Slow stitching - a calm, enjoyable example

A couple of years ago Helen discovered the art of using cloth from old about-to-be-discarded book covers in vintage slow stitching. Her recently completed cloth book incorporates them with other vintage textiles and hand stitching. She found it a relaxing, meditative process, and the result is a beautiful, mellow one-of-a-kind piece, made over long time, with few rules and no time constraints.

Helen found numerous websites and social media sources of information on techniques for removing and re-using the cloth covers, and suggestions for vintage textiles to re-purpose, and found quite a few materials in fabric and notions already in her stash for use ‘one day’.

Click on individual photos to zoom in for a closer look.

 

Skyline Sensation

Skyline Sensation Quilt (58" x 70") designed by Larene Smith of The Quilted Button.

The almost completed quilt top was donated through a friend of one of our members, who sadly died suddenly before it was finished.  Julie added the final borders, and it was quilted by Laura. The feature fabric is Skylines New York, a large panel with a 29 1/2" repeat, from Hoffman Fabrics' digital-print collection. The pattern is available as a free download from Hoffman at:

https://hoffmancaliforniafabrics.net/patterns/files/Skyline-Sensation-Instructions_web.pdf

We thought the autumn foliage complemented it beautifully, and the traffic on the busy road just a few metres behind the fence absented itself just long enough for the photos.

📷  Sue Crowe

Stitched fun

Looking for something small and quick to stitch, rather than starting a new large quilt or tacking the ufo pile?


SewMiriam has posted a free tutorial on both her Instagram account and blog, for her Cheerful Chickens - an easy make with lots of uses. Maybe make them with or for some children in your life.

'In your hands these chickens feel very soothing. They can be used as sewing weights to hold down patterns, as pin cushions, or as a happy companion on your desk or window sill.'

Here is Hilary's first chicken:

Louise has alerted us to Sarah De Jonge's Kindness Hearts, little felt 'pocket hearts' given to people going through difficult times.

• ABC news story about 1000 Hearts

• Sarah's 1000 Hearts website

The Splendid Sampler sew-along: 100 x 6" designer blocks over one year

Are you looking for a project that will introduce you to new block designs, many, many designers (including some Australians) and guidance from some very well known quilting experts? How about Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson as your guides?

The Splendid Sampler could be for you. Read up about it now - the first pattern will be released this weekend, and you can still sign up. It is very well organised, and looks like great fun. 100 blocks is a lot, but the free patterns will be released over a year (after which a book will be produced), and you could pick just the ones you feel compelled to make.

Cheryl Arkison is one of the designers involved - read her shorter take on the sew-along here.

Start here on the official site to find out how it will work, and all of the social media-based support and networking that will be provided .. and if you are a Fairholme Quilter, let us know that you are doing it!

Rumour has it that more than 10,000 quilters have signed up worldwide!

We can all look forward to seeing the variety of finished quilts after March 2017.