Viewers' Choice, Sydney Quilt Show

The Quilters Guild of NSW has announced the winners of the Viewers' Choice at the Sydney Quilt Show that closed on Sunday.  You can look at them here, and see if you agree.

Quilt Show in the Herald

How nice to see a large photo and a story about the Sydney Quilt Show on p. 5 of today's Sydney Morning Herald.  The photo showed several rows of the quilt exhibition, taken from overhead.  Unfortunately the photo does not appear with the online article, but the story is here. 

Congratulations Jo!

Congratulations to Jo-Ann Phillips on her award of a Judges' Commendation for her quilt Autumn in Japan 2008 at the Sydney Quilt Show! It was judged in the Professional Small or Wall Quilts category.

Sydney Quilt Show Prizewinners online

If you are going to the Sydney Quilt Show later in the week, you might not want to look at the prizewinners online just yet.  If you do, the Quilters Guild of NSW has posted them here.

Sydney Quilt Show catalogue (16th-20th June 2010)

The latest entry on the Quilters' Guild of NSW blog, Template Free, provides a link from which you can download the Sydney Quilt Show catalogue before you go.  Could be handy.

Quiltsmith's blog, and a sale to coincide with the Sydney Quilt Show

Melinda at Quiltsmith, in Annadale has joined the "bloggosphere":

http://quiltsmith--australia.blogspot.com

She is not having a stall at the Sydney Quilt and Craft this year, but is holding an in-store sale from Tuesday 15th - Sunday 20th inclusive.

Another for the blogroll.

More on "One Step Beyond"

While the Tuesday night group is making "ocean" blocks for this community project, the day group is joining in with two options:

• oriental fabric replacing the "ocean" fabric
• bright florals replacing the "ocean" fabric

All measurements and fabric requirements remain the same, and we will finish up with three fabulous quilts.

Good show and tell this morning ......

Sue is finishing her first binding, an a quilt for her one-year old niece's dolly .... and found this very cute backing fabric:

Miriam made this very warn and cosy flannel quilt for her 12 year old son, who loves it.  It is quilted with very large Perle cotton stitches, and some ties.  Her son, loves it!

And Dawn's granddaughter will love this gorgeous quilt for her coming birthday.  The centre is made from a panel.  Just right for a little girl in Tenterfield.

Robyn took part in a round robin with Studio Quilters, and is delighted with her finished top.

Miriam made her bag when she lived in Japan.  The handles a plaited fabric, soft and easy to grip.

Marilyn made her bag (which deserves a better photo) using a weaving technique. It aroused a lot of interest, and might become a class?

A reminder to Monday members - next week is a public holiday, so there will be no meeting.

One step beyond - a new community quilt

Jane has come up with another idea for a charity/community quilt that will be easy to achieve with spectacular results. 

The instructions are here, or you can download and print them from a .pdf file here.

Everyone is invited to contribute - both Monday and Tuesday group Fairholme members, and readers of the blog who are not members.  You can contribute two blocks, or as many pairs as you wish to.

If you are not a Fairhome member but would like to contribute some blocks, you can send them to us at:

Fairholme Quilters Inc.
Att:  Jane, One Step Beyond Community Project
P O Box 942
Pennant Hills NSW 2120
Australia

We look forward to seeing everyone's "ocean" fabric, and thank you all in anticipation.

Roses from the Heart: bonnets

Heather brought back the story of the very moving Roses from the Heart project from the Australian Quilt Convention in Melbourne.  A brief introduction from the Roses from the Heart website:

Sew a bonnet and be part of history. Help Christina Henri complete her amazing project Roses From The Heart, 25,566 bonnets made with empathy for convict woman who endured so much and yet have received so little recognition. Their economic and social contribution was enormous, yet the ‘stigma’ shrouding their existence always precluded discussion of their value.

Read more about the project, its significance and how you can participate here.  Heather has some names provided by Christina, or you can talk to Christina directly, through the website.

Bonnet pattern:  scroll to the bottom of this page for a multi-page pattern and instructions to download.

Blogger's Quilt Festival Spring 2010

The biennial Blogger's Quilt Festival is now on, hosted by Amy's Creative Side.  Quilting bloggers have selected a quilt and its story to share with others world wide, for an online event that gathers over 400 quilting bloggers in one online "place".

Catching up

These photos are from about three weeks ago - they have been languishing in the camera while the cable needed to download them went missing in action.  It was cleverly disguised as an iPod cable .....

 Jane has pieced this Gee's Bend style quilt top - the red square really draws the eye!

This bag is also Jane's - it has many pockets, and a very stable base.  Fabulous quilting on the "pebble" fabric!

Georgie got Jo started on making small fabric bowls using piping, for the craft stall at our recent show, where they sold like the proverbial hot cakes.  Jo got out her double piping foot to see if she could progress the bowl shape to an urn - and she could.  She has also made a large coordinating basin/bowl.  Ingenious!

The New Quilt: Manly Art Gallery and Museum

Overlapping with the NSW Quilters Guild Show at Darling Harbour, is the  biennial exhibition, The New Quilt - very different from the Darling Harbour event, this exhibition will feature contemporary quilts from invited exhibitors. The space is much smaller, the exhibition is curated to the standard expected of an art gallery.  The gallery is in a beautiful position on Manly Cove.   It's a big few days for quilters in Sydney.

18 June -25 July 2010


Open to Tuesday- Sunday: 10am-5pm

West Esplanade Manly

Tel  9976 1420

Further information about the 2010 program is provided by the Guild, here

Sydney Quilt and Craft Fair 2010

The "big show" at Darling Harbour is only a few weeks away:  16 - 20th June.  All the information about who and what will be there, and for pre-ordering of individual and group tickets is now available on the website:

• www.craftfair.com.au/Sydney2010/

New fabric line from Robert Kaufman

Here's an intersting new fabric line, from Robert Kaufman, due to be released in the US in June - Quilter's Liinen, which is really 100% cotton. There are previews of the range of colours here, and some photos on Elizabeth Hartman's blog, Oh, Fransson.

What would you use such an addition to the range of "solid" coloured fabrics available for?  Applique backgrounds, in pieced blocks, as sashing in a modern quilt?  Which colours would be your first choice?  I'll be happy to test drive the "taupe" and "grey" for a start .....