It started with a Christmas card...

It all started with a retro 1950's Christmas card. 

I thought that this 1952 Christmas card by Charley Harper could translate really well into a Christmas quilt so I pinned it on my Christmas pinterest board. I like using pinterest boards as  design boards for various quilts that are percolating in my head. The pinterest board keeps all the ideas in a place that I can actually find when I want to come back to it later.

This year when we were planning a Christmas video clip for our friends at Superior Threads we decided to translate the card into a quilt. Because I love the quilting part best these days, I usually see the pieced top as a 'canvas' for the quilting.  When I piece a quilt I am already thinking about how to quilt it. I was thinking even at the start of the project how fun it would be to draw the branches with the sewing machine needle and thread.

First I raided my green fabric stash and  pieced the trees. I used So Fine #50 for the piecing with Bottom Line pre-wounds in the bobbin. These very fine lint-free threads gave me flat seams and nice sharp points for my triangles.

Then I needed to appliqué my tree-cutter person in the larger white triangle. I used Kimono Silk on top and Bottom Line pre-wounds in the bobbin for the machine appliqué.  

These silk threads blend so well with the fabric! I like how the raw-edge appliqué technique makes the figures seem to pop-up out of the quilt.

Finally we decided to add a wide red border. We were planning to use this border to quilt a holly and ivy garland to frame the trees.

Here's the top all pieced and ready to go on the JUKI QVP 2200 long arm frame. We'll talk more about the quilting in the next post...

Perfect timing

Look who got a new quilt for Christmas! Tricia gave her great-grandson Finnley this gorgeous quilt! Don't they look great together?

Tricia machine quilting Finnley's quilt on the 6 foot New English Quilter

Tricia machine quilted Finnley's quilt in a couple of hours on his due date. Finnley's parents wanted to surprise the family so Tricia wasn't exactly sure what colours to choose. But I think this fresh modern green and white was a good choice.  

It was the very first time that Tricia machine quilted on a frame. Our New English Quilter frames make finishing your project fast and fun. Isn't it nice when a plan comes together!

SuperQuilter Spares

my schoolhouse quilt on the SuperQuilter frame

Martha at the 2004 Festival of Quilts

The SuperQuilter was my very first machine quilting frame. 

My mom gave it to me for a Christmas present in 2002 and I began selling them here in the UK in the summer of 2003.

 So when I found the old box of spare parts I felt all nostalgic remembering quilting my schoolhouse quilt 

and the early shows at the Festival of Quilts and little Emily machine quilting her first stack and wack Daisiez Quilt!

little Emily machine quilting her first quilt!and  Emily's first try quilting her Daizez quilt. 

Here are some photos of the SuperQuilter spare parts available to purchase:

SQ carriages top and bottom

• Top carriages £10 each (2 available)
• Bottom carriages £10 each (3 available)

SQ right hand side arms

• 3 ratchet end side pieces £5 each (2 sold 1 remaining)
• 3 non-ratchet end side pieces £5.00 each

6 replacement wheels for the carriages

• 4 carriage wheels £5.00

replacement levers for the side arms

• 5 ratchet engagers complete with screw fixings £1.00 each (4 sold 1 available)

set of 3 extension bars for the fabric bars

• set of 3 extension bars for changing 6 foot to 8 foot bars £5.00 (1 set available)

upright side standing pieces

• side piece uprights including non ratchet end side arms £25 each (1 sold 2 available) This is probably the easiest part to break and well worth a spare!

3 ratchet end pieces, 3 non ratchet end pieces and 6 pins

• bag containing 3 ratchet end pieces, 3 non-ratchet end pieces and 6 pins £5.00 (2 sold 2 available)

4 black knobs

• black knobs £1.00 each (4 sold zero available)

Prices do not include shipping. If you like any of these give me a call:

01526 378551

or email: martha@machinequilter.co.uk

When they're gone 

they're gone!

NEW Number

Guess what? We're moving! (BUT not yet!)

Just across the county nearer to Boston 

to be closer to my husband's work.

So our contact details will be changing. 

Meanwhile you can still reach us at these numbers:

01526 378551
01526 378057 with answerphone 

or by email:

 martha@machinequilter.co.uk

If I miss your call

please email me with your number 

and I'll ring you back as soon as possible.

Quilt Forum in St Petersburg

JUKI QVP2200 all set up and ready to go

Our first job was to get the JUKI 2200QVP set up and ready to roll.

We thought that the bright variegated Fantastico thread looked like firebird feathers against the black fabric background..

Everything was working beautifully and we were all ready for the Quilt Forum University class later in the day.

pretty feathers and swirls by Emily Milne

This JUKI long arm QVP goes 2200 stitches per minute, 
glides like a dream 
and creates beautiful lines of stitching!

Quilt forum University - first try on the JUKI QVP2200

Look at the smiles! It is so fun to bring quilters together to try great tools. This was the first time that most of these ladies had ever tried a long arm quilting machine. They were so excited to try the JUKI QVP2200!

Emily and Martha demonstrated free-motion quilting on the JUKI QVP

 Everyone was keen to see how the long arm quilting machine worked.

Martha demonstrating doodling line designs

We showed how doodling line designs with pen and paper helps us to gain fluency on the long arm quilting machine. Everyone had the chance to practice line designs on paper and then to draw the same design with needle and thread on the new JUKI QVP2200 long arm.

King Tut cotton onthe QVP2200

 Each time we tried a new design we changed the thread. So everyone could see how various plain and variegated threads cotton, trilobal polyester, silk and metallic threads performed on the JUKI QVP2200.

one lady drew a rooster with Super Metallic variegated gold thread

One clever lady drew this rooster with Superior Metallic variegated gold thread. We all gathered round and applauded her creativity. It's so exciting to see waht happens when people start using the sewing machine needle like a pen!

Quilt Forum venue - an enormous Department Store in St Petersburg

 The Quilt Forum venue was a lovely room in this enormous department store that took up an entire city block.

pretty line designs on the JUKI QVP2200

doodling with different ranges of Superior Threads

How to assemble the frame

Here's a little video clip that shows just how easy it is to set up our New English Quilter frames. I'm posting it especially for you gals who are having your frames delivered in the next couple of weeks. It really is this easy! You'll have it out of the box and ready to go in less than 5 minutes. If you have any questions just give me a ring. 01526 378057

Machine Quilter Retreat

Jackie holding Sally and Peter's giant log cabin quilt top

 The Petwood Hotel is beautifully situated and full of old world charm. The food is fabulous too. But what makes our Retreats so special is the people. We think that great things happen when a few people gather together around a machine quilting frame. 

Ann, Emma, Brenda, Carol, Maggie and Martha around the NEQ 6 foot frame

 Small is beautiful!  So we limit the numbers to 7 or 8 participants and we have at least 2 teachers.

Sally, Jackie, Maggie, Carol and Brenda with Jackie's quilt

It makes for a friendly atmosphere so it's easy to get to know each other and share ideas.

Peter and Martha chuckling over the 8 foot NEQ frame

There's lots of time one to one interaction as we doodle designs. We go from pen and paper to thread and fabric, gaining confidence on familiar designs and learning lots of new ones.

Sally, Maggie, Carol, Brenda and Martha with Sally's quilt

One of my favourite sessions is when we audition various threads on the unfinished quilt tops that people bring. I make sure that there's a good selection of Machine Quilting threads for people to choose. It's so inspiring to see all the gorgeous quilts as we explore machine quilting options.

Ann and Emma looking at the ripple stipple design on Jackie's quilt

This such a good mix of people.We had so much fun! We're already planning a reunion!

Up from London Town

Siobhan came up from London town last Saturday to collect her 6 foot New English Quilter frame, her 6 foot purpose built table and the Nifty Grip speed control handles that we made to go with her new Juki TL98P sewing machine. Siobhan's a founding member of the London Modern Quilt Guild. Like many modern quilters, she's keen on fresh colours and simple striking designs. But Siobhan loves creating interesting texture and wanted a tool that would enable her to go beyond the straight line quilting often associated with modern quilts.

Siobhan having a play with the Juki TL98P on the 6 foot New English Quilter 

During the free workshop, we took the frame and table apart and put it back together so that Siobhan would know just what to do when she got it home. We had a session with the  Juki TL98P sewing machine too so that Siobhan would know how to oil it and clean it and tension it just right for free motion quilting on a frame.

some of the quilts we looked at during the demo

We looked at lots and lots of quilts and talked about ways to become fluent with various line design stitches.

The Village Haberdashery

Siobhan told me about her favourite London quilt shops like the Village Haberdashery in the photo above, and what fun it is to be a part of London's Modern Quilt Guild that meets the first Sunday of each month in a quintessentially English pub called the Star Tavern in Belgravia.

A Flying Geese project - one of Siobhans quilt tops

I asked Siobhan to bring a few of her unfinished tops so I could get a sense of her quilting style. We were able to audition various threads and play around with line designs that could be used for the quilting. I really liked this Flying Geese project and Siobhan chose a wild and wonderful Neon thread from the Rainbows range of Superior Threads that is going to look gorgeous! 

Siobhan headed back to London Saturday afternoon with her head spinning full of ideas and a boot full of machine quilting tools. I can't wait to see what she gets up to!I've asked her to send me a photo of her new studio set up. I'll post it here when she sends it.

April Retreat

Lexie and Martha on the 6 foot Art Quilter frame

 Our April Machine Quilter's Retreat was lovely. Small is beautiful! With three participants and three tutors there was plenty of one on one instruction.  Joy and Lexie were experienced quilters but relatively new to machine quilting on a frame. Both brought their Juki TL98 P sewing machines so we could help to get them properly tensioned for free-motion quilting.

talking about loading the quilt sandwich

Joy and Lexie wanted to consolidate basic skills and move on to the next level. We explore trouble shooting techniques beginning with sewing machine tension. 

Joy practising a new line design on the frame

We move on to drawing designs with pen and paper and then we go to the frame and execute the same designs with the needle and various threads. Then we introduce a new design and go through the process all over again.

Joy drawing an E's and 3's design

The pen and paper exercises enable us to master the line design and move with it. One of the best things about hand guided machine quilting is that the line designs are like handwriting. The same designs flow differently from different people.Each person brings their own style and personality to the design. On a very practical level we all learn from each other.

Lynda working on feathers

Lynda came on our January Retreat and progressed so quickly that she came back to our April Retreat for more. Lynda spent this retreat working on feathers with Trudi Wood. It was fun to have people with mixed abilities working together. I think that by our next Retreat Lynda will be teaching us all!

Lynda drawing feathers under Trudi's watchful eye : )

First on paper and then on the frame. Fantastic!!!!

penguin feathers on the practice piece

The feathers were so fun that Emily had to have a go! She's definitely doing feathers on her next quilt.