Coastal Quilters Challenge quilts plus more

Hello- yes its been a while.  I have been absorbed in the NZ Quilt Symposium 2017 class prep.  Testing my diagrams, student notes and preparing samples. Symposium is less than two weeks away.  Yay.

Last month I had the opportunity to be part of the Quilt and Craft fair held in Porirua New Zealand.  Jo decided to take the shop to the fair and the staff took turns at manning the stall each day.  Part of this fair was an exhibition by Coastal Quilters.  I photographed their "Scrap" challenge for you to see.  Quite a good turn out.  Awards we present by viewer choice only.  Three quilts were awarded.

If you scroll into each picture you will be able to read the quilt details.



"N" Scrap the dash-a-doodle by Iosbel Whooley (right)

viewers choice award

"J" Demolition Boro by Claire Smith (left) viewers choice award



"L" Old Girl by Dianne Barnden views choice award (left)

I will be sending my quilt for the Symposium Tutors Exhibition this week.  Its is the only quilt I have managed to finish in the last 14 months.  Think 'young" girl when you see it.

Here is its story and the quilt for those of you who are unable to attend symposium.  My photographs are not that great (from my washing line) but I hope to take better ones once it is hanging.

Wimsical  (without the H)

Every quilt that is made has a story.
Fabric designers spend hours creating their unique fabric designs for quilters, crafters and dressmakers to enjoy.  For several years now I have been creating quilts out of one fabric.  Basically, I cut up a fabric and re-design a different look by manipulating the fabric using traditional blocks.

I love visual textures, illusions and where possible also like to add tactile surfaces to some of my quilts.

The inspiration for this quilt came from the fabric itself - Marianna by Gray Sky Studio for ‘In The Beginning fabrics’ (2015). I was drawn to the elegant shapes, curves and subtle colours of the print. 

The centre of my quilt is made up of kaleidoscopes using the four-sided kaleidoscope block method.  Inserted between each kaleidoscope I have added a windmill block to add colour.  It was exciting to lay out my blocks on my design wall.  Sewing them together incorporating the windmills was a bit of a challenge.

Wonderfil Dazzle has been couched into the borders to add sparkle.

This quilt is Whimsical but I have left out the H in memory of my uncle Wim who took me to visit a windmill for the first time in Holland in 1967.  I wasn’t so much in awe of the windmill itself, but of the family of eleven who were about to eat their dinner sitting around a dining table that stretched right across the room. 

One day this quilt will be passed on to a young girl to enjoy.
Very Wimsical.

That's all for now.  I intend to post from the Symposium.

Happy stitching
Shirls