Flower of Life....

Tea Reading: 2009  (Started: 1999)

My favourite quilts are made with scraps.  This one is made from a mixed bag of left-overs, charm squares and friends’ donations.  The background is made up of a selection of “scrap” creams too, some from a tea dying episode.  This quilt, though not huge seemed to use an enormous amount of fabric – probably because of the shaped piecing.  Not that that is a bad thing; one just has to work harder to keep one’s stash at a healthy level!

This traditional tea leaves pattern by Judie Rothermel in “Aunt Grace’s Scrapbag” was sourced by Erica (who incidentally made 2 quilts of this particular pattern in lovely 30’s prints no less!) and they were my inspiration to try one.  The top is all hand pieced and kept me busy during those long hot Delhi summers!

For the backing, I used a cotton sarong I had purchased in Kathmandu, and a complementary fabric purchased in Mr Singh’s store, Nehru Place.

Once basted, I started to hand quilt the plain background pieces, but cotton wadding makes for better machining, so I did a small stipple using a variety of cream shades.  This had a nice effect of accentuating each tea leaf shape as I left them unquilted.

This quilt allowed me to try a scalloped edge – and thus the need to cut & make miles of ½ inch bias for a pretty binding.  It wasn’t as difficult as I expected and the bias sat nicely in the tight curves. 

I put my Tea Leaves on show for the Dangar Island Australia Day celebration in 2010.  One of our visitors said that the pattern was an ancient design called “Flower of Life” and is heavily symbolic.

Australia Day Quilt Exhibition Dangar Island 2010

Just for the Record:
Quilt Finished Size: 177x 200cm
Block Size: 12“ circle
Cut in: 1999
Pieced & Basted: Hand 2005
Quilted: Machine 2009
Quilt Type: Group
Quilt Finished: 2009
Exhibited:  Australia Day 2010
Collection: Home# 034
Pattern Name: Tea Leaves
Pattern Source: Judie Rothermel
Fabrics Purchased: Stash
Fabric Design: Mixed
Fabric Style: Cotton
Materials Type: Cotton
Wadding Type: Cotton
Backing: Cotton

Lessons Learned:
I hadn’t hand pieced a quilt for ages and this one seemed to take forever ; ).  The blocks were very “portable” however, so this became an easy project to work on in those spare moments when life can be dull (eg driving 12 hours to visit relatives in another state).  I also seemed to use up heaps of fabric due to the shape of the leaves, which wasn’t so bad for the scraps but somehow I was always scavenging for backgrounds as I didn’t want them noticeably different from each other.  

Isn't it Always a Journey?

Ugly Twisters: 2010  (Started: 1999)

Hanging at Dangar Island Australia Day Quilt Exhibition 2011
(Margaret's bright hexagon flowers are on the right) 

This is a quickie strippy I did with Judy Hooworth at Maroubra with the Eastern Suburbs Quilters 28^th August 1999.  I can’t remember the exact details but somehow recall we had to bring our uglies with the intention of slapping them into something likeable…..  

It really was fast to piece but needless to say I didn’t like the resulting top (can you really make uglies attractive?).  Mind you, others in our workshop were more successful in creating attractive tops – perhaps I was trying too hard…  Eventually I added an outrageous border to pull it all together.  This improved it very little!  It’s rather a shame because I put together a pieced backing that I thought was rather nice. 

Finally by the end of 2001, the top made it to my pile needing backing & basting!  This was the start of my roundup in 2003 in prep for

a. my much anticipated new Bernina (read life-saving machine quilting), and

b. as part of my “clean up” of the UFO pile, which regrettably, I am still working through!

But still this top lingered, unloved.  Needing finished quilts to display for our 2011 Australia Day exhibition, I made an effort to get this one completed and have to say that I am finally at rest with this project – it doesn’t look too bad now.  I stitched a cable pattern in the wholecloth strips (hand quilted with sashiko thread) and machine quilted various feather cables in the pieced strips.  It looked quite good hanging up.  Maybe those uglies are finally growing on me…

Just for the Record:

Quilt Finished Size: 142x 142cm
Block Size: 5“
Cut in: 1999
Pieced & Basted: 2001
Quilted: Machine & hand 2010
Quilt Type: Workshop
Quilt Finished: 2010
Exhibited:  Australia Day 2011
Collection: Home# 033
Pattern Name: Simple 4 patch
Pattern Source: Judy Hooworth
Fabrics Purchased: Stash
Fabric Design: Mixed & Uglies
Fabric Style: Cotton
Materials Type: Cotton
Wadding Type: Cotton
Backing: Cotton

Lessons Learned:
This was a nothing ventured, nothing gained workshop.  We all had fun and relaxed.  It is too easy to get caught up in “overthinking” projects wanting them to work out perfectly – every time and instantly…  This quilt slowly evolved, benefiting from a little time in the UFO box and improvement in my quilting skills.  Fresh eyes, either your own after being well rested, or those of a friend willing to say it like it is, can turn around an ugly.  Time spent in reflection is never wasted!

“The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same.  Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.”  Don Williams Jr (poet & songwriter)

Seams So Easy

Japanese Puzzles: 2003  (Started: 1999)

Japanese Puzzles

Started on 30^th May 1999 at a workshop with some of the Randwick Girls at Hearts & Hands store located in Station Street, Wentworth Falls in the beautiful Blue Mountains.  Sadly, this store is no longer open. Jan Ingall Walker was our tutor for the class. 

Jan had taken the idea for her quilt from a pattern in a Japanese quilt magazine (with all directions in Japanese, of course!) and was fascinated by the complex piecing required to complete this sampler quilt.  She finished her own quilt in indigos using Japanese fabrics.  Rather than work in a traditional palette, I chose lighter shades of blue and added a pumpkin yellow for contrast.

A quote hides an additional border to adjust
my block to the right size 

Each block required meticulous attention to detail, machine seams needed to be perfect.  Even our experienced seamstresses found the going tricky; many blocks were sewn and re-sewn.  Finally we each had a top pieced from 6 finished blocks.

Some of the blocks refused to settle nicely and there were many seams, so rather than quilt, I chose a combination of tying and a bold stitch called Crows Foot using a Perle #8 thread.  This stitch is recommended by Hopkins & Martin and not only did I really enjoy the stitching process but also found it complemented the busy quilt design rather nicely.  I machine stabilised the blocks before tying though.

Crows Foot close-up

At the time I was reading about Lady Murasaki (c 973 – c1014 or 1025) who had written “Tales of the Genji” based on court manners during that particular Japanese dynasty.  The complexity of the puzzles seemed a suitable representation of the remarkable haiku from the Edo Period.  I added a quote from the book to a finished block using a Pigma Micron 0.1 brown pen.  I was starting to tune into various inspirations around me (in particular the textiles I had seen at the exhibition of Choson Dynasty Korean texiles), yet adding something of my own style to workshop projects.  I must admit that this is one of my favourites...

This is a much nicer photo taken at the
Australia Day Exhibition 2010

Just for the Record:
Quilt Finished Size: 155x 155cm
Block Size: 36cm
Cut in: 1999
Pieced & Basted: Machine 2001
Quilted: Hand tied 2003
Quilt Type: Workshop
Quilt Finished: 2003
Exhibited:  Australia Day 2010
Collection: Home# 032
Pattern Name: Japanese Sampler
Pattern Source: Workshop with Jan Ingall Walker
Fabrics Purchased: 1995
Fabric Design: Floral
Fabric Style: US Cottons
Materials Type: Cotton
Wadding Type: Cotton
Backing: Cotton

Lessons Learned:
Constructing this pattern really brought home the importance of keeping seams as accurate as possible!   Sometimes over the course of constructing a quilt I might piece on two machines (my Bernina and Elna).  It’s also not unusual to have a lighter workshop or travelling machine.  However just a slight variation in seam width made a huge difference over the entirety of each block.  I felt a huge sense of achievement in finally getting this top pieced.

And the other important lesson was not to panic when your blocks balloon madly.  Quilting really does “pull everything together” in more ways than one!

Toys & Raffles

Antique Toys: 2000  (Stitched: 1998)

Perhaps not quite so much embroidery on this one.....

Block #2

Antique Toys made another appearance in my life as part of a group raffle (Bondi Evening Group) for our Embroiders Guild.  I so enjoyed making the duck block in 1988, I did it again some 10 years later!  We each made up a pattern on a 12” block, in colours that appealed to us, although with a leaning towards a Christmas theme.  We added lots of embroidery (in keeping with our group raison d’etre), then put it all together.  

Alison coordinated this effort, starting with a proposal/design ideas discussion in 1998, supervising construction in 1999 (that means quite a bit when it comes to coordinating group quilts) and then off to the Guild in 2000.  Some very lucky person has now this lovely quilt.

These blocks were chosen from patterns which can be found in Cindy Taylor Clark’s book “Antique Toys”, 1983.  I rather enjoyed the "repeat" exercise (remarkably) so somewhere in my mind I stored away the idea that ONE DAY I was going to make all of the blocks in this set for me…..as you do!  

Bondi Evening Group Donation Quilt 2000

Exhibitions & Outings

1998 was a breakout year.  I’m not sure I finished much or indeed started much but I was, as they say, “stocking the pond”.  Perhaps over-stocking more like…but I did have fun!

Quilt Camp:
First event of the year was a relaxing weekend of finishing off, meeting like-minded ladies and not cooking meals.  Quilt Camp retreat (May 98) in rural Fitzroy Falls was a perfect way to hide away from work & family.  Our welcome pack included this bear as a kit – just in case we arrived with nothing to do!  I was inspired by Erica’s tea leaves.

This young fellow isn't mine but we all made clones.

Quilters Guild NSW Quilt Show:

Finally, I had a chance to visit the huge Sydney Quilt Show at Darling Harbour (Jun 98).  I’m sure I’d visited at least once before (they started in 1993) but this year was inspirational for me.  I took my time, shopped from an amazing array of merchants stalls, picked up some great ideas and best of all came away with my head just spinning with ideas. 

Meeting Annette Gero:

My interest also extended itself to Australian Quilt history and with an introduction to the Quilt Study Group, we took a “History Lesson” with Annette Gero (Jul 98).  A fantastic follow-up to this was to see the real deal on display at Elizabeth Bay House (Jul 98).  After mooching around for a bit, we took the offer of going on a guided tour of the quilts.  Having seen (in books) so much information about American quilt history, it was quite an experience to realise that we too had our own (both history and style).

Quilters Gathering, Mittagong:

Not satisfied with just one retreat this year, I packed up and headed off for the Quilters Gathering in Mittagong (Sep 98). I’m not sure that this resulted in any finished product (or at least I can’t find any specific evidence at the moment) but I did have a good time. No matter where you go, I always find that quilters are the nicest people.

Traditional Korean Textiles:

Lured by colourful designs, I found time to visit the Korean Antique Textiles on exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum (Nov 98).  More on that in a later post.

Airing of the Quilts, Braidwood:

To round out an inspirational year (and realise just what I had been missing out on) we took a trip to the Braidwood Quilt Airing (Nov 98) and had a lovely day looking at quilts, checking out quaint homes and exploring interesting galleries. 

Now, I’m sure that I have photos from at least some of these events but I’ll add them as I find (and scan them).  Sometimes you just don’t realise how much resides in shoe boxes under the stairs….

Cottage in Bloom

Cottage Garden & Cottage Garden in Bloom: 2003  (Started: 1998)

A couple of us were invited to attend a Windflower Workshop with Sandra Edwards run by a neighbouring local group (a Sunday Group) at Maroubra on the 4 July 1988.

This was a fun quickie quilt and I had enough pre-cut pieces to make 2 single bed size quilts.  I found it easy to machine piece and learnt how to join 8 point stars (I wonder if I could still remember how to do it so precisely today?).  We also learnt rotary cutting techniques which proved invaluable over the years.  Just to keep it hands on, there was some hand applique of leaves & stems.

First Twin (Cottage Garden) #29

Backing CG #1

Blues with mustards and pumpkins were my colours of choice, with a few hand-dyed blues thrown in for good measure (more on that later, but I’m guessing you know what I’m going to say!).  I even tea-dyed my background fabric (seeded calico) to make it more interesting. 

For backing, I added leftover blocks plus “interesting” bits.  There were probably enough leftover pinwheel blocks to have made a third quilt but two of the same is really my limit.  I discovered that my temperament suits making one of a kind, and then needs to move on to the next challenge.  I’m not good at repeating…

Nearly Twins #2 (Cottage Garden in Bloom #30)

Fewer scraps for the back of this one, CGiB
(note 3 dye splotches on back)

Anyway, I eventually machine quilted in a pattern of straight lines, quite basic really, as I was just starting to feel comfortable using my new Bernina and that fabulous walking foot.  Still a cautious machine quilter and not quite ready to cast off the walking foot for a go at free-motion quilting!  Both quilts were all machined by Sep or Oct 2003, part of my wild effort to get as many UFO’s finished before I departed for India, Feb 2004.  Our notes described the finished SB quilt as a cottage garden of flowers, hence my quilt titles. 

Cute pinwheels

Just for the Record:

Quilt Finished Size: 131x 175cm (CG) 131x 174cm  (CGiB)
Block Size: 6 ½”
Cut in: 1998
Pieced & Basted: Machine 2001
Quilted: Machine 2003
Quilt Type: Workshop
Quilt Finished: 2003
Exhibited:  No
Collection: Home# 029 & # 030
Pattern Name: Workshop provided - Pinwheel
Pattern Source: Traditional
Fabrics Purchased: 1998
Fabric Design: Prints & Plains
Fabric Style: Cotton
Materials Type: Cotton
Wadding Type: Cotton
Backing: Cotton

Lessons Learned:
This is one of those sad washing tales. I keep my quilts flat on a bed in a spare room and usually air them for a short time over Christmas when the bed is needed for family or guests. One year I arrived home to a pile of musty smelling quilts. A south facing window had been left open and I suspect it had allowed moisture into the room.  There was nothing left to do but to wash everything.  I’m no fussbudget and use the washing machine (on a gentle cycle) to give my quilts a bit of a wash. Aside from using a woolmix & conditioner (both Earth Choice) I also add a dash of Dettol to the rinse water for good measure.  This washing project (over a couple of days) worked a treat with only two casualties.  One was my Amish houses wallhanging.  The black cloth I’d used for a background must have been poor quality and a few little pieces shredded a bit.  The second casualty was my Country Garden quilts.  The quilts held up fine but the hand dyed blue I used bled, even through to the backing.  It’s not a major disaster, certainly only noticeable to the quilt- trained eye but worthy of follow-up…one day.  So, the lesson is to test hand-dyes (& perhaps all other fabrics if you're especially keen) for those renegade dyes!

A close-up of the nasty dye effect

Hexagon Crazy

Khan's Quilt: 2003  (Started: 1998)

A scrappy pastel achieved with little effort or worry!

This was a quilt that started very slowly, but soon gained momentum and gradually became an addiction.  I especially enjoyed making it because each hexie was a finished product and a quilt just grew before your eyes.  This was also a great way to use up left over scraps of both wadding and fabric.  I would sit in front of the telly at night and just stitch a few together.  A real no-brainer!

Generally, the idea was to make the centre of each hexagon a dark colour and the back a light.  This resulted in an effective double sided quilt; although I must say that I much prefer the light side for my bed.

We started making the hexagons around 1998 with the RLI girls (I think it was Yvonne’s idea) and perhaps decided that it had grown enough by 2002.  Meanwhile I used the quilt on my bed watching it grow. 

It’s not signed or dated – only because it had potential to grow.  It was Khan’s (my favourite cat) favourite quilt. He loved to sleep under it, hence its name.

I eventually found a pattern for this quilt in the Patchwork & Quilting 1997 Year Book p.100.  I think the hexagon size is larger; mine measures a side of 1¾“.  However I did rather like the border shown in the pattern as a nice finish for the quilt.  Perhaps one day…when I’ve finished mine “for sure”. ;- )

Just for the Record:
Quilt Finished Size: 165x 169cm
Block Size: as per templates; 1 ¾“side
Cut in: 1998
Pieced & Basted: Hand 1998
Quilted: Hand 2003
Quilt Type: Workshop
Quilt Finished: 2003
Exhibited:  Australia Day 2010
Collection: Home# 031
Pattern Name: Hexagons
Pattern Source: Traditional
Fabrics Purchased: Scraps
Fabric Design: Scraps
Fabric Style: Cotton
Materials Type: Cotton
Wadding Type: Cotton
Backing: Cotton

Lessons Learned:
This was one of those relax & have fun kind of quilts.  Sometimes we can get a bit serious about “our art” but this one retains something of the real quiltmaking ethos & heritage - just made easy!

Not on his quilt but none-the-less asleep (2006)

 

Decorative Touches

Hussif: 1998

I made this “hussif” in a workshop with Literary Guild girls in May 98.  A hussif is a portable case to keep all your regular stitching things together.  Being quilters, we would be best suited to either one really big one or lots of them!  I was serious enough about sewing kits at the time, a left-over interest from my Tamworth days, so chose to make this one up in one of my favourite fabrics.

I’m not sure who our workshop leader (16/5/98) was as my pattern notes seem to have “left home” of their own accord.  I did make the hussif up with all its little extras, including a mini felt bear, to have it ready for an exhibition of work by the Bondi Evening Group at the Embroiders Guild in 2003.

Inside view with various pockets and additional accessories
including Mr Bear

Blue cord ties the "bundle" together

Getting into the Groove 1998

Sydney 1998-2002

Up until 1998 my quilting life had been somewhat “held back” by work and study.  The year had promising beginnings with mixed outcomes (I was retrenched) so I wondered about the usefulness of all that study I had done.  Luckily I managed to pick up another job almost immediately and to end the year, the good Cap’n was offered work in PNG for a four months. Yeah!  Think of all that sewing time! 

I had free week-ends now to go away to Quilt Camps and managed the odd lecture or two at the Quilt Study Group, an offshoot I think, of the Quilters Guild.  One inspiring lecture was given (1/7/98) by our own Quilt Historian, Annette Gero, and we followed up our interest in historical Australian Quilts at an exhibition at Elizabeth Bay House.  (I’m not sure if I kept the information from these sessions but there’s still a mountain of stuff to go through, so you never know what will surface!)

I had a particularly productive 1998 & 1999 but things started to slow down in 2000.  My job intensified with Sydney’s fervour for hosting the Olympic Games, I also decided to go back to uni and of course there was the devastating attack on the USA, which hit home closer than I would have cared with the loss of a friend.  This was the year that changed our lives in many ways.

Japan Textile Tour 2000

The year was not all work however and (thanks to my MIL) I managed a trip to Japan.  The Quilt Study Group held an exhibition of antique Japanese textiles prior to our departure so that got us all salivating.  I brought back rather too much fabric from Japan (as you do!) and still have quite a bit left over because if I use it….  You know, that old trap!   I’m currently writing about my Japan Textile Tour experiences over on TextileTourist – part of the process to digitalise my photo albums and travel/quilting life.  This year was also the year that we purchased our home on Dangar Island – a significant event and one that we’ve never regretted.    

How amazing to see this quilt dedicated to those who lost lives in 9/11

After 2000, life became a blur of work, study and quilting with the UFO box growing at an alarming rate.  Many quilters were starting to have their tops professionally quilted but somehow that option didn’t appeal to me.  I had enjoyed my machine quilting class with Lee Cleeland (Jun/Jul 1995) and as a result decided to shout myself (on laybuy in 2002), a brand spanking new Bernina with the intention of machine quilting my own tops.  The learning curve was steep but I never regretted spending the money on that machine (even though I lusted after the BSR which came out a year or so later!).  Bertie is still going strong especially as Ernie Elna was retired recently (1973-2011). That’s not to say I don’t miss my blue top Elna.  Ernie was very good to me!