Quilting in the Hunter Valley

Here I am in Lamb's Valley - upper Hunter Valley NSW. My bed has a quilt on it, perfect!

My sewing machine is ready to go, what a view! ...

These are the doilies that my gorgeous aunties are going to cut up (gulp) and sew into two quilts - no squabbling allowed!

And, these are the ones that simply are NOT allowed to be cut ...

And, this is the fabulous fire, thanks Uncle ... xxxx

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

Robin's WRAP

I forgot to share a photo with you, from my visit to the WRAP exhibition last Friday. I mentioned below that I met a few of the group, and I shared some of Robin's work. This photo is Robin's jacket, made from tweed jackets... and take a closer peak inside, look at the labels. Click on the pic to get up close and personal!

Awesome Quilting & Best Use of Colour

While visiting Erica's blog I read about the recent Victorian Quilt Showcase, and of course followed the link - which i URGE you to do right now! OMG - the quilting on those quilts is AWESOME, take a look. Keep scrolling down and you will come to the winner of the Down Under Quilts Best Use of Colour award - what a beauty!
dls

WRAP Unwrapped

Today I went to the city to see the WRAP Unwrapped exhibition and listen to a floor talk by two of the talented members of the group. The talk was about the history of the wagga, the background to the exhibition and the stories collected by the nine-member group along the way. I met three of the WRAP members - Robin Kaltenbach, Annette Glare and Prue Hill.

Nine women banded together to research the history of waggas -a 'make do' blanket or quilt synonymous with the depression era in Australia, although its provenance goes back further. The end result is an enlightening exhibition that echoes the history of a frugal, make do item, juxtaposed with the future - shining pieces inspired by Australia's waggas. The groups technical expressions included embroidery, swatches, felting and fabric, assembled into such diverse pieces as umbrellas, a jackets, a book, baskets and wall-hangings.

Robin and I

I was particularly taken by the pieces created by Robin. I was intrigued to see that the inspiration Robin drew from the humble, and mostly dour-coloured wagga interpreted itself into bright embroidered pieces. Along the way her journey also included learning to use an Embellishing Machine, and the results are fun, whimsical and happy - a nice translation of Australia's waggas I thought!

An example of some of Robin's embroidery, that she created onto a woolen sample, experimenting with the Embellisher Machine.

I dont know what has happened to the colour here :-(, but at least you can see the gorgeous flowers Robin has created on her exhibition piece.

Visit the WRAP blog to see and learn more.

dls

PS, thanks Erica (BB) - the html was on DUH!

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