One step beyond - a new community quilt

Jane has come up with another idea for a charity/community quilt that will be easy to achieve with spectacular results. 

The instructions are here, or you can download and print them from a .pdf file here.

Everyone is invited to contribute - both Monday and Tuesday group Fairholme members, and readers of the blog who are not members.  You can contribute two blocks, or as many pairs as you wish to.

If you are not a Fairhome member but would like to contribute some blocks, you can send them to us at:

Fairholme Quilters Inc.
Att:  Jane, One Step Beyond Community Project
P O Box 942
Pennant Hills NSW 2120
Australia

We look forward to seeing everyone's "ocean" fabric, and thank you all in anticipation.

Roses from the Heart: bonnets

Heather brought back the story of the very moving Roses from the Heart project from the Australian Quilt Convention in Melbourne.  A brief introduction from the Roses from the Heart website:

Sew a bonnet and be part of history. Help Christina Henri complete her amazing project Roses From The Heart, 25,566 bonnets made with empathy for convict woman who endured so much and yet have received so little recognition. Their economic and social contribution was enormous, yet the ‘stigma’ shrouding their existence always precluded discussion of their value.

Read more about the project, its significance and how you can participate here.  Heather has some names provided by Christina, or you can talk to Christina directly, through the website.

Bonnet pattern:  scroll to the bottom of this page for a multi-page pattern and instructions to download.

Blogger's Quilt Festival Spring 2010

The biennial Blogger's Quilt Festival is now on, hosted by Amy's Creative Side.  Quilting bloggers have selected a quilt and its story to share with others world wide, for an online event that gathers over 400 quilting bloggers in one online "place".

Catching up

These photos are from about three weeks ago - they have been languishing in the camera while the cable needed to download them went missing in action.  It was cleverly disguised as an iPod cable .....

 Jane has pieced this Gee's Bend style quilt top - the red square really draws the eye!

This bag is also Jane's - it has many pockets, and a very stable base.  Fabulous quilting on the "pebble" fabric!

Georgie got Jo started on making small fabric bowls using piping, for the craft stall at our recent show, where they sold like the proverbial hot cakes.  Jo got out her double piping foot to see if she could progress the bowl shape to an urn - and she could.  She has also made a large coordinating basin/bowl.  Ingenious!

The New Quilt: Manly Art Gallery and Museum

Overlapping with the NSW Quilters Guild Show at Darling Harbour, is the  biennial exhibition, The New Quilt - very different from the Darling Harbour event, this exhibition will feature contemporary quilts from invited exhibitors. The space is much smaller, the exhibition is curated to the standard expected of an art gallery.  The gallery is in a beautiful position on Manly Cove.   It's a big few days for quilters in Sydney.

18 June -25 July 2010


Open to Tuesday- Sunday: 10am-5pm

West Esplanade Manly

Tel  9976 1420

Further information about the 2010 program is provided by the Guild, here

Sydney Quilt and Craft Fair 2010

The "big show" at Darling Harbour is only a few weeks away:  16 - 20th June.  All the information about who and what will be there, and for pre-ordering of individual and group tickets is now available on the website:

• www.craftfair.com.au/Sydney2010/

New fabric line from Robert Kaufman

Here's an intersting new fabric line, from Robert Kaufman, due to be released in the US in June - Quilter's Liinen, which is really 100% cotton. There are previews of the range of colours here, and some photos on Elizabeth Hartman's blog, Oh, Fransson.

What would you use such an addition to the range of "solid" coloured fabrics available for?  Applique backgrounds, in pieced blocks, as sashing in a modern quilt?  Which colours would be your first choice?  I'll be happy to test drive the "taupe" and "grey" for a start .....

Two quilt shows for this weekend

This could be a busy weekend - Mother's Day, the choice of two quilt shows ....

• Central Coast 4th Annual Charity Quilt Show, Wyong, Saturday and Sunday.  Click here for more information

• Arcadian Quilters Annual Quilt Show at Swanes Nursery, in the Glasshouse, 490 Galston Rd Dural, Friday 7th - Sunday 9th May.  Click here for more information.

Finders Keepers Market 7 - 8 May 2010, CarriageWorks

Independent Design and Art Markets

Revel in the simple joy of discovery and explore the best in new contemporary art and design at The Finders Keepers  Autumn-Winter markets, a bi-annual event that showcases the work of emerging designers and artists from Sydney and around Australia.

Friday 7 and Saturday 8 May 2010

TIMES: Friday night 6 - 10pm, Saturday 10am - 8pm
VENUE: CarriageWorks foyer and Tracks, Everleigh (Redfern)
ENTRY:   Free

Click here for transport, venue and other details about this event
and here for more information about The Finders Keepers

Raffle quilt presentation

The Monday group waspleased to welcome two visitors on this week: Dale Aston, the winner of the first prize in our quilt raffle, together with her friend Evelyne Raack. They came all the way from the southside, thanks to some help from a Sat Nav. They are both quilters of many years standing, and Dale was thrilled to have won the quilt.

Evelyne, Dale a Susan, with the prize quilt

Dale and Evelyne brought some quilts for show and tell. Some are from classes with Jennifer Corkish, one is based on a quilt from Annette Gero's book.

The raffle quilt has found a good home!

Our own Lorraine Ketchington won the second prize of the fabulous blue and white woodpile block quilt:

The raffle raised $3,000 for the Hornsby-Kuring-gai Mental Health Association.