What a wonderful time I had at the Great Northern Quilt Show and the Great Northern Needlecraft Show at the weekend. Last year I felt very overwhelmed by the wonderful quilts. This year I felt I knew a bit more about the whole subject and it helped me to see what and how people where trying to do to achieve their inspired designs. Although there was a great variety of styles and quilts on show one theme that I picked up on were jewel colours. One was designed from scratch in a Jacobean style; that idea may help you conjure up the colours used. However, these colours and even some very Jacobean shapes were used elsewhere.
In total contrast to these I came across one amazing self-coloured quilt (calico coloured) and read the attached label. The maker said that they were inspired to make this quilt after attending a workshop with Jenny Rayment – oh that workshops with anyone could raise my game to those levels. Finally, in this section, the other ones that stood out for me where the ones using Suffolk Puffs. Now these little circles with their gathered edge have left me rather cold up until now but the pictures made with them, mainly of cottage garden flowers put them into the “of course that’s the way to do it” category for me! Sadly, no photography is allowed but I can assure you these quilts were a real inspiration.
My forum friend Dina has also reported on her view of the show on her blog which you may like to read too. Tomorrow – the other half of the show - the Great Northern Needlecraft Show.
by Christine Kingdom. This is a book I need to spend some more time with as it shows so many techniques. There is a chapter on weaving which has some lovely project in it including cushions, table mats and coasters. In the Embroidery chapter there is a beautiful Picture Frame project and a card you would be proud to produce. 
by Mandy Shaw. I am a recent convert to Mandy Shaw and she probably focuses more on embroidery than I do. I find her projects very inspiring, however, and very tastefully done. Under the chapter headings:
works on very similar lines. This time the kit included makes a bag with a Dresden Plate patchwork on the front.
by Jan Constantine is, much as the title says, about embroidery. However in this book, how the embroidery is used on the projects it the important bit for me. A quick count gives me 26 separate projects with a little applique and some beautiful embroidery patterns. Jan's books show an elegance which I would love to think I could reproduce.
by Jan too. This time she majors on felt. Working with felt can be addictive and the lovely applique and is a really good book to get you started with this. In addition to felt bases project she has others and a lot of detailed instruction on the top stitching. It is, again, a beautiful and inspiring book with 20 plus project and the templates required.
by Fran Roen was first published in 1991 and doesn't look as up to date as some of my others. However, with the idea of "using strip quilting and other speed Techniques" it hit the nail right on the head for me. I love the idea of old fashioned quilting but I don't think I have the patience to produce the amazing works of art that I have seen some people make. This book has instructions for 18 different quilts.
by Helen Phillips was a book I bought when I first thought about selling what I made. However it goes much further than that. To be honest I would have it just for "Bunny Cuddles", one of the 20 plus projects. 
by Emma Hardy follows the theme of quick and fairly easy project. There are the necessary chapters on Techniques and Templates but this book is a hit when it comes to projects. They come under the headings:
by Lynette Anderson gives more information on combining applique, embroidery and patchwork with 15 projects from small to large. I felt this showed some very clever designs under the headings:
