Jo Avery – the Blog

Spotlight at 40 Quilt

Settle down everybody for today I have quite a quilt story to tell…

I should have written this post 3 weeks ago. The quilt was finished and photographed and I had started to write the blog post and was waiting for photos to load when I went back to check a little detail and discovered something earth shattering!!

But first let’s go back to the beginning of this story…

About 18 months ago I submitted an idea for the Quilter’s Guild Spotlight@40 exhibition. As some of you may know The Quilter’s Guild of the British Isles ( to give them their full title – which I will shorten to QGBI for the rest of this post) is celebrating it’s 40th birthday this year. There are many events and happenings around this, with lots going on at Festival of Quilts next week.

One of these special things is the creation of a new QGBI permanent collection which will represent quilting today (a bit like a snapshot or time capsule for UK quilting in 2019) and which would include pieces from quilters who don’t already have a piece in the Guild’s permanent collection.

Each region would select a quilter to make a quilt and a gallery at FOQ 2019 would display all of them. I was chosen to represent my region (region 16 – Scotland). Oh and the theme of the quilts had to be ’40’.

I don’t think I really appreciated what an honour and responsibility this was at the time. I was told I had been chosen back in March last year.  I knew at the time that I had until this summer to finish the piece so it all seemed a long way off.

So of course I didn’t actually start making my piece until the beginning of June (with the deadline early July!)! But I knew what I was doing as I had made the plan and drawn it up (as you can see above). My idea for ’40’ was to create ’40 layers of Quilting’ (the title of this quilt). I would use all my favourite techniques to create layers of patchwork and quilting that would evoke sediment or rock strata, and display as many different types of patchwork and quilting as I could fit in.

I used scrappy improv piecing and the improv curve technique I use for my Freehand Curves Landscapes to begin with. I added pieces made using my freehand foundation piecing (tutorial for this here) like the spiky one above.

Layers started to form and I was really enjoying myself. This is my favourite type of patchwork, it can be challenging but it is so absorbing and stimulating.

Once I had finished the top I started adding some needle-turn applique details. Of course I had to have some tendrils!

And some tiny circles. I also added pebble shapes including ones made with fishy fabric. I thought that made them look more like fossils!

That row of tiny orange circles was meant to go along the bottom of that layer but I had the piece upside down when I sewed them on! Oh well, I decided they looked better that way anyway 😉

Next up was the quilting and I wanted to add as many different techniques as I could here too.

I started with the walking foot, quilting between most of the layers and outlining the spikes and the flying geese.

I then added some FMQ, using different colours of Aurifil 50wt thread and different designs.

I used Aurifil 12wt cotton in a range of colours, especially variegated, to add hand quilting details. Then more FMQ, then finally the last bits of hand quilting and even embroidery, with those large cross stitches below. I thought about adding a row of buttons (I love buttons) but somehow it seemed an embellishment step too far.

I had such fun with the quilting!

Can you see that green ‘valley’ with the fishy pebbles? I quilted ‘ghost’ pebbles complete with fishes inside!

I also enjoyed adding areas of close matchstick quilting mixed with the odd row of hand quilting (a texture I use a lot on smaller projects).

You can also see that I’ve included quite a bit of Karen Lewis’s fabrics. One of the other requests was to use ‘fabric of today’ in the pieces and of course it was lovely to use a British designer (and my pal!).

Here’s a look at the back. I used Jenny of Papper Sax Sten’s tutorial for a mitred faced binding for the first time here.

A faced binding was the perfect finish for this piece as I wanted the layers to run edge to edge.

I sewed a sleeve on and then it was finished! I was delighted with the finished piece, which was even completed with time to spare.

As I said below I was waiting for photos to load when I thought I would just go back to the original instruction document to check where the label should be sewn. Now the one thing I haven’t mentioned before was the size stipulation. The quilt had to be 40″ on one side and no bigger then 25″ on the other. I had tried very hard to get a perfect 40″ dimension on the height, and was so pleased to have managed it spot on. The other dimension was 23″, which was fine.

But then as I looked for information about the label my eye was caught on the dimension stipulations… It wasn’t ‘no bigger than 25″, it was ‘no smaller than 25″!!!!  Oh no!! I had made it to the wrong size!!

What an absolute numpty! I had this idea about the sizes so firmly in my head that I hadn’t checked since the first reading – how could I have been so stupid!!??

I emailed the organisers Jan and Linda with my dilemma.  I couldn’t add anything to the quilt width without ruining the whole design and I didn’t have time to make a new one (nor did I want to as I loved this one so much!). Was the size absolutely crucial? Would anyone know? Jan emailed back to say we should talk on the phone the next day (this was a Saturday evening!).

I really did stress about it all night – I felt I had let all of Scotland’s quilters down!

Jan was very understanding on the phone but there was no way round it – rules were rules. But then Jan had the most genius idea I have ever heard, ‘why don’t you make a very narrow extra quilt that can hang alongside it – like you you do with a triptych?’.

I immediately realised this was the solution! And I could attach the extra piece with buttons! I could use buttons!! After thanking Jan profusely for her ingenuity I started planning the extra piece.

Luckily the deadline could easily be stretched a few more weeks so I didn’t need to panic.

It actually only took me a couple of days to retro-piece the layers and and curves to make a 4″ x 40″ quilt. It wasn’t easy and I haven’t got the lines totally spot on, plus I had to use slightly different fabrics in places, but I think all this adds to the richness of the piece.  I even managed some extra embellishments like that row of colonial knots on the pale green.

I used thin black elastic for the button loops and the hardest bit of the whole piece was sewing those into the seam! They just didn’t want to behave. And of course I had to faced bind this really narrow quilt and sew a tiny sleeve on the top!

I also sewed all 39 buttons on and then took them all off and moved them a quarter inch closer to the edge and sewed them on again (by this stage it seemed a small thing to do to get it right). I could only fit 39 equally spaced buttons along that 40″ edge but it upset me that I couldn’t use 40 when it was the whole theme of the piece. So I hid another button somewhere on the quilt. See if you can find it!

And then the buttons wouldn’t stay in the loops so I sewed the loops around the buttons!

But at last it was finished and I love it even more now!

Thanks to Jan and the law of serendipity the whole piece is even more special, more unique and more ‘me’ than the original. And what a quilt story, eh?!

I do hope you will check out my quilt and all the others in the Spotlight@40 gallery at FOQ if you are attending next week. I can’t wait to see them all together, I have no idea at all about the other pieces or even the makers! I will be helping to man the gallery from 12 – 2pm on Saturday so please drop by and say hello if you are passing.

And the moral of the story is: check your instructions! And then go back and check them again. And then go back and check them once more!!

31 comments

  1. On behalf of the region 16 committee thank you for representing us with THE most beautiful quilt. You have done the membership who chose you for this honour proud. Your workmanship and inspired designs never fail to impress. Congratulations on a wonderful achievement. Ann Hill, Co-ordinaries for region 16 Scotland.

  2. Jo, you’re an inspiration of optimism and dedication! The new panel is so well devised and fits the piece perfectly. Congratulations on a stunning quilt. I’m so very sad I won’t get to see it (and you) in person next week. Perhaps one day the collection (or I) will travel and I’ll get my chance. Congratulations!!

  3. Wow that is a great story! This quilt really showcases your magnificent skill in using so many techniques to make and quilt this quilt. Your “mistake” does make the quilt eve more exquisite, so I am glad you made it!

  4. Brilliant!!! Reading your post I couldn’t imagine what the problem was until the end but the solution makes the whole thing even better. And hiding the 40th button an added treat.

    1. OMG!! What a stressful discovery but oh what a stunning save!! It is a fabulous quilt and well done you!! And now I really want to see all the other quilts too!

  5. Well it looks perfect now, and if we didn’t know about the size issue, we would think that was always your intention. I love that you’ve used bright colours, and the full range of Quilting techniques. This piece certainly deserves to be in and exhibition and a collection. Congratulations.

  6. Oh my word, Jo! What an original, creative quilt with an ingenious solution to your initial problem. I love to hear the story behind quilts like this, because you just wouldn’t know to look at it, and it definitely gives another dimension to know the challenges and triumphs involved. And, it definitely is a triumph!!

  7. This is a work of art and Scotland should be so proud of you and your creativity. Well done on your amazing quilt save! x

  8. Fabulous, and as others have said you would never know if you hadn’t read this post and I saw the original design at the Regional day. A wonderful modern quilt and so you.

  9. Wow, Jo, what a story! I loved the quilt from the moment I saw it on IG but now I love it even more. You’ve done a brilliant job.

  10. Oh, wow! What a fabulous post, and of course the quilt is stunning! I love that your pieces are all unique but that I can spot your makes easily in my feed. Great save, you!

  11. I so enjoyed reading this post – every detail! The quilt itself is incredibly, made even moreso by having to add to it. What an artist you are! The buttons might be my favorite part, but it’s hard to choose. You did your region proud!

  12. How neat is that – great quilt save that made it more fantabulous. Wish this collection could come to the International Quilt Festival in the fall then all us quilters in the US could see it in person. Congratulations!

  13. This is an absolutely stunning quilt. And that story is kind of wild, but it certainly adds to both the backstory and to the finished project. Fabulous solution, well executed. Wish I could see it in person, but I’m on the wrong continent.

  14. Oh my gosh, that is quite a story and you told it so well. I love your design, colors and all the quilting. The added piece really gives it character and I love it! The way you attached it to the main piece with those darling buttons and hoops is so clever! I found button #40 on the black and white strip fabric! I’m actually smiling, because your quilt and the story you have to tell about it, is just SEW CUTE! I’m so glad Rachel recommended your blog to us!

  15. Wonderful!!! I thought that this layout was intended before I read the story. This is truly an inspirational quilt!

  16. Love it! I tell people at classes that nothing is ever wrong, just an unexpected design outcome – yours is a great save!!! Love,y to see you and your quilts at FOQ XXX

  17. Wow, this is a very inspiring quilt. I love the movement in the quilt and all the fun ness in the design. Glad you got this finished to your satisfaction although I would have loved it as it first was , clever fix though.

  18. I absolutely love it and the adventure makes it even more special. I am looking for inspiration to make a bright cheerful mini quilt and your quilt makes me smile.

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