Victorian Quilter's Inc Showcase 2011

The Victorian state show is on this week and weekend.  Photos of the Best of Show and other award winners are here.

You can see more close-ups of the Best of Show quilt here on the winner, Desley Maisano's blog, Addicted to Quilts.

The winner of the 'Fabric of Society' Challenge was Linda White, of Gum Valley Patchwork in coutnry Victoria, for her Dear Prudence replica quilt ... definitely one for the hexagon lovers! Linda has blogged about the quilt's making and the excitement of the win too (lots of pictures and hexagon stats along the way).

Thanks to Brenda Smith, Serendipity and the Art of the Quilt for the links.

Where I sew ... other people's sewing spaces

Pink Chalk Studio is running Where I sew, a month long series of blog posts throughout July allowing readers to see where other people sew, and to post a photo of your own sewing room or studio if you want to share it. Spaces range from an end of a dining room table to elaborate bespoke studios. 

Some well known quilters, designers and fabric designers are featured.  Who knows what ideas we might pick up?

Sisters Outdoor Quiltshow 2011

The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show is famous  as the largest outdoor Quilt Show in the world, held on the second Saturday of July in Sisters, Oregon.  If you didn't get there this year and would like to see just a few of the 1300 (!) quilts, including a Gees Bend display, click here for one visitor's photos on Flickr Photostream.  You can click a button for an automated slide show, at the top right of the screen.  The set includes some shots of the actual hanging of the quilts by the local fire department.  Settle in with cup of tea or coffee, and enjoy ... thanks Anita from RhubarbPatch for posting your terrific photos.

Monday group show and tell with a Japanese flavour

Helen has complemented her Japanese prints with tone on tones that yield up the glowing four patches where her Aunt Sukey's Choice blocks meet ...

and Ros's lanterns are made with all Japanese fabrics giving a very oriental feel. 

Thanks to Sue for the photos.

Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA): online exhibitions

If you are interested in art quilts, the Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) website has much to look at and delight you.  SAQA is the professional organisation for art quilters. Online galleries are arranged by themes.  It is an international organisation, based in the USA, and includes some well known Australian members.

Of course there are quilts for sale, news about art quilts, audio interviews with a number of artists, and an international calendar of actual exhibitions.

Well worth a bookmark and checking in every now and again - new online galleries are posted several times a year.

Small quilts, big techniques

No-one likes a workshop on quilting and embellishing techniques more than Jo S ...

A recent workshop with Gloria Loughman resulted in this striking "Lava Flow"

... and this landscape emerged from multiple techniques learned from Kay Haerland.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

NSW Quilt Study Group

The NSW Quilt Study Group is a sub-committee of the Quilters' Guild of NSW Inc. It exists to promote interest and research into quilting in New South Wales in particular. Members are committed to the study of quilts past and present, this study encompassing the social and historical context in which quilts were made. Each year the NSW QSG committee organises meetings and activities which further the aims of the organization. Members receive notification of these functions via the Guild's Template magazine, the Quilters' Group of NSW blog and our own blog.

Next meeting:  Saturday 30th July 2011

Trish Bloomfield talks about the joys and pitfalls of collecting old quilts, buying here and overseas, via the Internet and in person.

2 - 4.30pm Ambassador Room, Burwood RSL Club

The NSW Quilt Study Group blog documents projects (inlcuding the current construction of a reproduction of a historic quilt for the national Trust of NSW) and lists coming events

Heavy Metal Quilts

Is there a heavy metal rock fan lurking under your quilter's exterior (or even an actual heavy metal rocker)? 

Then you might like Ben Venom's quilts.  You can learn more about him in this well illustrated  interview with Meighan O'Toole, who blogs about contemporary art. For example ...

Can you tell us about how you educate yourself around the craft?

I have recently made some contacts within the quilt world and have learned a whole bunch of new techniques and shortcuts from a couple of nice ladies. Old ladies love me! Every time I go to a sewing/fabric store I ask a ton of questions and go home and try out what I learned.

August: a busy month for quilters

CAMDEN COUNTRY QUILTERS GUILD 22nd ANNUAL EXHIBITION

“Everything Old is New Again”

6 - 7 August 2011

Open 9.30am–4pm daily. Entry $6

Agriculture Hall, Camden Showgrounds, Argyle Street, Camden NSW

Stall holders, café serving morning/afternoon tea and lunches, and Guild Sales Table with quality handmade items on offer.

For more information, phone Susan on (02) 4655 8234 email iansue@bigpond.net.au

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 MAD QUILTERS' GATHERING EXPO

Celebrate the Launch of the latest retail quilting and patchwork craft event to hit Australia for 2011, one that solely targets the Patchwork and Quilting market. Visitors come along and grab a bargain, browse new products, learn the latest techniques.

August 5th 6th and 7th 2011

 Exhibition Marquee Penrith

For more information contact

Dekoda Marketing Pty Ltd.

Email proz@optusnet.com.au

Phone 02 9682 4418

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CANBERRA QUILTERS ANNUAL EXHIBITION

11 - 14 August 2011

Exhibition Park, Flemington Road, Mitchell, Canberra 

In conjunction with the Canberra Craft and Quilt Fair

200–250 items on display

Raffle quilt, challenge items, a continuous demonstration run by volunteers from Quilts for Others, and a sales room with quality handmade, quilt-related goods.

For more information, phone Kristine Banks on (02) 6291 4601

Sydney Quilt Show 2011 award winners

Sydney Quilt Show prize and award winners were announced today, the first day of the 2011 event.  The winners web pages are already up for viewing.  Make sure you click on the Best of Show photo for a closer-up view of the very finely detailed applique.

Why quilting improves your health in ways even exercise can't manage

We all knew this, didn't we?  Still, the scientific evidence might be useful .... the (UK) Daily Mail reports on a Glasgow University study that found that quilting is better than exercise! 

The article concludes that "the craft industry contributes around £3 billion a year to the UK economy", and Anne from Ware commented "3 Billion spent on crafts in the UK? Don't tell my husband - he would be convinced most of it was me!"

Click here to read the article

Thanks to Brenda Smith for the link (via Facebook)

Monday group show and tell

Two quilts in nice contrast ...

One patch, many fabrics (a beautifully scrappy community quilt) ...

.... one fabric, many blocks (Lorraine K's fabric must have been pretty spectacular to produce this rich collection).

Beth Miller's new web-based business

Many of us are familiar with Canberra quilter Beth Miller's award winning work.  She retired from teaching last year, and has set up an online business with her daughter, Quilts by Pattern, selling her quilt patterns.

You can still see galleries of Beth's work at www.bethmillerquilts.com

55 best quilt blogs ...

Quilter's Home magazine (a US publication) has recently published a list of its top 55 blogs about (mostly) quilting.  The article, with all 55 links, is available online here. 

A good source of reading for these wintery indoors days ... or a potential occupier of much time ...?

The link is also posted over in the right hand column under 'Quilting related links' in case you want to come back to it.

Kay Haerland Showcase at Quilters Guild of NSW

From the Guild's calendar:

1 July 10-11.30am Friday Showcase at City Office:  Kay Haerland

and a reminder of the Sydney Quilt Show dates for 2011: