Japanese Lantern Quilt

I guess I had better get back to featuring some of the quilts I have been working on.  This week, I have completed a Lantern Quilt in beautiful Japanese fabrics pieced by my customer Mary.  I love the way Mary has included some carefully placed red lanterns in her otherwise indigo blue quilt.

Mary wanted the quilting to be kept fairly simple with mainly straight lines.  I hope I have obliged with straight lines 1/4inch apart outlining the lanterns and a piano key border.  I have quilted some curved lines in the lanterns which I believe have added to the concertina effect of the lanterns.

My favourite lantern:-

Quilts in the Barn Exhibition 2010

Just a reminder that the 2010 Quilts in the Barn Exhibition is nearly here...

If you have been to Quilts in the Barn before, you will know that Linda puts on a fabulous event with beautiful quilts, in a glorious setting. All monies raised are for breast cancer research. If you haven't been before, now is your chance! There will be morning & afternoon tea available, Corliss from Threadbear will have a stall and Di Ford will have some of her patterns for sale.  Check out the amazing Raffle Quilt made by the Secret Sewing Sisterhood.  Apparently there will be about 70 quilts on display - certainly worth a trip!

Back Home from AMQF

I have returned home from the Australian Machine Quilting Festival exhausted.  The four days were fabulous - I would like to thank Tracey Browning and Sharon Parkinson for organising this fantastic event.  Thanks also to the many volunteers, vendors, teachers, sponsors and judges.

The American instructors were truly inspirational especially Pam Clarke, Kimmy Brunner and Anne Bright - they are all so passionate about quilting and were great instructors.  I have learned a lot and am looking forward to putting some of these quilting ideas into practice.

The Australian Machine Quilting Show was held in conjunction with AMQF and was a wonderful display of quilts.  I was thrilled to learn that two of my quilts had been awarded ribbons.

My wholecloth quilt "Envy" was awarded a Second Prize ribbon in the Custom Heirloom / Show - Wall Category.

My quilt "Field of Flowers" was awarded a First Prize ribbon in the Edge-to-Edge Category.

It is back to the quilting machine now - lots of quilts to be done before Christmas!

Australian Machine Quilting Festival

I am very excited to be heading over to Adelaide tomorrow to attend the inaugural Australian Machine Quilting Festival.  The event is running from 1st to 4th October, 2010 and I will be travelling with 2 Longarm Machine Quilting friends.

I am looking forward to taking classes with international teachers Pam Clarke and Kim Brunner as well as an amazing group of talented Australian tutors in all aspects of machine quilting.

The AMQF is catering for all machine quilters that own either a Longarm, Mid-arm or domestic sewing machine.

The 4 day event will also include a vendor mall (looking forward to some shopping) and the Australian Machine Quilting Association Quilt Show.  I have entered a number of quilts in this exhibition and it is always fabulous to see your own quilts on display amongst a fabulous collection of quilts.

I am looking forward to 4 days of machine quilting, the company of like minded people and getting away from the stresses of the St Kilda / Collingwood Grand Final Replay on Saturday.  Go Saints!

Snail Trail Quilt

I would like to share another quilt I have recently finished quilting which was pieced by Linda from Quilts in the Barn.  Linda's first love is antique quilts and reproducing them using reproduction fabrics - the Snail Trail Quilt she has made is a wonderful example of such a quilt.

Linda's quilt was quilted with a spinning feather in the red snail trail blocks and continuous curves in the cream snail trail blocks.

 
More feathers were quilted in the border with a scrolling feather.
 

And yes, Linda knows that some of the four-patches in the quilt are facing the wrong way.  She is just not saying whether they were as a result of the fact that this is quite a confusing pattern to construct or whether they are intentional as only God is perfect!

Thanks again Linda, your quilts are an absolute delight to work on!

A Wedding Signature Quilt

Linda from Quilts in the Barn today picked up the beautiful wedding signature quilt which she made for a couple married earlier this year.  Linda organised for patches of fabric to be signed by guests on the wedding day.  The result is this stunning quilt.

The cream sashing in the blocks are made up of the well wishes from many of the wedding guests.  Click on the photos to read the messages.

Even the Bride signed the wedding quilt.

I have quilted the wedding quilt with feather wreaths on the blocks, piano keys in the border and a feather scroll in the blue sashing.

And sometimes a plain back works beautifully - I love this back!

Thanks again Linda and best wishes to the recipients of this quilt - may they enjoy a long marriage full of love and happiness.

Pat's Pies & Tarts Quilt

I have just had the pleasure of quilting another quilt for my lovely customer Pat.  I am not exactly sure about Pat's age - I have quilted several quilts for her over the last few years and ever since the first quilt she has been in her "early eighties".  Pat takes great delight in the making of her quilts - for Pat it is certainly as much about the journey of making the quilt as it is about the end result.  Pat is the only customer for whom I pick up and drop off quilts at her home.  Each time I do so, we have a wonderful chat and, as she said on my last visit, she doesn't know what her life would be like without quilting.  I certainly enjoy my meetings with Pat - she has a lot of life experience to offer and is wonderful company.

This time Pat has made the Pies & Tarts Quilt designed by Sue Dailey from Patchwork with Busyfingers.  Pat only sews by hand - the entire quilt has been hand pieced and she will even put the binding on by hand.

In keeping with the circular theme of the quilt we decided to quilt a spiral on each large pie.  Each spiral extends almost to the centre of the smaller tarts and overlap eachother - the quilting has put me in mind of a spirograph drawing.

Pat is a member of the Bluegum Quilters.  Bluegum Quilters are having a Quilt Exhibition on Saturday 6th November, 2010 at St James Church, Corner Pender and Newcastle Streets, Thornbury from 9.30am to 3.30pm.  Entry is only $2.  Pat's Pies & Tarts Quilt will be on display there amongst a selection of many other beautiful quilts.

Thanks again Pat - I will look forward to your next quilt - I am sure it will be another beauty.