Friday, March 31, 2017

Quiltsmith: fabric sale and workshops with Janet Clare

From the latest Quiltsmith (75 Nelson Street Annandale) newsletter:

Fabric Sale
1 - 26 April 
25% off all fabric, pre-cuts and loose fat quarters (some minimum cuts apply).

Workshops with Janet Clare 
2 one day workshops with UK quilter and designer:
'Drawing with your Sewing Machine' - Tuesday 20 June 2017

'The Wordsmith - Quilted Memories to Cherish' - Wednesday 21 June 2017
Phone Quiltsmith on 9550 4947 for all details and to book.

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

2018 raffle quilt is underway

Our next quilt show is planned for 2018 with the date yet to be confirmed - we will know soon. Preparations have begun, including the making of our raffle quilt, under the guidance of Miriam, who has designed the quilt, and is coordinating its making. Members have volunteered to make the blocks, and will also contribute to the quilting. We can't do a full reveal just yet, but here are some images of our progress ...

Feature fabrics were selected - all donated ...
A range of grey cross hatch background prints were chosen ... 
Block kits were prepared and distributed ...
And applique skills were applied ...
All of the blocks will be finished soon, the final layout decided, and quilting will begin!

Saturday, March 25, 2017

Gorgeous quilts online for your weekend viewing

Quilt of the Month - March 2017
International Quilt Study Center and Museum, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Log Cabin – Barn Raising, made by Abba Jane Blackstone. Curtis, Nebraska, circa 1910.

Scroll to the bottom of the page for links to 'Quilt of the Month' links dating back to 2003. You can subscribe for monthly notifications of the IQSCM selections - always worth a visit.

Northwood Awakening
Friends @ Festival, Winter 2017
There will be plenty of “can’t-miss” quilts and exhibits at this year’s Quilt Festival in Chicago, but among them will be one work that visitors quite literally can’t miss! At an extraordinary 25 feet wide, 'Northwood Awakening' by Ann and Steven Loveless, is eye catching in both its remarkable size and its gorgeous subject matter ...

Mastery: sustaining momentum
Quilt National, 29 August 2016
Video series of the contributing artists talking about their quilts selected for Mastery: sustaining momentum, an exhibition curated by Nancy Crow, for Quilt National (in Ohio) in 2016.
The exhibition will on show at Festival of Quilts (UK) in Birmingham
10 - 13 August 2017

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Modern Quilt Show Australia 2017

Mark this date in your diary - details to come!

Sydney Modern Quilt Guild is proud to present Modern Quilt Show Australia 2017.
3 - 5 November 2017
Petersham Town Hall, Sydney107 Crystal St, Petersham NSW 2049 
Quilt entries open between: 5 August  - 10 September 2017 
Announcements about teachers and their workshops, fabric stalls, quilt show categories and entry process will be posted as soon as available.

Sunday, March 19, 2017

March community sewing day

If you live in Sydney you will know that this week has been wet, wet, wet - not ideal weather for ferrying sewing machines and supplies from car to venue, especially when the car park is unusable from the previous weeks' of rain ... but our monthly sewing day was as usual relaxed and fun, with an additional boost from Maru's visit (see previous post). Thanks to those who braved the monsoon-like weather to join us. We even remembered to take some photos ...

Someone was very organised!
A few of us have vintage Elnas as the lightweight option
- it is always good to hear their characteristic hum.
This one is Hilary's.
Julie found some stray 5" squares at home that she turned
into large hexagons, and machine appliqued to background
fabric from the community stash.
Just checking - Robin's quilt top is indeed all hand pieced.
The blue counterpane is a Jinny Beyer print that glows.

A second quilt top growing from a donation of
blocks and fabrics by a friend of Sue C - the ends of jellyrolls
made into four patches and sashed with a little something
from Sue's own stash.
Lynette was making up solids in a basket weave pattern.

Hilary loves red and cats!
Lynette's friend Chris donated this vibrant top, and Lynette
found the great border fabric in her stash! one of six or seven
quilts pin-baste by the group on Thursday.

Another Lynette-Chris collaboration in beautiful brights!

Saturday, March 18, 2017

A very generous donation


Our community quilts fabric stash received a tremendous boost at our monthly sewing on Thursday when Maru, of Material Girls Down Under called in with a very generous donation of fabric for our community stash - ends of bolts and a large basket of fat quarters from excess stock.  
Thank you Maru - your support is very much appreciated, and some of the fabric was in use before the end of the day!

Thursday, March 16, 2017

A little show and tell

There was a lot of sewing in evidence at our regular meetings this week, but, some of the quilts were not quite ready to be photographed ... we'll see them soon.

Ginnie has made made many quilts - a lot of them
for her grandchildren, and often using blanket-stitch
applique. This is the first time she has made one
just for her. You really see the 3D effect of the
bargello design. Sweet, colourful dreams, Ginnie.
Julie has used a plaid and muted botanical prints
from our community stash for a design evoking a
trellis, in this lap quilt that might appeal to a
man. Thank you for donating the flannel backing
from your own stash, Julie.

One Million Stars to End Violence
If you would like to know more about the stars that Dawn and Marilyn were weaving with florist's ribbon, at our Monday meeting, check out the One Million Stars website here.

Dawn is participating with the Cherrybrook Community Group that has committed to making 10,000 stars.

All of the stars will make up an installation at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast. Make sure to look at the gallery for the photos of the installations already revealed. 

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

End of lease sale: Hobbysew Hornsby

Posted on Facebook by Hobbysew Hornsby on 13 March 2017:
It is with great sadness that we are having to close our Hornsby shop on Saturday 22nd April. 
Our lease has run out here although we are still optimistic that we can find new premises. 
There is up to 75% off storewide, excluding sewing machines overlockers and cabinets.

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Odd quirks ...

For anyone who has ever sewn a block, or part if one backwards, upside down or even back-to-front, Barbara Brackman's recent post will assure you that you are not alone (you probably already know that). Not all the quirks in the quilts in her post are mistakes, some are just design elements ...

Friday, March 10, 2017

This week's show and tell (2)

Julie rearranged a Japanese panel print, creating interest by
varying the grid dimensions, and complimentary borders
for a large quilt ---
... you can a little more detail here.
Jill is making modern mini versions of her children's baby
quilts that were made by a friend 25 and 30 yers ago,
as keepsakes that won't wear out from use as washing.
Pat's stunning 'Urban' wall quilt is her own design, now complete ...
... it is hand quilted, in random straight lines, more visible in this close-up.
Come to our quilt show in 2018 for the full impact!

Thursday, March 9, 2017

A little piece of Fairholme history

 Have you noticed this art quilt hanging on the north wall of the main library space at Pennant Hills Library? The plaque tells the story of our donation.  You might recall that a large online auction of quilts was held in 2000, to raise funds to support the Sydney Paralympics. Another example of how Fairholme Quilters have contributed to the larger community.



Alison Schwabe is an an Australian quilt artist, who currently lives in Uruguay.  Her work is documented on her website.

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

This week's show and tell (1)

Elaine W is ready for Christmas 2017!
One of Diana's favourite three year olds has
a teddy in need of a quilt ...
... and the three year old will love her 'I Spy' quilt ...
... with lots of animals to find.
Linda Showed Susan M a design idea to add dimension
to her community nine-patch quilt, but Susan still found
some of the fabrics she pulled from the community
stash a bit too bright!

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

2017 local(ish) quilt shows

Quilt shows around NSW are advertised by Quilt NSW, in the members' magazine The Template, and on their blog Template Free. These ones are more or less close to us:


Springwood Community Quilt Show
An annual quilt show featuring the work 
by quilters of the Blue Mountains, NSW
10am - 4pm 28, 29 and 30 April 2017
Springwood High School
Entries are now open, the entry form and conditions of entry 

Biennial Eastwood Patchwork Quilters Exhibition
10am - 4.30 pm 5 - 7 May 2017
Brush Farm House, Eastwood
Raffle proceeds to Orange Sky Laundry

Berry Quilt Show
Redberry Quilters
9am - 4 pm 5 - 7 May 2017
School of Arts, 19 Alexandra St
Berry NSW

Camden Country Quilter's Guild 
28th Annual Exhibition
9.30am - 4pm 5 - 6 August 2017
AH and I Hall, Argyle St, Camden
boardman@bigpond.com

Keep an eye on our '2017 events' page for links to these and other quilting related events

Saturday, March 4, 2017

This week's quilt parade

Sue H's I Spy quilt is very nearly done ...
... it has been transformed into a quillow, by the addition
of a Princess Pillow.


Helen is on a roll with large hexagons - some of these
were originally curtains.
Jo bought these fabrics in a kit at Sydney Quilt show a couple
of years ago, but didn't strictly follow the pattern
Detail of Jo's large flying geese - you can also see the
combination of hand and machine quilting
Robyn B has finished the baby quilt for a grandchild
before the baby has arrived!
Pat has made several bags from the techniques she learned
in Miriam's workshop ...
... this collection is destined to be gifts for lucky family members. 

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

How many sewing machines make a collection?

... five, twenty ... 120?

Sewing machine collector with no idea how to sew makes statement about consumerismHarriet Tatham and Zara Margolis, ABC Northwest Qld, 1 March 2017
... being a sewing machine collector who could not sew has resulted in some raised eyebrows. 
"I get some very strange looks from some of my mates down at the pub, but I like the machinery side of it," he said. 
"Every one is different and it's just intriguing" ...