The Colour Challenge

Towards the end of 2019, Deane had this brilliant idea to set us a challenge over 9 months so that we would have some challenge quilts to display at our Fair in July 2020. 

The idea was that she would issue us a 'colour' every month, and those that wanted to meet the challenge would make a block - any block they wanted - in that colour. It started very well with yellow blocks of all sizes and descriptions and sewing methods appearing from everywhere. But 2020 happened and Fairs were cancelled and patchwork meetings were cancelled and groups of any kind were cancelled. But the colours were still issued and lonesome quilters stayed home to produce their blocks. In fact, it became a fortuitous challenge to give us a 'Covid project' and keep us occupied.

The colours issued were: yellow, red, blue, green, pink, purple, orange, aqua, and brown. 

Without the Fair to exhibit the quilts, it was decided to show them at the AGM. The following quilts were shown at the AGM and will be added to as more photos of quilts from travelling members appear. It has been a great response to The Colour Challenge. 

This is Deane's Challenge quilt. She used part of a bigger block to design her own unique little quilt. And then experimented with different machine quilting patterns for each block.

Delma's is the smallest quilt of them all with her cute little 4 inch Dresden Plates. 

Anne W chose Hearts for her blocks and added some repeat colours so she would have a single bed sized quilt. 

Brenda chose Flying Geese for a rainbow table runner.

Cathy asked her daughter if she needed a new quilt for the lounge. So, many repeats of the foundation pieced Maple Leaf later, Linda has a lovely quilt as well as three matching cushions.

Cheryl started embroidering funny dressed animals the day the challenge was issued. Such a lot of work and apologies that the embroideries didn't photograph so well.

Del used Batiks to make this useful and colourful tablecloth. It is flannel-backed and required a few colour repeats to reach the appropriate table size.

Diane hasn't finished hers and in fact only started making the Flying Geese by the No-Waste method the night before the showing. We should complain about her breaking the challenge rules, but it's going to be so pretty and vibrant, we have to forgive her.

Gerri's quilt has already been sent to her sister, so here is a photo on her floor before it went in the postage bag.

Helen only has the nine colours but has gone a bit overboard constructing her little Friendship Star Variation blocks. What a great effect.

This Three in a Box pattern was chosen by Joan. She used Batiks and machine quilted with a beautiful variegated rainbow thread.

Lynn doubled up on some colours and added grey (if that is a colour) for her Star quilt. Beautifully hand quilted as usual by Lynn.

Marion's Puss in the Corner quilt was made with a special method choosing two different fabrics of the same colour to give four blocks.

Lesley reused a 2009 BomB pattern for Broken Sticks to make her blocks. It is a miracle this was finished on time after the original 18 blocks were pulled apart just 2 days before the AGM 2 week deadline was given. It may require the binding to be resewn in a neater manner!

Anne F had always wanted to do a 9-patch Pizzazz quilt and had some perfect feature fabric for it. Would she able to do the 9-patches in the 9 different colours and still have them match with the feature fabric? Apparently yes. Made completely with stash fabric resulting in only enough fabric for a narrow border and so the quilt is not quite large enough to cover her toes while watching TV.

Michelle seldom has the chance to come to meetings so this was stolen from her Facebook! Such a happy crazy delightful quilt. Made from Jan Mullen's Butterfliez pattern. (And there are two brown butterflies if you look carefully.)

Anne M was very grateful to have something to piece while isolating at home with Covid. She has always wanted to make a Dresden Plate quilt and now she has. There was some frustration with getting the centre circles to sit flat even though she hand appliqued them, but the quilt is lovely and flat and square and the sashing and border squares lined up exactly.

Robyn needed some extra time to finish with her multiple postage stamp blocks and setting triangles to cut. (We will get a clearer photo one day.)

11 MARCH 2020

It was a very wet morning but that didn't deter 28 ladies from attending.  It was also very pleasant to be able to do hand work without feeling as though you are going to melt.  We may have been drenched on the way to our vehicles, but conditions in the hall were conducive to actually getting something done.

Deane was the lucky Badge Draw winner while Marlena won the monthly raffle.

We are invited to the Ilbilbie Craft Group's Friendship Day on 24 March.

Show & Tell

Delma has made the above cushion using the Windmill block.  It is a larger version of the pincushion she made last year at the Eungella Retreat.  The cushion is going to Delma's Daughter-in-law.

Kay has made the above quilt for her Great Nephew.  She has hand embroidered Aussie animals on the blocks and then completed the quilt with machine piecing and quilting.

Marion has made this wall hanging using the "Perfect Form" pattern.  Individual flowers were fussy cut and then "collaged" to the backing using Steam-a-Seam - Marion enjoyed this process as she was able to move the pieces around until she was happy with the placement.  Marion has machine quilted this and it will be given to her sister for her birthday.

4 MARCH 2020

We had 30 ladies in attendance today.  We were reminded that Saturday sewing is on 14 February at the Women's Centre, Shakespeare Street, Mackay - in air-conditioned comfort. A reminder to the Office Bearers and Committee members that next Wednesday (11/03) is meeting day.

Marilyn was the lucky winner of the Badge Draw.

The unfavourable weather conditions must be detrimental to output as we only had two items on display in Show & Tell this morning.

Kaye made the above quilt from fabric given to her by members of the Carlyle Garden's craft group.  She will donate the quilt back to the group and it will more than likely be used as a raffle prize.

Liz has made the above child's quilt and she will be donating it to the Women's Centre.

26 FEBRUARY 2020

31 ladies in attendance this morning.  Conditions were a little - very little - better than last week!

The 3 day sewing experience was very popular and ladies love that their equipment can be set up and left for the 3 days.  Diane is well underway with the planning and organisation of our 2020 Craft Fair.  This year there will be a Craft Op Shop table so members are asked to go through their sewing room and find things that aren't used any more - or if ever!  Keep in mind that they will be for sale so must be in "reasonable" condition.  Members were also reminded about our "colour challenge" being held in conjunction with the Craft Fair.

Vera was the lucky winner of the Badge Draw this morning.

Show and Tell

Cathy gave new life to an old denim skirt by removing the denim frill at the bottom and adding some tulle.

The 2 photos above show the front and back of a cushion made from left over blocks from the quilt below.

Cathy made the above quilt using the Storm at Sea block.  It was made using foundation paper piecing and will be given to Cathy's Granddaughter.

The backing was made using fabric that Cathy had bought to use in the quilt's border but she changed her mind as it would have been too busy.  I think we will agree that she made the correct decision.

Marion has made the above quilt which is a Dawn Johnston design.  The blocks consist of native flowers which have been machine embroidered.  This was made using the Quilt As You Go technique with lace sewn over the seams.  This was made for Marion's dining room table.

The above quilt block is Disappearing Hourglass.  It is made using a layer cake (42 patterned squares) and Marion had to  add 42 plain squares.  After all the work involved with this quilt, Marion has decided to keep it for herself.

Liz has made the above quilt to go to Mackay Hospital - they are used to keep premmie babies warm.

19 February 2020

We had 30 brave ladies who turned up to craft in "sauna" like conditions this morning.  I am sure that we were all thinking about how lovely it would be at home in air-conditioning BUT at home we would not have had the companionship that we get and enjoy at our meeting point.  Many of our members are looking forward to the 3 day sewing bee this week-end to be held at the Women's Centre in Shakespeare Street.  I'm sure that a great number of projects will be undertaken over these 3 days - some may even be completed!

Our Show & Tell items for the morning are below.

Marion was the lucky winner of the Badge Draw.

Deane used Foundation Piecing to complete this Cynthia White designed quilt.  It was featured in APQ magazines as a Block of the Month project.  Deane kept a count of how many individual pieces were needed to create the quilt and the grand total is 2500.  Deane's youngest granddaughter will receive this for her 18th birthday.  The backing is shown below.  The fabric is by Kaffe Fassett and Deane purchased this from a patchwork shop in Bunbury WA - one of her many favourite haunts.

These coil baskets are the end result of Sue's first attempt at this technique.  Sue has used 5mm rope inside the strips of fabric.  I think we can all agree that she seems to have mastered this technique on her first attempt.

The 2 photos above show the Christmas stocking that Vivian made for her granddaughter.  It features an "A" monogram embroidered on the front and silk ribbon embroidery on the back.  A very impressive stocking.

In 1995 Lesley won blocks at the Moranbah Show & Tell. No, she hasn't taken that long to complete it!  She cannot remember when she actually put it together and she only brought it to show today because she was talking about it the week before and a number of ladies could remember her winning the blocks but couldn't remember seeing the finished article.

The backing also looks impressive.

Anne has made the above dresses for her granddaughter who had grown out of her favourite purchased dress.  She gave the old dress to Anne so that she could make a pattern from it so that the finished article would be the same.  Anne is confident that she has nailed it!