Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue#91 - 2018 i Quilters Companion

Hello! I am thrilled to be taking on the role of editor of this fabulous Australian quilting magazine. As Michelle mentioned last issue, I have had a number of “roles” in the industry since I started more than 30 years ago, but being an editor is my very favourite and I am delighted to be able to share my quilty passion with you. It’s nice to know Michelle will stay on with us to share her talents; she and I have worked together on a few projects in the long-ago past, so it’s fun to get together again. In this issue, I had the great pleasure to find and include a few exciting exhibitions. Dr Annette Gero started collecting antique quilts a few decades ago and along the way I…

Finished size: 40.5cm x 51cm (16in x 20in) Materials ❖ Fat eighth each of four tone-on-tone or batik fabrics shading from dark to light; Leesa used three shades of blue and an off-white fabric (background)❖ 25cm (¼yd) each of four medium green tone-on-tone or batik fabrics (lotus leaves)❖ Fat eighth darker green tone-on-tone print fabric (lotus leaves)❖ Fat quarter each of three pink tone-on-tone print fabrics (petals)❖ Fat quarter of a tone-on-tone or batik fabric to tone with the background fabrics (binding)❖ Fat quarter backing fabric❖ Double-sided fusible foam batting* at least 50cm x 60cm (20in x 22in)❖ Freezer paper❖ Template plastic and permanent-marking pen❖ Fabric-basting glue (optional)❖ Small ziplock bags❖ Spray starch❖ Erasable fabric-marking pen❖ Tweezers or forceps❖ Template plastic❖ Rotary cutter, ruler and mat❖ Sewing machine❖ General sewing…

Vintage Quilts & Friendship By Louise Lott and Lisa Kerr Lisa Kerr and Louise Lott, of Melbourne, Australia, are the designers behind the company Max & Louise Pattern Co. They share a passion for creating, adapting and reproducing antique and traditional quilts. In this book, their first, there are 17 projects featuring the collaborative skills of these two talented ladies. Including items from small 18in-square quilts through to those that are bed-sized, the designs are mostly medallions presenting glorious appliquéd centres and pieced borders. There are also quilts set in straight rows and a few on-point. This book is a marvellous treat of traditional quilt patterns, large and small, that will give you hours of inspiration. Published by Quiltmania Boutis — the nobility of white By Kumiko Nakayama-Geraerts For 20…

Finished size: 216cm x 185.5cm (85in x 73in) Materials ❖ 45cm (½yd) each of 15 print fabrics — this quilt features four shades of green, three shades of yellow, three shades of blue, a grey, an orange, and three shades of hot pink from the Windham Fabrics Foundation range (blocks)❖ 45cm (½yd) solid white fabric (blocks)❖ 45cm (½yd) dark grey print fabric (Border 1)❖ 1.25m (1⅜yd) cream print fabric (Border 2)❖ 60cm (¾yd) black print fabric (binding)❖ 5m (5¼yd) backing fabric❖ Batting at least 235cm x 205cm (93in x 80in)❖ Hand or machine threads to match the print fabrics (Border 2 appliqué)❖ Fusible web❖ Rotary cutter, ruler and mat❖ Sewing machine with ¼in foot❖ General sewing supplies Blocks 1 Decide on the fabrics that you will use for each zigzag…

I’m so excited to be a new columnist for Quilters Companion. I’ve been a fan of this magazine for many years and the thought of being a regular contributor is a dream come true. My aim for this column is to give you regular doses of creative inspiration, to share ideas and inspire you so you can try new things. Or simply to help you discover, or get back, your “sewjo” (sewing mojo). One of the many reasons I love this craft so much is that there is always a new or different technique to try, a skill to perfect. The problem is that inspiration is a funny thing; it can be all-consuming or as rare as hen’s teeth. So how do we find our creative inspiration? What does your…

Kits and block of the month programs are popular choices for quilters for a number of reasons. How many times has a quilt caught your eye and you think “Wow I would love to make that exact same quilt with the same fabrics and colours”? When you buy a kit for a quilt you see you can do just that – make it exactly in the colours and fabrics you see. Kits also take the often difficult job of select fabrics and colours out of the equation. The hard part is done for you so you can just enjoy the sewing. It works the same way with block of the month programs. Shops will offer these programs in either one colourway or they might have several colourways for you to…

Tools Of The Trade Sewing Machine – Any machine can be used for quiltmaking. It is helpful to have a darning foot as an attachment for the machine for free machine quilting. Iron and ironing board – Make these readily available near your sewing machine so that all seams can be pressed to assist in accurate piecing. Needles – Most quilters favour a ‘between’ needle, size 8-12 for both hand-sewing and hand-quilting. Size 12, the smallest size, is usually used by very experienced quilters. Sewing Thread – Use any cotton or cotton-covered polyester thread. For machine quilting, use cotton, cotton-covered polyester, monofilament or decorative threads. Scissors – Have one pair with sharp points for cutting fabric and a second pair for paper. Marking Tools – Quilters use marking tools for…

We celebrate the 300th birthday of the 1718 Silk Coverlet. This coverlet consists of a backing and pieced top only and is one of the earliest-known dated patchworks. It is constructed in the mosaic patchwork tradition of piecing over papers (English paper piecing). The initials E.H and the date 1718 can be found in a central block, however the maker is not known. You can find out more in issue #92, plus where you can see it on special display in August this year! Stand by for more Creative Inspiration from Paula Storm, and don’t forget to write to her to let her know what you would like to see in future issues. Plus you can see some of the winners from the QuiltCon show held in Pasadena, California, earlier…

Dear Michelle, Please pass on my thanks to Jessica Wheelahan for the inspiration received from her quilt pattern Isobel, which appeared in QC#82. I have enclosed images of my finished project. I managed this large project (approximately 220cm square) by quilt-as-you-go method and it worked a treat. First step was to quilt the blocks and the batting together, then once all the quilting was completed and all the rows sewn together, I attached the backing to the quilted top. Pages from the local Brisbane phone directory were used as foundation to complete the blocks. This was a nice project to undertake. Yours faithfully, Jullie O’Toole Hello, I’m always on the lookout for the next Quilters Companion edition. This is truly a great magazine for any avid sewer/quilter. I have just…

Anyone who has met Pam Holland or followed her on social media will have identified her with colour, light and movement. Imagining her studio space evokes that same impression. It was, therefore, with great interest and excitement that I asked Pam to open the doors of her studio and let us in. Despite its current use, Pam’s studio started life 30 years ago as an unremarkable “ordinary shed”, built to be a warehouse and design area when Pam was a fashion designer. “It meant that I could work at home, have a bit of peace from the ever-growing family and have a place where I could work rent-free,” she explains. Pam says it was very rough and that small creatures and the wind would easily gain access. “The floor was…

Are you already up with the latest trend, mug rugs, or Mug Mats? These are small quilts, big enough to take a cup or mug and maybe a small plate. They do not require a lot of time, or fabric, to complete. They make wonderful gifts as they can be customised to the taste of the recipient. June Tailor® has created a wonderful selection of Inspirational Mug Mat pre-printed fabrics with inspirational text designs for quilters, which can be pieced using two different techniques — traditional and quilt-as-you-go. The fun element is the pre-printed approximately 12in x 21in white 100-per-cent cotton fabric with seven different sayings, or statements, printed in black. These Inspirational Mug Mats pre-printed panels come in six themes: Spiritual, Teacher’s Pet, Daily Mews, Dog Days, Quilty Fun…

Concentric bands of patterns in contrasting dark and light colours draw the eye inward. It is an old technique, seen often in architecture, used to sweep attention high up to a ceiling or deep into the centre of the room on a floor. There is also a long tradition of this format in quilts. Seen in early European quilts, the style emigrated to the Americas with British colonists. Ludwell Harrison (1754–1813) was born in Virginia, one of the original 13 colonies that became the United States of America. Her father Benjamin Harrison (1719–1758) was a second cousin to the Benjamin Harrison who signed the Declaration of Independence. Her mother was Susannah Diggs (1719–1770), a member of another prominent land-owning family, part of a much-intermingled society of wealth and privilege. When…

This collection was borne from quilt historian Dr Annette Gero’s documentation of heritage Australian quilts that were made in Australia or brought here by immigrants. When she was compiling the content for her first book, The Fabric of Society, which covered quilts from convict times to 1960, a number of war quilts were discovered. They were made by men involved in the Napoleonic or Crimean wars and brought here by their German or English descendants when they emigrated to Australia. Annette discovered that seven were here in Australia before she started officially collecting them. With her interest piqued, she planned a trip to Europe “to scavenge in museums to find what else was around”. With a Quilters’ Guild of New South Wales scholarship for her research, Annette visited military museums…

The humble hexagon is more than just a six-sided shape: it is currently one of the most popular shapes turning up in quiltmaking and sewing. In fact, it appears in a few quilts in this issue! Hexagons can be made several ways: you can use pre-cut paper shapes, or cut your own, you can use fabric-cutter shapes, specialty rulers and acrylic templates, you can even purchase hexagon fabric pre-cuts. Whichever method you choose, you’re sure to have fun with these gorgeous patterns, all available on Cosy Project. To purchase any of these and hundreds of other patterns from the team at Quilters Companion and Australian Homespun, please visit www.cosyproject.com…

Great quilts The 17th Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival — one of the world’s largest quilt shows — was held in January. Quilts in the main exhibition were judged in six categories: traditional; original designs; ‘wa’ (for works featuring traditional Japanese colours and patterns or Japanese scenes and cultural motifs); framed pieces (which included embroidery); bags; and junior (for quiltmakers under the age of 15). Kashiwagi Hiroshi, a professor at Musashino Art University, headed the panel of six judges, which also included well-known Japanese quiltmaker, Yoko Saito. Among the special exhibitions was a display of Fumiko Nakayama’s reverse appliquéd molas and a celebration of the 150th anniversary of the publication of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, which included a model house featuring rooms and quilts depicting the personalities of…

May 19 Moolap, Vic Geelong Patchwork & Quilters’ Guild Quilt In; Club Italia, 515 Bellarine Hwy, Moolap Vic. The theme is Flying, supporting Barwon Health’s Kids Appeal, raising funds for a new kids’ rehabilitation centre at the McKellar Centre, Geelong. Guest speaker — Chris Serong. Open 10am–4pm. Entry $10. More information: Contact Anna Stevens on 0411 308 145, or email info@geelongpatch.org.au May 19–20 Coromandel Valley, SA Coromandel Valley Quilters, an affiliate of the Quilters’ Guild of SA, biennial Exhibition of Quilts; Coromandel Valley Community Centre, 442B Main Rd, Coromandel Valley SA. Open Sat 10am–5pm and Sun 10am–4pm. Entry $5. More information: Contact Glenda Dandy on 0402 277 434 or email cvq.treasurer1@gmail.com May 25–27 Redcliffe, Qld Henzell St Quilters Biannual Quilt Show; Webb Hall, Redcliffe Showgrounds, Recreation St, Redcliffe Qld. Open…

Most obviously – what do you want the machine to do? If you are planning on basic sewing then an introductory machine may be the best option and these can retail up to about $1000. If you are looking for a machine that does a bit more than the basics but doesn’t have all the bells and whistles, then a middle of the road model may suit your needs and these retail from around $1000-$3000 dollars. If you are a super serious sewer and will use all the functions available on top machines then go for it! You’ll be looking to spend from $5000 to $10,000+. Remember you get what you pay for – cheap sewing machines are nasty sewing machines. Once you know what you are looking for go…

A1 Craft and Quilting Ph: 0438 877 664, email: normabradley@bigpond.com, website: www.craftandquilting.com African Fabrics Australia 6 Silky Oak Court, Suffolk Park NSW 2481. Ph: 0431 284 078, email: africanfabricsaustralia@gmail.com A Little Patch of Country 63 Princes Highway, Trafalgar Vic 3824. Ph: (03) 5633 2311, email: sales@littlepatch.com.au, website: www.littlepatch.com.au Asia Discovery Tours Suite 1302, Level 13, 370 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000. Ph: (02) 9267 7699, fax: (02) 9267 7866, website: www.asiadiscoverytours.com.au Batik-Oetoro (Dyeman P/L) 3/11 Nevin Close, Gateshead NSW 2290. Ph: (02) 4943 8808, email: sales@dyeman.com BeBe Bold Contemporary Japanese Textiles 25 Elton Street, Lismore NSW 2480. Ph: (02) 6621 9188, email: bebebold@bigpond.com, website: www.bebebold.com Bernina Australia Unit 10, 15 Carrington Road, Castle Hill NSW 2154. (PO Box 268, Castle Hill NSW 1765.) Ph: 1800 237 646 or (02) 9899…