by GillyMac | May 26, 2021 | Beginners, blog, Patchwork, Patchwork Block, Sewing Made Simple, Tutorial, Uncategorised
Half square triangles (HSTs) were one of the first patchwork blocks I learnt to make. They are easy to make and the design is really versatile. I have used HSTs in many different projects including bags, cushions, table runners, pouches and quilts. One of my absolute...
by GillyMac | Dec 23, 2020 | Applique, Classes, Designing, GillyMac Community, Patchwork, Quilting, Virtual Retreat
I am relishing working on the project for the GillyMac 2021 Spring Virtual Retreat. It is such a nice bright piece and just what is needed in the current climate. The Spring Virtual Retreat Project is a beautiful applique table runner based on a log cabin block. It is...
by GillyMac | Nov 11, 2020 | free, Patchwork, Quilting
Today I am offering you all a free copy of my Phoenix Quilt Pattern. Previously, this free applique quilt was designed for the regular classes to make week by week during Lockdown. For this reason, the pattern was originally created in weekly instalments and has only...
by GillyMac | Jun 22, 2020 | Beginners, blog, GillyMac Community, Patchwork, Quilting
Whilst searching through my stash of fabrics looking for something for a children class I found a number of drab and unappealing fabrics that I knew I would never use. For me, fabric can be like clothes, sometimes you fall out of love with them, wonder why you ever...
by GillyMac | May 16, 2018 | Uncategorised
Deborah and I made this stunning quilt together. She did the hard work in the patchwork piecing and I got to quilt it, and whilst I wanted the background to be a brilliant white, she chose the wonderful colours that make up the rings. It was made using the Mini Quick...
by GillyMac | May 6, 2018 | Uncategorised
Sometimes a challenge can get the creative ideas flowing and a month or so ago my Saturday Morning class were set a challenge, to create a small piece of work, based on one of four pictures of places special to me. There were of St Basil’s Basilica in Red Square, the...
by GillyMac | May 6, 2018 | Uncategorised
The Saturday morning girls are always quick to adopt new ideas and find pretty much everything we do (except hand sewing) really exciting. Lola chose to work from the picture of St Basil’s Basilica and the other 4 decided to use the picture of the Dead Sea. Just...
by GillyMac | Feb 4, 2018 | Uncategorised
[sg_popup id=”11″ event=”onload”][/sg_popup]Yesterday I had an extremely rare term time Saturday off from teaching my lovely teen classes and attended a lecture by Tula Pink, a young Amercian textile designer, who now lives just outside Kansas...
by GillyMac | Nov 21, 2017 | Uncategorised
It is very easy to buy a bundle of fabrics, all from the same range, because the colour combination (often called a colour story) will have been worked out for you. In the Tula Pink Tabby Road Collection, the ‘Strawberry Fields’ colourway has red grouped...