Australian influence

I don’t think I have seen many Australian quilts designed by Australian quilters that I didn’t like…alot! My husband and I spent a year in Australia right after we got married 55 (!!) years ago. We shipped a trunk of belongings ahead and in it was a quilt, a “Friendship Circle” quilt (similar to a Dresden Plate) that my Grandmother made, probably in the 1930’s. I don’t know when it was given to me but it seemed to have been always in my room or on my bed or a chair. I don’t recall seeing any quilts or hearing about quilters while we were there (1969-70).

Thanks to the internet the world became a smaller place and I discovered Sarah Fielke and Kathy Doughty and then Wendy Williams with her beautiful wool applique and Jen Kingwell and the list goes on. And oh there is some amazing Australian fabrics out there too!! And books and patterns! Take a look you won’t be disappointed!

“We Three Birds” pattern by Natalie Bird, hand pieced, machine pieced, hand applique, hand embroidered, EPP and hand quilted. I loved making this quilt! Great pattern. I raided my stash for the fabrics, mostly cotton but used Essex Linen for the background of the birds and the background of the hexies..

Detail of “We Three Birds”

Another detail of “We Three Birds”.

“We Are Family” pattern by Susan Smith. Another Aussie quilt that I thoroughly enjoyed making! It is machine pieced, hand appliqued and machine quilted by Nadine Stevens. and again I raided my stash for the fabrics! I would love to make another one! With apologies for the photo, I will replace it soon!

Detail of “We Are Family”

Quilt Backs: Cut From the Same Cloth… Or Not!

It has always been suggested that quilts should have a backing that is one piece of fabric or a backing which has as few seams as possible and the pieces are all cut from the same cloth. I have always struggled with this since I usually just buy a half meter or one meter of fabric so that I have a lot of variety in my stash. As my quilts got larger, using one piece of fabric was a challenge and I really liked the idea of a pieced back. Sometimes I have leftover blocks that I can piece into the back. I usually start with those blocks whether it is one or several and I “build the back” around those blocks. Very much like the way a log cabin block is built (sewn).

Herringbone Blues (back)

I come from strong Scottish “stock”. My paternal Grandparents immigrated to Canada in the early 1900’s. They brought with them their strong Scottish frugality which they passed on to their family and the next generations. I did search on Google for “Scottish traits” and frugal is tops as is miser! So I just can’t rationalize buying several meters of “wide back” fabric which is usually 108” wide and can cost anywhere from $18 to $30+ per meter when I have lots to chose from in my own stash with apologies to my LQS! Plus I find it a lot to handle, to wash and to dry and then to iron it. 

The Birds Their Carols Raise (back)

The Avenue (back)

The Avenue (back, detail)

New England Motel (back)

So I recommend quilters should give it a try. Start small with a wallhanging back, and gradually work your way up to a queen size quilt or whatever size you want. You can also stitch your quilt label in to the back, use a 4”x6” light coloured rectangle and sew it in to the back then using a pigma pen write the name of the quilt, your name, the quilter’s name (if you did not quilt it), place where the was made and any other pertinent information. Sometimes before sewing the label in I write the information on the label, I iron a piece of freezer paper to the back of the label. This gives you a nice firm surface to write on. When you finish writing all the information, peel the freezer paper off then sew it in.

We Three Birds (back)

We Are Family (back)

We Are Family (back, detail)

I picked up my latest quilt from Nadine who quilted it for me. The back is of course pieced. There were several other quilters there, one who had never thought of piecing together a back and she was quite intrigued with it. I know when I finish a top I am anxious to get it quilted either hand quilted by me or machine quilted by someone else. It does take time to sew together a pieced back but I think it is worth it. Sometimes I have a definite idea of what I will do and sometimes I just pick a stack of fabrics and off I go. I often start with a leftover block or two and more often than not it tells me what to add next, how big or how small. The key is to keep everything straight, trim as you go if it needs it and make sure to add enough around the outside edge for the long arm or for a hand quilting frame. Have fun with it!

50 years a quilter, one stitch at a time

It’s been a long time and I’m finally back to share! Four years ago today Covid erupted, and time has flown since then. But Covid didn’t stop me from quilting! I was was really quite productive and I enjoyed every minute. I made a quilt for my grandson Evan for his dorm room, I made quilts for my son-in-law’s great niece and nephew, I made a couple of charity quilts and I also made quilts “just because”. I also made a quilt “We Three Birds” that is almost all hand pieced, hand embroidered, hand applique and hand quilt. I loved making it so much!

I am so thankful and grateful for all the classes I took and the quilters who taught them. I am so lucky to have started when I did using just graph paper, a pencil and ruler, sandpaper for templates and a pair of great Gingher scissors (that I still use today) that I bought at my first (1979) Continental Quilt Congress. Best advice from Elly Sienkiewicz. It wasn’t till a year or so later that rotary cutters, cutting mats and rulers changed quilting forever. I still have my first small cutter, cutting mat and my Nancy Crow ruler. And now I am ever so grateful for my wonderful quilt friends who have mastered the art of longarm machine quilting. So thanks to Heather, Nadine, the Langille team and Lynn without you all I couldn’t have accomplished all that I have.

I made this quilt for my grandson, who went to university in September of 2023. Time flies! He needed a quilt for his dorm room. I called this one ‘At The Crossroads’, inspired by a quilt I saw on Public Library Quilts (Instagram). It is machine pieced, machine quilted (by Nadine Stevens).

“The Big Cheese” pattern by Dianne Harris published in issue 145 of “Quiltmania”

Machine pieced, machine quilted (by Heather Stewart). The horizontal strips were cut in random widths and sewn together on the long strips. This was a fun quilt to piece.

This next quilt “Dance Moves” was inspired by a pattern called “Ladies Chain” by Stephanie Soebbing of Quilt Addicts Anonymous. “Dance Moves” is the name of the fabric line designed by Katie Pasquini Masopust.

“Dance Moves” was machine pieced and machine quilted (by the Langille “team”). I donated it to my Guild Cuddle Quilts (charity quilts) program.

“Mrs. Mosher’s Stars” machine pieced (1994) and machine quilted (by Nadine Stevens, 2023). Inspired by a quilt in the Nova Scotia Museum collection. I “set” the quilt blocks with a herringbone or zig zag pattern which was often used in Nova Scotia quilts. it also does not have any borders, another design element typical in old Nova Scotia quilts.

Two kid’s quilts “Rockin’ Robots” pattern designed by Astrid at “Apples and Beavers” a Canadian quilt design company.

Both quilts were machine pieced and machine quilted (by Heather Stewart).

“Street Party” machine pieced and machine quilted (by Heather Stewart). The second picture shows two strips before they are trimmed straight and sewn together. The third picture (above) shows the pieces laid out ready to sew together, then the detail of the quilting and then the back. I prefer to piece my backs with what I have and not buy “widebacks”.

“Wensleydale” Pattern by Jen Kingwell, machine pieced and machine quilted (by Heather Stewart). No two blocks are the same. I really enjoyed making this quilt, it is FPP, foundation paper pieced. This is another favourite quilt but aren’t they all?