Maggie's Craft Workshop

Sunday, 9 January 2011

Quilt Challenge 2010

I can't believe another year has passed already. Thank you to every one who entered the Bag Challenge for breast cancer.
The challenge was to make an outrageous bag using half a metre of calico (provided by me), and to add embellishments, embroideries, beads, etc to make it as outrageous as possible.
Although there were fewer entries than last year, the ingenuity was excellent; we had quite a challenge to judge them.
I am delighted to say that Brenda Wylie was the winner with her excellent Chicken Bag. The workmanship was very precise with her attention to detail exemplary, and her finishing off second to none. Congratulations Brenda! You win a free weekend to my workshops during 2011.

Brenda Wylie: Chicken Bag

Second place goes to Eleanor Williams for her glamorous gold-encrusted creation.

Eleanor Williams: Glamorous Bag

Thirs place goes to Joan Clarke with her wonderful MacMillan Cancer awareness bag, complete with removable boobs!

Joan Clarke: Love is Uplifting (front)

Joan Clarke: Love is Uplifting (back)

Fourth place goes to Eileen Manser for her "Outrageous Bag" (complete with two purses for knickers and condoms!!)

Eileen Manser: Outrageous Bag

In no particular order, here are the rest of this year's entries:

Eileen Williams: Bums a Go-Go

Janet Etherington: East Meets West

Jean Summers: Knickers!

Maureen Featherston: Bizarre

Paula Fisher: Bag to Take to the Shower

Moreen Davies: Scarlet Women

Pat Archer: Knicker Bag

Pat Archer: Knicker Bag (detail)

Maureen Watling: Outrageous Crazy Carrier

Sunday, 21 February 2010

Quilt Challenge 2009

After the success of last year’s challenge, I decided to do one every year, with the first prize a free weekend at one of my workshops.

The theme this year was a three dimensional object with the title “I do like to be beside the seaside”. Participants were given a set of three fabrics, 20” x 10” in dark blue mottled, medium blue sea pattern and a sand mottled.

I was very pleased with the uptake, 15 people sent in an entry. The standard was very high and I have to admit I am glad that I had three judges to select the winners, not me!

£200 was collected for Scarborough Hospital's breast care ward.

First prize of a free weekend at Maggie's Craft Workshop goes to Brenda Wylie.

Brenda made a 1920s Beach Belle complete with windbreak and cushion. It was beautifully made with great attention to detail. All the judges fell in love with it!

There were two second place winners -

Heather Turnbull: Seaside Doorstop.

Norma Brown: Fun at the Seaside. (Soft Book)

Third place winner -

Eleanor Williams: Not the Kitchen Sink. (Beach Bag)

Here are the rest, in no particular order. Enjoy!

Sun Hat
Anne Ash

Beach Hut Teapot Cosy
Barbara Brookfield

My First Seaside Book

Bess Crisp

Don't forget your Bucket and Spade!
Gwen Perkins

Fish and Chips at the Seaside.
Jean Summers

Views from a Postcard (Bag)
Joan Clarke

Fractured Seascape Cushion
Julie Hatton

Seaside Duffle Bag
Moreen Davies

Seaside Bag
Rosemary Richards

Seaside Picture Book

Sheila Taylor

Fabric Bowl
Sylvia Knight

Thursday, 25 December 2008

Quilt Challenge 2008

Autumn 2008 has seen the very first Quilting Challenge which has been held to raise funds for MacMillan nurses at Scarborough Hospital. I decided at my Five Year All Clear from Breast Cancer, this would be an excellent way to give a little back, for all the care and support I have had since first diagnosis. The 'challenge' was to create a small quilt or wallhanging, but to use at least 50% of the quarter metre of fabric supplied. The fabric was a Hoffman print cotton of multicoloured irises, and the winner would receive a free residential weekend!

The entry fee was £5, all of which was donated to the Macmillan Breast Cancer Care. A total of £235 was collected.

All the entries were of a consistently high standard, and the judges had a difficult time choosing the winners.

However, I am pleased to announce that Rosemary Richards gained first place for her entry entitled Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow.

The Iris flower is named after the Greek godess of the rainbow. It is said to symbolise a message, a promise of fair, hope, wisdom and courage, all the qualiteis needed by breast cancer sufferers and their loved ones.

The inspiration for my stained glass wallhanging came from the vibrant rainbow colours and free flowing shapes of the flowers and leaves in the challenge fabric. I used silk to reflect these wonderful colours. All the fabrics were bought locally either in Scarborough or Whitby.

I traced off several of the flowerbuds and leaves, enlarged them, then traced them again, smoothing out the outlines. The resulting designs were cut out in silk, arranged on the background fabric, edged with bias strips, and sewn in place by hand. The two large and two smalled borders of the challenge fabric complete the design.

Congratulations Rosemary. An absolutely exquisite piece of work, and I am pleased to be able to offer her a free weekend during the coming year.

Competition was so fierce that a clear runner up could not be decided, and so there are two entrants in second place.

Eileen Manser
Butterfly Garden

Colours in the designated material suggested something bright, colourful and delicate within the world of nature.

Eleanor Williams
Spray of Iris-like Flowers

Irises are tall and slender, not like me!!!!!

... and in third place ...

Sheila Taylor
View From Our Window.

Machine appliqué work. Creature cut out, then hand stitched. All these little creatures are seen around our pond. The colours of the squares are from the poppies, foxgloves, aubrieta and the yellow and blue iris.

As I do not have a 'stash', my sister gave me free access to her lovely colours.

And here are the rest, in no particular order. Enjoy ...