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