fairislerona: Quilt in a Day @ Black Sheep Wools, Warrington

I had a lovely day running a Quilting workshop on Friday in the creative space of Black Sheep Wools in Warrington. The company has existed since 1983 and is still run by the same family, they have had various shops throughout this time but their energy is now focussed on their Craft Barn in Culcheth.
The day started off well with an easy journey to Culcheth, with it being the Easter holidays there was less traffic on the road and it was going to be another warm sunny day.

This is the workshop room at the Craft Barn, Black Sheep use Pfaff machines which have their own integrated 'walking foot' - a real bonus for Quilters. We had 8 ladies on the workshop and there was plenty of space for us to work, we had a steady supply of Tea and Coffee, a good lunch and some yummy cakes in the afternoon.

Nice simple display of fabric - this is one of 'Zandra Rhodes' designs for Rowan.

I fell in love with this fabric as soon as I saw it, it's by Tula Pink who designs for Rowan and the inspiration behind it and its supporting fabrics is Queen Elizabeth 1. Rowan fabrics are usually colourful, bold designs and when we make the Quilt I always aim to make a feature of the design and cut the fabric to centre the design. We could produce the Quilt without this feature and it would give us more time but I feel that it doesn't do the design justice and I would feel unhappy if we did not do this.

Once a 'Textile Designer 'always a 'Textile Designer'.

The 'Project Bag'.

I run a 'Project Bag' workshop and I would really love to make it up in this fabric as Rowan discontinued the 'Deer' fabric which I used in the original and the design of the bag needs a focal point and this would fit perfectly.

Most of the ladies at the workshop were from in and around the Liverpool area, one was from Wyke near Bradford and one lady lived on a longboat which was very interesting to hear about. I can't imagine downsizing and getting rid of my fabric and wool 'stash' but at the same time when we go off in our Campervan it is a good feeling when you have so little with you and somehow seem to manage without the rest of your 'stuff'.

This Quilt also used Tula Pink fabric, if you have a good study of the patterned fabric you will see horses.

Here are some pics of work in progress....

Some really contrasting colours going on here but they work so well together.

This lady chose to have her stripe fabrics going in different directions and we focussed on the stripe of flowers as the central point.

Lovely fresh spring feel to this colour combination,

Yes, its that fabric again and it shows the co-ordinating fabrics in the range.

This was an exotic colour combination that would brighten any room - in this case it was going to be a longboat!

Assembling the Quilt - making the Quilt sandwich...

Yes, they are all coming together....

Whenever I run this workshop ladies tend to get stressed over the fabric combinations and whether they will look good but I can honestly say I have not had one quilt on any 'Quilt in a Day' workshop that does not look good. Check out my 'Quilts' at the top of the page.

'Quilt in a Day' is a focussed hard working workshop but you come in with your fabric and you leave with a Quilt and sense of achievement, it is not a 'perfect' Quilt as we do not have the luxury of time, but its a good lesson in how the Quilt is created and leaves you with the knowledge of how to produce another one