Green Leaves Published In Down Under Quilts

Vol 121, 2008

I know, I know, eventually I will get around to demonstrating a stencil tutorial here on my blog as promised.....I'm just a little behind, and a little busy to get around to it at the moment.

In the meantime, I have 2 quilts to finish by the 21st of July. If you're interested in trying some stencilling before then, I can HIGHLY recommend Down Under Quilts this month for they are featuring my project Green Leaves ! This quilt doesnt photograph as well as it is in real life, it's one of 'those' quilts that are just more impressive in real life. It's quilted in a high sheen thread which just doesnt show up in print....

Lets see if THIS edition makes it to the Canada Rockies!

Green Leaves ! Detail Pics.....

Esther's Occassional Quote for the Day

Manor House

Here are some close ups of Manor House from the Sydney Show. I wasnt organised enough to take them myself... so many thanks to Rachelle Denneny for emailing these through to me.

Liz You Made my Day!

Well this made my day! There I was, scurrying out to salvage the mail from being flung onto the middle of the road (our postman is notorious for delivering to the wrong address, on the wrong day....if he delivers at all) and amongst the bills and cheap adverts...there was this!

A POSTCARD FROM CANADA!

I havent been to this little town in Canada, but I feel somehow connected to it, because a magazine with me in it was sold there, and Liz who is on holiday there, saw me in a quilt shop on a magazine shelf! Wow! It made my morning coffee break extra special. Thank you Liz, for keeping in touch AND for making me feel like a globe trotting famous quilter (...I wish....)

Hello to any readers in Whitehorse, Canada!

Sydney Show 2008...reflections before taking off AGAIN

I had a wonderful time at the Sydney Show this year...here are some pics from day to night shots of the inside.

The view here is from the Sydney Committe room, what a great view they have from up there!

Thank you to every single person who came up to me and let me know that they read this blog - its so nice to hear positive feedback.....please dont feel shy to leave comments or email me, its always nice to share what we know...

I saw some great quilts and I was very impressed with Sydney's PROMPT taxi's (nothing like Melbourne's) so that made it all the easier. The Show display looked really vibrant and the colours used in quilts on display were so alive.

Some of my favourite quilts on display this year were just wild with colour... I envy everyone who manages to colour match this well....I always umm and ahh over my colour selection....it's something I've realised I just have to work on....

I do actually own a 3-in-1 colour tool by Joen Wolfrom, so my next challenge is to use this nifty device on my fabric stash.

I noticed that the shop and store holders didnt really have anything new on offer.... it's all been on display before, so maybe we're inbetween trends at the moment? Mind you, that didnt stop me buying some things....and then going back for more. I made the hotel and show dash back and forth a few times, always picking up something extra.

I have a great time on Saturday when I quilted away at the Charity Quilts, it's so nice when someone sets up the sewing machine for you (and bastes for you) and all you have to do is sit down and get quilting! I need my own personal staff at home too!

I was worried that I wouldnt be able to finishing the quilting by lunchtime, but I managed it....it was a lovely feeling being able to quilt and chat with well wishers the whole time. Good company makes for good quilting.

Looking forward to the next show now.

Will I finish a new quilt on time? Will I start a new quilt? Have I learnt my 'last minute' lesson yet? (actually, I already started my new quilt - just this morning-. HERE WE GO AGAIN!)

This year, I'm very proud to have been selected to be a Guest Artist of the Vic Quilter's SHowcase and exhibit my quilting journey so far. I'll be showing my quilting progression in the last 8 years since I started ( the time has just flown by)...

You Quilt, You Learn.....

Well, at the time it always seems worth it.....you plan, you start...you end up spending your nights in an effort to finish your quilt. Of course YOU love it, because it's yours.....and then you post it off. Finally, you're finished.

Then, you walk past your quilt at the show, and its crinkled, and its nothing like you remember....what was I thinking? Where did all the gold go? It just looks beige! Is it the lighting? Is it the surrounds? Am I colourblind?

This quilt looked so beautiful at home. It glowed and had a real old fashioned beauty about it. But now, I'm wondering what all the fuss was about.


I am beginning to question my designing skills and this quilt fell very short of what I had planned. On the positive side of things, we do finally have a quilt to throw over the sofa..... it's not gonna make it to the wall, or 'important quilt' cupboard. It's disappointing when this happens, expecially when you have high hopes, but....you quilt ....and you learn.


I have learnt my lesson, when you have a lot of gold fabrics in your stash - leave them there, dont try to use them all up in a quilt just because you love gold.

I wonder how many other quilters experience this, is it just me?