Craft Crazy

Lidded Basket: 1987

Basket of Frills

I was still into ribbons and lace (we are talking 80’s here) and I was commissioned to make my SIL a lidded basket.  I chose a sweet little basket block and lined and frilled to my heart’s content.  Made in January 1987. 

Basket Block

To continue with a theme, I learnt how to make these topiary trees too!  This one was a gift for my MIL, probably about the same vintage as the basket.

It was rather fun to make

When I look back now, I am amazed at the lack of variety we had in craft fabrics.  Spotlight and Lincraft were my favourite haunts back then.  They still are today for craft and dressmaking supplies - if there's any time left after quilting!

Smitten

Little Boys Breeches: 1987  (Started: 1986)

Back to the 80's

Joc had a scrap version of this design which I just loved and decided to make one for #1 Son.  This was my second quilt (well, finished at least).  It was all hand done, except I machined the borders on.  I worked it in navy & red with a few checks thrown in to keep that country look.  I hate to confess that I did use a bit of poly/cotton fabric in this quilt; a sacrifice to get the right “non-fading” navy colour.


Digital shows up the colour a lot better

I love the graphic quality of this quilt and was very pleased that it came out well technically – ie hanging straight.  I started piecing in late 1986 and finished it by Dec 1987 after some (guestimated) 150 hours of work. 

Block Detail

This quilt was hung in the Geelong Quilters Guild Exhibition in January 1988 an in the Tamworth Regional Art Gallery “Regional Fibre Exhibition” in September 1989.  A really nice quilt for a boy.  

Just for the Record:
Quilt Finished Size: 127 x 216cm
Block Size: 12”
Cut in: 1986
Pieced & Basted: Hand 1986
Quilted: Hand 1987
Quilt Type: Single Bed
Quilt Finished: 1987
Exhibited:  Twice – see above
Collection: Home# 003
Pattern Name: Little Boys Breeches
Pattern Source: Traditional American
Fabrics Purchased: 1986
Fabric Design: Checks & plains
Fabric Style: Country
Materials Type: Cotton & some poly blend
Wadding Type: Thin Poly Batt
Backing: Cotton

Lessons Learned:
Hand piecing and quilting takes time but it is relaxing and fits in well with being a busy mum. I started to add a few little of my own touches to the quilt such as the red tassel ties in the middle of each hat (circle).

By now I was really hooked and luckily exposed to some enthusiastic and skilled teachers.  Also quilting was taking off; the quilters I knew were really passionate and keen for a challenge, not to mention generous.  We saw the beginnings of the "art quilt" so techniques such as fabric manipulation (dyeing, texturizing etc) were on offer at the Geelong Quilters Guild.  Fabric designers were rising to the challenge and we saw some wonderful new fabrics on offer.  It was a fun time to discover the art and craft of quilting.    

Memory Scraps

Farewell from Queenscliff: 1986

The Fort Queenscliff Quilters put together a signature quilt for Margaret, our resident Canadian and expert teacher, when she left for home.  Joc suggested the design to keep it easy and asked us all to embroider (or at least ink) our names and include some pieces of fabric from the quilts we had been making.  I’m guessing we quickly tied it, although Joc took responsibility for finishing the quilt on time. 

Margaret's Gift

I can’t remember sizes for sure and this is the only photo I have.  I can't even see if we put our names on it.  Soooooo, it’s all a bit hazy. 

Just for the Record:
Quilt Finished Size: 38 x 44”
Block Size: 6”
Cut in: 1986
Pieced & Basted: 1986
Quilted: 1986
Quilt Type: Friendship
Quilt Finished: 1986
Exhibited:  Not Exhibited locally
Collection: Gift
Pattern Name: Indian Hatchet
Pattern Source: Ruby McKim
Fabrics Purchased: 1986
Fabric Design: Pieces from student’s work; various small floral prints
Fabric Style: Cotton
Materials Type: Cotton
Wadding Type: Thin Poly Batt
Backing: Cotton

Lessons Learned:
Hand pieced and tied; we used fabric from our projects.  Fell for the charms of scrap piecing; still one of my favourite quilting styles twenty something years later.

Christmas Sampler

Back in the Day...And my very cute Assistant!

Christmas Sampler: 1986  (Started: 1986)

This was my first real quilt under guidance of Joc and Margaret (Canadian) who helped out teaching patchwork to the Queenscliff Quilters in 1986.  Learners in the group were doing a sampler and I chose Christmas colours, in part because I had some fabrics left over from previous crafty endeavours but also because I had seen quite a few antique red/green quilts and was enraptured.  I thought the colour combination worked really well and hoped to produce just such a masterpiece.  Ha!  We talked about quilt sizes and decided that a lap quilt was best – an achievable end result given time and our level of technical skill.  It also kept costs down too.  We started work in March and my 6 chosen blocks, sewn in order were:

1. Ohio Star
2. Monkey Wrench
3. Drunkards Path
4. Grandmothers Fan (completed two of this block – perhaps this was cathartic)
5. Bridal Wreath &
6. Flower Basket

They were completed; a block each month.  I found a stars in the sashing border to brighten it all up, used a really nice quality poly batt from the Quilt Shop Joc was working in at the time (I think) and got to work hand quilting. I remember thinking I had done enough quilting a couple of times, but my taskmasters sent me home to add still more.  Finished hand quilting at last in Nov 1986. Phew!  The whole thing took me more than 60 hours.  This quilt was exhibited at the Geelong Quilters Exhibition in Jan 1988.

Fan Cushion

I completed a cushion with the extra fan which I donated to St Aloysius School to raffle (1986).  I wasn’t (and still aren’t) big on patchwork cushions but one has to learn…. 

 Home# 023 Beginners Sampler 1991 (Apricots & Browns) 

I rather enjoyed making sampler quilts and this style became a mainstay for me to later teach with at the Queenscliff Neighbourhood House when Sue was no longer able to teach.  I used patterns from Ruby McKim mostly as we were nearly always hand piecing then.  I amassed a few quilts in this sampler style, most given away as gifts.

Finally, a better quality photo of my first sampler/first ever quilt. (1986)

A more recent & digital photo - we've come a long way in lots of things

Just for the Record:
Quilt Finished Size: 112 x 154cm
Block Size: 12”
Cut in: 1986
Pieced & Basted: 1986
Quilted: 1986
Quilt Type: Group
Quilt Finished: November 1986
Exhibited:  Geelong Quilters Guild 1988
Collection: Home# 002 Christmas Sampler
Pattern Name: Sampler – see list of block names above
Pattern Source: Supplied by Tutors
Fabrics Purchased: 1986
Fabric Design: Christmas Prints & Plains
Fabric Style: Cotton
Materials Type: Cotton
Wadding Type: Poly Batt 50g
Backing: Cotton

Lessons Learned:
Hand pieced and quilted; estimated 60 hours of work.  There’s never enough (hand) quilting…

Serious Influences 1986

Back in Australia, I joined a local quilting group after being introduced to the art by my neighbour, Joc, in 1985.  She had spent some time in the US and her house was brimming with crafty things we only ever saw in magazines (if we were lucky enough to find a bookstore that stocked them!).  She hosted a group of avid stitchers who were later to become the Fort Queenscliff Quilters.  I happily joined in, wanting to demystify the secrets of stitching perfect fans.  After all, I’d been battling with my silk creation for over 2 years now. 

Just sew 80's

We all have to start somewhere and my quiltmaking apprenticeship began in 1986 by learning to hand quilt a cushion, front and back.  The front was a cheater panel (of course) and the back became a lesson in marking up a pretty feather wreath.  Needless to say, I didn’t enjoy this less than creative activity although managed to add 80’s crafty excesses to it before giving it away to my MIL for Christmas that same year.  Meanwhile, I battled on with the GMF (Grandmother's Fan) adding more embroidery. 

Starting the hard way - still it was finished fairly quickly

Ideas for stitches came slowly, until I found Dorothy Bond’s (1981) book, Crazy Quilt Stitches.  Meanwhile, there were so many other tempting things to do!  So the GMF was more or less abandoned for “another day”.  There you have it – the start of a serious quilt addiction, a reason to add even more textiles to my stash and a growing collection of books & magazines for patterns and ideas.

So good you can still buy it from bookstores

Sewing Lessons in Port Dickson

Whilst living in Port Dickson (early 80's) in Malaysia, I had a few clothes custom made.  This was not unusual as almost everyone did the same.  They would shop for fabrics, of which there was plenty of choice, and then take them to a tailor with photo in hand, to have creations made to fit. 

Globe Silk Store in KL.  Levels of glorious fabrics.

I was fascinated by the process which was quite different to using our “off-the-rack” patterns at home.  Later, I discovered that my neighbourhood tailor also offered pattern making classes, so I jumped at the chance.  She had two other pupils so we had lots of attention and quickly managed to grasp the idea of drafting basic patterns to our own measurements.  The trick came later when we had to learn how to create more complex patterns.  I began to imagine myself costumier for Diaghilev’s Ballet Troupe. (Only dreaming!)

My course did not progress beyond the basics however, but I did have fun.  Many years later, I watched a pattern maker in Kathmandu, Nepal at the famous Mr Om's. He drafted directly onto the fabric with chalk.  Rarely did I ever have to have alterations made to the garments I had sewn up.  Pure magic; always awaited and appreciated! 

Colour on every street corner, Kathmandu

Relocating Egypt

Has Anyone seen Egypt? 

In case you've visited and found the posts on Egypt of interest but can't find them now, they've all safely travelled across the airwaves to a new home on Textile Tourist: The Early Years.  (Now just one blog, Textile Tourist, for sanity's sake. Ed.)

Why?  Well, I've just finished rebuilding my old Vox blog and thought they were better suited living with a pre-2010 travel/textiles blog.  On the Spur can continue to be my album, with added highlights or insights as necessary along that journey. 

Just keeping the troops in order really!  Find the Egypt posts here.

Not that it's ever easy!