Sunday, August 14, 2016

2016 Ekka - Quilts Across Queensland


This is a small selection of the quilts and details that appealed to me. Thank you to all the sponsors & volunteers who make this happen every year.


 'Brisbane Town' made by Andrea Gehrke and professionally quilted by Lisa Warne - Quick Quilts
Based on a design by Jen Kingwell 
Andrea has incorporated favourite Brisbane landmarks like the Story Bridge, Southbank, Fourex Brewery & Brisbane Wheel as well as the colour of Flowering jacarandas
 Jen Kingwell pattern link

This years entries were exhibited in the magnificent old Queensland Museum Building with its high ceilings and wide verandahs. Thank you also for the opportunity to photograph these quilts and share the love with people who couldn't make it to the show. 



Close up of the tiny embroidered
Story Bridge which has linked
Kangaroo Point to Fortitude Valley since 1940



'River Fire' is a large collaborative quilt made by Brisbane Modern Quilt Guild. The Story Bridge also features in this design which makes really clever use of the log cabin block and decorative stitching.






Close up detail of the blue fireworks 











'Baltimore to Brisbane'
A much more traditional style of quilt made collaboratively by Queensland Quilters and professionally quilted by Cathy Davies. The machine quilting really caught my eye because it was flawless and gave this quilt a real heirloom quality.





Close up detail of the quilting





 'Selina Brown'
the quilt below
Made by Christine Cohrs using two of her favourite techniques - needleturn applique and hoop free hand quilting. I adore the fabric choices in this quilt.


Now I want to bring you some of the wonderful details and techniques I found in the quilts. Unfortunately I didn't record the names of all the makers so I am not able to give them recognition.
The following 4 images are all parts of the same quilt.
 These dots were approx 1" diameter and edges were beaded
 These clamshells had tiny 1/4" edges !
 Such intricate folding and beading along the borders was such a delight to see up close.



 This decorative stitching was on a small quilt as was the border stitching below.
All were stitched in black on black but I have lightened up the photo so that you can enjoy the design.















 'Feathers' made by Anne Hunt
This very large quilt is machine pieced using foundation piecing and hand quilted




'Floating Blocks'
made by Julie Harding




 




















'Windows of Winter Sunshine'
Made by Glenda Maddern
Designed so that the vibrant colours cascade rainbow like across the quilt it is heavily embellished with machine quilting.





Close up detail of the machine quilting.

There is so much intricate detail over such a large area!

















'Gypsy Wife'
made by Shirley Chiu

Made with scraps of Japanese fabrics this quilt has much richer colours than in this image.







Last is this fantastic small quilt created by Jane Rundle.
'Tea for Two'
It took out the 'professional small quilt- any technique' 1st prize
Jane used an old tablecloth belonging to her mother-in-law, backed it with pink silk and reinvigorated it with trapunto and fine machine quilting. Jane was inspired by Cindy Nedham.
Until next year's Ekka - happy quilting
Linda

Friday, January 1, 2016

Learn to Sew - Adults & Children

If your New Years Resolution is - 
' to learn to sew'
I can help you.

If you have never used a sewing machine
Just bought or been given a sewing machine. 
Haven't done any sewing since school. 
Need a refresher. This is the class for you. 
 
I will take you through how to use your machine at your own pace.

Together we will cover all the basics like:
  • threading the machine & filling a bobbin
  • what the dials/buttons on the machine do
  • how to change a needle or a presser foot
  • how a machine makes a stitch
  • troubleshooting and more. 
After showing you each process, you will have a turn until you are happy. You will also sew samples to take home so that you have a reference to look back at. 
If you don't have a sewing machine I can teach you the same things on one of our machines. 

Learning to sew clothing for yourself is a long process that can't be achieved in 1 or 2 lessons but there are many smaller items you can make even in your first lesson that will set you on the road to sewing success.