A little online reading, listening, viewing

We have a long weekend here in NSW on the first weekend in October -more time for quilting perhaps, or watching the NRL Grand Final, adjusting to the start of daylight saving, enjoy the beautiful spring weather … or to catch up on some listening, viewing or reading about quilts and quilting. Here are a few links to get started:

A film about men quilting in a Missouri prison has 'overwhelmed' the system with donations

A Netflix documentary about men quilting in a Missouri prison has prompted an outpouring of fabric and yarn donations, to the point that the state Department of Corrections is asking people to slow down and think about giving money instead … Torryionna Miller, Columbia Missourian, 11 June 2025

If you haven’t seen it yet ‘The Quilters’ is streaming on Netflix in Australia.

Interview with Jenifer McShane - ‘The Quilters’ film maker

The Quilter on Fire podcast 4 December 2024. 1 hr 52m

Reviving Rocking Stitch and Saving Wholecloth Quilting
… Hand quilting in a frame is being placed on the Red List of Endangered Crafts by the Heritage Crafts Council as the number of elderly practitioners of this skill, mainly in Wales, Northern England and the Scottish Borders continues to dwindle and quilting frames disappear.

But here we talk to two quilters who are seeking to reverse that by recognising, protecting, and reviving whole cloth quilting, and the tools needed to carry it out … Haptic and Hue podcast, 3 July 2025

The Witches of Scotland: How a New Tartan Became a Living Memorial
… The Witches of Scotland Tartan sold out long before it went into production after its registration was spotted by an eagle-eyed American, testament to the fact that the tragedy of the witchcraft trials spread to America with the colonists of the 1600s. It also speaks volumes for the power of textiles that the two determined women, who have been campaigning for a pardon for all those accused of witchcraft in Scotland, have chosen a fabric that can be worn by all as a living memorial to those who lost their lives, rather than a statue or a fixed monument … Haptic and Hue podcast, 11 June 2025

 

Quilt Conservation – National Quilt Museum

The National Quilt Museum’s Collection comprises nearly 700 quilts. In this video, Laura Hendrickson, Director of Collections and Registrar, illustrates how quilts are cared for at the museum. For more tips on quilt conservation, see the article below by Gerald E. Roy of the Pilgrim Roy Collection.

Let's Talk Quilts

So, you've poured your heart and soul into piecing a beautiful quilt top. Congratulations! Now comes the exciting part – envisioning how it will look after being longarm quilted. As longarm quilters, we're just as excited as you are to bring your vision to life. However, sometimes, before we load your masterpiece onto our machines, we might spot a few little quirks in the piecing that are worth a quick chat about. Think of it as a pre-quilting pep talk to ensure the best possible outcome for your treasured project! …

Tracey Browning Constantin Quilts

Book Review: Improv Quilting by Irene Roderick

… while quilting has long balanced on that fine line between tradition and innovation, Improv Quilting steps proudly into the realm of improvisation. These are quilts that are made without any specific intention, breaking the boundaries of tradition while allowing the freedom to explore and experiment.

For some, quilting is a world of carefully measured patterns, precise piecing and historical techniques, but here, it’s a playground of possibility and opportunity … Cathy Jack Coupland, Stitch Safari, September 2025

 

‘Improvisational Contemporary Quilts’ - new book

Congratulations to award winning Sydney quilter, teacher, designer, textile artist and now writer Jessica Wheelahan on the publication of her first book of quilt designs and patterns, ‘Improvisational Contemporary Quilts’, published by Quiltmania.

Jessica Wheelahan lives and works in Sydney, Australia. For the last ten years, Jessica chose textiles as a means to express herself and creates quilts inspired by fashion, art, design and pop culture. In her creative process, she mainly uses improvisational techniques which she loves teaching to her students.

In her very first book Improvisational Contemporary Quilts, Jessica guides us in her creative universe, gives us tips and techniques to free oneself from the burden of the more traditional methods. Liberty in the shapes, freedom in the assembling, Jessica revisits in a daring and original way the traditional blocs that find a brand-new dimension and a strong visual impact.

For all of you who always wished to push back the limits, while never daring to actually do it, for the colours, the movement and the joy that burst out of her quilts, Jessica’s book is a must-have! … Quiltmania

    You can order it from Quiltmania, or from the Australian distributor Can Do Books

New book!

This is good news for the new year - a new book from Australian quilter, designer and teacher, Chris Jurd. published by Quiltmania.

Congratulations Chris!

Can Do Books is the Australian distributor for Quiltmania books, who recommend on their website that Australians order through Can Do to best avoid current delays in deliveries from Europe and the US.

One European quilt shop is advertising a mid-January release date, but the book is not yet listed by Can Do or by Quiltmania. Keep an eye out for sightings.

‘She Stitched the Stars’ - new book

A new book, recommended for children aged 4 - 9 has been published, just a few weeks ago. It is listed by booksellers Angus and Robertson and Booktopia in Australia, and seems to be widely available.

She Stitched the Stars
A Story of Ellen Harding Baker's Solar System Quilt
By Jennifer Harris, illustrated by Louise Pigott

In 1876 Ellen Harding Baker began stitching an extraordinary quilt, one that accurately depicted our solar system. Ellen, an Iowa storekeeper’s wife and a mother, had a curiosity that reached far beyond the stratosphere. Today, the quilt hangs in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. This lyrical story imagines the creation of the quilt from the perspective of Ellen’s daughters, who, like their mother, lived in a time when girls and women were expected to limit their pursuit of knowledge, and who may have been inspired to dream bigger and look farther.  … Albert Whitman and Company (publisher)

The Smithsonian’s web page on the 1876 Solar System quilt:

https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_556183

Gwen Marston 1936 - 2019, quilter, writer, teacher

The international quilting community is remembering and mourning Gwen Marston, who died at her home in the US on 17 April, aged 82.

Some of us were lucky enough to see Gwen Marston's beautiful quilts, to hear her talk about them, and to take classes with her here in Sydney in 2013, on a trip arranged by Sarah Fielke.

• Gwen Marston - her own fine self, Quiltfolk’s profile of Gwen Marston from the Michigan issue, with photos of her quilts and her home, written by Meg Cox. 

• A Note About the Keynote: Gwen Marston, Moda's blog, Cutting Table.

More new books

We're perusing recent book releases (more are in this post), working up to a short list for new library books. These are the most recent ones we've added to the long list - the very mention of the first one met with a resounding 'yes please' at our Monday meeting this week, so it's currently very near the top.

The Fussy Cutters Club - a boot camp for 

mastering fabric play, Angie Wilson, 

C and T Publishing, 2017 (7 October). 

Gnome Angel's blog post about the book.

Piece By Piece, Joe and Mary Koval, 

Quilt Mania, October 2017

Quilt Giving, Deborah Fisher, Interweave 2016

A Pattern for Pepper, Julie Kraulis

Tundra Books, 2017

New books

Many quilting books are published each year, here is just a sample of recent/upcoming releases that might make it to your wish list:

Patches of Blue, Edyta Sitar, 2017
Edyta Sitar's blog post about Patches of Blue

Modern Quilt Magic, Victoria Findlay Wolfe, 

C and T Publishing, 2017 

Quilts in Ireland, Kaffe Fassett, Taunton Press 2017

Hat Creek Quilts, Deirdre Bond Abel, 

Quilt Mania, 2017

Erica Spinks's interview with Deirdre Bond Abel

New books

This month is another good one for beautiful quilt book releases. Here are just a few, and each link will lead you to others ...

Splendid Sampler book by Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson, that includes all the block patterns from their 100 block quilt-along, and finished quilts. Available in print or as an eBook, published by Martingale.

Blue and White: living with textles you love is a coffee table book from the popular Moda fabric designing sisters Polly Minick and Laurie Simpson , published by Martingale.

From The Linen Closet, by Dawn Heese of Linen Closet Designs, featuring 17 folk art projects, published by Quiltmania on 25th April.

More new books

So many quilting books are published every year, few us can have all of them, or want to, given out various interests and tastes. Here are just a few more released in 2016, or due for release early in 2017 ...

By the Bundle, Emma Jean Jansen,  Lucky Spool, 2016

With Emma’s guidance you’ll learn how to cut your fat quarters to maximize usable fabric. She also shares her tips on how to combine your bundle fabrics with crisp solids to achieve maximum contrast. Photographed within sweeping Australian vistas, the quilts are so refreshing that you’ll want to sew all 12 of them!

A Common Thread: A Collection of Quilts, Gwen Marston, Martingale, 2016

...chronicles five decades of Gwen’s fascinating work. From her beginnings as a traditional quilter to her “liberated” quilt era; from her series of spectacular string quilts to her exploration of minimalist design, this magnificently photographed collection of more than 65 quilts—curated by Gwen herself—invites you to enjoy her journey, her artistry, and her process like never before.

WALK: Mastering Machine Quilting with Your Walking Foot, Jacquie Gering, Lucky Spool, 2016

You too can achieve the textures shared in Jacquie’s vibrant, graphic quilts. With a toolbox of simple to complex designs you'll have the options you need to quilt on your home machine with designs that will support your piecing and create a harmonious marriage of piecing and quilting. With a walking foot, you’ll find a level of control and success you never thought possible and you’ll become as excited about the quilting as you are about your piecing.

No Scrap Left Behind, Amanda Jean Nyberg, C and T, 2017 (released this week)

Rescue your fabric scraps-even the smallest pieces-with 16 satisfying quilts and projects. Sew modern quilts for everyday use that will help you get back to the roots of quiltmaking, with projects designed to help you use up every last scrap.

New books ...

Just in case you have book vouchers or gift cards amongst your Christmas gifts, here are some new quilting books from Australian quilters/writers that might be waiting for you ...

Happy Days - build your quilt making skills one block at a time, Sarah Fielke
The full pattern from Sarah's 2016 Block of the Month. Available late January 2017.

It is only one quilt pattern- however, it contains enough work to keep you busy for a whole year, broken out into chapters.

Splendid Sampler: 100 Spectacular Blocks from a Community of Quilters, Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson

Patterns from the 2016 year-long quilt along. Scheduled for release 18 April 2017

Join the Splendid Sampler community with a comprehensive collection of very special 6-inch blocks created and shared by more than 80 of today's most innovative designers.

Quilts for life - made with love, Judy Newman, Quiltmania, 2016

Enjoy Judy Newman's 18 creations made of little and big projects, and a lots of inspirations.

Quilts from the colonies, Margaret Mew, Quiltmania, 2016

Enjoy Margaret Mew's reproductions of 19th century quilts from the original thirteen British colonies America, with a few from her home country’s colonial history.

A historic quilt story: temporarily free to download

Quilter Sharon Barnes has written a book about her great-great--grandmother's signature quilt Round is the Ring That Has No End: Stories from the 1852 Chester Criswell Quilt:

... The Chester Criswell Quilt was made to celebrate the 1852 marriage of Mary McClellan Criswell and Jesse Jackson Smith. Over eighty people are represented on the quilt including Mary’s family, school friends and neighbors. 

There are many examples of these quilts in museums and private collections. What makes this quilt unique is that it has been passed from mother to daughter and it now belongs to Sharon Barnes, great-great-great-granddaughter of Mary McClellan Criswell. 

Barnes has spent the last four years researching the Chester Criswell quilt’s provenance and at the same time making a reproduction quilt by hand. This research has provided a foundation for a collection of stories about the women that made the first quilt. ‘Round is the Ring That Has No End’ combines quilt history and narration in a first time e-book from a new author.  (Publisher's note)

It is free to download to your Kindle from Amazon until Sunday 31 July 2016. If you don't have a Kindle you can still get the app and read it on your tablet or smart phone.

Prize winning quilts at Paducah

Monday 25th is a public holiday, so we will miss our usual Monday morning meeting, with 'show and tell'. In case you have not seen enough fabulous quilts lately, major prize winners from AQS Quilt Week Paducah (in session now) can now be seen online.

And if you are following the right people on Instagram, you might have caught a glimpse or two of Margaret Sampson George's book Take an Element which was released at Pour l'Amour du Fils, also currently in session in Nantes.

Some quilty reading and viewing for the long weekend

The backstory of a popular book in our library, Sunday Morning Quilts, by Cheryl Arkison:

• How Sunday Morning Quilts Changed My Life

Cheryl Arkison will be visiting Australia as the guest tutor for the inaugural Creative Retreats, to be held in NSW and Victoria in June-July .

The Invisible Quilter
The Off-Kilter Quilt, 15 March 2016

The other day I went to a friend’s birthday lunch at a local cafe. I was seated among a group of women I didn’t know, and when I mentioned that I made quilts I got the response I almost always get when amongst the muggles (i.e. nonquilters): admiration (“that’s so cool!”) underscored by confusion. People still make quilts? ...

Why Does My Longarmer Charge ‘So Much’?

AndiCrafts, 21 March 2016

... It was obvious she had used all of her talent, training and PASSION for quilting to turn this top into a show stopper. And do you know how much she earned for all of this hard work? Around $13 per hour ...

Paper pieced 'Unicorn' block
Robynieland publishes interesting paper piecing patterns, including a very attractive unicorn block:

... R. T. Rognstad is an American artist and sewist creating in New Zealand. Her work involves a variety of animals as curious and alluring characters ...

And in case you are travelling to the US sometime, a fabric store you might want to check out ...

• Obies, the fabric hoarding store of your dreams

A 'top tip' and a reminder from a novice quilter

If you too like the precision that paper foundation piecing can deliver, but tend to avoid it because of the sometimes tricky angles and need to think differently from ordinary piecing, this tip from Lee Heinrich (quilt maker, pattern designer, teacher, blogger) might convert you to a regular foundation piecer:

Never tear out stitches again! How to make paper-piecing easy

We all Sew, 28 December 2015

... I’m here today to give you my absolute favorite paper-piecing tip ever. It’s so beautifully simple you’ll probably think it’s too good to be true. But it’s 100% for real! ...

If you are an experienced, quilter, you might be very familiar with Lee's technique already, but this blog post by Sarah, a Martingale staff member, published in February 2014, reminds us all that we were once beginners, and we might have forgotten how easy it is to become discouraged:

Advice to seasoned quilters…from a beginner
... The authors of this book knew that their designs were simple—perhaps too simple for the seasoned quilter, except when they wanted to showcase novelty prints or whip out a quick quilt for a baby shower. But what they also knew was that non-sewists, like me, would never move past that first quilt if it wasn’t something they could complete quickly and feel good about. They knew that the tiniest boost of confidence was the most critical factor in turning a curious beginner into a full-fledged quilting addict ...

If you're still with Sarah's quilting story, here is the next instalment, from July 2014:

A girl finally becomes a quilter - thanks to YOU!

... I asked you what you wish you’d known before you started quilting, and while many helpful tips and tricks were mentioned, one resounding sentiment was shared by most of you: “I wish I’d known how much I would love it!” you cried. “If I had known that, I would have taken the leap much, much sooner” ...

How many of us would say the same?

A gentle start to 2016 ...

Summer seems to be taking a break for a few days here in Sydney, but it is great weather for sewing while the rain keeps us indoors. Internet trawling over the holidays has turned up some interesting quilts and a book you might like to contemplate for 2016 (or just for looking at):

Pretty Little Quilts ran an Instagram quilt-along for her pieced Hillside Houses design during 2015, and you can still download the .pdf pattern via Craftsy at very reasonable price (link in the blog post). They really are pretty little houses. Some are still being posted on Instagram now, and they seem to be both fun and quick to put together.

Sue C found this lovely account by the artist, Valerie Greely of her commission to illustrate
The Dream Quilt, by Adele Geras, published in the UK just before Christmas:

... Perhaps just once in a lifetime a dream job comes along. For a textile designer who also illustrates books this was my dream commission. Each illustration represents one square of a patchwork quilt ...

The ever generous Esther Aliu has launched another of her free block of the month projects, with two quilts, Hazel and Little Hazel, both pieced designs. Esther says she has lans for further BOMS during the year, and new patterns.

Your suggestions are also welcome - email fairholmequilters@gmail.com

'Stitches to Savor': review

If you are thinking about a gift list for a quilter (possibly you!), you might want to check out this new book - Stitches to Savor - a celebration of designs by Sue Spargo,  Martingale.

Weeks Ringle (Modern Quilt Studios) has reviewed it on her blog, Craft Nectar:

... There are no patterns or instructions in this beautifully photographed book but there is an endless amount of inspiration. With 200 photos of Sue’s work, you get a chance to focus on the details and composition of her work, which is hard to do in a pattern book. The detail photographs also allow the reader to see how Sue mixes cotton and wools, as well as hand work and machine techniques so effortlessly.

Not everyone is able to do handwork or enjoys it but this book makes you want to try something new ...

'Old Quilts, New Life' released

A few weeks ago, we enjoyed a morning with Sarah Fielke, showing us many of the quilts from her books, including a preview of a few from her new book. Now that book, Old Quilts, New Life has been released, and our copy is on order. It was interesting to hear about the long and detailed process of producing a book that requires so much making for the content, that we don't often consider when enjoying the beautiful end-product.

This weekend Sarah has blogged about the release, her plans to celebrate it online, with a brief introduction to the book's concept:

... To begin, I chose 9 antique quilts from the American Folk Art Museum in New York. Each quilt has been reinterpreted in modern fabrics, and then each quilt also has a Modern quilt pattern to go with it. There's also a little bit of historical info that goes with each antique quilt, and the information about the original maker, where is was available ...

Further posts about the book are planned, and a blog tour later in the month.

We loved the quilts, and the idea of linking old and new quilts, so we are really looking forward to adding it to the 'Sarah Fielke shelf' in our library. Congratulations Sarah - here's to another success!

'My Name is Lizzie Flynn'

Here is a new book (released just yesterday) to keep an eye out for. The publisher lists it as a children's book (suitable for readers 7+), but there might well be be a few grown-up quilters amongst its keenest readers ...

My Name Is Lizzie Flynn - A Story Of The Rajah Quilt

Claire Saxby, illustrated by Lizzy Newcomb

Black Dog Books, 2015
Based on the true story of a quilt made by convict women on board the Rajah, bound for Australia.

There's a lovely children's bookshop next door to an excellent cafe not far from me - I'll go do some research for you ...

Jen Kingwell: a quilter/designer of many parts

Melbourne quilter, designer, teacher, and owner of Amitie Textiles (in Gardenvale, Melbourne), Jen Kingwell is immersed in the quilting community, with her first book published by FW Media, and fabric collection for Moda both released in the last few weeks. She is also in demand internationally as a teacher and speaker.

You might already know Jen Kingwell's name as the designer of popular quilt patterns such as Green Tea and Sweet Beans, Steam Punk, Midnight at the Oasis and many others

Her Gardenvale fabric collection is coming onto the shelves of local fabric shops right now in precuts and yardage, and can be seen on the Moda blog - you might need to be quick to order/buy it, as it is already very popular. A quick Google search will take you to many beautiful quilts made, and in the making, using it. Or you could start with Red Pepper Quilts'  Gardenvale Kansas Dugout Quilt blog post.

The book Quilt Lovely is definitely on our  current wish list for our library.  It is readily available in local quilt shops, and online now.

You can see and hear Jen Kingwell talking about her love of quilting, and favourite tips in these videos (and seven others listed here) recorded by the Fat Quarter Shop at their studio:

Question and Answer with Australian Moda Fabric Designer Jen Kingwell

Gardenvale Fabric Collection by Moda Fabrics and Jen Kingwell 

Added 18th April 2015:

Quilt Lovely - An Interview with Jen Kingwell, 

Poppyprint, 17th April 2015

A 'lovely' interview by Canadian blogger, Krista Hennebury, touching on Jen Kingwell's thoughts about quilting in Australia and in the UAE, as well as the book and fabric range

A generous gift

Speaking of The Fat Quarter Shop (as we were yesterday), we were delighted to see Miriam back her trip to the US at our Monday meeting, bearing many treasures, including a great boost to our library - a collection of books given to us by Kimberley Jolly from The Fat Quarter Shop, at the International Quilt Festival in Houston!  Thank you Kimberley and The Fat Quarter Shop.

photo: Miriam Jones

Miriam chatted with Kimberley during the show, and told her about our community quilts program, prompting Kimberley to donate the books on the spot. So thank you Miriam, too, for promoting Fairholme Quilters wherever you go.

Miriam's blog Sew Miriam has kept us up to date with her recent travels, and yesterday she told us a little about her experiences, shared some goodies, and took some photos of us checking out the books.  Take a look at her previous post too, to see her almost finished trip-around-the-world quilt from the recent Brigitte Giblin quilt-along.