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.

 

Ten years of ‘Twelve Quilts of Christmas’

 Mary Elizabeth Kinch is currently posting her tenth annual series of blog posts ‘Twelve Quilts of Christmas’, this year featuring Welsh Quilts. 

‘… If I had a favourite genre of quilts, they are it.  Welsh Quilts are for me the epitome of what I call “Quilting with Abandon”.  Welsh quilters boldly manifested their distinctive designs with fearless exuberance, not feeling bound to fastidious, precisely drafted, and exacting executions in their work.  Instead they embraced their own individuality and let it shine in quilts that reflected their character through their stitches.’

You will easily find the previous nine years of ‘Twelve Quilts of Christmas’ in the Archives links on the blog. 

The series is also available on Instagram @maryelizabethkinch and her Facebook page Mary Elizabeth Kinch Quilts (although the current series does not appear to be on the Facebook page).

A treat to pore over during the holiday break.

Covergirl!

Brush with fame - the cover quilt for this issue of Simply Vintage magazine (Spring 2021 No 38) is ‘Little Women', designed and made by Fairholme quilter Miriam Jones (@sewmiriam) and quilted by Yvette Aoude (@yvettes_keepsakes), also a Fairholme quilter.

'Little Women' is one of a series of quilts based on favourite books designed and made by Miriam during the pandemic.Congratulations to you both - international stars!

Here are some of our versions of "Little Women',made by
(clockwise from top left), Julie, Sue, Julie again, and Louise.
We know there are more in the making.

Vintage fabric?

This vintage-look 30" fabric panel emerged from the community stash recently, with no information about its origins. Initial investigations have yielded nothing further. It has great charm and potential for fussy-cutting. Two small pieces have been cut from the lower right. Discussion about its use is called for, just as soon as we re-convene after the summer break.

From Fabric Cave to Fabric, Needlecraft and More: a unique social enterprise

If you are in Sydney, you might have heard about, or have been a customer of the much loved Fabric Cave, renowned for its bargain vintage fabric/haberdashery/needlework supplies, when it was run to benefit Crowle House (which has now closed).

Image: courtesy Achieve Australia

If you have never shopped there, or it has been a while, you might be interested in its evolution as Fabric, Needlecraft and More, a social enterprise providing income for Achieve Australia. The staff are volunteers, and the stock, including patchwork and quilting fabric and patterns, is donated. You can also donate our excess stash, and/or volunteer.

You can read about it on the Achieve Australia website, including a map to the location, still in Meadowbank, and in this end-of-year blog post.

On 27 November 2015, Achieve Australia tweeted about Fabric, Needlecraft and More:

Wow! $250,000 in revenue in 25 months!! A Heartfelt thanks to all volunteers and donors.

• Achieve Australia is a not-for-profit community organisation, providing services and support for people with a disability to achieve a life that is meaningful and valued. 

Tim Latimer - Quilts etc - preserving 'the fine art of hand quilting'

Tim Latimer includes many photos of the quilt tops he collects, the processes he uses to complete them, and the thinking behind his choices -  make a tea or coffee and relax as you watch someone else work wonders.  He says ...

I collect vintage and antique quilt tops and finish them. My goal is to preserve the fine art of hand quilting.

If your interests extend to gardens, you will enjoy the 'etc' of this visually stunning blog too. And there's a cute dog too.