Calico Christmas 2010

Remember you can click on all the photos to get a bigger picture and see more detail.

Calico Christmas is Auckland Patchworkers and Quilters Guild Annual Exhibition. I was very excited to see the Best of Show, Anne Joule's 'North to Alaska'. (Anne is also a Whangarei P&Q Club member)

I was lucky to catch up with Anne in the Cafe at lunch time, so I could tell her in person how pleased I am for her. Anne won a Bernina sewing machine for Best of Show! She is very excited as she has always used a 1922 Singer Treadle!

It was very hard to take a photo as it had spot lights on it and it's made with tie off cuts and the light reflexed. But take my word for it, it's extremely beautiful (it does have borders, I cut them off, opps). Also I was sure I took a close up but when I got home, no I hadn't, I must have started talking to someone and got distracted.... sorry. It is hand quilted and hand embroidered by Anne. 

Here's a photo of a busy Merchant aisle.  

And here's David of Sewezi, filling in for Catherine who was at home finishing off a University Assignment. David started sewing this top at the Hamilton Craft Fair and was happy to smile for the camera. Wouldn't you love it if your husband could sew? ... I don't know if I would like to share my stash, but it would be nice to have a husband that understands all the quilt talk! 

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Okay here's a 'few' pictures I took of quilts. These are quilts that appealed to me, they are in no special order. I'll caption them with the details from the cards at the show, comments in italics will be why the quilt appealed to me.

'Giant Dahlia' by Margaret Reid. 

Design Source Michelle Yeo Quilt Designs, Quilted by Judi Schon (Computer Guided). The Yellow Ribbon is a Highly Commended, Small Amateur Bed Quilt.

I really liked the colours, and  the piecing and quilting are great.

        

'Ric Rac Jazz' by Margaret Reid. 

Design Source, Wendy Oswin. Quilted by Judi Schon (Computer Guided). The Blue Ribbon is for 1st Place for Small Amateur Bed Quilt. The Green Ribbon is a Judges Award. 

Here's a close up, I really liked the use of rick rack.

             

'Nova Novelle' by Pam Groube. 

Design Source Jinny Beyer. Quilted by Dawn Copp (Hand Guided)

Beautiful colours and very good piecing.

'Star Struck' by Patrica Durovich.

Design Source, Brenda Langden, Down Under Quilts. Machine Quilted by Chris Behersing.

Here's a close up. The colours of this quilt really glowed, very good use of value.

'Jaws' by Pam Groube.

Quilted by Dawn Copp (Hand Guided).

I really like Bargello Quilts. And the name made me laugh! (Once Pam had sewn it together she felt it looked like a "huge fish with its mouth open").

Here's a close up.

 I have just noticed that the label at the show had a typo too, instead of bargello the label said it was a bordello quilt! Good old spell check at work I think!  :-)

'When Boys Come Home' by Pam Groube.

Original Design. Quilted by Dawn Copp (Hand Guided). The Red Ribbon is for 2nd Place- Retro Theme

I really liked the Civil War fabrics & Prairie Points.

'Samba De Roda' by Ansa Breytenbach.

Original Design, "Samba De Roda is a Brazilian dance in a circle, so my orchids are dancing on my quilt." Machine Quilted by Ansa. The Pink Ribbon is for Best Commercial Machine Quilting. The Blue Ribbon is for 1st Place-Professional Bed Quilt.

I liked the curved piecing and the Orchids. 

'My Wee One' by Catherine Parkinson.

Original Design. Machine Quilted by Catherine.

Painted whole cloth quilt, I liked the different quilting in each area and the subject.

 

'The Rebel' by Ansa Breytenbach

Original Design. Machine Quilted by Ansa.

I don't think I have the patience for cutting small pieces like this out, but I do like the end result.

'It's Black and It's White' by Jo Hollings.

Design Source, Original Drawing inspired by Michael Jackson song 'It's Black, It's White'. Quilted by Jo Hollings (Hand Guided). The Blue Ribbon is for 1st Place- Professional Wall Hanging

Was very striking, seemed to capture the look of Michael, very clever using only two fabrics.

'My Little People Quilt' by Rebecca Bishop.

Design Source, All around the Neighbourhood by Piece o Cake. Hand Quilted by Rebecca. Hand Quilted by Rebecca.

I liked the 'folk' feel of this piece. And the hand quilting was very nice too.

'Amsterdam My Heritage' by Marie Harrison.

Design Source, 'My Deft Blue Collection'. Machine Quilted by Marie.

I loved these little shoes at the door! I'd like to have it on my wall.

'Epiphany' by Liz McKenzie.

Design Source, Workshop with Judith Ross, Symposium 2009 Wellington. "The central image is Old St Pauls Cathedral in Wellington. Neville & I (Liz) were married there in 1972." Machine Quilted by Liz.

Loved the silks and the story about the Cathedral made it very special.

'My Bedouin Dress No Longer Fits' by Judith Bremner.

Design Source, Gloria Green's Nine Patch Class. Machine Quilted by Judith.

A great way to use a special piece of clothing. 

'Pacific Themes I' by Sybil Lightbourne.

Design Source, Class with Hazel Foot. Machine Quilted by Sybil. The Red Ribbon is for 2nd Place- Amateur Small Bed Quilt.

Here's some close ups. This is the first time Sybil has done freemotion embroidery, and quilting. I think she's a natural! 

 

'Kowhai' by Hazel Foot.

Design Source, Kowhaiwhai pattern and kowhai tree. Machine Quilted by Hazel.

I liked the kowhaiwhai pattern framing the kowhai flowers.

'Hundreds and Thousands' by Karen Robertson.

Design Source, Inspired by picture of Japanese Quilt made of Vintage Kimono fabrics. Named for how many stitches, beads and hours it took to make! Hand quilted by Karen. 

I liked how the flowers were enhanced by stitching, it was a busy piece that kept you looking. I also liked how the colours of the blocks blended in a 'colour wash' way.

 

'Free Wheeler' by Robyn Croft.

Original Design. Hand Quilted by Robyn.

This was hand quilted really simply, but beautifully, made me want to do more handquilting. And of course the colours were to die for.

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The Theme of the Show was Retro, so there was a separate  display of old quilts and sewing equipment. I took a couple of photos there too.

This is quilt was loan by Marie Brunton for display.

"It is understood to have been a learning piece circa 1898 by a 12 year old girl. It was found in her belongings in 1970's. Creiff - Scotland."

Here's a close up so you can see the stitching. All herringbone stitch, see the light blue patch in the centre? She must have thought that looked too big, because she has stitched across the centre to visually 'break' it. 

 

And this photo is especially for my old friend Roz who started my quilting addiction, she collects miniature sewing machines.

Remember you can click on all the photos to get a bigger picture and see more detail.

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I hope you enjoyed having a wee look at what I liked. As I posted this I realized a lot of the quilts I liked were made by the same people.

Another thing I noticed is a lot of people don't quilt their own work anymore. This has been a trend for a while now. But I also noticed that Hand Quilting may be making a come back.

I can remember when I started quilting 90% of quilts at a show were hand quilted, then machine quilting took over, and now longarm quilting, and computer guided quilting is in the limelight. I wonder what the next big thing will be? 

And yes I spent too much at the Merchants, but that's another story!