Cabin Fever

House Log Cabin: 1989

Tamworth Town

I made this quilt by foundation piecing each block so that it was finished (or pre-quilted).  Following Georgia Bonesteel’s directions for her “Quilt as you Go Technique”, I stitched the blocks together to make a finished quilt. I chose this particular method as it didn’t require any further quilting once completed.  Time was of the essence when you had to produce a major work in 6 weeks.   I can’t say though that I enjoyed working this method, but what I did develop further as a theme was the use of odd, scrappy backings.

I decided to add a piped edging around the inner blocks and found adding the border to that something of a technical challenge but it all sat quite flat in the end.  I hand quilted the border. The piping adds a dimensionality to the quilt.

Lap Leftovers Floor Rug
Collection: Home# 019 (Lap Quilt)

I had so many left overs that I stitched together a baby floor rug out of them (91.5 x 125cm).  This was totally machined.  I remember really learning how to get the most out of my machines from this TAFE course, so in some ways, I was taking a giant leap from my very traditional hand piecing & quilting beginnings in Queenscliff.  Endless possibilities offered themselves and whilst I still enjoy the Zen experience of hand work, I have since used the machine to perform more mundane tasks faster. 

This quilt was completed as a major project for my Commercial Needlecraft course at Tamworth TAFE in 1989/90. Elective: Patchwork

I used kiddie prints for the back of Tamworth Town

Given that I had made a quilt for the elder son some years earlier, this one was for A (Mr Mayhem). I intended for this one to be used, hence the choice of cheaper fabrics and somewhat rugged machine stitching.  Heavy duty is a byword for boys.  (I have to laugh now to think that neither of them at the time had quilts anywhere near their beds!!!  Don't feel sorry for them.  I later made others, one of which expired from hanging rather too long on a clothes line - we are talking months here!)

Just for the Record:
Quilt Finished Size: 131.5 x 226cm
Block Size: 12”
Cut in: 1989
Pieced & Basted: Machine 1989
Quilted: Machine 1989 (Quilt-as-you-go technique)
Quilt Type: Single Bed
Quilt Finished: 1989
Exhibited: 
Collection: Home# 018 (Log Cabin)
Pattern Name: Log Cabin
Pattern Source: Georgia Bonesteel
Fabrics Purchased: 1989
Fabric Design: Prints & Plains; House print
Fabric Style: Cotton
Materials Type: Cotton
Wadding Type: Thin Poly Batt
Backing: Cotton

Lessons Learned:
One of the joys of this course was the chance to trial a variety of techniques during class time. To me it was play time too. This course was not structured around finding yourself; it was a business class.  Like any apprentice, we needed to become familiar with our tools but also with managing a business or seeing scope for professional development within the trade.  To this end, I concentrated on technique and used the opportunity to determine if running a shop or teaching classes would work for me.  It most certainly was not wasted time!