Wednesday 29 June 2016

It appears that this week is winter in Mackay. All doors and windows were shut tightly today and there were a large and varied array of "sensible shoes" being worn. Let's hope the wind dies down by Friday, but no doubt the excitement, fun and camaraderie of sister quilters will make the Quilt and Craft Fair a warm and enjoyable couple of days in any case. Interesting and useful handmade articles were brought in for the traders table today, some "first quilts" appeared for the "Where We Started" display and final details were being ironed out. Make sure you don't miss it this weekend! Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd July at Northern Beaches Community Hall.

And maybe you will be able to see "in real life" these quilts from Show and Tell this morning.

Faye has another quilt finished and back from being quilted by Malanda Quilting. Of course it is once again "just scraps" but Faye did have to purchase some new fabric for the background this time. Faye machine blanket stitched these butterflies even though the clever outline quilting makes them look like needleturn. Aren't the little sashing blocks turned into flowers  just the cutest?

Here is Beth's quilt of the Quilting Practice Trio quilts.The 20 inch blocks were pieced, quilted, appliqued and then joined together. Beth put her seams and tracks to the back. It is a stunning quilt.

And this is Karen's quilt which is exactly the same pattern as Beth's would you believe? It has a reverse colourway with coffee and brown background and cream appliqued shells. Karen joined the blocks with the tracks on the front. The idea of making these quilts was to practise free machine quilting but Karen admits that most of her blocks ended up being done with the walking foot attached!

We've seen this Breastscreen charity quilt before but Helen just put the last stitch in the binding this morning. Di has quilted it beautifully with Baptist fans.

This is Erica's Fantasy Garden quilt which she has worked on for 2 1/2 years. It is all needleturn applique. She had it quilted by  Quick Quilt at Tiaro so she could enter it in the show but found it was an inch too short for the collaborative quilt size requirements. So she entered it in the handcrafts section and won second prize! The Jacobean like applique was from a pattern in the AP&Q called Jen's Fantasy Garden.

Erica had this little quilt quilted by Quick Quilts at the same time. It was made from a dyed fabric pack from Dyed and Gone to Heaven. Much unpicking and putting in the cupboard in disgust was involved before those little sharp points all ended up in the right place. In fact, it has spent so long in the cupboard that it appears that Lisa Walton no longer sells this pattern. The quilting is done with a yellow variegated thread which adds to the lovely glow this quilt emits.

Elaine brought in a letter and photos from her trip to England where she caught up with Sue Nowson. Sue has made the embroidered sayings we gave her when she left into little wall hangings that appear all over the house and are a wonderful talking point for guests who always want to know about "true blue" and "dunnies".

Beth won the badge draw today and picked out some quilting pins and shiny new machine needles. She will no doubt make good use of them.

Wednesday 22 June 2016

A smaller than usual group of ladies were sewing (and sampling Anne's delicious passionfruit butter!) today. Some were stewarding at the show and others left early so they could go and have a look.

But some sewing happened and some wonderful hints were obtained. From now on I'm turning my lattice biscuit slices on their side before I cut them (Thanks Brenda.) and I'm buying a box of colour catchers to pop in the wash the first time I wash a quilt or to add to a quilt gift with the washing instructions. (Thanks Kay.) Di was busy finalising details for the Craft Show and Erica was busy organising kitchen helpers. Please volunteer for something if you haven't yet. It's getting close! July 1 and 2!

Cheryl had a Mother/Daughter trip to Bali for Mothers Day and found a wonderful fabric shop in Denpasar where fabric was $3-4/m. Hence this quilt with many fabric pieces! Cheryl has sewn the beautiful lotus flower for the centre block.

And the back shows off some more wonderful Bali fabrics. Her daughter is going back to Bali later in the year and already has a fabric shopping list I believe.

Marlena did model this as a hat, but it is a microwave-safe fabric bowl. Just pop your food bowl in it before it goes in the microwave and then pull it out by the pointy bits when it's done. How nice would it be to have your microwaved soup sitting in that on a Sunday night instead of the bowl burning your lap? Marlena refused to make us all one, but will bring the templates and instructions next week for anyone who desperately has to have one.

Brenda has made these ritzy shoe bags for the Craft Fair trader table. Not only do they have the most fantastic shoes on the front, but they are fully lined and completely zippered. You'll have to be early to the fair to pick one up.

Needles and pins, needles and pins. Just what every quilter needs and what Sharon picked out of the badge draw goody bag when she was lucky enough to win again today.

Mackay Show

Beautiful warm sunny weather for the Mackay Show! It must be the first time ever.

Thanks need to go to our stewards, Deane and Robyn who are responsible for a wonderful display. Thanks to the helpers as well who came to assist the judge on Sunday and to hang the quilts on Monday and who will no doubt return on Thursday to help dismantle the display. Mackay can certainly be proud, for the display would rival that of any city in Australia. The only down side is that there was not enough room to display all quilts fully. (And due to narrow walkways and many visitors, it was extremely difficult to get photos of the quilts which showed them to advantage.)

However, congratulations need to go to our following members.

Class 1. Collaborative Quilts.

1st prize
Five Island Hosta by Brenda Goggan

3rd prize
Ava May by Faye Cole

Class 2. Full size Quilts.

2nd prize
Joy by Margaret Petersen

3rd prize
 Agave Garden by Di Hope

High Achievement
Native Garden by Elaine McDonald

Class 3. Small Quilts

1st prize
On Display by Joan Flack

2nd prize
Dalmations are Coming by Deane Bray

High Achievement
Teddies at Play by Jan Wild

Class 4. Wall Hanging

1st prize, Best Machine Quilting, Best of Show
Freedom of Nature by Di Hope

2nd prize, Best applique
Mother Earth's Alphabet by Robyn McKenzie

President's Choice

My Menagerie by Deane Bray

Viewer's Choice
The viewer's choice prize is donated by the Thursday Girls in memory of past members Jenny Jenvey, Jane Frazer and Jan Eggleton.

This quilt of fans which was exhibited by a quilter from South Australia and which won first prize in Class 2 also was the favourite of viewers. Seems hand quilting still produces much admiration.

Congratulations to all award winners
Congratulations to all who exhibited.

Wednesday 15 June 2016

We had a visitor today who heard about our group by reading our blog. How exciting! And thank you Kerry for coming along and sharing your beautiful work. We look forward to seeing you again when you visit Mackay.

And Marlena brought a friend, Rita, today too. Rita was pleased to hear that last time Marlena brought a friend, that friend won the raffle. Unfortunately for Rita, she missed the raffle by one week. She did have a story for us of her work at Vinnies though. A whole lot of fabric strips had been donated. She wondered if anyone would ever want such small amounts of fabric, so bundled them up in plastic bags for $1. When Marlena explained what jellyrolls were, Rita understood why they went out the door very quickly!

Deane, Robyn and Di were gathering things for the Mackay Show today. Judging on Sunday, hanging on Monday, Show Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Stewards have been asked to demonstrate some form of patchwork or quilting while looking after the display and there are 40 entries! It promises to be a wonderful show.

And only two weeks until the pointy end of the Quilt Fair. Di rang the radio and found herself live to air! The word about the fair is certainly getting around.
This week's badge draw was won by Deane.

This is the last big quilt Doreen is ever making. (Although we think she may have said this before.) It goes to the floor on each side of the bed and really is a magnificent monster of a quilt. Joan quilted it for her. (And despite the photo, Doreen is very happy with the quilt.)

Linda, Karen and Beth decided they needed to practice machine quilting and so went out to Molly Dooks and bought themselves a quilt as you go pattern. Linda chose the leaves and butterflies and the other two chose shells. The 20 inch blocks are pieced and quilted and then the applique added before the blocks are sewn together. Linda is the first to finish because she only did 16 blocks instead of 20. Or so Karen says.

Kerry brought her English paper piecing all the way from Mildura. Such tiny little units and she cut all the papers herself!. Can't wait to see it finished when next she returns.

Lesley basted this little baby quilt today because it has to be finished by last Saturday. The mother wanted jade and teal but unfortunately Lesley's fabric stash didn't have much in that range. So a sweet little 1930s quilt it is!

Di already has the first soft toy for  a soon to be grandson. Isn't he just the cutest cheekiest monkey? 

Marlena made this Mountmellick cushion under the tutelage of our embroiderer extrordinaire, Rita. Marlena is the best student Rita has ever had - or so Marlena says anyway. She is so taken with it that she is contemplating a Mountmellick and Candlewick quilt.

Challenge is due soon!

Don't forget that the little challenge block for the Quilt and Craft Fair should be handed in by 15 June. (Although I'm sure a few days over and they will still be accepted!)
If you have taken a piece of this fabric

it needs to be returned made up into an 8" block (Handed in 8 1/2" with seams) with a modern theme.
Your name must be attached to the block and returned to remain the property of Bucasia Beach Quilters. Blocks will be used to construct a charity quilt.

You still have time to do this challenge. Further information and fabric can be obtained from Elaine 0427302419 or Helen 49553006

Wednesday 8 June 2016

We are consistently having more than 30 ladies gather to sew on Wednesday mornings which is great to see. There are still a lot of ladies away though and we just scraped a quorum for the committee meeting today. It's lovely to see new projects and finished quilts and to hear the lively chatter. Although I actually didn't speak to anyone this morning who stitched more than 4 stitches. (Congratulations Helen. At least, unlike me, you got your sewing out of the bag!)

Carol extended her recent badge draw win by winning the monthly raffle today. She was very pleased to have a voucher to spend at Mackay Sewing Centre. Elizabeth won this week's badge draw.

Everyone was very impressed with the May BomB of a raw edge reverse applique hibiscus. It required a little more sewing than is usual in the BomB but what a fantastic result. (And a lesson for everyone in contrast!) The extremely delighted winner was Anne Finch - her first win ever!

Faye has made this little alphabet quilt cutting the letters with her cutting machine.

Deane made this quilt following the serialised pattern in AP&Q by Cheryl Filby. Even pattern errors did not deter her. She had it quilted by Di just in time for a show entry. Good luck Deane. Incidentally, the whole quilt was made with fabric left over from other projects.

Past BBQ member Elke and good friend of Elizabeth gave her this quilt when they caught up recently. Elke digitises her own embroidery patterns. You can see Elke's website at http://www.gumnutembroideries.com  

Wednesday 1 June 2016

So today was the first day of winter. You would never know it here. An absolutely beautiful morning and we couldn't think of anything better to do than to sit and sew and chat.

Joan had another good number of ladies in the beginner section, Jo was basting an I-Spy with hundreds of different fabrics in it and Brenda reported a very successful display at Greenmount. Thanks to those ladies who made that success and especially to Brenda who has now perfected a comprehensive list of things to take to a display. When the doors were propped open and the public realised it wasn't a closed building, they wandered in all day. A little girl called Destiny won the Name the Puppy competition and was excited to take 'Colourful' home.

Greenmount is now crossed off. Next big one is the Mackay Show.

Linda won the Badge draw today.

Deane has put the Christmas Star Bomb blocks she won into two table runners. Won't this make a wonderful addition to the Christmas table? But Deane has so many Christmas things she will be putting these on the Gift Stall at the Craft Fair.

Deane's happy purchase at a shop in WA. She bought every piece of it that was remaining in the shop. It is real dahlias digitally printed on fabric and is just some of the most fantastic fabric we've ever seen. (Apologies that the photographer didn't move it away from the windows so it wouldn't be overexposed.)

It looks like Delma is going to turn into our paper piecing expert. This little hexagon piece is just charming.

But just to show that Delma does like machine work as well, here are two of the six disappearing 4-patch placemats she has just finished for her sister. Trouble is, a friend saw them and loved the colours and now she has to make another six!

And apologies to Anne who has made a colourful little iPad cover from leftover strips from her log cabin beginner blocks. (Trust me, you wouldn't want that photo on the internet Anne. Next time photographer shall take two photos!)