CONGRATRATULATIONS Janice!!!

Janice is the prize winner of the Viewers Choice category of our Lyn Ballinger Challenge.
All the Challenge entries were on display at the recent exhibition held by the Fabric Art and Surface Design group, which was by the way an outstanding success.

Visitors to the exhibition were given the opportunity to vote on which entry appealed to them the most.  The results were a landslide in favour  of Janice's Coral, and we can see why, very realistic and imaginative, but a simple design  using bandages to create her coral.

While surfing the net Janice spotted a pic of a coral formation, polyps withdrawn. and it stuck with her.  While playing around with some bandages, inspiration struck and she created version 1 of her entry, why version 1?  well, a certain miss, who shall remain nameless, took a liking to Janice's creation and decided it needed to go home with her.
So version 2 had to be created, and here it is!

The Challenge perpetual trophy of a quilt stand is now Janice's to use for the year, to display some of her beautiful quilts.

Congratulations again Janice.

Reversible Log Cabin Quilts

Marlene has been taking the Thursday night group through a workshop on Reversible Log Cabin Quilts, and although we are hearing that it is painstaking work, with accurate measurements and stitching being ever so important, the results so far are just stunning.

Two different layouts of the blocks give two very different effects.

Thanks so much Debby for the pics, making it possible for us all to share the excitement.


Marlene had a very organised step by step sample board, including an instructional sheet, all set up  for the girls to work from.

A closer view of some of the blocks under construction. 

Libby, hard at work with some of her blocks in progress.

Marlene gives some tips to Ivanka.

Leanne squaring up her blocks while Debby gives encouragement.

Jules concentrating on getting the batting and fabric strips lined up just right and a closer view of her growing blocks.

3 pics of quilts in progress, they are all going to be stunning, looking forward to seeing the finished quilts, and just what layout was chosen, along with the proud creators!

Beryl's Trunk Show - Part 2

Beryl still has her first embroidered doilies she made whilst in high school, and when you turn them over they look as lovely as the front.  Bet she had a strict teacher!  Beryl also shared two place mats that she printed at high school.

4 blocks from a W.I.P., 'Romance of the Rose' a hand appliqued and hand quilted, Q.A.Y.G.

One of Beryls first quilts, a predominately pink sampler made in 1993.

Made with leftovers, (is there such a thing in quilting?) tied and quilted.

 

'Pelicans' , using a photo as inspiration, Beryl created this landscape quilt in a 1999 Class with Judy Turner, it now hangs in Beryl's lounge room.

Once upon a time Beryl thought she didn't like flannel quilts, but she made this one anyway, it is now a favourite! always goes along on holidays with her and her Darling - never a chance of being cold with this lovely soft quilt along.  Hand appliqued flowers, and with a tea dyed backing.

'All Things Wonderful'.  A beginners style quilt, Beryl created this quilt  as an example that a quilt doesn't have to be a complicated design to be lovely, it's all in the colourplay.

A cream and maroon mystery quilt.  A member of the Nowra quilting group souced the design and hosted the Mystery.  This is Beryl's Husbands favourite quilt.

Love this very bright log cabin with black and green H.S.T. centres.  Created in a class with Judy Horvath.

This is a huge quilt. 'Hidden Splendor' was created to showcase Beryl's collection of beautiful Australian print fabrics.  The Map of Australia in the center - with State Boundaries marked - is created using a floral print that contains the state flower for all of our States.  This quilt is soon to be raffled for a charity.

'Dollies' is a novel round robin quilt.  Done entirely by Beryl, as did each other Nowra group member who took part in this novel project.  Following the usual round robin rules.

A very masculine quilt, 'John Deer', made for her Darling, an ex farmer and machinery enthusiast.

Elaine's Trunk Show - Part 2

It is sometimes difficult making decisions on just which wonderful goodies to feature in a Trunk Show, and that is certainly the case with Elaine's treasures.  Not only the volume of work but the variety.  To show as much as possible there are a number of collages, to get a larger view just pop your cursor on the pic and left click, a larger version of the photo will pop up for easier viewing and more detail.
In this collage the top two pics are of full size tablecloths worked in hardanger by Elaine, the cute tablecloth with the embroidered daffodils was done by Elaine's Mum many years ago, then there is a hardanger table runner and another smaller tablecloth, also worked in hardanger.  Now in one of those beautiful works there is a line missing.......kid you not!!, Elaine spotted it when we were taking the pics.......I thought she was pulling my leg, but eventually she made me see it, miniscule it is too!!

Elaine used 'Glenshee' Linen for her works which she thought had ceased to be, but looking for a little info, found that it is still alive and kicking, although the prices have increased somewhat.

Elaine enrolled in a class to do a Medallion quilt with Sonia Solly, a local tutor, knowing that she had to have a center piece, Elaine chose the little Pharoah tile but soon found the center had to be extended, with some help from Sonia this stunning  medallion quilt was created.

The hexagon quilt was started while Elaine was on a holiday, hand stitched and longarm quilted by Fiona from the Quilting Fairy.

Elaine also has many folk art paintings adorning the walls in her home, all having been exhibited and many winning prizes, there is also a lovely clock as well as a pair of cross stitched framed roses (bottom right pic)

These landscapes have quite a story, the bush hut was a raffle done by her tutor, and won by Elaine, she then went on to complete the 2 river scenes, both are in Shoalhaven N.S.W.

This lovely work is Elaine's favourite.

Elaine is busily working on 3 other quilts for family members, just awaiting borders and quilting.
A vibrant 'Golf' quilt,

A sailing themed quilt, for a sailor in the family.

And this navy and white quilt to be.

and the final pic - some more of Elaine's Folk Art creations, including just a few from her Christmas themed collection.

It was a real privilege to be a guest of Elaine and her Darling in their home and to view all the wonderful creations of this very talented lady.  Thank you Elaine. -A

A Caterpillar that grew, A Jacket and Getting the Maths right

A visit from Pauline Rogers last week solved a rather pressing problem for Wendy.  The much loved caterpillar quilt made for her Grandson's first birthday was just too small for his big boy bed, The request had been in for a bit to extend the quilt and using Pauline's idea, this is the result.

No longer a cot quilt but a single bed quilt!
Wendy added borders of lime green and a print fabric from the very hungry caterpillar line, she joined the new borders to the quilt using a bright purple sashing.

 Wendy didn't have enough of the backing fabric for the extensions, so simply used a different fabric which created a border effect on the back of the quilt.

Gwen was proudly showing a wonderful creation made for her some years ago by a dear friend and recently re-fitted by another dear friend.  A wonderful warm Jacket of wearable art.

There is an amazing variety of quilting and stitching on every part of Gwen's Jacket, lots of pintucking, some with beading, some with tinsy prairie points peaking from under a pleat.

Double needle stitching using different threads created other points of interest, such as the cross hatching panel running down the the back of the Jacket as well as part of the sleeves.
A closer view of some of the wonderful work on this stunning Jacket.

Lyn, along with her Sister-In-Law, was recently invited back to Norfolk Island by the Principal of the Norfolk Island Central School ( coincidentally - her Brother-In-Law ) to help out with a great idea for a school project.  It had been decided to have the textile class girls design and create a quilt each.  Lyn and her Sister-In-Law were to help with the calculations and quilting expertise.
The result is 5 stunning quilts.

These pics and others of some very proud and smiling lasses wrapped in their creations arrived last week and Lyn very kindly bought them along to share. 

A Special quilt and a Show Winner

Sheila recently bought her latest creation in to share with us.  It was packaged up the next day in Birthday Wrapping for someone special, one of her lucky Granddaughters!

The center panel is a piece of Nottingham Lace that Sheila has been treasuring for quite a few years, surrounded by memory blocks, such as the T's for an initial and hearts for love of course, all surrounded by a very unusual pieced border that Sheila designed.

It's always a thrill when one of the group gains outside acknowledgment with a win at a show, be it Agricultural or Quilt.  Congratulations to Janice for her win at the Nambour Show with her 'Musical Quilt'
Janice has made several Musical Themed quilts and they are always a popular seller at our Fairs, each one different but all with that musical theme.

Our group recently had a visit from Pauline Rogers, also known as 'The Gadget Queen'.

Marie, who organised the visit also took pics and did a report for us.  Thank you Marie - I was sorry to have missed the show but school hols always chuck a bit of a curve into one's plans.

Pauline explains many ways to use Bias on quilts.

On this example Pauline has used a striped fabric to create bias.

And on this example she has created a most unusual floral design.

A quilt made using bias and many different techniques of using fabric.  The quilt was put together with a variation of quilt as you go which Pauline demonstrated.

Two different effects on the Butterfly wings.

More methods of construction to create the flowers, some are created by different folds and others using a folded suffolk puff.  The Butterfly's pink wings were created by uniform tucking then folding the tucks back on themselves and stitching in place.

The backing is done using different fabrics pieced together.

Here Pauline shows how to use the mesh transfer canvas and Karisma glue pen and pencils to transfer your designs then glue them in place with Roxanne glue.

Demonstrating how to use the Binding Tool to make finishing off your binding easy with no hassells.

Pauline demonstrated her version of how to do quilt as you go, using the bias makers.

And lastly, Pauline demonstrated how she folds and pins her fabric before cutting.

Everyone had a most enjoyable time, lots of stories told about a fun day with lots of damage done to the plastic and some gals even finding exotic ways of 'hiding the purchase'....don't we all just love to do that!