June Lyons Award 2010

The Waverley Patchworkers Inc Quilt Show is over for another year. On friday evening at the Gala Opening, I was surprised and delighted to be honored with the June Lyons Award for 2010, for my quilt Dream Fountain.

It was a great opening and I really enjoyed looking at all the great work that was there.

I must say, my heart beat a little faster when I heard that a Red Delicious quilt had won the Viewers Choice. They were just announcing it when I arrived to collect my quilt at the end of the show.

I am so happy about this and will post a pic of the Red Delicious quilt, which by the way is not red at all - but black and white!

Yes, even though it is not red, I still love it. It actually looks magical and I think it is just gorgeous. Thank you and congratulations to Jeanette for exhibiting your Red Delicious, can't wait to share it here.

PS
from all the excitement of the show, I have actually forgotten all the other winners...I know, my memory is like a sieve. But I will say that the winning Field of Flowers challenge entry was deservingly beautiful.

Note to self: next time, remember to take your camera with you (I left it on the bench) and can you believe that I dont know how to use my mobile phone camera?? There you have it - I don't!

Interestingly, I went to the opening with a friend who had not seen my blog or my own challenge entry and I asked her politely if she could find me amongst all the others - and after a well considered inspection, she picked mine...because of the type of fabric I had used on the binding. Maybe it's time for me to stop stash busting and start working with brand spanking new fabrics.

But really, I envy her eye for detail and I do think that all we quilters have a certain 'look' no matter what style we do.

Field of Flowers

The Waverley Quilt Show is on this weekend

Here are my 2 entries for the challenge 'Field of Flowers'

I do love a challenge and I do love flowers....so I thought I better make 2 entries!

I really enjoyed cutting out and making the flower heads. I think that when I have finished my current UFO list, that I will sit down with some inspiring fabrics and make a big bunch of fabric flowers for my kitchen table.

Pomegranate is published

On Tuesday I received 3 emails asking me what fabric I had used as a background in my wall hanging Pomegranate...and when the post arrived just as I was checking my emails, I soon knew why.

Pomegranate is a project in this months Patchwork & Quilting Magazine. Vol 19 No 3

Pomegranate is a wall hanging. It's worked in reds as I designed it just after Red Delicious... and was still enjoying working with this hue so much. It is the first bouquet in a series of wall hangings based on domestic and goodwill motifs that I love.

The pomegranate symbolises fertility, abundance and luck.

I have always been very interested in the language of flowers and nature and the imagery used to impart meaning, particularly in hand textiles through motifs used to represent these items.

I love being surrounded by this rich, meaningful language on a day to day basis. And I love coming home to a house full of quilts and wall hangings too.

The background fabric I used is 'Chloe' by New Heirloom.  Of course, any french toile in red and cream would also work really well.  This is fabric from my stash. I've been quilting for 10 years so I have no idea how old it is. Perhaps 5 years? There is so much variety in the market now that I am sure you will easily find something suitable.

The remaining bouquets in this 'series' total 9. I am still deciding how to work them - remaining with individual wall hangings or designing a quilt? They are on the list, however I am already working on the next BOM and have 3 UFOs that are in progress to be finished. My studio is clean and tidy so I am newly inspired to get finished. I love getting in after a big clean up and just working. One of the rewards of spending days on end sorting out has to be all those bits and pieces you'd either forgotten about or temporarily 'lost'

PS

As a proud member of my local group, the Waverley Patchworkers Inc, I will be attending the Gala Opening this evening.

The Quilt Show starts tomorrow Sat 9:30am - 5pm and Sun 9:30 - 4pm. Admission is $7

Where? Mt Waverley Community Centre (opp railway station), Miller Cres, Mt Waverley

This years challenge is "Field of Flowers"
Am I in it? Of course I am....I can't pass up a challenge!

In The Pink Prowess!

Danni from Germany amazes me with her In The Pink prowess!!

Danni had to climb up on a table to be able to take this photo...thank you Danni...it was worth the effort.

Look at this quilt, it's beautiful...and seeing ITP in such different colours is a real pleasure for me as well, because I can live through other quilters' colour pickings - what a treat.

Wow! some of you are really moving fast with this BOM, and why not? It's a great stash buster, and who doesnt need another bed quilt???

I'm so glad that I decided to make my own ITP ahead of launching the BOM as usually I like to make quilts step by step as I work through the pattern and I would have been put to shame with the speed some of you are working at!!

Well Danni, can't wait to see how you work the centre applique blocks....

How is everyone else going with ITP? Are you working it through month to month, or collecting the pattern to make at a later stage?

Blogger's Quilt Festival: Red Delicious

Firstly,

thank you Amy for another great Blogger's Quilt Festival. This is my 3rd year taking part and I just love it...this festival is a stroke of genuis...I know I'm going to be browsing hundreds of great quilts and blogs before the weekend is out.

Red Delicious by Esther Aliu

Red Delicious is my original applique BOM which was launched for free over 12 months.

Why?
I had a stash of red fabric I wanted to do something with, it had to be a stash buster – I didn’t want to have to outlay on new fabrics. I had journals of sketching and designs I knew it was time to put to use and I thought it was about time I put my long standing ‘red quilt idea’ into action. Each block was inspired by the red things in life that I love and each design has a personal story behind it. I knew this was something I wanted to share – to give back- to a community that is so generous with its time and advice – this quilt was to be a BOM and it was going to be free to anyone who wanted to join in. In this way, it would be my contribution.

What?

Red Delicious is an original appliqué design wall hanging 50 x 52 inches
Mainly appliqué : It's design, innovative folk, made it traditionally appealing whilst remaining a little bit different
Red Delicious was a free stash buster BOM launched on Nov 15, 2008.It ran for 12 months, it was released in 12 blocks
Red Delicious was complemented by ‘The Red Room’ décor theme which included: a table runner (Cherry Thieves) and 2 cushion designs

The Quilters
Thank you to everyone who joined in.I know from the many quilts made, each quilter who came along for the BOM journey made this quilt their own through personal design embellishes and fabric choices.

Wow!
The Scribd.com site where the Red Delicious blocks were launched and made available each month received over 80,606 reads, since Nov 13, 2008. This figure does not include downloads made by Yahoo Group Members who accessed the block files via group access (membership to date is 836)

And Now?
Red Delicious is finished. Blocks are no longer available for free. Missed a block? All single blocks can be purchased via my shop.

Red Delicious Community

Why not join my BOM Yahoo Group? It’s a great place to celebrate, share and discuss Red Delicious and well as the new monthly BOM In The Pink. It’s also a central place to access files quickly and easily as well as post photos and encourage one another.

Yes, you can buy this stash busting BOM pattern! Visit my website for more info...

I have a Header!

I think I have a header now.
It took a lot of grief, but I think I'll be keeping this one for a while.
It took me longer to do my Header than it did to do last months BOM.
Thank you especially to Brenda and Eva who jumped in and were so helpful.
I read a lot of info, and I *think* I'm closer to understanding.
Phew.....I think

Show & Tell, block 2

This has made my morning....Danni from Germany has emailed me these pics of her block 2. It's going to be striking!

Part 2 is now also available in 2 parts

There was a time when I thought designing the quilt was the 'work'...but now I know that uploading it is the only real work involved. Sometimes I think I need a full time computer tech person to manage all the computer related stuff that needs to be done...

Anyway! I thought I had a handle on launching blocks...but I still have much to learn. I thought Part 2 was compressed enough to be as user friendly as possible, but it appears that some users have had difficulty downloading the file in its present state.

I don't want anyone to miss out on making this stash busting block, so I have now added Part 2 in 2 files for easier downloading. I hope this helps! Please note that the file is the same, it has simply been split into 2.

In The Pink Part 2 is launched

Does stash busting get any better than tulips and reminiscences of

spring fields and billowy tulips?

Part 2 is now launched!

It's nearly Festival Time again

Thank you Amy- Park City Girl....

I'd nearly forgotten that it's that time of year again. The annual Bloggers Quilt Festival... is everyone ready? Amy has some great instructions to help you join in: http://www.amyscreativeside.com/p/bloggers-quilt-festival.html

Spread the word, the more the merrier

Blogger Header

ear steaming annoyances!

Calling all blogger savvy ladies (or gentlemen) out there:

Try as I might, my blogger header/banner has continually defeated me. I need some guidance and can't seem to find any anywhere. My images are too big for the banner....then they are too small. Then I size them exactly to the banner specs and they only take up half the header 'frame'.

I'm sure I must be doing something wrong. I'm sure it's pretty basic and has passed me by. If anyone knows how to do this, please let me know. I would appreciate any guidance: it does need to be blogger specific though. I have uploaded banners to other formats without difficulty, its just something here that is frustrating me!

I have found blogger to be pretty good on the whole, but some simple things like this do frustrate me. I was thinking about moving house to WordPress.com (easy peasy headers, neat frames, very stylish) but have been scared off by the amount of people I hear from who are still ARGH-ING in angst after making the move themselves.

Surely it's not supposed to be this hard.

Please help!

UPDATE: 15 May 2010:

Thank you so much to everyone for your kind offers and helpful info...I have just discovered Blogger in Draft (where have I been?? I don't know) and have neatened up my blog as best as I know how at this stage of my technical skills.

First Blocks

Raewyn Barge has made my afternoon by sending in a pic of her first block. It's so nice to know that someone somewhere is selecting and cutting away. Nice colours Raewyn!

There are going to be plenty of beautiful 'spring' themed beds in 6 months time...

Block 2 is just a few days away

Block 2 will be launched on the 15th

So you have just a few days to download block 1 for free. After the 15th, you will need to purchase any missed blocks.

Has anyone out there completed this months block? I'd love to see it.

I've been re-organising myself (arent I always??) in the hope of being more organized so I can tackle the upcoming BOMs I have designed and am planning to make in the coming months.

Conversion Chart

There's been some confusion over yards and meters...so here is a chart I think will help. Double click to see a larger image or click on my added 'Conversion Chart Page' for more clarity.

Laughing Leaves Workshop

I was lucky enough to attend Frieda Anderson's Laughing Leaves workshop here in Melbourne last week. I have long admired Frieda, so being able to take her class was a real treat.

This is my work above - I love it. It's not quilted yet, but I already have a spot for it at home. I'm so happy.... Why am I so happy? ...because the design is 'free' no rulers, no measuring, no pencil lines...no marking....you just trust you eye and go for it. If you have the opportunity, I recommend that you take this class...and if you don't, you'll just have to make do with visiting Frieda's blog and website where she sells kits. http://friestyle.blogspot.com/

Thanks Frieda, for a great day

AQC Melbourne 2010

Well it's been a bit quiet on my blog here in the last week or so. Right after launching In The Pink and my long overdue website, it was time for AQC and I have spent the last week having a lovely time in classrooms and on white glove duty. I'm so glad that the AQC is in my home town of Melbourne as I would have hated to miss out on attending this event.

What a week!

I was lucky enough to meet so many of you, it's always great to put a face to a name...and catching up with everyone who is usually so far away.

My UFO list also haunted me a little as I met up Lizzie from the Civil War Bride Quilt (which I am a member of...and absolutely taking part in...I'm just taking my time about it...still choosing a colour scheme actually)but its great to see how everyone is interpreting this quilt.

I waited for all of the girls to start on their quilts so that when I started my own it wouldnt intrude on what everyone else was doing - yes, I have decided to make mine entirely in red and white with a few dashes of black. It was on the agenda, but seeing the progress has made me want to get this one out and I have finally settled on using up (I hope) the rest of my red stash.

I will be following the pattern and have spoken to Lizzie about my 'colour intentions' and she has no qualms about it. The rest of my progress and participation will be revealed in the Civil War Bride Quilt Blog (link on side bar). Are you making this fascinating quilt yourself? Have you checked out this blog? it's a must see.

So, I'm back at home. Newly inspired, and thinking about how to organise my time. I have a suprise new BOM which I have to finalise fabric for...yes another one, it's coming soon.... and a studio in serious need of a bit of a tidy. When you start quilting you aquire much 'stuff' and I've reached the era of 'simplifying' I think. Mind you, I still have some wonderful Westalee Rulers I havent managed to get around to using...there's just never enough time.

Wow, I've been a fan of Frieda Anderson for some time (photos above)....and I was lucky enough to meet her in person this year as well as enjoy taking her class. I had a great time and I will be blogging about that tomorrow as it's too dark to take a photo of what I made at the moment.

What a liberating experience it was.... more on that tomorrow!

As you can see, I am still struggling to make Blogger behave and these pics are just doing what they want!

And of course, my banner still has me defeated....urgh! computers!

New EQ7 coming soon!

EQ 7 is being launched soon. That's right. The best Electronic Quilt designer software has been upgraded. Now, I know what you're all thinking....am I computer proficient enough to work with the new EQ7??

Well...I hope so. I have EQ6 and I have gone through periods of trying to teach myself the basics, because if I managed to master it ...it would make my life -so much easier-. With the new EQ7 being launched soon...I think its time that I took some serious lessons and came to terms with using this great software.

You can visit the Electric Quilt website here: http://www.electricquilt.com/