made fabric birthday card rather than trying to buy a commercial one on a rare shopping trip.
Sabi Westoby
Photographs of megaliths and dolmens taken on holidays in Brittany were stitched together to make a book and the pages were then worked into with pen, ink and paint. Credit for the technique goes to Linda and Laura Kemshall of Design Matters TV.
Photographs of megaliths and dolmens taken on holidays in Brittany were stitched together to make a book and the pages were then worked into with pen, ink and paint. Credit for the technique goes to Linda and Laura Kemshall of Design Matters TV.