Friendship Quilts and the story behind 'Everlasting Friendship'

A very special meeting for us this week bringing together some of the ladies who created the blocks used in our raffle quilt 'Everlasting Friendship' from the friendship quilt swap way back in....well, a few years ago shall we say.

As is often the case with Friendship quilts, indeed with many quilts - after all, where would we be without our collective collections of UFO's?- Beryl never managed to form her needle turn applique blocks into a quilt, preferring instead to keep them in a safe place, perhaps taking them out from time to time to pet, pat and admire, until current times when downsizing meant finding a new home for her blocks, which is how our group managed to have the blocks given to us.
Unfortunately Beryl wasn't able to join us today, so her Darling, Allan came along as her representative.

Standing in front of both raffle quilts, some of the original swap group, from left to right, is Fae, Jan, Dorothy, Rose, Jill, Allan and Joyce.
There were a few missing faces, times change and folks move on and up but there were many happy stories so that those missing were rememberd and 'introduced' to those of us who had not met them.

We were treated to some lovely Show and Tell from our Guests, Jan showed off her love of Crazy Patch along with some other patchwork pieces.

Kangaroo wallhanging with the curved piecing showcasing the colours of Australia, the red center, dusty deserts, greens of the bush, purples of mountain ranges, not forgetting the vibrant blues of both sky and seas with of course the sporting Kangaroo.
More examples of Jan's work, the wonderful fabric flowers that she is renowned for creating, a lovely appliqe linnen tunic top, a reverse applique wallhanging of snowflake designs and a W.I.P. of the cutest lady Giraffe, Jan has used tiny black buttons running down her neck to depict the mane.

Another WIP from a workshop Jan did, the leaf is about to be framed.  More of Jan's flowers adorning a Crazy Patch cushion and a Christmas stocking worked with beautifl Crazy Patch using lots of lace and flowers.

Jill bought along her Crazy Patch teddy with the crinkled nose and told us the story of entering her lovely bear in a show only to have the judges write back that although they loved the work, they weren't impressed with the wrinkly nose....a nose Jill had gone to quite some effort to achieve!

Rose had her journal of the first ever quilt assembled by Cottage members in 1986, before there was a patchwork group.  The quilt was raffled and won by a Brisbane male nurse, Andrew Tucker.  Andrew was from a local family and the quilt was in the family home here in Buderim until recently and is still in the families posession. 
The quilt was named the 'Buderim Cottage Quilt No. 1'.  Not only because it was made by Cottage members but also because of the local cottages and historical buildings Rose used for design  inspiration of the appliqued cottages in the quilt.
Pages from Rose's Journal, thats Rose on the left admiring the finished quilt.

Another pic of the finished quilt taken from Rose's Journal.

The day started off with the Girls who are working on June's 'Pinwheel' workshop discussing various setting out designs and quilt sizes.....
Marguerite has decided to stick with the current size of her flimsey, setting the whole on point with some lovely vibrant green fabric.

Christine is also trying out the on point setting idea, using fabric from some of the pinwheels for continuity

As you can see, all those in the discussion think it's looking pretty swish.

Marcia was also getting advice on her pinwheels, she has opted to make a larger size, using more colours.  Gee, doesn't the fabric stick well to the back of the vinyl tablecloth? By the by, that tablecloth is from Marcia and her Darlings caravan, and the pinwheels I hear are to make a replacement tablecloth for the van...how special will that be!.

Heather and Catti have their pinwheels a little further on, sandwiched and ready to be quilted.

Spotted Wendy having a little sticky at the back of Catti's quilt.....what could it be? a great label?

Yep!, Catti used her printer to print out the words and then embroidered over the printing, adding a little posy of suffolk puffs...
which brings us to the front of the quilt...Catti is flying home this year and wanted a boquet for her Daughter.  She has created this special Topiary wall hanging to be delivered in person.

Using suffolk puffs on the Topiary and in the vine border, with lots of lovely needleturn leaves topped off by bluebirds.  Catti crosshatched the center of the quilt but had her first ever go at stippling in the border.

A couple of years ago Lyn was lucky enough to be holidaying in Sweden, where she saw, and of course bought, a length of fabric with a printed design of Swedish Horses.  Lyn had the idea of making a tablecloth......Well, Lyn wasn't that fussed on just running a hem around the fabric and calling it quits, over the past two years she has used the Broderie Perse method to applique the Swedish Horses to a length of fabric, and using more horses has created a table runner for the center of the table.

The pic is a little misleading, the cloth is folded in half and just the end is in the pic, it is rather a large cloth, and you see why it took 2 years to complete!
Lyn has decided that all the Grandies are getting pillows for their birthday this year - yes they all have quilts- so cushions to follow.  Using a pattern from Kelli Wolfshon Lyn has created the first cushion for her 2year old Grandaughter's birthday.

Betty spotted an appealing quilt design in a magazine piccie, and decided to re-create the same design, using these vibrant fabrics, well she tells us this is the 3rd effort at getting the design right.  Sometimes the simple looking designs just aren't.

Betty went for a simpler design to create this apricot Quilt of Love, and Andrea used one of the Machine Embroidered pannels unearthed by Sheila last week to make the blue quilt.

While Inge stitched and created these two purple and lemon Q.O.L's with the cutest little baby Dragon motifs.
Afternoon tea was a special affair in honour of the occasion, lots of yummy food, sweet and savoury.

Blankets of Love and Library Bags

Everyone is a busy as a bee at the moment, lots of lovely quilts being made for our up-coming TREE-mendous quilt show, workshops and a bit of a rush on making Library bags for some of the kiddies from the Ipswich area who were badly affected by the Queensland Floods as well as some very pretty Blankets of Love for one of our local hospitals.

June's Pinwheel workshop started this week.  June was busily explaining the finer points of creating this wonderfully bright tessellated quilt, lots of cutting was needed with Catti,  Heather and Christine, hard at it, while Val sat by the window doing a little needlework while watching the class unfold - can't show what Val is working on....it's one of those Secret Squirrel things!

Val donated 2 blankets of Love, 1 patch in pastels, very pretty.  Got some help from Janice to display them for us.

Janice's Blanket of Love is a lovely soft blue 9 patch, sashed and bordered with the same fabric as the 9-patch center.

Betty sent along this pretty pink for the Blankets of Love project,

Maree created this lovely Dresden Plate quilt using a Jelly Roll.  Maree set the plate blocks on point and used a black sashing to set them off, quilting a Dresden Plate design in the central block.  Maree then used her Machine Embroidery skills to applique a smaller Plate in each of the border triangles, using the colours from the Jelly Roll on a black background

Yep, you're right, got distracted and didn't get a pic of the quilt hanging........hope you can see enough in the preceding pics and the collage above 'cause as you can see it's a beauty!

There has been a start on the Library Bags for the Ipswich kiddies, Denise very kindly held these up for us to see, and the red bag?? no he wasn't wagging school.

 Andrea cut the fabric to make a bag, but on a weekend sleepover, the Grandie decided he would like to make a bag to help out.  He choose the design, choose the fabrics and did all the stitching.  All on his own!
Am I proud?, you bet your little button up booties I am!

Marcia bought along this pretty pastel quilt with a 9-patch design using Machine Embroidered feature blocks, she made it as an 80th Birthday gift for a dear friend.  Lucky friend!

Like all groups, we get donations of leftover fabrics and semi-finished projects.  Sheila found these Machine Embroidered pieces in the box.  Just the ant's pants for some Blankets of Love.

Crazy Patchwork Expo

Popped along to the Crazy Patchwork Expo that was held at the Patchwork Angel last Friday and Saturday.
Wow! talk about a sensory overload!, the workroom was chock-a-block full of wonderful beautiful pretties to drool over.  Here are just a few pics of the lovely work taught by Jenny and created by her students.

There were many, many more wonderful pieces on display, and I am sorry that this is all I am able to post at the moment, if your lovely has not been included, I apologise, I will work away at posting all of the pics over the next few weeks.
Entry to the expo was by gold coin donation, the proceeds to be donated to the Cancer fund for Breast Cancer research.

Green Fairy Quilts....sometimes words just aren't enough...

 ...what to say???......I just stumbled upon this Blog.  A self taught long-arm quilter of extraordinary talents who has just spent 70 hours quilting a Dear Jane quilt,  the quilter has used Kaffe Fassett's  fabric, and the Green Fairy has used a different quilting design for each block.
And you know what....Green Fairy is happy for you to use her pics for a peek!!! what a lovely sharing lady.
So pop over here for more loveliness.....
but really, can you tear yourself away from this quilting???

Please...go visit, go read.  Astounding.   Oh and the Green Fairy has some rather interesting Tutorials as well, Enjoy!

A blast from the past and Julies tinsy hexies

 If you are one of the early birds to read today's blog, there has been a whopper of a mistake.....Pop down to the bottom to read about Wendy's Library Bags...........not only has there been help making those wonderful bags but more help is needed.  And to the wonderful Machine Embroiders Group who made the bags........so, so sorry for my mistake.

Noticed Marcia and Meg in a huddle over one of the magazines Marcia had bought in to share around, Meg flipped it around to show.........It was an article in Down Under Quilts on the 1988 Caloundra Quilt Show, and there, in pride of place, was a pic of Meg's quilt!

Inspired by a quilt designed by Barbara  (?? gosh...how embarrasement...I have misplaced the ladies name.  I will add it as soon as I find it again- sorry.) and based on a log cabin block, it was a very heavy quilt.  When Meg dropped it off to be hung she mentioned to the co-ordinators that it was heavy........little did they realise just how heavy.  It just about bought down the house....literally.  I bet there is someone out there who can fill in that story!
Meg no longer has the quilt........it is one of the many that she has given away.
The pic was taken by B.A. Moore

We were all very interested to see Julie arrive today, clutched under her arm was a 'square' surrounded by bubble wrap.  Yep!, it is her finished wall hanging.  Some of you may remember pics in the past of the tinsy little hexies that Julie has been working on, all to create this wonderful piece. It has been stretched over a frame ready to hang in what is becoming quite a modern trend on quilted wall hangings.

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Some closer views of the 'vine and pot'

Heather bought along her current flimsey, borders are the next step for this vibrant kiddies quilt, though Heather spent today knitting tinsy things, yep, good guess, Heather has a new grandie in her near future.

Sue was back with us today, lots of excitement in her world with goodies arriving and being unpacked, it's amazing what you find..........and just how long ago did you start these place mats Sue????

 Sue also bought along her recently completed 'stars and clouds' quilt in blues and white with splashes of yellow, to share with us.

Janice was presenting a workshop on wrist pincushions, Marcia was particularly taken by the cardboard barrier to prevent pins sliding through into the wrist.........didn't stop someone (who will remain nameless) from grabbing the cushion for a better look and sticking themselves on the needle though!

Catti came prepared - and with a brilliant idea - pop a curly girl (or a stainless steel scourer if you don't come from my neck of the woods) into the center of the wadding.  Keeps the pins sharp!!

Sheila had a go at the disappearing 9-patch when it was all the go in our group, and wound up with this little orphan, she teamed it with a pretty floral border and backing and...viola, a pretty cushion for your sewing room.

Caught Jan doing some extremely scientific and accurate measuring, not just once but twice, and then she was off, more crocheting to be done.

More needlework in the 'creating' phase, Marguerite left this pretty block lying on the table, just had to bring you a pic of it and Christine is back-stitching around the design on a sweet quilt panel.

Wendy has been busy making Library bags for some school children, with their names embroidered to boot.  Wow! Lucky kiddies.
My humble apologies to the lovely Ladies from the Machine Embroidery Group for the inaccurcies of the Library bag story.  
The Machine Embroidery Group was asked to make Library bags for 30 children, names were supplied and as you can see, the Ladies got out their machines and promptly created these lovely bags.  

As we all know, Ipswich was one of the many badly flood affected areas, and these bags are off to one of the schools in the area.  There is now a request for another 60 bags for another 2 schools, no names this time, so Wendy bought some of the finished bags along to Show and ask the Patchwork group if they would also be willing to create some bags as there is a rather small time window to have them completed by.  

The bags will need to be handed in to Wendy by Wednesday 30th. March, just 2 weeks away!!

Each Library bag needs to measure 16" x 18" with a double pull cord closure.  They don't have to be lined and any strong fabric is fine, including the rubber backed curtain fabric as some bags could then be used for 'wet bags' for swimming activities.  Wendy has also suggested that you could use any orphan patchwork or applique blocks to decorate the front of the bags.  

Hopefully we can all pull together and present a pile of lovely baggies to Wendy for these little kiddies who have lost so much.

Betty's Lovely Quilt

Kayly wondered if there was a chance of more pics of Betty's quilt, well Kayly here they are.  Betty very kindly popped the quilt over a bed for me to get a few more shots.
Hope you enjoy them.
The center medallion is based on a pattern in the quilt book 'Birds of a Feather' by Barb Adams and Alma Allen.

The quilt spread over a bed, showing the lovely deep borders and block layout.

A closer view of some of Betty's Kaleidoscope blocks.

Betty did mention yesterday that she is considering putting the quilt up for sale, so if anyone is in the market, leave a comment or shoot off an e-mail and we will put you in contact. (e-mail address is in the sidebar)