Australian influence

I don’t think I have seen many Australian quilts designed by Australian quilters that I didn’t like…alot! My husband and I spent a year in Australia right after we got married 55 (!!) years ago. We shipped a trunk of belongings ahead and in it was a quilt, a “Friendship Circle” quilt (similar to a Dresden Plate) that my Grandmother made, probably in the 1930’s. I don’t know when it was given to me but it seemed to have been always in my room or on my bed or a chair. I don’t recall seeing any quilts or hearing about quilters while we were there (1969-70).

Thanks to the internet the world became a smaller place and I discovered Sarah Fielke and Kathy Doughty and then Wendy Williams with her beautiful wool applique and Jen Kingwell and the list goes on. And oh there is some amazing Australian fabrics out there too!! And books and patterns! Take a look you won’t be disappointed!

“We Three Birds” pattern by Natalie Bird, hand pieced, machine pieced, hand applique, hand embroidered, EPP and hand quilted. I loved making this quilt! Great pattern. I raided my stash for the fabrics, mostly cotton but used Essex Linen for the background of the birds and the background of the hexies..

Detail of “We Three Birds”

Another detail of “We Three Birds”.

“We Are Family” pattern by Susan Smith. Another Aussie quilt that I thoroughly enjoyed making! It is machine pieced, hand appliqued and machine quilted by Nadine Stevens. and again I raided my stash for the fabrics! I would love to make another one! With apologies for the photo, I will replace it soon!

Detail of “We Are Family”

Quilt Backs: Cut From the Same Cloth… Or Not!

It has always been suggested that quilts should have a backing that is one piece of fabric or a backing which has as few seams as possible and the pieces are all cut from the same cloth. I have always struggled with this since I usually just buy a half meter or one meter of fabric so that I have a lot of variety in my stash. As my quilts got larger, using one piece of fabric was a challenge and I really liked the idea of a pieced back. Sometimes I have leftover blocks that I can piece into the back. I usually start with those blocks whether it is one or several and I “build the back” around those blocks. Very much like the way a log cabin block is built (sewn).

Herringbone Blues (back)

I come from strong Scottish “stock”. My paternal Grandparents immigrated to Canada in the early 1900’s. They brought with them their strong Scottish frugality which they passed on to their family and the next generations. I did search on Google for “Scottish traits” and frugal is tops as is miser! So I just can’t rationalize buying several meters of “wide back” fabric which is usually 108” wide and can cost anywhere from $18 to $30+ per meter when I have lots to chose from in my own stash with apologies to my LQS! Plus I find it a lot to handle, to wash and to dry and then to iron it. 

The Birds Their Carols Raise (back)

The Avenue (back)

The Avenue (back, detail)

New England Motel (back)

So I recommend quilters should give it a try. Start small with a wallhanging back, and gradually work your way up to a queen size quilt or whatever size you want. You can also stitch your quilt label in to the back, use a 4”x6” light coloured rectangle and sew it in to the back then using a pigma pen write the name of the quilt, your name, the quilter’s name (if you did not quilt it), place where the was made and any other pertinent information. Sometimes before sewing the label in I write the information on the label, I iron a piece of freezer paper to the back of the label. This gives you a nice firm surface to write on. When you finish writing all the information, peel the freezer paper off then sew it in.

We Three Birds (back)

We Are Family (back)

We Are Family (back, detail)

I picked up my latest quilt from Nadine who quilted it for me. The back is of course pieced. There were several other quilters there, one who had never thought of piecing together a back and she was quite intrigued with it. I know when I finish a top I am anxious to get it quilted either hand quilted by me or machine quilted by someone else. It does take time to sew together a pieced back but I think it is worth it. Sometimes I have a definite idea of what I will do and sometimes I just pick a stack of fabrics and off I go. I often start with a leftover block or two and more often than not it tells me what to add next, how big or how small. The key is to keep everything straight, trim as you go if it needs it and make sure to add enough around the outside edge for the long arm or for a hand quilting frame. Have fun with it!

Virtual Quilting Workshops and Lectures

It has been a busy couple of weeks with both Quilt Canada and the Vermont Quilt Festival presenting their annual events online. They are two of my favourite shows to attend. While Quilt Canada happens in a different location in Canada each year, the Vermont Quilt Festival is held now in Essex Junction near Burlington, Vt. Quilt Canada just had their 40th anniversary and for VQF it was their 45th! I have been to about a few QC’s and once to VQF. I hope to go to both again in person when QC comes back to Halifax in 2023 for the 4th time and to next years VQF.

While both events were very well organized I did miss the usual chatter and excitement that you just can’t find online at a virtual event. I did enjoy the excellent quilt shows and being able to see the quilts over and over again. There are some talented people out there! I was very disappointed that Nova Scotia quilters were not represented at all at QC! Why not? We have amazing quilters here, did they just not enter? We need to work harder at promoting the National Juried Show and encouraging our quilters to enter. My philosophy is that if I am happy with the quilt, enter it, if it gets in that is a bonus, if not it that’s ok! I was delighted that several Canadian quilters had work accepted in the VQF. Special shout out to Mary Elizabeth Kinch who won several ribbons!

I am really going to be better organized for next year and chose a quilt or two to enter our NJS and maybe even the VQF.

Quilt Canada’s event was primarily lectures and demos, no workshops. VQF has had workshops, lectures and demos by their vendors. I have taken two workshops and one lecture. I decided to take a chance and try something new for me. I have been quilting almost 48 years and there is still so much to learn, techniques to try and new quilters to meet. I took a workshop on Improv Piecing from Cindy Grisdela and later today I am taking a workshop with Sujata Shah on Kawandi Siddi quilts. I will post pictures of the results soon, both are small projects. the improv class was all by machine and the Kawandi is all by hand. you can see images of Kawandi quilts here Wish me luck!

in between everything else I did get some sewing done on other projects. I enjoyed the New England Motel Quilt Along hosted by Brimfield Awakening so much I started another one called the “Amish Motel” for now! I now have all the blocks and 3 rows sewn together, the completed top will come soon!

“Street Party” top done! Pattern is by Teresa Jantzi. I will repost these once they are quilted.