Viewers’ Choice awards

 Our quilt show is not juried or judged, and is open to all members to enter, but we do give visitors the opportunity to vote for a Viewers’ Choice quilt, and from the members’ challenge. 

This year’s quilt winner was Laura Ujhazy for her stunning En Général, her first English paper pieced quilt, that was made entirely from her extensive collection of French General fabrics, include the back. Laura custom quilted it herself on her long arm machine. The award was announced at the end of the show on Sunday afternoon by our Convenor, Susan Mackintosh, just before the display was taken down. Congratulations Laura!

The 2026 members’ challenge brief was for a 10” star block using dark blue as the background, with the addition of darker blues and white or cream fabrics only. The winner was Noelle Sona’s brilliant swirling star. Noelle was also presented with her award at the close of the show. Congratulations Noelle

Members can donate their challenge blocks to our community quilts initiative, and they will be used to make a quilt or quilts. We’ll post all of the blocks in closer detail in a later post.

Thank you to all our visitors for coming to the show and participating in the Viewers’ Choice.

‘Enchanted Garden’ block challenge: the finished quilts

We undertook this block challenge, devised and managed by Roslyn during 2019 in preparation for our planned 2020 Quilt Show. Of course that show was cancelled, and we held our next show in 2024, when the blocks were exhibited. 

Then Roslyn and Val undertook to make three quilts from the entries during 2025. The two larger nine block quilts were machine quilted in the ditch and sashings by Susan Mack and Elaine W, and the blocks were hand quilted by Susan Mack (who won the challenge), Jeni, Jill and Miriam. The slightly smaller 7 block quilt was machine quilted by Laura.

The three finished quilt will be exhibited st out next quilt show in May this year, as well as a new challenge, devised by Jeni.

 

Australian Quilt Show 2026 entries open

 All details from Craft Events:

https://craftevents.com.au/2026-aqs-enter-your-quilt/

GOLD challenge: 50 years of Canberra Quilters

 

From @canberraquilters:

To celebrate 50 years of fun, friendship and quilting, Canberra Quilters Inc. would like to invite quilters from across Australia and New Zealand to take part in a quilt challenge with the theme of GOLD.

Start planning now, and tell all your quilty friends; this challenge is open to any quilter from Australia or New Zealand!

Quilt Size: 40cm x 100cm (2cm tolerance) – portrait orientation only

Entry Dates: Entries open January 12, 2026; and close March 6, 2026

Prizes: First Prize $1000
Second Prize $500
Third Prize $250

Entry Cost: $30AUD (non-refundable)

More information? https://canberraquilters.org.au/50th-challenge-quilt-terms-conditions/

40th Anniversary Ruby Pin Cushion Challenge

Our Quilt Exhibition galleries included some small quilts, a members’ block challenge, and this one, a pincushion challenge on the colour theme ‘Ruby’, to mark our 40th Anniversary. The entries included classic, quirky and ingenious pin cushions.

Janice Freelander’s ‘Ravishing Ruby’, a richly embroidered 
wool felt pear was voted Viewer’s Choice.

Makers, left to right, top to bottom:
Louise Church; Denise Hendy
Helen Battellino
Robyn Leek

Makers, left to right, top to bottom:
Roslyn Pullen; Marilyn Oitmaa
Noelle Sona; Jeni Simmons
Daphne Freke; Roslyn Pullen

Makers, left to right, top to bottom:
Sue Stonefield; Janice Freelander
Sharron Egan; Susan Mackintosh
Jan Deare; Dawn Cox

Makers, left to right, top to bottom:
Elaine Gregory; Margaret Vaughan
Louise Wyatt-Spratt; Julie White
Marilyn Oitmaa; Robin Beitsch

Makers, left to right, top to bottom:
Susan Kelly; Hilary Flynn
Nerida Williams; Patricia Nerlich

‘Enchanted Garden’ block challenge

Here are all the entries in the “Enchanted Garden’ members block challenge (see our previous post), set by Roslyn, and won by Susan Macintosh. Roslyn has a plan for these blocks - what will they become? Thank you to everyone who entered.

Tap on each image for a closer view, and to read the labels.

Two challenges to start the quilting year

Looking for a stimulating quilting challenge for the new year? Here are some newly announced local opportunities to stretch your wings. See our ‘Calls for entries’ page for others.

QUILT NSW

2024 SUITCASE CHALLENGE - BLACK and WHITE

The 2024 Suitcase Challenge theme is 'Black & White'. 

It's time to get creative and start planning your entry now!

You can use solid colours or prints but they must read as black and white 

(no grey, cream or other colours are permitted). 

 As always, your quilt must be 40cm x 40cm and made of three layers.

Entries will close on Friday 11 October 2024. 

 The quilts will be judged, and winners announced at the 

Annual General Meeting in November.

More information and the conditions of entry are on the QuiltNSW website.

TEXTILE FEST 

ONE RED THREAD ART PRIZE 2024:

‘I SEE RED’

The competition/exhibition

• is open to fibre, thread and textile artists  
• is a non-acquisitive competition and exhibition
• accepts entries representing any use of fibre, threads and textiles andencourages the artist to explore traditional and non-traditional practices
• the focus of this textile art prize and exhibition is Colour, Composition, Creativity and Craftsmanship
• textiles encompasses fibre, thread, stitching, quilting, embroidery and includes fabric, fibre, felt, wool, wire, paper, even metal
•  works to be received no later than 14 June 2024
•  judging and prizes will be awarded at the Sydney Quilt and Craft Fair 2024

More details, conditions of entry and online registration are on the Textile Fest website 

AQC challenge 2024

 

Australasian Quilt Convention 2024 Challenge

Deadline for entries: 9 February 2024

Judged Quilt Competition

Sponsored by Expertise Events Pty Ltd

The AQC challenge is run annually and welcomes entries from quilters around the world. 

Entries are juried and judged with up to 30 finalists selected and displayed at the AQC in Melbourne in April, 2024 before touring at various craft events.

AQC 2024: 11 - 14 April 2024, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne

Quilt NSW Suitcase Challenge 2023

Announced by Quilt NSW, 3 January 2023:

Do you have a favourite song? Is there one that inspires you to create a challenge quilt? It's time to go through your catalogue of memories, sing some tunes and start thinking about your entry for the 2023 Suitcase Challenge. The theme is Song Title!

The conditions of entry will be released in early 2023 but for now you should know that quilts are to be the standard challenge size of 40cm x 40cm and should be made of three layers. 

Entries will close on Friday 6 October.  The quilts will be judged, and awards announced at the Annual General Meeting in November.

 

Australian Quilt Show/Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair 2023

Note that these events are the new Australian Quilt Show, and Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair presented by Expertise Events for the first time in 2022. The Sydney Quilt Show, a Quilt NSW event, is scheduled for September, at Rosehill. Twice the opportunities to see quilts and shop.

Entries are open now.
https://craft events.com.au

https://zwww.craftfair.com.au/wp/Sydney/

Australian Quilt Show Challenge and Sydney Carft and Quilt Fair

In 2022, the Sydney Quilt Show and the Craft and Quilt Fair Sydney will be two separate, unrelated events, on separate dates and in different locations. Information about the Sydney Quilt Show, hosted by QuiltNSW is here.

Information from Intocraft/Expertise Events, about the new Australian Quilt Show Challenge, posted on Facebook and Instagram, with a request to ‘Start spreading the word’:

Entries are now open for this new national touring quilt challenge, open to all Australian quilters. Deadline is April 30, 2022.

Enter this competition and your quilt could be selected for display in the Australian Quilt Show which will be at Craft & Quilt Fairs in Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney. You could win prizes, cash or one of three Janome machines; total prize pool is worth more than $32,000 including $20,000 in cash.

For more details visit https://craftevents.com.au/australian-quilt-show/

Edit, added 24 March 2022:

Craft and Quilt Fair Sydney

Wednesday 29 June - Sunday 3 July 2022

10am - 4pm each day

The Dome, Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush

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.

Quilt NSW Ruby Challenge 2021

Congratulations to Quilt NSW on leading and celebrating the NSW quilting community for 40 years, especially these last two difficult pandemic years. We are looking forward to seeing the virtual 2021 Sydney Quilt Show later this week, and the ‘in person’ event in 2022. 

From today’s Quilt NSW meeting, here is the link to view the online gallery of 2021 Ruby challenge quilts and winners:

https://quiltnsw.com/exhibitions/challenge

Congratulations to the prize winners. First prize is a BERNINA sewing machine sponsored by Bernina Australia .

FIRST PRIZE: Star Ruby by Judith Docksey
SECOND PRIZE: Wishful Thinking by Wendy Nutt
THIRD PRIZE: About Ruby by Suzanne Aubrun
VIEWERS CHOICE: Untitled by Grace Widders
JUDGES’ COMMENDATION: Ruby Resilience by Di Jobbins

At today's Zoom meeting, the committee announced the challenge theme for 2022 - Celebrate!

Show and tell - bag edition

Some of our members also belong to Studio Quilters, and have recently enjoyed their annual retreat. Lots of bag making seems to have occurred, and we enjoyed seeing some of the results this week ... and we look forward to seeing more over the next few weeks.

The retreat challenge was to make something from a particular pink print.
Elaine G thought she was out of ideas after a long overseas trip,
 but was hit with bag inspiration just in time!

And then she whipped up another completely different bag during the weekend.

Robyn cut her challenge fabric into circles, and scattered them over a
spotted background for a bright and beautiful SewMiriam zippered pouch.

The reverse side of Robyn's bag.

Lyn made two small bags during the weekend - both seriously cute,

Lyn's 'larger' basket is about 6" long.

And this little cutie is about 4" long!

Nerida wasn't a retreater, but she also made a Sew Miriam zippered pouch ...

... with embroidered panels on both sides, for a beautiful gift.

Exhibitions online

If you would like to spend a little time just looking at quilts online in the midst of your Christmas and holiday preparations, here are a couple of Australian online exhibitions worth a visit:

Quilt NSW 2018 Challenge: Running Away with the Amish

Ozquilt Network: Australia Wide Six

Both collections are also featured in touring programs.

2018 end-of-year challenge

Last Monday saw a gathering of friends, food, punch and a challenge at our Christmas lunch to mark the end of our quilting year. Thanks to Elsa, Pat, Marilyn and Janice who organised and set-up. The evening group met for a Christmas dinner on Tuesday evening - some of us  managed to get to both. We will take a break from regular meetings over the early weeks of summer, and reconvene in mid-January.

Our challenge was to make a favourite block, or to try something you have wanting to make without necessarily committing to making a whole quilt.  We were free to use the fabric of our choice, and to make any sized block. There is a plan for the blocks, but that is for another post, later ...

Viewer's Choice was won by Jill's Swirly Twirly
Dresden block, designed by Orchid Owl Quilts.

Nerida won a lucky draw prize for ticket no. 12

Helen's block

Elaine G's block - Honey Bee

Robin W's block - Dutchman's Puzzle

Robin B's block

Jan's block

Marilyn O's block

Janice's block

Jo-Ann's block

Robyn L's block

Roslyn's block - packaged up

Val's block

Daphne's block