Loch Quilt Display

Last Sunday we went for a trip to a tiny country village called Loch, located in South Gippsland, Victoria.
I had never visited this area before and loved the little town; it is small but full of character and very pretty.
Loch has an annual "Quilt Hanging" day, when they display quilts made by the locals down the main street.  Festooned from shop fronts, in windows and even in the Fire Brigade Station, it really is a colourful sight!

The talent of the quiltmakers is very obvious here, there was such an array of different styles, techniques and colour selection.  What an inspiration!

How did those two cutie-pies get in the pics? ;)

The driving force behind this display is a local quilt shop called "Quilter's Barn".  It is something of an institution, having originated in the barn of a local farmer and gradually expanding to the current premises on the main street.  Julie Wallace is the maven behind this enterprise, and from humble beginnings she has become a fabric designer, quilt designer, sought after guest speaker and successful business woman.

It so so great to see such success coming from a small country town, where too often these days they seem to be dominated by opp shops and boarded up windows.  What a fantastic woman Julie Wallace must be!

If you would like to see more of the Quilter's Barn, stop by here

Millie's Quilt

When I first discovered Millie was sick with the likelihood of not getting better, I decided to make a quilt in her honour.  Originally I hoped to bury it with her in the hopes that she would give me enough time to make it, but that was not to happen.  I think it will be nice to have a quilt that resembles her comfort to me - a constant reminder of her at home.

This quilt has been quite a different construction.  Rather than working from a pattern and labouring over colour and pattern selection, I walked into the craft store and kind of "felt" my way through the range of materials.

Quite different to my usual choices; I was guided by the idea of creating a rainbow of colours, full of brightness and warmth.

I cut the material into five and half inch squares and experimented with different layouts to find the one I liked the most.  Eventually the quilt materialised . . .

This is a snapshot of the quilt top.  I wanted to create a randomness to the pattern with loads of colour.  I decided to do some larger feature blocks of the material I loved the most.

Even the backing became experimental.  Instead of buying a length of material I decided to use up the material scraps and sew them together in strips.  Very economical! I have bought purple material to sew on each side of the panel, and will be attempting machine quilting for the first time!!

At this stage I am still not sure how the quilt will finish, and as with most things at the moment, I feel numb when I look at it.  But I hope in time it will give me happiness, just like Millie did.

Jelly Girl

Here is a quilt I made, that is in the process of being hand quilted. I say "process" but the reality is she has been curled up in a bag for quite a while getting crushed!

The pattern I used is called "Jelly Girl" by Fig Tree Quilts, and the Jelly Roll used is Moda "Spring Magic" by April Cornell.  Never thought I was a floral fanatic, but it is starting to become obvious in the quilts I make. The border I chose is by Lakehouse Dry Goods "Doll Dresses Pearl Rose Trellis".

I bought the backing (shown here on far left) at a separate stage, orginally destined for another quilt.  It surprised me to discover later that it is also a Lakehouse Dry Goods fabric, called "Ticking Stripe Petal".  Now all those creases really should shame me into pulling this quilt out of its hiding place to finish it, don't you think?

I decided to hand quilt using a Perle 8 in a variegated pinks/orange/yellow.  It is really nice to work with. Hopefully I can show you the finished product in the near future!! :)

Nature's Chorus

Hi!
Thought I would show you a quilt I made VERY early on.  It was the second attempt at patchwork and the first time outside of a class.  I was bitten by the bug and having first learned patchwork with a jelly roll, couldn't resist trying one again.  Moda Fabrics really have lovely ranges in the jelly rolls; showcasing so many fabrics that aren't always possible to buy individually.
The Moda Jelly Roll I used is "Nature's Chorus" as the title suggests, by April Cornell.

Now this quilt could very easily be titled "Shabby Chic" as it is a little rough around the edges, but she is one of my favourites.  I learnt SO much sewing without a pattern and experimenting as I went. And as so many of you crafters would know, just the experience of working with beautiful materials and colours is uplifting and exciting.

I machine sewed the quilt but opted to have it professionally quilted by a very lovely lady.  The pattern is a continuous line of feathers, which I think suits her perfectly!

At the end of the day, I learnt that taking skills from a class and sitting down on your own to use them and break a few of them can be as much a learning experience as being taught by a teacher.  I will no doubt be attending another class around the corner, but venturing outside the square with what I learn afterwards too.

Oliver's Rocket

Here is a quilt I made for a friend's one year old boy.  It is called "Oliver's Rocket" which the mum wanted to be the central theme (Oliver's nickname IS Rocket!)

I borrowed much of the idea from one of my favourite books; "Material Obsession" written by Kathy Doughty and Sarah Fielke; and much of the fabric is from the Prints Charming range.  What beautiful material to work with!!  The actual rocket panel is screen printed by Prints Charming and I was aiming to follow the funky look with bright colours and patterns.

I hand quilted this one which was lots of fun, as the red stars have swirling patterns around them, and backed it with a beautiful bubble print that Oliver's mum particularly liked.

It was sad parting with it, but I know it went to a good home

Poppy Bear's Quilt

This is a little quilt a lovely girl asked me to make for her little teddy.  Her favourite colours are pink and purple, and I couldn't resist but to add some glitter spray.  What girl (or woman) doesn't love a bit of bling?!

The challenge was the little bear appliques, a first time for me; so please don't squint at your screens and look too closely.  There is also some trickiness associated with binding a small quilt - who would have known?!

Connor's Jungle

Well, the children are down for their afternoon nap and the pooch is gently snoring in the doorway (bless her).  All is right with the world . . .

Thought I would post a pic of a cot quilt I recently completed.  Made for my friend who knew she was having her third baby boy, I decided to do a spotty jungle theme.  It is called "Connor's Jungle", the first I have ever handquilted.  I wasn't sure the patience was in me to hand quilt, but discovered it to be thoroughly rewarding and an excuse to plant my bottom on the couch for a couple of hours every night.  Definitely a winter sport though . . .