Focus cutting sewalong

Stephanie and Linda are both participating in the Focus Cutting sew-along, run by Naomi Clarke on Instagram. We love catching up with their progress, so here are their blocks from the last few weeks. These will become fabulous quilts!

Stephanie’ s blocks ... she slips in an extra
hexagon every now and then.

Linda’s blocks ... the bottom right image shows how she
used different elements of a single print for the whole block.

Quilt NSW: Friday Showcase and 2021 Suitcase Challenge

From the Quilt NSW Newsletter:

Friday Showcase 7 May featuring Lynn Hewitt 

We are pleased that Friday Showcase has returned for 2021. Our first event will be held on Friday 7 May and will feature Lynn Hewitt.

In 30 years, Lynn Hewitt has made many quilts, and she enjoys doing workshops, learning new techniques and developing new skills. After a workshop, she often wonders what if she might make it again in another colour, or a different size or shape. At the May Friday Showcase, Lynn plans to show several quilts which have resulted after " What if?", as well as her very first quilt, and her latest, a modern quilt.

Friday Showcase will be held again this year at the Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts (SMSA) in the Auditorium on Level 1. Doors will open at 10.45 am for an 11 am start (note this is one hour later than previously) and numbers will be limited to 60 people. Bookings are required, using the form on the QuiltNSW website. Payment is required at the time of booking.

 
We recommend you bring a mask to wear when looking at the quilts at the end of the presentation.
Refreshments will not be available in the office before or after Friday Showcase due to the reduced office capacity (currently 10 persons). However, there is a cafe at street level.

When: Friday 7 May, 10.45 for 11 am start
Where: Level 1, Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts, 280 Pitt Street Sydney
Cost: $5.00 for QuiltNSW members, $10 for non-members
Bookings: Essential, book and pay here, maximum 60 people

2021 Suitcase Challenge: Entry details announced 

The theme for the 2021 Suitcase Challenge is Ruby. 

QuiltNSW will celebrate our 40th anniversary in 2022 and so our Ruby Suitcase Challenge quilts will be travelling in that year.

You have until Saturday 4 September to come up with a creative interpretation of the theme and submit your quilt. Winners will be announced at the QuiltNSW Annual General Meeting in October. You can find all the conditions of entry and the entry form here.

Show and tell

Running a little late with show and tell from our face to face meetings. We are still operating with some restriction to numbers and cleaning requirements, but it is feeling more and more like our usual meetings.  These photos are from our last Monday morning meeting in March, three weeks ago now. We rarely take photos of ourselves, but some group shots to celebrate being able to meet again seemed in order. It's nowhere near the whole group, but we'll get there over the next few months.

Elaine G machine embroidered her bee blocks ahead of
a long holiday with periods of cruising, during which she
stitched the hexagons together. A lovely quilt full of
memories of that special trip.

Jo-Ann has recently moved house. In the unpacking she
was pleased to find this finished top that she had forgotten
about. An unusual combination of restful colours and
modern prints, with just enough contrast. All finished now
that she is unpacked and settles in to her new home.

Perennial favourite blue and white, made by Elsa,
quilted by Yvette @yvettes_keepsakes .

Robin is English paper piecing hexagon, as are many of
us on Monday mornings!

Sun Shiny Day blocks

The Tales of Cloth 'Sun Shiny Day' English paper piecing quilt is proving very popular online, and at least two of our members have embarked on it. Beautiful fabrics, very cute focused cutting. We look forward to seeing both Helen and Stephanie's quilts when they are put together - thanks for sharing them as you go.

Art Gallery Fabrics has a recent blog post of tips for fussy  (focus) cutting beginners if you are considering put a quilting toe in that water. 

These blocks are Helen's:

And these are Stephanie's. There are many more to look forward to:

April - May events

Vision 2020 Textiles continues its exhibition tour:

8 - 29 May 2021

Rusten House Art Centre

87 Collett St, Queanbeyan, NSW 2620

Gallery Hours: Wednesday - Saturday 10am-4pm

Join curator Brenda Gael Smith and local artists Dianne Firth 

and Beth & Trevor Reid for the official opening and floor talk: 

11am–12 noon, Saturday 8 May. Booking essential - book here.

A fine quilt collaboration

A great deal of thought went into this beautiful large quilt, two generous donations and a collaboration of quilters. 

The borders were donated by Lyn, a friend of one of our members, who had made them for her own quilt, but decided on something different. 

The pieced centre circle was donated by Nerida (it was made by someone else), and the two played together well. 

Marilyn took on the demanding task of putting them together, appliqueing the circle to the background, and then appliqueing the borders to the centre - no mean feat. 

Yvette quilted it beautifully on her long arm machine. 

Thank you all, such generosity and teamwork for an expert finish.  We are considering how to further extend the benefits, perhaps by donating it to a community organisation to use as a fund-raiser.

Marilyn and quilt.

Life on the land celebrated in Landline's 30th birthday quilt

Landline is celebrating 30 years on ABC TV and we want you to help us mark the occasion.

We're making a commemorative quilt from squares created by you.

The theme is Life on the Land, which could mean animals, vehicles, landscapes — whatever regional and rural life means to you.

Use your favourite fibre, yarn, and thread, and create something you're happy to hand over permanently.

Here are the creative specifications:

• Finished size 15 cm x 15 cm square (max 2 cm thick) with finished edges.
• Feature any techniques, ie knitting, crochet, patchwork, felting, embroidery, applique, weaving, dyeing, spinning, lacemaking.
• Use any colours you like.
• Feel free to use texture and embellishment.

Please send your completed piece to:

ABC Landline, GPO Box 9994, Brisbane 4001.

Please include your name, address, phone number and email with your submission.

Squares must be received no later than April 30, 2021.

Follow Landline's Facebook and Twitter accounts see the final product.