Whirl Wind Visit

I am in Wellington taking a well earned break after the hectic 

month of May - I was merchant at two Quilt Shows and our annual 

Northern Shop Hop has been on with extended hours and seven 

days a week trading. It has been definitely all worth it but 

now it is time for a break.

So today we visited Whirl Wind Designs in Shelley Bay, Wellington.

They have a interesting mix of creations, but what attracted me most 

was their "craft corner".

Shelves of braids and ribbons.

Baking tins full of buttons.

Interesting nick nacks of the sewing kind.

I bought some cool natural coloured trims,

. . . and buttons.

I have an idea for a class using these sorts of treasures.

Sue Spargo Instastitch

During the week I was looking for a new project to do at the Japanese Group

that I run at the shop. I wanted to do something using my collection of old

indigo fabrics that I have collected over many visits to Japan.

And I had an urge to do some Boro style work. I had scrolled through my 

magazines and books featuring Boro but nothing had grabbed me.

Then I remembered Sue Spargo's recent posts on her Instastitch project

 so went off on a  tangent to investigate.

And yes it will be perfect. She is offering free downloadable blocks each month

for twelve months and they are based loosely around a log 

cabin block - perfect for what I wanted.

And I can add my "Boro" patches to it and lots of 'wild' sashiko stitching.

This my first block all pieced and ready for the sashiko stitching.

I have decided that is it near impossible to get an accurate photo of these colours.

I have tried and tried to get it truer with no luck, so you will have to visualise it

in darker and duller blues. Sorry.

Note the holes in the old fabric - I will make them more of a feature with 

stitching - so watch this spot!

These are the three "Boro" hangings that I had in the Auckland Quiltmakers 

Show a few weeks ago.

In Japan, mended and patched textiles are referred to as "Boro". 

Boro fabric dates from the 1800s. Traditional indigo dyed cotton was a 

popular everyday textile at this time. It came in a huge range of shades depending mostly on how long it had been left in the indigo dyeing vat.

Times were tough in rural Japan at this time but still the women managed 

to create was is now widely recognised as a stunning art form

which includes patching and sashiko stitching.

Thanks Sue for inspiring me again.

Indigo Vases Finished

I had finished my "Indigo Vases" piece made in Sue Spargo's class last year

 so was able to enter it into The Auckland Quiltmakers Show last weekend.

It has been great fun to make.

It was totally different from what I usually stitch.

I learn so many new embellishing techniques with so many different threads.

It was also a great opportunity to use little treasures that I had collected 

in Japan over several visits.

Sue's ruching thread was used for the stem and the flowers below.

We have some of this in stock. It is so easy to use - just ask when you are in next.

Wow this section was bright for me but it makes the whole piece sing.

Some background embellishing.

Off to Rotorua to set up for the Great NZ Quilt Show tomorrow. 

Hope to see you there.

The Auckland Quiltmakers Show

This weekend has seen me at the The Auckland Quiltmakers' Show for the weekend.

This year was our 20th Exhibition and as usaul it was amazing.

Our group contains talented quilters with a wide range of quilt styles.

This is the large 1880s quilt that I entered.

It is a copy of an antique quilt that I saw in Houston. 

It was part of Mary Koval's collection but the maker is unknown. 

I love the braveness of the original maker who just cut up her blue toile fabric.

It took a big breathe for me to make the first cut - it was so tempting to 'fussy'

cut the toile squares.

I also love the centre of pink and red four patches.

And the borders created with just  a change of fabric but not design.

And of course the Baptist an quilting done by Helen Harford.

Next weekend  I am off to the Great NZ Quilt Show in Rotorua.

It is on at eh Howard Morrison Centre on Friday through to Sunday.

Hopefully I will see some of your there.

It will be great if this event is a huge success and they repeat it

so we have a National Quilt Show of our own.

So do come and see us. 

If you come tell me you read about it on my Blog and receive a 

free fat quarter of your choice.