Aprils puzzle - the answers!

Answers to our March Puzzle

Our March puzzle - Grandmothers Flower Garden 

You can find a puzzle each month on the back page of P&Q magazine, check you got it right - below are the correct answers!

Answers to our February Puzzle

Our February puzzle - On Your Quilting Blocks

You can find a puzzle each month on the back page of P&Q magazine, check you got it right - below are the correct answers!

May Product of the Month Reviews - Mistyfuse

Mistyfuse is an ultra-light, paper-less, iron on fusible web. It is incredibly sheer, doesn’t add bulk or stiffen fabric and bonds firmly once cooled. It can be used with all weights of fabric from velvets and cottons to delicate tulles and organza. Since there is no added adhesive, it will not leave any residue on your scissors or needles. It is available in black and white.

 

For more information on Mistyfuse and details of where to buy, visit www.eqsuk.com

For the May issue of P&Q we asked for some willing quilting volunteers via our Facebook page, to test out Mistyfuse for us, review and record their findings. This is what they had to say....

 

'Wow well the possibilities are endless with this stuff, every art and textiles GCSE student needs this. The only problems I had with Mistyfuse was the wind catching it as I shook it out and a bit attached itself to the hot iron, but it did come off easily.

I tried 2 techniques; firstly I used peacock feathers bonded between two sheets of Mistyfuse on top of a piece of cotton fabric and then ironed under baking parchment. The cotton has been left with a chintzy glaze but the feathers have stuck fast. I had no problem free machine quilting through the Mistyfuse area, but pin marks show and do not close over.

The second was the appliqué Liberty hearts. The pink one was done with Mistyfuse, the burgundy with a paper backed fusible, the Mistyfuse backed one feels lighter and softer with no sharp points.' Rachel Bushell

'Ideal for use with a variety of fabrics. I used Mistyfuse to appliqué onto linen. It worked well fusing multiple layers together and still remaining pliable. Sewing through the fabrics by machine and hand was easy. I did miss the convenience of a paper back to trace onto, but overall a very nice product to use.' Margaret Convery

'Mistyfuse doesn't seem as fast to me for design transfer as paper-backed fusibles, especially if you need a lot of different shaped appliqué pieces. It is wonderful for free cutting shapes from prepared fabric. Mistyfuse is ideal for bonding snippets of fabric and thread together and applying to a background fabric, paper or even wood! My favourite use is with the Bernina Cutwork tool. I prepare fabric with Mistyfuse which stops them sliding when stacked for cutting out. The fusible is so fine that I can stack more than with other fusibles. 

The pictures below show original projects where Mistyfuse was used; A cushion where the hexagons were stacked and cut before fusing and stitching and Russian doll appliqués where again the various shapes were stacked for cutting.' Rosalind Pollock

'Mistyfuse was very fine, with no evidence of glue, and having followed the basic instructions one piece of fabric fused very well to another whilst not making the overall fabric too rigid and inflexible. Don't think I shall be using conventional fusible in the future.' Louise Bennett

If you would like the opportunity to review a product for us visit our Facebook page and look out for our next product review post!

www.facebook.com/britishpatchworkandquiltingmagazine

Emma

P&Q Cruise to Norway

Were you one of the lucky people to go on our first cruise last year to Norway?

 

A great time was had by all by the sound of it! Angela Price, who organised the cruise with Jim West of Sew Many Places, put together a lovely video showing what went on. We also had a report on the cruise in our October issue last year.

 

If you would like to treat yourself, Angela has just emailed me to advise there are still a few places left for this year's cruise which runs from 17 to 25 May!

What could be better? Patchwork and quilting classes as you sail across the North Sea to Norway? Cruising up and down the fjords with inspiration around every corner?

 

This year we are lucky enough to have Judi teaching with us again. She will be teaching her 'Along the Waterfront' workshop which is a pieced and foundation pieced class inspired by the scenic waterfront of Alesund, which is one of the ports of call on the cruise.

Pam Holland from Australia has her Illustrative Quilting class where she will show you how to draw and quilt with a sewing machine!

Linzi Upton's class, 'Northern Lights' is a Nordic-inspired workshop which includes curved piecing and finally we have Stuart Hillard (of Great British Sewing Bee fame) teaching you how to make the Clamshell Accessories Case from Clover.

 

If you would like to find out more you can email Angela at angela.price@traplet.com or telephone Sew Many Places on 02393 880068.

 

So if you want to have a holiday with a difference with like-minded quilting ladies.........what are you waiting for?!

 

Joanna

 

Weekend Homework

Dear lovely readers, we have a little bit of homework for you to ponder and think about over the weekend!

 

You may or may not be aware but our November 2014 issue is our 250th issue! Can you believe it?! And we want our readers to be involved in celebrating this milestone in as many ways as possible. We will be introducing an exciting Make It Competition in the March issue which will be out in a few weeks and we'll post more details about this shortly.
But this weekend, we want you have a think and a thumb through your old issues of P&Q (because we know you all keep them!) and let us know what have been your favourite projects over the years; whether it's one you have enjoyed making or one that really caught your eye and meant to make but have never got round to it! Big or small, quilt or cushion, we want to know about it.

 

You can either comment on this post, tell us on our Facebook page or on Twitter, email us or write to us.

 

We've already made a list of the ones we think have been popular but the magazine is for you, our readers, so it's up to you to tell us what projects have been your favourites.

 

We can't wait to hear from you!

Joanna & Emma

 

 

Farewell 2013............Hello 2014!

So, here it is! The last day of 2013!

 

This year has been a difficult one for all of us with the loss of Di Huck in February. Di WAS Patchwork & Quilting magazine. She was the driving force behind it. Although her influence has been sorely missed, life does go on and the magazine has continued to go from strength to strength.

By now many of you should have seen our new look January issue which came out just before Christmas.

 

 

The magazine has a new clean modern look but still has all your favourite articles and features. We are particularly pleased with how the projects are looking; giving you all the information you need to make a particular project on one double page spread.

 

Looking forward to 2014 we have a special celebration later in the year as the November issue will be our 250th issue! Lots of plans are afoot for exciting ways to mark this occasion.

 

A new year is traditionally a time to reassess our lives and to set ourselves resolutions. Quilting resolutions are much more interesting than losing weight, giving up smoking etc. For myself, this past year I have managed to be more productive in my quilty finishes, mainly because I have taught myself to machine quilt. For 2014 I think I would like to try and find the time to make more quilts for me............including finishing one I started over ten years ago!

So what are your New Year Quilting Resolutions? Leave a comment on this post and I'll see if I can find a prize in the offices for one lucky commenter. Closing date will be 12 noon Tuesday 7 January 2014.

 

So from all of us at P&Q, a very happy and peaceful New Year!

Joanna

All Change please!

Well not ALL change, at least not yet!

If you have picked up a copy of the December issue, you will have read that Judi is leaving the magazine so she can spend more time teaching and travelling.

The last couple of years have been quite difficult what with Di's illness and then her sad passing and Judi and I were thrown together at that point. And whilst we had both worked together on the magazine for a year or so, we had both tended to work via Di who had overseen the running of the magazine, so our paths didn't cross over much.

But the great thing was and has continued to be, that we made a great team. We have agreed on everything and have been in sync in every way, even when its a moan about something! And that has made running the magazine so much easier.

 

I will be sad not to be working with Judi on a regular basis but am pleased to tell you she will continue to be contributor to P&Q, hopefully a regular one......!

 

Emma Horrocks is our new assistant editor and will be taking over Judi's share of the magazine. I have to say, despite not working in the magazine industry before, she is an absolute natural and is going to be a fantastic asset to P&Q. We already have the makings of being a great team and I am going to enjoy working with her.

 

And so starts the next chapter in the life of P&Q!

 

 

Fabulous Festive Makes!

To coincide with the launch of this year's special issue bookazine, we have a little giveaway for you!

 

 

Fabulous Festive Makes is ......well it is rather fabulous for starters and features over 25 festive projects for you to make, including some quick makes for those of you who don't have much spare time on their hands and lots of lovely decorations.

The bookazine will launch at the Festival of Quilts next week so pop along to our booth, E32 to pick up your copy and get those festive preparations started early this year!

 

Both Judi and I have made projects for the magazine and here is a sneak peak of mine.......Christmas Bunting with a difference!

 

 

The fabrics for my project were kindly donated by Makower UK Ltd Ltd and they were generous enough to give me a little bit extra so I could give some away to one of our lucky readers!

 

So we have a bundle of six long quarters just waiting for a new home.

 

 

For your chance to win, just comment on this post telling us what is your favourite festive thing to make, be it cards, decorations or even baking. We'll pick a comment at random. Closing date is 6pm Monday 5 August (BST)

New Download Facility

We have some exciting news to share with you!

 

The website now has a new download facility where you can download the Pattern Section from each issue of the magazine for FREE!

 

Take a look at the page here.

 

This is really good news if you have a digital subscription. Read the digital version of P&Q on your iPad or other device and then download the patterns on to your pc so that you can print them off.

You will need Adobe Reader in order to view the Pattern Sections. A link to download the programme is provided on the web page but most pcs come with it pre-installed.

All you need to remember when printing off any patterns or templates is to ensure you set your print settings to "actual size" or with no scaling so that they are printed correctly.

 

The archive of Pattern Sections goes back to May 2011 which is the first digital version of the magazine available. If you haven't tried the digital version before, you can buy a copy here, including the latest issue.

 

As we often say in the magazine..........enjoy!