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….

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!

Finding Braidwood

Airing of the Quilts 1998

Braidwood, with its historical country town presence, offered  a weekend of quilting activities including a spectacular Airing of the Quilts.  A couple of us Literary Guild girls decided to make the pilgrimage.  Braidwood is "close" to Canberra but from Sydney it would be quite a long day trip.

The organisers did a great job and we certainly had little trouble putting in a whole day.  Better still, we could surround ourselves with quilts, enjoy a day without adding to our UFO box yet find some wonderful craft shops & galleries, including a very, very busy patchwork shop!  Who wouldn't want to come to Braidwood again...

This summer quilt celebration has been on our "Wish List" calendars since 1995.  Braidwood is a heritage listed town and lovely to visit at any time.  To find current information about this event check Braidwood Quilters on their Facebook page.

I will most certainly have photos to scan but where they are located is now the question.  Until then, this post rounds out a busy 1998. On another end of year note, and in the blink of an eye, 2014 is upon us.  So I wish you all the best for this new year and "may all your quilt seams line up  precisely"! 

Red Stars & Green Checks

Red Stars: 1998 & Green Checks: 1998  (Started: 1997)

These quilts were constructed following a shopping trip with the RLI girls!  I can remember stitching them frantically while we were still living at Watsons Bay.  Even Sue from the Bondi Evening Embroiderers can remember my frenzied efforts, which she kindly reminded me during our 2008 Art Quilts classes!  Not clear what became of J’s quilt even though he did take a fancy to it; I don’t think it survived its little holiday down in Ulladulla – and hasn’t been seen since!

This is the "missing" link; probably wrapped around
a surfboard somewhere.  Block 15" & finished size 170cm square

Both quilts were made in flannel, popular at the time as they produced a “cuddly” quilt, but were rather poor quality material.  I machine patched them and then tied them with buttons rather than quilt them.  Regrettably, the flannel did not appear to be wearing well, so I stitched them both in Perle (#5?) in matching colours (navy & dark green) to hold them all together, finishing this task in 1998.  This was the first time I had used Perle thread for quilting and I was rather pleased with both the effect and the fact it stitched up fairly quickly.  The combination of checks and plains did make a colourful, if not somewhat dark, boy’s quilt but I have never touched flannel again!  Great for PJ’s but not quilts when you consider all the work you put into them!

Shown finished to the RLI girls at our regular Saturday Randwick meeting on 18^th April 1998.

Pre-digital & sharing with "not so lovely" washing...

Just for the Record: A’s only
Quilt Finished Size: 119x 152cm
Block Size: 12”
Cut in: 1997
Pieced & Basted: Machine 1997
Quilted: Tied & Hand 1997-98
Quilt Type: Family
Quilt Finished: April 1998
Exhibited:  No
Collection: Home# 027
Pattern Name: Nine Patch on Point
Fabrics Purchased: 1997
Fabric Design: Checks & Plains
Fabric Style: Flannelette Cotton
Materials Type: Cotton
Wadding Type: Thin Poly Batt
Backing: Cotton

Somehow the colours are not "real" in these two photos
Here is yet another lesson in photographing quilts....

Lessons Learned:
This was most certainly a big lesson on fabric choices and fashion fads. Whilst flannel quilts were certainly cuddly, they did not stand up to wear & tear, even in their first year, hence the need to quilt them.  Even though they were meant to be “everyday” quilts, there is so much work involved (not to mention expense) that I now would prefer to choose quality fabric every time.