A Day at Photography

Every couple of months I gather together quilts, bags and cushions from three or four issues of Down Under Quilts and we spend a whole day photographing them. By 'we' I mean our photographer Jim, our stylist Georgie and I.

We generally shoot at Georgie's house and it is simply amazing that every time she makes every shot look so unique and different. Today we shot two front covers and 12 projects, and about ten close ups, they were such great shots!

We noticed a wee snail had come along to join us ... it will be in one of DUQ's future issues, I wonder if you will spot it?

This lovely quilt is in a future issue - but I can't show you anymore right now.

ciao for now, off to get organised for more photography, and a meeting, tomorrow, then read the kids a book.

dls

I finished FIVE quilt tops today!

Today I went off to Design Circle at Material Obsession for my monthly dose of stitching, and fun. I finished off the top for the grandbaby's first quilt. It's just a simple strippy flying geese quilt. When I get camera battery charged I will take a photo and share.

Then, tonite, when i got home, all motivated by my accomplishment, I went in search of fabrics to finish off grandbaby's second quilt. And, what a lovely surprise - in my UFO box there was four finished quilt tops!

I don't know why previously they had been considered unfinished, but tonite, I have announced them finished! Perhaps I had imagined a border, or two? That wont be happening - off to the quilter they go!

One is a small quilt that Tara-Lea made when she was about 10. I think now is a very good time to have it finished off and give it to grandbaby for her dollies!, Then there is a rather small one (made in a class with Jackie Robinson to explore a technique of tessellations), also good for dollies, Eloise can have that.

There is a lap-size quilt that I made in a workshop with Dijanne Cevaal about three years ago - nope it certainly does not need that previously planned border. And what's more, I even have a length of yellow fabric that will go just nicely as the backing.

My last find, and for the life of me I cannot see why this remained a UFO, is a row by row swap quilt top created about TEN years ago with a bunch of SCQuilters members. Now, after languishing in my UFO box, unjustly it seems, it will be off to the quilter with the others.

What a productive day - FIVE (including the baby quilt) tops FINISHED.
dls

DUQ 2010 Calendar - Rhythm of Life

It's a teeny pic, but if you look real close you will see our gorgeous 2010 Down Under Quilts calendar!

On the cover is Amanda Daly's quilt - the theme was the Rhythm of Life, and Amanda won $500 for her interpretation, plus the coveted position of cover!

Inside you will find 12 other great quilts made by talented quilters. Hey, it's only $9.95 - click on the pic to order your copy!

Magazine in quarantine :-(

Hello my fellow enthusiastic quilters ... today we are all sad, the news has come thru that the entire shipment of Down Under Quilts #135 (august) and Creative Expression #24 have been held up in quarantine. They are being sprayed, and sprayed again, due to a piece of bark being found lurking in the large container that housed not just our stock; some other importer was the culprit, grrrr.

Unfortuantely I cant contact everyone who eagerly awaits their copies at the post box and newsagencies and specialist stores, but maybe you can pass on the news?

Thousands of quilters around the world are going to start feeling anxious pretty soon, so I thought I should remind you to GO ONLINE to grab a look FOR FREE ...

You can catch up on the new Pincushion Challenge and get started creating

Look Inside >> Issue 135, 2009

or, you can see a zebra's bottom, a black and white bag, a three-dimensional poppy, the winner of the Bernina Best of Show and Down Under Quilts Best Use of Colour ...

Look Inside >> Issue 135, 2009

Click through and take a look ...

dls

Take a peak - August duQ is online now!

The AUGUST digital issue of Down Under Quilts is READY now ... the printed copy will NOT be out til late next week, so if you want to delight yourself, get in early, go online now and get absorbed. Just click on the link at the right of the blog ... and add your details to sign up for your FREE digital subscription.




Erica's quilt is on the front cover, its truly gorgeous - don't you think!


Check out the special feature on PINCUSHIONS, and the exciting challenge - take a look - maybe your pincushion creation will win ...

Look Inside >> Issue 135, 2009

I suppose you know by now, but take a look anyway - Mariya Waters won Best of Show at the AQS in May. The prize is cash - $20,000 - and the quilt is acquired to be the property of the American Quilt Museum in Paducah - well done Mariya, what a fabulous fabulous quilt and such a prestigious award. The quilt deserves ALL the accolades it has received. Now it can take a rest and reside in a museum for posterity.


We share an amazing quilt by Linda Robertus, that creates an optical illusion - Linda please accept my humble apologies that your surname was spelt incorrectly...

dls

Photo Shoot & Goodwill

My favourite days in the life of an editor, are the days we do photography. Today we photographed four quilts on location and took some groovy close ups to tempt you even further. The quilts we photographed were three for the October issue and one that Erica made using selvedges for a future issue.

It is so much fun being able express oneself creatively through the medium of images. And when you work with two such fabulously creative and talented souls - hi Georgie (stylist) and Jim (photographer) its almost impossible to stop at one picture.

We propped one of the October issue's quilts (you'll love it, it is a collaborative quilt by Sue Spargo and Sarah Fielke) with amazing wooden bowls from Ethiopa. Here are the two we used today, and they are filled with glorious beads (also for sale).

Georgie (our stylist) and her husband Joe, adopted their gorgeous daughter Poppy from Ethiopa. They have been focused on supporting African charities, and their latest venture is to import an amazing array of artefacts and sell them here to raise funds.

This Saturday 25 July they are hosting a Goodwill Gathering at their home, where you can see and buy lots of new stock. If you are interested, send me a message and I will send you the details.

I had a sneak preview today, and have already put my red SOLD sticker on the larger of the two bowls in the photo.

dls

Wagga Exhibition in Sydney

In the May issue of Down Under Quilts (get your FREE subscription!) we featured a fabulous collection of pieces inspired by the humble Australian icon - The Wagga. As quilters we are generally au fait with this term, but 'look closer' and you will discover so much more!

The collection is called Wrap-Unwrapped and includes quilts and textiles that have resulted from the responses the nine members of the WRAP group have experienced during their research into the wagga rug.

The collection is showing in Sydney at the NSW Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney until 30 July 09. This Friday 17 and next Friday 24 at 11am, there is also a free, one hour, illustrated talk and discussion in the Parliamentary Theatrette . This will be about the history of the wagga, the background to the exhibition and the stories collected along the way.

Sounds fascinating to me, I hope to get there on the 24th ... might see you there! If you cant make it, visit the groups' blog, Wrap-Waggas to find out more about wagga rugs and the groups' activities.

dls

She who finds page numbers first, wins!

A few weeks ago I gave you a sneak peak at the front cover of the July issue... you remember, the 'pink' one with Sarah's quilt on the cover?

Go online now, sign up for your free subscription, then browse the July issue and email me with the page numbers for all of these snapshots. Or, if you have your own digital or printed version already, you have a head start...

The first person whom gets back to me with all correct answers will receive a FREE SIX months Printed Subscription (if you already have one, it will extend by 6months).

dls

Sewing (or not) with Erica

Ahh, yesterday I finished the contents of Down Under Quilts 136 - the BLOKEY September issue... a little closer to its release date I will tease you with some photos...

For now, I get a few days to take a breath before I start the next issue. And what great timing, cause today is my once a month get-together with Erica.

Once a month Erica and I get together for about half a day and sew, or knit, or ... today we did neither, we were too busy chatting about a number of things to thread a needle!


We looked at the new ArtQuiltingStudio magazine, and I cut some selvedges off my fabrics for Erica ...



We had Banana Cake (which I baked this morning) and coffee that Erica picks up at the local Birchgrove cafe - Charlottes - my favourite! ... I think we both had two pieces of cake ... but who's counting!

See the little zipper bag? It says Make a Friend, stitched in chain stitch, with a button sewn on... I got it from Smiggles, don't you think it's too cute?


I got to see Erica's latest blocks in the ... fabric... they're zingy and fresh and so delectable.



I rearranged my Spotty Spikes to reveal a STAR between each, rather than a small square (well smallish-8in, compared to the size of the 'star'). I've got to say, and Erica concurs, the stars are better! What do you think? The fabric isn't filling the space real well, but you get the drift?

It means the quilt will now be two x three rows. Much more manageable - size wise, I was afraid that the quilt might up and eat me when it was three x three - it was so big and menacing.

And Erica showed me how to do a few more things on my blog ... hence it's re-arranged and a little disarrayed (until my skills improve).

AND, we talked about our trip to England and Paris - mon dieu! what fun we will have Cherie.

See Erica's blog for the cute little bag tags we are using - we will bematching, mine is pink, and her's is blue. We are so excited about the trip, and have lots of planning to do, woo hoo.

dls

I love the cover!

Wow, check out that cover - the quilt is Sarah Fielke's fabulous cot quilt - Bye Bye Birdie - how amazing does it look on the cover girls? and don't you love that PINK...

This is the July issue and is due on sale in 2 weeks ... don't miss your copy. Go to our website to sign up for your FREE digital version (although the site is down today... but should be up and running soon - stay patient).

The July issue shares some fabulous stuff girls...
An exclusive interview with Annette Gero - quilt historian, a fab quilt by my new colour guru friend - Vicki Hines, made with charming pentagons and yo-yos (Yo-Yos are my new fave! - sorry Erica). We take a look at Michele Hill's work over the past year or so and take an exciting armchair journey to Nantes France, where in April this year, the inaugural Pour L'Amour du Fils (for the love of thread) show was staged. We share five pages showing this splendid exhibition - and if you go online on July 1, you can see another 60+ photos on sewn.net.au

xxxdls

Happy 21st Birthday Down Under Quilts

This year Down Under Quilts turns 21.

While we were at the Craft and Quilt Fair at Darling Harbour we kicked off six months of birthday celebrations. Every afternoon at 3pm enthusiastic quilters and textile lovers gathered to sing Happy Birthday; not always in tune - but never mind.

In return for their kind birthday wishes we shared sweet little cupcakes from the

Cupcake Factory at Drummoyne. Yummmmmyyy.

Keep your eye on the magazine to see more exciting birthday celebrations.

Above top is me... getting ready to hand out cupcakes, if you look real close, you
might see the gorgeous rose braid I brought at the fair and sewed to the edge of a

plain black tunic dress ( I sewed it on at the Fair too)...
the braid is black spots on white, and too cute! I brought it from the

gorgeous Gabrielle at Miss Rose and Sister Violet

- whom you can find at any of the Craft and Quilt Fairs around the country

(next one in Tasmania then Canberra in August).

and now we begin

Wow, I've arrived, with thanks to Erica - (ta!), bear with me people... it may take me a while to get this correct.

However, I will plunge in, simply because I am so overstimulated right now - and want to share my excitement. Yesterday I went to Material Obsession at Hunters Hill for my monthly dose of pattern overload and design sensory - and my first bright and bold quilt is finally coming together. Later today I will download some photos for you...

right now? I have a mad day ahead of preparing the FABULOUS contents for Down Under Quilts August issue...

bye for now...