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A U S T R A L I A ’ S F I R S T PAT C H W O R K M A G A Z I N E
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Gorgeous festive designs FOR YOU
Issue 160, 2013 AUS $10.95, NZ $13.95
Star bright!
Creative Christmas projects DUQ160Cover v2.indd 1
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Welcome
Down Under
Issue 160 – 2013 editorial Editor: Linda Robertus linda.robertus@practicalpublishing.com.au Technical Editor: Kate Oszko Designer: Lynn Horsepool Photography: Colin Bushell www.colinbushell.com Advertising: Jann Wilson jann.wilson@practicalpublishing.com.au Tel: 07 3855 3281 SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscription Manager: Linzi Wilkinson linzi.wilkinson@practicalpublishing.com.au Online: www.practicalpublishing.com.au Tel: 07 3160 9940 PUBLISHING Managing Editor: Debra Hudson debra.hudson@practicalpublishing.com.au Associate Publisher: Gavin Burrell gavin.burrell@practicalpublishing.com.au Finance Manager: Linda Constable linda.constable@practicalpublishing.com.au Group Publishing Director: Rob Wilkinson rob.wilkinson@practicalpublishing.com.au Head Office Australia Practical Publishing International Pty Ltd GPO Box 1457, Brisbane, Qld Australia 4001 Tel: 07 3855 3281 www.practicalpublishing.com.au European Office Practical Publishing International Ltd St Christopher House, Stockport Cheshire England SK2 6NG Tel: +44 (0) 844 561 1202 www.practicalpublishing.co.uk
Meet Linda Linda Robertus was born in the Netherlands and moved to Australia in 2007. She made her first quilt in 2006, when she was expecting her third son. Her background is in medicine and she worked as a researcher in Brisbane for five years before deciding to write about quilts instead of diseases. She is an avid reader, a keen amateur photographer and she loves to watch her sons’ acting performances and gymnastics competitions.
… to our Christmas issue! This is the perfect time to start your Christmas projects, for your own home or as gifts for your loved ones. We have a lovely wall hanging designed by Kirsty Cleverly and a very festive table runner with matching placemats from Leesa Chandler. If that is not enough, Vick Guthrie has searched the World Wide Web and found all the Christmas patterns, fabrics and notions you could wish for. But there is more. Jane Rae tells the fascinating story of Mrs Billings’ Coverlet, a remarkable 200-year old quilt that was discovered in the UK in the 1990s – and its surprising revival in Australia in recent years. We share impressions from the famous French show Pour l’Amour du Fil and prizewinning quilts from Quilt West. However, the article closest to my heart in this issue is the one about House Quilts. I just love houses on quilts, don’t you? We feature some gorgeous examples made by our talented readers, like the one below made by Mathea Daunheimer. So make yourself a cuppa, put on the Christmas Classics CD and enjoy!
Linda Linda Robertus Editor
Distribution Australia: Gordon & Gotch Tel: 02 9972 8800 New Zealand: Gordon & Gotch Tel: +64 (0) 9979 3000 England: Comag Tel: +44 (0) 1895 433600 South Africa: Magscene Pty Ltd Tel: 27 11 805 502 Email: tarrynf@magscene.co.za Published by Practical Publishing International Pty Ltd. The style and mark of Down Under Quilts is used under license from Newlife Media Group Pty Ltd. See copyright and trademark notices on page 98. ISSN: 1033-4513. For overseas distribution enquiries please contact Andrew Randall Eight Point Distribution – Australia Andrew@eightpointdistribution.com.au Telephone: + 61 (0)2 9960 5710
Mathea Daunheimer, A View from Above
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Quilts Q Down Under
A U S T R A L I A ’ S F I R S T PAT C H W O R K M A G A Z I N E
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Projects 40 Bohemian Star Quilt Anorina Morris used a Layer Cake to make the centre of the star in this stunning quilt. 42 Christmas Tree Wall Hanging This sweet and stylish wall hanging by Kirsty Cleverly will be sure to bring the spirit of Christmas to your home. 44 Festive Fun Deck the table with this festive table runner and
matching placemats, designed by Leesa Chandler, for a truly jolly Christmas! 46 Tea House Cosies These quirky tea cosies make great Christmas gifts! Linda Robertus shows how to quickly whip them up. 48 Orange, Lemonade and Liquorice Quilt The orange flowers on Jenny Tate’s striking black and white quilt give it that undeniable zing.
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6 Snippets & Scraps 23 Meet a Blogger 26 Show & Tell 38 Blog Roll 50 Diary Dates 60 Computer Quilting 68 On the Bookshelf 81 Project Instructions 98 Next issue
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12 On the House Houses and quilts are a great combination! We show you some gorgeous house quilts made by our readers. 20 Global Thread Sue Dennis finds out the differences between quilt shows in France and in Australia. 28 The Mystery and the Magic of Mrs Billings’ Coverlet Jane Rae traces the history of a remarkable quilt.
Plus we show you some stunning modern examples of Mrs Billings’ Coverlet. 54 Getting ready for Christmas Vick Guthrie has rounded up everything you need to get started on this year’s Christmas projects: patterns, fabrics and notions, plus some great ideas for presents for fellow quilters!
Exhibitions 33 Modern Mrs Billings’ Quilts 62 Pour l’ Amour du Fil 72 Quilt West
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SNIPPETS
&SCRAPS
s t a e r T y a d i l o H These are our picks of the best quilty news and happenings, both here and abroad.
Will these yummy fabrics from Timeless Treasures find their way into your Christmas projects? They look good enough to eat!
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Quilts: In the News
Smartphone Apps for Quilters As we all know, quilters are not afraid to embrace new technologies. And so there are now quite a few quilting apps to install on your smartphone or iPad. - Quilting Calc (Robert Kaufman Fabrics) This app includes eight quiltrelated calculators: a fabric measurement converter, backing and batting calculator, a piece count calculator, border and binding calculators and more. (free) - Quick & Easy Quilt Block Tool (C&T Publishing) With more than 100 traditional quilt blocks, it allows quilters to quickly calculate fabric yardage on-the-go. The guide features rotary-cutting directions and over 500
options for making blocks, plus bonus reference tables. (US$3.99) - Quilts 1700-2010 (Victoria and Albert Museum) This app takes you on a journey through three centuries of quilt making in Britain. It presents 22 works from the much-loved Quilts 17002010 exhibition that was on display at the V&A in 2010 and part of which was exhibited in Brisbane in 2013 as Quilts 1700-1945. (£1.99, available for iPhone/iPad only) - Quilt Index To Go (Michigan State University – MATRIX) This app brings you a quilt a day from the Quilt Index (www.quiltindex. org) and lets you scroll through more than 50,000
quilt records with detailed information such as quilt pattern names, quiltmaker names, dates and/or date ranges. (US$0.99) - Quilt Shops (Quilters Club of America and Fons & Porters Love of Quilting) If you are going to travel in the
US, this app will help you to find locations and contact information for more than 2,500 quilt shops across the States. (free) Download these apps through the Google App Store (android) or the iTunes App Store.
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Liberty launch
We are very excited to hear that Liberty Lifestyle is launching a third collection of crafting cottons at the Quilt Market in Houston in October! We will feature these gorgeous new designs in our next issue. In the meantime, we’ve been swooning over these stunning makes by some of the guest bloggers on the Liberty Craft
Kerry Green’s sweet patchwork bag.
MANifestations Is there a man in your life who makes quilts? Do tell him about the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum’s Twelfth Biennial Exhibit of quilts made by men. The online entry period is 1-31 October 2013. Quilt must be made by a man or men. Quilting only may have been done by a woman. For more information go to www.rmqmentry.org.
Blog. They have used prints from both collections which were launched last year. The first collection named Bloomsbury Gardens was inspired by the fashionable London district, home to beautiful garden squares, historic architecture, the British Museum, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and the University of London. The designs reflect this rich diversity, with sweet florals, paisleys and geometrics. The Stile collection is influenced by the Art Nouveau movement and the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The collection was named Stile as Liberty was so well known for its association with Art Nouveau that in Italy the movement was known as ‘Stile Liberty’. The Liberty Lifestyle fabrics were designed with the crafter in mind – they are ideal for patchwork and sewing projects. Both stunning collections were designed in house with the extensive Liberty archives being used as a source of inspiration. If you have featured the Liberty Lifestyle range in any of your projects, please send us some photographs and we could share them in our Show & Tell section. For more inspiration, check out the Liberty website: www.liberty.co.uk
Sami Teasdale made these badges from Liberty tana lawn and Lifestyle fabric.
Cécile Frimat crafted a hot air balloon mobile with Stile collection prints.
Anna Joyce’s appliqué cushion.
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Quilts: In the News
The Cutting Edge
2014 AQC Challenge There’s a new toy on the market for quilters! Die-cutting machines, like this Big Shot Pro from Sizzix, cut many fabrics – everything from batik and cotton to batting and denim. Depending on thickness of fabric and intricacy of shape, several layers can be cut at once and wastage is minimal by
aligning the fabric to the blade’s edge. Dies are available in many shapes, such as squares, triangles and hexagons, but also Dresden Plates, Orange Peels and Clamshells. For more information go to www.sizzix.com.
Precut Patchwork Party We have a copy of Precut Patchwork Party by Elaine Schmidt to give away! If you would like to win it, send an email or letter and tell us what your all-time favourite quilting book is. To read more about this book, go to our review on page 69. Email linda.robertus@ practicalpublishing.com or write to Linda Robertus, Practical Publishing, GPO Box 1457 Brisbane QLD 4001
WIN a copy!
The 2014 AQC Challenge theme has been announced so get those creative juices flowing and start thinking about your quilt entry now! The theme for 2014 is ‘Ten‘. Quilts must be 125cm square and show interpretation of the theme. There is one category only. Entry is open to all. Entries can either be based on a traditional or contemporary design that reflects and interprets the theme ‘Ten’. The entry must have been completed between May 2013 and the deadline, 21 March 2014. This will be the sixth annual AQC Challenge and past themes have inspired some interesting work. Over the past five years the themes were: 2009: Fantasy 2010: Remember 2011: Seven Deadly Sins 2012: What the World Needs Now 2013: Free For more information and to see the winning quilts from the past five years, go to www.intocraft.com.au/2013/06/ calling-all-quilters.
After the overwhelming success of the first exhibition she curated; Beneath the Southern Sky, Brenda Gael Smith is inviting entries for her second travelling textile exhibition, Living Colour. Works need to be in a 100cm x 40cm (height x width) vertical format and up to 30 works may be selected. For more information and to submit an entry, please visit www.livingcolourtextiles.com. No entry fee is payable unless your work is selected. The closing date for entries is 31 January 2014. International entries are welcome. The exhibition will premier at the Australasian Quilt Convention in April 2014. Other venues are under investigation.
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On the house
Text by Linda Robertus
TRADITIONAL OR MODERN, THEIR OWN OR ONE THEY SAW ON A TRIP OVERSEAS, QUILTERS LOVE TO PUT A HOUSE ON A QUILT. WE SHOW YOU SOME STUNNING HOUSE QUILTS.
Houses have long been a favourite object to represent in quilts. The most famous example is of course the schoolhouse block. It appeared rather late in the nineteenth century (c. 1880 – 1890), and was known by a variety of names, including Old Kentucky Home, Old Folks at Home, and Lincoln’s Log Cabin. Journalist, quilt collector and author Ruth Finley gave it the now familiar name, Little Red Schoolhouse, in 1929.
Trinity Quilters, Centenary Quilt, approx. 200cm x 200 cm Photographed by Nicola Smith.
For the centenary of the Trinity Grammar School in 2013, the Trinity Quilters (who are made up of current mothers, grandmothers, past mothers and friends of Trinity boys) decided to make a quilt. After much discussion they decided that the old schoolhouse pattern would be the most appropriate, as the school started in 1913 in the church hall at Holy Trinity, Dulwich Hill. Susie Cujes of the Trinity Quilters says, “All the boys from Preparatory School to year 12 belong to one of 16 houses, so we embroidered names of the houses on the green roofs. The large centre schoolhouse was embroidered with the school crest. We all worked on the houses by foundation piecing, which is the most accurate and ensured that each house was exactly the same size. The triangle border represents the school crest and of course we sourced the trinity green, so that it could be made in the school colours.” After 18 months of dedicated work the Centenary Quilt was finished. It was auctioned and raised more than $4000 for the centenary project. Sharon Barnes recently purchased a beautiful quilt from the United States. It is a signature album quilt and it was made in 1937 in the little town of Malaga, in the state of Washington. The four indigo house blocks are a contrast to the signed blocks made in 1930s fabrics. Each house block is slightly different to the rest; the east house has an extra bar on the window and the west house ran out of fabric before the chimneys were added. Sharon made a big effort to find out who made the quilt, and why. She says, “Researching a signature quilt is like doing family history when you have been given all the names but none of the relationships. I found each of
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Quilts: In Focus
Signature Album Quilt made by 25 women in Malaga, Washington, USA, 1937, 167cm x 144cm
the twenty-five women on the quilt through Ancestry.com. The name in the centre is Lena Wallace, aged 47, and I looked for a reason behind the quilt making. The women were aged between 25 and 65, a few were in the work force but the majority were keeping house. I could not find an event or occasion for Lena to celebrate with her friends. What
I did find was a clue in the 1940s census. Lena’s parents were born in Germany and the language spoken at Lena’s childhood home was German. I’d like to think that her friends were saying, ‘No matter what is happening in Europe and the rest of the world, we are your friends and neighbours and your home is here with us’.”
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Above, Sharon Barnes, Honeymoon Cottage, 32cm x 40cm Right, Unknown, Honeymoon Cottage, 1930s, USA, 43.5cm x 42cm
Sharon saw another house quilt block on eBay and liked it so much that she decided to make a copy. She discovered that the pattern was called Honeymoon Cottage, published in the 1930s by Ruby McKim. McKim was a
Janna Renner, Quilted Village, 60 x 60 cm. Photographed by Janna Renner.
quilt designer who started at the Kansas City Star, but left to set up her own publishing business, printing craft patterns with an Art Deco influence. After Sharon finished her mini quilt she found an original block on eBay and it followed her home. “The maker of this block would have chosen her pattern because it was fresh and modern, ‘retro’ didn’t exist in 1930”, laughs Sharon. Janna Renner made a house quilt as a retirement present for a friend who collects wooden block houses. She says, “The design is by Janet Miller and it called for ribbon embroidery and thread embroidery, but I changed some of that by putting beads on the trees and adding some machine embroidered birds. There were options of paper piecing, which I did, or appliqué, which I don’t do. It was machine quilted by Verna’s Custom Machine Quilting.” Ann Holden made a house quilt in 2012, as a Christmas present for her three-year-old grandson Rhys. She used Sue Garman’s All Around the Town pattern, but added some of her own ideas. “Rhys loves Buzzy Bee, a New Zealand icon, and Thomas the Tank Engine, so I included both. I am a carriage driver, so a horse and cart (from a Beatrix Potter fabric) had to go in as well. We had two weeks of solid rain, during which I did most of the appliqué by machine, and I hand quilted it during the London Olympics. It was a real fun quilt to make, and now I have to sew something of similar standard for my granddaughter.”
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Quilts: In Focus
Ann Holden, All Around the Town, 150cm x 150cm. Photographed by Lata Photography.
Rosemary McCall is interested in photography and landscapes, with an added passion for old houses. She loves the fantastic array of colours that can be seen in the suburbs of Brisbane during the months of September to November, when many varieties of brightly coloured trees and shrubs are at their best. Her quilt Queensland October was inspired by a shot taken in Highgate Hill in Brisbane. She says, “In a bid to combine pieced work with foliage, rather than using appliqué techniques many pieces are cut and sewn on point. Then I had to do just a little maths to get all the shapes to fit together! While I have an ever growing stash of cotton and silk quilting fabrics in colours and patterns of nature, I have used free motion machine stitching to add some shadows, and perspective.” Rens Broos participated in a block swap in 2005. Each of the eight participants from five
Rosemary McCall, Queensland October, 58 x 78 cm
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Rens Broos, European House Swap Quilt, 126cm x 114cm
Candy Walker, Front Door, 50cm x 49cm
different countries (Australia, Italy, Germany, France and the Netherlands) had to make a 30 x 30 cm or 20 x 40 cm block representing the house they lived in, using whatever technique they wanted. Rens made a quilt with the eight house blocks and added an appliquéd map block, which shows the five countries. Candy Walker made her quilt Front Door as a challenge quilt. The theme of the challenge was “This is Where I Live”, but the event where the quilts were to be shown was cancelled. She then entered the quilt in her Guild exhibition, thinking it would otherwise get too old and faded to ever be seen. Candy says, “Due to the ‘no touching’ rules at the show, the apparatus to open the door was hidden. A bit disappointing, as I like to make people smile.” In 1992 Ali George did a workshop with Ruth Stoneley where she was asked to leave behind everything she knew about patchwork and quilting. “The house in the quilt is my first
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Quilts: In Focus
Ali George, My House, 101.5 x 84 cm. Detail at right. Photographed by Ali George.
home, at Rochedale South near Brisbane. The hose on the front terrace was a tongue in cheek reference to my (then) husband – he never put it away. The quilt on the Hills Hoist was made by using a small piece of fabric from each of the other five workshop participants. The bees were given to me by a lecturer at the University where I worked at the time.�
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Quilts: In Focus
Mathea Daunheimer, A View from Above, 61 x 79 cm. Photographed by Mathea Daunheimer.
Mathea Daunheimer, Suzhou Street Scene, 100 x 57 cm. Photographed by Mathea Daunheimer.
If after reading this article you still haven’t seen enough house quilts, check out this board on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ quiltinspire/house-quilts/. Marina and Daryl Lynn from the Quilt Inspiration blog (see the Blog Roll in Down Under Quilts issue 158)
From 1988–1989, Mathea Daunheimer spent time in the People’s Republic of China as a student at Beijing University. Beijing is a city rich with history, a ton of museums, and some stark contrasts between ancient and modern. As a student, the Summer Palace was essentially in her backyard. “I made many trips to walk the gardens and see the gorgeous buildings”, Mathea remembers. “Many were undergoing refurbishment at the time and the scaffolding was not heavily patrolled. So being the naughty girl, I climbed up and took a few pictures. Those pictures captured the many outbuildings that help make up the Summer Palace and eventually became a quilt called A View From Above. On a visit to Suzhou, which is considered the “Venice of China”, Mathea stopped outside a noodle shop one day with a couple of friends. “I snapped a picture of the buildings as the contrast was so striking. The noodle place was located in the back of an ancient building, but right next to it was an electronics shop in a more modern, tatty type building. The noodles were excellent and many years later, in 2008, the snapshot became Suzhou Street Scene, which was juried into Quilt National in 2009.”
have collected more than 200 amazing house quilts. (Their other boards are well worth checking out too.) And if you are inspired to create your own little house, go to page 91 to make a Tea House Cosy!
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Mexettes in front of their Beautiful Australia exhibition. L-R Sue Dennis, Diane Sheard, Marilyn Tucker, Jennie Short, Annette McRae. Photograph by Quilt Expo en Beaujolais.
Global Thread How is a quilt show in France different from an Australian quilt show?
Recently I experienced the Quilt Expo en Beaujolais, in Villefranche, France, and I can tell you, there is not so much variation. The vendor booths are there, with great new products and fabrics; the quilt exhibitions from groups, associations and individuals are there; and there is also a queue to get in the loo. However, in contrast dogs are allowed in; the quilters speak French; and wine and sausage is sold in the foyer. My French was non-existent beyond Bonjour and a few other pleasantries! But luckily for me I can shop in any language, and armed with a credit card and euros in my pocket, I was ready. The catalyst to visit this international was being curator of Beautiful Australia, an exhibition of 16 art quilts. The quilts were made by the Mexettes, a friendship group, founded in Mt Isa, Queensland, Australia, in 1990. I also showed the eight quilts from my India Adventure exhibition,
so a double incentive to visit. But I was not alone as four of the Mexette artists were also there to share in the fun, along with their husbands. Monique Bonnet and her husband Jeff are the visionaries and organisers of this yearly event. This was the fourth expo and second time at the Parc Expo in Villefranche, capital of the Beaujolais region, noted for its wine production. In 2012 the expo attracted 5,500 visitors through the doors. Apart from French vendors, booths are also rented by merchants from Spain, Italy, Hungary and the United Kingdom. Monique told me, “Most quilters are traditional, use traditional fabrics and sew by hand as it is easier than carrying a sewing machine. I wanted to introduce French quilters to a wider experience. Each country has a different style.� Fifteen countries were represented this year: Australia, Japan, Russia, Ukraine, United States, United Kingdom, Hungary,
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Quilts: In Life
A detail of Stream by Hegyi Csilla of the Modern Movement.
Sue and Isabelle Wiessler discuss her work. Isabelle is also a member of ArtQuiltFusion.
Israel, Spain, Taiwan, South Korea, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and France. Indeed each had their own flair, colours and charm. MOMU, the Modern Movement group from Hungary, caught my eye. Established in 2006, the group exhibits regularly and has produced three collections. The 2013 touring exhibition theme was Metamorphoses. I loved the use of texture in the individual works from the 18 members.
One member, Zsofia Atkins, has rescued discarded doilies and given them new life in her work Epilogue. “I am preserving their dignity but giving them a fresh, contemporary setting where they can talk to us in a language we can all understand,� said Zsofia. French textile artist Sophie Furbeyre is a member of ArtQuiltFusion, a European group of 12 members from eight different countries. With such diversity among members I was interested in
Detail of Epilogue by Zsofia Atkins.
Bubbles by Sophie Furbeyre.
Canine visitor.
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Quilts: In Life
Detail of New Russian Style by Irina Fomina
De Lin a L’Autre by Dominique Briet
knowing how the group worked, and Sophie told me it was an invitational, multi-lingual group. They had a strong exhibition at the Quilt Expo, which showcased individual talents and working preferences. Sophie’s pieces were executed in seethrough organza with cut-out, machinestitched lacy inserts throwing secondary shadows on the walls. Around the exhibition area, many individual artists had their own presentations and sat at tables, selling postcards and small quilts, and were happy to chat, if we could find a common language. Ukrainian Irina Fomina uses furnishing fabric in her modern crazy patched backgrounds, imposing haunting images in appliqué on the top. This was a staggering statistic I learnt:
the France Patchwork Association has 12,500 members nationally and 320 members living in the Rhone area, of which Beaujolais is a part. At the exhibitors dinner each country had to sing, so our contingent, boosted by Dijanne Cevaal, who had her own exhibit, belted out the old Aussie favourite Waltzing Matilda. Then Jeff Bonnet said, “Let’s sing something everyone knows!” I said, ”Happy Birthday” in reply and the whole restaurant joined in, fuelled by good, local red wine. So yes, there are a few differences in the way the Quilt Expo was set up and executed but as quilters and textile enthusiasts we all got along just fine, in whichever language we spoke, with our hands helping out!
Sue Dennis © 2013 Photographs by Sue Dennis and Bob Dennis Photograph of Mexettes courtesy of Quilt Expo en Beaujolais www.suedennis.blogspot.com www.suedennis.com/beautifulaustralia. html www.quiltexpobeaujolais.com Modern Movement contact person: Eszter Bornemisza, ebornemisza@gmail.com www.sophiefurbeyre.com www.isabelle-wiessler.de www.artquiltfusion.eu www.francepatchwork.com www.irinart.in.ua
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Meet a
Blogger Di Jobbins How long have you had your blog, and why did you start it? My first experience of keeping a blog was when my husband and I were on an extended holiday in the Middle East and Europe. I was surprised and excited at how many readers followed our adventures, so in January 2007 I began Snippets ‘n’ Scraps to share my quilting adventures and other aspects of my everyday life. Family and photography have now joined quilting as my main themes.
This issue we find out more about Di Jobbins, whose Snippets ‘n’ Scraps blog contains the sort of content (and name) that we love!
And why do you keep blogging? What do you enjoy about it? I really enjoy being part of a creative online community, and I’ve come to know quite a few readers and fellow bloggers as friends. It’s so stimulating seeing others’ ideas, designs and techniques, and their encouragement is such a boost. I’ve even made a very dear real-life friend, Linda Hungerford, who lives in Florida and was kind enough to conduct a beginners’
Above, Wedding Quilt made for Di’s son and daughter in law Left, Selvedge bag
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quiltmaking course, Stitchin’ Mission, at my church when she was visiting Sydney. Have you always been involved in crafty endeavours? What is your background? Always! From the time my grandmother taught me, as a little girl, to hand sew clothes for my dolls I’ve had a needle and thread, a crochet hook or a pair of knitting needles in my hand. I made my own and most of my children’s clothes when they were small, and worked from home as a test knitter with the wool manufacturer Coats Patons. I must confess for many years I also made saggy, baggy quilts out of polycotton and thick polyester batting for my children’s cots until I joined a quilting group 10 years ago and realised all the things I had been doing wrong!
Above, Whirligig was made from a pattern by Sue Ross.
Right, Stable bag is another project made using selvedge strips.
Tell us about some of your recent projects? As a lover of hand piecing, hand appliqué and hand quilting, my quilts tend to be slow burners and I don’t celebrate finishes very often. However there was much rejoicing not long ago when three quilts crossed the finish line together. Whirligig, from a pattern by Australian designer Sue Ross, was my introduction to using clear bright colours on a white background after previously using muted tones and mellow, vintage coloured backgrounds. Daisy a Day, an orange peel style quilt using bright modern fabrics, subsequently won equal Viewers’ Choice in the Spring Bloggers’ Quilt Festival conducted by Amy through her blog Amy’s Creative Side. My third finish was a Wedding Quilt for my son and Korean daughter-inlaw, using oriental fabrics in rich elegant patterns and colours with lots of gold stamping. I used simple equilateral triangles so as not to detract from the beauty of the fabrics themselves.
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Small projects, like the stable bag I made in a recent workshop using selvedges, give me more immediate gratification in between quilt finishes. What is your favourite technique, and what materials do you like to work with? I enjoy hand piecing, hand appliqué, hand quilting and hand embroidery because I find them infinitely more relaxing than machining and they’re portable. Of course I still use my machine when a fast finish is needed. I love that moment when you lift up the quilt after sandwiching it and feel the soft weight of its cuddliness. Working with 100% cottons and cotton batting in my hoop is heavenly! Your blog has a section on Blankets of Love and Humidicrib covers. Can you explain what these involve, and could readers become involved? Our church quilting group, St Mark’s Quilters, makes both Blankets of Love and humidicrib covers for Royal Prince Alfred Hospital’s Newborn Intensive Care Nursery. The tiny quilts, Blankets of Love, were originally intended to be given as a remembrance to parents of bubs who are stillborn or who lose their fight for life soon after birth. But RPA does such a fine job of caring for these critically ill bubs that supply far outstrips demand and we’ve now asked the staff to give one of our quilts to every tiny patient who passes through the nursery. We also make quilted humidicrib covers to shield the babies from the bright overhead lights. They help to give their humidicribs some individualism and brighten up the clinical space. Many large hospitals are supplied with Blankets of Love by local quilting groups, and if they have too many they pass them on to smaller hospitals who don’t have such support. Readers should simply contact their local maternity hospital for details. The humidicrib covers are very much appreciated as well, and I would be happy to email to any reader a copy of the simple pattern RPA gave us. What trends in colour or style in quilting and patchwork have you noticed since you started your blog? The most obvious new trend is the
Modern Quilt movement. When I started my blog Civil War and historic reproduction quilts were all the rage and I was just embarking on my Roebuck Quilt. I still love its mellow colours and delicious scrappiness, but modern quilts in bright, abstract designs increasingly appeal to me these days. What are your current projects? I’ve just started a quilt that’s sure to demand my attention, in the very nicest way, for many months. It’s Princess Plenty by Blue Mountains quilt designer Lyn Alchin and features a medallion centre with a wide border of intricate appliqué. There’s a glorious riot of cornucopias, birds, flowers, vines and fruit, and I plan to use bright pastels on a background of white tone-on-tone to give it a clean, modern feel. What are your future plans? Where do you find your inspiration? In my immediate future there’s a quilt for my new grandbaby, due in September. Big brother, Mr J, got a hippopotamus quilt when he was born, but I haven’t yet decided on a design for this one. I look forward to finding more time to make quilts, modern quilts in particular, and after my encouraging win in the online Bloggers’ Quilt Festival I feel more confident to dabble in entering some real life quilt shows. I enjoy designing small items too, so maybe there’ll be an Etsy store in my future selling my designs. Inspiration is everywhere in the blogging universe, and the excellence of the work my fellow bloggers share spurs me on to try new styles and improve my quiltmaking. What are the favourite blogs that you like to read? Flourishing Palms (Linda): flourishingpalms.blogspot.com.au Stitchin’ By the Lake (Marlene): stitchinbythelake.blogspot.com.au Red Pepper Quilts (Rita): www.redpepperquilts.com Sew Create It (Jane): janeweston.blogspot.com.au Never Too Hot To Stitch! (Lynne): 2hot2knit.blogspot.com.au Retromummy (Corrie): retromummy.com
Hippopotamus Quilt was made for Di’s grandson.
Cupcake Stitchery.
Daisy a Day (also featured in issue 159) uses bright modern fabrics.
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Readers’ Gallery
Show& Tell
We love to see what our readers have been making and this new section showcases your fabulous creations! If you want to see your project on these pages, don’t be shy – send your photos, letters, stories and tips by email to mail@practicalpublishing.com.au or post to: Letters, Down Under Quilts, Practical Publishing, GPO Box 1457, Brisbane, Qld, 4001. We look forward to hearing from you!
SCRAP QUILT
BURLAP PATCHWORK PILLOW I made this pillow entirely out of ribbon and trim! May Arts makes a 4in wide burlap trim which I cut into 4in squares and sewed together in a nine patch design. I backed the burlap with muslin to make the pillow stronger and more stable. For the flower I took many gorgeous May Arts ribbons and built up a fun layered flower using their faux
suede leaves as a finishing touch. Cathi O’Neill, by email celticknotted.blogspot.com Your pillow is beautiful Cathi! Thanks for sharing it with us. We also love the quilts in the background – maybe you can show some more of those next time?
This scrap quilt was made with 225 different scrap hearts. It has a braided border using gold and scrap fabrics. It’s 90in square and rests on our bed. It took me a few weeks to make, and was finished about two years ago. Linda Rother, by email Your scrap quilt is gorgeous, Linda. It must make you happy to see it on your bed every day!
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Quilts: In Life
The Mystery and the Magic of
Mrs Billings’ Coverlet
Text by Jane Rae
In the 1990s, as part of the Documentation Project led by The Quilters’ Guild in the UK, a remarkable 200-year-old quilt was discovered, sending ripples of excitement and anticipation through the organising committee. Mrs Billings’ Coverlet, as it has come to be known, still captivates quilt enthusiasts and the legacy of its maker and its guardian, Mrs Billings, lives on.
Discovery
Mrs Billings’ Coverlet is a frame design, dating as far back as 1805-1810. At the time of the Documentation Project when the quilt was first presented, there was nothing as early as this in The Quilters’ Guild collection and the number of frames (fifteen in total) was the most recorded during the Project. The coverlet had been passed down through Mrs Billings’ family from her greatgrandmother, who was a housekeeper in a large house in the Leeds area in Yorkshire. Sadly, there are no photographs of Mrs Billings, but the vivid descriptions shared by Guild members who had the opportunity of visiting her, conjure up wonderful associations with Beatrix Potter’s magical story of a hedgehog washerwoman who lives in a tiny cottage in the Lake District. Tina Fenwick-Smith in her article in The Quilter in 2000 gives a delightful description of her first meeting, “I was welcomed by a little round figure, for all the world like Mrs Tiggy-Winkle without the prickles, and invited to call her Connie as everyone did”.
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Mrs Billings bequeathed the Coverlet to The Guild and since its maker’s identity was never established, it became known as Mrs Billings’ Coverlet. The bequest was a significant gesture and remains one of the earliest and most popular pieces in The Guild’s collection.
Design Matters
The fact that the Coverlet has survived its two hundred year journey without substantial deterioration is an exceptional fact in its own right, but what baffles quilt historians and has piqued their interest
is its complex and precise design. It is, as quilt historian Bridget Long has so aptly pointed out, a “Tour de Force” of geometry. It lies flat, shows no signs of “fudging” of any sort and every frame is executed precisely, often displaying very small and difficult piecing. It’s hard to imagine how its maker, circa 1800, was able to achieve this level of draughtsmanship. Was she a Governess in ‘the big house’ with access to popular texts targeted at practical geometry for the education market at the time? Or was she related to someone with a knowledge of
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Copyright Matters
If you have been inspired by a quilt design that you have seen at a museum and want to find out more about reproducing this for commercial use, it is always wise to check with the museum as your first port of call. The world of copyright and licensing can be complex and it’s always best to get permission from the copyright owner and licensing body. In most cases, they will be more than happy to collaborate, as this will ensure that these wonderful heritage quilt designs are enjoyed by quilters far and wide, for many more years to come. geometry and draughtsmanship? If only quilts could talk. We will never know the provenance of the Coverlet but the fabrics used and choice of design offer up clues that have enabled quilt historians to date it. From the late 18th to the early 19th century the English market in hand block printed cottons, plate prints and roller printed fabrics was beginning to flourish. There are over 100 different fabrics used in the Coverlet consisting of printed cotton hexagons, squares on point, kites and long diamonds made from triangles. The majority of the fabrics are made from dress prints, although there are some furnishing prints represented. Some of the fabrics date from the 1780s, and several have three blue threads in the
selvedge. This discovery was extremely helpful as it points to a very specific piece of legislation in existence between 1774 and 1811, which required weavers in Britain to include three blue threads in the selvedge for tax purposes.
Design Revival
We are fortunate enough to have a permanent home for heritage quilts in the UK that affords quilters and textile enthusiasts, like myself, a glimpse of some of our quilt treasures. The Quilt Museum and Gallery was opened in 2008 in York, England, and this is where Mrs Billings’ Coverlet resides. It was most recently exhibited at The Blossoming of Patchwork Exhibition in the summer of 2013. It was also photographed and included in the book Quilt Treasures which was published back in the 1990s (details of which are given below). Visitors to The Quilt Museum and Gallery can even request to view the Coverlet by appointment with the Curator, Heather Audin. Its magic lives on, so much so that it caught the interest of a quilter thousands of miles away in Australia. When Karen Styles’ friend presented her with a picture of the Coverlet, Karen was immediately drawn to the myriad of shapes and their arrangement in frames. Karen is the owner of Somerset Patchwork & Quilting in Victoria and she also has a background in architecture. As you can imagine, the Coverlet was a huge attraction and the convergence of two areas that were close to her heart – beautiful quilts and complex draughtsmanship. In a period of recovery after an operation in 2011, Karen set about drafting her interpretation of the Coverlet. It was a wonderful distraction that took her two weeks to complete and seven months to make. She decided to try out the pattern with her Somerset Summer School girls, and the rest, as they say, is history. She has sold over 800 patterns of her interpretation of Mrs Billings’ Coverlet and was thrilled to display her own quilt and the finished quilts of her students in Melbourne. The kit retails for $180 and includes acrylic plastic templates for every shape in the quilt and English paper piecing hexagon papers. Karen’s shop specialises in vintage and reproduction fabrics so there is plenty of choice for potential Mrs Billings followers. In Karen’s version of the Coverlet she used fabric designs in four main colourways: red, pink, brown and orange. The beauty of her pattern, which doesn’t include fabrics, is that you can use any colourway you are drawn to and inject
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a contemporary twist into this classic design if you wish. The experience of being able to see heritage quilts up close and personal never fails to thrill me; the atmosphere seems to come alive with the promise of untold stories and hidden memories inextricably stitched into each quilt. There are so many questions around Mrs Billings’ Coverlet that remain unanswered that we will never be able to piece together, but what we can do, is continue to share and enjoy this complex and elegant quilt design that its maker has unintentionally gifted to us. Whilst not all of us will be able to travel to see museum pieces such as Mrs Billings’ Coverlet in the flesh, we have passionate quilters like Karen Styles bringing new life to quilt treasures through their interpretations and doing their bit to ensure that their enduring legacy lives on. Perhaps you might like to try Karen’s pattern as a challenge for the months ahead. I’m sure the original maker of the Coverlet, Mrs Billings and Mrs Tiggy-Winkle would wholeheartedly approve.
Further information www.quiltersguild.org.uk www.quiltmuseum.org.uk www.somersetpatchwork.com.au karenatsomerset.blogspot.co.uk
Further reading
Quilt Treasures, The Quilter’s Guild Heritage Search A Quilters’ Guild publications, £9.50 (available to purchase online at The Quilt Museum and Gallery shop) Quilt Treasures highlights some of the many different quilts discovered through the Documentation Project. It chronicles the unique character of British quiltmaking over a period of 300 years. It also records some categories of quilts with special associations, such as Bible and signature quilts; quilts made for Eisteddfods or by groups as an expression of friendship or to raise funds; military quilts; and quilts with political associations. There are stories about individual British quiltmakers which offer insight into social history and stories from beyond Britain including Red Cross quilts sent from Canada to help with the war relief; American kit quilts from the 1930s appliqué panels from Egypt influenced by the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb and embroidery from China. It’s a fascinating read and definitely one for the quilt enthusiast’s library!
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Did you know?
The Quilt Museum and Gallery is Britain’s first museum dedicated to quiltmaking and textile arts. It is based in St Anthony’s Hall, a medieval guildhall in the centre of York. The Quilt Museum and St Anthony’s Hall is one of only four remaining medieval guild halls in York. In 1446 King Henry VI granted a charter that founded the charitable Guild of St Martin. The hall and a chapel were subsequently built on the site, which previously housed a chapel for St Anthony – the name was retained for the hall. In its long and colourful history, it has been a guildhall, a workhouse, a munitions magazine, a prison, a Blue Coat School, the Borthwick Institute (historical archive) and now a museum. The Museum is managed by The Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles, an educational charity founded in 1979. Their aim is to promote the crafts of patchwork, appliqué and quilting through changing exhibitions of historic and contemporary textiles.
Great Hall Quilt Museum, St Anthony’s Hall exterior
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MODERN Mrs Billings’ Quilts
Karen behind her booth at the Craft & Quilt Fair
On the next few pages we show you some of the quilts made by Karen Styles and her students, on display at the Quilt Showcase at the 2012 Craft & Quilt Fair in Melbourne.
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Karen Styles’ original interpretation of Mrs Billings’ Coverlet
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Above, Shirley Loddington, My Mrs Billings. Winner of the “Runner-Up Best of Show” award and First Place Traditional Amateur category.
Left, Meredithe Clarke, LongArm Machine Quilted by Karen Styles, Beguiling Billings. First Place Traditional 2-Person Both Professional category.
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Quilts: In Life
Roslyn Littlejohn, Gypsy Billings at Midnight
Right, Susan Ambrose, 42 (Mrs Billings’ 42nd cousin, twice removed) Far right, Wendy Gleeson, Wendy’s Cover
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Mary Asker, Colour Blind
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Australia
patchwork-of-mini-grey.blogspot.com Helen in WA is mum to two beautiful girls and she loves to make colourful quilts. katrinahadjimichael.blogspot.com Katrina Hadjimichael has been quilting for nearly 22 years and teaching for 12 years in various patchwork shops around Sydney. Her passions are collecting reproduction fabrics and books about antique quilts. On her blog she shares her quilts and her love of all things Jane Austen. quiltsalott.blogspot.com Janet Treen is a New Zealander who enjoys living in New South Wales. Mostly she quilts, sometimes she embroiders and sews other items. Whatever she does, it has to be a fun and enjoyable journey. patchworkbitsandpieces.blogspot.com Sharon enjoys cutting fabric into little pieces and sewing them up again. Along the way she makes quilts for grandchildren, family and friends; sells charm squares and quilty gifts, collects antique sewing machines; works full time; plays the pipe organ on Sunday mornings and percussion in a brass band.
tazziequilts.blogspot.com Tara loves to quilt, and works as much stitching into her day as she can, along with being a wife and mum of two. acuppaandacatchup.com Nova is an English girl married to an English boy, Andy, and they emigrated to Australia in 2000. Home is now the
Blog Roll
These are our suggestions for blogs to check out.
aquiltisnice.blogspot.com Nettie in Texas is a stay at home mother of three who loves to quilt, loves to read, and enjoys good food. She has been quilting for about 10 years, mostly self-taught by reading quilting books. She has a blog page with tutorials, including one for making rounded corners on quilts and one for making a chevron quilt. sentimentalquilter.blogspot.com Kathleen Tracy in Illinois is an author and quilt pattern designer. She especially loves making little quilts with an antique touch and gets inspired by women and quilts from the past.
Sunshine Coast in Queensland. She loves to sew and cook and garden and read and get up to all sorts of crafty stuff, usually with a cuppa within arm’s reach!
USA
wombatquilts.com Cath is an ex-pat Aussie who is now calling Portland, Oregon home. She has been quilting on and off for many years but now finds herself with time to explore and challenge herself.
historicallymodernquilts.blogspot.com This is a blog by quilt historian Barbara Brackman about the traditions of modernism, with an eye to textiles, prints and interior design and how today’s quilters can build on the past. You’ll find information about designers, trends and innovation that influenced taste around the world from William Morris and CFA Voysey to Sonia Delaunay and Alexander Calder, plus patterns for needlework inspired by those ideas.
www.fiberartist.com/blog Pam Kay is a quilter and basket weaver in California. Check out the Quilt Gallery on her blog which has photos of quilts used for upholstery!
afewscraps.blogspot.com Christina in Oregon likes quilting and telling stories and making people laugh. On her blog you will find lots of tutorials, free motion quilting advice and all-over quilting designs.
Canada
citricsugar.blogspot.com Carly is a modern quilter in Saskatoon. Her blog is called Citric Sugar, because calling it BitterSweet could lead to way too much chocolate...
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BOHEMIAN Star
THIS GIANT STAR QUILT HAS A SIMPLE DESIGN THAT MAKES IT A GOOD PROJECT FOR BEGINNERS. ANORINA MORRIS QUILTED IT IN A LOOPS AND HEARTS PATTERN.
By Anorina Morris Dimensions 229cm x 229cm (90in x 90in) The instructions for this quilt appear on page 82.
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Project
On-trend design
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Christmas Tree
Wall Hanging THIS SWEET WALL HANGING IS MADE UP OF SQUARES, HALF SQUARE TRIANGLES AND ONE HOURGLASS BLOCK. THE STAR IS APPLIQUED TO THE TOP OF THE QUILT.
By Kirsty Cleverly Dimensions 46cm x 49cm (18in x 19in) The instructions for this quilt appear on page 85.
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Project
SEASONAL STUNNER
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Festive
FUN LEESA CHANDLER’S FUNKY TABLE RUNNER AND MATCHING PLACEMATS WILL DELIGHT THE GUESTS AT YOUR CHRISTMAS TABLE!
By Leesa Chandler Dimensions Table runner 27cm x 110.5cm (43 1/2in x 10 1/2in) Placemats 40cm x 27cm (15 1/2in x 10 1/2in) The instructions for this project appear on page 88.
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Project
MODERN TWIST
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Tea House
COSIES
THESE COSIES ARE QUICK AND EASY TO MAKE – THE SMALL ONE IS PIECED WHILE THE LARGE ONE IS AN APPLIQUE PROJECT. CHILDREN WILL LOVE TO HELP AND DECORATE THEM!
By Linda Robertus Dimensions Small cosy: 30cm x 23cm (12in x 9in) Large cosy: 34cm x 30cm (13 1/2in x 12in) The instructions for these cosies appear on page 91.
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Project
CT PERFEDEA I GIFT
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Orange, Lemonade &
Liquorice JENNY TATE’S STUNNING QUILT IS SURE TO CATCH THE EYE WITH ITS STRIKING DESIGN AND ZESTY FLOWERS.
By Jenny Tate Dimensions 169cm x 232cm (66 1/2in x 91 1/2in) The instructions for this quilt appear on page 94.
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Project
CLEVER COLOURS
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Diary Dates
Diary Dates ACT
29 October – 18 November Australia Wide Three The Q Art Space, Queanbeyan Sue Cunningham 03 5358 2731 sa.cunningham@bigpond.com 31 October – 13 December Art Quilt Australia ACT Craft Gallery, 1st Floor, North Building 180 London Circuit, Canberra www.craftact.org.au www.ozquiltnetwork.org.au
NEW SOUTH WALES
27-28 September Friendly Patchers Quilt Show Anglican Church Hall, McIntyre St, South West Rocks 9am-5pm, entry $5
Refreshments, trading tables and raffles All proceeds to Childflight Jenny jengi@netspace.net.au 5-7 October Quilt Exhibition Seaside Heritage Quilters Holy Name Primary School Hall, Lakes Street, Forster Opening Times: 5-6 Oct 9.30am-4.00pm, 7 Oct 9.30am-2.00pm Features: Quilt Exhibition, Fabric and Fibre Quilts; Morning and Afternoon Tea, Raffle Quilts, Calligraphy Bookmarks Robyn McGrath 02 6557 5842 5-7 October Bi Annual Quilt Show “A Kaleidoscope of Quilts” Myall Arts and Craft Center, 245 Myall Street, Tea Gardens 10am to 4pm daily, entry fee $2.50 Robyn Bagnall 02 4997 0270 11-13 October Novocastrian Quilters Inc. 2013 Quilt Exhibition ‘Quilts - Simple Pleasures’ New Lambton Community Centre, 14 Alma Road, New Lambton Featuring: Members Quilts, Challenge Quilts, Raffle Quilts, Handmade goods and merchant’s stalls Official opening 7pm Friday 11 October, 1112 Oct 9am-4pm
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Diary Dates
Entry Fee $5.00 includes free workshops Cristie 04 3582 9587 or 02 4023 3338 Website: http://nococastrianquilters.webs. com/
NORTHERN TERRITORY
2-9 November Alice Springs Quilting Club Exhibition Araluen Arts Centre, Larapinta Drive, Alice Springs. Glenyce 04 0053 7420
QUEENSLAND
State of the Art Quilt 13 This is a juried show that is an on-going project of the Queensland Quilters Art Quilts group. 19 August – 28 September Redlands Art Gallery, Capalaba Place, Noeleen Street, Capalaba Gallery Open Mon to Sat 9am-4pm, open till 7.30pm on Thursdays 3-6 October Stitches & Craft Show, Townsville Convention Centre 16-20 October Queensland Quilt Show, Brisbane Convention Centre 16-20 October Queensland Quilt Show Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Southbank www.qldquilters.com/show SOUTH AUSTRALIA 24 September – 21 October Dare to Differ – Contemporary Quilts Gallery M, Marion Cultural Centre 287 Diagonal Road, Oaklands Park info@gallerym.net.au www.gallerym.net.au
12-13 October Gawler Quilting Circle Gawler Textile Art Weekend Quilting, patchwork, textile art, embroidery and craft. Theme “A Magical Quilt Journey”; raffle quilts, two visiting Quilt and Craft Shops on site. Gawler Institute, Murray Street, Gawler (Main Street) 10am-4 pm, entry $5 Anne Webb 08 8522 6782 or 04 3811 4787 pfaew@internode.on.net 18-20 October Bordertown Gumtree Quilters 2013 Quilt Exhibition Bordertown Civic Centre Heather 08 8752 2542 7-10 November Festival of Quilts Adelaide Event & Exhibition Centre, Goyder Pavillion, Adelaide Showground, Goodwood Road, Wayville www.craftfair.com.au
Does your group have an exhibition or show coming up Let us know the details and we will add it to our Diary Dates!
mail@practicalpublishing.com.au (we require four months’ notice of upcoming events)
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Diary Dates
19 October Goldfields Quilters Inc Biennial Quilt In Campbell’s Creek Community Centre, Elizabeth Street, Campbell’s Creek 10am-4pm Heather Shill 03 5472 3335 heather@isometricdesign.com.au 2-5 November Phillip Island Patchwork Display Including Wonthaggi Woodcrafters, Quilt raffle and Devonshire teas Newhaven Hall, Cleeland Road, Newhaven 10am-4pm, adults $5, children free Proceeds go to Woolamai Surf Lifesaving Club, San Remo and Cowes CFA, SES and Rural Ambulance Service 22-24 November Geelong Patchwork and Quilters’ Guild Inc. Quilt Exhibition Deakin Waterfront Campus, Gheringhap St Entrance 10am-4.30pm, $8
TASMANIA
17 October – 3 November What a Site! This is a collaboration between the Tasmanian Quilting Guild and the Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery consisting of chosen quilts entered into the Tasmanian Art Quilt Prize competition. Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery, Dunn Place, Hobart info@tasquiltguild.org.au
VICTORIA
5-6 October North of the Yarra Quilt Exhibition Biennial Exhibition of the North of the Yarra Quilters Guild Eltham Community Centre, 801 Main Road, Eltham 10am-4pm, entry $8, under 14 free Christine 04 0843 8391 sonofdon@optusnet.com.au 12–13 October Something Old, Something New Biennial exhibition by Kilmore Quilters Inc. Kilmore Memorial Hall 14 Sydney Street, Kilmore Fay 0417 517 109 kilmorequilters@live.com
INTERNATIONAL NEW ZEALAND
26-28 October Cambridge Quilt Show Cambridge Town Hall, Victoria St., Cambridge lmn@vodafone.co.nz
ENGLAND
10-13 October The Knitting and Stitching Show Alexandra Palace, London www.twistedthread.com
BELGIUM
3-6 October National Patchwork Happening Salle des Acacias et Ecuries du Parc, avenue Elisabeth, Edingen/Enghien http://www.belgiumquilt.be
THE NETHERLANDS
17-20 October 2013 Open European Quilt Championships 2013 Koningshof, Veldhoven www.oeqc.eu
JAPAN
14–16 November Quilt Week International Yokohama, Tokyo www.viq.com/english/iqw/iqwy_2013.htm
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Festive Feature
Get set
for Christmas! It’s Spring again, which means it’s time to get started on your projects for Christmas. Vick Guthrie presents our seasonal round up.
We’ve compiled a collection of projects, fabrics and notions to fill you with ideas for Christmas, whether you’re on the hunt for a gift for a fellow quilter or looking to make your own.
A Gingerbread Christmas This delightful bundle from The Fat Quarter Shop is ideal for creating a Christmas quilt for that special someone. Consisting of 17 fat quarters from popular surface and pattern designer Kim Martin for RJR Fabrics, this pack features a wonderful selection of cute modern designs in traditional red and greens as well as an unexpected black with gingerbread men and gingerbread house motifs. $52.43, fatquartershop.com
O Happy Christmas!
Simple and understated, this 76 x 122 cm raw edge appliqué quilt pattern from Hugs n Kisses includes full detailed instructions and template sheets and allows you to use your preferred method of binding and quilting. A quick, yet impressive design, this is a great way to use up some of your stash for the lettering. $16.50, 03 62787507, hugsnkisses.net
Holiday Treasures Kit
The Holiday Treasures kit from Quiltaholics contains all fabric required for the quilt top and binding of this quilt. Measuring 154 x 154 cm this medallion quilt design is very reminiscent of the Amish style of quilting. $95, 08 8391 4623, quiltaholics.com.au
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Festive Feature
Great for gifts Buying gifts for friends and family who sew can be a lot more difficult than buying for those who can’t. We’ve put together a few gift ideas that we think your fellow quilters will love. Got any other suggestions? Let us know by emailing us at mail@practicalpublishing.com.au
!
Thread Club
Got a friend who loves quilting as much as you do? Material Obsession offer Thread Club, a 12-month program which will deliver 72 spools (200m) of Aurifil Cotton Mako’ Ne 50 thread in a wide selection of colours and a lovely storage container to keep them in. It’s the gift that keeps on giving! From $40, 02 9819 6455, materialobsession.com.au
Cathedral Window Quilted Ornament
These quirky quilted ornaments are great for the Christmas tree. This project is laid out in easy to follow, step-by-step instructions in the form of images (all 81 of them!) and the pattern is available to download instantly. An ideal way to use up last year’s Christmasthemed fabric scraps. $13.31, www.simplebeans.etsy.com
Luxury Cutting
This year give the gift of perfect cutting with the OLFA Deluxe 60mm Rotary Cutter (RTY-3/DX). Featuring a push button safety blade lock and grip, your friend will be precision cutting in comfort and style. OLFA offer a wide selection of rotary cutters for all preferences. From $55, available from all major haberdashery retailers, including Spotlight, Lincraft and Eckersley’s.
Sewing kit with tweezers
With 8 reels of 100m Gütermann sew-all thread and designer tweezers, this box set makes a cute gift for a fellow quilter or stitcher. It is available in three different colour choices including the cool blues of ‘Grace’ and the romantic pastel shades of ‘Audrey’. $24.95, available from your local Gütermann stockist
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Festive Feature
Glamorous Christmas
Add a touch of sparkle to your festive quilting with the Gütermann Metallic Effect Thread Sewing Kit (734365). The kit includes 10 reels of 50m thread in a choice of bright colours. These threads would look particularly good on tree hangings so they catch the light. $28.50, available from your local Gütermann stockist
Lucky Charm
The Merry Little Christmas 5in Stacker from The Fat Quarter Shop is designed by Zoe Pearn for Blake Designs and includes 27 squares of Christmas themed cotton, each ready to be patched and quilted to your heart’s content. $9.43, fatquartershop.com
Twas The Night
For those of us with a love of hand sewing, this project is ideal. Using 10 fat quarters, 1m of backing fabric and 10m of thread, this 96 x 76 cm quilt uses a combination of simple piecing and foundation piecing. Originally developed as a seven-part blockof-the-month pattern, this quilt is a great long-term quilting project. $84, 03 62787507, hugsnkisses.net
Busy Little Elves
Designed by Gail Pan, the Busy Little Elves quilt pattern from Cotton Stitches is perfect for those of us who enjoy a really good mix of techniques in our projects. It includes simple piecing and hand stitching which is ideal for beginner to intermediate quilters. At 142 x 142 cm this would make an ideal quilt for Christmas displays. $22, 08 8322 7722, cottonstitches.com.au
Star Runner
The Amazing Star Table Runner kit from Dew Drop Inn includes everything you need to quilt your own festive table centrepiece, including pattern instructions, fabric, wadding, binding and backing. This is an ideal quick project for beginners and has a finished size of 85 x 30 cm. It can be quilted simply with straight lines or with a more complex design. $42.95, 07 41249320, dewdropinn. com.au
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Festive Feature
Christmas Quilting Patterns A good quilting pattern can really make the difference between a good project and a great project. Here are a few of our favourite festive designs.
Trees and stars
This tree and star pattern is ideal for larger quilts and looks particularly effective in borders. It’s a quick design to quilt and the lines are very soft so this would work well in a project that uses lots of straight lines.
Santa and Rudolph Placemats
On Christmas Eve, your little ones will be delighted to lay out Santa and Rudolph’s snacks on their very own placemats, then come back in the morning to find out what has been eaten. This pattern is a very quick, simple project which will bring lots of joy to the little ones in your life! $15, fabricpatch.com.au
Santa’s Blessing
Wow your loved ones with this Santa’s Blessing Quilt from Quilt Fabric Delights, designed by Lynette Anderson. Using simple piecing, blanket stitch appliqué, double turn appliqué, bias vine and embroidery, this is a beautifully detailed design. The finished quilt measures 112 x 135 cm and uses a combination of machine and hand quilting. $17.60, 08 7122 3237, quiltfabricdelights. com.au
Holly leaves
This holly pattern is ideal for small projects where there’s not much space. It looks particularly fetching in a narrow border.
Conifer woods
This pattern looks great against a large expanse of plain fabric and is a great chance to practise precision quilting. You can make these trees as small or large as you like to suit your project.
WE
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Festive Feature
Piece a flag from smaller scraps
Project Ideas If you’d rather make your own customised projects we’ve compiled a few ideas here to get you started, whether you’re looking for decorations for your home or a gift for someone special.
Cotton tape
Quilt patterns on to plain fabrics
ChristMAS BUNTING
A great idea for using up those Christmasthemed fabric scraps from last year, bunting are quick to make and easy to adapt and scale. You could go for any shape flags but the most popular are triangles, rectangles and pointed rectangles. If you’re working with small scraps, you could piece together smaller bits to create a larger piece of fabric to cut the flags from. Including wadding is optional but will provide a more ‘cushioned’ effect after quilting.
TREE QUILT
This is a very simple quilt consisting wholly of triangles. Make all ‘upright’ triangles green to give the impression of Christmas trees. The simple design allows you the freedom of using a more complex quilting pattern, although we love simple circles because they look like snow! If you’re still short of ideas, have a look at these charming books which are packed full of wonderful projects:
Quilt a Gift at Christmas: 21 Beautiful Projects for Christmas
This book by Barri Sue Gaudet who runs her own quilt pattern design company, Bareroots, has 21 wonderful project ideas including quilts and hand quilted table settings. Designs are suitable for all abilities and time-wise, range from a few hours to two days or a week, depending on what your availability is. David & Charles, 9781446301845, $29.99, available from candobooks.com.au
Stitch it for Christmas
From Lynette Anderson, the founder of The Patchwork Angel, comes a beautiful collection of simple festive designs that range from quick makes to longer, more intensive projects. Each project has a quirky style, ideal for your own home and as a gift for others. Most projects include appliqué and stitchery so this book is suited to those of us with a love of hand quilting and sewing. David and Charles, 9781446302538, $16.99, available from candobooks.com.au
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Amish With a Twist
This quilt features Centennial Solids from Marcus Fabrics. Available here at The Quilters’ Store as a Block of the Month.
BLOCK OF THE MONTH Celebrated quilt designer Nancy Rink follows up her spectacularly popular Amish with a Twist with a new quilt. “Amish with a Twist 2”.
You will just love making this beautiful Amish style quilt. The finished quilt measures 105” x 105”. cost: $65.00 per month x 6 months. (p&h extra)
To order or for further information go to our secure website
www.tqes.com.au
Or please contact: The Quilters’ Store, The Embroiderers’ Store Shop 4, 286 Evans Road, Salisbury Qld 4107
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My Town Quilt: EQ by Jan T Urquhart Baillie
There are at least 60 house blocks in Electric Quilt 7 to play with when designing a ‘town’ of houses. Let’s try a Horizontal Strip Quilt layout to design a different quilt. Horizontal strip quilts (row by row) lend themselves very well to landscape pictorial quilts. What a fun way to show where you live.
Start with a new project
Create a new project named My Town. From the top menu, choose Quilt > New Quilt > Horizontal Strip Quilt.
Set up the quilt layout
Search for blocks
Libraries > Block Library > Search > By Notecard. Type in ‘house’. Find at most: 80 items. There will be around 60 blocks. See the picture above.
Go to the Layout tab underneath the quilt to set up the strips and the dimensions of your quilt. Set up the strip sizes Click on the top strip in the layout.
Choose several houses or townhouses and add them to your Sketchbook. Search for some tree blocks to complement your houses in the streets of your ‘town’, and add them to your Sketchbook, too.
In the toolbox at right, click Delete. There are now 4 strips.
Make the next strip 2 inches wide. The bottom strip needs to be 10 inches wide, and styled with Pieced Blocks and 3 blocks.
While the now top strip is still selected (highlighted), make the width 5 inches.
Style the next strip Width: 10 inches Style: Pieced Blocks Number of blocks: 4
Colour your blocks
Using your desired colours, play with colouring each house and tree block in fabrics that you think would suit your design and save them also. On the opposite page, you can see my house blocks.
Layout the quilt
Leave the top strip for the sky, and the third strip will be a ‘street’, so that the houses are not on top of the next row of blocks. My version of a ‘My Town’ quilt design is pictured at the top of the page, and I quite like it!
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Computer Quilts
Have more streets
If you wanted to, you could add some rows by going back to the layout tab, and inserting a row at a time. The row will drop in above whichever row you have clicked on in the quilt. If the new row goes where you didn’t want it, simply delete that row and start again. Style the rows as you like, adding more blocks in the distant ones to suggest distance. Perhaps you could add some applique cars on the streets? Or a dog? You go to the library and search for cars, dogs, (cats, birds) in applique motifs to get these. Have fun! See you next time...
For more lessons go to: www.jantspatchworkschool.com
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Exhibition
Pour l’Amour du Fil The fifth edition of the Pour l’Amour du Fil Show took place at La Cité des Congrès, Nantes, France, IN April 2013. More than 12,000 people came this year to admire the beautiful “houses” of the invited artists, all furnished and decorated with their quilts.
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Exhibition
Among the artists were Di Ford from Australia, Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably from the UK, Petra Prins and An Moonen from the Netherlands, Polly Minick from the United States, and SĂŠgolaine Schweitzer from France.
Also, the 150th anniversary of the original Dear Jane quilt, made by Jane Stickle in 1863, was celebrated at the show. Some of the 114 Baby Jane quilts from all over the world were hung in the huge, beautiful room dedicated to this exhibit.
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Exhibition
One of the highlights of the show was a beautiful exhibition of Boros from Japan. About 40 rare items from the collection of Mr Nukata, one of the three most important collectors in Japan, were exhibited to illustrate the show’s theme of ‘Recycling’. These days Boros are sold at astronomical prices in New York galleries, but essentially they are rags of indigo fabrics, patched and repatched – the humble material of poor people who could not afford to buy new fabrics but who nonetheless needed to stay warm and so were obliged to recycle any fabrics they could find.
Essentially, Boros are rags of indigo fabrics, patched and repatched – the humble material of poor people
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Exhibition
The House of Petra Prins and An Moonen
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Exhibition
The House of Polly Minick
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Exhibition
The House of SĂŠgolaine Schweitzer
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On the
BOOK SHELF Enjoy some of the latest books on the market, and enter our competition to win one! Modern Holiday - Deck the Halls with 18 Sewing Projects • Quilts, Stockings, Decorations & More
Amanda Murphy Celebrate the festive new colours of Christmas! These quilts and holiday decorations from designer/blogger Amanda Murphy take Christmas in a bright new direction that updates the traditional reds and greens with blues, pinks, and whites. The book includes nine quilts and nine home decoration projects: seasonal cushions, a tree skirt, advent calendar, Christmas stockings, and more. The quilts are made with different techniques (piecing, appliqué, embellishment with yoyo’s) and use traditional blocks (Flying Geese, Dresden Plate, Hexagons) in a modern setting. By using fabrics in a different colour way they can easily be made to suit any time of the year. The book is aimed at intermediate-level quilters, but there are also projects suitable for beginners. Published by C&T Publishing
Quilts 1700 – 1945
Edited by Sue Pritchard If you couldn’t make it to the Queensland Art Gallery to see this exhibition, don’t miss this beautiful publication celebrating more than 200 years of British quilts and patchwork, drawn from the Victoria & Albert Museum’s rich textile collection. A chapter by Robert Bell, Senior Curator of the National Gallery of Australia, showcases The Rajah quilt, made in 1841 on a convict ship. Available from www. australianartbooks.com.au
Brave New Quilts 12 Projects Inspired by 20th-Century Art • From Art Nouveau To Punk & Pop
Kathreen Ricketson This is the latest book by well-known Australian author and blogger of Whipup. net, Kathreen Ricketson, who sadly passed away in May 2013. Her death is a great loss for the crafting and quilting community in Australia and the world. Ricketson presents 12 quilts inspired by 20th-century art movements - from Art Nouveau and Bauhaus to pop and punk. To set the context, each project begins with an engaging overview of its historical period. Every art-inspired quilt concept is divided into four chapters: Use of Line, Use of Colour, Use of Motif, and Use of Text. Each of these chapters contains three projects and is generously outlined with illustrations and two alternate design options. Separate chapters about design principles, colour theory, quilting basics and a list of blogs, books and websites round off this inspiring book. Published by C&T Publishing
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Library
WIN Precut Patchwork Party – Modern Projects To Sew And Craft With Fabric Strips, Squares, And Fat Quarters Elaine Schmidt This book is full of ideas on what to do with pre-cut fabrics – jelly rolls, charm packs, fat quarters and fat eights. There is a section with eight Home Décor projects, such as a table runner, placemats and napkins, cushion covers, and a tea cosy, and a section called ‘Accessories and
a copy! See p7
wearables’ with lots of bag projects, fabric baskets, a girl’s dress, an apron and much more. A fairly extensive introduction to techniques and materials used makes this book well suited to beginning sewers. Published by Creative Publishing International and distributed in Australia by Capricorn Link all in Lynette’s signature quirky style and distinctive palette. A ‘General Techniques’ section at the beginning of the book has basic information on appliqué methods; making yoyos; English paper piecing, embroidery stitches etc. Published by David and Charles and distributed in Australia by Capricorn Link
I Love Color!
Sew Red - Sewing And Quilting For Women’s Heart Health
Laura Zander Quilting celebrities such as Denyse Schmidt, Valori Wells, Kaffe Fassett and Tula Pink have contributed a quilt project to this book, which is published as part of The Heart Truth campaign to raise awareness of heart disease among women. There are also sewing projects such as bags, skirts and cushions by well-known designers likes Amy Butler and Anna Maria Horner. Added to the 27 projects is a lot of information about heart health, including tips and recipes, plus a section on sewing basics. Published by Sixth & Spring Books and distributed in Australia by Capricorn Link
Stitch It for Spring – Seasonal Sewing projects to Craft and Quilt
Lynette Anderson Fans of Lynette Anderson will love her latest book. In it you will find one quilt pattern and seven other projects (such as a handbag, a purse, a journal cover and a tea towel),
Marcia Harmening Do happy hues and pretty patterns make your quilter’s heart beat a little faster? Marcia Harmening’s colour-drenched quilts include a wide variety of quilt making techniques, such as curved borders, needle-turn or machine appliqué, and little flanges for a dimensional touch. Projects include Melon Slices throw quilt and table runner, Perennial Pinwheels quilt, Sitka Rose quilt, Summer Cherries quilt, Sunburst Blossoms quilt, and Solar Eclipse throw quilt and crib quilt. A General Instructions section is included at the end of the book. Published by Leisure Arts and distributed in Australia by Capricorn Link
Dynamic Quilts
Sue Harvey and Sandy Boobar Have fun discovering how diamonds, rectangles, and squares are easily sewn into (seemingly complex!) visual delights. The simple fabric shapes come together to create a series of six exciting quilts. The patterns include four generous throws, one quilt for a twin-size bed, and one for a queen-size bed. Choose fabrics with plenty of contrast to make these pleasing geometric designs. A General Instructions section is included at the end of the book. Published by Leisure Arts and distributed in Australia by Capricorn Link
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Threads for hand & machine patchwork, appliquÊ, quilting, embroidery & lace Cotton Mako’ 50 makes stitching miniature pieces and perfect points a breeze
Distributed in Australia & New Zealand by Always Quilting 401 Waverley Rd, Malvern East, Vic Tel 03 9569 2272 Email: thread@alwaysquilting.com.au Web: www.AurifilThreadAustralia.com.au
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Exhibition
QuiltWest
2013
The West Australian Quilters Association’s annual exhibition was held IN May at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. We SHARE some highlights of this stunning show.
Rebecca Stewart-Bartell, Lain Lou First, Pictorial Quilts Runner Up Best of Show
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Exhibition
Jocelyne Leath, Papa Best of Show
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Exhibition
Above left, Julie McAllister, Little Houses First, Traditional Mainly Appliqué: Amateur Above right, Pat Forster, Pink Posy Fractal First, Theme “Two Coloured Quilts”: Amateur Best Use of Colour
Dawn Trainor, Lightning Down The Garden Path Third, Small Quilts: Amateur
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Exhibition
Emily Owens, French Braid First, Student Quiltmaker: Senior Section Best Senior Student Quilter
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Exhibition
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Exhibition
Meg Cowey, Individuality Second, Modern Quilts
Left, Carol Brady, Rainbow Blocks First, Modern Quilts
Rebecca Stewart Bartell, Bella be Blue First, Theme “Two Coloured Quilts” Professional Best Longarm Machine Quilting Members’ Choice Viewers’ Choice
Lesley Fry, 30s Floral Dance Third, Small Quilts: Professional
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3D Fun Bag Pattern $12 Kit $50 Large Tote Have fun with 3D Applique
Studio Bag Pattern $12 Kit $40 Great Handbag Simple Applique
Overlander Bag Pattern $12 Kit $50 Kit Includes 3 Embroidered Motifs and Handles Pocket and more detail on the back.
Excludes P&H
Chandlers Cottage www.chandlerscottage.com info@chandlerscottage.com
+613 9589 7056 www.downunderquilts.com.au | 79
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Professional
Machine Quilters’ Directory NSW
Coastal Quilting Service Jenny Campbell Umina Beach 02 4344 2627 coastalquilting@dodo.com.au Knitted Lamington Studio Beryl Janieson Sydney Inner West 0408 623 479 knitted.lamington@gmail.com Precious Heirlooms Quilting Service Verna Horwood Menai 02 9543 0975 Mobile 0419 486 360 dvhorwood@bigpond.com
QLD
Diane’s Quilting Quest, Diane Farrugia Bridgeman Downs (Brisbane’s northside) (07) 3863 1853 diane_farrugia@hotmail.com.au Professional Quilting Services Kym Colgrave Bundaberg 0429 957 082 pqs@dodo.com.au www.proquilt.com.au
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Quilts: To Make
Project Instructions The instructions for all five projects can be found in the following 15 pages of the printed version only.* The instructions will provide an extensive list of materials and equipment required as well as detailed instructions with clear diagrams and/or photographs to ensure ease of understanding. Should you encounter any difficulties you may contact us at info@practicalpublishing.com.au and we will endeavour to assist. Our experience over the past 100-plus issues is that the instructions are both comprehensive and simplified enough for the beginner through to the advanced quilter to follow without a problem. In every project the fabric is 100 per cent cotton, 100cm (40in) wide. It is assumed that the fabrics are pre-washed and ironed. Should any projects use different fabrics there will be clear details included. All measurements or dimensions of quilts or wall-hangings are listed as width by length. You will find that this is fairly standard throughout the international quilting world. We express quilt sizes and fabric requirements in metric and imperial measurements for ease of purchase as well as acknowledgment that many quilters ‘think’ in imperial even if they are of the metric age, and of course, our American readers work on the imperial system. Within the actual instructions all measurements are imperial. It is recommended that you read through
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all instructions first, prior to cutting any fabrics. And, if the quilt is constructed by units, or blocks, complete one prior to cutting larger quantities. It is also assumed that anyone attempting these projects has basic hand and machinesewing skills, as well as hand or machinequilting skills. Neither of these techniques is expressed in detail in our instructions. You can access such techniques via books or workshops. All patterns are copyright to the maker and we rely on their assertions of that legal right. These projects may only be made for personal use, and should you wish to use any for other purposes you must contact us to obtain permission. If you have any original designs that you think our readers may enjoy, please send us low-resolution images for consideration. All contributors are paid for their efforts, and it is such fun sharing your work with quilters around the world. Happy stitching!
*If you are reading your free subscription online, and you wish to make any of these gorgeous projects you can order your printed version at www.practicalpublishing.com.au, tel: 07 3160 9940. Each printed copy is $10.95 plus $3.50 postage in Australia. The magazine also includes all patterns and templates required to complete the projects.
25/07/2013 12:14
Bohemian Star By Anorina Morris
◆ 1 10in layer cake (or 36 assorted 8in squares) ◆ 2.4m (2 5/8yd) white solid fabric ◆ 2.4m (2 5/8yd) dark teal print fabric ◆ 2.4m (2 5/8yd) light teal print fabric ◆ 2.5m (2 3/4yd) extra wide (275cm/108in) backing fabric ◆ 90cm (1yd) solid red binding fabric
OTHER REQUIREMENTS ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
Rotary cutter, ruler and mat Threads for piecing and quilting 250cm x 250cm (98in x 98in) batting Masking tape (or clips) for sandwiching the quilt Safety pins for basting Quilting gloves (optional) Sewing machine plus walking and darning foot General sewing supplies
CUTTING
DIMENSIONS
229cm x 229cm (90in x 90in)
FABRIC REQUIREMENTS
All fabric is 100% cotton, 100cm (40in) wide, pre-washed and ironed.
once on the diagonal to make 8 triangles
All measurements include a scant 1/4in seam allowance. All strips are cut across the width of the fabric unless otherwise stated.
From the dark teal fabric Cut 4, 23 3/8in squares, then cut once on the diagonal to make 8 triangles
For the layer cakes Trim to 8in
From the light teal fabric Cut 4, 23in squares
From the white solid fabric Cut 4, 23 3/8in squares, then cut
From the binding fabric Cut 9, 2 1/2in strips
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Quilts: To Make
CONSTRUCTION
For the star centre Using a scant 1/4in seam, sew 6, 8in squares together to form a row. Repeat to make 6 rows. Press the seams for alternate rows in opposite directions, then pin and stitch the rows together. Press well. For the star points Place a dark teal triangle and a white triangle right sides together. Using a scant 1/4in seam, sew along the diagonal side. Press the seam towards the dark teal fabric. Repeat for all dark
teal and white triangles to make 8, dark teal/white squares. Referring to the quilt photograph, and using a scant 1/4in seam, sew two squares together. When finished there will be one large white triangle between two smaller dark teal triangles. Repeat for all squares to make 4 star point rectangles.
ASSEMBLY
Referring to the quilt photograph, lay out the quilt components in three rows.
Using a scant 1/4in seam, join the components of each row. Press the seams for alternate rows in different directions, then pin and stitch the rows together. Press well.
FINISHING
Lay the backing fabric right side down on a large flat surface. Smooth the fabric out and clip (or tape) in place. Centre the batting on top of the backing. Smooth it out, the clip it in place. Centre the well-pressed quilt top over the batting, right side up. Smooth it out from the centre, clip it in place,
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then baste the three layers together using safety pins at 4in intervals. Bohemian Star was quilted with an all over loopy/heart pattern.
BINDING
the folded beginning edge of the binding strip. Trim any excess binding. Stitch the remaining binding in place. Turn the folded edge over to the back of the quilt and slip stitch in place using matching thread.
Label your quilt with relevant information including your name, the name of the quilt, and the date.
Trim the batting and backing of the quilt to just over 1/4in beyond the edge of the quilt top to allow for fill within the binding. Check that the corners are square. Join the 9 binding strips end to end using 45 degree seams. Trim and press the seams open to reduce bulk. Cut the starting end of the binding at 45 degrees and press under a single 1/4in fold, then press the binding in half lengthwise with wrong sides together. Using a 1/4in seam and a walking foot, and leaving a 7in tail unsewn, start sewing the binding to the front quilt top edge, matching raw edges of the binding and the quilt top. Stop stitching 1/4in from the corner, remove the quilt from the machine, and fold the binding strip at a 45 degree angle towards the top of the quilt. Fold the binding strip straight down, level with the next side of the quilt. This will make a neat mitred corner when the binding is folded to the back. Continue stitching, starting 1/4in from the folded edge. Repeat this process for all the corners. On the final side, with the quilt still under the machine, insert approximately 1inof the binding inside
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Quilts: To Make
Christmas Tree
Wall Hanging By Kirsty Cleverly
◆ Fusible webbing ◆ 60cm x 60cm (23in x 23in) batting ◆ Threads for piecing and quilting ◆ Masking tape (or clips) for sandwiching the quilt ◆ Quilt basting spray ◆ Quilting gloves (optional) ◆ Sewing machine plus walking and darning foot ◆ General sewing supplies
FABRIC SELECTION TIPS
The background fabric simulates the fading glow of the star. Choose fabric in three different values (light, medium,
dark) of the one colour. Likewise, choose a dark value yellow fabric for the star to ensure it stands out from the light yellow background.
CUTTING
All measurements include a scant 1/4in seam allowance. All strips are cut across the width of the fabric unless otherwise stated. From the dark green fabric Cut 27, 3 1/2in squares From the light background fabric Cut 2, 2 1/2in squares Cut 5, 3 1/2in squares From the medium background fabric Cut 8, 2 1/2in squares Cut 5, 3 1/2in squares From the dark background fabric Cut 24, 2 1/2in squares Cut 5, 3 1/2in squares From the light yellow fabric Cut 4, 3 1/2in squares
DIMENSIONS
46cm x 49cm (18in x 19in)
FABRIC REQUIREMENTS
From the red fabric Cut 1, 2 1/2in square Cut 1, 3 1/2in square
All fabric is 100% cotton, 100cm (40in) wide, pre-washed and ironed.
From the wood grain fabric Cut 1, 18in x 1 1/2in strip
Please note: The tree and background sections of the wall hanging have been cut from scraps. The quantities specified are the total amounts required.
From the dark yellow fabric Cut 1, 4in square
◆ 30cm (3/8yd) dark green fabric ◆ 10cm (1/8yd) light background fabric ◆ 20cm (1/4yd) medium background fabric ◆ 20cm (1/4yd) dark background fabric ◆ 10cm (1/8yd) light yellow fabric ◆ 10cm (1/8yd) red fabric ◆ 10cm (1/8yd) wood grain fabric ◆ 10cm (1/8yd) dark yellow fabric ◆ 60cm (3/4yd) backing fabric ◆ 20cm (1/4yd) binding fabric
OTHER REQUIREMENTS ◆ Rotary cutter, ruler and mat ◆ Air soluble pen
From the binding fabric Cut 3, 2 1/2in strips
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
This project is made up of squares, half square triangle (HST) units, and one hourglass block. For the HST units: Take 2, 3 1/2in squares and place them right sides together. Using an air soluble pen and a ruler, draw a diagonal line corner to corner on the wrong side of one of the squares. Sew a line a scant 1/4in from each side of the drawn line. Cut in half along the drawn line. Press open. Trim the units to 2 1/2in. Ensure the 45° line on the ruler is on the
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DIAGRAM 2
seam when trimming. Yield – 2 HST units
CONSTRUCTION
DIAGRAM 1
Following the General Instructions above, and using 3 1/2in squares, make 44 HST units as follows: ◆ 11 dark green squares paired with 11 dark green squares ◆ 2 light yellow squares paired with 2 light background squares ◆ 2 light background squares paired with 2 medium background squares ◆ 2 medium background squares paired with 2 dark background squares ◆ 2 dark background squares paired with 2 dark green squares ◆ 1 medium background square paired with 1 dark green square ◆ 1 light background square paired with 1 dark green square ◆ 1 dark background square paired with 1 red square. Make a further 1 HST unit as follows: ◆ 1 light yellow 3 1/2in square paired with 1 light yellow 3 1/2in square (trim 1 HST unit, leave the other untrimmed for the hourglass block). Pair 1 light yellow 3 1/2in square with 1 dark green 3 1/2in square, proceed as for HST units, but do not trim either unit. Only 1 will be required for the hourglass block.
DIAGRAM 3
For the hourglass block, cut the 2 untrimmed HST units in half on the diagonal, perpendicular to the seam. Discard one half of each. Place the remaining halves right sides together
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Quilts: To Make
and using a scant 1/4in seam, join along the diagonal edge. Press open. Trim to 2 1/2in. This yields 1 hourglass block made up of 3 light yellow triangles and 1 dark green triangle.
ASSEMBLY
Referring to the wall hanging photograph, and to Diagram 1, lay out the 36, 2 1/2in squares, the 45, HST units and the 1 hourglass unit. Using a scant 1/4in seam, join the components of each row. Press the seams for alternate rows in different directions, then pin and stitch the rows together. Press well. Sew the woodgrain strip to the bottom of the quilt. Take a piece of fusible webbing and using a pencil, trace the star shape (see Diagram 2) onto the paper backing. Roughly cut around the outside of the shape. Following manufacturer’s instructions, fuse the webbing to the wrong side of the 4in dark yellow fabric square. Cut out the star shape on the drawn lines, peel off the backing paper and position the star at the top of the tree. When happy with the placement, iron in place with a dry iron. Hand or machine stitch around the star’s edge, using either a blanket or a zig zag stitch.
FINISHING
Lay the backing fabric right side down on a large flat surface. Smooth the fabric out and clip (or tape) in place. Take the square of batting and lightly spray with quilt basting spray. Centre the batting on the backing square, spray side down. Smooth out any wrinkles. Lightly spray the top of the batting and centre the quilt top on top of it, right side up, again smoothing out any wrinkles. The wall hanging requires minimal quilting. A suitable quilting design is at Diagram 3.
BINDING
Trim the batting and backing of the
wall hanging to just over 1/4in beyond the edge of the top to allow for fill within the binding. Check that the corners are square. Join the 3 binding strips end to end using 45 degree seams. Trim and press the seams open to reduce bulk. Cut the starting end of the binding at 45 degrees and press under a single 1/4in fold, then press the binding in half lengthwise with wrong sides together. Using a 1/4in seam and a walking foot, and leaving a 7in tail unsewn, start sewing the binding to the front quilt top edge, matching raw edges of the binding and the quilt top. Stop stitching 1/4in from the corner, remove the quilt from the machine, and fold the binding strip at a 45 degree angle towards the top of the quilt. Fold the binding strip straight down, level with the next side of the quilt. This will make a neat mitred corner when the binding is folded to the back. Continue stitching, starting 1/4in from the folded edge. Repeat this process for all the corners. On the final side, with the quilt
still under the machine, insert approximately 1in of the binding inside the folded beginning edge of the binding strip. Trim any excess binding. Stitch the remaining binding in place. Turn the folded edge over to the back of the quilt and slip stitch in place using matching thread.
HANGING LOOPS
Thin loops of scrap fabric can be hand sewn onto the top corners on the back of the wall hanging. Place the loops a little down from the top edge so that when the wall hanging is in place, they will not be seen. Label your quilt with relevant information including your name, the name of the quilt, and the date.
Contact Kirsty at bonjourmate@ hotmail.com and visit her blog at www.bonjourquilts.com.
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Festive
FUN By Leesa Chandler
◆ 40cm (1/2yd) Robert Kaufman Remix Holiday 12137 223 for placemat pockets and mini bunting ◆ 1m (1 1/8yd) Robert Kaufman Kona Solid Tomato #7 for the bunting string and binding ◆ 1m (1 1/8yd) Robert Kaufman Remix Red 12136 3 for the backing
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
◆ Rotary cutter, ruler and mat ◆ 1/2in bias tape maker ◆ 20cm (1/4yd) fusible webbing (eg Steam a Seam Light) ◆ Threads for piecing and quilting ◆ 30cm (3/8yd) light weight adhesive pellon ◆ Template plastic ◆ Fabric pen ◆ 1m (1 1/8yd) light weight batting ◆ Sewing machine plus walking foot ◆ General sewing supplies
METHOD
FESTIVE FUN PLACEMATS
This is a stress-free way to add holiday cheer to your table. The 3D bunting is fun to make, and the project goes together quickly, requiring no hand sewing. Each placemat has a pocket for cutlery, chopsticks or a napkin. Or you can tuck a little treat inside as a surprise.
DIMENSIONS
15 1/2in x 10 1/2in (40cm x 27cm)
FABRIC REQUIREMENTS
All fabric is 100% cotton, 100cm (40in) wide, pre-washed and ironed. ◆ 60cm (3/4yd) Robert Kaufman Kona Solid Clover #135 for placemat ◆ 60cm (3/4yd) Robert Kaufman Remix Holiday 12136 223 for placemat
DIAGRAM 1
All measurements include a scant 1/4in seam allowance. All strips are cut across the width of the fabric unless otherwise stated. Cut 4, 2in strips from each placemat fabric. Using a scant 1/4in seam, sew together lengthways, alternating fabrics (Diagram 1). Press seams towards the darker fabric strips. Cross cut into 4, 10 1/2in x 12 1/2in blocks (Diagram 2). Repeat to create a total of 8 placemat blocks.
101/2 DIAGRAM 2
101/2 DIAGRAM 3
From each placemat fabric cut 2, 2in strips. Using a scant 1/4in seam, sew together in pairs (one strip from each fabric). Cross cut into 8, 3 1/2in x 10 1/2in strips (Diagram 3). From the pocket fabric, cut 8, 3 1/2in x 13in strips. From the light weight adhesive pellon cut 8, 3in x 6in rectangles. Position a pellon rectangle at one end of the wrong
DIAGRAM 4
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Quilts: To Make
side of a pocket fabric strip leaving a 1/4in margin at the short end and both sides (Diagram 4). Following the manufacturer’s instructions, fuse the pellon in place. Fold the pocket piece in half, wrong sides together, and press. Repeat to make a total of 8 pockets. Pin a pocket to a placemat block on the right hand side, aligning bottom edges. Baste in place (Diagram 5). Repeat for all pockets and placemat blocks. Pin a 3 1/2in x 10 1/2in pieced strip right side down to the right hand side of a placemat block/pocket unit. Using a scant 1/4in seam and a walking foot, sew the pieces together, sandwiching the pocket in between. Press open and align the pocket with the right edge of the placemat (Diagram 6). Repeat to make 8 placemat tops. From both the placemat backing fabric and the batting cut 8, 11in x 16in rectangles. Place a backing fabric rectangle right side down on a flat surface. Lay a batting rectangle on top, then lay the pressed placemat top on top, right side up. Pin. Repeat for all placemats. The Festive Fun Placemats were top stitched just in from the seams on each side of the light coloured strips. Trim excess backing and batting. Make a template for the bunting curve by drawing the curve along one long edge of a 2in x 15in piece of template plastic and cutting away the excess plastic. Place the bunting template on each placemat, so that the curve sits 1 1/2in down from the top raw edge. Trace the curve with a fabric pen (Diagram 7).
From the bunting string fabric, cut 8, 7/8in x 16 1/2in strips on the bias. Use these to make 8, 1/2in x 16 1/2in bias tapes with the 1/2in bias tape maker. Cut 8, 3/8in x 16 1/2in strips of fusible webbing (eg Steam A Seam Light). Fuse these strips to the wrong side of the bias tapes. Lightly fuse the bias tapes in place along the drawn curve line on each placemat. The bunting flags will be slipped under this tape. From the mini bunting fabric cut 1, 2in strip from selvedge to selvedge. Fold in half lengthways, right sides together. Using a scant 1/4in seam, sew down the long .raw edge. On the wrong side of this sewn strip draw lines perpendicular to the seam at 1in intervals. Stitch a line at each mark (Diagram 8).
DIAGRAM 5
DIAGRAM 6
Cut a scant 1/4in to the right side of each seam line to make 40 bunting flags (Diagram 9). Clip the corners and turn right side out, pushing out the corners to make a crisp shape. Press. Using the photo of the placemats as a guide, carefully lift up the lower edge of the bunting string bias, and push the raw edges of a bunting flag underneath the bias. For maximum contrast put one over each green strip. Once all the flags are in position, press the bias well to secure then stitch down each side of the bias to hold the bias and bunting in place.
11/2
DIAGRAM 7
1”
1”
1”
DIAGRAM 8
DIAGRAM 9
Trace to make curve template.
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DIAGRAM 10
To bind each placemat, cut 2 1/4in strips from the binding fabric. Join the strips with a 45 degree seam. Fold the binding strip in half lengthways wrong sides together. With all raw edges even sew the binding to the wrong side of the placemat. Bring the binding to the front of the placemat and top stitch in place.
FESTIVE FUN TABLE RUNNER DIMENSIONS
3 1/2in x 10 1/2in (4 27cm x 110.5cm)
FABRIC REQUIREMENTS
All fabric is 100% cotton, 100cm (40in) wide, pre-washed and ironed. 30cm (3/8yd) Robert Kaufman Kona Solid Clover #135 for the runner center 30cm (3/8yd) Robert Kaufman Remix Holiday 12136 223 for the runner centre 60cm (3/4yd) Robert Kaufman Remix Holiday 12137 223 for the borders and backing 50cm (5/8yd) Robert Kaufman Kona Solid Tomato #7 for the bias tape and binding 50cm x 40cm (20in x 16in) batting (eg lightweight adhesive pellon)
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
◆ Rotary cutter, ruler and mat ◆ 1/2in bias tape maker ◆ 20cm (1/4yd) fusible webbing (eg Steam a Seam Light) ◆ Threads for piecing and quilting ◆ Template plastic
DIAGRAM 11
◆ Fabric pen ◆ Sewing machine plus walking foot ◆ General sewing supplies
METHOD
All measurements include a scant 1/4in seam allowance. All strips are cut across the width of the fabric unless otherwise stated.
away excess fabric from the curve. Place a border strip on each long side of the table runner top so they just cover the straight edge of the table runner (Diagram 11). The table runner should now measure approximately 15in in width. Measure to make sure the table runner is an even width. Pin and baste the curved edge in place.
From each table runner fabric cut 5, 2in strips selvedge to selvedge. Using a scant 1/4in seam sew the strips lengthways alternating the fabrics. Press seams towards the darker fabric strips. Cross cut into 3, 10 1/2in x 15 1/2in units. Join the three units together, short end to short end making sure the fabrics still alternate. Take off the dark strip at one end so both ends have the same fabric strip.
Sandwich the backing, batting and the basted table runner top and pin well. Quilt the table runner by top stitching down each side of the lighter coloured fabric strips.
From the batting, cut a strip 44in x 16in. Centre the pieced table runner on the batting, smoothing it out. Fuse in place. If using a non-adhesive batting, pin or baste in place.
Cut 3/8in x 50inin strips of fusible webbing (eg Steam A Seam Light). Fuse a strip to the wrong side of each bias tape. Fuse the bias tape over the raw edges of the curve on each side of the table runner. Top stitch down each side of the bias tape to secure.
From the border fabric cut 2, 3 1/2in strips from selvedge to selvedge. Make a template for the bunting curve by drawing the curve along one long edge of a 2in x 15in piece of template plastic and cutting away the excess plastic. Draw a curved edge along one side of each border strip (Diagram 10). Cut
Trim excess backing and batting. From the bias fabric, cut 5, 7/8in x 20in strips on the bias. Join end to end and using the 1/2in bias tape maker, make 1/2in wide bias tape. Cut in half.
For the binding, cut 3, 2 1/4in strips from the binding fabric. Join the strips with a 45 degree seam. Fold the binding strip in half lengthways wrong sides together. With all raw edges even sew the binding to the wrong side of the table runner. Bring the binding to the front of the table runner and top stitch in place.
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Quilts: To Make
Tea House
COSIES
By Linda Robertus
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
METHOD
◆ Rotary cutter, ruler and mat ◆ Iron ◆ Sewing and quilting threads ◆ (large cosy) 30cm x 15cm (12in x 6in) fusible webbing (eg vliesofix) ◆ Sewing machine with walking foot ◆ Ribbons, buttons, lace ◆ (small cosy) Insul Bright ® batting: 2 pieces, each 33cm x 25cm (13in x 10in) ◆ (large cosy) Insul Bright ® batting: 2 pieces, each 37cm x 30cm (14 1/2in x 12in)
Make the cosy back Using a scant 1/4in seam, sew the 13in x 6 1/2in house fabric rectangle to 1, 13in x 4 1/2in roof fabric rectangle. Referring to Diagram 2, trim the roof fabric to size. Make the cosy front Using a scant 1/4in seam, and referring to Diagram 1, piece the front together in the following order: ◆ Sew A and B to C ◆ Sew D to ACB ◆ Sew F and G to E ◆ Sew GEF to ACBD ◆ Sew H and I to A-F. This pieced front should now measure 13in x 6 1/2in.
SMALL COSY CUTTING
For the front (letters refer to placement, see Diagram 1)
Sew 1, 13in x 4 1/2in roof fabric rectangle to the pieced cosy front. Referring to Diagram 2, trim the roof fabric to size.
From the window fabric: Cut 1, 3 1/2in x 2 1/2in rectangle (A) Cut 1, 2 1/2in square (B) This is a fun project for beginning quilters or to undertake with children. The small cosy is pieced while the larger one is an appliqué project. Use up your scraps and have fun choosing buttons, ribbons, lace and other embellishments to add the finishing touch to your Tea House Cosies.
DIMENSIONS
Small cosy: 30cm x 23cm (12in x 9in) Large cosy: 34cm x 30cm (13 1/2in x 12in)
FABRIC REQUIREMENTS
From the house fabric: Cut 1, 4 1/2in x 2 1/2in rectangle (C) Cut 1, 2in x 9 1/2in rectangle (D) Cut 1, 3 1/2in x 3in rectangle (F) Cut 1, 3 ½ in x 5in rectangle (G) Cut 2, 2 1/2in x 6 1/2in rectangles (H and I) From the door fabric: Cut 1, 2 1/2in x 3 1/2in rectangle (E)
ASSEMBLY
Trim both lining pieces and both batting pieces to the same size as the cosy front and cosy back. Place the cosy front on top of one piece of batting, pin in place and stitch around the windows and the door through both layers. Cut the lace to size and stitch to the top edge of each window (through all layers) to make the curtains. Cut a small piece of ribbon and stitch to the top edge of the door. Cut a narrow piece
For the back From the house fabric: Cut 1, 13in x 6 1/2in rectangle
All fabric is 100% cotton, 100 cm (40in) wide, pre-washed and ironed roof
Small cosy: ◆ House fabric: 30cm (12in) ◆ Roof fabric: 2 pieces, each 33cm x 11.5cm (13in x 4 1/2in) ◆ Door and windows fabric: scraps ◆ Lining fabric: 2 pieces, each 33cm x 25cm (13in x 10in) Large cosy: ◆ House fabric: 2 pieces, each 37cm x 21cm (14 1/2in x 8 1/4in) ◆ Roof fabric: 2 pieces, each 37cm x 13.5cm (14 1/2in x 5 1/4in) ◆ Door and windows fabric: scraps ◆ Lining fabric: 2 pieces, each 37cm x 33cm (14 1/2in x 13in)
D A
C
B
H
I G
E
F
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11/2 in
10 in
11/2 in
13 in
of ribbon to size and place it along the seam between roof and house. Sew through all layers. Remove the pins. Place the cosy back on top of one piece of batting and pin in place. Cut a narrow piece of ribbon to size and place it along the seam between roof and house. Sew through all layers. Remove the pins. With right sides together, pin cosy front to cosy back. To add a loop, fold a 20cm (8in) piece of ribbon in half and lay it between the pieces, even with the top of the roof raw edge, with the loop pointing inwards. Pin. Using a 1/2in seam, sew up the left side, along the top and down the right side of the cosy. Leave the bottom edge open. Turn right side out. Pin the lining pieces right sides together and using a 1/2in seam, sew up the left side, along the top and down the right side of the lining. Leave the bottom edge open, and leave a gap of 6in (15cm) in the middle of the top edge. Do not turn right side out yet. Slip the lining over the cosy so that right sides are together. Pin the bottom edges of the cosy to the bottom edges of the lining, ensuring that the side seams line up. Sew together at the bottom edge. Turn right side out through the 6in (15cm) gap in the lining. Slip stitch
the gap closed. Top stitch around the bottom, a few millimetres from the edge.
FINISHING
Decorate the cosy with buttons (see photos for inspiration). Put on the kettle, make a pot of tea and enjoy your new tea cosy!
LARGE COSY CUTTING
From the door fabric and the fusible webbing: Cut 1, 3 1/2in x 6in rectangle from each From the window fabric and the fusible webbing: Cut 2, 3in x 4in rectangles from each
METHOD
Cosy back Sew 1, 14 1/2in x 8 1/4in house fabric rectangle to 1, 14 1/2in x 5 1/4in roof fabric rectangle. Referring to Diagram 3, trim the roof fabric to size. Cosy front Piece as for cosy back. For the door and windows, use a hot dry iron to fuse the fusible webbing to the wrong side of the door and window fabrics. Remove
EXPERT TIP
Use a walking foot to stitch through multiple layers.
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Quilts: To Make
3 in
81/2 in
3 in
141/2 in
the right side of the lining. Leave the bottom edge open, and leave a gap of 6in (15cm) in the middle of the top edge. Do not turn right side out yet. Slip the lining over the cosy so that right sides are together. Pin the bottom edges of the cosy to the bottom edges of the lining, ensuring that the side seams line up. Sew together at the bottom edge. Turn right side out through the 6in (15cm) gap in the lining. Slip stitch the gap closed. Top stitch around the bottom, a few millimetres from the edge, showing circa 1cm of lining fabric.
the backing paper and position the pieces onto the cosy front, using the photo of the large cosy as a guide. Fuse the door and window pieces in place.
ASSEMBLY
Trim both lining pieces and both batting pieces to the same size as the cosy front and the cosy back. Place the cosy front on one piece of batting, pin in place and sew down and across the windows through all layers to create window panes. Cut pieces of ribbon to size and sew the ribbon along the edges of the windows and door through all layers. Refer to the large cosy photo for guidance.
Place the cosy back on one piece of batting, pin in place and sew along the seam between roof and house through both layers. Remove the pins. With right sides together, pin cosy front to cosy back. Pin. Using a 1/2in seam, sew up the left side, along the top and down the right side of the cosy. Leave the bottom edge open. Turn right side out. Pin the lining pieces right sides together and using a 1/2in seam, sew up the left side, along the top and down
FINISHING
Decorate the cosy with buttons (see photos for inspiration). Put on the kettle, make a pot of tea and enjoy your new tea cosy!
Linda Robertus can be contacted at linda.robertus@practicalpublishing. com.au. Check out her blog at http:// lindarobertus.blogspot.com.au/.
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Orange, Lemonade &
Liquorice
sandwiching the quilt ◆ Safety pins for basting ◆ Quilting gloves (optional) ◆ Sewing machine plus walking and darning foot ◆ General sewing supplies
CUTTING
All measurements include a scant 1/4in seam allowance. All strips are cut across the width of the fabric unless otherwise stated. It is recommended that you cut and make a sample block before cutting out all the pieces to complete the quilt.
issue
cs, s Quilt’
By Jenny Tate DIMENSIONS
169cm x 232cm (66 1/2in x 91 1/2in)
BLOCK SIZE
32cm (12 1/2in) There are 24 blocks
FABRIC REQUIREMENTS
All fabric is 100 per cent cotton, 100cm (4in) wide, pre-washed and ironed. ◆ 50cm (5/8yd) each of 5 different white on black fabrics ◆ 50cm (5/8yd) each of 5 different black on white fabrics ◆ 1m (1 1/8yd) orange fabric for binding & flowers ◆ 50cm (5/8yd) toning fabric for first border ◆ 1.4m (1 1/2yd) fabric for second border ◆ 5m (5 1/2yd) fabric for backing
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
◆ Rotary cutter, ruler and mat ◆ Threads for piecing and quilting ◆ 3m (3 3/8yd) Vilene ◆ 190cm x 254cm (75in x 100in) batting ◆ Fusible webbing (eg Vliesofix) ◆ Masking tape (or clips) for
From the Vilene: Cut 24, 14in squares From each of the white on black and black on white fabrics: Cut strips in a variety of widths, namely: 1 3/4in, 2in, 2 1/2in and 3in From the First Border fabric: Cut 7, 2 1/2in strips From the Second Border fabric: Cut 7, 6 1/2in strips From the binding fabric Cut 9, 2 1/2in strips
METHOD
Make the quilt centre Start with one square of Vilene. This will be the base onto which the black on white and white on black fabric strips will be sewn. Place one strip along the left edge of the square, right side up. Place a second strip on top, wrong side up (that is, the strips will be right sides facing). Align this second strip with the right hand side raw edge of the first strip. Sew along this side. Flip the top strip open. Press. Lay a third strip on the second strip, aligning the right hand side raw edges. Sew along this raw edge. Press. Flip open. Continue in
this manner, selecting strips at random, until the Vilene square is covered. Repeat to make a total of 24 blocks. Square each block to 14in, or to the size of the smallest block. Place one block on top of another block, right sides together, with the strips running horizontally. Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of the top square. Sew a scant 1/4in seam on both sides of this line. Cut apart on the drawn line and press the seams to one side. Repeat for all blocks. Make sure all diagonal lines run in the same direction. Square each block to 13in. Using the quilt photo as a guide, arrange these blocks in a pleasing manner, 4 blocks across and 6 blocks down. Using a scant 1/4in seam, sew the blocks together in rows, then sew the rows together. Make the flowers Trace 11 Outside Flower shapes, 11 Centre 1 shapes, and 11 Centre 2 shapes onto the paper side of the fusible webbing, using the templates provided. Cut out roughly about 1/4in beyond the traced outline. Using a hot, dry iron, fuse the shapes to the wrong side of the chosen fabrics. (Orange Lemonade and Licorice has orange fabric for the Outside Flower, white on black fabric for Centre 1, and black on white fabric for Centre 2.) Cut out exactly on the line. Referring to the quilt photo, assemble each flower and arrange on the quilt
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Quilts: To Make
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Quilts: To Make
top. Using a hot, dry iron, fuse in place. Secure the flowers to the quilt top with hand or machine blanket stitch. First border Join the 2 1/2in strips together. Measure the length of your quilt Outer Flower top down both sides and down the middle. Average these measurements. Cut 2 border strips to this average measurement. Fold the border strips in half and then into quarters. Mark these points with pins. Mark the sides of the quilt top in the same way. Matching these marks, pin a border strip to each side of the quilt top. Using a scant 1/4in seam, attach the side borders. Press the seams to the outside.
Centre 1 Centre 2
Following the instructions above, attach the top and bottom border strips to the quilt top. Second border As before, measure the length of the quilt top in three places to get an average measurement. Cut 2 border strips to this measurement. As for the first border, pin mark the border strips and sides of the quilt top and attach the border strips to each side of the quilt top. Repeat for the top and bottom border.
FINISHING
Cut the backing fabric into 2, 2.5m pieces. Remove the selvedges. Join along the length using a 1/2in seam. Press the seam open.
Lay the backing fabric right side down on a large flat surface. Smooth the fabric out and clip (or tape) in place. Centre the batting on top of the backing. Smooth it out, then clip it in place. Centre the well-pressed quilt top over the batting, right side up. Smooth it out from the centre, clip it in place, then baste the three layers together using safety pins at 4in intervals. Orange Lemonade and Licorice was stipple quilted all over, with a coordinating variegated thread.
BINDING
Trim the batting and backing of the quilt to just over 1/4in beyond the edge of the quilt top to allow for fill within the binding. Check that the corners are square. Join the 9 binding strips end to end using 45 degree seams. Trim and press the seams open to reduce bulk. Cut the starting end of the binding at 45 degrees and press under a single 1/4in fold, then press the binding in half lengthwise with wrong sides together. Using a 1/4in seam and a walking foot, and leaving a 7in tail unsewn, start sewing the binding to the front quilt top edge, matching raw edges
of the binding and the quilt top. Stop stitching 1/4in from the corner, remove the quilt from the machine, and fold the binding strip at a 45 degree angle towards the top of the quilt. Fold the binding strip straight down, level with the next side of the quilt. This will make a neat mitred corner when the binding is folded to the back. Continue stitching, starting 1/4in from the folded edge. Repeat this process for all the corners. On the final side, with the quilt still under the machine, insert approximately 1inof the binding inside the folded beginning edge of the binding strip. Trim any excess binding. Stitch the remaining binding in place. Turn the folded edge over to the back of the quilt and slip stitch in place using matching thread. Label your quilt with relevant information including your name, the name of the quilt, and the date.
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next
issue For many quilters, the first quilt they ever make is for a new baby; a child, grandchild, niece or nephew. Issue 161 of Down Under Quilts is all about quilts for children. Jeannette Bruce shares her Dr Seuss Quilt, which will delight children of all ages. Jane Rundle shows how to make a lovely appliquéd baby quilt and Saffron Craig has made a giant floor cushion from her new fabric range Valley View. We also have a Snakes and Ladders quilt that will be sure to be a big hit with the little ones in your life! And there is more – we share the winning quilts from the Sydney Quilt Show and we show you some amazing quilts that are not made of fabric… Intrigued? Don’t miss issue 161 - it comes with a free set of 10 Handmade with Love labels!
ISSUE 161 WILL BE IN STORES ON 20 NOVEMBER. Dr Seuss Quilt, Jeannette Bruce
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
The Editor reserves the right to include or not, any submissions or part thereof. All articles and projects are copyright of the author and must not be reproduced for commercial or financial gain without permission. Practical Publishing has taken reasonable steps to ensure that the copyright of each article/project resides with the contributing author. Practical Publishing relies on these warranties when asserting that the copyright is owned by the authors. The instructions for the included projects have been checked for accuracy and are published in good faith. However, we do not guarantee successful results and offer no warranty, either expressed or implied. The claims and statements made in any advertisements are not those of the publisher. Practical Publishing takes no responsibility for the accuracy of the content of any advertisements, advertorials or paid promotions. All information supplied in advertisements is the responsibility of the company who books and pays for the space. Trademarks
Many of the brands and products mentioned in the news and projects pages in Down Under Quilts are trademarks of their respective companies. All companies and brands mentioned in the magazine are included for editorial purposes and all copyrights and trademarks are acknowledged.
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