Quilts at long last

I think I misplaced my blogging mo-jo (is that called blo-jo?) so haven't posted in a couple of months. So much has happened since my last post that it's hard to know where to start.

I think for this blog post I'll show you some of the quilts that I have loved seeing of late. I'm sure you will have seen many of them in other people's posts .... people who actually post regularly and when the news is still current :P

First up .... Quiltcon: Feb 2015 (Yes, that long ago!!)

"Face #1"
I adore this quilt by Melissa Averinos. I wasn't the only one.  It was awarded a Judge's Choice award.

Make Modern (and a wrap up of the show)

The Melbourne Stitches and Craft Show was a whirlwind of craft and quilts and meeting people and learning lots and .... pure exhaustion!!

I've been told I look a little tired in this shot :P

Thank you to everyone who came and chatted with us and attended my demonstrations about the YouPatch website. We loved meeting you all and hearing your crafty stories!

But now the show is over and we are looking towards the next wonderful YouPatch projects and collaborations .... which brings me to Make Modern.

Have you heard about Make Modern yet? It's a new online Australian magazine all about modern quilting. Gotta love that!!!!

Issue 2 was released on Saturday and we are delighted to have a pattern in this issue as well as a great business review. Go check it out (here)!!!

Our pattern is a pixelated pink skull cushion (perfect for Halloween!!)

Please go and have a look at this great new offering and support a group of dedicated crafters (like you and me) making a splash in the world of crafty publishing!!

I think Make Modern is absolutely packed with value!! Great projects and articles. Everything I'm looking for in a quilty magazine! If you do buy the magazine, let me know what you think?

Happy stitching to you!

Andi xx

Getting ready!!

Dan and I set up for our first trade show today: Melbourne's Stitches and Craft Show at the Caulfield Racecourse.

I was invited to be one of their 'guest artists' which is very flattering and I'm a little nervous (and excited) about how the next four days will pan out. I will certainly keep you posted.

In the meantime, here's a look at today's setup ....

A pretty big space to fill.

With my name on and everything! (Don't I look gorgeous in fluro??)

Half way set up. Still a bit messy.

The right hand section of the booth all ready to go.

Complete with my wall of divas!

And the other half.

With the computer ready to show everyone how YouPatch works.

Are you coming to the show this week? Please pop over and say 'hello'.

Much stitchy love to you.

Andi xx

Melbourne Craft and Quilt Fair

I went to the Melbourne Craft and Quilt Fair last Thursday. I didn't have particularly high expectations. In recent years the fair has become much less about the quilts and more about a range of crafts that are not really 'me'.

Lots of shops with an overwhelming impression of 'brown'. I don't mind a bit of brown but I do need a LOT more color in my crafting world!!

Also, the quilt show has had a tendency to show many of the same quilts over and over again which is frustrating.

This year was actually a very pleasant surprise. Still plenty of 'brown' shops but a great variety of fun and funky retailers including some gorgeous friends I enjoyed catching up with:

Jodie is always fun and so very sweet!!

This is a tiny corner of her award winning booth. She's on the Google you know!

Emma is also incredibly friendly and her new fabrics and quilt patterns are making a huge splash around the globe.
You should totally check them out!!

The lovely Melly was there as well selling her fabulous fabrics and softie patterns.

And so was her gorgeous sister Rosalie who has pretty new fabrics and patterns to share also.

I got to meet Morgan of the Crafty Squirrel and couldn't resist buying some of her vintage sheet goodness.

Emma was there from Treehouse Textiles showing off the gorgeous new BOM that she and Cathy have co-designed.

I also got to meet Leslie who is the very clever designer behind Maze & Vale. Such beautiful fabrics!!

And then there was Robyn and Buffy over at The Strawberry Thief selling the most divine selection of Liberty fabrics.

The quilt show had some lovely new (or perhaps new-to-me) entries.

I must apologise that I neglected to take down the names of the above quilters. :(

But I do know that this incredible quilt was made by the very clever Karen of Quilts on Bastings.

No surprises that she won awards for her machine quilting:

I had a play with a long-arm quilting machine (with my name written on the sign above ... meant to be ;-)  )

I'm no competition for Karen but I was pleased with my brief freehand efforts.

I also loved the wall of crafty poppies meant to commemorate the soldiers who have served our country:

Other than all of the lovely people I already mentioned, I got to spend the day hanging out with Judy, Melissa, Louise, Nadia, Marie and Helen. 

Great company! Much shopping! Much fun!

Andi xx

Five long weeks

Five weeks since I last blogged. WHERE HAVE I BEEN??????

Well, there has been school holidays:

A quilt show:

With quilts from (L-R) Angie Wilson, Wendy Williams and Pam Holland.
And special guest appearances from Margaret and Rosalie and MEEE!!

There have been secret sewing projects (BUSTING to show you but can only show you snippets)

Plus a week of sick days, time spent on 'proper job' and plenty of GPD (general procrastination disease)!

It's good to be back!!

What have you all been up to these past few weeks?

Andi xx

Super exciting news ... Quilt Monkey!!

That fabulous Ginger Monkey, AKA Katy Jones, is now officially a multi media superstar as she launches her new online show ... Quilt Monkey.

I can't wait to see her in action. But in the meantime, here's a promo for the show ....

Quilt Monkey from Artisan Media on Vimeo.

Go Katy!!!!

I hope you all tune in to watch the show as I'm sure it will be loads of fun and filled with fabulous color.

Much love,
Andi xx

Houston loot!!!!

It has taken me a while to get around to photographing my Houston haul but here it is in all it's glory!

Of course, I bought fabric. Der!!

I am extremely crap at recording the names of the fabrics as I go ... so there are some you will surely recognise and others you won't but they are all delicious, if slightly anonymous!

To my delight, there were a number of antique quilt dealers and I bought myself 3 quilt tops. 

Why only the tops and not finished quilts? 

Two reasons: 

1. This way, I get to quilt them myself and feel I have had some part in their restoration and 

2. They fitted more easily into my suitcase :P

This one was very cheap due to the less than perfect (to say the least) stitching and piecing. It is very buckled in places and completely torn in others but I loved the colors and the general feel of it so she became mine. My plan is to cut out the good bits and re-use them in a new quilt. Not sure exactly how yet but my little brain is tick ticking away ....

This one is a beautifully hand-stitched queen size Dresden Plate quilt top. I adore the original 1930's fabrics. Looking forward to quilting this one!!

There are 4 x 4 blocks in this one. 

And my absolute favourite was this red and white beauty. A perfectly hand-stitched Drunkards Path ... also queen sized. This one was dated C.1900 - 1920.

Would you have a look at those perfect little stitches!!!!!

And lastly I bought some books.

To be perfectly honest, only Victoria's book on the left was actually purchased in Houston. The 2 books on Hawaiian quilting were purchased in Hawaii the following week. (I know .... I am extraordinarily lucky!!)

So that's it. My Houston haul!!

Back soon with some actual crafting!!

Andi xxx