Peonie Pride...a sneak preview

After Sydney Showcase, and the learning curve of Manor House, I set myself the challenge of making a quilt according to 'correct' colour blending (rather than colours based on a whim which is pretty much what I was relying on...) I studied the charts and discovered two very interesting things:

1.
A quilt I made in 2005, Not Quite Shabby Chic, is perfectly colour matched (quite randomly, but still I'm impressed)

and

2.
That Red, Blue and Green is a perfect triadic colour composition. So that's the challenge I set myself for my next quilt. I was pleased to discover that actually, we quilter's have a pretty good eye for colour, so mostly, my quilts are complimentarily hued....however, there have been a few misses....and dissapointments, so it was high time to brush up on the basics.

I have had a good play with the swatch chart and next on my list is advancing to the book.....

What better time to start my new regime than with Peonie Pride, my newest stencil quilt? I had already started sketching the stencil designs a while back and I have a few ideas about colour, but this time....for once...I decided I would follow the 'rules'.

I have had a few moments of near rebellion, but I have stayed the course and this quilt will definitely be triadic.

Here goes.......

Getting Ready.....

The legs are in (in the name of ergonomic correctness)......

the chaise lounge where I usually have my morning coffee is out....

and thats a sign in my household that another quilt is on its way....

and..... the COLOURS ARE SET!

Working up enthusiasm

What does a quilter do to relax?

Work on another quilt of course!

This quilt needed it's final border, and I knew that if I didnt do it today, it might never get done. So, before I can start on my next quilt, I have decided that I have to finish my old work first ( I dont know how long this will last) but at least I will finish more quilts this way. I just loes interest too quickly....

Waltzing Pinks...published

Waltzing Pinks is published, Vol 16, No. 12. AP&Q Mag. I love the photo work they have done with this quilt, it's perfectly suited. Sometimes when you send a quilt off to a magazine, you wonder how it will be presented (no, I dont see the print photo's until its published and on the shelf.) Luckily I've always been happy with the end results....which is unusual because I'm a French Provincale fan...and they manage to get it just right.

Also in this edition, as well as the project, is a profile on me!

I was delighted to receive this magazine in the post today. It inspires me to keep on with my many studio projects.

Thank you Marianne and the AP&Q Team for such a wonderful job.

I know lots of you have been thinking of trying stencil quilt, for maybe the first time. It's very rewarding and well worth it, I urge everyone to buy this edition and give Waltzing Pinks a try! Send me a pic of your finished quilt and I'll post it up on this blog.....happy quilting!

TRIADIC

Last time I left my quilt making to the last minute (and was unhappy with the results), I promised myself that I would consult a quilters colour tool and work according to 'the rules'.

Now, I dont like working to the rules, but after 80 or so quilts and projects, it's time I put my foot down!

Today I started my next quilt. Its a stencil quilt. It's also based on a perfectly acceptable TRI COMPLIMENTARY. All I can say is, I'm using the Red Yellow-Green and Blue colour chart.

I'm finishing up my design today and will start the colour mixing hopefully tomorrow.

I'll keep you posted. This is the only way I will actually get it done and stay on schedule. Yes, this quilt will be exhibited at Vic Quilters Showcase in 4 weeks (dont worry, this quilt has been in the 'making' -in my head- for a year)....so it'll get done....I hope

Craft Fair Friend

The Craft & Quilt Fair is coming up..... and I'm in the brochure!!

It's starting to sink in now, that I have to get ready!

I'm digging out all my quilts to display, including my first ever real quilt, which is in my daughter's room (not sure what state it's in)....

July seemed so far away when it was May. But now it's just around the corner. AND I have a quilt to finish.....again.....

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?

It's a Winner !

Waltzing Pinks!

Well, I never thought I'd win anything with this quilt, but there you have it!

You can make this quilt yourself in an upcoming edition of Australian Patchwork and Quilting Magazine.

To see the full list of Sydney Quilt Soow's 2008 winners, click here....

www.quiltersguildnsw.com/quiltshow

I'm away at the Sydney Show.....

I'll never use varigated threat EVER again

Ah, finishing touches, and its only 2am!

Morning Photo....

Quilting detail photo

Thought for the day:

Variagated thread looks beautiful on the cone. But not on my work!. It appears to be a perfect colour match. However once you start stitching, it looks inconsistent....and you cant go back, because unpicking the stitches will disintegrate into little tears on the fabric (on a domestic machine).... this quilt taught me a lot about last minute disasters and late nights. At least for my work and style of quilting, this thread does nothing to assist!

Also, I DO NOT recommend Glad press and seal...it stuck so heavily to the fabric that I had to tear it away and then pick at the stubborn strands with tweesers. I never mark anything, but for once I wanted to try a quick tip I'd been let in on....and it was a disaster. I finished (and will now stick to) freehand, like I always have. Thank goodness I only commited this technique to 1 border.

Well, now that I've highlighted all the positive experiences of quilting I will finish by saying that I am greatly relieved that Manor House is packaged and travelling as I type. In fact, it's probably already in Sydney. I just hope that when I see it at the Show that it will be the way I remembered and that I wont be too embaressed. I always like to let quilts sit a few weeks so I can view them with fresh eyes....and with my late night finishing marathon I didnt get the chance.

I will put all this down to 'experience' and move on....

Stencils at the ready!

Still Stitching Away.....

She's given up trying to sit on my quilting as I'm stitching, but I started so early this morning (5am!) that I forgot to put on the heating....and I hadnt noticed how chilly the house was until I just stopped to have a coffee.....and I just had to snap a pic of Mooshi, waiting patiently (and hopefully) for me to remember to heat the house! Her look says it all......

Well, back to work.....

Rose Lewis

A highlight of yesterday's show was my daughter asking me when I'd managed to make another table runner???!

On second inspection she noticed that it wasnt my table runner at all....it was a student's! She loved it, and so do I !


Thank you Rose for allowing me to post your beautiful work. I love the trapunto and butterfly quilting, you've really made this design unique.


It's always really interesting to see what students end up making after a workshop, in fact, that's one of my favourite things about teaching - seeing the end results filtered through the creativity of so many talented women!

Stencilling allows individuality to shine
through, so if you're a quilter and you've been thinking of doing a workshop that's a little different, why not try a stencil workshop? The results are
definitely worth your time!

9:15 on Sunday Night

Making up for lost time, here is a very quick progress update

While I Should Have Been Working.....

While my quilt in progress waited at home....and although I'm behind schedule and really didnt have the time......I went ahead and had a lovely morning out at the Waverley Patchworker's show.....and I'm so glad I did. It seems that everything I do on my quilt is one step forward - three steps back. It's just one of those quilts that has a mind of it's own and wont budge! It's very frustrating, so by this morning I really needed to get away from my machine and just relax a little...so onto the show!

I quilted the raffle quilt (above) on my domestic sewing machine and my daughter was hoping to win it back in the raffle...she fell in love with it when it was at home and didnt want me to part with it after I had done my quilting duty! Unfortunatley she didnt win but congratulations to whoever did...it's a beautiful quilt.

BASTED! and other positive thoughts.....?

Sometime's I wonder why I put myself through all this!

Funnily enough I didn't mind staying up a few nights in a row, happily applique-ing until 2am and by 6am I was awake and ready to go again. This just proves how addictive quilting is, you know you're being a glutton for punishment...and yet your hands keep on creating.....but you cant wait to smile that satisfied smile of seeing your quilt FINALLY FINISHED! ...so you keep on at it.....

At least basting indicates that youre that little bit closer to holding your finished masterpiece....

Yesterday was basting day, and after a few glitches and a few hours unpicking and re -stitching, I'm finally basted!

I've learnt a few valuable lessons (just when I dont have time!)...

Never use batting you've never tried before!
Inspect the batting before using - for some reason, mine wouldnt straighten out after light creasing and those stubborn folds wouldnt go away!

When in doubt, do not stitch any further - just stop. There's no point hoping it's going to be ok, if you've noticed something askew, it probably is.

Well all these things happened to me...but the good news is, I'm over them and they're now righted, phew, its over. When you come across what seems to be an insurmountable glitch....go and clean the house, you'll find your enthusiasm for quilting renewed in no time at all!

Unfortunately, all this means that I missed one of my favourite groups today...so sorry to you all, I missed you as I was stitching away. Looking forward to catching up next week. When this quilt is finished I will bring it along to show before it makes its journey to Sydney,

now its back to the sewing machine.....

Just a Short Break!

So many leaves....so little time. Just taking a short break, will update early next week and will (hopefully) have some serious progress! Basting starts MONDAY!

What am I doing??

Ok, it's no secret that I adore stencilling. What's not to like? You get to use all your skills and end up with something entirely original. And although its mostly forgotten nowadays, stencilling is very traditional too, so its a great technique all round.

So why is my latest quilt needle turn applique??

Well, I bought a roll of Floriani on some good advice from a friend. Its the new way to do things apparently, and trusting her advice (afterall she is an award winning quilter and I love her work) I decided to launch in. I wanted to challenge myself ( I may be regretting this already) in finishing an original applique quilt in the time it would take me to complete a stencil quilt. I can state already that that was wishful thinking! Now I'm trying to create edges as crisp as stencilling.....and points as sharp as stencilling....well I'm getting there, but its definitley a lot of hard work.....and I'm really missing my paintbrush!

My brain has already decided that my next quilt will be a full fledged return to stencilling. Oh those vases are just to die for! (as are the peonies I'm envisioning....)

Better go now and do some hard hours....

Full Speed Ahead!

4 days to to needle turn applique 360 leaves. My entire house is looking like an extension of my sewing studio...and yesterday I gave up cooking, cleaning and shopping until I'm on my way to Sydney!

Decisions ..decisions... still deciding on the centre circle design....

tomorrow is another day.....

Quilting in Geelong

What a perfect day for a quilt gathering! Saturday was grey and rainy as four of us drove in to Geelong together....to Vic Quilter's Autumn Gathering. As we arrived, there was a coffee van cleverly parked right in front of the entrance so we were all able to enjoy a real coffee before going in...in fact we were so keen to get inside and start mingling that we left the lights on in the car. When it was time to go home, the battery was flat. So like all good quilters, we happily sat and stitched while we waited for the RACV to arrive and give us a jump start. Who cares about car trouble when you have quilting friend's for company? Thank you Judith, Grace and Liz for a lovely day....

Yum...Inspiration Strikes !

Well, who needs an excuse? The cake was delicious....it's just a beautiful coincidence that my Mother's Day cake looks awfully familiar..... maybe all this quilting is rubbing off on my family.....

Full Speed Ahead!

After my third attempt, I'm finally happy with my centre...well almost.... I'm still deciding about the middle. Oh well, this quilt has a mind of its own. After a careful selection of fabric and my first draw up of what I envisioned....it just didnt work - so on I went, changing fabrics and one by one discarding all my lovely newly bought fabric and raiding my stash. Yes, all the fabrics I actually needed were already on my shelf. Nevermind the weeks of colour matching specific hues of gold, black and marble and beige....they will just have to wait for their turn....and another quilt design.

I wonder of every quilter goes through this moment, where you design something specific in mind, and it just takes on a life of its own?!

I have 280 leaves left to needleturn applique this week, so I am hoping the changes are finally done! As well as running out of time, I'm posting my progress to keep this quilt on track....

Happy Mother's Day

What a beautiful day....with lots of cake! This beautiful cake was made by my daughters and I think it's so superb that I just had to share.....

My Quilting Cat

Well, this week I have a good reason for being behind in my quilting schedule... Mooshi loves my ironing board, sewing machine (but only when its on and in use), fabric and quilting stash. And, as it was the only spot of sun in the house I didnt have the heart to move her.


I spent my afternoon sorting out a few 'maybe' quilt fabric piles after Valuation this morning.


I was delighted with the all the positive and encouraging feedback I received after posting a few of my quilts on The Quilt Show.

Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to leave a comment. I will be posting some stencil ideas up soon so that anyone who's interested can give stencilling a try...

Flynn Finally In !

Under Flynn's Wings - a celebration of 80 years of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Well, my Flynn entry is finally in ! Above is the quilt and a detailed shot next to it. My daughter also entered this travelling exhibition and her quilt pics are posted below.

80 Years of Promises Kept

"80 Years of Promises Kept" after 5 weeks of work and last minute finishing, here is my daughter's entry! I can't wait to see everyone's interpretation of this theme at the birthday clebrations. See you all there!