Sunday, 13 June 2021

Kawandi quilting and nearly a kilometre of binding!

This week saw a smaller turnout due to rainy weather and Thursday was close to being the coldest June day on record.

Our scheduled Quilt Show meeting was deferred until next week due to a couple of absences.

Grace gave us a wonderful demonstration of “Kawandi” quilting. Whereas Kantha quilting tends to quilt in parallel lines with raw edges, Kawandi is a method of sewing from the outer side to the middle whilst turning over raw edges of fabric pieces which have been tucked under the existing pieces of fabric already sewn down,around the border, to the backing and wadding.

Here are some an examples:



A reminder of the retreat to be held at the Hunter Valley Hotel Academy from Friday 15 October to Sunday 17 October. Please let Narelle know if you are interested.

Carolyn brought in another 10 baby quilts for the Grace Centre at Westmead Hospital. This brings Carolyn’s total to over 300 quilts. We all expressed our amazement at the amount of binding this represented....nearly a kilometre of binding!




Until next week.

Deb T

Friday, 4 June 2021

Treats to Share

 Hi Everyone,

Narelle and Lindy arrived with bags of mandarins and avocadoes for us to share this week. We are very spoilt with goodies from members gardens. All delicious and very much appreciated.

A rainy Thursday saw numbers down this week. As it is the first meeting of the month many were working on their quilts for Community.

Grace's group put together a wagga as a tribute to Doreen. Earlier she had brought in squares of woollen material for us to put onto a bigger square using blanket stitch. Her group then put the three layers together and tied it. A busy group. The photo below is the result.

Meg's group are working on a new project which looked very pretty.

There was much discussion in Alison's group putting hexagons together.! Robyn Jms saved the day! I look forward to the finished product.

Workshop next week:

Grace has kindly offered to do a workshop to show us Kawandi stitching which uses a running stitch in a circular fashion and works from the outside in.

We will do a place mat size. So bring along thread and scissors.

A longer needle is preferable to go through the three layers. A long embroidery needle is ideal. Bring scraps of fabric, no smaller than 2" or 2 1/2" strips or larger size squares of fabric, wadding, and pearl thread.

We will kick off at 11 am. Should be fun.

Craft Show at Homebush.

You can purchase tickets to the show online. It will be in the Dome at the Showground - no stairs and on the level.

There will be parking or go by train or bus. Looking forward to it.

Retreat:

We almost have 20 going to our retreat in October. See Narelle if you would like to go.

Show and Tell:

I really slipped up this week: Forgot to photograph Lindy's baby quilt ( will include next week) and I took a photo of the back of Doreen's quilt to show the stitching in process. Then forgot to photograph the front. What a nit wit I am. 

 All will be rectified next week! I do apologise.


Until next week ....

Monday, 31 May 2021

A Surprise Visitor

 Hi Everyone,

A little late with the blog this week. A busy weekend for me. 

A good roll up this week which is always good to see. Margaret D. surprised us with a visit. Carolyn especially was pleased to see her and catch up with her news. She and Margaret have been friends from the very beginning of Hunters Hill Quilters.

Sydney radio ABC has been running a flood appeal for the victims of the recent floods in the Hawkesbury region. A lot of money has been donated by the public. Sandy noticed that they were asking for quilts. Sandy and Alison sorted the quilts from the cupboards ready to donate. Photos of all the quilts had to be sent. Sandy will have some news for us this week hopefully. We can give a total of 16 quilts.

Retreat - Friday 15 October to Sunday 17 October:

Narelle has contacted Kurri Kurri re our retreat this October. The prices will stay the same as last time. Narelle has a printout that she can send you if you would like to have one. A minimum of 20 is required.

To reserve a place, call the TAFE on 4936 0341 and tell them you are from Hunters Hill Quilters and the date of our retreat.

Anything else contact Narelle.

Something different:

We all know of Kantha stitching. Grace has been doing something slightly different called Kawandi stitching which is a hand-stitched quilt, made from scrap fabric. It is assembled from the outside in. The edges are turned under and stitched together, and batting laid inside.Then quilting proceeds in a spiralling line, about a finger width apart.

Grace has kindly agreed to  do a workshop for those who are interested. Akiko also has a nifty little surprise for us as well.

Details later.

Show and Tell:

A bit light on this week unfortunately. It seems it is a feast or a famine. Thanks to Carolyn and her baby quilts we have 9 to show this week.



Until next week .....



Saturday, 22 May 2021

Lots of Activity

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 Hi Everyone,

We were a busy group this week with lots to talk about and sew. Hayley has arrived back in Sydney and it was lovely to see her again. We will see more of her now that she is closer. The cold weather is a bit of a shock for her as she is used to the hot and humid weather in the Torres Strait.

Marie K brought in more lemons from her tree. They were gratefully accepted. Marie has promised more next week as her tree is loaded. A treat for us all. 

Heather brought me a couple of chokoes. I love them but my husband doesn't. They are not very popular. Dad used to grow them so I got to like them when I was quite young.

Alison has called a show committee meeting for 10 June to discuss plans for our show next May. 

Meanwhile the QuiltNSW show is something for us all to look forward to. It is on from 30 June to 4 July at the Sydney Olympic park centre.

Narelle has been looking into places for our retreat - hopefully in October. She will have some news for us this coming week.

Show and Tell:

Only two quilts to photograph this week. This is the back of one of Susan H.'s cot quilts. The top house has been embroidered by Susan. She does beautiful embroidery and makes it look so easy.



Beryl R has finished her cot quilt. Hand quilted and very pretty.


So that's all folks until next week .......


Friday, 14 May 2021

Our Thursdays

 Hi Everyone,

Another enjoyable meeting this week. Sheila said a while ago that she really looks forward to her Thursdays. I think we all agree with her.

Gill is doing well after her operation.  Hopefully she is able to check the blog to keep up with our show and tell.

Grace had an email from Theresa in South Africa. Theresa said her first quilt was Alysoun's Dresden Plate pattern she found in a magazine. South Africa is in lockdown too and she is unable to travel to Australia to see her daughter.

If you have any calico bags Grace would like to have them to decorate. We found a bundle in the cupboard this week which we gave to her.

Robyn Jnst said that Ros has made another 45 Trauma Bears for her charity. Ros must make them in her sleep. She is so quick.

Hunters Hill has a new Facebook Address - 'Hunters Hill Quilters'. Our old one was hacked unfortunately. We therefore lost our 500 followers. Hopefully they will gradually return.

Show and Tell:

Baby quilt from Sheila. Sheila is excellent at picking up giveaway fabrics and using them. This idea came from our Christmas Challenge quilt and the background uses some of Den T's fabric.



Another baby quilt from Sheila. Again she used the pink fabric from Deb. Very resourceful.


Jenny is using her new long arm quilter to finish a number of quilts. She loves it!


A friend gave Robyn Jnst this cute panel. Robyn has put it together and hand quilted it.


Until next week .....

Sunday, 9 May 2021

Community Day May

 Hi Everyone,

We had a good roll up this week despite the bad weather.  Four groups worked on Community quilts.

Gill is doing well after her operation. We wish her well.

Carolyn brought in 3 baby quilts this week. This brought her total quilts made to 300. She said she has enough fabric for another 300!

The Guild has listed quilt shows for this year. Some are out of town but you may enjoy a trip to see them.

Camden Quilters are having their 31st Annual Quilt Exhibition on July 31 and August 31.

Wauchope Patchwork - September  9 to 11. Their quilts will be on display throughout the town.

Dalmeny Quilter's in Narooma will be on in October 2 -3 , 2021.

Sydney Craft Fair - June 30 - July 4.

Australasian  Quilt Convention from August 19 to 22, 2021.

Show and Tell:

Our clever knitters have been busy again. This is Jenny's intricate shawl. Jenny said it was easy but I don't believe it for a minute!



Bev's shawl which drapes beautifully.


Bev has been using up some of her wool. This cute little jumper will go to the Womens' refuge.


Baby quilt from Lindy. 


The three baby quilts from Carolyn to make her 300 total!


Bev tried out a new pattern and made it into a baby quilt.


Another cute jumper from Bev.



Helena has made this quilt for her son using Kathy Doughty's new fabric range.



Another baby quilt from Jenny


Meg's group finished their quilt for Community.


Alison's group finished this quilt for Community. They used scraps and pieces out of the cupboards. A pleasing result.


Until next week ....


Saturday, 1 May 2021

A Pleasant Meeting

 Hi Everyone,

As always on a Thursday the hall was buzzing this week with table rearranging, lots of discussion and catching up with each others' news, sharing sewing ideas, recommendations for shows to watch on TV, etc etc. Always enjoyable.

Gill has had a shoulder reconstruction and will be in rehab for a while. We look forward to her return to quilting.

Deb T is having a clean up. She brought in fabrics and patterns for us to share.

Sandy found the perfect fabric for the border of the Christmas Challenge quilt. It really sets the quilt off.

Susan H. mentioned an exhibition that is on for the whole of May in the Embroiderers' Guild building:

"Toward Abstraction - An Exhibition of Modern Quilts"
1-30 May 2021
9am to 4pm weekdays and 10am to 2pm weekends.
76 Queen Street
Concord West.

Jessica Wheelahan has an entry in the exhibition.

It was good to see Kathy this week. She is hand quilting an anniversary quilt to mark her 30 years in Australia and her marriage to John.

Also good to see Susan St J return after her long illness.
Heather also mentioned that Hayley is leaving the Torres Strait Islands. Unfortunately she will not be in Sydney but will try to visit when she can.

Show and Tell:

Three quilts from Marie K. who manages to whip up a quilt in no time.The first one uses Japanese fabrics as does the second. The third is striking.




Elva has made this charmimg quilt for a neighbour who has had a little boy.


Until next week ......