Issue #95 2019

Quilters Companion

Excellence in patchwork and quilting

Quilters Companion2 min read
Editor’s Journal
Firstly, Happy New Year! I hope you all had a fun Christmas and exciting New Year. Secondly, thank you! Thank you for all the warm and encouraging feedback we have received regarding the re-design of Quilters Companion. Plus it seems that many of you
Quilters Companion4 min read
Quilty Treasures
The competitors in the recent Invictus Games in Sydney all took home a unique Australian memento from the games thanks to the RSL Auxiliaries of Australia. More than 550 laundry bags — one for each competitor — a quilt for each of the 18 competing na
Quilters Companion4 min read
Honeycomb Cushion
The relaxed design of this cushion is heightened by the use of raw-edged hexagons that Jane has incorporated. They have been artfully held in place with Sashiko stitches using cotton crochet thread. The fabric is yarn-dyed and woven in one of the few
Quilters Companion3 min read
Wendy Gleeson
When she moved to a new home in 2005, Wendy was thrilled to have a dedicated sewing space. “It was very decadent,” she recalls. Over the years her workspace has developed, along with her passion for quilting and patchwork. “I have a big custom-made s
Quilters Companion2 min read
Festival of Quilts SA
Best of Show Retaining the Tradition The Caswell Challenge, 176.5cm x 203cm, (69½in x 80in), Judith Stacey Quilted by Meredith England Pattern source — The Caswell Quilt, a reproduction pattern by Corliss Searcey Artist’s statement: The Caswell Quilt
Quilters Companion2 min read
Off the Shelf
From veteran author, teacher and designer Becky Goldsmith comes this amazingly striking Bullseye quilt with easy-to-use paper-piecing foundations. Though the result looks complicated, the quilt comes together easily with Becky’s simple, friendly inst
Quilters Companion6 min read
Madderleigh
In the mid to end of the 19th century, madder prints were popular due to their colourfastness. The red colour was produced from the compound alizarin found in the roots of the madder plant, along with some other obnoxious ingredients such as urine, b
Quilters Companion3 min read
Garden Patch
The North Wind block reminded Wendy Sheppard of garden patches — and that coupled well with the new fabric range by Lynette Anderson, Sweet Garden of Mine, by Lecien. Combining a traditional block design with a modern layout, this quilt is constructe
Quilters Companion4 min read
Lennox ARROWS
Babies love black and white, and the directional print of this background fabric provides lots of movement and fun. It also creates chance for error! Ensure your fabrics are in the correct orientation before cutting them. There is merit in pre-cuttin
Quilters Companion3 min read
5000 Trees
Textile artist Cindy Watkins has always been intrigued by the magic of nature and has had a fascination with trees from a young age. “One of my earliest memories is going with my dad into the forest when I was very young,” Cindy recalls. “It was like
Quilters Companion6 min read
Double Diamond Wedding Ring
This is no ordinary Double Wedding Ring quilt — this is a Double ‘Diamond’ Wedding Ring! You will certainly fall in love with this pattern with its special ‘centre’ block, where you will find the ‘diamond’. The curved seams may seem daunting, but fou
Quilters Companion6 min read
Double Wedding Ring
Despite this creative confidence, the DWR pattern still presents as complex; it is one that puts off beginners as it includes a lot of building units and curved piecing. Just over three decades ago, in my early 20s, I joined a class by (then well-kno
Quilters Companion2 min read
Foundation Paper Piecing How To
The following instructions are abridged from those found in Adventures in Paper Piecing & Design by Sarah Elizabeth Sharp, and assume you have a working knowledge of paper piecing. In the book she shares a more in-depth explanation of her foundation
Quilters Companion2 min read
Tasmanian Art Quilt Prize
The theme for last year’s exhibition was Ebb and Flow and included a new category of Textile Sculpture. This biennial event is organised by a dedicated group from the Tasmanian Quilting Guild. Entrants were invited from across Australia and from thos
Quilters Companion10 min read
Winton
This quilt is a traditional medallion style that features washed woven wool appliqué and a little reverse appliqué, along with pieced blocks and borders. The fabrics used are from the collection called Cumberland County, a line of reproduction fabric
Quilters Companion5 min read
Bernina Q24
Buying a sewing machine today is not a simple task. There are so many features, functions and accessories. If you want to quilt big and can accommodate a long-arm machine, there are many on the market. Recently my husband purchased a Bernina Q24. Yes
Quilters Companion4 min read
From Inspiration to Creation
Creative inspiration is everywhere. No matter where I go I’m constantly seeing things that inspire my creative side. Today I thought I’d share with you how I take that original inspiration and turn it into a project. To say my sister and I are obsess
Quilters Companion3 min read
The Pointy End
Curved sewing pins have been used for more than 4000 years. Originally these were fashioned out of iron and bone and were used to hold clothes together. Brass, a relatively hard and ductile metal, was used to make pins during the Bronze Age. This dev
Quilters Companion6 min read
Baltimore Blooms Part 4
These are the last four blocks of Deborah’s glorious Baltimore Blooms Sew Along — Feathers and Flowers, Birds and Bud Wreath, Flat Vase, and Feathered Whig Rose The Feathers and Flowers block is Deborah’s favourite; she used the Sydney Opera House fl
Quilters Companion1 min read
Block Of The Month Programs & kits
Kits and block of the month programs are popular choices for quilters for a number of reasons. How many times has a quilt caught your eye and you think “Wow I would love to make that exact same quilt with the same fabrics and colours”? When you buy a
Quilters Companion11 min read
Goosepoint
Influenced by her love of the Flying Geese block and the colour blue, Cheryl Filby incorporated both pieced and appliquéd Flying Geese into this quilt — along with some arrow heads! While the style is traditional, the block designs are original. Cher
Quilters Companion2 min read
Sewing Machine Sales & Repairs
Most obviously – what do you want the machine to do? If you are planning on basic sewing then an introductory machine may be the best option and these can retail up to about $1000. If you are looking for a machine that does a bit more than the basics
Quilters Companion4 min read
The Midwest Region of America
Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago is a main hub for airlines and is a great place to start a tour of this area. It is a wonderful city for quilt inspiration, with many famous buildings and artworks easily accessible to the public. You c

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