My Friend’s Christmas Quilt

This was my final completed project for July.

On our recent trip to Queensland my friend produced a quilt top from a cupboard and asked if I could do anything with it for her.  Of course I could.  We didn’t unfold it at the time, but I could see that it was a Christmas themed quilt with appliqué.  

Last week I unpacked it to find a beautiful quilt top.  The appliqué was completed with satin stitch that she worked on her domestic machine.  It is so precise that I thought it must have been done using an embroidery machine.  There is foundation paper piecing and mitred corners.  When I asked if she had done it in a class her reply was that it was with “The Old Ducks” in a small town where they used to live.  That was about 30 years ago. I'm guessing that the "Old Ducks" probably weren't all that old, as she was a young mum at the time.  It was about time to get this quilt completed so that it could be displayed at Christmas.

I was given free rein to do what I thought best, as otherwise it would still be languishing in a cupboard.

The backing she had with it had a glitter type of effect added to it, so I didn’t really want to use that.  Instead, I used a fabric that Mick had bought at a garage sale while I was at Baradine two years ago.  There was plenty there.

The next thing to decide on was the pantograph.  None of the ones that came with the machine appealed, so I bought one that is an elegant swirl with some holly.  A Christmas vibe without being kitch.  The thread is a matt gold, which worked really well.

Elly May did a lovely job.

I could have left the binding for her to complete, but thought it would be nice to return a completed quilt when we see them next.  Mick took this very unflattering photo as I was hand stitching it down, while feeling under the weather with a head cold.

I’m pleased with how it turned out and hope my friend is happy with it.

QUILT INFORMATION

Measurements - 67” high x 51" wide

Pattern - Unknown - A Christmas Sampler 

Quilting Design - Rhapsody E2E - Holly by My Creative Stitches

Batting - Bamboo/Cotton

Backing - Christmas fabric from a garage sale

Thread - Glide - Cleopatra

Sydney Craft and Quilt Show

Two weeks ago, together with four stitching friends, I caught the early train to Sydney, leaving at 5.45am, to attend the Craft Show at Darling Harbour.  It has been a few years since I have attended this one. We arrived at the venue just after opening and left as they were closing up, so had a very full day.

This show is not the NSW Quilt Guild but had an exhibition of the prize winning quilts from AQC in Melbourne.  That was a lovely bonus, seeing as our planned trip to AQC was cancelled due to the fuel situation.  The show also had other crafts, such as knitting, beading and this time even cake decorating.

Once we arrived we went our separate ways.  I made a bee line to the quilts to start with.  This is my usual plan, as it means I don’t have to carry around any purchases.  This year I was particularly interesting to see the slow stitching quilts, of which there were quite a few.  I saw my first of this style at this show in 2023 and really loved it.

Racheldaisy Dodds had a nice and fresh one featuring old flour bags.  

Quite a change from her usual saturated colour style.

The back was pieced as well. 

I had seen this quilt made by Missy Jacobs on her MissyMadeThis YouTube channel.  

It was fun to see it for real.  

She had a second quilt in as well, inspired by her trip to Texas.

Isn't it fun.  Missy's latest quilt features royalty and is currently at the Festival of Quilt in Birmingham.

Dawn Meldrum is responsible for this quilt.  

Several of these quilts were made in a stitch along hosted by The Roxy Sisters, Sarah and Rachel, of Roxy Creations.

There were prompts issued periodically to add certain elements to the quilts.

The base of Dawn’s work was a vintage table cloth.

She had added more bits and pieces to the backing.

Karen Messitt of Railway Cottage Studio is responsible for this one.  

She adds oodles of layers to her works.

A feature was the suffolk puffs as a binding.

Once again, I forgot to take a photo of the label.  One of hers was the first one I saw previously.

Enough of the slow stitching quilts.  You’d think that I’d like to make one, wouldn’t you.  Yes, I would, but I need to have a bit of a think and get a few other things finished first.

In contrast to the vintage style, this next quilt won viewers’ choice at the show.  It is such a riot of colour.

I loved the mushroom details at the bottom.

There were a selection of quilts that were part of the AQC Challenge with a theme of “Connections”.  

Here are just a couple that caught my eye, although not necessarily the winners.

There were also quilts from the “One Red Thread: Repaired” challenge.

Now for just a small sample of some of the other quilts that I liked.

There were so many wonderful examples.

While wandering the quilts I was delighted to see Miss Jules also wandering around.  It was lovely to see her and we go to hang out a bit more later in the day as well.  A nice surprise.

There was a raffle of five quilts made by a Japanese textile artist to raise funds for a Women’s Shelter.  They were stunning.  Sadly, I was not a winner.

The Cavalcade of Fashions had their usual show.  This time the theme was Buttons, Beads and Bows.  They were some beautiful garments on display.

Some accessories were also on show.  Don’t you love those green kid gloves.

And that was all the photos I took of the day.

I did a little shopping. A couple of little scissors, a couple of fat quarters from Hatched and Patched and a few bits of fabric from The Sewing Basket.  I was very happy to find a 3 metre length of Laundry Basket fabric that will work beautifully as the backing of the Laundry Basket Quilt 2023 Spring Mystery Quilt that I made.  There isn’t quite enough, but I will find something to coordinate with it.

We caught the late train home, arriving back at about 9.30pm.  It was a long day, but we all agreed that we had the best time.  Now to wait until September for the quilt show at Rosehill.  Bring it on.