The Mystery Quilter

Quiltalong Progress

Are you taking part in my Hemisphere Quiltalong? This is a free project that I am running for approximately six months, we're only a few weeks in but it's been amazing so far! I have enjoyed looking at all the different blocks that everyone has been making, and seeing the positive comments from you. I love the fact that people have been willing to give these blocks a go, and that once they try, they love making them!

This quiltalong is a great way to learn my Triangle Patchwork techniques, and it'll give you the confidence to try some of my other projects.

I'm using Carolyn Friedlander's Jetty fabric range together with Kona Solids for my blocks. Each week I prepare half of the block, which has two triangle units in, and then I do a tutorial on how to make the units. The tutorials are both in my Facebook live group, Triangle Block Party, and on my website.

All you need to do to take part is to register on my website, then you will receive the weekly emails with the block patterns. You can also log in to the website and get the patterns from there, plus watch the tutorial videos.

BLOCK 1

BLOCK 2

BLOCK 3

BLOCK 4

 

BLOCK 5

BLOCK 6

BLOCK 7

Let's Get this Party Started

The Quilt Party is open!

It was so exciting to start the Quilt Party membership today. I love teaching people patchwork and quilting techniques, so this is an amazing opportunity for me to share my knowledge with quilters around the world through online teaching.

What's included:

Patchwork and Quilting Techniques Course - approximately six months of lessons to make and quilt a beautiful sampler

Trendsetters Course

23 amazing blocks to make a quilt top with my Triangle Patchwork techniques

Free Motion Basics

Get the fundamentals and build up your knowledge of different quilting patterns.

Community

Our community area allows you to connect with your fellow quilters away from social media, in our private space. Use this also to ask me questions, post photos and / or videos of your work.

Bonus materials, patterns etc.

All these are included in one monthly or annual membership fee. I'll also be adding new materials all the time.

 

Sheila's Quilt Party has been created to be an online, ongoing quilt class and community so that you can learn and connect from the comfort of your own home and at your convenience.  I will be your tutor throughout and you can take a number of different courses, get feedback, ask questions and connect with other quilters.

I'd love you to join me on this exciting adventure!

Click here to find out more

Come along to virtual class with me

Tomorrow I will be teaching another free class in my Triangle Block Party facebook group. These classes are always available in the group after the facebook live, just go to the video section to view them.

In Lessons 1 to 3 I teach you how to make this Wonderland Table runner, using my triangle patchwork techniques. Once you have taken these lessons you are going to want to make more triangle based projects!

I hope you enjoy the classes.

Here's where to join

 

Free online classes

While we are all stuck at home I've been experimenting with doing some online classes.

It's been lots of fun and the classes are now up online (free of charge) and available to view. All you have to do is click on the images below and join the facebook group for each class. You will find the first videos in the groups already.

Back to Basics is a beginner course in making a simple quilt. So far I have covered information about choosing fabrics, selecting tools, cutting and getting a good 1/4" seam. Next Tuesday 7th April 2020 at 10am (New Zealand time) I am doing the second session on sewing on your sashings and borders.

On Thursday 9th April at 10am NZ time I will be teaching the second class in my Triangle Block Party. Join me to learn my triangle patchwork techniques.

 

To get the correct time for your location, here is a link to a world clock

As well as the classes, the patterns for each of the class projects are included and can be downloaded from the Units sections of the groups.

I hope you enjoy sewing along and look forward to welcoming you to class!

 

 

I love big blocks and I cannot lie! (plus a smaller option for Topsy)

Do you love big blocks and big quilts? I love a quilt that covers the bed and doesn't get fought over on a cold night!

Topsy is a quilt that is great fun to make and comes in two lovely big sizes, but if you're not into big quilts  I have drawn up options for making it in a smaller format (see below for two bonus formats).

 This was one of the few quilts of mine that got it's name really early in the process of making. The blocks grew so fast I was reminded of the saying 'growing like topsy'

This is a great quilt for mixing and matching unexpected prints. Stripes look great as the 'petals' in the blocks, and they also work in the sashings. Bright pops of colour for the central parts of the blocks are fun as well. Try combining spots, stripes, large and small prints. The important thing is to get contrast in each block.

I used a half yard pack of Art Gallery fabrics from various lines for my quilt. The teals and pinks worked beautifully together and there are stripes, florals and regular small prints. I also popped in a few orange and yellow prints for the centres to liven things up.

This weekend I taught this quilt as a class in my shop, and had so much fun seeing all the wonderful fabric combinations. I love this stripe and floral together and the zingy orange in the middle.

Look at these amazing stripes!

 

The half sixty ruler makes cutting the petals from strips really easy. My students had quite a few blocks made before lunchtime.

You can make this fun quilt using my pattern which is available from quilt shops and also from my Payhip store.

 

MAKE A SMALLER VERSION

I have created some alternative block plans for making Topsy in a smaller size as well as the King and Queen.

You could make a lap size quilt like this

Alternatively if you like to make lots of small blocks, try this version. This one will end up approximately 49" x 54"

If you would like the fabric requirements and cutting directions for these versions, email me your  proof of purchase for the Topsy pattern and I will send you the link.

I'd love to see your version of Topsy! You can share it in my Triangle Quilters' Group on facebook  - join here

Sheila

Pattern Note: If you have bought the pattern from a shop, just double check the measurements for the setting triangles on your copy. These have been corrected on Feb 25th 2020 and are 9" for the Queen and 11 1/4" for the King size.

Riversdale Retreat

I had a lovely weekend teaching my Triangle Block Party class to the ladies of my local quilt guilt, Wairarapa Quilters. For the first time we stayed at Waimanaaki, a great venue at Riversdale Beach for groups to stay at.

Half of the class decided to make the Modern Triangle Sampler quilt, and half worked on smaller blocks to make a table runner. We soon had a full design wall.

The students did a fantastic job and worked hard all weekend as well as having lots of fun with beach-themed dressing up, quizzes and lots of eating!

Here's Rosie with her quilt blocks, trying to get everything in the picture

Adie made all these blocks in the two days

I loved Sue's use of Alison Glass Sunprints light for her backgrounds

Kattrina was using Karen Lewis Wayside fabric to make her runner

While Martina went for a bold modern look

 

We also designed a brand new block, especially for the Wairarapa Quilters

 

I love teaching this class and seeing my students realise how easy these blocks are to make!

You can buy the pattern here

Riversdale Retreat

I had a lovely weekend teaching my Triangle Block Party class to the ladies of my local quilt guilt, Wairarapa Quilters. For the first time we stayed at Waimanaaki, a great venue at Riversdale Beach for groups to stay at.

Half of the class decided to make the Modern Triangle Sampler quilt, and half worked on smaller blocks to make a table runner. We soon had a full design wall.

The students did a fantastic job and worked hard all weekend as well as having lots of fun with beach-themed dressing up, quizzes and lots of eating!

Here's Rosie with her quilt blocks, trying to get everything in the picture

Adie made all these blocks in the two days

I loved Sue's use of Alison Glass Sunprints light for her backgrounds

Kattrina was using Karen Lewis Wayside fabric to make her runner

While Martina went for a bold modern look

 

We also designed a brand new block, especially for the Wairarapa Quilters

 

I love teaching this class and seeing my students realise how easy these blocks are to make!

You can buy the pattern here

Symposium 2019

I am really excited to be teaching at the Quilt Symposium this October.

I am offering two classes;

Shapes with an Angle is an in-depth, 3 day class where you will learn all about my triangle grid patchwork technique, make sample blocks, play with new ideas and work on your own project. This class is for quilters with experience who wish to extend their understanding of the structure of these contemporary quilts, but you don't need any experience with 60 degree triangles.

 

Mini Wonders Waltz is a project-based class over 2 days. You will make my Mini Wonders hexagonal table centre, piecing the blocks and you may also get on to quilting in the time available.  A fun project to stretch yourself and learn new techniques.

The 2019 NZ Quilt Symposium is being held at St Cuthberts College in Auckland

A Block Party and Bluebell Woods

This month I have been visiting family in England, and while I am here I have been teaching my Triangle Block Party class.

My walk this time doesn't include a quilt, but look at these beautiful native bluebells that adorn many English woods at this time of year

When I was a child, we would gather armfuls of bluebells to enjoy, but these days it's not allowed, and really so much better to see them in swathes in their natural setting. My sister, great niece and I loved our adventure in the woods, and the added bonus was a beautifully built wooden playground.

After a bit of catch-up time, I was off on the train to Huddersfield. Nestled in the Peak district in the North of England, Huddersfield was at the heart of the wool trade in the nineteenth century, and many mills have now been converted for new purposes. Four trains from Bedford, I arrived in the village of Slaithwaite (pronounced 'Slawett'), and met Justine and Lisa, who run Simply Solids. It's a great shop stocking a fabulous range of modern fabrics, with a popular online following as well as the local clientele who keep them very busy.

The Triangle Block Party class was loads of fun and the ladies worked really hard. By the end of the day everyone had completed at least four blocks for their Modern Triangle Sampler - jewels, hexagons, triangles and more were appearing!

I had loads of fun and really enjoyed meeting everyone

Plans afoot!

Since the 2016 Mystery Reveal I have had a lovely break away, doing a little traveling around New Zealand.

You may have heard the news about the large earthquake that hit the South Island. There are lots of photos in the news of the damage to the roads and infrastructure there. Although we only felt relatively little shaking here in Masterton, a lot of damage happened on the other side of the mountain ranges in the Wellington area.

source: stuff.co.nz

This is the Queensgate mall  which was closed for a couple of weeks and is now only partially open. I travel past here when going to my Capital Quilters meetings, and when I went last Saturday it was eerily quiet - usually at this time of year it would take ages to drive through the town. Buildings are being demolished and there is a lot of work going on to get things back to normal.

Meanwhile back in Masterton, I am preparing lots of exciting things for next year.

MYSTERY 2017

We had so much fun making the 2016 Mystery quilt. I'm loving seeing the results that people are posting in the facebook group.

Here's Sue's Glittering Paua colourway

 
Miep made the Teal and Steel with extra large borders

This is  Stone and Moss made by Marion

If you missed making the 2016 quilt, you can still buy the month by month clues in my Craftsy store - see the link on the right. Start with the Puzzle Mystery Details download which tells you how to pick your fabrics.

The colourways for 2017 are all ready to go and will be launched on the shop website this Saturday, December 3rd.

There is also exciting news for those of you in the USA who want to take part in my Mystery - I am partnering with a company in the US to offer the Mystery as a precut block of the month. Watch out for more information in the next few days.

 

TOTALLY TRIANGLE QUILTALONG

The second project is my Modern Triangle Sampler, which I will be running as the #totallytrianglequiltalong next year. My trusty pattern testers have been busy making blocks and checking my instructions. Linda has made the sampler quilt in all red and white fabrics

I love it in these colours!

I will be polishing up the pattern over the next couple of weeks and then it will be available in my Craftsy store as well as in the shop. There will also be classes to learn the techniques - at Quilters' Lane and also in the UK next year at Lady Sew n Sew and Simply Solids.

Ask your guild or local quilt shop nicely and they might get me to come along and teach it too.

The Quiltalong to make the 25 blocks starts on January 7th, and I will be posting information about how it will run and what you need to get started. 

2017 is going to be so much fun,  I do hope you will join me in one of my projects!