Celebrating

Birthday Fun: 2006

I wanted to make something for a friend's special (60th) birthday, so I put together scraps from most of the workshops and trips we had done over the years and made up a scrap commemorative wall quilt.  I asked all the Quilting girls to sign it after our November meeting – the last for that year.  Forgot to take a photo but I have something somewhere I hope!

The pattern I used is called Scot's Plaid from the ever faithful "101 Fabulous Rotary-Cut Quilts" by Hopkins & Martin.  I think I may have resized the block slightly to be more appropriate for a wall quilt.  It was a breeze to cut and machine up.  The result, whilst not a stunner by any stretch, makes a statement about our time (from the fabric styles) and shared experiences (quilting & workshop).  All floating on a background of Monet's water lilies...

(Found the photos!)

This piece was inspired by my exploration into the work of Edouard Villard (1868 – 1940), a French Post-Impressionist who painted mostly domestic interiors in his trademark highly decorative and sumptuous manner.  His mother was a seamstress and his world it seems, was influenced by the wonderful textiles she handled.  Typically Villard’s paintings are of compressed internal spaces, contain flat surfaces decorated with all-over patterns (eg wallpapers) and mimic the colourful textiles he saw daily.  I really love the way he paints flowers - bold & splashy!  His paintings are best explained as a rich tapestry of softly blurred colours. Doesn't that sound so seductive! 

"Vuillard12" by Édouard Vuillard - National Gallery of Art,
Washington, DC. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
 - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vuillard12.JPG#mediaviewer/File:Vuillard12.JPG/

 

Meeting Mr Singh

Mr Singh & I: 2006  (Started: 2004)

This piece is one of my all-time favourites.  I purchased the fabrics (florals) at Nehru Place, specifically from HP Singh and Amit Textiles (Mr Jain).  Shankar Market provided me with an amazing variety of shirt stripes and a man’s lunghi (said "loone ghee"- a sarong) which became border pieces, albeit fussy cut. 

The story begins with a photo of the Garam Masala Quilters taken at Sandra’s home in October 2004.  It was then photocopied on fabric (commercially) and given to out to all those who wanted a copy.  Mine became a central medallion for this quilt and was kindly signed for me when I left the group mid-2005.

Using the Tin Man pattern, I made the “men” in florals to represent the Garam Masala Quilters and used the stripes in each block for background zing.  I also upsized the 6” block to 9”.  Now I had a fun “group”!

This fabric mix best represented our varied backgrounds and the man’s lunghi added a slightly masculine attitude and colour.  I had wanted to move away from using American florals and use locally available fabrics – these give even traditional patterns a new fresh look.

Once pieced, I took my top into a fabric shop in Khan Market to find a stripe to bind my quilt.  The store assistants were shocked to learn that I had sewn it myself. And I suspect they did not believe me initially!  I’m not sure that they had ever come across a quilter before.  I felt proud of my achievement as they admired the “quality work, Madam”.

My quilting visitor, Yvonne, lugged over masses of cotton wadding for me so that I could get a few projects underway – basted at least!  Finally, I managed to get the piece machine quilted (with my domestic).  I’m so pleased I took Bernie Bernina away with me to India (& then on to Nepal).  It was well worth the effort to have quality tools at my disposal.

"Mr Singh & I" was eventually hung, fittingly, on a wall in our house in Kathmandu – a happy reminder of my time with the GM Quilters.

Living in Delhi was a glimpse into many worlds, one of which was that of expat life.  One woman had a tailor on staff; another decorated her home like a gorgeous gallery.  I seriously fell in love with decorating Indian style!  So yes, serious envy on all counts!!

Just for the Record:

Quilt Finished Size: 108 x 175cm
Block Sizes: 6”
Cut in: 2004
Pieced & Basted: 2004/05
Quilted: Machine 2005
Quilt Type: Friendship
Quilt Finished: 2006
Exhibited: Australia Day, 2010
Collection: Home# 045
Pattern Name: Tin Men (enlarged to 9”) p229*
Pattern Source: *101 Fabulous Rotary-Cut Quilts” by Judy Hopkins & Nancy Martin
Fabrics Purchased: India 2004/05
Fabric Design: Various florals & stripes
Fabric Style: Handwoven & Commercial Cottons
Materials Type: Cotton
Wadding Type: Cotton Batt
Backing: Cotton Sarong

Smitten by Amish Colours

Amish Houses: 2006  (Started: 1988)

I had been introduced to the exciting colours of Amish quilts and wanted to make something using these specific colour ways.  I chose a traditional schoolhouse block to make up.

Amish colours - well, sort of!

Gradually, I collected colours and purchased a pack from Keepsake Quilting; probably to supplement what I had already in my stash.  I think I started the house blocks as early as our Queenscliff days in 1988.  The blocks languished for many years as I wasn’t particularly inspired after I had made them up.  They just seemed a little pedestrian, even with their night & day theme, if you know what I mean.

Gray seems to help make colours pop

I finally came up with the additional star blocks after flicking through some old issues of Quilters Newsletter Magazine and began to work them up from some of my leftover plains.  I got to the basting stage in 2002 but it still looked dull….

Backing adds that final lift

Then, back in 2006, I found some vivid stars at Craft Depot in Pennant Hills and couldn't wait to get home to undo my basting.  This colourful backing added a bit of zing to my quilt and I started hand quilting the house blocks and stars. Then I machine quilted the border from the back using the stars as a guide, resulting in an interesting star shape on the borders.  Should have done this all over!!!  Always a lesson learned…  Still another UFO off the pile and finished at last!

Just for the Record:

Quilt Finished Size: 98.5 x 167.5cm
Block Size: 12”& 6”
Cut & Pieced in: Hand 1988
Basted: 2002
Quilted: Hand & Machine 2006
Quilt Type: Amish Influence
Quilt Finished: 2006
Exhibited: 
Collection: Gifted 3 Oct 2023
Pattern Name: Little School House
Pattern Source: Unknown
Fabrics Purchased: 1988
Fabric Design: Amish Plains
Fabric Style: Cotton
Materials Type: Cotton
Wadding Type: Thin Poly Batt
Backing: Cotton

Lessons Learned:
Another UFO that waited many years for inspiration to strike! Sometimes it’s quite a pleasure to re-visit UFO’s.  I keep them all in a separate box so that I can challenge myself to finish at least one a year.  (Previously, I had a couple of boxes, so there is progress, albeit slow!!)

Quilting Friends

Geelong Friendship Quilt: 2006  (Started: 1987)

Hand pieced with friendship exchange blocks made by the Swan Bay Quilters.  I added an extra block stitched by me with signed (embroidered) inserts from the Fort Queenscliff Quilters.  I thought my block was an easy one by comparison with some of the other requested designs, but I was advised differently!  I recall machining several of the feathered star blocks – a big test of my machinist skills.  Now that was difficult!  Most of the patterns I chose for those who specified "own choice" ie my choice blocks were from Ruby McKim's book.  Fanny's Fan, my choice came from Jinny Beyer's book "The Quilter's Album of Blocks and Borders."  

What I particularly like about doing block exchanges is that although you get to  sew a variety of blocks, some you might never have chosen otherwise, you still end up with a one-block quilt rather than a sampler.  I was a bit "over" making samplers, although it's a right of passage for beginners.  

These creases are not nice!  Comes from storage
in vacuum seal bags during renovations...

We each specified design and colour way, provided background fabrics (mine was seeded homespun which I’m still a bit nutty about!) and provided any colour specifics.  We then left the ladies to select fabrics from their own stash.  All cottons of course! I asked for everyone to sign their blocks and luckily for me, Elaine dated her block too, so that's how I know it's from 1988.

Pam's block

Hand quilted using a wool batt which needled superbly but has since started to pill through the cotton top.  Very disappointing considering the effort gone into this entirely handmade quilt!

Hand Quilting detail

I have to say that I am not entirely sure when we started this project in 1988 but it took me until 2003 to get the top basted ready for quilting and then 2006 to get the top quilted.  Finally.

Just for the Record:
Quilt Finished Size: 172 x 174cm
Block Size: 12 - 15”
Cut in: 1987
Pieced: Machine 1988
Basted: 2003
Quilted: Hand 2006
Quilt Type: Group Friendship
Quilt Finished: 2006
Exhibited:  No
Collection: Home# 010
Pattern Name: Provided by Members. My choice was Fanny's Fan
Pattern Source: Group Members; Ruby McKim; Jinny Beyer
Fabrics Purchased: 1987
Fabric Design: Subtle pastel prints
Fabric Style: Cotton
Materials Type: Cotton
Wadding Type: Wool
Backing: Cotton

Lessons Learned:
I enjoyed the experience of working in a group swap.  Some of the blocks were challenging to make, but it’s all a learning experience really.  I’m more than happy with the outcome of my quilt but over the years I’ve seen others that were less successful.  Much rests on the experience and skill of group members.  I’ve known people who, less than satisfied with the quality of group blocks or round robin quilt tops, will unpick and re-do them.

I want to also make a comment about the wool batting.  It was great to needle given all the hand quilting on this quilt, however it has left a finish reminiscent of a vintage, well-worn quilt - quite possibly because it shrunk in its only wash.  I am very disappointed (given all the hand work that went into this quilt!) and to this day have never again used a wool batting.  My preference, used particularly for machine quilting to give a nice flat finish, is good quality (thin) cotton Warm Company (USA) product.  Quilters Dream (cotton) is better for hand quilting or boro work (i.e. using a thicker thread like Perlé). 

Note:  I've just discovered my templates for our exchange blocks.  They were:
Sue: House (of our choice. I did the Queenscliff Neighbourhood House)
Marion: North Carolina Lily
Keri: Sun Bonnet Sue
Val: Basket of Tulips
Pam: Star (of our choice. I did a Mexican Star)
Elaine: Weathervane
Dawn: Radiant Star
Jan: Applique (of our choice. I did an Ohio Rose)

Mine: Fanny's Fan