New Fabrics

I just love unpacking new fabrics. There have been some lovely fabrics arriving in store lately. This fun panel for a ballerina can easily be made into a wall-hanging or a quilt for a bed. The panel is 60cm wide and is only NZ$13 ($13.30 after 1/10) There is a matching allover fabric to go with it NZ$21.70 ($22.20)pm

Then there are these gorgeous batiks. I just love playing with Batiks, they feel nice and are easy to work with, especially for applique. These three are black with golden tan and one, on the right, also comes in dark and medium blue. NZ$26pm ($26.60 after 1/10)

The fabric on the left pictures very old sewing machines on a black background and on the right an allover tape measure fabric. Just think how lovely this would be made up into a cover for your newer model sewing machine and/or as a tote bag for carrying things to class. To make a sewing machine cover you could use the sewing machine fabric on back and front (approx. 13" x 18") and use the tape measure fabric across the top and down both sides ( use a piece about 8" x 44"). Sew the central strip along the outside 3 edges of one piece of sewing machine fabric (starting with a side, then across the top and down the other side) and repeat for the back. Turn right sides out and hem the bottom edges. Very simple yet very effective. You could pre quilt the pieces first if you prefer. The fabrics are NZ$24.95pm ($25.50 after 1/10).

If you want to order any of these fabrics please email, phone or come and visit me at the shop.

Dianne

Quilts for Christchurch Earthquake

I am the local drop off point for Manawatu region people wanting to donate quilts to the people of Christchurch affected by the earthquake last week. I have received over 30 quilts so far which I shall be sending down very soon. There are several more that are awaiting quilting. I think that the worst thing of the quake is the constant aftershocks, whilst the main quake was bad it is that never ending shaking that must be hurting a lot of people. I feel very sorry for them and want to do my bit to help so passing on quilts is the best I can offer. Quilts offer comfort and show that someone cares.I want to convey my best wishes to those caught up in this earthquake.
Dianne

Orchid Show Quilt

Bouquet Extravaganza 

Recently I entered a quilt into the Orchid Show Challenge in Palmerston North. The local Orchid Society was having a large convention and they approached Rose City Quilters to organise a quilt challenge which would be open to anyone in NZ, you did not have to belong to a club to enter and there was no entry fee, the only stipulation was that the quilt was made especially for this competition and that it related to the theme of the show "Orchid Extravaganza". We got 23 entries from Paraparaumu up to Whangarei. These quilts were judged by a quilt judge and a director of a local gallery who is into textiles and prizes were awarded, then the quilts were judged by the Orchid Society judges who chose one quilt as their Best in Show and I am so happy to say that the orchid judges chose mine as the Best in Show.
I hand painted silk for the background as I wanted it to shade from dark outside to light behind the flowers. Then I appliqued cotton fabric for the flowers and leaves, adding paint for detail on the flowers and then using thread painting to emphasise the detail on the flowers and leaves. I machine quilt on a domestic machine and stitched a loopy pattern which creates a texture for the background. I did not use a standard binding but a faced binding so it is not seen and does not interrupt the flow of the design. I did have to study lots of photos of orchids and then it was hard choosing which ones to feature. I really like several species so I decided to include them in a floral arrangement to make the most of them. I was amazed how many different orchids there are and that many do not look like what I think of as orchids. I am pleased all my research and hard work was appreciated.
Dianne

My First Post

Welcome to my new blog.
I have been quilting for 25 years and have owned a quilt shop in Palmerston North, New Zealand for almost 23 years. I consider myself lucky to be able to work at my hobby. I am a member of a great quilt group, Rose City Quilters, and have been on that committee for almost 20 years, with a small 2 year break between when I was convenor of the National Quilt Symposium held in 2007.
I love patchwork and quilting and tend to be more of a contemporary fabric artist, although I do the occcasional traditional quilt. I love to play with unusual items such as coffee filters, Lutradur, Tyvek, paint and surface design techniques. I teach both traditional and contemporary patchwork and mixed media techniques as well. Making teaching samples is a great excuse to play with lots of things:) I have included a photo of one of my latest quilts .
I had fun playing with different sized circles (4" & 8") and came up with several different layouts but this was the one I chose to create this time. Will try and make this into a pattern, I have taught this class once and my students created some lovely quilts too. Must go now. Thanks for visiting me.
'Dianne

Circles Quilt

My First Post