Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson at the Powerhouse

If you have loved Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson's fabric, clothing and artwork beginning in the 70s, and fondly remember Flamingo Park in the Strand Arcade, the Powerhouse Museum has a show for you this summer:


'Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson: Step into Paradise'

17 October 2019 - 22 March 2020

Powerhouse Museum, Sydney

... an immersive exhibition, (it) is the first in-depth survey that captures the dynamic energy of Linda and Jenny’s creative partnership. It draws on more than four decades of one of the most influential pairings in the history of Australian fashion, examining the influences, inspirations and the compelling stories behind their work ... Over 150 garments, textiles, photographs and artworks, many unseen, from the Museum’s own extensive collection are brought together with the designers’ personal archives.

Check out recent Instagram posts from the Powerhouse to remind yourself how fabulous this exhibition will be. 

Quilt show and tell

Robin W made this quilt top for our community quilts 
collection, using the scraps from her last donation - and she 
says there are now more scraps for another. Stellar 
use of beautiful fabric, as always, Robin - thank you. 

Robin B and some friends kindly finished off a quilt started
many years ago, for a friend who can longer sew.
The kindness of quilters.

Val made border blocks before she made the centre
for her medallion quilt - can you see where this
might be going? The background fabrics don't
work, so Val is undoing her 27 appliqued blocks and
replacing them all. Tedious, but she will feel much
better about it, and the quilt will be finished.

An excellent design to feature a print in a baby quilt, Nerida!

Roslyn wasn't able to come to our SuperStars workshop
with Miriam in August, but she worked from the pattern
at home to produce this truly stunning quilt top.
The background is cut from an ombre fabric,

Julie's SuperStar quilt top is also finished, and shows
how beautifully French General fabrics work together
over several ranges.

Antique 1880s English hexagon coverlet

An 1880s hexagon coverlet (backed, but quilted only in the border) came home with Helen from a recent visit to London and Christopher Wilson-Tate at the Antique Textiles Company.

It was a show-stopper at show and tell last week, as we admired and examined every bit - the fussy cutting, the stitching, the quilting on the delicately printed border, and its overall appeal.

It is now back in use on a bed, on the other side of the world - wouldn’t its maker be pleased, and possibly astonished?

Christopher Wilson-Tate is a designer for Moda Fabrics, and an antique quilts specialist. Antique Textiles Co:  www.antiquetextilescompany.co.uk

October - November events

Dopamine, by Seed Stitch Collective

Gaffa Gallery

281 Clarence Street, Sydney

10 - 21 October 2019

Sydney Craft Week/Craft Up Late: 

Tuesday 15 October, 5pm – 8pm
Facebook event page for Dopamine

Wheel ‘n’ Weft Christmas Art and Craft Exhibition

25 - 27 October 2019

Thornleigh Community Centre 2120

Facebook events page

FibreFest on Facebook
Knitters Guild of NSW

Campbelltown Patchwork and Quilters Show

9 - 10 November 2019

Campbelltown Civic Centre, Queen Street

Campbelltown

Enquiries: 0404 092 454 (Sue)

Campbelltown Patchwork and Quilters on Facebook
Event page on Facebook

Cherrybrook Quilters Inc 

Quilt exhibition and Christmas Market 

Friday 29 November and Saturday 30 November 2019 

Uniting Church Hall, New Line Road 

Cherrybrook

Show and tell

Susan shopped in Melbourne and put a lot of thought
into choosing the fabrics to highlight the prints
- it paid off handsomely.

Julie saved the little half square triangle offcuts from
some octagon blocks and paired them with some left
over cornerstones from another quilt. Excellent use
of scrap fabric.The sashing is 1/2" finished.

Nerida's 'Dear Diary' is a catalogue of beautiful Anna Maria
Horner fabrics from all her ranges. 

The pattern, designed by AMH, is a contemporary take
on a sampler, released by subscription on Creative Bug.

The quilt is big, so will be machine quilted by Keepsake
Quilting - we’re looking forward to seeing it
again when that is done.

Jill found a post about Melissa Wastney's lined Bento 
bag onInstagram and made some from her 
online tutorial - it really is as quick and easy as the IG 
post claimed. A great use for larger fabric scraps.

Originally designed designed to hold knitting or crochet, 
the tie top bags could have many uses, and the size 
is easily scaled up or down.  The smaller bag is 12" 
across the base, the larger one is 17" across the base.

Quilty long weekend reading

It's the Labour Day long weekend here in NSW, so no meeting and show and tell for us on Monday. Here is some quilt related reading and pictures to entertain you over the break ... hope you get time for sewing too.

A little piece of Australian history

Addicted 2 Fabric, 25 September 2019

Every quilt has a layer of storytelling, but for this special quilt recreated by South Australian pattern-maker Lessa Siegele, the story began all the way back at the beginning of quilting in Australia ...

Fabric of Life

Rich Warren, Ohio Magazine, July 2019

Artist Nancy Crow draws inspiration from near and far to create beautiful and inventive quilts that take the medium to a new level ...

Artist's polychromatic quilts tell powerful stories using recycled fabrics,
Kimberly Mok, Treehugger,  5 March 2019

 ... some of the seven "R" strategies to shift toward a more sustainable fashion industry include reducing, reusing, recycling, repairing, researching, renting, and of course, repurposing. A great example of repurposing with inspiring results is Brooklyn-based textile artist Bisa Butler, who creates these stunningly intricate quilted tapestries that are primarily made with vintage and repurposed fabrics. 

But Butler doesn't just strive to bring a bit of environmental consciousness in her choice of materials, she also strives to highlight the richness of African-American culture as well through her polychromatic portrayals of everyday citizens to historical figures like Paul Laurence Dunbar, Basquiat, and Josephine Baker ...

One from the LA Times archives, recently posted online:

The Quilt Circle: How to make an American movie? Start by piecing together a network of OC seamstresses
Kathleen O'Steen, Los Angeles Times, 6 October 1995

When they needed quilts, the producers of the movie 'How to Make An American Quilt', based on a novel written by Whitney Otto at UCI, they called Patty McCormick of Corona del Mar ...

Our latest SuperStars

The SuperStars keep coming ... finished tops, and now finished quilts too!

Lyn found adding just a few darker stars worked
well against her light background.

Pat chose a dramatic dark background for
her scrappy oriental stars.

Miriam's latest variation 

Miriam's feature fabrics are from a Halloween range
- the crow is her favourite.

Clare's gorgeous tropical version is beautifully finished
with the hot pink binding.

Dawn made two tiny baby quilts, a single star ...

... and a constellation of tiny stars.

Show and tell

These are two different community quilts, made from
the same fabric selection, some from the community stash,
some from Daphne's stash. Made by Julie.

Miriam made her bag from 6 " squares of fabric (also used
for the lining), a fusible foam stabiliser, and clip on handles. 

Pat's embroidered felt partridge, one of her
Twelve Days of Christmas figues.

Jenn's Alexandra quilt is nearly done - so much EPP!

Very fine fussy cutting ...

... prints, plains and ginghams, all designed by Heather Ross.

Yvette whipped up a quick community quilt in just two weeks!

Sue's Minick and Simpson jelly roll quilt is 
finished with a navy binding ...

... and a Minick and Simpson print that happened
to be in her stash.

High Tea fundraiser

Chris, who donates many children's quilts to our community quilts program (and others), has asked us to let you know about about this event, to which she has donated two quilts, in support of the Kids Cancer Project ...

High Tea for a High Cause

Sunday 6 October 2019

Two sessions: 11am - 1pm or 3pm - 5pm

Castlereagh Hall, 1158 Castlereagh Road, Castlereagh 2749

(overlooking Penrith Lakes)
Booking essential

A lovely outing for a long weekend Sunday, and for a very good cause.
Follow the link for bookings and all details.

Community sewing day - September

Lots of colour and movement at another enjoyable community sewing day last week ...

We made backings for three quilt tops that Dawn has
made from donated 'cheater cloth' fabric.

Hilary is making bags from donated blocks. They will be for sale on the
craft stall at our 2020 craft stall., and the proceeds will provide materials such
as batting for our community quilts program.

Miriam made a beautifully snuggly quilt from fabric donated
by her Mum. It has been quilted by Laura, and Pat is making
the binding and sewing it on.

Cutting, cutting ...

... packaging strips.

And of course, there is always some pin basting while we have
 a team of basters and big tables to work on. Jill made this top.

Show and tell

Lots of show and tell this last week, so we'll divide them between a couple of blog posts.

The second panel for Adrienne's bag is nearly done!

Claire is pleased to be nearing the of putting her red and white
hexagon's together - so many different red prints ...

... the white-on-white  spotted background provides a crisp, fresh contrast.

Elaine B is very nearly finished her jelly roll quilt.

Louise made her table runner for the coffee table next to her blue sofa.

Marilyn O's 'Christbella' (designed by Margaret Sampson George)
is progressing very well.

Robin’s beautiful version of Jen Kingwell’s ‘ pieced '
Butterflies’ is ready for quilting! 

She usually chooses vibrant, saturated background as well
as feature fabrics, so the very low volume background
was a challenge for Robin - one well met.

Yvette made this simple quilt (squares with triangles on diagonal corners),
quilted it on her long-arm machine and has nearly finished binding it in
just two weeks!