This quilt was designed and made in 2010, the inspiration for the colours are Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire & Amethyst. It is 60" square and made using the quilt as you go method. Not the method that I use now, but the older, and to me more complicated to use one, with lots of opportunities for it to go wrong!

As a general rule I tended to teach in those days to make a quilt as a top, whether pieced or applique and then when completed size, to layer it with wadding and a backing and then quilt it. Creating the top is fairly straightforward but quilting a big quilt, either by machine or hand is fairly daunting, especially to any one learning to make a quilt.

I occasionally taught quilt-as-you-go, you make each square and quilt it, with a good extra wadding and backing fabric. Then when all your pieces are made, you stitch the squares together - just the front fabric. Then working from the back, you have to trim the wadding and ladder stitch it, by hand together, without catching the front of the quilt! If you pulled it to tight the front would be uneven. Then you had to trim and carefully stitch the backing together! There was so many chances for problems. This butterfly quilt was the last quilt that I made using that method of quilt-as-you-go, not long after I came across the method (with a few changes) that I use now.

In so many ways this quilt is the last of an era in the way I taught. It is all hand appliqued and also hand quilted with sequins embellishments.

Soon after this quilt, I started to use machine applique instead of hand and also machine quilting, most of the time. I do still teach hand applique and hand quilting as I think it's important to learn all the skills, but many of the class members prefer to do machine work, I do still have a few that enjoy hand work more than machine!

Looking at this quilt after not having seen it for a while, it's folded up in a unit in our bedroom, I realise how much I have changed in how I work!! May be I should revisit this design and create it with machine applique, quilting and embroidery!!!

This bedrunner quilt doesn't have a name!!

I made it in 2012, to show the use of different fabrics - there are silks, satins and also cotton mixed together, it measures 23" X 85".

The silks and satins were given to me, they were off cuts from wedding dresses and waistcoats, some are plains, others have embroidery on them.

I have then used applique to add the butterflies & hearts and added lace (some are samples of bobbin lace my Mum made) and also pieces of ribbon.

I also added on some hand embroidery and pearl buttons, these came from my Granny's tin of buttons & the hearts and stars from a shell necklace from my paternal Aunt.

I have also included prairie points on a few squares and around the edge.

The main quilting of all the squares and the pattern on the border has been stitched on the machine and then I have done the odd piece of hand quilting.

It was inspired by all the visits to National Trust Houses and the textiles and wallpapers. It isn't one style but many, Chinese wallpapers, Jacobean crewelwork embroideries and Arts & Crafts works, everything distilled together.

It is a big quilt at 95" square, as you can see it completely covers our double bed. It isn't a quilt we use, I really like it but it just doesn't fit into our bedroom style.

Like all the quilts I have made for the last number of years it is made in sections - quilt-as-you-go. Although I have made it large, as sectional it can be made smaller, just the centre area makes a topper quilt, the side panels can be used for cushions or runner, it was designed to have lots of different options.

It is appliqued, with lots of hand embroidered details on the flowers and birds tails. There are flowers, birds & butterflies. It can be hand or machine appliqued & the same for the quilting, so it worked for all those I was teaching.

This wasn't a quick project to make, but very enjoyable.

The Birdcage on its own, I created into a cushion design which was published in October 2014 Popular Patchwork Magazine, and there was a floral cushion based on the quilt which was in the January 2015 magazine (which must be somewhere in the cupboard but I couldn't find it!!! There is a photo of it on published works section of my website).

The centre panel I made into a wall hanging which I entered into Malvern Quilt Show in 2014.

Sorry all the bits are a bit creased but I just pulled them put of the drawer and cupboard they live it!!

It is one of those quilts that I had thought about creating into many items, smaller quilts, runners, cushions, bags...and making up a book!