Andover Fabrics Blog

I am Tiffany Hayes, Needle in a Hayes Stack, and I am honored to be a guest blogger for Andover Fabrics.  I must tell you I love the Downton Abbey series, except the season’s always end to soon.  I am always left wanting more, but I suppose that is the way it’s supposed to be.  So, let’s get on to my designing process.  I want to give a little insight on how I create a Downton Abbey quilt pattern.

First thing, I get jpegs of the fabric lines.  I let them stew around with my creative juices for a while.  In the meantime I do research on quilts from the appropriate time period.  That means I get so sit on the couch at night with my favorite electronic device and search, search, search.  I have collected quite a variety of antique quilts on my Pinterest boards (I’m always on the lookout for more).

Lady Mary

This is my inspiration for the quilt I designed using the fabric for Lady Mary:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I design in EQ7.  I recreated the quilt and added in the fabrics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have some great quilting friends who help me name my quilt patterns when I get stuck, or they at least give me votes on their favorite names when I have a few to choose from.  This quilt became Regal Mary, because she is regal, isn’t she?  Regal Mary has been pieced and quilted.  I know each of these quilts should have been hand quilted, but there was just not enough time from the point of design until the quilts needed to be presented at Quilt Market, so machine quilted they must be.  I have a fabulous machine quilter, Vickie Wall.  She did a great job with picking patterns that are appropriate but do not distract from the quilt.

Lady Sybil

This is my inspiration for the quilt I designed using the fabric for Lady Sybil:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We (my friends and I) called this one Sybil’s Spires.  I designed this quilt before I knew what turn Sybil’s life would take.  I miss her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lady Edith

This is my inspiration for the quilt I designed using the fabric for Lady Edith:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fan’s for Edith is supposed to be a bit scrappy.  I love this idea, that way when each quilter makes this quilt each one will be just a bit different.  Here is my version:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have 2 quilts for Edith.  I was pleasantly surprised when Andover Fabrics requested to use Edith’s Grand Entrance as a Free to Download pattern.  Here was the quilt used for inspiration:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Dowager Countess

I must admit, she is my favorite character!  I’m betting I am not alone here.

I used a couple of quilts for ideas on this one.  It was a bit harder to draw up than I had anticipated, but I tried and tried and eventually decided on this design.  Here is Victorian Violet:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love it!  And yes, I pieced it! 320 flying geese units!  This quilt, along with three others, are out traveling in trunk shows.  I am hoping you may have had a chance to see them up close.  Keepsake Quilting has kitted up Victorian Violet.  Click on the picture below to purchase your kit.

I have one more to share.

Ladies of Downton Abbey

This quilt utilizes fabrics from each of the character lines and well as the non-character fabrics.  This is another great scrappy quilt.  Each and every one that has been made should be just a bit different from the next.  Here is my inspiration quilt:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the actual quilt:

You may have seen this one kitted up at the Fat Quarter Shop.  They may still have one for you.  Click on the picture for the quilt kit above and check it out.

I have all the patterns available on my website: NeedleinaHayesStack.biz.  Most of them can be purchased as a hard copy or a digital download.  I have designed a couple Block of the Month quilts programs as well. One night, just for fun, I inputted Downton Abbey fabrics into the quilts, these were my results:

Amazing what happens to a quilt when you change out the fabrics!

I am currently working on quilt patterns for the newest lines, I will also to be teaching a Downton Abbey Mystery Quilt class, or two, at Road to California in January (so excited about that).  Look for me on the schedule.

I would love for you to look me up.  I am on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as Needle in a Hayes Stack. You can always find new quilt patterns on my website and catch my latest blog post there too.

Thank you for allowing me express my love of Downton Abbey, the show, the fabrics and the quilts.

Blog at you later,

Tiffany

Last Friday, I attended a heartwarming fundraiser for the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research located in Seattle, Washington.  They have been working on ground-breaking biotechnology aimed at curing childhood cancer without the harmful effects of chemotherapy or radiation.

I was made aware of the Ben Towne Center through my niece and nephew who are raising money for the foundation by riding their bikes across the U.S. in the Race Across America (RAAM).  They will be the youngest 4-person relay team to compete this year –  my nephew is 16 years old (second from right), and my niece is 19 (at right).  They are RAAM Team BTF

As a way to donate to the cause, I created a quilt to be displayed in the Ben Towne Center.

I was so intrigued when I learned how their research transforms a patient’s own T-cells (immune cells) into virtual super hero cancer fighters.  The idea that one cell can infiltrate another became the inspiration for the quilt.

The cellular, biological nature of the Mineral Forest Collection of prints that I also designed, became the perfect compliment to the quilt pattern.

The quilt title, T is for Transformation, takes into consideration the literal T-cell imagery as well as the incredible effect this new biotechnology will have on the lives of children and their families.

-Lori Mason