Quilt Escape

I'm just back from Quilt Escape at Warriewood and these are the fabulous results!

Lots of groovy baskets and some handbags too we thought.

Not all were in bright fabrics - the French General got a run and we thought they were the Loius Vitton of the handbags/baskets. So classy.

We had a great time mixing and matching fabrics with ric rac and braid for some eye-catching results.

Auditioning a border.

This was a just the best! 

Girls brought along completed projects from my class last year. It was lovely to see all these finished.

 Classic blue and white always looks good.

The quilting on this NYB of Marriane's was just the thing to enhance all those points.

A good time was had by all as you can see.

Want a fun class?

Want to try foundation piecing and start this fun project? I am at Cottage Quiltworks this coming Monday and Tuesday for Quilt Escape and this is what we will be working on - my Basket Case quilt.

15 different foundation pieced baskets using fun and funky fabrics with a bit of ric rac or other embellishment thrown in. Call the shop as I know there are still a couple of places free.

Have you seen the latest issue of Homespun magazine? My Chocolate Stars quilt is a project in this Christmas in July issue - Vol 13 no 7. The quilt is a much richer and deeper colour in real life but you get the idea.

Back soon with pics from the Basket Case class.

Great excitement because...

... my Block of the Month through Material Obsession is finally out there.

Check out this post from Kathy for all the info to receive the patterns and fabric every month for 10 months or come and do the quilt with me at the shop if you live close enough. Classes are the 2nd Friday of every month starting next week.

These pics are from Hobbysew in Canberra where we did another Basic mariners class.

They look like happy sailors don't they!

Great combination but I believe this was going to end up on the dog's bed!

Jean's Jacobean Star came together recently at Jukejema in Nowra - love it.
I will be teaching in Wagga August 18-19 and I believe there are a few spots left in the class at Simply Stitches if you're interested. Lovely shop and Faye has tons of fabric and all sorts of wool and notions.

Eye candy

Lots of pics today as I try to catch up with photos students send me:

Glenda's New York cushion - too clever

A student from class at AQC - so sorry I can't remember your name!

Combining my Jacobean Star with Michelle Hill's applique class. How good does this look.

Sue's Almost Austen and do you mknow I've misplaced the original quilt!

Thought I had it on display in a shop somewhere but it's nowhere to be found.

Elke's so-o-o complicated NYB block.

Kris' Dahlia.

Sue sent me this - what a hoot!

Linda from Wagga - Mariners Madness

Margaret's Jacobean Star.

Thanks to everyone who sends me photos from classes I've done. It might take a while but it eventually gets into blogland.

I'm off to Canberra this weekend for 2 days at Hobbysew Belconnen. Wish me luck in this cold, cold weather and then it's 2 days at Jukejemna in Nowra. Lucky I like travelling!

It's not all bad!

This is my Lotus Flower quilt from the recent Sydney Quilt Show - a reproduction of a quilt from the 1850s.

Two days before drop-off day I thought I'd better check for any remaining blue water-erasable pen marks that I used in the quilting process. So with sponge in hand I proceeded to dab - not soak - the offending bits. Imagine my shock and horror when this happened - see below.

I never wash my fabric and this is the result!

I had to ring and get an extension from my drop-off lady (the lovely Isabel) and proceeded to try and remove the runs.

Half a packet of Dylon Colour Run Remover in a bowl of hot water and a packet of cotton buds did the trick. I used the liquid sparingly and a towel to soak it up as I went.

 It took two applications with drying in between and the quilt was looking pretty good. Off to the show it went and on close inspection I don't think anyone would pick it up.

What a lesson!

On a happier note this is my BOM quilt called Square Dance being released through Material Obsession in Sydney. The quilt has four big centre blocks mostly foundation pieced with flying geese sashing, four smaller border blocks and a diamond border. 

Deco Lamp block

Shadow compass

Feathered nine patch

Supernova

And Double Sun - just a few of the blocks in the quilt.

It's a 10 month programme with patterns and fabric and all the details are available from the shop.

Tell them I sent you!

Sydney Quilt Show

What a great 1st day at the show!

We were so lucky to have our raffle quilt, Seven Sisters from the Springwood Quilt Show awarded 4th prize in the Group Category at the show yesterday. Here are a few of the committee posing proudly in front of the quilt with Suzie Anderson the supreme quilter in front.

And here's our rosette!

I can now reveal that for the past five months I have been working on a Block of the Month quilt for Sydney quilt shop Material Obsession! And this is it on display at the shop's stand at the show. If you call by have a good look at it - 8 foundation pieced blocks in fantastic fabrics with flying geese sashing and diamond borders. Maybe you'd like to sign up for the program and make your own version - just contact the shop or see them at the show. Great instructions and foundation patterns included I guarantee!

I spent some time yesterday working on the Universal Magazines stand with the lovely Pam promoting Quilters Companion and Homespun magazines. And displayed on the wall is my latest project to appear in the July issue of Homespun - Chocolate Stars. Not a great pic of the quilt but you get the idea.

I spoke to so many students and friends yesterday it was like old-home week. This is Anita with her "combination quilt" in the show - some of my blocks and some from another class. Well done that girl!

This is one of my show entries - Basket Case - which I am teaching at Quilt Escape at Cottage Quiltworks at Warriewood in July. Lots of funky baskets in fabulous fabrics - ring the shop for details.

This gem you have seen before - Ann-Marie Smithers' Blue Mariners which was awarded 3rd place in the First Entrant Category. Congratulations Ann-Marie! How exciting for you and sorry I didn't get a chance to speak to you after the ceremony.

If you get a chance go the show at Darling Harbour. You'll see fantastic quilts and lots of great shops.

Much excitement!

Have you seen the latest issue of AP and Q? I have a quilt featured in this issue and so does my friend Janelle from Country Matters blog. Hers is a real repro number and mine has a whole lot of hexagons.

This is my project from the mag.

In blogland at the moment there's a lovely post from my friend Rachael Daisy about her first class with me making my Mariners Medley quilt and her move to the Mountains. You can read about it here. Lots of beautiful pics taken in the grounds of Norman Lindsay's house in Faulconbridge.

And there's a write-up from Jukejema Quilting Barn about my last class there with some funny pics. Kim also has some new dates for classes in July and again in October.

Now for the exciting bit! It's Sydney Quilt Show judging this Sunday and lots of fingers are crossed I bet. The show opens on Wednesday and I'll be there white-gloving from 12.15pm. If you're going that day come and say hi among the quilts or I'll be spending some time on the Universal Magazines stand B17 during the day. Love to have a chat!