Tuesday, May 31, 2016

More from Great New Zealand Quilt Show

Welcome back to see more from the Great New Zealand Quilt Show put on by Aotearoa Quilters in Rotorua. 

Below are the quilts that attracted my attention and that were able to be photographed due to the large number of people viewing them.


Sue Flego's quilt and prize 

Best of Show - Sue Flego with her quilt 'Mrs Billings Returns' and her prize

Close up of border

Best of Show 2003 Christchurch Symposium - Katherine Morrison


Silence by Jean McLean, Blenheim


, Jud

Close up of quilting by Judi Schon, Auckland on her quilt Inside Out

Kowhai Web by Ross Munro, Hastings



Fie n Ice by Kat Martin, Te Awamutu


Northland Green Gecko by Sonya Prchal, Whangarei





It is always a treat seeing this quilt hanging in a show, by Melanie Martin, Tauranga












That is all for now, check back soon to see what is under my needle at the moment. Until then happy stitching everyone.

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

TPQG Retreat 2016

Wow - we had another very successful retreat at the weekend. A weekend full of good company with like minded people, good food and lots of laughs and did I mention how productive it was. 

Retreats are a fantastic way of getting to know each other a little better and seeing what we are all working on, whether you stay over or just attend for the Saturday.

We had a little project on Friday night, which was great fun especially as it was an opportunity to create something pretty and useful from scraps - a bit like our quilts really.

Decorated jar with our prize - fabric flowers

We decorated jars and painted tins with doilies, lace, ribbon and anything else that we fancied. The varieties and ideas within the group was just amazing.

Pam's scones with jam and cream

Pam makes scones for morning tea on Saturday and they are the best scones around for sure, definitely the best I have ever tasted. 

Saturday we had a class for those that wished to participate and it was an incredibly busy but productive day.



This is what we were making and we had our centre rectangles and whites precut so we were ready to get going once we had set up our machines. This pattern is called Gridlock designed by Tanya Finken.

Here are some pics from the class. Everyone had different colourways and some used one colour for the T's in the background while others used an assortment of fabrics.











Rae's completed quilt top - just borders to add.

I can't wait to see them all finished at show and tell at the club. Well that is all for today, but please check back soon as I still have some more photos from the Great New Zealand Quilt Show to share. Until then happy stitching everyone.

Donna-Maree

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Aotearoa Quilts and Great New Zealand Quilt Show 2016

Wow, what a fantastic show Aotearoa Quilts put on in Rotorua last weekend with their inaugural Great New Zealand Quilt Show.

The flight challenge was very interesting and I was very impressed with not just the number of quilts but also the caliber. I think I have everything, it was difficult getting photos as there were a lot of people looking.


WINNER Gone By Jeanette Gillies Wanaka
The background fabric, representative of a wall, inspired me to create a door indicating the owners have fled.


  MERIT  Leaving By Mary Transom Ohope
I visualised a flight of butterflies leaving on a migration. I challenged myself to make my quilt double sided. 



MERIT  KL1963 Departing Amsterdam... By Shirley Sparks Pauanui
Breathtaking views of the fields and fields of tulips in bloom when flying from Amsterdam on a clear spring day.
 

MERIT  I'm Flying By Camilla Watson Whitby
Held high in dad's strong hands, she spins and spins.
 
 

Homeward Bound By Annie White Auckland 
I loved the clean, sharp lines of this near 100-year design. Texture and dimension was added by dense quilting.
 

Kaleidoscope Scramble By Sandra Bentley Tauranga
My husband loves old aircraft and thought that this dramatic image of an aviation art book would make a stunning quilt.
 

Ungainly Grace By Charlotte Scott Paihia
The grace and ungainliness of a heron in flight intrigues me, I watch them at dusk when the light fades on the water.
 

Wings of Gold Take Flight By Anne Lawson Invercargill
Monarch butterflies teach children about life cycles -stretching their wings of gold, encouraging children's imaginations to take flight with them.


Night Owl By Juliet Van Der Heijoen Rolleston
Last year I designed 16 flying bird silhouette patterns. 'Night Owl' is an extension of that series.

Take Your Dreams and Fly By Catherine Parkinson Te Awamutu
Dragonflies are beautiful insects. They are the symbol of change. Make dreams, makes changes and fly to new heights.
 

Flying Home By Sonya Prchal Whangarei
Fond memories of playful kea inspired Flying Home. I enjoyed capturing the beauty of the kea and alpine environment.


Flight of Ideas By Mary Jane Sneyd Dunedin
Ideas take flight from the book and metamorphose, into action as they pluck the peach from the sky.


Unshackled By Catherine McDonald Christchurch
Escape and freedom to pursue your own destiny.
 
 

Flight of the Pheasant By Janice Danswan Tauranga
The pheasant was done with raw-edge applique. The wing feathers are tea-dyed to get different tones.
 
A New Life By Kathleen Burton Christchurch
Every day I see images of refugees fleeing persecution - a better life relies on peace and our acceptance of them.
 
Close up of quilting. 
 
 

Flight of the Godwits By Wendy O'Neill Palmerston North
These incredible birds fly 7,700 miles non-stop for six days from Alaska to their feeding grounds in New Zealand.


To Kiss the Sky By Kirsten Macbeth Pokeno
I enjoyed thread painting the feather with variegated thread. The birds are escaping the feather and quilt for freedom in the sky.
 

Howard Hughes Meets Andy Warhol By Vivienne Franklin Napier 
After seeing the remarkable aeroplane, I needed a quilt so used the minimalist, vibrant pop art style of Andy Warhol.
 

Revenge of the Birds: a "Whodunnit" By Clare Smith Wellington
Inspired by the book "The Amulet of Samarkland", in which the sparrows are not what they appear.
 
 
 
 
 
Metamorphose By Kathleen Burford Christchurch
Every year our garden has hundreds of caterpillars that change into beautiful monarch butterflies -nature is wonderful.
 
These are the flights quilts that I have photos of, I apologise if there is any that I have missed. I have more photos of the exhibition but they will have to wait for another post.

Hope to see you back here soon, until then happy stitching everyone.

Donna-Maree