A final preview

Out raffle quilt for next year's Fairholme Quilt Show (8th - 10th April 2016) is nearly finished. This is a last preview before final reveal.

We will be selling tickets at Ride-a Day-in-My-Wheels, the annual fundraiser for Studio  ARTES, the community organisation who will benefit from the raffle proceeds. They will also be guest exhibitors at our show. The fund-raising event is on Saturday 5th December, in Hornsby Mall.

We will be located next to the fountain, between the Blu-Water restaurant and the south entry to Westfield (the David Jones wing) - come along and see the quilt, and buy your tickets if you are in town. Details of how and where to buy them later will be posted next week.

The design is classic modern, combining precision piecing and
counterpanes to showcase the background fabrics.

This exquisite French toile is in one piece on the back, m
ing the quilt beautifully reversible.

The quilt-making process began a year ago when Miriam and Janice agreed to design the quilt and steer its completion with all of the group members able to contribute. We were fortunate to have a stash of beautiful fabric to work with, much of French in origin. They have done a wonderful job, and it will be ready ahead of schedule.

Our thanks and congratulations to Miriam and Janice, to everyone who has been (and is) stitching, has advised, reviewed and measured, measured and measured again, and to Jo who generously donated the long arm quilting. We even managed to win ourselves a pack of batting at the  Sydney Quilt Show earlier this year (thank you again Lyn, Peggy and Susan).

We are very happy with how it is looking, and we think you will like it too.

Finders Keepers Sydney

The Finders Keepers markets are not specifically related to sewing or quilting, but fine design, high-end craft and the gathering of artisans will appeal to anyone interested in design and artisanship.  They are only held twice a year in Sydney. And the venue is well worth visiting.

A goldmine of Christmas quilt links, and more

Quilt Inspiration, a blog by two quilting sisters, has been very organised and generous, publishing a series of  four posts with links to many free patterns for Christmas themed quilts, way back in July.

The first post is here (a forest of free patterns and tutorials for Christmas Tree quilts and wall hangings) and you will easily find the next three by scrolling down the right hand column to the archives list for July 2015.

There is much else to enjoy on this blog - you might want to bookmark it or add it to your reader in time for some holiday reading.

A unique volunteering opportunity in Hornsby

Artist members from Studio ARTES will be guest exhibitors at our 2016 Quilt Show - we are looking forward to seeing their work displayed along our quilts. As we learn more about the Studio and the artists, and they learn more about us, we are finding other ways that we might be able to work together from time to time.

Jess, who co-ordinates the Friday sewing/textile group at the Studio, has asked if we can help to find some volunteers who know a bit about sewing, by putting the word out among our sewing contacts. If you are in Sydney's northern suburbs, this might be just the opportunity you are looking for:

Studio ARTES is looking for volunteer sewers to help with the Friday group, at our Hornsby Studio. 

We have sessions from 9.30 - 11.30, and 12.30 - 2.30 making bags, cushions and other simple sewn items.  

We often screen print designs onto fabric and then turn them into beautiful original pieces! there are also several members who like weaving and hand sewing too.  

Volunteers with skills in any of these areas would be much appreciated. Studio ARTES would ideally like people to help on a regular basis but are happy to work around busy lives of our valuable helpers!  

Please contact Jess if you are at all interested or would like to find out more: jessica.hodgkinson@studioartes.com.au or 02 9482 5266 

Studio ARTES is a non-profit organisation offering creative programs to adults with disabilities. For more information, visit www.studioartes.com  

Last year, the Tuesday night group helped out with making simple
envelope closing cushion covers for an exhibition by Studio ARTES
members at Koskela, and for sale at Gallery ARTES in Hornsby.
The fabric for the cushion fronts is artwork from the members,
digitally printed onto cotton canvas.

Earlier this week ...

A lovely box of 40 fat quarters landed in Jo's
mail box, all from Cotton and Steel ranges

... a few of Jo's FQs in close-up. What will she make?

Where do you think Janice found this very
charming pin cushion?
Luccello, in Melbourne, of course!

Sue H makes an I-Spy quilt for each of her
lucky grandchildren as they turn three ...

... this one is a quillow.

Susan M has finished her  Lucky Strikes
quilt, made from Kim Kight's free pattern ...

... her quilting design captures the movement of
the bowling balls down the lanes.

Last community sewing day for 2015

Last week we held our last community sewing day for the year. 

Several quilts were pin basted, bindings were attached, tops put together, and at least two new tops were started ... there will be some  lovely new quilts to see after we return from our summer break. 

We have gathered a substantial collection for distribution, and will keep some aside to display at our 2016 Quilt Show before they too are donated. Our very grateful thanks to everyone who has contributed - some are not even members of Fairholme Quilters!

Some recently completed quilts

Last month, these three quilts were pin basted, and this month
they have come back quilted (by Lynette) and bound (by Lynette
and Barbara) - they will be donated to a local aged care facility, 
where the staff tell us the residents love to receive them.

Australasian Quilt Convention 2016: challenges

Australasian Quilt Convention 2016

Calls for challenge entries:

Information on the 2016 challenge is online here. 

$5,500 in prize money.

Online entries close 25th February 2016

Millefiori Magic

Kaleidoscope quilts to be displayed in a non-judged exhibition 

Online entries close 25th February 2016

Paws and Whiskers

Textile Art Mini Challenge - pet portrait

Online entries close 25th February 2016

For the 2016 diary

The local quilt show season starts early in 2016 - if you are visiting the North Coast, you might want to catch the first one below in early January.

These events (and other a little further away from us) are listed in detail in the November 2015 issue of The Template, the journal of Quilt NSW, and will be posted on the blog Template Free closer to their dates:

Pelican Piecers Patchwork and Quilting Group of Harrington 

8th - 10th January 2016

Harrington

Southern Highlands Quilters

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th February 2016

Mittagong

Enquiries: Elizabeth 02 4868 1106

Avalon Quilt Show

11th - 12th March 2016

Avalon Beach

Enquiries: Anne 02 9918 7196

Australasian Quilt Convention 2016

APRIL 14 – 17, 2016

Royal Exhibition Building

Carlton Gardens, Melbourne

Caroline Bay Quilters 

15th - 17th April 2016

East Gosford

Enquiries: Glen 4365 6651

Sydney Quilt Show 2016

Wednesday , 22 June to Sunday 26 June 2016 

Exhibition Centre, Glebe Island 

This week at Fairholme ...

 We have been talking about and making plans for our Christmas parties, and our early meetings in 2016, all just a few weeks away!

A lot of foundation piecing and curved piecing has been
keeping Daphne busy as she completed this very striking
quilt top in a regular class with Chris Jurd. The colour
scheme, fabric selection and design have masculine
appeal, so her husband might be the lucky recipient
of her interpretation of All At Sea.

Dawn has been quilting for some of the men in her extended
family too. This quilt and the one below are both based
on printed panels, enhanced with complimentary borders.
The pebble print narrow border on this one is a particularly
good choice. with the other prints.

The wilderness theme is continued in Dawn's second quilt. 

Jo has just returned from a trip to the Northern
Territory. She found some beautiful fabrics in Alice
Springs, and this painting on canvas by Kyra
Campbell, After Rains, appealed because of it
similarity to free motion quilting.

Margaret is finishing the binding on a long-
standing work in progress. She found the fabrics while
on a cruise through the Inside Passage from
Vancouver to Alaska ...

... and dyed the backing fabric herself. Worth waiting for!
(and note how beautifully she dressed in coordinating colours.)

Pat has completed her machine appliqued wall
hanging begun in a class with Anne Sommerlad last
year. She found the machine quilting a challenge,
but it looks great, Pat!

Sue H is a new member this year, but she is
certainly not a novice quilter. Her foundation pieced
feathered star lies perfectly flat, and will be the centre
of a medallion quilt.

New location for popular patchwork and quilting shop

Dianne's Country Rose has moved, still at Richmond, and is currently advertising a 'half price on nearly everything' sale. The business is for sale, and expressions of interest are invited.

Phone: 4578 3094
www.dianescountryrose.com

'Stitches to Savor': review

If you are thinking about a gift list for a quilter (possibly you!), you might want to check out this new book - Stitches to Savor - a celebration of designs by Sue Spargo,  Martingale.

Weeks Ringle (Modern Quilt Studios) has reviewed it on her blog, Craft Nectar:

... There are no patterns or instructions in this beautifully photographed book but there is an endless amount of inspiration. With 200 photos of Sue’s work, you get a chance to focus on the details and composition of her work, which is hard to do in a pattern book. The detail photographs also allow the reader to see how Sue mixes cotton and wools, as well as hand work and machine techniques so effortlessly.

Not everyone is able to do handwork or enjoys it but this book makes you want to try something new ...

Summer School: Quiltsmith

One of our favourite quilt shops, Quiltsmith at Annandale (inner west, Sydney) is again offering a Summer School program, with an impressive list of teachers - details are now on their blog, and bookings are open. A great way to spend some quality quilting time in January.

Dawn quilts on ...

Dawn is one of our most enthusiastic and prolific community quilt makers - she handed over two recently finished quilts this week:

A gentle, soothing combination of neutrals from our
community stash in one of Down's favourite blocks,
the disappearing four patch

This pattern is new to Dawn, but she likes it too -
construction is much, much easier than it looks,
but the design is very effective.
It is Batiks Gone Wild, by Suzy Myers,
obviously made up in a variety of plaids
- which we have still not used up completely!

On Monday, Dawn was determined to finish the binding
of her 'Wild' quilt, and while the tables and chairs
were packed away, she sewed on, without noticing ...
... until there was just her. Then she laughed, and laughed!
And sewed those last few stitches.

Quilting for ourselves ...

A risk of maintaining a robust community quilting program is that the quilters, being generous with their skills, materials, and particularly their time, will find that they have less time available for their 'own' quilting than they need or want -  so it is good to see so many finishes of quilts for family and other personal projects:

Another big finish from Nerida - her BoHo courthouse
steps is big bright and beautiful!

When Miriam finds time to develop new projects is
a mystery - see her blog, Sew Miriam for details about
her new tote bag and workshops - but these penguins were
just asking for a showcase like this.

Dawn contributes so much to our community quilting
program, it really is good to hear her say 'this one is for me!'
- it's a rare event. This one is made using mostly 2 1/2" strips.
The very narrow border is made from a single fat quarter.

Two little girls moving back to Australia after a family
stint in Europe will have gorgeous, girly quilts at
Grandma's (Elaine W) house. The first one is finished,
and Grandma has about six weeks to finish the second
one that is well under way.

The best backing fabric, on Elaine W's granddaughter's quilt
(and some nice big-stitch Perle 8 quilting, too).

Louise C won the raffle at our Biggest Morning Tea in June
- it included an 'April Showers' layer cake, so Louise used it to
make this 'Simply Retro' beauty by Camille Roskelly from her
book of the same name, that happened to be in our library.
A recent quilting retreat was the perfect time to get it done.

More fabric sales ...

• Cottage Quiltworks (Warriewood) currently has 20% off all precuts, and discounts on ends of bolts

• Quiltsmith (Annandale) has announced a 30/30 sale: 30% off all fabric, minimum cut 30 cm, and 10% books and patterns

Craft Depot November sale

We are fortunate to have a very large patchwork and quilting, and sewing machine shop in our local neighbourhood: