3 Squares

At the moment I am working on a few new projects. I don't know what it is, but I seem to start a project, then lose interest while it's still in progress. I'm having to force myself to carry through...

Anyway, this one is called 3 Squares, and it's inspired by a Keiko Goke fabric I bought at Melbourne Quilt Market last year. I bought 3 different colourways of this amazing fabric, knowing there was a ready made quilt in there somewhere.

The fabric print features two different sized squares, 1 inch and 2 inch, and a rectangle combining the two measurements, 1 inch x 2 inch, printed in three distinct sections across the width of fabric. You can see it here, with its crayon -like colouring effect. I love the textural look and the subtle colour combination.

So, I sketched up a rough quilt plan combining the three different shapes. Then I chose some fabrics that toned with the colours in the 3 Squares fabric.
I divided the 3 Square fabric and cut it into its three distinct sections
I made a centre panel of 100 2 inch squares as the smallest size square. These squares included the 1 inch part of the original fabric.

Then I cut some squares twice that size, finished 4 inches, to make a border around the 100 square panel. The fabric print 2 inch squares were used here, and the blend in size with the 2 inch mosaic of the centre squares so they seem to extend outwards.

Originally I planned a third border of 4 inch x 8 inch rectangles to extend and finish the quilt, But I changed my mind on this because when I put it up on the wall I realized it didn't reflect the original fabric correctly. So I altered the original plan and made a wider 4 inch square border, and I'm now finishing with a 2 inch x 4 inch rectangle border... which I'm still working on.
I'll put the next steps up soon.
Enjoy the process,

xo xo Ann.

African Quilts

Look what I just found!

After recently posting about my friends' African Quilts, another friend told me she'd found some photos of another one on another blog. These pics come from Alison's blog, Cardygirl, and the quilt was made by Lea. It was really amazing seeing the quilt after selling Lea the African Squares pack and leopard print from my eBay Store.

Online selling is great, but it also tends to be a bit impersonal. You often only ever know your customers by their log on IDs, and you never really know what they use the goods they buy from you for.
The African Fabric Squares are a bit significant for me, as most of the fabrics were bought by me in South Africa and Swaziland, came from pieces my sister gave me, or markets in Zimbabwe when my daughter and I went over to visit my sister when she was living in Pretoria, South Africa. Some were even remnants GIVEN to me by a lovely African tailor in Pretoria, Images d'Afrique - so exotic!It was a wonderful trip with my little girl, to an amazing place and my love affair with fabulous African fabrics, colours and designs began. When we came back to Australia, I wanted to make a quilt to showcase the fabrics I got in a quilt, as well as design a quilt that could be taught with kits so I could sell some of the fabric.
I came up with The African Quilt (you can get a free pattern if you click on this image on my website):
It started as a wall hanging with the central 36 fabric squares and a border but I liked it so much I went on and made it into a single bed quilt. I used a strange and ugly large harlequin diamond black and white print and fussy cut it for the sashings. The zigzag edge on the border is made from the left over strips between the fussy cutting! Then I decided to teach the quilt and make kits - my first commercial venture.
It was so popular, Australian Quilters' Companion asked me to do it as a project, and it became my second published work.
Then I made a new version as a wedding quilt for my sister and her husband. It's a queen size and quilt- as- you- go and as I was running out of the Black and White diamond print, I decided to cut it just as it came. It still looked good and was much easier with no wastage, and it still created the alternate light and dark effect.
I used a golden yellow Lonni Rossi fabric for the corner stones. One of her friends liked it so much, she commissioned me to make one for her, with turquoise accent fabrics. I chose a gorgeous Phillip Jacobs print for the corner stones to give a different effect. It's also slightly larger.
I entered it in the Queensland Quilt Show and was invited to submit it as a project to Down Under Quilts, where it was published in issue 141, April 2010. (I've already had a good response to the project, thank you!)
It's quilt-as-you-go and reversible. Here's the back:
So, there's the story, started by Cardygirl with Lea's quilt and ended with one of Alison's photos, another cat and quilt cameo. Thanks Lea, for following through with the quilt. And Thanks Alison for posting the pics!
Happy stitching,

xo xo Ann

Quilting

Just quickly - here are two samples of the different quilting on the two quilts in the post below.
The top one is the medallion boy's quilt commission.(I've just finished it!) I did an allover large meander in a variegated blue thread. I've really only just got comfortable with this type of quilting.
On the Shweshwe Quilt, I hand quilted with sashiko thread.

The lines of white quilting show up really well on the red back of the quilt. It gets a bit lost on the white fabric, but pops out on the indigo and red ones. It's a while since I've done this type of quilting but the sense of achievement at finishing is very satisfying.

The whole thing is nice, don't you think?

xo xo Ann.

Memories of my Feelings of Place Exhibition in Port Moresby.

I have just put a link in the side bar to my Feelings of Place Exhibition, hung earlier this year in Port Moresby. It was a wonderful experience for me, very busy over the four days meeting people through workshops I held, family and the exhibition event and sales. There have been other photos in older posts but I thought I'd just post a couple more here too. My sister and her family have just been in Maleny visiting for my birthday. They left yesterday and we miss them!

The PNG family: Eva, Walla, Yvonne, Ellie, Thompson and Susan.

A stack of quilts for the exhibition.

At Boroko Market with the billum sellers. This is one of the places I buy my billums for my online store.(I've just got a new shipment but have not listed them yet - so come back to look if you're interested!) The little girl is Ellie, my step -niece.

Just check out the amazing variety of colour and pattern in these uniquely hand woven items of beauty and use!

Tigger the kitten, curled up on a traditional woven mat.

A folded flower in the Bird of Paradise Quilt for the workshop.

The Bird of Paradise Workshop in the lovely Ela Beach Hotel venue.

Quilt admiring staff at the hotel...

Quilts by the Port Moresby Quilt Society.Participants from villages around Port Moresby, in the hand hexagon workshop.

I was presented with a magnificent basket by the Head Lady of one of the villages. I was interested to know that many of the women make quilts and sell them in their villages.Myself, Dame Carol Kidu, Marilyn Ward and Susan at the official opening, by the Dame, of the hexagon workshop.To finish, my little niece Eva enjoying the sunset light playing on my Fire Within Quilt (Part of the exhibition).

Sue Spargo Magnolia Worksop, Brisbane

Last week I had the extreme good fortune to attend a 2-Day workshop with talented quilt designer and maker, Sue Spargo. Sue's origins include South Africa, England and most recently, Ohio, USA. I saw one of her quilts (Magnolia- in the background of the photo below) on the Material Obsession Blog then saw she was also coming to Brisbane to do workshops at The Quilter's Store. I have always had a love and fascination for folk art and motifs and this quilt really appealled to me. I booked in and ended up spending two lovely days learning and applying lots of hand work and embellishing techniques. Below is Sue talking about one of her quilts, with Magnolia in the background.

Sue came with her sister, Wendy, who dyes Sue's range of beautiful felted wools and also creates stunning contemporary jewellery available from the Sue Spargo website. Below is a rather unflattering shot of myself and Sue posing in front of the Magnolia quilt.

I loved this Leaf Sampler that Sue is making to show lots of different embellishments and treatments for leaves. So simple yet effective and inspirational. Sue is so generous with her quilts, and lets you touch and feel them all as well as brouse through her sketchbooks and inspirational personal working notebooks. It was a real treat!

This is my humble attempt at the block I decided to tackle over the workshop. You can go to Sue's blog to see and read more about her Australian workshops and experience, the other shops, participants and completed blocks. It was a lot of fun and I went home with considerably more embellishing bits and pieces as well as a variety of wools and threads. Thanks, Sue and Wendy!

Quiltopia!Design African Squares.

(I've had to post this story it two posts because I can't seem to be able to load on more than 3 or 4 photos. Is that the same for everyone?)

I make packs of 52 , 5 1/2" squares for my African Quilt. They can be used to make the African Quillow too - and just about anything else you have in mind.
Recently, I reached the end of my supply - somethingI dread in many ways ( but am very happy that I've sold them all!)
So it's time to cut some more...
Here is the pile of fabrics ready to start.





From the pile of fabrics, I cut up to three, 5 1/2" strips across whatever width there is.
Every time I cut squares, I finish some precious fabric. This time I finished several of my very first, original fabrics purchased in Pretoria and Cape Town four years ago, and also some my mother (who is not a quilter) purchases at a Zimbabwean market.
At the time my sister was living in South Africa and we had the good fortune to visit her.











The stacked up pile of about 70 different fabrics!
Love the way it looks...
I especially love this hot pink one with coffee cups, the orange with shoes underneath it, and all the Da Gama Madiba range featuring Nelson Mandela's head. I found out recently that this range is no longer in production - but watch out for it in my products in the future.






The final stage in the cutting process involves cutting each fabric strip into 5 1/2" squares and organising them in rows ready to dole out into piles of 52. I try to make charm packs, but sometimes it's just not possible.

The assorted squares are laid out in overlapping piles and I start stacking sets of squares in groups of five, so I can keep track of the number, up to 52 squares in each pile for each fabric pack. You can see the packs starting on the left with the row of purple squares.







Here are the packs before tying for presentation. You can see here everything that huge disorganised mass of fabric produced: on the left are some squares for the Black White Red packs of 52, 5.5 inch squares, above that is a stack of squares rejected and for me, in the centre above are the two completed stacks of African Squares, below that are two piles of partially full packs, then to the right are the scraps - selvages and large bits for me to make my African collaged fabric like I used in the African Stripes Quilt.





Finally! The finished fabric packs. I got 17 complete packs out of my initial fabrics and TWO FULL DAYS WORK, cutting, folding, stacking, collating and packing with finishing touches of raffia tie and authentic African Bead.

I go to bed tired and with a very sore back...
My African Squares packs cost AU$37.00. Bargain!

Down Under Quilts Profile and PNG Exhibition

Read about me in the February 2009 issue of Down under Quilts! This is what the cover of the magazine looks like . I was really flattered and excited when they invited me to be a profiled quilter.. Thank you DU Quilts!















This is the opening page of the article, featuring my daughter Amelia's sampler quilt and one of my Australian Indigenous inspired quilts, "The Fire Within". I've decided to include that one in my PNG exhibition, "Feelings of Place" featuring my African and ethnic inspired quilts. Most will be for sale, some are from private collections, and commissions are welcome.
The exhibition will be at the Ela Beach Hotel on 3rd and 4th April 2009. Tickets for the opening event on Friday night will be available. I will continue posting information as it comes to light.
To see these two quilts, and many of my others, visit my website and click on Quilts.