Would you like to create a family tree using your photographs printed on fabric, for a unique quilt or wall-hanging? Tonight I discovered that there is some interest in running a class at Sussex on how to print photographs on fabric. But is there enough interest?
Leave a comment here if the idea appeals!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Quilters' Circle - 18th May, 2009
It is the 3rd Monday of May, so the Quilters' Circle met again. Here's what we did today.
Joy brought along lots of photos of quilts she has made, and some notes and working drawings for some of them. These were to give Vireya some ideas for a quilt she is planning. Joy also showed us some cute little kimonos she is making for a wall hanging:
She also did some more of her appliqué butterflies which I showed you a detail of in my last report.
Marie worked on joining together a row of quilt-as-you-go blocks from a large quilt she is making, and brought along her wonderful green "Thousand Pyramids". Some of these fabrics came from other members of the group, so it is fun to find ones you recognise.
Marilyn was working on her blocks from last time. They are being put together by a quilt-as-you-go method. The blocks are all basted into sandwiches with the batting and backing, and half are quilted. Today Marilyn was marking the quilting lines on the remaining blocks. For "show and tell", she brought along this lovely cushion cover:
Valda came by to visit and show us some cushions she made a while ago. Valda was one of the makers of the "Coburg Saints" featured in our first blog entry.
She was also wearing a fantastic quilted jacket she made:
Vireya was working on her appliqué flowers, but in the meantime made this paper-pieced kangaroo. The pattern is from the Margaret Rolfe book, Quilt a Koala, although Margaret's kangaroo has two ears. However, this one is meant to look like the Air Force roundel, once it is surrounded by the dark blue fabric you see below it.
In between browsing through magazines and books, drinking tea and coffee, and admiring each others' work, we did all get a little done. Don't forget you are welcome to come and join us any 1st, 3rd or 5th Monday at 1:00pm.
Joy brought along lots of photos of quilts she has made, and some notes and working drawings for some of them. These were to give Vireya some ideas for a quilt she is planning. Joy also showed us some cute little kimonos she is making for a wall hanging:
She also did some more of her appliqué butterflies which I showed you a detail of in my last report.
Marie worked on joining together a row of quilt-as-you-go blocks from a large quilt she is making, and brought along her wonderful green "Thousand Pyramids". Some of these fabrics came from other members of the group, so it is fun to find ones you recognise.
Marilyn was working on her blocks from last time. They are being put together by a quilt-as-you-go method. The blocks are all basted into sandwiches with the batting and backing, and half are quilted. Today Marilyn was marking the quilting lines on the remaining blocks. For "show and tell", she brought along this lovely cushion cover:
Valda came by to visit and show us some cushions she made a while ago. Valda was one of the makers of the "Coburg Saints" featured in our first blog entry.
She was also wearing a fantastic quilted jacket she made:
Vireya was working on her appliqué flowers, but in the meantime made this paper-pieced kangaroo. The pattern is from the Margaret Rolfe book, Quilt a Koala, although Margaret's kangaroo has two ears. However, this one is meant to look like the Air Force roundel, once it is surrounded by the dark blue fabric you see below it.
In between browsing through magazines and books, drinking tea and coffee, and admiring each others' work, we did all get a little done. Don't forget you are welcome to come and join us any 1st, 3rd or 5th Monday at 1:00pm.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
I am hooked!
Yes I believe I am!
As those that know me are aware, I have been wanting to make a quilt in memory of my cherished mother-in-law who passed away early in 2008. When a Beginners Quilting class in March this year came up at Sussex Neigbourhood House it was the perfect time to get it happening. That quilt is now almost complete with only the small picture of Mum and a few words to be sewn on. The picture below was taken when a friend was helping me to baste the quilt.
As those that know me are aware, I have been wanting to make a quilt in memory of my cherished mother-in-law who passed away early in 2008. When a Beginners Quilting class in March this year came up at Sussex Neigbourhood House it was the perfect time to get it happening. That quilt is now almost complete with only the small picture of Mum and a few words to be sewn on. The picture below was taken when a friend was helping me to baste the quilt.
Below as it looks now.
Mum loved roses and the colour pink so therefore that had to be the theme. I will be sending it to the Palliative Care ward of the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane very soon. It will be hard to part with it but I know they will use it there. Mum had a beautiful one on her bed during her last days and that is where I got the idea to make one.
As I came towards the end of creating the quilt I felt sad in a way as I was enjoying the process so much. I did tell friends that it was like reading a great book and enjoying the story so much that I didn't want it to end!
Of course since the class I have been looking at books, websites, material etc. to decide what is my next project. As the picture here shows I was even "caught" looking at a book on quliting at my work. That is the Manager behind me. I think she understands too that I am hooked.
So next step for me is to decide on my project. Something for me or possibly gifts for friends.
Do you think I am hooked on quilting?
Monday, May 4, 2009
Quilters' Circle - 4th May, 2009
The Quilters' Circle meets at Sussex Neighbourhood House every 1st, 3rd and 5th Monday from 1:00 to 3:30 PM. We work on our own projects, while enjoying conversation and company. The group is not a class, but help and advice is always available. Anyone is welcome to come and join us. Here's what we did today.
Today Joy showed us some tips for needle-turn appliqué, demonstrating on this handsome butterfly. The spots on the blue strip will be added to his wings later. There are several butterflies on this piece. Joy also brought along some blocks from a blue Baltimore Album quilt she is making. Here's a sample:
Isn't that beautiful?
Marie was quilting her lovely 1930s hexagon quilt:
The quilting is a meandering line through the hexagons; you can see it in the green block. On the right-hand side you can see a little of the border, which has appliquéd stems, leaves, and hexagon flowers. It is a very cheerful quilt.
Marilyn was cutting sashing strips for her lap quilt. The 9 blocks are all done:
Aren't they lovely colours?
Vireya worked on
an appliqué flower for a mystery block-of-the-month quilt, "Red Delicious" designed by Esther Alieu. She is not making it all in red, as you can see. The pattern for the petals is cut from the wrapper of a ream of photocopy paper. The plastic coating on the back can be ironed onto the fabric, then easily removed. Vireya is an appliquér with L-plates.
Between the sewing, we looked at magazines, admired lovely Japanese fabric, gave border advice to Leigh, and met the drummer who will be entertaining people next Monday for Neighbourhood House Week. A great afternoon all round. Please feel welcome to come along and join us next time.
Please forgive the strange spacing here - this is the first blog post I've ever done, and I had trouble getting the photos to behave!
Today Joy showed us some tips for needle-turn appliqué, demonstrating on this handsome butterfly. The spots on the blue strip will be added to his wings later. There are several butterflies on this piece. Joy also brought along some blocks from a blue Baltimore Album quilt she is making. Here's a sample:
Isn't that beautiful?
Marie was quilting her lovely 1930s hexagon quilt:
The quilting is a meandering line through the hexagons; you can see it in the green block. On the right-hand side you can see a little of the border, which has appliquéd stems, leaves, and hexagon flowers. It is a very cheerful quilt.
Marilyn was cutting sashing strips for her lap quilt. The 9 blocks are all done:
Aren't they lovely colours?
Vireya worked on
an appliqué flower for a mystery block-of-the-month quilt, "Red Delicious" designed by Esther Alieu. She is not making it all in red, as you can see. The pattern for the petals is cut from the wrapper of a ream of photocopy paper. The plastic coating on the back can be ironed onto the fabric, then easily removed. Vireya is an appliquér with L-plates.Between the sewing, we looked at magazines, admired lovely Japanese fabric, gave border advice to Leigh, and met the drummer who will be entertaining people next Monday for Neighbourhood House Week. A great afternoon all round. Please feel welcome to come along and join us next time.
Please forgive the strange spacing here - this is the first blog post I've ever done, and I had trouble getting the photos to behave!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Making it Personal
I posted from the Neighbourhood House office yesterday. It was a bit of an occasion--in a busy, friendly kind of way. Let's just say there were half a dozen staff and volunteers working at half a dozen different tasks in a space the size of a lounge room. Despite that, I had several people willing to check over and cheer the "first post" of the Quilters at Sussex Blog.
Of course there were memories shared about the "Carers". I learned that the wall hangings include photos of carers' families from our community. I'll be looking for more information about that soon. Meanwhile, I'll invite you to have another look at the first photo in yesterday's post. You can see the Sussex Quilt hanging on the wall further up the hallway. That was made as a Neighbourhood House Week project a few years ago and includes a block contributed by each group and class from Sussex. More details later.
Of course there were memories shared about the "Carers". I learned that the wall hangings include photos of carers' families from our community. I'll be looking for more information about that soon. Meanwhile, I'll invite you to have another look at the first photo in yesterday's post. You can see the Sussex Quilt hanging on the wall further up the hallway. That was made as a Neighbourhood House Week project a few years ago and includes a block contributed by each group and class from Sussex. More details later.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Coburg Saints
Meet the Coburg Saints, No, not a local football team! These are better known as the Carers Project Wall Hangings:I asked Sue, the Neighbourhood House manager, to give us some history, since these are the first examples of what might be call "Quilters" at Sussex.
"These two wall hangings were part of a larger installation which Sussex Craft people created under the leadership of Textile Artist Anne Marie Power. The whole installation was in the People’s Gallery at the NGV in St Kilda Rd, Melbourne for about a fortnight and got lots of press. It was part of the Coburg Council (now Moreland City Council) Coburg Carers Project which aimed to raise the profile of carers in the community at a time when the word was largely not known and public support was relatively low.
People were very excited about finding ways with textiles to express the natures of their roles and their feelings about it. It also set Sussex Neighbourhood House on a path of being very aware of the needs of carers and people with disabilities. Having hung in the house for almost 16 and a half years they are a constant reminder of what carers do and that the community appreciates their contribution.
The two hangings were rebacked in 2007 to freshen them up as they are still valued in this place. "
Sue was part time Coordinator at Sussex and part time project worker for the Council’s Carers Project in 1992 when the "Saints" were made.
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