Exhausted!

Back home.... and exhausted but happy. My walls are bare and the house is considerably cooler...quilts on walls are great insulation! Showcase was great this year (ok, I'm baised!). Here are a few pics of setting up.



Being this years guest artist with 25 quilts from over the last 8 years was a rewarding experience - I spoke to hundreds of people and even had to convince a few that my stencilled quilts were in fact stencilled and not needle turn appliqued! Now thats a compliment!



As well as my exhibit, there were another 4 of my quilts being exhibited - three in the show and one in the Flynn gallery section.


I was busy talking to visitors and enjoying myself so much that I really didnt take that many photos - it's been a busy week with plenty of early starts and late nights, but it was all worth it!

Here's a quick shot from the third day...I was fortunate enough to secure the length of an entire wall to hang my quilts, it was such a thrill to see them all hanging there! Even I cant believe that I did all these quilts in 8 years (maybe I should spend more of my time cleaning, or cooking?....)

Well, 25 quilts dont just hang themselves - I would like to thank Robyn and Val and Desley for helping me so much, it would have taken me days without you!

The 4 of us could take the world by storm if we set out to do some serious interior decorating together! It looks easy, but deciding the where and hows of so many different quilts (I've done plenty of experienting and my styles are diverse!) is no mean feat!

Thank you all so much!

The joy of late night Quilting !

A lot can happen in a day...for me, I hope that means finishing my quilting, binding my quilt and driving myself to the Victorian Quilter's Showcase on time!

I still have to take some quilts off my walls, and pack all 24 into my car to hang for display. As I've been quilting Peonie Pride, I've been thinking about my first quilt, and my second quilt and all the fun I've had quilting, trying new techniques and meeting so many great people.

I can't wait for Showcase to start..... well, maybe a few extra days would be nice.....

Esther's Occasional Quote for the Day

A sneak preview

Too busy to blog, so here's a sneak preview of how my quilting is coming along....I'm focusing on one area at a time, and quilting freehand...since I didnt want to mark anything, I cannot leave my machine until all 4 sides or corners are done.

Still a long, long, long, long way to go.....

When I'm quilting, I pick up a rhythm....and if I stop for any reason (like a well earned coffee!) when I come back, I loes consistency...and I can always see where I left off and started up again. It also means I forget what I was planning to quilt!....so I like to stick it out and let my mind race ahead whilst I quilt!
I hope to be finished next week....well I'l have to be as it is being judged on Wednesday....Yes, a mere 3 days away ( I need a day off on weekends).
ONE DAY I will NOT leave my quilting to the last minute...its a scary thought to imagine what will happen if I dont make it in time....

The Quiet of Quilting

The time to quilt has come. I have a few ideas, but nothing certain yet. Today I am getting stuck in and wont be doing anything else.... until this quilt is quilted! Wish me luck!

I've made front cover !!

I've made front cover!!! Thank you Vic. Quilter's!

I've been selected as the Guest Artist at this year's Victorian Quilter's Showcase at the Craft & Quilt Fair from 24th July 2007 at the Melb Exhibition Centre, where my quilting journey will be displayed through 24 selected quilts. I'm honored to have been chosen and I can't wait to meet as many of you there as possible!

See you at the show!

....now, back to finishing my latest piece, so you can all see it hanging finished on the day.....

Esther's Occassional Quote for the Day

How to get off the floor

If, like me, you dont like basting on the floor (my knees wont let me...and I've received several questioning emails on this topic, so I know I'm not alone...), here is how I baste at table level.

This is a technique I've seen on YouTube.

I believe in sharing quilting knowledge, so here goes!

At my local hardware store, I
purchased a 'door frame' which is two straight pieces of wood, and that was the closest
thing I could get - it was long enough and had a smooth polished surface (V. important!). It doesnt warp or distort with age.

My two pieces are 2.10m approx.

I have a high table, its a collapsible trestle table from Officeworks. And I added plumbing tubes to the legs to give it more height.

I iron my quilt top and backing. Then I wind up on each board length one front and one back so they are both wound up. The right side of the fabric is facing inside when wound. I help myself with a bit of masking tape so that it winds perfectly straight. I wind up the whole quilt top. Same with the back. Then I place the back board first on the table. I unwind from the board about half a metre. I then position the batting on top of it. Of top of this, I unwind about half a metre of the quilt top. Now I have a 3 layer sandwhich.

I secure the edge firmly with clips. I smooth out the three layers, pinning as I go, and unwinding a little more each time. The batting is loose between the two boards so I keep this in check as I unwind the boards, constantly smoothing the layers out to ensure they are mathcing. The boards are heavy enough not to more. Then I hand baste the large areas- especially on straight seams, pin some others until the whole quilt is basted, this usally takes about a day for a 80 inch quilt. I know I'm slow, bit I like to baste more than is necessary.

I continue unrolling the quilt and I can do it sitting down because everything is secure on the table.

Today while I was basting away, my dear friend Grace rang me and naturally I was complaining about pricking my fingers with the needles...and she gave me a great tip....use an old toothbrush (pluck the bristles out) sand it into a smooth surface and VOILA this tool is ideal for hand basting! THANK YOU GRACE! This is a valuable tool for me now.....everytime you dig the needle through 3 layers and come up again, you can save your finger tips and pull up the needle easily with a rocking motion.