Modern Quilting Big Morning Tea

Well that was fun!

Our Biggest Morning Tea fundraiser in support of the Cancer Council this week had a modern theme, taken up in the table decorations, and our guest quilters from the Sydney Modern Sewists and Quilters (Sydney ModQuad) who delighted our audience of members and friends with a spectacular presentation of just some of their modern quilts.

Congratulations to Linda Parsons and the team – Sue Brennan, Robyn Leek, Janice Freelander, Roslyn Pullen and Elsa Kachwalla – on the organising of a very successful event. We raised over $600 for a cause close to our hearts - many of us have had too close encounters with cancer ourselves, or in loved ones, and we know the importance of research and support in the field of cancer. Thank you to every one who came and helped us to make that donation to the work of the Cancer Council.

Our thanks too to Natasha Renstead, Selina Cheng and Bec Proshogo from Syd ModSquad for bringing their stunning quilts, and to Jenn Davis who allowed us to see hers, even though she could not be with us. We loved your quilts, your commitment to and enthusiasm for quilting -  we are in awe of your  needlework, design and quilting skills. And thank you for allowing us to use your photos.

Linda chose a fun modern decorating theme, in keeping with
our much anticipated visit from the Syd ModSquad. The tables
were laid with fat quarters that were 'lucky plate' prizes.

Of course there was a wonderful morning tea spread,
donated by Fairholme members, and as it happens, Linda
is a brilliant cake maker and decorator - and her specialty is
towers of macaroons!

One of the aims of Sydney Modern Sewists and Quilters is 'to engage with the wider Sydney community by contributing charity quilts and acts of service.' One way of doing that is to make a group quilt each year (this year's is the fifth), that is entered into the group category at Sydney Quilt Show, and then raffled as a fundraiser for a charity that supports women in need. We saw two of those quilts on Monday:

Rainbow Skyline was made in 2015, from
Tula Pink's book '100 Modern Quilt Blocks'.
Each colour column was made by a different 
ModSquad member, graduating blocks
from dark to light tones of a single colour.
It will be raffled later this year.
(Photo: from @sydmodsquad)

In 2016 Grey Skies and Rainbow Fields was designed
for the group by Jenn Davis, and members chose blocks
to make, assisted by a detailed colour map. Blocks range
in size from 8" to 24" square, with rectangular flying
geese units.It won third place for a group quilt at
the 2016 Sydney Quilt Show. (Photo: from @sydmodsquad)

Bec's beautiful modern take on a classic Storm at Sea.
Its four year old owner agreed to allow her to bring it only
on the condition that she came with it to keep an eye on
it (and on us)! Smart little boy. Bec quilted it herself
on her domestic machine. Check out her own post
on this beauty on Instagram @skyberries for additional
images in close up, and of the reverse.
(Image: from @skyberries)

Bec made her toddler sized Drunkard's Path quilt for
her one year old daughter, from the same Tula Pink
fabrics as a quilt she had made for her own Mum. 

Syd Mod Squad is a very co-operative and collaborative
group, who often work together. Tash pattern tested
'Shattered Star' designed by Jenn Davis, using print
fabrics for the half-square triangles, and a white
solid for the background. Selina made a larger version
in very different fabrics as a pattern test too.
The pattern may be released for sale in the future.

Most of the Mod Squad members are active on social
media, especially Instagram. Selina @seldear 's
diamond blocks were gathered from a birthday swap
conducted via Instagram. She quilted it herself on the
longarm available for hire by customers at HobbySew at
Top Ryde. 

Selina made her Intulawoven quilt from fabric
mostly acquired in an Instagram based swap of
 designer Tula Pink's charm squares, that resulted in
 each swapper receiving 112 different 5" squares.
The intricate pattern is achieved with a single
block 'just rotated through 90º - easy' she said ...

Selina devised a modern take on the disappearing
9 patch block design by gradually increasing the
negative space and eliminating some block elements
across her quilt, and by varying the print elements.

Rain Chains is another of Jenn's own designs,made and 
quilted by her, by hand and machine. The fabrics are all 
solids. You will find her on Instagram @pennypoppleton.

Jenn's splendid modern version of Mrs Billing's Coverlet (pattern 
by Karen Styles from Somerset Patchwork and Quilting) won 
a second prize in the 2016 Sydney Quilt Show. It was hand and 
machine pieced over an 18 month period, to mark her 30th 
birthday, and machine quilted by Leanne Harvey of Mount 
Vincent Quilts @leanne_mountvincentquilts in the 
Hunter Valley.
(Photo from @pennypoppleton)

Snapped as it was being refolded, here you can see some of the
very detailed fussy cutting, piecing and quilting in 'Jenn does
Mrs B' as this wonderful quilt was known during its making.

Sydney Modern Sewists and Quilters blog, has contact details and the meeting schedule, and can be found on Instagram @sydmodsquad and #sydmodsquad.