Jo Avery – the Blog

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Today I am sharing a new quilt finish along with news of the workshops I will be teaching at QuiltCon Together next year. Yes I am now part of the QuiltCon Faculty! QuiltCon wisely decided to change their 2021 physical event (planned for Atlanta) to a virtual one, which means everyone can get involved no

Scandi Stitches Hot Water Bottle Cover

Back in the summer I made this hot water bottle cover for Stitch magazine. This is the magazine produced by the Embroider’s Guild which is published every 2 months. My pattern is part of a Christmas Gift Supplement with 15 projects. I loved making the Scandi Stitch pillow for Love Patchwork and Quilting last year

New Workshops for the Autumn!

We’ve just launched our Autumn Term prospectus at myBearpaw Craft Studio! I’ve been very busy over the last few weeks making some new class samples, and feeling quite festive despite it being July (not that you’d know it as we have had the most atrocious weather this summer in Scotland – it’s just starting raining

Scandi Stitch Cushion

I’ve been working on a short series of ‘stitchy’ projects for Love Patchwork and Quilting magazine and the first one to appear in print is this Scandi style needlework cushion. It’s in issue 16 which should be out now and features Lynne’s fabulous Honeycomb Hexie quilt on the cover. The photo at the top is

Hansel and Gretel Quilt

I’ve made another Fairytale Quilt. You may remember the 2 Red Riding Hood quilts and a 3 Little Pig quilt that I made previously. Well this time it is Hansel and Gretel! Christina, the lovely lady who commissioned the second Red Riding Hood quilt has also commissioned this one. The first one was for her

Surviving the Country Living Fair

Yes I’ve survived! As I mentioned in my last post, not only did I have a stand at the Scottish Country Living Fair last weekend, but I also had to do a demo in the Craft Theatre every day! The CL Fair was held at the SECC in Glasgow from Thursday to Sunday and I

Liberty Pants Panda Tutorial

Who wants to make a panda?! Not just any old panda, but one of these pandas wearing really cool Liberty pants ?! Remember Sunshine and Sweetie up there? I did promise you a couple of months back that I would do a tute and here it is! Please assemble: Black and white felt plus a

Liberty Pandas and the Robot

I think that has to be the weirdest post title this blog has ever had! It sounds like a new show on CBeebies! Let me explain… As I was saying in my last post, I have been planning lots of new classes for the Summer and Autumn, and one of them is called Handmade Party

Flying Felt Animals

A while ago I showed you the sock dolls I had made from one of the 3 craft books I got for Christmas, and I made one of my wildly optimistic promises to share a project I had made from the other 2 books soon. Well here’s number 2. My husband bought me this book

Robin Christmas Decoration Tutorial

Do you remember this little fella? I did promise you a tutorial a couple of weeks back and, for once, I am actually delivering! My Saturday class last weekend was Hand Sewn Christmas Decorations, and I think all my students would agree that this little fat robin was the easiest one we tackled.  So, without