Quilts and Blogs

I responded to Robyn's post from quilt antics about online quilting and groups. She has responded with what is it about these aussies. My experience with patchwork and quilting is it can be a solitary hobby/ passion unless you make /take the opportunity to mingle with like minded people. Same story applies to life really.


I belong to Bundaberg Quilters being their publicity officer. We are a group consisting of about 140 members but I live 115 kms away so do not get to group functions much. This would probably be a similar story for many Aussie quilters. The other informal group I am a member of is the Mt Perry Quilters. About 8 of us. We use our blog as our newsletter. Why waste paper when you can post photoes in colour etc and your friends anywhere can see them.
Our Mt Perry blog is mpquilters.blogspot.com if you have not found it already.

We all have internet access. Most of us have satellite broadband because of our remoteness from urban areas. This has allowed us to "meet " so many people and now is allowing us to purchase supplies much easier. We still love driving the long distance to the local patchwork shops when we can for our shopping trips though. The blog world has allowed us to view trends and tips so much easier and makes us feel like we belong somewhere.


Australia is probably different to the USA as quilting groups here are only about 25 to 20 years old, not like some long established ones in USA. Bundaberg Quilters celebrated their 20th this year.





I have been teaching workshops for QCWA Piecemakers since doing a tutors course for them in 1999. They are a far flung group of members across Queensland. They are also in the process of setting up a blog for their members as well. They currently have a section on the QCWA website.


I have been busy working on my next workshop in January. I purchased a free motion feathers DVD from Patsy Thompson 2 weeks ago and yesterday successfully produced my first sample of free motion feathers without marking the quilt top first. Now I am doing these in the outside border of a queen size log cabin bed quilt. I would not have been able to progress so quickly to doing this without the blogs that I read.


This is the actual piece scanned . A sample of hand dyed fabric with 35wt valdani variegated thread. On my bed quilt I am using an aurifil thread 50 wt cotton mako thread. The thinner thread is beautiful to use for traditional style quilting.

The only downside to all this blogging is interrupting the sewing sessions.