Thursday, May 30, 2019

Fibre Creations: exhibition and sale of handmade goods, Epping

In our neighbourhood this weekend. EWES = Epping Weavers, Embroiderers and Spinners. Exhibition at Epping Creative Centre, Dence Park, Epping.

More information: Epping EWES blog

Monday, May 27, 2019

Show and tell

Louise finished her long term machine- and hand-made project
as a gift for a friend undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
Another beautiful block nearly finished for her
grandson's quilt  by Jan - her hand blanket stitch
is very fine. 

More beautiful hand work from Nerida, in her version
of Jen Kingwell's 'Halo' quilt, detail below


Pat finished her vibrant jelly roll hexagon quilt with
a geometric print border and floral  binding.

Lynette found herself in a bit of a sewing funk recently.
She resolved with a jelly roll and some time at the
sewing machine - a pretty, simple, and a very welcome
community quilt came out the other side, and her
desire to sew had returned. Win all round. 

As Daphne continues tidying her extensive stash,
she comes across treasures like this batik beauty
that just needed a border.

The irregular multi coloured spotty batik did the job admirably.


Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Community sewing day, May 2019

Another enjoyable community sewing day last week - it's good to work together, have  time to catch up, and we managed to work on ten separate quilts.

Basting a bright donated quilt top
Elaine B worked out a construction plan for a child's quilt
Elaine W made a ninth block to go with a donated
set of eight, and joined them together

... and  border or two later they will be another quilt top.

Jill added a couple of orders to a little colour wash top
that Heather put together last month, to make it a
useable size. t came to us as a collection of 3 " nine
patches, with 'colour wash' written on the plastic
bag keeping them together.

Hilary added to her collection of wonky trees
- they are very cute!

Miriam sewed and sewed until her floral flannel blocks
started last year were all joined.

And then we pin basted it for her, ready to quilt.

Sue C has been collecting white background fabric with small
bright, multicoloured prints for her version of Miriam's Stars.

Friday, May 17, 2019

Fairholme Quilt Show 2020 - claiming the date!

We're pleased to announce, well in advance, our next Quilt Show ...



Save the date, and join us then!

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Show and tell - part two

A lucky little four year old will receive Janice's 'Bloom'
quilt this week. The mix of modern florals, fussy cut
pentagon centres and hand quilting is perfect.

Lyn's missing mojo came back with her interest in Pat's recent
finish of a colourful jelly roll hexagon quilt, prompting Lyn to
dive into her stash for a Bali-pop. Good choice Lyn!
This very large, mostly applique quilt has been a collaboration
 - Yvette started it, making the medallion centre, but got stuck.
She handed it over to Denise who has now finished it,
including the 300+ Suffolk puffs required for the
trees around the final border!


Border mushrooms ...

... and Suffolk puff (yo-yo) trees.

So many gorgeous greens! Louise made her log cabin 
variation quilt using two jelly rolls. It is for a special birthday.

The interesting border is on two diagonal corners.

Louise is very happy with Yvette's long arm quilting.

Saturday, May 11, 2019

Show and tell - part one

We saw a lot of lovely quilts in all stages of their making this week, and a couple of things that are not quilts, or not quilt yet ... so it will take a couple of posts to share them all ...


Helen is doing a monthly class with Margaret Sampson
George, making a new English paper pieced quilt, that
Marg is designing as she goes. No-one knows what comes
next, but it will be fabulous.
At a recent quilt show Helen bought a vintage 'cutter quilt' -
'... usually a vintage quilt that has been seriously worn ...
(but with pieces) that are still in great shape and only need a
project to keep them around ...', Feeling Stitchy. It is damaged,
but could still be preserved - Helen is contemplating its future.


A panel of 1" hexagons that never got to be a quilt was handed
over to Hilary who generously turned it into a very handsome
lined tote with pockets. There are plenty of hexagons left
over to make at least one more.

Roslyn has started a new 'Monday project' - just for hand
stitching during our Monday meetings. very promising!

Daphne's recent Instagram 'month marker ' blocks are shaping up nicely.

Louise has finished two very gorgeous embroidered hoops ...

... this one is tiny, about 4" across. Both are gifts.

Friday, May 10, 2019

Recent community quilt finishes

We are still working our way through a very large donation of  quilt tops and blocks received last year, nearing the end now, but it has been an interesting process finishing work started by others, and picking it up at various stages of construction ... and very generous of the donor to give us so much to work with and make ready for others in our community.

The 3D effect of this tumbling blocks
variation is very marked ...

... and contrasted to the bucolic print on the back.
The quilt has been finished by Dawn.

Dawn also finished this bed sized quilt, using a
donated panel print and adding borders.


Community quilts are a great opportunity to try
making something outside your regular range, as
Helen found with this improv beauty started in a ‘Logs
and Ladders’ workshop with Brenda Gael Smith

Our ‘Green Hearts for Christchurch’ quilt
is on its way to New Zealand.

More than 100 postage stamp blocks were donated!
Dawn and Lisa shared them out and amalgamated
them into enough blocks for two quilts with sashing
from the community stash. This one is Lisa's
version - they both have timeless appeal.

The disappearing four-patch block is a favourite of Lynette's
- here she's used a variety of pinks for the backgrounds,
dark floral feature fabrics, and a bright lolly pink backing!

Thursday, May 9, 2019

Sydney Quilt Show - save the date!

Plan your visit(s) to Sydney Quilt Show and the Craft and Quilt Fair, it's not far away now ...
www.quiltnsw.com

Saturday, May 4, 2019

Show and tell this week

Elaine W is very fond of William Morris fabric designs and
Michele Hill's quilt designs, as this beautiful quilt demonstrates. 

A very large quilt for a tall man. The flying geese are big too,
and are actually straight, but caught here in flight as two
people struggled to hold it up. Jo-Ann said it was a loooong
way round on the binding. Quilted by Yvette (Keepsake Quilts)
A whole quilt's worth of churn dash blocks were donated
to our community quilts program, sewn together by Heather,
quilted and bound by Julie.

The tumbler blocks were also donated, and already sewn
together. Julie added the green border finishing the top
beautifully, and then she quilted and bound it.

Miriam's Cross and Plus quilt looks even better now it's
been quilted by Yvette. The very pale pink sashing and
border fabric is a genius touch.

Nerida's recent unexpected trip to Melbourne included a
visit to Queen of Fabric, where she saw  and loved Gina
Gregory's original version of her 'Pocket Full of Posies'
quilt, made from vintage apron pockets. Nerida brought in
her own very pretty version,  made with vintage and
reproduction fabrics. The border fabric had been curtains.