International Quilt Festival, Houston 2012

The International Quilt Festival 2012 in Houston, Texas, produced by Quilters Inc runs from 1st - 4th November. The awards have been announced in the judged quilt competition at the festival, The International Quilt Association's Quilts: A World of Beauty. 

Photographs (copyright) of each winning quilt are now available to view on line. As you would expect of an international judged competition, the standard is outstanding,

Local readers will be interested to see that a number of Australian quilters have won awards and commendations. While most of the winners are US residents, there were also many winners from Japan, a few from Europe, and one from New Zealand.

• International Quilt Association on Facebook

• International Quilt Festival on Facebook 

Immediately before the Festivals opens to the public, Quilters Inc run International Quilt Market, a trade-only event showcasing new products in/for the quilting industry.  Berrima Patchwork staff attend regularly to source new stock, and have just posted a short video from last weekend's event. If you are curious for further information, a Google search on 'International Quilt Market' will find many blog posts by those attending.

• International Quilt Market on Facebook

Community quilts: final distribution for 2012

Last week we sorted the remaining collection of quilts made over the last year to be donated to community 'causes', ready for delivery before the end of the year.

These three quilts will be given to children being fostered, via the Quilters Guild of NSW

This cosy pile of nine quilts will be delivered to a local nursing home.

Half a dozen lap quilts for the dialysis unit at Sydney Adventist Hospital

Most of the fabric was donated by members and friends, and our fund-raising activities provided batting, thread, our monthly sewing day venue and a little additional fabric.  Thanks to all the Fairholme members who have contributed throughout the year, and to Elaine for coordinating this program. Our fabric stash remains very healthy, and we still have some WIPs, so next year's collection is off to a good start.

Show and tell ... today

Ginny's grandson loves his colourwash - I spy quilt

Each block has a large square of the main fabric from which the colours evolve

Lyn's very large, very beautiful quilt has more than 1700 small fabric squares ...

... that's a lot of piecing, and a lot of points to meet!

Susan is contemplating how to quilt her octagons of native flowers ... 

... each surrounded by several borders

Thanks for the photos, Sue

Bloggers Quilt Festival: Fall 2012

It's time for Bloggers Quilt Festival, Fall 2012.  Amy's Creative Side has for several year hosted popular online bloggers' festival to coincide with the spring and fall International Quilt Markets and Quilt Festivals in the US.  The fall event coincides with the huge Market/Festival in Houston, Texas.

It is an opportunity to see and read about many, many quilts - blogging quilters are invited to link a post about one quilt, and the numbers linked can be expected to climb to many hundreds before the 'linky' closes on 31st October. You might be tempted to l;ink a post yourself.

A number of awards, prize draws and other activities form part of the Festival fun ... you need to scroll down towards the bottom of the page to see the thumbnails of the linked quilts, and if you don't want to miss any, check back over the next few days as more are added.  They will remain online for future viewing - hours of fun, ideas and enlightenment.

Of course as each link takes you to a quilters' blog, it is quite likely that you will find yourself following up individual bloggers you haven't discovered before, and before you know it, your blog reading list will be renewed and expanded ...

Here is the link to get started, and the button in the right hand column will take you there as this post moves down our current screen.

Happy reading and viewing!

Two long-arm quilters at work

These two long arm quilters are among many who maintain blogs to showcase their work. Their blogs are entertaining and informative, with lots of lovely quilting to get readers thinking:

Jeanette Bruce from Gone Aussie Quilting (blog) and The Quilting Platypus (Jeanette's long-arm quilting service located near Bombala, NSW, where she works from her home on a sheep and cattle station, on a river that is home to platypuses) - has posted photos of a nice layout of drunkards path blocks looking a little like clamshells, in beautiful Anna Maria Horner fabrics (the snake story is a little scary, though ...).

Jenny Pedigo writes two blogs, Sew Kind of Wonderful and Jenny's Doodling Needle to share her work on her own quilts (including designing with the Quick Curve Ruler she has invented and markets), and some of her customers' quilts. She often includes progress posts so that you can watch the quilt 'emerge', and really appreciate the role of the quilting in its evolution from patchwork to finished quilt. A recent post, Urban Nine Patch Wrap Up, is a grerat example of her work as a designer and quilter.

Australian Quilt Convention 2013, Melbourne: website launched

The AQC 2013 website has been launched, and registrations will open next Monday, 5th November

Community quilts finishes, October

While at least eight other quilts at various stages of completion were also worked on at our community sewing day today, these were added to the 'finished' pile, which will make a considerable contribution to various causes.

This gorgeous, earthy 9 patch is one of a pair pieced by many Fairholme members, quilted and bound by Elaine W.

The last stitch in the binding of Susan's medallion quilt, made from the mostly-donated community fabric stash was finished just as we needed to start packing up today - excellent timing. 

Lynette has quilted and bound the richly coloured top made by Robyn W that we shared as a top last month.  It looks great then, and it really glows now.

November will be our last community sewing day for 2012 - we will be finishing off the last few quilts for donation to various groups, sewing on labels and making some preliminary plans for our 2013 efforts. The finished quilts will be distributed before the end of the year.

Monday show and tell (15th October)

Click on the images for a more detailed view.

Australian animals for one of Ginny's grandchildren - look at all that beautifully executed hand blanket-stitch!

The following three quilts have all been made for our Community Quilts donation collection, that will be distributed at the end of the year:

Disappearing 9 patch made by Ros, quilted and bound by Lynette

Simply pieced borders compliment this floral medallion, made by Lynette, starting with the donated centre.

Pieced, quilted and bound by Sue, who loves blue (and a little bit of green) - the background is a fine green spot on white. Very cool and calming.

Thanks to Sue for the photos.

We'll be sewing Community Quilts tomorrow - there might be more photos then ...

My Creative Escape: February 2013

News of a quilting retreat in 2013, from Hobbysew:

My Creative Escape
Stanwell Tops
15th - 17th February 2013

Details of program, activities, tutors. costs and registration are on the Hobbysew website now.

Do you like red and white quilts?

Then here is a lovely post with great photos, from Quilts on Bastings about Quilts in the Barn's exhibition "Infinite Variety Revisited', a '... wonderful display of red and white quilts', held last weekend in Victoria. And beautiful quilting too.

Linda Collins from Quilts in the Barn has posted a list of links to other blogs that have published photos from the exhibition, and will publish her own after a short break - but you can enjoy her posts (with lots of photos) on the lead-up to the event now.

If you worry about the possibility of red fabrics 'bleeding', read Karen's previous post about an adventure with colour catchers  and the gorgeous Diamond Sawtooth Star quilt ...

Quilt@ the Winter School 2013: Ballarat

Fibre Arts Australia is hosting a 5 day Winter School in July 2013 in Ballarat, Victoria.  The event offers an impressive list of tutors, and the opportunity to work with the tutor of your choice for 5 days:

This new event is designed for the 'traditional' quiltmaker, or other quiltmaker, who would like to push her abilities a bit further than where they are now.

A unique 5 day event, where you work with ONE tutor for those 5 days, gives you the chance to really get motivated in what you are creating.


This is the chance to meet with like minded people, work until you drop, with workshops open from 7.30am to 9pm everyday, to hear how the tutors work in their 'art practice' and to meet people from all over the world!


The website gives all details, and an assurance that the venue will be warm!

Grandmother's Choice: the latest block-of-the-week blog from Barbara Brackman

If you are interested in women's history and in quilting, you might already be aware of Barbara Brackman's latest block of the week project, Grandmother's Choice, with the sixth block (of a planned 49) posted this weekend.

As a historian, Barbara Brackman provides detailed background reading and images giving the context of the various aspects of women's rights and history that the quilt acknowledges and celebrates.

The blog is substantial, offering great support to anyone taking part, with detailed suggestions about fabrics, setting, yardage for completing the quilt, linkage to a flickr group for participants, FAQs, in addition to the historical material (including a reading list).

A project to engage your interest for a whole year (unless you are very quick to finish it after the 49th block!), or more.

Grandmother's Choice follows the highly successful  Civil War Quilts block-of-the-week run in 2011, that will result in a book 'late in 2012' (the blog is still accessible until the end of this year).

• Barbara Brackman's 'regular' blog, Material Culture

Annual Show and Tell: Eastwood Patchwork Quilters

Eastwood Patchwork Quilters have issued an invitation to their

Annual Show and Tell

7.30 pm Wednesday 31st October 2012

Baptist Church Hall
First Ave, Eastwood

Admission: $2 donation to the Cancer Council

Enquiries: 8819 6092

Australia Wide Three: Fairfield City Museum and Gallery

Ozquilt Network Incorporated is a national organisation for art quilters and those interested in art quilts.

Australia Wide Three 
an Ozquilt members only juried exhibition

4 October to 24 November 2012 
Fairfield City Museum and Gallery 
Cnr. Oxford Street and The Horsley Drive, Smithfield

Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10am - 4pm

The quilts will then tour until 30 June 2014. The official opening will be at 2pm on 13 October with artists' talks at 1-1.45pm. To coincide with the official opening, an online gallery of all 34 quilts will be displayed on the Ozquilt website from 13 October.

Until then, you can see the two previous exhibitions in this series online:
Australia Wide Two online
Australia Wide One online

AMQA 2012 award winners online

A gallery of the award winners at the Australasian Machine Quilters Association Show held in Adelaide last weekend is now online.

As you would expect the quilting is seriously stunning, and the images are excellent.

The judges, Nola Pearce, Helen Godden and Kerrie-Anne Riles are profiled here.