Show and tell - it'a been hot, but we're sewing anyway!

It has been a very hot summer, not particularly conducive to quilting, but we have been quite productive nonetheless!

Janet has worked on this large quilt over a ten year period,
with many interruptions - but now it is done!
The setting triangles are hand quilted, the blocks and
sashing are free motion machine quilted.

The blocks were made in a class with Margaret Cormack,
using a single fabric ...

... cut at different places in the pattern repeat to give
different designs.

A classic red and white orange peel quilt - the completed
top was donated to our community program anonymously,
and has been custom long-arm quilted by Yvette, for a very
fine finish. Quilters are so generous! Thank you Yvette,
and our quilt donor.

Yvette custom quilted the blocks with three different designs.

Elaine G dug into her bright scraps for a fun quilt ...  

...  that she enjoyed so much she made it again with
a black background!

QuiltCon 2019: award winners' gallery online

If you are not in Nashville, Tennessee for QuiltCon 2019, you can now see all the award winners in The Modern Quilt Guild's online gallery.

The Best in Show award has gone to a group quilt - a first for QuiltCon. A number of Australian quilters have work in the show, including Kim Simpson from Victoria, who won 3rd place in the Minimalist Design category, with her stunning '70s Graphic' quilt.

The quilts are spectacular - make yourself comfortable for some quality quilt viewing.

A visit from Georgie and her magnificent quilt

Georgie's recent visit gave us the opportunity to see her exquisite Chuck Nohara quilt up close. 

Georgie and her sister Phyl each made one in classes with Lorena Uriarte, choosing a manageable number of blocks from the 2001 in Chuck Nohara's book, 2001 Nouveaux Blocs de Patchwork.

Have they inspired some of our members, perhaps?

Georgie's quilt is mostly hand pieced, made up of 64 blocks,
eleventy hundred tiny, precise sashing blocks and that
gloriously spiky border!

The border is foundation paper pieced, and
include about 1500 spikes!

The strips in the tiny pieced sashing finish at 3/4" !

Each block is different ...

Georgie didn't count them, but can you imagine how
many different fabrics she has used?

The blocks are about 6" finished - all those
minute clam shells!

An original block Georgie designed to re[resent
her rural and ocean views from home.

Tiny moons over the mountain!

Straight and curved piecing, applique, foundation piecing
- this quilt this quilt has it all.

This week's show and tell (2)

Margaret W is very happy to have finished her Happy Birds 
quilt top, designed by Jen Kingwell. Four years' work.

The centre and second border background fabric is linen.

Margaret has used an eclectic mix of fabric from
her daughter, who gave the pattern ...

... and it all works together beautifully.

128 half rectangle triangles make up a quilt top for
a baby girl, made by Jill for a new great niece.
Sewing half rectangle triangles is very different from
sewing half square triangles, just so you know. 

Jill made the 'Circling Geese' block for the Sydney 

Mod Squad 2019 raffle quilt - there are eleven other 

foundation pieced blocks being made by others.

The blocks are about 22" across at their widest.

Daphne is still busy reducing her scrap stash -
1" finished postage stamps sewn into large
blocks might get it down a bit!
Such bright and cheerful blocks.

This week's show and tell (1)

It was a busy week at Fairholme, lots to see. Here's part 1 ...

Denise is working on a Tita Leach quilt, with lots
of detail - there are many more Suffolk Puff
trees to come.

Elaine G has made a fun top with pretty kittens
and unspooling thread - she has meticulously
tucked each appliqued 'thread' under the
thread on the spool for authenticity!

Jan made this gorgeous bright version of Kathy
Doughty's Red Centre pattern, available from
Material Obsession

Lisa has put the second 40 postage stamp blocks
together from a donation of 110 made to our
community stash, in a basket weave pattern.

Miriam appliquéd her colourful hexie heart to a
floral background, and made it into a cushion just in
time for Valentine’s Day. She expects her
husband will be delighted with it.

Robyn l is anticipating the arrival of a new
grandchild in just three weeks. Not knowing the
baby's sex, she has finished a quilt
for a little boy ... 

... and is just about finished one for a baby girl.
All bases covered.

Two quilt exhibitions: Cowra and Canberra

War and Pieced: The Annette Gero Collection of Quilts from Military Fabrics
Cowra Regional Art Gallery
23 February - 28 April 2019
It is not an exaggeration to say this collection is a unique showcase of spectacularly complex geometric quilts made from military fabrics by soldiers and military tailors in the time of war. Once termed “soldiers’ quilts” or “convalescent quilts”, the pieced textiles in this exhibition are associated with World War I and World War II, as well as the earliest quilts from the Napoleonic Wars, the late eighteenth century, conflicts in India, South Africa and wars during the nineteenth century. 


The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Quilt Project

Museum of Australian Democracy

Old Parliament House, Canberra

Until 1 July 2019
The #UDHRquilt Project features never before seen work from a global craftivism project. Stitching in local and global stories; see the intricate detail of these quilts that represent the world’s conscience.

• If you are unable to visit the exhibition, you can learn more about the project, the quilts and the craftivists at the #UDHRquilt Project website.

This week ... works in progress

It's very enjoyable to see each other's work progress whether it's over a couple of weeks or several years. Here's some of what was on view this week, and some from members' Instagram accounts ...

Sue S is working on a lovely long term project, begun in a class
with Margaret Sampson George - these blocks will form a border.

Marilyn A is working her way through a Somerset Patchwork
designed medallion quilt, ‘Oakhampton’, and thoroughly enjoying
the process. The half square triangles in the outer border are 1”,
and the hexagons in the centre are 1/2”. There are appliqué and
clamshell borders to come, this beauty is not for rushing.

Susan's grandson's quilt has really grown with its final row
of blocks and three borders!

Robin W quietly handed this beautiful top to Lynette for
quilting and binding, to be added to the community collection.

Louise W has been enjoying embroidery during the summer
heat - producing a gorgeous pineapple (photo from Instagram)

Louise's current rich embroidery/embellishment project 
(photo from Instagram)

Daphne has taken up the challenge of making Instagram month-markers as a
personal block of the-month ... 

... making the most of delightfully quirky fabric for her block 
centres, This will be an interesting quilt! (photos from Instagram).

Sydney Stitches and Craft - new venue

This week ... finishes

First quilt finishes for the year ...

Elaine W delved into her substantial William Morris
stash for a community quilt

Another finish from Elaine W - light and pretty,
also for the community collection

Janice went small for this tiny
treasure - 1/4" hexagons!

Checkerboard community quilt, made by Lynette

110 pinwheel blocks were donated - Lynette has used about
60 for this quilt, so there is another one in the making.

Nerida made some minor adjustments to her pretty jelly roll quilt,
made from a Moda precut, stared in our sewcial day last October