Reading and viewing

After such a long and very hot summer, the cooler weather is welcome. If you are looking for some quilt-related reading and viewing, here are a few links ...


The Legacy of Di Ford Hall
14 May 2020, Quilt andTextile Collections 

Description. We wanted to find a way to continue Di Ford Hall’s legacy for years to come and decided on a video record. She impacted many parts of the quilting industry depending on how you knew her, whether as teacher, fabric designer, mentor, friend and/or colleague. We really appreciate every artist that contributed a photo of their quilt to honor Di Ford Hall. May Di’s legend live on..

100 days
Terry Grant, And Sew It Goes, 13 May 2020

I just finished an online project called “100 Days of Creativity”. It’s a program of the Studio Art Quilts Associate’s (SAQA) that I am a member of. Members who want to participate simply upload a photo of something creative they have done that day to an online album. It is a great source of inspiration to look at daily and a little incentive to share our work in an informal way. I first participated last year and shared random images of what I was working on. For this round I decided to use the opportunity to explore decorative hand stitching/embroidery and created an irregular grid of 100 rectangles to fill a day at a time ...

The Bayeux Tapestry to Quilt
Renowned Australian textile artist, quilter and teacher Pam Holland has been on a 15 year quest to recreate the Bayeux Tapestry as a quilt. Pam has started a new series of blog posts, The Bayeux Tapestry to Quilt, richly illustrated with her own excellent photographs.

This enormous work is nearing completion - to read Pam's plans for the quilt and how quarantine in the current pandemic has influenced her decision to publish about it now on her Facebook page, starting with her post from 24 April 2020. 

If you have any interest in medieval history and in textile arts (including quilting, you will enjoy this blog.


International crafters link together to create beautiful quilts for bushfire-affected families
Justin Huntsdale,  ABC Illawarra, 29 April 2020

As bushfire victims work to rebuild their lives after the devastating Australian summer, a group of quilters is stitching together beautiful handmade squares from around the world to offer a gift that is like a "nice warm hug".

When quiltmaker Sally Tuner put the call out for people to sew beautiful squares to help make quilts for bushfire victims, she had no idea how the idea would take off.

The message spread internationally, and soon she was not only receiving donations in the mail but accompanying letters that would bring her to tears ...

Community Quilts

Just before our last meeting, we learned that we could no longer donate our community quilts to aged care facilities because of the Corona virus risk.

Then at our very last meeting before the restrictions on gatherings were implemented we were asked if we could donate fifteen quilts to a non-profit community organisation that supports women with family members in NSW prisons. We were able to organise a non-contact delivery at short notice. The quilts won't be distributed for some time, because the support group's operations have been severely curtailed for now, but we were very happy to pass on some of our collection for when they are needed.

As our members are continuing to sew as much as ever during our stay at home, and there is a flurry of 'finishing off' projects, we know the collection will be back to our storage capacity in no time.

Quarantine quilting (3)

 This is the perfect time for hand work ... cooler weather, more time, a need for relaxation - we've got this!

Robyn's hand quilting is spectacular, and her felt
embroidery is great fun!

With the missing block found and the quilt top made by her
daughter assembled, Louise is enjoying hand quilting
with  a variegated thread.

Denise has made a sweet bunny rug for her expected
grandchild -  she says the eight little legs were a bit
of a challenge!

Just one of Nerida's hand stitching projects.

Jill is half-way to 32 Steam Punk blocks
(pattern by Jen Kingwell).

Jenn is hand quilting her beautifully soft quilt made
with Heather Ross's 'Sleeping Porch' fabric range.

And having finished off two other English paper pieced
quilt tops, Jen has gone back to her Passaacaglia blocks
(designed by Willyne Hammersteein)

Miriam was invited to design a block for Quiltmania's
Solidarity initiative. She was pleased to able to  include a
piece of Di Ford fabric in the central flower for remembrance,

Zoomers ...

When we suspended our meetings on 16 March, most of us didn't know anything about Zoom, or that it was about to become a part of our lives. We've had a few practices with small groups but today was a first. Twenty six of us have just successfully held our first large group Zoom meeting, with judicious use of the ‘mute’ button to give every one a turn to say hello, tell us what they have been up to, and to sing happy 85th birthday to one of us.  

It was lovely to check in with so many of our friends.

Our show and tell included revealing our new group
banner, designed and made by members of the evening
group and beautifully quilted by Yvette.

Quarantine quilting (2)

Most of us have a stash of fabric, thread, many have yarn stashes ... so we are well placed to occupy ourselves during time in quarantine, and we find ways to make quilts and other things. We're keeping in touch in new ways -  we've practised Zoom chats in small groups and are planning to trial a larger online meeting next week. Whats App is proving useful, emails and phone calls are more regular than ever. Lots of sewing rooms and cupboards are being explored, cleaned out and older buried, sometimes forgotten unfinished projects resurrected and sometimes finished off. One of our members has finished off 10 community quilts! And of course, new things have been started. Instagram has become our regular 'show and tell'. Here are some of our recent quarantine efforts ...

Helen found this knitting bag for beanies being
made for her grandchildren a quick and fun make

Robin has been busy making three quilt quilt
tops from her vibrant stash fabric

Robin's second finish

... and her third.

Janet has made a scrap quilt from start to finish
-  but she still has blue scraps!

Nerida's Modern Half Square Triangle 2020 block of the month is a
showcase of her beautifully curated stash

Another beauty Nerida has been working on.

Daphne's first quarantine quilt top finish is a beauty!

Jenn's circle time floor quilt for her son's classroom
- wedges for the win. She used a 10 degree wedge ruler,
and Dylan Mierzwinski's 'Playground' fabric range.
For details of Jenn's process, visit @pennypoppleton
on Instagram.

Reading, viewing

While you wait for your regular quilt group meetings to reconvene ...

You might like to participate in research about sewing (including quilting) and well being by completing this online survey from the University of Wollongong: https://uow.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6hzwnSnpInnfNeB

Terry Grant is an art quilter who lives in Portland, Oregon, who is generously sharing some of her quilts as online jigsaws: https://www.jigsawplanet.com/TerryGrant. There are a number available, and it can become a little addictive. She blogs at And Sew It Goes

Vision 2020 is an art quilt exhibition curated by Brenda Gael Smith. Its planned launch at the Australasian Quilt Convention in Melbourne last month was halted by the pandemic, but you can see it online now: https://vision2020textiles.com/gallery/

Chicago based Modern Quilt Studio has released a YouTube video entitled 20 Years, 200 Quilts featuring 200 of the quilts they have designed and made in the past 20 years - that's a body of work (but it's only part of what they do):

 

Quarantine quilting (1)

Thanks to our members who have been generously sharing photos of what they are working on in quarantine ...

Like many of us quilting at home  Val picked up a
long-unfinished quilt and hand quilted it. It shows
her distinctive style and skill well.

Elaine was delighted to be asked to make a quilt for
a nephew's 21st birthday. He knows and loves Japan,
 and approved the fabrics. Just a border or two to go.

These Ohio Stars were part of a large donation of fabric
and unfinished quilts a couple of years ago. Some of
them were partly made. Dawn took them on, and
has turned them into a finished quilt top.

Louise also brought out an unfinished quilt, started
with her daughter Elle. She recalls that all the
blocks were made, so where is that last one?

Jill had quite a few teal/turquoise/aqua scraps ...
the quilt top is now waiting in three pieces for
quilt-as-you-go quilting.

Miriam used up orphan blocks to make a coffee rug
- she is calling this one Home Alone

Jenn said, 'I didn’t really think I’d finish two
EPP quilt tops in three weeks!' We've watched her
making her beautiful English paper pieced 'Mandolin'
blocks, and it's lovely to see it finished.

Dawn has found sewing an excellent quarantine
past-time and has also made another 'SuperStars'
quilt top - her fourth, or fifth? She does love
SewMiriam pattern.

Finshing off ... starting new ...

We're sorting through our stashes, finding ufos we had forgotten about, finishing things off, and starting new things while we remain in quarantine ...

Robyn has made three more Sew Miriam bags
- beautifully colour themed.

These are the two sides of a Sew Miriam bag
made by Noelle - fabulous fabrics!

Just one of Nerida's current projects,
Jen Kingwell's 'Beginner's Luck'

Pat has finished off two cushions,
one of them started a while ago ...

Janet is basting a quilt made from her generous supply
of blue scraps. There'll need to be a big basting party
when we are able to get together again.

Sue is moving several projects forward - this one
was started in a workshop, finished in classes with a
different teacher, and now the hand quilting is
coming along.

Another of Sue's projects was to organise her
embroidery threads.

Stitched fun

Looking for something small and quick to stitch, rather than starting a new large quilt or tacking the ufo pile?


SewMiriam has posted a free tutorial on both her Instagram account and blog, for her Cheerful Chickens - an easy make with lots of uses. Maybe make them with or for some children in your life.

'In your hands these chickens feel very soothing. They can be used as sewing weights to hold down patterns, as pin cushions, or as a happy companion on your desk or window sill.'

Here is Hilary's first chicken:

Louise has alerted us to Sarah De Jonge's Kindness Hearts, little felt 'pocket hearts' given to people going through difficult times.

• ABC news story about 1000 Hearts

• Sarah's 1000 Hearts website

A virtual preview (2)

Think of this as another aisle in our virtual quilt show, but with more space, and great lighting ...

Pat's 'Pickled Fish' quilt looks wonderful draped over a sofa.

Dawn's 'GiGi' is styled with flowers for her
60th wedding anniversary
- congratulations to you both!

Louise's 'SuperStars' is in use already, but we'll
borrow it back. The rich colours of the stars are
beautifully complimented by the deep teal
background.

Miriam's quilts look spectacular against her sasanqua
hedge, flowering just in time ...

Betty the corgi  is the best quilt guardian ever.

Sydney Quilt Show: revised dates

Quilt NSW says entries remain closed and those who have entered will be advised of new dates for delivery and collection of entries shortly.

A virtual preview (1)

As you know, our 2020 Quilt Show was scheduled for last weekend and had to be cancelled three weeks out. We'd done all the preparation and were highly organised, and we'll be well ahead with putting the rescheduled event together at an as yet unknown date. 

One of our members, Margaret, came up with the brilliant idea during the weekend to stage her own virtual quilt show in quarantine, at home. She posted her photos on Instagram, and invited the rest of us to follow suit. Here are her photos, and Janet's and Sue's who are the first to follow Margaret's lead ... 

Not all of Margaret's quilts would have been/will be
in our show, but how lucky are we to see so many?

Janet's first floor balcony makes an excellent gallery
for her 'Beauty and the Beast" ...

... and her 'Winter Village Amongst the Pines' quilts
(Laundry Baskets pattern, with some adaptations)

Sue's veranda gallery includes her first quilt (the sampler)
and her latest (Little Miss April), her first rotary cut machine
pieced effort and her first foundation piecing.